GEORGE A. HINSDALE (1826-1874)
Best known as George A. Hinsdale we assume his middle name was Aaron
because the Masonic Cemetery records (in Pueblo, Colorado) list him as
George Aaron Hinsdale. His son, born near the time of his death (January i5,
1874) was also named George A. Hinsdale.
George A. Hinsdale Sr. was born December 21, 1826 in Hinesburg, Vermont.
He was one of six brothers born to Mitchell Hinsdale. His mother's name is
unknown. His father Mitchell Hinsdale was a lawyer and once a member of
Congress from Vermont.
In 1833 the Mitchell Hinsdale family moved to Michigan where George A.
Hinsdale attended the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and graduated in
the "Classical Course." He studied law and worked in his father's law office
for several years and became interested in Civil Engineering.
He was in charge Of the Works of the channel Coal Mining Company on the
Ohio River near Hawsville, Kentucky when he met Josephine M. Sebastian of
Kentucky and they married in 1856.
In 1858 Hinsdale moved to Dakota, Nebraska and established a law practice.
In 1859 he was elected to the Nebraska Legislature from the Dakota District.
Troubled by asthma in 1860 he assembled his belongings, wife, infant son
(name was probably Charles) in an ox drawn cart and joined the Colorado
Gold Rush where he mined in the California Gulch (Leadville) area.
In the fall of 1860 he went to the town of Canon City which was being laid
out for wintering miners. There he built one of the first dwellings and framed
a Code of Laws and organized the first people's court. In 1863 he relocated to
Pueblo and joined the twelve other families that had established here.
In 1864 he moved to the town of San Luis in the San Luis Valley where he
learned the Spanish language and became familiar with their customs. In 1865
he moved back to Pueblo and practiced law until his death.
Hinsdale held many volunteer and elected positions of trust that helped form
Pueblo and Southern Colorado. Member of the first Board of Trustees for the
Town of Pueblo; President of the School Board (Pueblo District #I); County
Attorney; President of the Public Library Association; one of the founders and
Trustee Of Pueblo's first church (St. Peter's Episcopal), leadership of the
Democratic Party, etc.
At the election upon the adoption of the State Constitution in 1865, Hinsdale
was elected to the office of Lt. Governor of the Territory. The only
Democrat elected. (Interesting to note that Hinsdale County is predominately
Republican today.)
AS Lt. Governor he presided over the December 1865 joint session of the
state Legislature in Denver which elected John Evans and J. B. Chaffee as U.
S. Senators under the Enabling Act. Evans and Chaffee were approved by the
U. S. Congress but vetoed by President Johnson.
In 1868 Hinsdale was elected a member of the Territorial Council and during
the 1870 Session was chosen President of that body.
In June 1868 Southern Colorado's first newspaper, the "Colorado chieftain"
was established. George Hinsdale and Wilbur Stone served as editors. Later
Stone was to serve as chief Justice of the Supreme Court. In 1871 Hinsdale
and others organized the Pueblo Printing Company to publish "The People"
aka "Pueblo's People" newspaper with Hinsdale Serving as the editor until
1874.
Hinsdale became ill after the 1873 County Court Session and died two weeks
later. An excerpt from his obituary demonstrated the esteem and respect
citizens of Pueblo and Southern Colorado had for Hinsdale. "The Cornet Band
played and every vehicle in town was in the one half mile funeral procession.
Many walked (two miles) to the burial site representing all ranks of
society-from the rich banker who trusted his integrity to the ragged Mexican
"paissanos" for whom he was a benefactor and friend".
In February 1874 when portions of Conejos and Summit counties were
combined to form a new county the Legislature named it Hinsdale County in
his honor. In 1883, Pueblo, School District #1 built an Elementary School at
Seventh and Grand and named it in his honor. His daughter Genevieve was
teaching there in 1885. The School was later sold and razed.
Because of his status, Hinsdale's grave in the Masonic Cemetery was
probably marked even though no record of such exists. His wife Josephine
and children Charles, Genevieve, and George had moved from Pueblo by
1892. The burial location of Josephine in Oregon may be the only one known.
In 1922 the Masonic Lodge had the remains of Hinsdale and six other persons
disinterred from the Masonic Cemetery and moved to Roselawn Cemetery
Block 13, Lot 438. Hinsdale's remains were buried in space #4 on 11/4/1922
and recorded as burial #17359. His grave at Roselawn was not marked until
funds were raised by the Pueblo County Historical Society in 1998, including
a contribution from Hinsdale County, to erect an appropriate headstone.
Additional information and two images of Hinsdale can be found in the files of
the Pueblo County Historical Society and special collections Department of
the McClelland Public Library. A search for living relatives and/or information
about the Hinsdale family has been placed on the Internet by the Pueblo
County Historical Society.
(Information prepared by the Pueblo County Historical Society)
Return to the Genealogy Page
Best known as George A. Hinsdale we assume his middle name was Aaron
because the Masonic Cemetery records (in Pueblo, Colorado) list him as
George Aaron Hinsdale. His son, born near the time of his death (January i5,
1874) was also named George A. Hinsdale.
George A. Hinsdale Sr. was born December 21, 1826 in Hinesburg, Vermont.
He was one of six brothers born to Mitchell Hinsdale. His mother's name is
unknown. His father Mitchell Hinsdale was a lawyer and once a member of
Congress from Vermont.
In 1833 the Mitchell Hinsdale family moved to Michigan where George A.
Hinsdale attended the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and graduated in
the "Classical Course." He studied law and worked in his father's law office
for several years and became interested in Civil Engineering.
He was in charge Of the Works of the channel Coal Mining Company on the
Ohio River near Hawsville, Kentucky when he met Josephine M. Sebastian of
Kentucky and they married in 1856.
In 1858 Hinsdale moved to Dakota, Nebraska and established a law practice.
In 1859 he was elected to the Nebraska Legislature from the Dakota District.
Troubled by asthma in 1860 he assembled his belongings, wife, infant son
(name was probably Charles) in an ox drawn cart and joined the Colorado
Gold Rush where he mined in the California Gulch (Leadville) area.
In the fall of 1860 he went to the town of Canon City which was being laid
out for wintering miners. There he built one of the first dwellings and framed
a Code of Laws and organized the first people's court. In 1863 he relocated to
Pueblo and joined the twelve other families that had established here.
In 1864 he moved to the town of San Luis in the San Luis Valley where he
learned the Spanish language and became familiar with their customs. In 1865
he moved back to Pueblo and practiced law until his death.
Hinsdale held many volunteer and elected positions of trust that helped form
Pueblo and Southern Colorado. Member of the first Board of Trustees for the
Town of Pueblo; President of the School Board (Pueblo District #I); County
Attorney; President of the Public Library Association; one of the founders and
Trustee Of Pueblo's first church (St. Peter's Episcopal), leadership of the
Democratic Party, etc.
At the election upon the adoption of the State Constitution in 1865, Hinsdale
was elected to the office of Lt. Governor of the Territory. The only
Democrat elected. (Interesting to note that Hinsdale County is predominately
Republican today.)
AS Lt. Governor he presided over the December 1865 joint session of the
state Legislature in Denver which elected John Evans and J. B. Chaffee as U.
S. Senators under the Enabling Act. Evans and Chaffee were approved by the
U. S. Congress but vetoed by President Johnson.
In 1868 Hinsdale was elected a member of the Territorial Council and during
the 1870 Session was chosen President of that body.
In June 1868 Southern Colorado's first newspaper, the "Colorado chieftain"
was established. George Hinsdale and Wilbur Stone served as editors. Later
Stone was to serve as chief Justice of the Supreme Court. In 1871 Hinsdale
and others organized the Pueblo Printing Company to publish "The People"
aka "Pueblo's People" newspaper with Hinsdale Serving as the editor until
1874.
Hinsdale became ill after the 1873 County Court Session and died two weeks
later. An excerpt from his obituary demonstrated the esteem and respect
citizens of Pueblo and Southern Colorado had for Hinsdale. "The Cornet Band
played and every vehicle in town was in the one half mile funeral procession.
Many walked (two miles) to the burial site representing all ranks of
society-from the rich banker who trusted his integrity to the ragged Mexican
"paissanos" for whom he was a benefactor and friend".
In February 1874 when portions of Conejos and Summit counties were
combined to form a new county the Legislature named it Hinsdale County in
his honor. In 1883, Pueblo, School District #1 built an Elementary School at
Seventh and Grand and named it in his honor. His daughter Genevieve was
teaching there in 1885. The School was later sold and razed.
Because of his status, Hinsdale's grave in the Masonic Cemetery was
probably marked even though no record of such exists. His wife Josephine
and children Charles, Genevieve, and George had moved from Pueblo by
1892. The burial location of Josephine in Oregon may be the only one known.
In 1922 the Masonic Lodge had the remains of Hinsdale and six other persons
disinterred from the Masonic Cemetery and moved to Roselawn Cemetery
Block 13, Lot 438. Hinsdale's remains were buried in space #4 on 11/4/1922
and recorded as burial #17359. His grave at Roselawn was not marked until
funds were raised by the Pueblo County Historical Society in 1998, including
a contribution from Hinsdale County, to erect an appropriate headstone.
Additional information and two images of Hinsdale can be found in the files of
the Pueblo County Historical Society and special collections Department of
the McClelland Public Library. A search for living relatives and/or information
about the Hinsdale family has been placed on the Internet by the Pueblo
County Historical Society.
(Information prepared by the Pueblo County Historical Society)
Return to the Genealogy Page
| Page Design by Whizbang Works - Content by Ray Blaum |
| © 2007 HCHS Post Office Box 353 130 North Silver St • Lake City, CO 81235 • 970-944- 2050 Email |