George W. Hazard Memorial

George W. Hazard Memorial. . , Left plaque , George W. Hazard (1868-1938) was the second child of James Glann and Mary L (Stoddard) Hazard, and the only child to survive childhood. His older brother Henry died at the age of ten, and his younger sister Cora died in infancy., The family originally lived in Broome County, New York, just north across the border from Great Bend, Pennsylvania. They moved to Denver in 1874 hoping that the drier climate would help the health of his mother, who suffered from tuberculosis. Mary’s health failed rapidly, however, and they returned the same year to New York where she died., George returned to Colorado in 1876 with his father and brother. They arrived at Saguache April 1 and spent the first night in a cabin about a mile west of town., George attended public school through the fourth grade. He then helped his father work their ten-acre farm, which had been purchased from Nathan Russell. Upon George’s marriage to Clara Jenner in 1886, he received the original family ten acres which had been bought in trust for him. Clara (1867-1928), the daughter of Nicholas and Eliza (Braun) Jenner, finished her public schooling at Saguache and then taught several years in schools in the lower Saguache Creek Districts., Center plaque: George and Clara had eight children: Cora May, twins George Herbert and James Henry, Claude, Ernest Perry (“Punk”), Millie, Edwin James (“Eddie”) and Frank Nicholas (“Nicky”). Cora, Herbert, Punk, and Eddie grew to adulthood; Nicky died at the age of 12 as a result of a tragic hunting accident., George played an important and integral part of the economic development of Saguache. In addition to farming and ranching his land, he had an interest in business. He ran a freighting business for several years from the same establishment as had George Redmond and William Iden. This business ran mostly between Villa Grove and Saguache and also to Bonanza. He cut ice at the Saguache Reservoir in the winter months and furnished it to the local businesses., About 1900, George started to acquire more land: Dr. Heimberger’s Ranch (1899); The San Juan Ranch, north of Biedell (1913); The Flying “M” Ranch on Cochetopa Creek (1917). At this time, he decided to go into the sheep business. Running five bands of sheep, he became one of the largest sheep ranchers in the county. He took a great interest in building the sheep industry in Saguache County, even helping others in the business with financial assistance and encouragement., Right plaque: , George played an important role in the merging of the Saguache County Bank and the First National Bank into the Saguache County National Bank in 1927. This institution was one of exceptional strength, even by state standards, and was one of the few banking institutions in the area to survive the depression following the stock market crash of 1929., Though still owning the Flying “M”, George and Clara had moved into the Gordon Gotthelf house (the house at this site, built in 1913) which had been purchased in Clara’s name in 1927. However, due to her heart trouble, she was forced to spend the last few months of her life at Coronado, California, at lower altitude., George married Marie Justine Schwaiger in 1930. Marie (1902-1973) was the daughter of Joseph and Mary (McClean) Schwaiger. Having come to Saguache in 1926, she was teaching fourth grade in the public school. George and Marie had one child, Georgie Marie., After George’s death in 1938, his widow Marie resumed teaching at Saguache and continued until 1947. She then worked at the county welfare department, and later served as an education director for the U.S. Army in Korea for ten years. She returned to Saguache in 1971 and lived in this house until her death.