Life in Fairview, aka Denver, Back in 1857

In the September 14th, 1932 Times-Tribune, they printed a story about Denver 75 years before, back in 1857, when it was known as Fairview. There were still several settlers alive at that time who were willing to talk.

Among old-timers who were there back in 1857 who were still around in 1932 include Maggie Magee (91), Luke Martin, who resided on the same farm for more than 80 years and who was born in Denver, and Samuel Murray, who lived east of Denver and who had been married 67 years. When he first came to Denver in 1857, Murray recalled that there were two or three small stores. Mrs. Murray had been there all of her 80 years. When Mr. Murray went to school, he want to a subscription school in Denver at the rate of one cent a day at a place north of Denver.

In 1857, Mr. Samuel Pratt was the teacher at Fairview and taught 40-45 pupils, including Charlie Kent, Mr. Smith of the New Albany Hotel, and Mrs. Annie Barber, who still lived in Denver in 1932. 

One of the oldest buildings in Denver was a log cabin built by Al Robinson, which was built in 1864 and was still standing in 1932. There was a fireplace, and a notch for a rifle to bring down wild game.

One of the biggest institutions in Fairview was Mother Saville, who entertained many people in her home and who organized the first Sunday school in the village, in a house next to the Robinson log house.

Other people who had lived in Denver for 75 years or more and who were still alive in 1932 were Dr. Osborn, Virginia Wylie, Mrs. Bob Johnson, Mr. & Mrs. Harve Spain, Sam Elliott, Mrs. McComas, and Mr. & Mrs. Tom Sowards.

The piece was written by an R. Birbeck, who wrote, “The pioneer has come and gone, but his influence lives on. One of these old-timers has remarked, ‘The teachers and preachers have helped to make the country what it is,’ but how much more have these pioneers with their 75 years and more influence in and about the village of what was Fairview, now the town of Denver? Their days are but days of history we must help make, but in a different way in which science has changed our mode of living.”