Chatfield Family

he gold rush to the Rocky Mountains brought people who wished to prospect in land as well as gold. Isaac Chatfield and his new wife, Eliza A. Herrington, traveled by wagon train to Denver in 1859. Disillusioned by the overcrowded and primitive conditions, plus the lack of new claims available, the Chatfields moved east to Kansas, briefly. With the Civil War about to start, Isaac decided to move the family, which included a new baby, Ella, to Isaac's former home in Bath, Illinois. From there, Isaac served in the Union Army, rising to the rank of lieutenant. After the Civil War, the Chatfields returned to Colorado, where they settled on a homestead of 160 acres at Florence.

Edward L. and Anna E. (Bates) Chatfield, date unknown.

Other branches of the Chatfield family eventually joined Isaac in Colorado. Nathan Stoddard Chatfield, uncle of Isaac, moved to Colorado in 1879 and eventually settled in the Littleton area. Nathan died in August 1885 and was buried in the Littleton cemetery. He and his wife, Margaret Herrick had seven children: Edward L., David, Isaac Newton, William Stoddard, James Herrick, Charles Henry, and Mary Margaret. All accompanied their parents to Colorado, except for David, who died in the Civil War.

Isaac began raising cattle in Florence, an endeavor that would make him rich. In 1871, he sold his ranch and moved to the Littleton area. Daniel Witter, a lawyer and surveyor living in Denver, owned a ranch at the intersection of the South Platte River and Plum Creek. In 1870 or 1871, Isaac Chatfield purchased this 720-acre ranch. Chatfield owned this ranch until his death, although he did not live there often.

When the Colorado and Southern Railroad came through the area in the 1870s, the Chatfield Station was constructed on the ranch. Today, Chatfield Reservoir is located on the former location of the ranch.

Chatfields, left to right: James H., I.W., William, and Edward L., c. 1911. James, William and Edward were brothers; I.W. was their cousin.

Isaac moved the family to Leadville around 1879 and worked in the railroad contract business. He also acquired shares of two silver mines, the Late Acquisition and the Smuggler #2. Soon, he partnered with Joseph Brinker Jr. in a grocery store named Brinker & Chatfield.

The grocery business proved successful, especially for miners' provisions. Isaac, who often toyed with political aspirations, was elected as a city alderman in 1880. Chatfield and Brinker took on another business partner, Albert Wheeler of New York, in 1881, but this arrangement was dissolved in 1882. A new associate named Wing joined the business in 1882, and the name changed to Chatfield & Wing.

Isaac and Eliza had nine children: Ella (or Ellen), Jacquelina , Elmer, Charles, Phil Van Wert (died at age 17), Willard (died in childhood), Myrtle (died in childhood), Grace (died in childhood), and Calla. Ella became a well-known soprano in Leadville and performed at the local opera house built by Horace Tabor. Elmer worked in his father's grocery store. In 1886, Isaac sold the grocery store to Theodore Blohm Merchandise Company. He returned to cattle raising, buying ranches in Rio Blanco County. Elmer started his own cattle ranch at Emma, Colorado.

James H. Chatfield, c. 1913.

Isaac Chatfield and his family eventually moved away from Leadville, settling in Emma, a short distance away from his son's ranch. Isaac was elected to Colorado's House of Representatives in 1889. However, his bid for state senator in 1896 failed. He returned to Denver in 1899. Isaac joined the W.E. Moses Realty Company in 1906, becoming the vice president in 1908.

Isaac and Eliza celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary on May 20, 1908. Eliza died sometime after that, although the date is not known. Isaac married a woman named Sarah Jane in 1911. The couple moved to California where Isaac died. He was buried at Oak Hill Memorial Park, San Jose, California.

James Herrick Chatfield, son of Isaac's uncle, moved to Littleton in 1870. J.H. conducted business in real estate loans and his office was located in downtown Littleton at 416 Main St. He was also the secretary of the Cemetery Association, which met weekly. J.H.'s residence was listed as 458 Main St. in the 1905 Littleton City Directory. He and his wife, Anna, had three children: Ruth (died at age nine), Edward and Nellie. J.H. Chatfield died in April, 1919.

Bibliography

Littleton City Directory, 1905.

Littleton Historical Museum. Vertical File. Biography: Chatfield.

Littleton (Colo.) Independent. The Littleton Independent Publishers, 1888-.

Photographs courtesy of the Littleton Historical Museum, unless otherwise noted; to order copies, contact the Museum at 303-795-3950.

Compiled by Rebecca Dorward
Edited by Phyllis Larison and Lorena Donohue

Updated January 2004