Samuel Hartsel Explained

Samuel Hartsel
Birth Date:22 November 1834
Birth Place:Bucks County, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Death Place:Denver, Colorado, U.S.
Occupation:Rancher
Spouse:[1] [2]
Children:4

Samuel Hartsel (November 22, 1834 – November 20, 1918) was an American rancher[3] The town of Hartsel, Colorado was named after him.[4]

Life and career

Hartsel was born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. At the age of 15, he became interested in cattle. He moved to South Park, Colorado, where he had worked as a cowman.

Hartsel worked as a blacksmith and had his own trading post serving the Ute people before becoming a rancher; he owned Hartsel Ranch. He also opened a hotel called The Hartsel Hotel.

Hartsel decided to retire from ranching in the 1900s, selling his ranch and moving with his family to Denver, Colorado. Hartsel, Colorado was named after him[5]

Hartsel died in November 1918 in Denver, Colorado, at the age of 83. He was buried in Fairmount Cemetery.

Notes and References

  1. Laura King Van Dusen, "Samuel Hartsel: 1860s Pioneer Rancher, One of Colorado's First Cattlemen. Founded Town of Hartsel", Historic Tales from Park County: Parked in the Past (Charleston, South Carolina: The History Press, 2013),, pp. 21–27.
  2. News: Hartsel Started as a Cattle Ranch to Become One of State's Favorite Spas. Rick. Hendren. Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. Colorado Springs, Colorado. May 16, 1971. October 22, 2022. 90. Newspapers.com.
  3. Book: Flynn, Jim. A Compendium of Curious Colorado Place Names. 115–116. Arcadia Publishing. December 5, 2016. 9781439658734. Google Books.
  4. Book: Dawson, John Frank. Place names in Colorado: why 700 communities were so named, 150 of Spanish or Indian origin. The J. Frank Dawson Publishing Co.. Denver, CO. 26. October 22, 2022.
  5. News: 'Fountain of Youth' Still Operable. Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. Colorado Springs, Colorado. July 11, 1971. October 22, 2022. 15. Newspapers.com.