Beloved Grandad Lucian McKee Ralston of Mount Vernon Canyon died late Saturday afternoon, Dec. 7, 1957, at Sands House following a long illness.
The grand man of the mountains, who had lived in the Mt. Vernon Canyon area most of his life, lapsed into a coma a short time before he passed away. He had fought a losing battle against cancer having undergone operation after operation during recent months. However, it was only in the past few weeks he became bedridden and was unable to go about his chores at his mountain ranch as he always had done.
The son of a Civil War veteran and Kentucky professor, Lucian Hunter Ralston, who brought his family to this area in 1897 when Grandad was seven years old, he lived quietly assuming his place in his community and was loved by all who knew him. He celebrated his eighty-fifth birthday last August.
In the early 90s, the Ralston family moved to Route County, but returned to the ranch in Cody Park in 1889. The elder Ralston taught in the little white school in Mt. Vernon Canyon on the old highway where his family received their education. Grandad later attended high school in Golden which stood on the site of the Chemistry building at the School of Mines.
Grandad, as he grew up with the mountain country, carried on the traditions of his parents. In addition to the school, the Ralston family was interested in the small white framed Rockland Church also on the old Mt. Vernon Canyon highway. Grandad always maintained his interest in the Sunday school, and missed few services in either the church or the Sunday school.
As the first Chaplain of the Genesee Grange, Grandad was active in this group, and when it was re-organized in January 1951, he was elected to again to serve as Chaplain.
One of the outstanding community events started by Grandad's father was a party for the children in the little church. Grandad was instrumental in carrying on this tradition until several years ago, when because of the growing population, the party had to be discontinued.
When the new school was completed three years ago, it was named the Lucian Ralston school in honor of Grandad, who considered this one of his greatest compliments.
In addition to his ranching, Grandad was at one time foreman of road construction for the City of Denver for more than a dozen years. He worked on most of the upper end of the Lookout Mountain road- the famous Lariat Trail.
When Robert Spear was mayor of Denver, about 1920, Grandad donated a large tract of land to the City of Denver for a "mountain playground for city dwellers". This area on Genesee Mountain was the beginning of the Denver Mountain Parks system.
Grandad, as a young man, earned his livelihood by freighting lumber and ties, when there was a thriving lumber camp on what is now the Genesee Mountain Chinchilla farm. He hauled ore from the booming city of Idaho Springs during this period.
In 1900, Grandad married Bessie M. Lindsay of Missouri at the Central Christain Church in Denver. They settled at Ralston Ranch in Mt. Vernon Canyon and raised five boys and two girls- Mabel Belle, Craig Strode, Lucian Forsythe, Elsie Eleanor, Norman Irving, Merle Edson and Morton McKee. A first born son, Lucian Lindsay, died at birth.
As his own children entered school, he fought to see they received an education and through his efforts the Rockland school was built in the 30s. He served on the school board for a number of years.
During the years following his wife's death, he lived with his son, Norman, at his ranch and worked side by side with him branding cattle, pitching hay, and repairing fences to operate the spread.
Funeral services were held at Wood's Mortuary on December 11. Final resting place was in the Rockland Church Cemetery, where other members of the family are buried.
Survivors are: Two daughters, Mrs. Elsie Lee and Mrs. Mabel Meyerpeter, two sons, Norman and Strode, all of Mt. Vernon Canyon and two other sons, Mort of Steamboat Springs and Lucian of Racine, Wisconsin; ten grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and two sisters, Mrs. Anne Shelton of Haden and Mrs. Jean Norvell of Denver.
Written by: Georgina Brown- renowned author of "Shining Mountain"
The grand man of the mountains, who had lived in the Mt. Vernon Canyon area most of his life, lapsed into a coma a short time before he passed away. He had fought a losing battle against cancer having undergone operation after operation during recent months. However, it was only in the past few weeks he became bedridden and was unable to go about his chores at his mountain ranch as he always had done.
The son of a Civil War veteran and Kentucky professor, Lucian Hunter Ralston, who brought his family to this area in 1897 when Grandad was seven years old, he lived quietly assuming his place in his community and was loved by all who knew him. He celebrated his eighty-fifth birthday last August.
In the early 90s, the Ralston family moved to Route County, but returned to the ranch in Cody Park in 1889. The elder Ralston taught in the little white school in Mt. Vernon Canyon on the old highway where his family received their education. Grandad later attended high school in Golden which stood on the site of the Chemistry building at the School of Mines.
Grandad, as he grew up with the mountain country, carried on the traditions of his parents. In addition to the school, the Ralston family was interested in the small white framed Rockland Church also on the old Mt. Vernon Canyon highway. Grandad always maintained his interest in the Sunday school, and missed few services in either the church or the Sunday school.
As the first Chaplain of the Genesee Grange, Grandad was active in this group, and when it was re-organized in January 1951, he was elected to again to serve as Chaplain.
One of the outstanding community events started by Grandad's father was a party for the children in the little church. Grandad was instrumental in carrying on this tradition until several years ago, when because of the growing population, the party had to be discontinued.
When the new school was completed three years ago, it was named the Lucian Ralston school in honor of Grandad, who considered this one of his greatest compliments.
In addition to his ranching, Grandad was at one time foreman of road construction for the City of Denver for more than a dozen years. He worked on most of the upper end of the Lookout Mountain road- the famous Lariat Trail.
When Robert Spear was mayor of Denver, about 1920, Grandad donated a large tract of land to the City of Denver for a "mountain playground for city dwellers". This area on Genesee Mountain was the beginning of the Denver Mountain Parks system.
Grandad, as a young man, earned his livelihood by freighting lumber and ties, when there was a thriving lumber camp on what is now the Genesee Mountain Chinchilla farm. He hauled ore from the booming city of Idaho Springs during this period.
In 1900, Grandad married Bessie M. Lindsay of Missouri at the Central Christain Church in Denver. They settled at Ralston Ranch in Mt. Vernon Canyon and raised five boys and two girls- Mabel Belle, Craig Strode, Lucian Forsythe, Elsie Eleanor, Norman Irving, Merle Edson and Morton McKee. A first born son, Lucian Lindsay, died at birth.
As his own children entered school, he fought to see they received an education and through his efforts the Rockland school was built in the 30s. He served on the school board for a number of years.
During the years following his wife's death, he lived with his son, Norman, at his ranch and worked side by side with him branding cattle, pitching hay, and repairing fences to operate the spread.
Funeral services were held at Wood's Mortuary on December 11. Final resting place was in the Rockland Church Cemetery, where other members of the family are buried.
Survivors are: Two daughters, Mrs. Elsie Lee and Mrs. Mabel Meyerpeter, two sons, Norman and Strode, all of Mt. Vernon Canyon and two other sons, Mort of Steamboat Springs and Lucian of Racine, Wisconsin; ten grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and two sisters, Mrs. Anne Shelton of Haden and Mrs. Jean Norvell of Denver.
Written by: Georgina Brown- renowned author of "Shining Mountain"
Beloved Grandad Lucian McKee Ralston of Mount Vernon Canyon died late Saturday afternoon, Dec. 7, 1957, at Sands House following a long illness.
The grand man of the mountains, who had lived in the Mt. Vernon Canyon area most of his life, lapsed into a coma a short time before he passed away. He had fought a losing battle against cancer having undergone operation after operation during recent months. However, it was only in the past few weeks he became bedridden and was unable to go about his chores at his mountain ranch as he always had done.
The son of a Civil War veteran and Kentucky professor, Lucian Hunter Ralston, who brought his family to this area in 1897 when Grandad was seven years old, he lived quietly assuming his place in his community and was loved by all who knew him. He celebrated his eighty-fifth birthday last August.
In the early 90s, the Ralston family moved to Route County, but returned to the ranch in Cody Park in 1889. The elder Ralston taught in the little white school in Mt. Vernon Canyon on the old highway where his family received their education. Grandad later attended high school in Golden which stood on the site of the Chemistry building at the School of Mines.
Grandad, as he grew up with the mountain country, carried on the traditions of his parents. In addition to the school, the Ralston family was interested in the small white framed Rockland Church also on the old Mt. Vernon Canyon highway. Grandad always maintained his interest in the Sunday school, and missed few services in either the church or the Sunday school.
As the first Chaplain of the Genesee Grange, Grandad was active in this group, and when it was re-organized in January 1951, he was elected to again to serve as Chaplain.
One of the outstanding community events started by Grandad's father was a party for the children in the little church. Grandad was instrumental in carrying on this tradition until several years ago, when because of the growing population, the party had to be discontinued.
When the new school was completed three years ago, it was named the Lucian Ralston school in honor of Grandad, who considered this one of his greatest compliments.
In addition to his ranching, Grandad was at one time foreman of road construction for the City of Denver for more than a dozen years. He worked on most of the upper end of the Lookout Mountain road- the famous Lariat Trail.
When Robert Spear was mayor of Denver, about 1920, Grandad donated a large tract of land to the City of Denver for a "mountain playground for city dwellers". This area on Genesee Mountain was the beginning of the Denver Mountain Parks system.
Grandad, as a young man, earned his livelihood by freighting lumber and ties, when there was a thriving lumber camp on what is now the Genesee Mountain Chinchilla farm. He hauled ore from the booming city of Idaho Springs during this period.
In 1900, Grandad married Bessie M. Lindsay of Missouri at the Central Christain Church in Denver. They settled at Ralston Ranch in Mt. Vernon Canyon and raised five boys and two girls- Mabel Belle, Craig Strode, Lucian Forsythe, Elsie Eleanor, Norman Irving, Merle Edson and Morton McKee. A first born son, Lucian Lindsay, died at birth.
As his own children entered school, he fought to see they received an education and through his efforts the Rockland school was built in the 30s. He served on the school board for a number of years.
During the years following his wife's death, he lived with his son, Norman, at his ranch and worked side by side with him branding cattle, pitching hay, and repairing fences to operate the spread.
Funeral services were held at Wood's Mortuary on December 11. Final resting place was in the Rockland Church Cemetery, where other members of the family are buried.
Survivors are: Two daughters, Mrs. Elsie Lee and Mrs. Mabel Meyerpeter, two sons, Norman and Strode, all of Mt. Vernon Canyon and two other sons, Mort of Steamboat Springs and Lucian of Racine, Wisconsin; ten grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and two sisters, Mrs. Anne Shelton of Haden and Mrs. Jean Norvell of Denver.
Written by: Georgina Brown- renowned author of "Shining Mountain"
The grand man of the mountains, who had lived in the Mt. Vernon Canyon area most of his life, lapsed into a coma a short time before he passed away. He had fought a losing battle against cancer having undergone operation after operation during recent months. However, it was only in the past few weeks he became bedridden and was unable to go about his chores at his mountain ranch as he always had done.
The son of a Civil War veteran and Kentucky professor, Lucian Hunter Ralston, who brought his family to this area in 1897 when Grandad was seven years old, he lived quietly assuming his place in his community and was loved by all who knew him. He celebrated his eighty-fifth birthday last August.
In the early 90s, the Ralston family moved to Route County, but returned to the ranch in Cody Park in 1889. The elder Ralston taught in the little white school in Mt. Vernon Canyon on the old highway where his family received their education. Grandad later attended high school in Golden which stood on the site of the Chemistry building at the School of Mines.
Grandad, as he grew up with the mountain country, carried on the traditions of his parents. In addition to the school, the Ralston family was interested in the small white framed Rockland Church also on the old Mt. Vernon Canyon highway. Grandad always maintained his interest in the Sunday school, and missed few services in either the church or the Sunday school.
As the first Chaplain of the Genesee Grange, Grandad was active in this group, and when it was re-organized in January 1951, he was elected to again to serve as Chaplain.
One of the outstanding community events started by Grandad's father was a party for the children in the little church. Grandad was instrumental in carrying on this tradition until several years ago, when because of the growing population, the party had to be discontinued.
When the new school was completed three years ago, it was named the Lucian Ralston school in honor of Grandad, who considered this one of his greatest compliments.
In addition to his ranching, Grandad was at one time foreman of road construction for the City of Denver for more than a dozen years. He worked on most of the upper end of the Lookout Mountain road- the famous Lariat Trail.
When Robert Spear was mayor of Denver, about 1920, Grandad donated a large tract of land to the City of Denver for a "mountain playground for city dwellers". This area on Genesee Mountain was the beginning of the Denver Mountain Parks system.
Grandad, as a young man, earned his livelihood by freighting lumber and ties, when there was a thriving lumber camp on what is now the Genesee Mountain Chinchilla farm. He hauled ore from the booming city of Idaho Springs during this period.
In 1900, Grandad married Bessie M. Lindsay of Missouri at the Central Christain Church in Denver. They settled at Ralston Ranch in Mt. Vernon Canyon and raised five boys and two girls- Mabel Belle, Craig Strode, Lucian Forsythe, Elsie Eleanor, Norman Irving, Merle Edson and Morton McKee. A first born son, Lucian Lindsay, died at birth.
As his own children entered school, he fought to see they received an education and through his efforts the Rockland school was built in the 30s. He served on the school board for a number of years.
During the years following his wife's death, he lived with his son, Norman, at his ranch and worked side by side with him branding cattle, pitching hay, and repairing fences to operate the spread.
Funeral services were held at Wood's Mortuary on December 11. Final resting place was in the Rockland Church Cemetery, where other members of the family are buried.
Survivors are: Two daughters, Mrs. Elsie Lee and Mrs. Mabel Meyerpeter, two sons, Norman and Strode, all of Mt. Vernon Canyon and two other sons, Mort of Steamboat Springs and Lucian of Racine, Wisconsin; ten grandchildren, four great-grandchildren and two sisters, Mrs. Anne Shelton of Haden and Mrs. Jean Norvell of Denver.
Written by: Georgina Brown- renowned author of "Shining Mountain"
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