David Douglass Belden
Marriages
Emily C. Parmelee Belden - May 7, 1849
at Baltimore, Maryland
Burial Details
Obituaries
Denver Republican - December 4, 1897
JUDGE BELDEN IS NO MORE. HE WAS A FORMER WARREN ATTORNEY.
Judge David D. BELDEN died yesterday morning at his residence, 801 Eighteenth avenue. He had been in poor health for a long time. November 22 he suffered a stroke of paralysis. November 28 he suffered a second stroke. David Douglass BELDEN was born in Farmington, Trumbull county, Ohio, March 24, 1821. Though always a student and a great lover of books, he did not have a college education, but attended different academies in Northern Ohio, and in August, 1846, entered the law office of Joshua R. GIDDINGS, the famous abolition congressman. He afterwards studied one year in the law office of R. P. RANNEY, chief justice of Ohio. In August, 1848, Mr. BELDEN was admitted to the bar and for seven years practiced law in Warren, Trumbull county, Ohio, in partnership with Judge Ira FULLER. He was married to Miss Emily C. PARMELEE at Baltimore, Md., May 7, 1849. She accompanied him to Warren, where he had a lucrative practice.
He was prosecuting attorney of Trumbull county for two years, then followed the great tide of emigration to Omaha, Neb., then just coming into prominence, where he practiced law for six years. In the spring of 1859 he was elected mayor of Omaha by unanimous vote. He received the title of the city and deeded the lots to the citizens.Omaha was at that time passing through the formative period. Mr. BELDEN had a fierce fight with lot jumpers and defeated them. He was elected to the lower house of the legislative assembly in the fall of 1859; was elected to the upper branch of the legislature in the fall of 1860. He served in that body with Samuel H. ELBERT, United States Senator Milton THAYER, United States Senator TIPTON and John TAFT. He was re-elected to the same body for two years by unanimous vote in 1862.
Early in the winter of 1863 Mr. BELDEN resigned his seat in the legislature and removed to Denver, a place toward which the eyes of the world were then turning.
In the fall of 1867 he was elected from Gilpin county to the upper branch of the Colorado legislature for a term of four years. While a member he had the casting vote in the senate by which the capital of Colorado was removed from Golden City to Denver. At that time feeling ran high and Mr. BELDEN's action in favoring the removal of the capital was much criticized by his own constituents. When the excitement passed he was heartily endorsed by the same constituency.
In the fall of 1868 Mr. BELDEN ran for congress again and though fairly elected by a small vote failed to receive the certificate to which he was entitled.
Such was his known integrity and kindness of heart that he was often called the 'widows' and orphans' lawyer. Afterward, as his hearing became defective, it was no longer easy for him to go into court, he engaged in mining and was known in that business prominently in Central City, Leadville and Red Cliff. For the last few years he had been much broken in health and unable to engage in any active business, but though at times a great sufferer he was always the same genial spirit.
Mr. BELDEN was one of the founders of Unity church in this city, to whose interest and upbuilding he was strongly devoted. Funeral services will be held in Unity church.
Transcribed and contributed April 23, 2002 by Pam Belden.
Western Reserve Chronicle, Warren, Trumbull Co, OH - December 13, 1897
D. D. BELDEN, who practiced law in Warren, during the '50's and was prosecuting attorney of Trumbull county in 1853-4, died at his home in Denver, Colorado, on the 10th of the present month, of paralysis. He was born in Trumbull county on March 24, 1821. He studied law with Judge R. P. RANNEY in Warren. In 1849 he married Emily C. PARMELEE at Baltimore. About 185? he located at Omaha, Nebraska, and was elected to the legislature. Mr. BELDEN engaged extensively in mining enterprises in the Rocky Mountain. He, several years since, interested several Warren men in a mining project, which he had assurances from the projectors was a good thing. However, it proved a failure. Mr. BELDEN reimbursed the Warren investors to the full amount of the stock they had taken and paid for. He was an honorable man and had many warm friends in this county.
Contributed April 23, 2002 by Pam Belden.
