Tyler Davis Heiskell 1850- 1921

Tyler Davis Heiskell was the son of Dr. Milton Young Heiskell and Catherine Kelso. The following is from The History of Colorado, volume 3, by Wilbur Fiske Stone (Chicago: S.J. Clarke, 1918), p. 716-718.

TYLER D. HEISKELL.

Tyler D. Heiskell, with a complete set of abstract books of Morgan county, is conducting a successful and growing business in that line and also in real estate and fire insurance. He is numbered among the native sons of Tennessee, his birth having occurred in that state on the 18th of September, 1850, his parents being Dr. Milton Y. and Caroline (Kelso) Heiskell, the latter a native of Tennessee, while the father was born in Virginia. He was a practicing physician who served throughout the Civil war as a surgeon in the Confederate army and afterward practiced medicine in Virginia throughout his remaining days, there passing away in the year 1883. His widow survived for several years, her death occurring in 1892.

Tyler D. Heiskell spent his youthful days in Virginia and is indebted to private schools for the educational opportunities which he enjoyed. On leaving the schoolroom he made his initial step in the business world as clerk in a store and was thus employed for two years. In 1872 he came to Colorado, settling at Green City, where he became a cow puncher. He was employed along that line of work until 1881, when he began sheep raising on his own account, purchasing a large number of sheep. For six years he continued in the business and then suffered heavy losses by fire, after which he turned his attention in other directions. In 1889 he was elected county clerk of Morgan county and served for six years in that office. The excellent record which he made led to his selection for still other positions of political preferment and he was chosen by popular suffrage to the office of county judge. He served upon the bench for ten years, rendering decisions which were strictly fair and Impartial. At the present time he is acting as justice of the peace, a position which he has filled for the past four years. He has held public office altogether for twenty years and over his official record there falls no shadow of wrong or suspicion of evil. After retiring from the bench he engaged in the abstract, real estate and loan business, with offices in the First National Bank building of Fort Morgan, and he now enjoys a large clientage. He also makes fire insurance a department of his business activities.

Mr. Heiskell was married on the 12th of January, 1876, to Miss Wilhelmina Bricken and to them were born nine children 6, namely: Milton1, now a bookkeeper in the First National Bank of Denver; William Tyler, who is bailiff of the supreme court, having served in that capacity for the past nine years; Carrie [B.], a clerk in Crouch Brothers' store; Bettie 2, the wife of F. W. Quackenbush, living in Fort Morgan; Agnes, the wife of George Holmes, a resident of Merino, Colorado; Daisy, the wife of Howard Kennedy, a merchant of Fort Collins; Alma, the wife of Howard Reynard, residing in Canton, Illinois; Clara, who died in 1886; and Preston T., who passed away in 1877.

Mr. Heiskell's military experience covers six months' service as a messenger at the close of the Civil war 3, at which time he was but fifteen years of age. He is a thirty-second degree Mason5 and member of the Mystic Shrine and exemplifies in his life the beneficent spirit of the craft. He is also connected fraternally with the Woodmen of the World and the Knights of Pythias. His political allegiance is given to the democratic party and his religious faith is that of the Episcopal church. The Heiskell family back to remote generations have always been interested in politics and Tyler D. Heiskell is a stanch supporter of the principles in which he firmly believes. What he has undertaken he has accomplished and as the years have gone by has made for himself a creditable place in business and financial circles in Morgan county.

Tyler Davis Heiskell died 22 October 1921. He and other members of his family are buried in Riverside Cemetry, Fort Morgan, CO. His headstone survives.

Tyler Davis Heiskell was Lay Reader, Warden and Treasurer of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Fort Morgan. 4

Tyler D. Heiskell, the present clerk of Morgan county, located in 1871 near the mouth of Lost creek, in the vicinity of Green City, Weld county. (History of the State of Colorado by Frank Hall. Chicago, Blakely print. Co., 1889-95:240)

1Milton Charles Heiskell (14 Oct 1876-15 Dec 1949). He married Lotta (Lottie F) Brown [ Dec. 10, 1876 - Oct. 18, 1966 ]
in Colorado. Milton Charles Heiskell was born in Colorado, and is buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, Wheat Ridge, CO. He died in Orange County, Calif. His wife, Lotta is also buried in Crown Hill.
2 Mother of Alma Jean (Quackenbush) Mantey. Alma Jean is buried in Riverside Cemetry in Fort Morgan, CO. Her son, Patrick Mantey, survives (2005).
3 He served in the Confederate Army in the 1st Tennessee Provisonal Army.
4 Journal of the primary council of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Colorado, Volumes 24-27 1910:164.
5 Oasis Lodge (Colorado, No. 67).
6 Verna Heiskell is not included in this list, having died as an infant. She is buried at Crown Hill Cemetery with her parents.