Weaver Family

The Weaver family on the porch of the Weaver home at 6556 S. Crocker, c. 1917. Left to right, front row: Kathryn, Jack Auping, cousin and child, Helen Weaver MacGregor, cousin (boy in cap), Robert, Mrs. Weaver (mother) and Frieda (next to post). Back row: Morton, George (father), Eldo.

eaver Street in Littleton was named for George W. Weaver, but perhaps it should have been named for the entire Weaver family. Mr. Weaver had a long career as a bookkeeper, first for the American National Bank and later for the First National Bank in Denver. The family owned twenty-two acres at Ridge Road and Windermere where the Weaver sons ran a dairy, the "Windermere Herd," and delivered milk by wagon. Their mother, Ida Weaver, was chosen Littleton's Foremost Mother of the Year in May 1933. Several of the eleven Weaver children distinguished themselves in Littleton and elsewhere.

The father, George William Weaver, was born in Lovington, Illinois July 18, 1859. His family moved to Missouri when he was eight years old where, at an early age he became a telegraph operator. Miss Ida Vernella Burrows was born May 23, 1860. One source says she was born in a small town in Illinois. Another says she was born in Butler, Missouri.  Sources agree that George and Ida were married on May 24, 1884 in Butler. Shortly after this, Mr. Weaver, who was accomplished in penmanship, opened a commercial school. Their first four children were born in Missouri.

Mr. Weaver worked in the bank in Butler until 1890 when he brought the family to Colorado. They settled in Denver for four years, then lived in Cherrelyn for four more years before buying the land at Ridge Road and Windermere in Littleton from the Gallup family. They built a home that still stands at 6556 South Crocker, although extensively remodeled. Mr. Weaver walked from their home to the railroad station and commuted daily on the "Uncle Sam" train from Littleton to his work in Denver.

Seven more children were born to the Weavers after coming to Colorado. On their acreage in Littleton, the sons operated the dairy until 1912, when they sold it. They reentered the dairy business in 1918 by processing milk produced by their neighbors. When pasteurization was required by 1925, they did not have that capability, and decided to quit their dairy operation. They continued to raise most of their own food, along with hay and grain, with irrigation water from the Highline Canal that ran down Ridge Road. They also had a well. Mr. Weaver did all the gardening.

When the newspaper honored seventy-three year old Ida Weaver as Foremost Mother in 1933, it said that her name had been suggested by more readers than any other. Besides raising nine children, (two children, Ida and George, died as babies), she found time to help run the small farm and gain a wide reputation for her handmade quilts and braided rugs. When she died April 15, 1946 she was a prominent Ridge Road resident in her eighty-sixth year.

George Weaver lived for twelve years after retiring in 1925. He had helped organize the South Denver Masonic Lodge, and masonry remained an active interest all his life. The family played an important part in Littleton affairs for many years. Mr. Weaver was treasurer of the Arapahoe County Fair Association when its fairs were held north of Bowles and west of the Platte River and served a term on the Littleton school board. He was an elder in the Littleton Presbyterian Church when it was downtown on Main Street. When he died February 14, 1937, the newspaper said that Littleton lost probably its most beloved old man and that the community had learned to admire and respect Mr. Weaver for his kindly ways, his devotion to his fine family and for his integrity. The following is a brief description of the Weavers' sons and daughters:

Kathryn Weaver, c. 1938.

Son Morton worked at the Rio Grande depot for eight years until failing health forced his retirement. He died October 29, 1930. Marshall died as a teenager in 1901. Robert V. Weaver spent his working life in the gasoline business. He started with Sommers Oil Company, managed by B. F. Bennett. When it was bought out in 1934, he switched to a new firm called the B. F. Bennett Oil Company, handling Mobil products. Robert V. Weaver had a large farm trade served by his tank truck. He headquartered in the Frank Page station on Main and Rio Grande. He was a longtime member of the Littleton Hose Boys Volunteer Fire Department, much of the time as secretary, and a member of the Weston Masonic Lodge. He married Helen Bell August 25, 1926 at Englewood. She worked in the Arapahoe County clerk's office until she retired in 1971. Robert Weaver died October 14, 1971 at age sixty-nine.

Kathryn Weaver had a career as a business woman, beginning in the county assessor's office followed by the county treasurer's office. Then she was employed by E. C. Sterne as cashier and bookkeeper at the Arapahoe Electric Light and Power, later the Colorado Central Power Company, for eighteen years. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, treasurer of the Presbyterian Church, a teacher in the Sunday School and member of the choir. She was president of the Business and Professional Women's Club at the time of her death in 1939.

Another son, Samuel W., became a neurosurgeon in Youngstown, Ohio, then served in the U.S. Army, followed by private practice in Santa Ana, California. Other children of George and Ida Weaver were Eldo, an executive with Ingersoll-Rand before moving to Colorado Springs, Verna (Mrs. I. T. Payne), Eva (Mrs. J. L. Auping), and Helen (Mrs. Morris Macgregor; later married to Cyrus J. Creighton.)

Bibliography

Creighton, Helen Weaver MacGregor, Lakewood, CO, interview by Littleton Historical Museum, September 16, 1977.

Friends of the Littleton Library and Museum. The Oracle. Littleton, CO: Friends of the Littleton Library and Museum, September, 2000.

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

Littleton Historical Museum. Card file: Weaver; Photographic Archives.

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

Compiled by Doris Farmer Hulse

Updated January 2004