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James Dilts ** Frank Doll

James DILTS

"Portrait and Biographical Record of the State of Colorado, Containing Portraits and Biographies of many well know Citizens of the Past and Present"
Chapman Publishing Company, Chicago, 1899
Page 1084

JAMES DILTS, former superintendent of schools of Eagle County, and now engaged in mining and also in the practice of law at Eagle, was born in Perry County, Ohio, in 1848, a son of William and Sarah (Miller) Dilts, natives of New Jersey. His father, who left New Jersey in childhood, spent almost his entire life in Ohio, where he cultivated farm land. He was a strong supporter of the government during the Civil war and gave two sons to the fight for the Union. In religion he was connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church. His death occurred in 1864, when he was fifty-six years of age. His wife died in Ohio at fifty-two yeas of age. Of their children, Nathan enlisted in the Thirty-second Ohio Infantry and died during his service in the Civil war; Elizabeth is married and lives in the east; Sarah, the widow of Judge Webb, lives in Topeka, Kan.; Harriet died in girlhood; Flavius owns a large ranch near Newton, Kan.; Edith is living in Montana; and Austin is engaged in the stock business in Montana.

Upon the home farm in Ohio our subject was trained to habits of usefulness and industry. He received an academic, normal school, business and college education. He took a business course at Poughkeepsie, N.Y., attended the Ohio Westleyan University at Delaware, Ohio, and studied law in the Boston University. In 1880 he came to Colorado and opened an office in Denver, where he built up a growing practice. While Eagle County was still new, he settled here in 1883 and began professional practice, also became interested in mining. Five years after coming to Eagle County he was elected to the office of county superintendent of schools, which office he filled efficiently for eight years. He was county attorney for two years and represented Eagle County in the twelfth general assembly of the state. From boyhood he has been a believer in Republican principles, and has never voted any other ticket than that of the regular party. Fraternally he is connected with the Masonic order.
Contributed in 2009 by Pat McArthur

Frank DOLL

"Portrait and Biographical Record of the State of Colorado, Containing Portraits and Biographies of many well know Citizens of the Past and Present"
Chapman Publishing Company, Chicago, 1899
Page 999

Photograph

FRANK DOLL, who is a member of the firm of Doll Brothers, proprietors of a ranch situated four miles from Gypsum, in Eagle County, was born near Canton, Ohio, in 1851, a son of George and Susan (Meiser) Doll, natives of Virginia and Pennsylvania respectively. His mother, who died in 1893, was a daughter of a wealthy farmer of Stark County, Ohio, who settled there a few years after his marriage. The Doll family was represented among the colonial settlers of Virginia. George Doll, who was a veterinary surgeon, was employed by the government in that capacity for four years during the Civil war, and spent the greater part of his life in Ohio, where he died in 1883. Of his sons, Samuel is connected with our subject in the ranch business and other enterprises in Colorado and Ohio, including a large coal and clay business in the latter state. Hiram, who resides in Stark County, has served as county treasurer, and was the first Republican sheriff of that county after the close of the war. He is now president of a coal company in Ohio, which his other brothers own interests in, and is president of a brick and tile company in which they are also interested. The third brother, Zachariah, is superintendent of the business of which his brother is president.

In 1887 the subject of this sketch came to Colorado, and, with his brother Samuel, purchased the land where their ranch is located. At that time it was raw and contained nothing but sage brush. The sole improvement was a small cabin. Under their supervision a great change has been wrought. The location of the property is fine, it being in a beautiful valley which extends from Gypsum, a small town on the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad, to the mountains. The ranch contains sixteen hundred acres, of which almost every foot is under cultivation. The soil cannot be surpassed by any in the entire country. A large supply of mountain water furnishes adequate facilities for irrigation and enables the owners to raise every variety of grain and fruit and vegetable in abundance. From fourteen to twenty-one men are kept at work on the place. The improvements are of an important nature and greatly enhance the value of the property, which is as fine as can be found in the United States. The elegant residence, which stands back from the road, affords a splendid view of the valley below and the mountains beyond. A commodious barn with water in every part, affords ample accommodations for the owners' fine blooded horses. Another large barn furnishes stable room for the work horses, and it also has running water. All of the buildings on the place are lighted by electricity, the power being furnished by a plant on the ranch. Every kind of machinery that would be of assistance in the cultivation of the land may be found here. The stock on the place includes a herd of blooded Hereford high-grade cattle and some of the finest blooded horses, both running and trotting horses, to be found in the entire country. One might travel through the oldest states of the east without finding a place that bears a better class of improvements than the Doll Brothers' ranch.

In addition to this property the firm own ranches containing two thousand three hundred and eighty acres, on which they keep a large number of horses and cattle of common grades. They have done much to improve this part of the state. Among the improvements they have made may be mentioned the building of stores and roller flouring mill with every modern improvement, at Gypsum. Other enterprises have received the impetus of their co-operation and assistance. The brothers are highly regarded by all who know them and are recognized as able and successful business men. Those having charge of the business interests in Ohio have, through their sagacious judgment, accumulated valuable property and built up a business that is substantial and prosperous; while the brothers who have given their attention to ranching have improved a ranch that is unsurpassed in the state of Colorado. Three of the brothers were soldiers in the Union army, and all served from the opening to the close of the conflict except Hiram, who was captured by the enemy and held in Andersonville prison for sixteen months. All are Republicans in political belief and keep themselves posted concerning national issues as well as local affairs, but none has shown a desire for official responsibilities.

In 1882 our subject was united in marriage with Miss Lucy Slusser, who was born in Stark County, Ohio, and is a daughter of D. M. and Lydia (Holweck) Slusser, natives of Ohio. They are the parents of one son and three daughters: Frank J., Susan, Gretchen and Dorothy. Fraternally Mr. Doll is connected with the Masonic order and the Odd Fellows. He is an intelligent and able business man, identified with the best interests of Eagle County, and ever ready to aid in the promotion of such enterprises as will advance the general welfare.
Contributed in 2009 by Pat McArthur

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