William M. Lennox (1850 - 1936)

Born 25 Dec 1850 in Iowa City, Johnson, Iowa, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Anna Belle (Cowgill) Lennox — married 17 May 1876 in Jeptha Cowgill residence on Maple Hill, Oasis, Johnson County, Iowa

Descendants

Died 13 Jun 1936 at age 85 in Colorado Springs, El Paso, Colorado, United States

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Biography

William was born 1850 in Iowa.

The 1860 Census United States: Graham Township, Newport Post Office, Johnson County, Iowa page 79; he is listed with his father (36), Mother (34), himself (9), siblings John (7), Agnes (5), and Elizabeth (perhaps 2).

In the 1870 census of Graham township, Iowa (page 13) his is listed with his father (farmer), mother (keeping house) as a school teacher at 19 years. His brother John and two sisters were too young to assign an occupation. All the children were listed as being born in Iowa, both parents are listed as born in Scotland.

He moved after the 1870 census to the frontier town of Colorado Springs, Colorado territory. There was a family story about when he and John came to town they talked the town founders into paying them for each tree they were able to plant in the new town. Some of those trees may still be adding to the town's canopy, which is extensive in the older neighborhoods. Some time later William followed the entrepreneurial path and John followed a more spiritual one.

William did some prospecting for gold and eventually owned a mining and ore processing company (during a gold rush in the area), in Cripple Creek, Colorado and a coal yard in Colorado Springs; he became prosperous and the patriarch of one of the prominent families of the time.

He was a supporter of Colorado College in Colorado Springs, donating his family home to the college for use as a student center.

He was buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado

Sources

• Certificate of Death for Willabel Lennox MacGregor for Father name, birthplace, Mother name and birthplace

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/67648372/william-m-lennox

• https://images.findagrave.com/photos/2022/242/67648372_40f99cf0-d9e6-4c9e-ab81-8ceef4426e1c.jpeg shows a partial photo of his Aug 14, 1936 Colorado Springs Gazette obituary.