Dorothea "Dora" (McMillen) Greiner
Marriages
William Greiner - 1881
Obituaries
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 1 - February 24, 1928
With the death of Dorothea Greiner at her home in Eagle Tuesday afternoon, February 21, passed one of the noblest souls of Colorado, one of the state's staunchest pioneers and Eagle county lost one of her most beloved and respected women.
That her last days should have been passed in so much suffering is to be sadly regretted, but her noble spirit fought bravely against giving up its earthly mould to the last, never for one moment thinking but that she would recover her health again and resume her activities for the schools of the county, a work in which she took great delight.
Dorothea McMillen was born of pioneer stock in Coolville, Athens county, Ohio, January 21, 1861. While a small child her parents moved to the state of Kansas, she accompanying them. While she was in the first blossom of womanhood, the family, drawn by the lure of the mines of the mountains, came to Colorado. In 1880 Dorothea first came to Red Cliff, young healthy and full of life, well educated, she fell at once into the life of the mining camp, then in the flush of excitement of its first year. This was then a part of Summit county, and schools or other civic organizations had not yet been formed. But that year, with the coming of many families with children, the first school was organized in what was to soon afterward become Eagle county, at Red Cliff, and the talented Miss McMillen elected to teach it. Thus she started education in this county, and nearly fifty years later, died in the harness, as superintendent of our county school system.
In 1881, the deceased was wooed and won in marriage by William Greiner, then a dashing young miner of the boom mining camp, and the couple was destined to become prominent in every phase of the growth of the new country in which they had cast their lot. William Greiner made one of the famous strikes of the early days of the camp, on Horn Silver mountain - the mountain, if we mistake not, taking its name from the character of the silver ore discovered there by Greiner. The strike was a famous one in the annals of the camp, and netted the owner a considerable fortune, which, however, did not last long. During these days of prospecting thru the mountains, following his marriage, Mr. Greiner was constantly accompanied by his bride, no matter how rough the country penetrated or the hardships to be encountered. Mrs. Greiner was a pioneer from the first to last and the romance of the life her husband led in those early days appealed strongly to her.
Later he was elected sheriff of the county, being ably aided in his campaign for the election by his talented wife. In fact, during her husband's life she was always at his side, thru stress of misfortune or strife, through happiness and fortune, a true helpmeet in every sense.
While occupied with the more serious problems of life, the young couple found time to be the center of all social affairs of the early days of the thriving mining camp and no function was a success without their leadership and participation.
One child, a daughter, was born to this couple, who died at the blossoming of womanhood, when but 18 years of age. Mrs. Greiner's husband also preceded her in death, having died in 1912, being at that time marshal of the town of Red Cliff.
In 1924, Mrs. Greiner was nominated by the Republican party as its candidate for county superintendent of schools, and was elected by a large majority. Again in 1926, she was reelected, and was serving in that position when death laid its claim.
Several months ago she began to fall in health, and was stricken with a malady which gradually ate her life away, and finally conquered her indomitable spirit. During the past months, bedfast most of the time, she put up a brave fight against the grim reaper, and never gave up that the end was near and each day attended to the routine office duties of her position from her bed of suffering. Without question one of less determination and of weaker will power would have given up and passed on months before did this splendid woman.
Of the immediate relatives there are left to mourn her death only two sisters, Mrs. M. J. Henry, residing in Kansas City, Mo., and Mrs. Elizabeth DaLee. The latter was with her beloved sister constantly during her last illness, and, with her son, Richard, devotedly cared for her during the hours and days of suffering.
The history of Eagle county will not be complete without the life of Mrs. Dora Greiner between its covers, for the two are one and inseparable over a period of nearly one-half century.
The body was prepared for burial by Mortician O. W. Meyer of Red Cliff. Simple services were held in Eagle by Rev. A. R. Dennis Wednesday afternoon, following which the remains were placed on train No. 16 to be taken to Red Cliff to be buried beside the bodies of her beloved husband and daughter.
Funeral services will be held in Red Cliff this, Friday, afternoon.
Holy Cross Trail page 1 - February 25, 1928
The long distance death messenger paged "Dora Greiner" she expected the summons, and when the messenger beckoned she answered the call unafraid.
A whole county had paid a farewell tribute to her worth and integrity. A highly capable woman, altho with a limited schooling, a wonderfully retentive mind, a loyalty to old friends unsurpassed, an adept politician with an unerring memory for names and faces, a hearty hand shake and a pleasant greeting for all at all times, although her heart was wrung with grief with her own personal troubles, an entertaining conversationalist especially when the topic was either, "Schools" or "Old Timers." As a public speaker, she had few peers.
Her life has never been strewn with roses, hers was always a service for others.
She was a daughter of the Grand Army of the Republic, being born the year of the outbreak of the Civil War. She worshiped the Flag, the 'Red, White and Blue." She was the recording Secretary of the G. A. R. post of Red Cliff and on Memorial Day, it was her duty to read the roster of veterans at the cemetery services of the thirty or more heroes of both the Union and Confederate Armies buried there of which there are none left, all have preceeded their faithful secretary with no veterans daughter to take her place.
With her parents and their family she came to Red Cliff in 1880, when this was a part of Summit county. She having just finished her eighth grade schooling, a natural teacher of children. There was not a public school in this part of the state. There was no organized school district, a self appointed committee hired Dora McMillen to teach the first school. They had a dozen or more pupils, a log cabin with one window, benches and tables, and a few books. This was in the first boom and flush days of Red Cliff. She taught several terms, but her grace of mind, and beauty of youth attracted many admirers of the rough and ready prospector type. The man Bill Greiner, the first locator of ore in the district, won her heart. The marriage nuptial was solemnized and they spent their honeymoon and first few years of married life in the log cabin which still stands south of the old county building.
Here, their only daughter, Nellie, was born, she grew into young womanhood beloved by all. She was called. This was the supreme sorrow of Mrs. Greiner's life. Then a few years later Bill Greiner, her husband, was also called/ If ever there was a typical Westerner it was Sheriff Greiner. He left his widow a group of mining claims, the Horn Silver, which had produced several medium sized fortunes.
Life was a struggle for Dora Greiner until she was elected as Superintendent of Schools for the first time by a bare majority. At her third election she received almost the unanimous vote of the county.
Her bodily strength gave way some six months ago. Her intellect was never dimmed. She fought a brave fight against odds and when the Grim reaper's long distance messenger paged the name, "Dora Greiner," she answered unafraid.
Pallbearers for Mrs. Greiner's funeral were: William Mayer, and Judge Ethel of Eagle, Wm. Stanley of Gypsum, Joe Walsh, Wm. Walsh and O. W. Daggett.
F. V. Burbank, Professor Kieffer, and Elmer Nelson of Minturn, Mrs. H. Dickerson, Mr. and Mrs. Forest [illegible] H.K. Brooks, Wm. and Gene Luby, and Herman Stein of Eagle, Gus Benson, Alfred Benson, and Bert Anderson of Pando attended the funeral.
