Ensign Bryant Smith (1806 - 1895)

Born 21 Feb 1806 in North Norwich, Chenango, New York, United States

Descendants

Died 20 Sep 1895 at age 89 in Golden, Jefferson, Colorado, United States

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Biography

Text from Find A Grave reads:

Judge Ensign Bryant Smith

Ensign & his family are true Colorado pioneers which means they were one of the first families to settle in Colorado when it was Kansas territory before Feb. 28, 1861. They settled in Golden City in the spring of 1859.

Ensign was one of 11 children born in North Norwich, NY to Sarah Purdy & Amos Smith. He was born in 1807, home to Indian tribes. He farmed w/ his grandfather, James Purdy, until he was 18. He moved w/ his family to Ohio to be safe from Indians. He then went to Pennsylvania to learn to tan hides. Then he went to Texas.

He then headed west to Nuevo Mexico, a land he & his brothers had heard about, still owned by Spain. He passed thru Bents Fort, Colorado & met the Bent brothers. He nearly died enroute. He earned the nickname "Mexican Smith."

After arrival in NM he met & married a Spanish girl named Juanita Ortiz on Feb 4, 1836. Her family owned a large land grant. Their lives were full of adventure and danger travelling around the country thru Indian territory. They would have 8 children together.

They arrived in Golden City, CO in the spring of 1859 & built a small cabin, said to be the first pioneers there. One home still stands.

He and his brothers helped build the first toll road from Blackhawk to Golden, now Hwy 6. He built a hotel in Golden City, the Railroad House. In 1862 he was appointed the first Judge of Golden City, the capital of Colorado at the time, serving in 1863.

He was 89 years old when he passed away in Golden. Proud to be related to this exciting man!

• Fact: Burial (1895) Golden, Jefferson, Colorado, United States of America

Sources

• "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV22-XF6T : 13 December 2015), Ensign B Smith, 1895; Burial, Golden, Jefferson, Colorado, United States of America, Golden Cemetery; citing record ID Find A Grave: Memorial #75921889.

• "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHYF-4SH : 15 August 2017), Ensign Smith, Hyde Park, Dutchess, New York, United States; citing p. 500, NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 279; FHL microfilm 17,185.

• 1880 United States Federal Census Publication: Name: Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005; Repository: #R1 NOTESource Medium: Ancestry.com CONT CONT United States of America, Bureau of the Census, Tenth Census of the United States, 1880, Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1880 CONT