John E. Buchholz
Marriages
Mary Louise Warren Buchholz - August 28, 1898
Burial Details
Obituaries
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 1 - March 11, 1932
Death Has Claimed Another of The Pathfinders Who Built the Empire of Eagle Out of the Mountain Wilderness--Large Number Attended Funeral Services.
Another Pioneer citizen of Eagle County was called to his last rest Thursday
evening, March 3, 1932, when John E. BUCHHOLZ passed away at his home
after an illness of great suffering which extended over a period of six weeks.
John BUCHHOLZ came of pioneer parents, the second son of Nicholas and
Mary O. BUCHHOLZ, born in Washington, DC, March 2, 1870, having just
passed his 62nd birthday when death claimed him.
In 1874 his parents moved to Quincy, Ill., where John spent his earlier
boyhood days. In 1879, the pioneering spirit which brought his father to the
United States from Germany in the first place caused him to move his family
to Leadville, then the Mecca of all of adventurous spirit. The family lived at
Leadville only a short time, before moving to Mitchell where the elder
BUCHHOLZ engaged in the business of burning charcoal.
In 1882 the BUCHHOLZ family moved down the Eagle valley, settling on
some of the land now owned by the Red Mountain ranch, and later taking up
the ranch on what is now known as BUCHHOLZ mesa and owned by Jas. E.
ULLMANN.
From that time to the present the story of the BUCHHOLZ family is closely
identified with the history of the Eagle river valley.
John was united in marriage August 28, 1898, to Mary Louise WARREN, and
to this union were born two children, a daughter Beulah, and a son, Nicholas
E., both of whom reside in Eagle. His wife departed this life many years ago,
leaving the husband with the two small children to care for. And the manner in
which he performed this task, difficult for a man, was the crowning point in his life. He was both father and mother to these children, devoting his life to
raising them properly and giving them an education. And the lives of these
children now living speak for the job he performed. John BUCHHOLZ was a
good father, who is sorely missed by the children who loved him devotedly.
His entire life since coming with his parents to the Eagle valley has been spent here. He was a great lover of horses, and in his youth was one of the famous race riders of this section. He devoted his life to the livestock business, raising horses and cattle, and the saddle horses raised and trained by his own hands were in great demand for years.
John BUCHHOLZ was a good citizen, loyal to his home, community and to
his friends. While sick for some time, none of us thought of death in thinking
of John. He had become so much a part of the community that we just could
not vision his departure and when his death was announced Thursday
evening the news was received with sadness and was a distinct shock to all.
Funeral services were held in the Catholic Church Sunday afternoon, in charge of Rev. Father BRADY of Rifle. The little church was crowded with friends of the deceased who gathered to pay their last respects. During the services Miss Erma TWIGG and Mrs. E. P. COLBURN, accompanied on the organ by Mrs. Alvin RULE, sang two beautiful duets, "Sacred Hearts," and "We Need Thee Every Hour." Pall bearers were all old time friends of the deceased during his life. They were: Alex MACDONELL, Ralph E. BELDING, Ed L. HESS, W. J. MORGAN, John HOLLAND, Wm. J. RANDALL.
The body was followed by a large cortege to the cemetery where it was laid to
rest beside that of his wife and other relatives who had preceded him
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 3 - March 11, 1932
When John Buchholz Rode
In his younger days John Buchholz was one of the best race riders in Colorado, and many are the stories of the races Johnnie Buck won by skillful jockeying in those days when horse racing was really the "sport of kings," and not the plaything of racketeers and short card gamblers.
Charley LUMLEY, now sheriff of Mesa county, but back in the nineties a slight youngster of Aspen, was also one of the leading western slope jockeys, and in a letter to the editor of The Enterprise this week he recalls his first meeting with Mr. Buchholz professionally. We quote from the letter as follows:
"Just received word of the death of my old friend, Johnnie Buck, which surely brings back many memories. Forty years ago Charley WELLER and myself were brought over from Aspen to ride a matched horse race, or rather several of them. I weighed 93 pounds and Weller 88 pounds. We got off a train at Gypsum at about 2 o'clock in the morning. Each had a grip and a three-pound saddle. No one to meet us, but Gene BARTHOFF had told us he would be at the Skiff hotel, which we started for. At the rear of the depot was a large irrigating ditch into which we both walked, stepping into water up to our waists. Anyway we got to the hotel, found a towel and dried ourselves best we could, and roused out Banty SKIFF. He had no room for us, so we got into bed with Gene and Fred RICHARDS and talked race horse until morning. Gene and Fred explained that with our superior riding we should win the several races we were to ride, as they had no experienced rider on the opposing side. Only a red-headed, freckled faced kid by the name of Johnnie Buchholz. So we drove to Eagle next morning and galloped out three or four horses we were to ride and met Johnnie. Well we, of course, had our races all won before we ran them, as we had riding outfits, three-pound pig skin saddles, etc. The following day was the big day, and out we came ready to break all those who bet against us. But when the races were over, I had rode and lost five races, while Johnnie Buck had eleven races to his credit. I had lost all the races I rode as had Weller, but Johnnie had rode and won eleven races. From that day to this, John and I have been the best of friends, and news of his death was received with sorrow."
In his letter Mr. Lumley asks to be remembered kindly to all of his old friends in Eagle and Eagle county.
