# Henry Neikirk > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Henry_Neikirk > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Henry_Neikirk.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Neikirk > Source revision: 1263018846 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Henry William Neikirk** (1839–1911) was a Colorado gold miner, banker, and [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_of_the_United_States) politician, serving in the [Colorado General Assembly](/source/Colorado_General_Assembly) from 1879 to 1881. He was also instrumental in establishing the [University of Colorado](/source/University_of_Colorado).[1] ## Early life and education Henry William Neikirk was born to Manasses and Mary Neikirk in [Elkhorn Grove, Illinois](/source/Elkhorn_Grove,_Illinois) on November 27, 1839.[2] After receiving a basic education from the local district school, he attended the [Mount Carroll Seminary](/source/Mount_Carroll_Seminary), later known as [Shimer College](/source/Shimer_College), from 1858 to 1860.[2] After leaving the Seminary, he [read law](/source/Reading_law) with prominent local attorney [William T. Miller](/source/William_T._Miller_(Illinois_politician)).[2] The legal profession evidently did not appeal to him, however, for in 1861 he headed west for the mountains.[2] ## Business and political career Upon his arrival in the West, Neikirk established the first trading post at Alkali, on the [Platte River](/source/Platte_River) 230 miles east of Denver.[2] The following year, he moved into the mountains as a prospector.[2] During the ensuing years, he alternated between prospecting and working for wages in the mines.[3] In 1867, he discovered the Hoosier Lode, although he had to wait until the 1870s before he had accumulated enough money to exploit it.[4] In 1868, Neikirk married Emily Virden.[5] They had six children.[2] Their eldest daughter, Fannie, also went on to attend her father's alma mater, the Mount Carroll Seminary.[6] Neikirk moved his residence to Boulder in 1875,[2] remaining based there until his death. From 1875 to 1880, he operated the Melvina Mine near [Salina, Colorado](/source/Salina,_Colorado). The Melvina was regarded as "one of the very best" of the [telluride](/source/Tellurium) gold ore mines in this period.[5] The mine was discovered by Henry Merying and Neikirk was a close friend of his who was given a share in the mine before its value became known.[7] His technical expertise was key to the mine's success.[8] Neikirk and Meyeringlost their shares in a hostile takeover by the Scottish-Colorado Mining & Smelting Company in 1883.[9] In 1878, Neikirk stood for election as a Republican to the [Colorado State Senate](/source/Colorado_State_Senate); he defeated the Democratic candidate by 400 votes despite a two-year organizing campaign by the Democrats.[10] He served in the [2nd](/source/2nd_Colorado_General_Assembly) and [3rd](/source/3rd_Colorado_General_Assembly) general assemblies, from 1879 to 1881.[10] In the 3rd General Assembly, he held the powerful chairmanship of the state senate's Finance, Ways and Means committee.[11] In this capacity, he secured funding for the use of state militia against striking workers in the [Leadville Miners' Strike](/source/Leadville_Miners'_Strike).[10] The 1898 *Colorado State Mining Directory* lists Neikirk as the owner of the Freiburg Mine, located in [Gilpin County](/source/Gilpin_County,_Colorado); it had been developed to 2,500 feet.[12] Other mines in which he had an interest included the Sunshine, Black Swan, Golden Sheen, Maveric, and Gold Farms mines.[2] In addition to being president or director of numerous mining companies, Neikirk also served for fourteen years as vice-president of the Boulder State Bank.[13][10] Neikirk died of heart disease at his home in Boulder, Colorado, on February 15, 1911.[13] ## Works cited - [*History of Clear Creek and Boulder Valleys, Colorado*](https://books.google.com/books?id=VRI1AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA431). Brookhaven Press. 1880. ISBN 9781581038583. - ["Hon. Henry Neikirk"](https://books.google.com/books?id=mRM1AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA170). *Portrait and Biographical Record of Denver and Vicinity, Colorado*. Chapman Publishing Company. 1898. pp. 170–176. - Fossett, Frank (1876). [*Colorado:A Historical, Descriptive and Statistical Work on the Rocky Mountain Gold and Silver Mining Region*](https://books.google.com/books?id=mHoUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA400) - Twitty, Eric (2009). ["Amendment to Metal Mining and Tourist Era Resources of Boulder County"](https://web.archive.org/web/20151220194141/http://www.historycolorado.org/sites/default/files/files/OAHP/crforms_edumat/pdfs/623amend09.pdf). Archived from [the original](http://www.historycolorado.org/sites/default/files/files/OAHP/crforms_edumat/pdfs/623amend09.pdf) on 2015-12-20. Retrieved 2013-05-30. ## References 1. "Note and Comment". *Springfield Republican*. 1911-02-22. p. 8. 1. Chapman 1898, p. 170. 1. Twitty 2009, p. E99. 1. Twitty 2009, p. E100. 1. Brookhaven 1880, p. 667. 1. ["Marriages"](https://archive.org/stream/TheOreadOfMountCarrollSeminaryAugust1892/Oread_August_1892#page/n11/mode/2up/search/angove). *Oread of the Mount Carroll Seminary*. [Shimer College](/source/Shimer_College). August 1892. p. 10. 1. Fossett 1876, p. 400. 1. Twitty 2009, p. E111. 1. Twitty 2009, p. E118. 1. Chapman 1898, p. 171. 1. [*Senate Journal of the General Assembly of the State of Colorado, Third Session*](https://books.google.com/books?id=Vm0tAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA51). 1881. p. 51. 1. [*Colorado State Mining Directory*](https://books.google.com/books?id=mNVLAAAAYAAJ). 1898. p. 114. 1. "Former State Senator Henry Neikirk Dies". *Denver Post*. 1911-02-17. p. 11. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Henry Neikirk](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Neikirk) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Neikirk?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.