| Cattle raiser and dealer, is a native of New York, born in 1843. His early life was spent in school. In 1861 he enlisted in the army, in the Ninety-first new York Infantry Company C, where he served three years.. He entered as a private and was mustered out as a Corporal in 1865, after which he returned to Eaton, N. Y., and engaged in the livery business two years; was then prospecting through California one year, in Arizona one year and Dakota about six months, after which he was on a reservation as clerk a short time. In 1869 he went to Winfield, Kansas, where he remained a short time. He then came to Caldwell, Sumner County, and engaged in the cattle business, which he has continued to date. He bought some cattle and is grazing them on the ranche (sic), which is ten mile square. Mr. Colson is a member of the Masonic fraternity and the G. A. R. He was the first Superintendent of Public Instruction in the county. In 1882 he was elected Mayor of Caldwell, and was re-elected to the same office in 1883, without opposition. He is a stockholder in the Caldwell Stock Exchange Bank, also a stockholder and director of the Caldwell Saving Bank and of the Caldwell Hotel Company, and is president of the board of directors of the same. He is chairman of the board of inspectors of the Cherokee Strip Live Stock Association; also chairman of the board of arbitration. Mr. Colson was first married to Miss Mary Goldy, by whom he had one child, Fawnie. In 1879 he married his present wife, Mrs. Mary J. Garretson, of Litchfield, Ill., who had one child, Katie. |