This is a working page. That means I’m using it as a data collection site, but publishing it so that others can see what info I’ve got so far.
Ansel Watrous described the Mercer Colony in his book, History of Larimer County, Colorado (1911).
In the summer of 1869, Alfred A. Edwards and Rev. W. T. McAdams, representing a number of Mercer county, Pennsylvania, families, came to Fort Collins to seek a location for a colony, and the following year Rev. McAdams’ family, with the families of George Sykes, Joseph E. Shipler, William Smith and Jacob Collamer, came from the East to join them. This was known as the Mercer Colony and was the first of a number of colonies that subsequently settled in Northern Colorado. They selected a choice body of land lying west of the town, which included what is now known as Prospect Park the the Scott-Sherwood addition, and that year began the construction of the Mercer ditch. They had not progressed very far with the work before their funds gave out and construction of the ditch was abandoned. Ten years later another company took hold of the enterprise and completed it. The colony became discouraged and the land acquired passed a few years later into the possession of John Sheldon, the father of Charles H. Sheldon, Cashier of the Poudre Valley National Bank. Mr. Edwards is the only member of the colony who is still a resident of Fort Collins. Joseph Shipler, another member, is a resident of Denver. Mr. Edwards has filled many positions of public trust in the county, including County Treasurer for four years, Secretary and later President of the Water Supply and Storage Company for eighteen years and is now General Manager of the Laramie-Poudre Reservoirs and Irrigation Company, and also President of the State Board of Agriculture.
— Ansel Watrous, History of Larimer County, Colorado, 1911. Page 229.
Frank McClelland later shared a similar story, though with some differing details.
“The scounts for the colony came into the Cache la Poudre vally in 1868. Prominent among them were Jacob Collamer, the Rev. W. T. McAdam, A. A. Edwards and two others from Mercer county. They looked over lands in the state, selecting Fort Collins for their enterprises. Taking up lands in the early 70’s they projected the Mercer ditch, which long was one of the leading canal enterprises of the valley. The ditch was perhaps half a mile west of what was known as ‘No. 2 canal,’ which is now a main part of the Pleasant Valley and Lake Ditch system. The scouts from Mercer arrive din Fort Collins in 1868, and in 1872 they were followed by the colonists who settled on lands west of Fort Collins. The ditch they projected was beyound their means to finance, remaining for many years in an uncompleted condition, tho watering lands of the colonists. Eventually it was refinanced and completed, but in turn it gave way and was merged into larger companies. Thus the Mercer colony became only one of the pleasant memories of early days, tho its inception was a large part of the development of the ditches of the Cache la Poudre valley. ” (Frank McClelland, “Frank Collamer Watched Vast Plains Lands of the Poudre Valley Developed Into Thriving Agricultura [sic] Center,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, January 23, 1935. Page 4.)
(Fort Collins Express-Courier, May 28, 1933)
Then Edwards gave his version of the story.
Edwards Tells of Valley as It Was When He Came in ’69
By A. A. Edwards
On August 2, 1869, a party of six departed from the town of Mercer, Pennsylvania, bound for the Cache la Poudre valley in Colorado. The leader of the party was the Rev. W. T. McAdam, a retired presbyterian minister, who had served as chaplain of a regiment in the Civil war. The other members of the party were William Smith and George Sykes, two Civil war veterans, George McAdam, son of the leader, Thomas Bohn and Alfred A. Edwards, we three last mentioned being each about 18 years of age.
We went by rail to Monmouth, Ill., where we remained for two weeks, during which time the Rev. McAdam purchased fourteen thorobred mares, together with four mules and a covered wagon to convey our outfit.
There were no bridges over the large streams in those days and the second day out we ferried over the Mississippi river at Burlinton, Ia., and continued on thru that state to Council Bluffs, making about 25 miles each day and camping out at night. We ferried across the Missouri river into Omaha, Nebr. We intended continuing our traveling thru Nebraska and on to Cheyenne, Wyo., but learned from merchants in Omaha that the Indians were very hostile along the route and decided to board a freight train which landed us and our outfit in Cheyenne on September 2, 1869.
After spending the night in a corral in that 2-year-old town, we started overland for Laporte, Colo. We drove the first day to Boxelder creek where we stayed over night at the Whitcomb ranch and next day drove down to Laporte. Mr. Whitcomb, a former resident of Philadelphia, had an Indian woman for his wife and was engaged in the cattle business, his range being the Boxelder valley. Upon arrival at Laporte we were met by Captain James. W. Hanna and his brother-in-law, Addas Carter, both of these men having been former residents of our old home town of Mercer, Pa. Captain Hanna had been in command of Ohio troops stationed at Camp Collins, Colo., after the Civil war and his correspondence with Rev. McAdam regarding the Poudre Valley and its advantages, induced the emigration of our party to Colorado.
We found Laporte to be a small village with about 100 inhabitants living in log houses, one general store which contained the Laporte postoffice. This locality and the adjacent Pleasant valley had always been a favorite resort during the winter season for bands of Indians and the large cottonwood trees which bordered the Poudre river above the town of Laporte, were still the receptacles of bodies of the Idnian dead which hsd been enclosed in wild animal robes and skins by their relatives.
….
Messrs. McAdam, Smith, Carter and Sykes and another former resident of Mercer, Pa., Joseph Shipler, filed claims upon government land adjacent to the town of Fort Collins, building residences there and their families arrived during the spring of 1870 and all occupied their new homes. The Fort Collins City park and lake, Scott-Sherwood addition, Armstrong addition, and West Side addition are located on the lands filed and settled upon by them and a company was formed to construct the Mercer Irrigating ditch, first work being started during the spring of 1870.
From that time on, Fort Collins became the postoffice and trading place for all these former Mercer settlers. There were no U. S. troops then in Fort Collins, but log buildings were still in evidence that had housed the officers and soldiers, and large barns were still standing that had been used for the cavalry horses. The ‘Old Grout’ building stood on the corner of Linden and Jefferson streets, the first story used for a general store and the second story containing the town hall where all church services, court sessions, lodge meetings, political meetings and all other gatherings of the citizens of Fort Collins and vicinity were held. Only one tavern or road house was in operation, Mrs. Elizabeth “Auntie” Stone being the proprietor and conducting her hostelry in a very popular fashion.
(Fort Collins Coloradoan, Sep 29, 1935 ·Page 54)
Another retelling by Edwards can be found in the Apr 26, 1933 Express-Courier. It covers much of the same material.
The original six (according to Edwards).
McAdams (x2)
Smith
Sykes
Bohn
Edwards
Reverend W. T. McAdams and son George
“MARRIED.
MASON-BLAKE—At the residence of the bride’s father, July 3, on Cache-a-la-Pondre‘ by the Rev. Mr. McAdams, Mr. Joseph Mason, of Fort Collins, and Miss Lou M. Blake.” (The Rocky Mountain News, July 10, 1870)
“The McAdams farm, in the Cache-a-la-Poudre valley, has been sold for $8,OOO, Mr. Sheldon, the great sheep raiser of Gennessee valley, New York, being the purchaser.” (The Rocky Mountain News, May 25, 1873)
Son, George, also left in 1873. He went to work for a train company. (The Weekly Courier, October 17, 1901.)
Caroline and Hattie are listed as founding members of the Presbyterian church. For some reason W. T. and George were not listed. (From a Fort Collins Weekly Express article on Feb. 29, 1912.)
William Taggart McAdam was born on August 22, 1823 in Ohio. He married Caroline M. Patterson and they had three children: George (1854-1910), Harriet 1860-1929), and Clarissa (1866-1925). McAdam was an army chaplain during the Civil War and attained the rank of Captain. He led members of his congregation to the Fort Collins area after hearing from Captain James W. Hanna and his brother-in-law, Addas Carter about the area. They knew of the area after having been stationed there during the war. McAdam died on February 5, 1892 in Iowa.
William Smith
Died early, I think. Can I find info on that?
AKA Billy Smith.
Wife was Sarah H. Smith (nee Howard)
George T. Sykes
Did he settle here at all? Looks like he lived most of his life in Mercer, PA.
Founding member of the Presbyterian church. (From a Fort Collins Weekly Express article on Feb. 29, 1912.)
Married Sarah Elizabeth Shipler in 1867.
Thomas Bohn
Did he end up in Laporte area?
Alfred A. Edwards
Edwards came with the original group, but he didn’t stay long. He traveled around, then returned a few years later and at that point he stuck around. He’s often credited with being one of the only original Mercer colonists to remain, though the Collamer children should also be counted as they all remained in the area, as did their mom, Achsah.
A. A. Edwards.
(From CSU’s Archives and Special Collections, Negative #2522)
Alfred Augustus Edwards married Phebe G. Edson in 1883 in Fort Collins.
They had three children. James Grant Edwards, Walter Delano Edwards, and Ruth Elizabeth Edwards.
Brother, John P. Edwards, also came out early on, but went back to Mercer when he found that the altitude didn’t improve his health.
Other former residents of Mercer, Pa who ended up in NoCo.
Captain James W. Hanna
Addas Carter
Jacob V. Collamer
Joseph E. Shipler
Kintzly P. Pew
Thomas L. Moore & Mrs. Moore
Jane M. White (?)
Captain James W. Hanna and Mrs. Hanna
Had been stationed at Camp Collins with the Ohio cavalry.
Had land on the northern end of the colony.
Mrs. Hanna also from Mercer.
Addas Carter
Did he even settle here?
Jacob V. Collamer
Jacob Valentine Collamer left only a year or so after arriving with his family. He moved back to Ohio without his family.
“Mr. Collamer built a home in the western part of Fort Collins, and there I met his sons, Frank and Jacob. They were boys in the early times. I did not know Frank as well as I did Jake. Both were concered in our boyhood games, especially raids on watermelon patches.” (Frank McClelland, “Frank Collamer Watched Vast Plains Lands of the Poudre Valley Developed Into Thriving Agricultura [sic] Center,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, January 23, 1935. Page 4.)
I thought Jacob had come out with the original team, scouting the land. But Edwards doesn’t include him as one of the first group of six. (Watrous does.)
Jacob Valentine Collamer (1832-1916) married Arthusa Johnson (1836-1913). They had Emma, Frank Algerine, Jacob C., Lyman B., Fred, and Thomas H.
Jacob skipped out on his family only a few years after they moved to Northern Colorado. He moved back to Ohio where he settled down with another woman.
The family moved to the Laporte area where the kids grew up.
Joseph E. Shipler
“Joseph E. Shipler of the colony was the first town clerk of Fort Collins, a worker in hard wood, and the first furniture dealer in the colony. Also, he was a noted hunter of the early days, his stories of encounters and near encounters with wild beasts still being told at fireside gatherings.” (Frank McClelland, “Frank Collamer Watched Vast Plains Lands of the Poudre Valley Developed Into Thriving Agricultura [sic] Center,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, January 23, 1935. Page 4.)
Moved to Denver.
Thomas L. Moore and Mrs. Moore
“Thomas L. Moore was not a resident of Mercer, but was closely concerned in the affairs of the Mercer ditch. Often he is credited with having been a member of the colony, which he was not. Mr. Moore was a prospector, scout, engaged in freighting contracts, livery man, merchant and farmer.” (Frank McClelland, “Frank Collamer Watched Vast Plains Lands of the Poudre Valley Developed Into Thriving Agricultura [sic] Center,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, January 23, 1935. Page 4.)
Kintzly Pew
“Mr. Pew was not a member of the colony, coming to the West independently. For years he was a partner with Querin Shang in conducting a meat market along Linden street, had a large farm west of the town, and was a leading citizen.” (Frank McClelland, “Frank Collamer Watched Vast Plains Lands of the Poudre Valley Developed Into Thriving Agricultura [sic] Center,” Fort Collins Express-Courier, January 23, 1935. Page 4.)
Ms. Dunn, I am a new (9 months) resident in Fort Collins, a transplant from Colorado Springs. I am an amatuer local historian whose focus is/was on the Pikes Peak massif. When I arrived in Fort Collins, two things impressed me immediately, the green and the water. I am interested in the town’s ditches. I live next to the New Mercer Canal, and assume that it is related to the Mercer ditch that was started by the folks of the Mercer Colony. I am interested in your web site, and think it is a creative way to dig out information on your subject.
I wonder if there is anything I can do to assist with your project.
Hi Eric, It’s been awhile since I’ve added anything new. I tend to give more talks these days than write articles. (I’m working on a talk right now about how World War II effected Larimer County that I’ll be giving on March 11th for Historic Larimer County.)
I started this page after giving a talk last fall that touched on the Mercer Colony, but there’s a guy in the Fort Collins Historical Society that has been doing a lot of research on the Mercer Colony and his work went well past what I’ve got here. If you’re at the historical society meeting on Monday night, I’ll introduce you to him. (Feb. 23rd, 6:30 pm at the Old Town Library.)