My Family Tree

Find A Grave Memorial# 53101394
Burial Plot: Sec. K, Blk 16, Lot 4, G4.
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HISTORY: The Chatfields, by Marie Templeton and the Rimrocker Historical Society

From a story donated to the society by Doraljean Chatfield

Ralph Elmer Chatfield (known as Elmer or Babe) was born in Wauseon, Ohio in July of 1860. His father, James Lauren, fought in the Civil War. Elmer had one brother, Herbert (Hugh) and one sister, Lottie. He came to Colorado when he was 17, in the year 1877; one year after the state joined the Union.

In September 1864 Fannie Elizabeth Spradlin was born on a riverboat on the Licking River in Kentucky. Her father was Joe Spradlin who served as a spy and guide for the northern forces. Her mother, Mary Ann Kendric Gorden, came from a well-established Virginia family. She had three sisters and three brothers. After Joe died the family moved several times, finally settling in Kansas. Fannie attended Normal School in Emporia, graduating with a teacher’s degree.

On a visit to Colorado to see a school chum, Lottie CHATFIELD, she became acquainted with Lottie’s brother, Ralph Elmer Chatfield. They were married on July 25, 1893 in Gypsum.

In 1894 their first child, Elda Alice, was born. In 1894 Elmer made a trip to Naturita and decided to invest $2,000 in the Colorado Cooperative Company.

In 1896 the Chatfields and their two-year-old daughter arrived at the Colony. They paused briefly in Pinon, then moved on down the valley near Naturita, where they were charged with the responsibility of raising the beans and garden truck needed to sustain the ditchdiggers until they could farm for themselves.

Chatfield was one of the few members who purchased company stock with money; because of this he imposed one condition. The Company was to furnish him with one case of cove oysters a year. Since there were no secrets in the Colony everybody knew of the terms and the dire need for cash that impelled to Co-op Directors to agree to this condition. However, oyster stew was the cause of considerable hard feelings among the other members of the colony, who were subsisting on a diet of beans.

After a couple of seasons the Chatfields bought a place on the north side of the river about a mile and a half below Naturita. Albert Delaplane built them a frame house where they lived for about ten years.
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USA Census, 1880
Name: Ralph Chatfield
Event Place: Lake, Colorado, USA
Gender: Male
Age: 19
Marital Status: Single
Occupation: Laborer
Race (Original): W
Ethnicity: American
Relationship to Head of Household: Self
Birthplace: Ohio, USA
Birth Date: 1861
Father's Birthplace: Ohio, USA
Mother's Birthplace: Michigan, USA
Page: 560
Page Letter: C
Entry Number: 2698
Affiliate Film Number: T9-0091
GS Film number: 1254091
Digital Folder Number: 004240003
Image Number: 00705
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USA Census, 1900
Name: Ralph C Chatfield
Event Place: ED 79 Precincts 5-6, 10, 12-16 Naturita, Paradox, California Mesa, Shenandoah, Maple Grove, Pi+?on, H, Montrose, Colorado, USA
Birth Date: Jul 1860
Birthplace: Ohio
Relationship to Head of Household: Head
Father's Birthplace: Ohio
Mother's Birthplace: Ohio
Race: White
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Married
Years Married: 6
Marriage Year (Estimated): 1894
Page: 9
Sheet Letter: A
Family Number: 156
Reference ID: 40
GS Film number: 1240127
Digital Folder Number: 004119000
Image Number: 00354
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Head Ralph C Chatfield M 40 Ohio
Wife Fannie E Chatfield F 36 Kentucky
Dau Elda A Chatfield F 6 Colorado
Son Ralph R Chatfield M 1 Colorado
Mother-in-law Mary A Spradlin F 69 Kentucky
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USA Census, 1910
Name Ralph E Chatfield
Event Place Nucla, Montrose, Colorado
Gender Male
Age 49
Marital Status Married
Race White
Relationship to Head of Household Head
Birth Year (Estimated) 1861
Birthplace Ohio
Father's Birthplace Ohio
Mother's Birthplace Michigan
Sheet Letter A
Sheet Number 4
Ralph E Chatfield Head M 49 Ohio
George Elliott Hired man M 21 Colorado
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USA Census, 1920
Name: Ralph E Chatfield
Event Place: , Montrose, Colorado
Gender: Male
Age: 56
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Birthplace: Ohio
Birth Year (Estimated): 1864
Relationship to Head of Household: Self
Household ID: 46
Sheet Number: 3
GS Film number: 1820168
Digital Folder Number: 4294438
Image Number: 00706
Household Gender Age Birthplace
SELF Ralph E Chatfield M 56y Ohio
WIFE Fanny E Chatfield F 53y Kentucky
DAU Elda Chatfield F 25y Colorado
SON Ralph Chatfield M 20y Colorado
Hamilton Mcclurg M 50y Indiana
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USA Census, 1930
Name: Ralph E Chatfield
Event Place: Garfield, Chaffee, Colorado
Gender: Male
Age: 69
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Birthplace: Ohio
Birth Year (Estimated): 1861
Relationship to Head of Household: Head
Father's Birthplace: Ohio
Mother's Birthplace: Michigan
District: 0027
Household ID: 78
Sheet Number and Letter: 4B
Line Number: 55
Affiliate Publication Number: T626, roll 231
GS Film number: 2339966
Digital Folder Number: 4532377
Image Number: 00578
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Head Ralph E Chatfield M 69 Ohio
Wife Fannie E Chatfield F 65 Kentucky

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