Newspaper Articles from Buena Vista Newspapers: 1884-1926

Chaffee County, Colorado Newspaper Articles

The Newspapers in Buena Vista, Colorado have noted the life of Nathaniel T. Dodge & his family. A couple of them noted the births of some of his children:
Buena Vista Democrat: April 3, 1884
In announcing the birth of Clara Bell Dodge (born 28 March 1884), the Buena Vista Democrat wrote: ‘Judge Dodge of Freegold is receiving congratulations on the arrival of a daughter.

Buena Vista Herald: March 21, 1891
In announcing the birth of Dwight Hector Dodge (born 17 March 1891), the Buena Vista Herald wrote: ‘On St. Patrick’s morning, the home of Judge NT Dodge was made bright by the arrival of a twelve-pound boy. The Judge wore an extra yard of green ribbon and consequence, and set ‘em up in true Hibernian style. The mother and child are doing splendidly.

The Colorado Republican chronicled the brief life of James Francis Newitt, the son of James & Rachel Elizabeth (Dodge) Newitt. He was born 29 April 1907 & passed away 4 May 1907.

Colorado Republican: May 2, 1907
Born Monday, April 29th – to the wife of James Newitt a bouncing baby boy.

Colorado Republican: May 9, 1907
James Francis Newitt, the infant son of Mr. & Mrs. James Newitt died at the family residence last Saturday and interment was made Sunday.

A couple of articles from the Chaffee County Republican touch on the life of Ann Hazel Dodge during early 1915.

Chaffee County Republican: February 25, 1915
Miss Anna Dodge came down from Leadville the first of the week for a few days visit with home folks.

Chaffee County Republican: April 8, 1915
Miss Anna Dodge returned from Leadville the first of the week and has accepted a position at the Princeton Hotel.

The Colorado Republican and the Chaffee County Republican also touch on the life of James Newitt, who was a miner in Leadville, Colorado.

Colorado Republican: October 24, 1907
Jim Newitt came down from Leadville Tuesday for a few days.

Chaffee County Republican: April 22, 1915
James Newitt, engineer on the Ibex #3 shaft, has been laid up for over a week at his home in Buena Vista with an ailment believed to have resulted from injuries he received in a runaway on the Johnny Hill Road nearly two years ago. Mr. Newitt sustained two broken ribs in the accident and it is believed now that the accident might have caused other internal injuries near the heart which are causing his present sickness – Leadville Herald Democrat.

Chaffee County Republican: April 29, 1915
James Newitt returned to his work in Leadville Sunday evening.

Chaffee County Democrat: August 14, 1915
Jim Newitt came down from Leadville and spent Sunday with his family.

Other articles touched on the various travels to and from Buena Vista.

Chaffee County Democrat: January 4, 1919
Buena Vistans in Leadville Wednesday were: Frank Crocombe, D.H. Dodge, & F.J. Dougherty.

Chaffee County Democrat: January 25, 1919
Pat Dodge returned from a Leadville visit Wednesday evening. [Just a note about this article: Dwight H. Dodge was also known as Pat Dodge, according to records found surrounding his death]

Chaffee County Democrat: June 14, 1919
Earl Graham arrived from the Northwest this week, being called home by the illness of his wife.

Chaffee County Democrat: April 17, 1920
Mr. & Mrs. Earl Graham and daughter, Mrs. Thos. Doyle & daughter and James Burris motored to Salida and return Tuesday.

Even other articles noted when people were leaving Buena Vista or returning home after a prolonged absence.

Chaffee County Democrat: August 23, 1919
We are glad to welcome in our midst Mr. James R. Dodge, who returned Sunday from overseas. [James R. Dodge was in the US Army and part of the American Army of Occupation during World War I]

Chaffee County Democrat: March 6, 1920
James Newitt recently sold his residence property to E.L. Follette and will move his family to Long Beach, California.

Like other local newspapers, the Chaffee County Democrat noted the deaths of local residents and published not only obituaries, but also family members who had returned to mourn the loss of a loved one.

Chaffee County Democrat: May 3, 1919
James Newitt & family came down from Leadville Monday to spend a few days at the home of Mr. & Mrs. N.T. Dodge.

Chaffee County Democrat: May 17, 1919
Mrs. Frances Fogalsang, daughter of the late Mrs. Fannie Dodge, reached the city Sunday from San Francisco.

Mrs. Earl Graham, called here by the death of her mother, Mrs. Fannie Dodge, arrived from Olympia, Washington last Monday.

CARD OF THANKS

We take this method of expressing our heartfelt appreciation of the assistance and sympathy tendered by neighbors and other friends at the time of our recent bereavement, when out loving wife and mother was called away.

N.T. DODGE & CHILDREN

Chaffee County Democrat: May 24, 1919
Mrs. Frances Fogalsang departed Saturday evening for her home in San Francisco.

Chaffee County Republican: April 30, 1926
Mrs. Jim Newitt, of Grand Junction, was in the city during part of the week.

At the Rio Grande Hospital in Salida last Tuesday, N.T. Dodge passed away and the body was brought to Buena Vista and was buried in the cemetery here Thursday afternoon.

CARD OF THANKS

We wish to express our appreciation for the kind words and sympathy during the death and funeral of our dear father.

THE FAMILY OF N.T. DODGE

Chaffee County Republican: May 7, 1926
On motion, the following preamble and resolution was…unanimously adopted:
Whereas, the children of N.T. Dodge, deceased, have paid into the County Treasurer of this county a total of $40 more than expended for hospital care of said N.T. Dodge, and said money lawfully belongs to said children.
NOW, therefore, on request of said children, it is hereby resolved that a warrant be drawn in the Pauper Fund in favor of Mrs. James Newitt of 661 Colorado Avenue, Grand Junction, for said sum of $40.

Probate Records for James Harvey Dodge (1831-1908)

Proof of Will

List of Heirs

Probate Bond

Petition for Probate

Notice of Executrix's Appointment

Final Will - Dated March 19, 1884

Civil War Draft Registrations - July 1, 1863

The following are Civil War Draft Registrations for Wilson Dodge, James Harevy Dodge, Asa Swett Dodge, Curtis S. Dodge, William O. Parlin (husband of Emily Dodge) & Ezekiel B. Bray (husband of Mary Ann Dodge). The draft was done on July 1, 1863. The records list their names, places of residence & occupation. The Draft doesn't indicate whether they served in the Civil War or not. Asa Swett Dodge & William O. Parlin did serve in the Civil War. They enlisted 28 Dec 1863 and were discharged 20 Aug 1865.

Civil War Draft Registration for Ezekiel B. Bray, husband of Mary Ann Dodge. He was living in Perkins Plantation, Maine.

Civil War Draft Registration for William O. Parlin, husband of Emily Dodge. He was living in Leeds, Maine.

Civil War Draft Registration for Asa S. Dodge. He was living in Winthrop, Maine.

Civil War Draft Registration for James Harvey Dodge. He was living in Strong, Maine.

Civil War Draft Registration for Wilson Dodge & Curtis S. Dodge. They were living in Perkins Plantation, Maine. Curtis was accepted for service and paid the $300 commutation fee which freed him from military service.

William Hiram Morgan (1908-1963); son of William J. Morgan (1866-1941) & Clara Bell Dodge (1884-1943)

Soldier's Service Book for Bill Morgan

From left: Ida Marie Braunagel, Bill's wife, Clara Bell Dodge, Bill's mother, Mary Ann Morgan, Bill's sister, and William Hiram (Bill) Morgan, at Bill & Ida's wedding in 1942.

Bill & Ida, April 1942

Bill Morgan ca. 1940

Back of picture. It reads: 'Do you think this looks loke me at all...Margaret said that she would get a camera when I get my next leave and take some snaps of both of us. Love Bill.

 
Birthday card to Bill's mother Clara while he was in the Army.

Bill Morgan in the Army, early 1940's

Bill & Ida with their son Mike, early 1960's

Parents of Ida Maria Braunagel

Recently, I have come across information on Clara's son, Bill Morgan. His son Godfrey (who goes by Mike), found this blog and shared information and pictures on his parents. This has been something that I've looked forward to for years and am grateful for his sharing this information with me.

William Hiram Morgan was born 26 November 1908 in Silver City, New Mexico. By 1910, his family had moved back to Buena Vista, Colorado, where his mother, Clara Bell (Dodge) Morgan, was born and raised. In 1911, they immigrated to Canada, settling in the town of Wilkie, Saskatchewan. Bill enlisted in the Canadian Army on February 6, 1940. At the time of his enlistment, he was a truck & tractor driver. He was a Dispatch Rider with the Saskatoon Light Infantry. He received injuries during his time in the Army during WWII and returned to Saskatoon, where he met and married his wife, Ida Braunagel, in 1942.

For his service in the Army, Bill earned the Defence Medal, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and the War Medal (1939-1945). These medals are shown below.

His wife, Ida Braunagel, was born 22 February 1920 in Strasburg, North Dakota. Her parents were joseph & Stephanie Braunagel. the immigrated to Canada in 1928 and also settled in Wilkie, Saskatchewan. Ida was a nurse when she married Bill Morgan in 1942. The met in the hospital where Bill was in rehabilitation for his injuries. After they married, they settled in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. Bill was a taxi driver there before moving to Lloydminster around 1948-49. He owned his own taxi company while living in Lloydminster. He retired to Calgary in 1961 where he passed away on May 3, 1963. He is buried in Burnsland Cemetery.

After his death, his wife Ida worked and lived in Calgary, working as a cook in a truck restaurant and also as an apartment manager before retiring in 1977. She eventually lived with Max Ransome, who later became her common-law husband until her death on August 4, 1989. She buried at the Queen's Park Cemetery in Calgary.

Gravestone for William Hiram Morgan

Gravestone for Ida Marie (Braunagel) Morgan

Family of James Newitt (1869-1952) & his wives: Maggie Meeter (1867-1904) & Rachel Elizabeth Dodge (1887-1977)

Gravestone for Clarence Keith Newitt (1899-1974)
Obituary for Keith Newitt

Gravestone for Bernice Elizabeth Newitt (1902-1982)

Gravestone for Edna (Newitt) Patterson (1908-1999)
Obituary for Edna (Newitt) Patterson

This is something I should have published a long time ago but never did. When I started searching out my family, I never expected to find some of the things that I did. This is one of those things.

In searching for the family of Rachel Elizabeth (Dodge) Newitt, I found out that her husband, James Newitt, was previously married and had two children from his first marriage. James Newitt was first married to a lady named Maggie Meeter. She was born in 1867 in Minnesota and eventually made her way to Colorado. James Newitt & Maggie Meeter married 14 July 1897 in Leadville, Colorado. Their two children were: Clarence Keith Newitt (1899-1974) & Bernice Elizabeth Newitt (1902-1982).

When I started, I knew that Keith & Bernice were part of the family but I couldn't figure out where they fit in. The family records I had found listed them as Rachel's children, but they were born while Rachel was still very young herself. Where did they fit in? Below is the Family Record that my great-grandmother wrote down:

She wrote down what she knew and remembered of my great-grandfather's family, which is what I used to start searching out my family. When I found out that Keith & Bernice were step-children of Rachel (Dodge) Newitt, I was surprised, but I now had my answer.

A little bit about the family of James Newitt. James was born in March of 1869 in England and immigrated to the USA in during the 1880's. He settled in Colorado and married his first wife, Maggie Meteer, in July of 1897. They lived in Leadville, Colorado, where James was a Miner. Maggie Meteer died in 1904 in Leadville, Colorado. She is buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery. Her obituary reads:

'Died - On Thursday morning, February 25, 1904, at Leadville, wife of James Newitt. It is with regret that we chronicle the demise of one of earth's brightest jewels, a favorite of all her associates, with bright sunshine always in her presence. Almost two months ago she was taken down with typhoid fever at her home in Leadville. She was removed to Buena Vista and immediately began to recover. Some two weeks ago she had recovered sufficiently to return to her home, where she suffered a relapse and gradually grew worse until the end came last Thursday.
'On Saturday afternoon the funeral was held from the Methodist church of which she was a member, where a large concourse of friends gathered to witness the last sad rites. For the bereaved ones, we would say, though the dear one had been taken from them, leaving in their hearts a void that time alone can heal, yet they must remember that the God who gave her to them has seen fit in His great wisdom and glory, to take her from them, and it is His will they must serve, and to which they must submit.
'He has taken the dear one to a higher world and at the same time He has called the attention of those who will miss her joyous laughter and loving embraces, to that home which He has prepared for all who will turn and seek Him, whereby they may again behold the daughter, sister and wife in shining robes among Heavenly hosts, and again clasp her in their arms never more to part.
'Mrs. Newitt was born June 19, 1867, at St. Charles, Minnesota, coming to Buena Vista with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. S.H. Meeter in 1888. The ceremony which made her the wife of James Newitt, was performed July 14, 1897. Besides a husband she leaves two small children.'

James & Maggie's children, Keith & Berenice, were both born in Leadville, Colorado. They grew up in Leadville & Buena Vista. Keith joined the US Navy in April of 1917. He served until July of 1920. Afterwards, he moved to California, settling in San Francisco. Keith married twice. His first wife was Mary Ermachenco (1896-1944), who was from Russia. They were married sometime around 1926. After she passed away, Keith married Arlene Christensen (1907-1979) in November 1944. Later in his life, they moved to Oregon, where Keith passed away in 1974. From what I've found, they never had any children. Below are the Census records I've found on Keith Newitt from 1920, 1930 and 1940.

1920 Census - USS Baltimore, Mare Island, California

1930 Census - San Francisco, California

1940 Census - San Francisco, California

Berenice was born in February 1902 (even though her gravestone & military records indicate 1900) in Leadville, Colorado. Berenice began her nursing career working at the Red Cross Hospital in Salida Colorado, where she is listed in the 1920 Census. She joined the US Army as a nurse and was a 2nd Lieutenant, serving from 1921 to 1937. Upon admission to the Army Nurse Corps, Berenice was assigned to Fitzsimmons General Hospital in Denver, Colorado (1922). She was later assigned to Letterman General Hospital at the Presidio in San Francisco, Schofield Barracks in Hawaii and Fort Snelling, Minnesota before receiving a medical discharge in San Francisco in 1937 due to severe hearing loss. After her discharge, Berenice moved to Glendale, California and continued her career as a nurse at the Monte Sano Hospital in Los Angeles. From what I've found, Bernice never married. She died in the fall of 1982 in Glendale, California. Below are the 1920, 1930 and 1940 Census Records for Berenice Newitt.

1920 Census - Red Cross Hospital, Salida, Colorado

1930 Census - Schofield Barracks, Oahu, Hawaii

1940 Census - Glendale, California

James married Rachel Elizabeth Dodge 20 August 1906 in Buena Vista. James & Rachel had three children together: James Francis Newitt (29 Apr 1907 - 4 May 1907), Edna Rae Newitt (20 Nov 1908 - 17 Sep 1999) & Francis Mae Newitt (15 Aug 1910 - 27 Mar 1926).  I found James Francis Newitt through the local newspapers, which detailed the birth and death his brief life. He is buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Buena Vista, Colorado.

Edna grew up in Buena Vista & in Grand Junction. Edna was also a nurse. Edna started out at St. Mary’s Hospital in Grand Junction and then at Pierce County Hospital in Tacoma until she retired. In the 1930 Census, she is listed twice; once with her family and once by herself. She moved to Tacoma, Washington with her family in 1931, where she continued her profession.  She also married twice. Her first husband was Frank L. Criswell (1909-1968). They married January 26, 1933 and divorced in 1947. Edna's second husband was Charles Patterson (1907-1968). They married November 6, 1954. Edna never had any children of her own. She passed away in September of 1999 at the age of 90. I remember my grandfather telling me when he found out Edna had passed away. He was surprised and upset when he found out. I remember he always kept in touch with her and had wanted to record her life and the stories she had of growing up in Buena Vista. A lot of what he knew of the family came from her.

Until recently, Frances Mae Newitt has been a mystery to me. She is listed in the 1920 US Census with the rest of the family in Buena Vista, but there was no other record of her anywhere. I recently found her burial on findagrave.com. I also recently obtained her obituary. She was born August 15, 1910 in Buena Vista, Colorado and grew up in Buena Vista and Grand Junction. She died March 27, 1926 at the age of 15. She passed away following an operation to remove her appendix. She died one month before her grandfather, Nathaniel T. Dodge, passed away. She is buried in the Orchard Mesa Municipal Cemetery. Below is the picture of the gravestone and her obituary.

Gravestone for Frances Mae Newitt

Obituary for Frances Mae Newitt; from The Daily Sentinel, Grand Junction, March 29, 1926

James Newitt passed away on September 8, 1952 in Tacoma, Washington. His obituary reads: 'James Newitt, born in London, Eng., 85 years ago and a resident of Tacoma for the past 25 years, coming from Colorado, died Monday in his home, 300 So. 9^th St. A mining engineer, he was foreman of the Latermore Chemical Co., a member of St. Leo’s church and belonged to the Woodmen of the World in Colorado and to the local Yeoman’s lodge. Survivors are his wife, Ray; a son, C.K. Newitt of San Francisco; two daughters, Mrs. Edna Criswell of Tacoma and Miss Bernice Newitt of Glendale, and a brother and sister in England. Cassedy & Allen will announce the services.'

2015 Update: I have recently obtained copies of death certificates for Berenice, James Francis, Edna Rae and Frances Mae Newitt. (Keith's won't be available for another 10 years) They are shown below.

Berenice Elizabeth Newitt: 24 Feb 1902 - 7 Sep 1982

James Francis (Baby) Newitt: 29 Apr 1907 - 4 May 1907

Edna Rae (Newitt) Patterson: 20 Nov 1908 - 17 Sep 1999

Frances Mae Newitt: 15 Aug 1910 - 27 Mar 1926