|
Hon. Lemuel Gammon, a
successful and enterprising business man, well known as a
merchant and banker at Ramah, was born December 21, 1860, in
Monroe county, Iowa, his parents being George W. and Martha
(Robinson) Gammon, the former a native of Tennessee and the
latter of Kentucky. In 1865 the father removed to Decatur, Iowa,
and while spending his youthful days there Lemuel Gammon
acquired a common school education. Through vacation periods and
alter his textbooks were put aside he worked with his father
upon the home farm and thus gained valuable knowledge and
experience concerning practical farm methods. In 1880 he arrived
at Ramah, Colorado, then known as the O. Z. postoffice, so
called from being the headquarters of the O. Z. ranch in that
locality. Mr. Gammon became a cow puncher on the ranch and was
employed there and on other ranches for eight years. At length
he determined to take up farming on his own account and
preempted a claim of one hundred and sixty acres and proved up
on it in 1888. In the same year he also established a mercantile
business, which has grown to be the largest in his part of the
state. He has a complete stock and carries an extensive line of
goods so that he is able to meet the demands of the public.
His business methods, too, are such as will bear the closest
investigation and scrutiny. He is thoroughly reliable and
energetic and has ever recognized the fact that satisfied
patrons are the best advertisement. Mr. Gammon is also well
known in banking circles, being now the president and the
principal stockholder of the Ramah Bank. He likewise owns and
operates a grain elevator and conducts a coalyard and
lumberyard. Adding to his landed possessions from time to time,
he is now the owner of six thousand acres, a part of which he
leases on shares. The extent and importance of his business
interests place him in the front rank among the representative
citizens of his section of the state.
In Denver, on the 17th of December, 1891, Mr. Gammon was married
to Miss Mate Magrum, a daughter of Joseph F. and Mary (Munch)
Magrum. She was reared in Elmore, Ottawa county, Ohio, obtained
a high school education 2nd for a number of terms successfully
taught school prior to her marriage. She has 'become the mother
of three children. Harry A., born December 12, 1892, is a
graduate of the State University at Boulder and also a graduate
of the military school at Salina. Kansas. He is now at Fort
Sill, Oklahoma, having previously served with the rank of second
lieutenant at Camp Funston, Kansas, while at the present time he
is an instructor at the Fort Sill Field Artillery School. He
married Beth Glen, of Denver, on the 24th of June, 1916, and
they have one child, Harriet. Ray E., born May 5, 1894, is a
graduate of the military school at Salina. Kansas, and is now at
St. Paul, Minnesota, being a salesman for the Burroughs Adding
Machine Company. He married Bernice Newman, of St. Paul, on the
28th of June, 1916. Delma, born September 8, 1896, is a graduate
of Miss Wolcott's School for Girls at Denver and is now at home
with her parents.
Mr. Gammon and his family own an attractive home at Ramah, in
fact he is the owner of at least one-half or more of the
dwellings in the village and without invidious distinction he
may be termed the leading citizen of his section. He is a good
business man, active and energetic, wide-awake to every
opportunity, and he is now the owner of most valuable realty
holdings. His political allegiance is given to the democratic
party and for two years he served as a member of the seventeenth
general assembly of the state of Colorado. He is also a member
of the state stock board. Fraternally he is connected with the
Masons, having taken the degrees of the Scottish Rite, and he is
also a member of El Jebel Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Denver.
His marked traits of character make for personal popularity and
wherever known he is spoken of in terms of high regard and warm
friendship.
Stone, Wilbur Fiske, History of Colorado, Vol.
III. Chicago, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company,
1918. |
