52 Ancestors II, Week 62:Charles W Woodley and Lizzie Greenlee

Charles Woodley with Starlight and Twilight

Charles Wiseman Woodley was born Dec 1871 in Kansas City, MO.  When he was 4 years old, he and his parents moved to Chicago.

Charles Woodley

Charles (23) married Elizabeth May (Lizzie) Greenlee (25) on 5 Jun 1895 across the state line in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

In Dec 1896 their daughter Esther Mary (Ed’s Grandma) was born in Chicago.

The next year, in 1897 they moved to Denver and lived at 1441 S Pearl for two years.

Baby Harry Robert (named for his grandfather) was born on 3 Oct 1897, but sadly he died in 1898 and is buried at Fairmont Cemetery in Denver. 

On 12 Jan 1899 their son Howard G was born.

Lizzie Woodley

On 6 Jun 1900: Charles and Lizzie were renting their home at 2042 S Grant, near Lizzie’s Brother (William Greenlee) and his family.  Charles was a stock salesman, and Lizzie did hair work.

Charles Woodley


Charles Woodley broke two horses for Denver Businessman Peter McCourt, brother of famed Baby Doe Tabor whose full name was Elizabeth Bonduel McCourt.  Her first marriage was to Harvey Doe and later to Horace Tabor.

The two horses were named Starlight and Twilight.  Photo of Woodley probably taken near 8th and Lowell in the Barnum neighborhood of Denver.  McCourt decided he didn’t want the horses after all as he decided to buy a horseless carriage or motor car instead.



"The McCourt Mansion, home of Zupkus and Angell, P.C., is one of Denver's most colorful historic buildings. Situated close to the Governor's Mansion in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, the McCourt Mansion has seen its share of Denver's elite pass through her doors. 


The house was owned by Peter McCourt, a brother of Elizabeth Bonduel McCourt Doe Tabor, better known as "Baby Doe" Tabor. It features 350-year-old quarter-sawn oak paneling from an old English manor and numerous gas fireplaces. 

McCourt came to Colorado in 1883 lured by the territory's mining boom. He settled in Leadville where he befriended H.A.W. "Horace" Tabor. The close association brought McCourt to Denver a decade later when he became manager of the Tabor Grand Opera House." (1) 

Lizzie Woodley

In 1903 Charles and Lizzie were living at 1840 S Pearl, and Charles was a salesman at WC Allison (1903-1905)

Esther and Howard Woodley
From 1904 – 1907 the Woodleys were living at 102 S Newton. 

From  1906-1916, Charles was working as a real estate salesman for Samuel C Adams at 605 Ideal Bldg.


“The Ideal Building, located at 821 Seventeenth Street, was designed by architects Montana Fallis and John Stein and was built in 1907. Charles Boettcher had already amassed a fortune in hardware, mining, cattle, and sugar when, around the beginning of the 20th century, he realized a need for local production of quality cement. 

Denver was booming, and there was a high demand for building materials. Boettcher, John Campion, and others founded the Portland Cement Company, which was later renamed the Ideal Cement Company.” (2)  (This is where the Broker Restaurant is now located)

Lizzie Woodley on a camping trip

From 1909-1912 the Woodleys were renting at 705 Lowell Blvd.

They had and lost a fourth child sometime between 1900 and 1910.

On 30 Apr 1910: Charles was a Real Estate Dealer, and Lizzie had a Home Hair Business.

8th and Lowell (today)
Stone Pillars built by Charles Woodley

In 1912 Charles and Lizzie purchase their home at 753 Lowell Blvd (8th and Lowell) where they lived for 22 years.

Charles Woodley

1917-1924 Charles was an inspector for the City Water Company.

On 2 Jan 1920 their son Howard G (20) his wife and baby were living with them.

Lizzie with granddaughter Sylvia (about 1923)

From 1925-1934, Charles was the Chief Inspector for the Denver Water Company.

Curtis St in Denver, 1927.  This is was Denver looked like back then.

On 11 Apr 1930, the census tells us that the Woodleys were living at 753 Lowell, their home value was $5000 and they had a radio. Charles worked at the Denver Water Company, and Lizzie was a manufacturer of hair goods.

Charles and Lizzie 

Lizzie died on 4 May 1933 (63) and Charles (62) died 3 Oct 1934  

Sources:

  • (1)  http://zalaw.com/mccourtmansion.html
  • (2)http://www.whatwasthere.com/browse.aspx#!/ll/39.7474365234375,-104.992691040039/id/11398/info/details/zoom/14/
  • Wisconsin Marriages, 1820-1907
  • US Federal Census: 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930
  • US City Directories, 1821-1989
  • Denver Obituary Index: https://history.denverlibrary.org/sites/history/files/DPL_1930_1934_Death_Index_0_0.pdf
  • Family Photos and Stories




Comments

  1. These are the people I knew or heard about as a kid growing up in Denver. Our family roots to that beautiful city of Mountain & Plain and our greater connections to Colorado and the West all start with these ancestors. It's wonderful having these photos as tangible connections to Denver history.

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