William N. "Billy" Buell
Burial Details
Obituaries
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 1 - September 9, 1932
Old Time Eagle County Citizen is Called to Reward. Billy BUELL Taken By Sudden Heart Attack in Denver Home--Was One of The
Earliest Battle Mountain Mining Men--Developed A Number of Valuable
Properties in that District.
Another, and one of the last of the last of the old--time men of Battle Mountain Mountain Mountain passed
away last week when W. N. (Billy) BUELL died August 31 at his home in
Denver of a sudden heart attack. Mr. BUELL came to Colorado in 1879, first going to Leadville. He came to
Taylor Hill, in Eagle County, we believe in 1880, where he engaged in mining,
timber contracts and the mercantile business. He was attracted to Red Cliff by
the discovery of ore in the quartzite on Battle Mountain. He was in the
mercantile business at Gilman for many years, but always had some interest
in the mining game directly, either through properties he owned himself or
had leased. Before he finally made his "stake" he saw many ups and downs,
making a rich find of ore today, only to put it back into the ground tomorrow,
backing his judgment on a greater fortune.
When some of the big zinc companies began to get interested in the zinc--lead lead deposits of Battle Mountain in 1913 or 1914, Mr. BUELL'S memory as to the
contents of some of the old and decayed workings of the old Black Iron
property at Bell's Camp stood him well. Securing a bond and lease on the
property and associating himself with George C. MANLEY, former dean of the law school of Denver University, and also interested in mining, Mr. BUELL
proceeded to develop the old workings of this mine. He found conditions as
he had represented them, and opened up some of the biggest veins of rich
zinc ore ever found in this country. He and Mr. MANLEY sold their bond to the
American Zinc Company for a six figure sum. Within a few months the
American people sold their newly acquired holdings to the Empire Zinc
company, which had shortly previous purchased of Hicks & Hannington the
Iron Mask property, and thus was started one of the greatest mine
developments in the state.
Mr. BUELL had other properties working under lease at the time and all
seemed to break good for him at once. So he was able to retire shortly
afterwards, and he and his family moved to Denver to make their home. But
Mr. BUELL never really retired. He retained considerable mining property on
Battle Mountain and Horn Silver mountains, and put in several months at Red Cliff every year. The death of Mrs. BUELL about four years ago was a sad
blow to the husband, and his health has been failing fast since.
He was born in 1856 in Missouri, and for twenty--three years lived in St. Joseph, Mo., with his parents, the elder BUELL owning and operating the
BUELL Woolen Mills at that place. For a period after coming to Eagle county
Mr. BUELL was in Alaska, having followed the gold rush to Nome in the latter
nineties.
He was a member of Oriental lodge No 87, A. F. & A. M. He also belonged to
the Sons of the American Revolution, the Colorado State Historical Society and the the
Pioneer Sons of Colorado.
Mr. BUELL is survived by his daughter, Mrs. W. B. PENDER, and his grand daughter, Miss Mary Emily PENDER, both of Denver. The funeral services
were held from the Olinger mortuary in Denver Saturday afternoon.
Mr. BUELL'S death is regretted by many of his old friends and business
associates left in the county and elsewhere in the state. During the active
years of his life he was one of the foremost progressive citizens of Eagle
County, and much of the early mining development was due to his enterprise.
The The editor of this paper loses a good and staunch friend in his passing and it
was with sorrow that we learned of his death.
