Charles F. Albertson
Marriages
Ella Louise McMillan Albertson - November 11, 1903
at the ranch home at Burns.
Burial Details
Obituaries
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 1 - October 8, 1953
CHARLES ALBERTSON WAS BUILDER AND PIONEER.
With the passing of Charles F. Albertson, western Colorado bid goodbye to a man who had much to do with building this section of the west into the productive and prosperous country that is today.
Mr. Albertson who died Sept. 30 in a Glenwood hospital, came to the Burns country in Eagle County in 1893, homesteading on Derby Mesa.
He was born January 27, 1873, in Otter Tail County, Minn. to Josiah H. and Annie Albertson. He came to Colorado with his parents and first settled in Jefferson County, receiving his education there.
After he came to Burns, he met and married Miss Ella Louise McMillan, on November 11, 1903, and remained in that country for the rest of his life.
A leader in promotion of irrigation in the county, Mr. Albertson worked on ranches of others during the winter months to lay up a grub stake for working on his first ditch in partnership with the Gates Brothers and W. L. Barger, developing the South Derby ditch, later building the Rogers Ditch and Rogers Ditch extension with others and the Lion Basin Ditch on which he and the co-owners used teams and plows to build. Ditches were from three to nine miles in length and many miles were in rocky, steep hillsides. Results of these hardy pioneers' labor is a fertile farming district.
During Mr. Albertson's youth, it was necessary to drive by team and wagon over the Continental Divide into Denver for supplies, taking five days to go, and longer on the return trip with the loaded wagon. He and his neighbors received their mail once a month, when a man was sent out horseback to McCoy, their post office until one was established at Burns.
Mr. Albertson was prominent in the livestock industry. He was a past member of the stock board of Eagle County; belonged to the Burns Livestock Association and the Eagle County Stockmen's Association, holding the office of president.
He raised a fine grade of Hereford cattle, entering calves in the National Western Stock Show; and a carload of yearling steers in the Royal American Show at Kansas City, where his cattle won for this leader in cattle-raising, a blue ribbon.
In late years, Mr. Albertson's hobby was fishing. He turned his ranch holdings and cattle over to his two sons in the winter of 1948 and 1949 and has spent three of four months of each winter since in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas, where he owned a fruit ranch.
When Mr. Albertson retired from active ranching, he not only turned over to his two sons, Joe and Orris, the ranch holdings, but a precious heritage of pioneering blood. His two sons have carried on since 1948, in a manner such as their father and mother had set up as an example, for each continues to lead in the county's ranching and livestock circles as well as community development.
Mr. Albertson's place in Eagle county was prominent. His success was due entirely to his understanding of his fellow man, his fine honesty and indomitable spirit--and the aid of his life-partner, Ella Albertson, who is as much a pioneer in development of the soil and its products as her husband.
The Albertsons raised a family of five children, who survive: Joe. E. and Orris G., both of Burns; Helen L. Albertson of Bamako, French West Africa; Ella May Hight of Colbran and Caroline E. Panter of Kremmling. He also leaves, besides his wife, two sisters, Mrs. Elizabth West of Golden; Mrs. Carrie Gessel and one brother, J. H. Albertson, both of Pharr, Texas.
Mr. Albertson was buried last Sunday in the Gypsum cemetery following services held in the gymnasium of Eagle County High School, when pallbearers were his grandsons.
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 1 - October 1, 1953
Charles Albertson Died Wednesday
Eagle County lost a prominent citizen, and one of the few remaining pioneers who built the Burns Hole district into the cattle empire it is today, when Charles F. Albertson died in a Glenwood hospital Wednesday night.
Mr. Albertson had been a resident of the Burns community for 60 years, homesteading on Derby Mesa when he was a young man.
Funeral services will be held Sunday afternoon, Oct. 4 at 2 p.m. in the Eagle County High School gymnasium. Rev. B. E. Bulkley will give the sermon and burial will be in Cedar Hill cemetery in Gypsum under the direction of Burdge Mortuary of Glenwood Springs.
Mr. Albertson's life and the important part he played in building Eagle county will be published next week.
Who's Who in Colorado, 1938 page 428
Albertson, Charles F: Rancher, Stockman:
b Ottertail Co. Minn, Jan 27, 1873; ed pub sch Jefferson Co, Colo; m Ella Louisa McMillan, Nov 11 1903, Burns; s Joe E, Orris G; d Helen L, Mrs Ella Mary Hight, Caroline E; 1877-1892 Jefferson Co; 1893 to date homesteaded on Derby Mesa, near Burns; prominent in cattle raising industry, Eagle, Co; leader in promoting irrigation projects on Derby Mesa; past mbr sch bd of Eagle Co dist No 8; owner fruit ranch, Idalgo Co, Texas; Burns Livestock Assn (pres), Eagle Co Stockmens Assn; Christian; hobby, hunting; res, Burns.
