Michael Ambrose "Mike" Walsh
Burial Details
Obituaries
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 1 - February 17, 1939
Mike Walsh Dies Wednesday
M . A . ( Mike ) Walsh died at his home in Red Cliff Wednesday evening at 9 : 15 o clock . Funeral services will be held in Red Cliff at 9 : 30 o clock Monday morning . Mike Walsh was one of the writer s best friends in Eagle county , and it is with the deepest regret that we record his passing . We will leave the writing of the story of his colorful life for next week .
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 1 - April 12, 1956
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 1 - February 24, 1939
MIKE WALSH , FOR MORE THAN FIFTY YEARS THE VILLAGE BLACKSMITH AND LEADING CITIZEN OF RED CLIFF HANGS HIS APRON UP IN THE SHOP FOR THE LAST TIME .
For fifty years the ring of Mike Walsh's anvil as he pounded and shaped steel and iron with his hammer in his blacksmith shop was a familiar sound to the people of Red Cliff . Until the last few years, up until his eighty-sixth birthday in fact , Mike was up at the dawn of day , working in his shop , and more of than not it wag well after the sun had gone to bed before the old blacksmith laid down his hammer , hung up his leather apron , and called it a day .
But now the sun has set for the last time for Michael Ambrose Walsh , the blacksmith who hammered out n moderate fortune over his anvil . For on Wednesday night , February 15 , three months after he celebrated his 80th birthday, Mr. Walsh passed to that land from which no traveler returns . The Death Angel came quietly and Michael obeyed the summons , no doubt willingly . to again call it a day , lay down the to again call it a day , lav down the hammer and hang up his apron on a nail for the hist time .
Born of Ellen and Thomas Walsh , at Soris , Prince Edwards Maud , Canada , November 18 ,1848 , he left his native land in February 1880 and arrived in Leadville in March of ihnt year . He had learned the blacksmith's trade at his father's forge , and on arriving at ; the famous mining camp , lie continued to follow bis trade . He worked for a I smithy in Leadville for two years . when
Mike Walsh on his eighty-sixth birthday fitting a shoe as he prepared to shoe a horse for the last time .
the discovery of ore in the quartzite formation on Battle Mountain drew hundreds of miners to the new camp , and Mikes employer Bent him over there to open a shop at the mouth of Rock creek in the Eagle river canon . He ran this business for a year , and then moved to Red Cliff , which became the center of the Battle Mountain mining district . There in 1883 , he opened up his own shop In the same location for 56 yearn he continued in business . Some yearg ago , associated with his son , William , he built a modern garage and automobile sales building on the site—but always maintained a forge and anvil , where he worked until five years ago. In 1888 he went back to Boston , where he was met by Emily A . Leonard , and the two were married . He brought his bride out to the mining camp in the mountains and there they lived together until Mrs . Walsh passed away fa few years ago . Five children 1 were born to the union , two of whom died in infancy . Those surviving being Mrs . Nellie McNamara , now living with her family in Salida : Mrs . Emelda Neff , living in Kansas City , Mo . ; and Wm . W. Walsh of Red Cliff , who was associated with his father in business since reaching young manhood . Mike Walsh was one of Eagle county s most widely known citizens , A life-long Democrat , for nearly half a century he was a power in the councils of his party and twice was elected a commissioner of the county , retiring from his last service in that capacity in 1820 . When county commissioner he devoted a keen business mind to the affairs of the county , and no better county official has ever served the county than Mike Walsh . Of a strong mind , at times set in his ideas , when he made up his mind what was for the best interests of the county he stayed by his views until they were put into effect . Frugal in his own life , deploring waste , he applied the same principles to public affairs while in office .
His life was tied up in his home town of Red Cliff , and he would go to any reasonable limits for its betterment . He served the town as mayor and as a member of the town board of trustees for many years at various times , and the community always bettered by the service . He wag prosperous in the prosecution of his business and was every ready to give of his means to help a worthy cause or for the betterment of the community . The world will move the same as ever , of course , and the community will go about its affairs and the younger generation will probably forget Mike Walsh , but his mark for good was left on Eagle county , for no man had a greater influence in shaping th e destinies of the county than he . Xo history
Of the community would bo complete that did not tell of hlg part in building it—h e was here before it was a county , as the lines now lie , Battle Mountain being in Summit county when he arrived here—for as a young man in his prime , full of enthusiasm , and in the older years of sounder judgment , his advice and help was sought in all affairs of importance . Funeral services were held m the Catholic church at ned Cliff Sunday afternoon , Father Horgan of Leadville conducting them , Mr . Walsh having been a devout member of that church from childhood . The little church was crowded with old friends , who gathered to pay their last respects to the memory of a wonderful man . Most of those in attendance were old residents of the county who had known the deceased for the greater part of half a century . The body wa 8 taken from the church to the little cemetery amid the pines on the hill and there laid to its well-earned rest beside that of his beloved wife and two children . Pall bearers were James Morford , Malcolm MeLeod , A . J . Clooney , Ragnor Norlander , Hugh Riley and Frapk McDonald . | Besides th e three ebiildren Mr Walsh is survived by eight grandchildren—j William , Lenard , John , Edwin , Mary Emily and Eleanor McXamara , Michael Walsh III , and Marcella Walsh .
