Francis E. Sheridan, known here as Frank or F.E. Sheridan was a member of the Meeker Townsite Company. I am sure in French Canada, where Francis Xavior Sheridan was born, the name rolled off the tongue rather smoothly.
Frank believed that his birth name might be a hinderance doing business on the frontier of Colorado, so he became Frank E. Sheridan with “E” standing for “X” as in “Xggs and Bacon” Some of his accomplishments, I have covered when writing about his business partner, J. L. McHatton. Frank was born May 26, 1858, in St. Sylvester, Quebec, Canada, to James D. Sheridan and Margarett Crotty. Both immigrated from Ireland.
Frank came to Colorado about 1880, settling at Gothic, Gunnison County. Gothic in 1879 was a silver boomtown. In 1893 when silver prices crashed, it became the ghost town it is today.
On Oct. 14,1883 Frank arrived with J. L. McHatton and entered into a partnership with him to build and operate a sawmill and later a lumberyard in Meeker. The sawmill was on what is now called Sawmill Creek and Sawmill Mountain northeast of Meeker. Not too far from this year’s Elk Fire. Family tradition holds that a barn and one ranch house on today’s Sheridan family ranch is made from some of those logs. In the spring of 1884, Frank, along with Sam Fairfield and E.P. Wilber, ran the old town ditch out with a tripod and built it. Frank was appointed Garfield County Sheriff in 1888 to fill the term of James Kendall who disappeared parts unknown. Meeker was still part of Garfield County until 1889.
1891 was a busy year. In April, Frank proved up on his homestead. With big fanfare, Frank Married Miss Ellen “Nellie” B. Wash on Sept. 21. Nellie was J. L. McHatton’s niece. This same year, Frank was elected Rio Blanco County commissioner in 1892. He was elected to the State Legislature in 1896 representing Rio Blanco and Routt counties. He served many years in leadership roles in the county and state Republican parties. In 1894, Frank represented our county at the National Republican League convention in Denver. He was among 2000 delegates.
He was a member of the cattleman’s association, Masonic Lodge 80, Knights Templar, once on the school board and member of our local cornet band and a member of Odd Fellows. Frank served Meeker as postmaster from February 1901 to August 1907. Truly, a man who worked hard to build up our community.
In April of 1922, Frank, Nellie, and son James went to Denver. Frank was to see doctors for a minor surgery. While there, Frank suffered a stroke and passed on April 14, 1922. He was buried in Highland Cemetery with full Masonic honors. Nellie followed him in death on Aug. 30, 1930. Their two boys, James Wash Sheridan and Francis “Hammy” Hamilton Sheridan left an abundance of descendants, cousins, and relatives all over Northwest Colorado. The Bar Seven brand originally used by McHatton and Dreifuss is now registered to Paul (Buckshot) and Shannon Sheridan on the Thornburg road. They own and operate the Bar Seven Ranch.
Sources: Rio Blanco Historical Society; This Is What I Remember book series: Meeker Herald obituary; Coloradohistoricalnewspapers.org; The Sheridan family.
