My Family Tree

USA Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards, 1907-1933
Name: Isaac W Chatfield
Beneficiary's Name: Sarah J
Event Type: Pension
Event Place: USA
Form Type: Army Invalid
Death Date: 14 Jun 1921
GS Film number: 1634421
Digital Folder Number: 004694941
Image Number: 00240
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1857: Isaac (age 20) works with his mother, Lovina Chatfield (age 57) in her hotel business in Bath, Mason County, Illinois.

1858: Fire destroys the Chatfield Hotel in early 1858. Gatton & Ruggles financially back Isaac in another hotel venture in Bath.

The gold rush to the Rocky Mountains brought people who wished to prospect in land as well as gold. Isaac Chatfield and his new wife, Eliza A. Herrington, traveled by wagon train to Denver in 1859. Disillusioned by the overcrowded and primitive conditions, plus the lack of new claims available, the Chatfields moved east to Kansas, briefly. With the Civil War about to start, Isaac decided to move the family, which included a new baby, Ella, to Isaac's former home in Bath, Illinois. From there, Isaac served in the Union Army, rising to the rank of lieutenant. After the Civil War, the Chatfields returned to Colorado, where they settled on a homestead of 160 acres at Florence.

Photo
Mr. and Mrs. Chatfield.
Edward L. and Anna E. (Bates) CHATFIELD, date unknown.

Other branches of the Chatfield family eventually joined Isaac in Colorado. Nathan Stoddard CHATFIELD, uncle of Isaac, moved to Colorado in 1879 and eventually settled in the Littleton area. Nathan died in August 1885 and was buried in the Littleton cemetery. He and his wife, Margaret Herrick had seven children: Edward L., David, Isaac Newton, William Stoddard, James Herrick, Charles Henry, and Mary Margaret. All accompanied their parents to Colorado, except for David, who died in the Civil War.

Isaac began raising cattle in Florence, an endeavor that would make him rich. In 1871, he sold his ranch and moved to the Littleton area. Daniel Witter, a lawyer and surveyor living in Denver, owned a ranch at the intersection of the South Platte River and Plum Creek. In 1870 or 1871, Isaac Chatfield purchased this 720-acre ranch. Chatfield owned this ranch until his death, although he did not live there often.

When the Colorado and Southern Railroad came through the area in the 1870s, the Chatfield Station was constructed on the ranch. Today, Chatfield Reservoir is located on the former location of the ranch.
The Chatfield brothers.
Chatfields, left to right: James H., I.W., William, and Edward L., c. 1911. James, William and Edward were brothers; I.W. was their cousin.

Isaac moved the family to Leadville around 1879 and worked in the railroad contract business. He also acquired shares of two silver mines, the Late Acquisition and the Smuggler #2. Soon, he partnered with Joseph Brinker Jr. in a grocery store named Brinker & Chatfield.

The grocery business proved successful, especially for miners' provisions. Isaac, who often toyed with political aspirations, was elected as a city alderman in 1880. Chatfield and Brinker took on another business partner, Albert Wheeler of New York, in 1881, but this arrangement was dissolved in 1882. A new associate named Wing joined the business in 1882, and the name changed to Chatfield & Wing.

Isaac and Eliza had nine children: Ella (or Ellen), Jacquelina , Elmer, Charles, Phil Van Wert (died at age 17), Willard (died in childhood), Myrtle (died in childhood), Grace (died in childhood), and Calla. Ella became a well-known soprano in Leadville and performed at the local opera house built by Horace Tabor. Elmer worked in his father's grocery store. In 1886, Isaac sold the grocery store to Theodore Blohm Merchandise Company. He returned to cattle raising, buying ranches in Rio Blanco County. Elmer started his own cattle ranch at Emma, Colorado.
James Chatfield.
James H. CHATFIELD, c. 1913.

Isaac Chatfield and his family eventually moved away from Leadville, settling in Emma, a short distance away from his son's ranch. Isaac was elected to Colorado's House of Representatives in 1889. However, his bid for state senator in 1896 failed. He returned to Denver in 1899. Isaac joined the W.E. Moses Realty Company in 1906, becoming the vice president in 1908.

Isaac and Eliza celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary on May 20, 1908. Eliza died sometime after that, although the date is not known. Isaac married a woman named Sarah Jane in 1911. The couple moved to California where Isaac died. He was buried at Oak Hill Memorial Park, San Jose, California.

The Chatfield Dam on the South Platte River in Colorado is named after him.
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United States Census, 1870
Name: Isaac Chatfield
Event Place: Colorado
Gender: Male
Age: 34
Race: White
Birth Year (Estimated): 1835-1836
Birthplace: Ohio
Page Number: 8
Isaac Chatfield M 34 Ohio
Eliza Chatfield F 28 Iowa
Ella Chatfield F 11 Kansas
Elmer Chatfield M 7 Colorado
Van West Chatfield M 5 Colorado
Jane Chatfield F 2 Colorado
Robert Mccowbey M 30 Scotland
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USA Census, 1880
Name: I. W. Chatfield
Event Place: Leadville, Lake, Colorado
Gender: Male
Age: 43
Marital Status: Married
Occupation: Merchant
Race (Original): W
Ethnicity: American
Relationship to Head of Household: Self
Birthplace: Ohio
Birth Date: 1837
Spouse's Name: Eliza Chatfield
Spouse's Birthplace: Iowa
Father's Birthplace: Connecticut
Mother's Birthplace: Vermont
Page: 410
Page Letter: A
Entry Number: 4637
Affiliate Film Number: T9-0091
GS Film number: 1254091
Digital Folder Number: 004240003
Image Number: 00405
Household Gender Age Birthplace
Self I. W. Chatfield M 43 Ohio
Wife Eliza Chatfield F 37 Iowa
Dau Ella S. Chatfield F 21 Kansas
Son Elmer E. Chatfield M 17 Colorado
Son Phil Vanwest Chatfield M 14 Colorado
Dau Jacqueline Chatfield F 12 Colorado
Son Charles H. Chatfield M 9 Colorado
Dau Callie Chatfield F 1 Colorado
Other W. C. Brucker M 22 Kentucky
Other J. R. Brucker M 24 Kentucky
Other H. P. Tanner M 29 Germany
Other W. R. Chadbourne M 24 Missouri

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