Benjamin Harrison Eaton
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Harrison Eaton (December 15, 1833 – October 29, 1904) was an American
politician, entrepreneur and agriculturalist in the late 19th and early 20th century. Eaton was a founding officer of the Greeley Colony
and was instrumental in the establishment of modern irrigation
farming to Northern Colorado. A member of the Republican Party
, he served as the fourth Governor of Colorado
, from January 1885 to January 1887, with the nickname of the "farmer
governor". He was one of the largest land owners Weld
and Larmimer
counties, at one time owning over ninety 160 acre (0.6 km²) parcels, all watered from canal
s and reservoirs of his own construction. His projects were influential in helping turn the South Platte River
valley into an important agricultural
region in the state's economy
. The town of Eaton, Colorado
in western Weld County is named for him.
Benjamin Harrison Eaton's sister, Mary Jane Eaton, married William S. Dickerson, also from Coshocton County, Ohio. They settled in Weld County, Colorado. Their daughter Adda Dickerson married Thomas Grant Cullison
in Windsor Colorado on September 20, 1900. Thomas & Adda's grandson Tom Cullison still lives in the Greeley/Eaton Colorado area.
Eaton is among those who are depicted in stained glass on the rotunda of the Colorado State Capitol
Building.
, the second of eight children. He went to school in Ohio and taught school there as well. In 1854, at the age of 21, he moved to Louisa County, Iowa
, where he taught school for two years. He returned to Ohio in 1856 where he married Delilah Wolf. His wife died in 1857 after giving birth to a son, Aaron James Eaton.
After emigrating to Colorado in 1858 during the Colorado Gold Rush
he settled in Weld County
In 1858 Eaton went to Iowa for the second time. The following year 1859, at the height of the Colorado Gold Rush, he went from Iowa to Colorado. He prospected
for gold in Colorado and New Mexico
, as well as working on farms. During the American Civil War
, he served under Colonel Kit Carson
, in the New Mexico Volunteers. He returned to Louisa County, Iowa in 1864 and married Rebecca J. Hill. He crossed the Great Plains
with his second wife that year and settled in Weld County along its western border with Larimer County, establishing a livestock
raising operation. He was an early prominent citizen of Fort Collins
, the nearest post office and trading point, and was a charter member of the Masonic Lodge
there. In 1866, he was elected as Justice of the Peace
, serving in that capacity for nine yrears. For six years, he served concurrently as a county commissioner.
for a group of British
investors. He later built the Windsor Reservoir near present-day Windsor
, and well as many other smaller water projects throughout Larimer and Weld counties. He died in 1904 at Greeley.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician, entrepreneur and agriculturalist in the late 19th and early 20th century. Eaton was a founding officer of the Greeley Colony
Union Colony of Colorado
The Union Colony of Colorado was a 19th century U.S. private enterprise formed to promote agricultural settlement in the South Platte River valley in the Colorado Territory...
and was instrumental in the establishment of modern irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
farming to Northern Colorado. A member of the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, he served as the fourth Governor of Colorado
Governor of Colorado
The Governor of Colorado is the head of the executive branch of Colorado's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Colorado General Assembly, to convene the...
, from January 1885 to January 1887, with the nickname of the "farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
governor". He was one of the largest land owners Weld
Weld County, Colorado
As of the census of 2000, there were 180,936 people, 63,247 households, and 45,221 families residing in the county. The population density was 45 people per square mile . There were 66,194 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile...
and Larmimer
Larimer County, Colorado
Larimer County is the seventh most populous and the ninth most extensive of the 64 counties of the State of Colorado of the United States. The county is located at the northern end of the Front Range, at the edge of the Colorado Eastern Plains along the border with Wyoming...
counties, at one time owning over ninety 160 acre (0.6 km²) parcels, all watered from canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
s and reservoirs of his own construction. His projects were influential in helping turn the South Platte River
South Platte River
The South Platte River is one of the two principal tributaries of the Platte River and itself a major river of the American Midwest and the American Southwest/Mountain West, located in the U.S. states of Colorado and Nebraska...
valley into an important agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
region in the state's economy
Economic system
An economic system is the combination of the various agencies, entities that provide the economic structure that defines the social community. These agencies are joined by lines of trade and exchange along which goods, money etc. are continuously flowing. An example of such a system for a closed...
. The town of Eaton, Colorado
Eaton, Colorado
Eaton is a Statutory Town in Weld County, Colorado, United States. The population was 2,690 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Benjamin Harrison Eaton, a pioneer of irrigation who played a leading role in transforming the arid prairie of the Great Plains east of Colorado's Front Range into...
in western Weld County is named for him.
Benjamin Harrison Eaton's sister, Mary Jane Eaton, married William S. Dickerson, also from Coshocton County, Ohio. They settled in Weld County, Colorado. Their daughter Adda Dickerson married Thomas Grant Cullison
in Windsor Colorado on September 20, 1900. Thomas & Adda's grandson Tom Cullison still lives in the Greeley/Eaton Colorado area.
Eaton is among those who are depicted in stained glass on the rotunda of the Colorado State Capitol
Colorado State Capitol
The Colorado State Capitol Building, located at 200 East Colfax Avenue in Denver, Colorado, is the home of the Colorado General Assembly and the offices of the Governor of Colorado and Lieutenant Governor of Colorado. The building is intentionally reminiscent of the United States Capitol. Designed...
Building.
Early life
Eaton was born in Coshocton, OhioCoshocton, Ohio
Coshocton is a city in and the county seat of Coshocton County, Ohio, United States. The population of the city was 11,682 at the 2000 census. The Walhonding River and the Tuscarawas River meet in Coshocton to form the Muskingum River....
, the second of eight children. He went to school in Ohio and taught school there as well. In 1854, at the age of 21, he moved to Louisa County, Iowa
Louisa County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 11,387 in the county, with a population density of . There were 5,002 housing units, of which 4,346 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, where he taught school for two years. He returned to Ohio in 1856 where he married Delilah Wolf. His wife died in 1857 after giving birth to a son, Aaron James Eaton.
After emigrating to Colorado in 1858 during the Colorado Gold Rush
Colorado Gold Rush
The Pike's Peak Gold Rush was the boom in gold prospecting and mining in the Pike's Peak Country of western Kansas Territory and southwestern Nebraska Territory of the United States that began in July 1858 and lasted until roughly the creation of the Colorado Territory on February 28, 1861...
he settled in Weld County
Weld County, Colorado
As of the census of 2000, there were 180,936 people, 63,247 households, and 45,221 families residing in the county. The population density was 45 people per square mile . There were 66,194 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile...
In 1858 Eaton went to Iowa for the second time. The following year 1859, at the height of the Colorado Gold Rush, he went from Iowa to Colorado. He prospected
Prospecting
Prospecting is the physical search for minerals, fossils, precious metals or mineral specimens, and is also known as fossicking.Prospecting is a small-scale form of mineral exploration which is an organised, large scale effort undertaken by mineral resource companies to find commercially viable ore...
for gold in Colorado and New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
, as well as working on farms. During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, he served under Colonel Kit Carson
Kit Carson
Christopher Houston "Kit" Carson was an American frontiersman and Indian fighter. Carson left home in rural present-day Missouri at age 16 and became a Mountain man and trapper in the West. Carson explored the west to California, and north through the Rocky Mountains. He lived among and married...
, in the New Mexico Volunteers. He returned to Louisa County, Iowa in 1864 and married Rebecca J. Hill. He crossed the Great Plains
Great Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
with his second wife that year and settled in Weld County along its western border with Larimer County, establishing a livestock
Livestock
Livestock refers to one or more domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce commodities such as food, fiber and labor. The term "livestock" as used in this article does not include poultry or farmed fish; however the inclusion of these, especially poultry, within the meaning...
raising operation. He was an early prominent citizen of Fort Collins
Fort Collins, Colorado
Fort Collins is a Home Rule Municipality situated on the Cache La Poudre River along the Colorado Front Range, and is the county seat and most populous city of Larimer County, Colorado, United States. Fort Collins is located north of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. With a 2010 census...
, the nearest post office and trading point, and was a charter member of the Masonic Lodge
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
there. In 1866, he was elected as Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
, serving in that capacity for nine yrears. For six years, he served concurrently as a county commissioner.
Later career
Eaton expanded his operations from farming into contracting, specializing the in the building of irrigation canals and reservoirs, a business he heavily promoted as a means of bringing growth and wealth to Larimer and Weld Counties. In 1873, in association with John C. Abbott, he built what later became known as Larimer County Canal No. 2 which watered large areas of land west, south, and southwest of Fort Collins. In 1878 he began construction of the Larimer and Weld Canal, once known as the Eaton Ditch, which at the time was the largest and longest irrigation canal in the state. In 1879 he built the High Line Canal in DenverDenver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
for a group of British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
investors. He later built the Windsor Reservoir near present-day Windsor
Windsor, Colorado
The Town of Windsor is a Home Rule Municipality in Larimer and Weld counties in the U.S. state of Colorado. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the town was 18,644. Windsor is located in the region known as Northern Colorado. Windsor is situated north of the Colorado State Capitol in...
, and well as many other smaller water projects throughout Larimer and Weld counties. He died in 1904 at Greeley.