John Wesley Iliff, Sr. (December 18, 1831 – February 9, 1878) was a cattle rancher and is the namesake of the Iliff School of Theology

Iliff School of Theology

Iliff School of Theology is a graduate theological school adjoining the University of Denver in Denver, Colorado.An average of 300-350 students attend the school each year in the following degree programs:* Master of Divinity...

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Biography

He was born on December 18, 1831 in McLuney, Ohio to Salome Reed and Thomas Iliff.

He attended Ohio Wesleyan in Delaware, Ohio

Delaware, Ohio

The City of Delaware is a city in and the county seat of Delaware County in the United States state of Ohio. Delaware was founded in 1808 and was incorporated in 1816. It is located near the center of Ohio, is about north of Columbus, and is part of the Columbus, Ohio Metropolitan Area...

 but did not graduate. In 1857, at age of twenty-six, his father gave him $500 in cash and moved to Ohio City, Colorado

Ohio City, Colorado

Ohio City is an unincorporated town and a U.S. Post Office in Gunnison County, Colorado, United States. The Ohio City Post Office has the ZIP Code 81237....

 where he opened a retail store. In 1859 gold was discovered in Colorado

Colorado

Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...

and he moved to Denver, Colorado

Denver, 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...

 to open a new retail store.

He died on February 9, 1878.