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BROMWELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (214)
2500 East
Fourth Avenue,
80206-4214
(Columbine Street at East Fourth Avenue)

Telephone:
(303) 388-5969
Fax: (720) 424-9355
E-mail: Bromwell@dpsk12.org

Mr. Jonathan Wolfer, Principal

My Father, H.P.H. Bromwell

HENRY PELHAM HOLMES BROMWELL, b. Aug. 26, 1823, in Balt., Md; m. Elizabeth Emily; dau. of John Wright Payne and Elizabeth (Rice) Payne, on June 20, 1858, in Marshall, Ill.; he d. in Denver, Colo., Jan. 9, 1903.

He came with his parents to Cinn., O., in 1824, when an infant; lived in childhood in Montgomery, Middletown, Day-ton and in Coshocton, O., in that state., and in 1836, when 13 years of age, came to Cumberland, Clark Co., Ill., a town no more on the map, but which was on the site of the present town of Casey.

In 1844, when 21 years of age, he taught school in the old stone school house in Marshall (called "The Academy") and was very successful, and esteemed a great scholar by the neighborhood. But his ambition was to study law, so as soon as the land could be exchanged for a newspaper, the family departed for Vandalia, where they lived during a number of years, or from 1848 until 1858. Here he assisted his father in the work of carrying on his paper, The Age of Steam, and at the same time studied law, and came to the bar in Nov., 1853. He made very elaborate preparation for his examination in law, and was fortified at all points, having exhausted himself in studies to be able not only to pass, but to pass without a mistake, and in fact to surprise the old lawyers by his perfect work. To his astonishment and chagrin the board declined to examine him at all, but had a few jokes at his expense, and gave him his certificate. This was something he had not thought of, and was one of the great disappointments of his young life. In speaking of it years afterward, he always used it as an illustration of the fact that his whole life through he had had much to contend with.

In 1853, soon after being admitted to the bar, he was elected County Judge of Fayette Co., being elected at the same time ex-officio chairman of the County Board, which went at that time with the office of County Judge. While in this office he had charge of rebuilding the court house (formerly the state capitol building), and made all the plans, drawings and contracts, and let all the work, and it was finished in good style for the time. It still stands, one of the examples of the old court houses of that period. While in Vandalia he made a campaign for Congress against Aaron Shaw, who was successful. His friends and intimates at this period included Robert G. Ingersoll, who was much devoted to him, and wrote him some very friendly letters for years afterward. Ingersoll was also studying law, and trying to write, and sent many communications to the Age of Steam, some of which, by the way, had to be rejected.

Vandalia, besides having been the capital of the state, was for many years one of the largest and most important. places, and most of the eminent lawyers of the time, such as Lincoln, Sidney Breese, and others, practiced in the courts there, and many others since famous were frequently in the place. Joseph and David Gillespie, of Madison Co., came there often, and on the eastern side of the circuit Richard W. Thompson came over from Indiana. He and Joseph Marshall and Caleb B. Smith were thought to take the palm. Breeze was an illustrious man (of Carlyle). He was U. S. Senator, and afterwards on the Supreme Bench of Illinois, being Judge under three different constitutions of the state. Years afterward, in old age, in reviewing the eminent lawyers whom he had known in Illinois during his life there, he gave the palm to these, and to Judge Gregory of Fayette Co.; to Uri Manley of Clark Co., who was a splendid lawyer and fine gentleman; to James C. Allen of Palestine, who ran against Breeze for Congress at one time; to Edmund Y. Rice of Montgomery Co., who was in the Constitutional Convention of 1870; to Charles H. Constable of Marshall (splendid lawyer); James M. Davis of Vandalia; Samuel W. Moulton, who was member of Congress (Shelby Co.) in 1864; to James R.. Connolly of Charleston, who was later in Congress from that district; to Judge Thornton and Judge Anthony of Shelby Co.; Seth Post of Macon Co.; Judge S. B. Gookins of Terra Haute (Ind.); John P. Usher, afterward Sec-retary of the Interior under President Lincoln; Stephen T. Logan of Springfield, who, with Lincoln and "Long Archibald Williams, were counted the three heads of the state for many years. Later, on removing to Charleston, he made the acquain-tance of Orlando B. Ficklin, who was the leader of the Democracy in Coles Co. at that time, and whose wife was Elizabeth Colquitt daughter of Senator Colquitt of Georgia, the noted leader in the Rebellion. John Scofield of Marshall was another who was intimately associated with him, and grew up in Marshall, and afterward attained to the Supreme Bench of Illinois, and was offered a place on the Supreme Bench of the United States, but declined for the reason that his wife was an invalid and could not leave Marshall to live in Washington.

Illinois was, in fact, at that time and later not a bad environment for a young lawyer. He could find plenty of good subjects to sharpen his metal upon. During all the years of his residence in Cumberland he studied incessantly, and was becoming proficient in Latin, Greek and the modern languages, besides mastering mathematics and the natural sciences.

In 1856 he was on the Republican ticket for Elector for Fremont but was defeated. In 1857 he removed to Charleston, Ill., (Oct.), and in 1860 was a candidate for Presidential Elector for Lincoln, and was elected. He was on the school board, also, in Charleston. In 1861 he was nominated for the Con-stitutional Convention for counties of Douglas, Moultrie and Coles. His Democratic opponent, O. B. Ficklin, was elected. In 1864 he was nominated for Congress against John Eaton (Dem.), and elected by 3,300 majority. The nomination (as in all cases where he was concerned), had been unanimous. He was again nominated and elected in 1866, his opponent this time being Gen. John C. Black, the District being the 7th, and this time his majority being 4,300. Then, in 1869, he was nomi-nated (by acclamation) and elected a member of the Second Constitutional Convention for the counties of Coles, Douglas and Vermilion.

He came to Colorado in Oct.-Nov., 1870 (arriving Nov. 10th). Was President of the School Board Dist. No. 2 for four years. Elected to the Territorial Legislature (Upper House), in 1873-5, serving two years. Made campaign for Congress in 1874, being defeated through the interests which he had antagonized in the Territorial Council, when he had prevented some legislation which was directed toward the confiscation of the public lands.

In 1878 he was elected to the Legislature of Colorado, and during his term of office was appointed County Judge, but declined to accept. He was elected a member of the Constitutional Convention of Colorado in 1875, and was the one who more than any other secured for the women of Colorado the right to the franchise. For this he has been called "the Father of Women Suffrage in Colorado." He was a most eminent member of this body, serving on the Committee on "Order of Business and Proper Rules for the Government of the Convention;" Chairman of the Committee on "State, Municipal and County Indebtedness;" "Revisions and Adjustments;" on Stand-ing Committee on "Rules;" on "The Right of Suffrage and Election," and his Minority Report brought in from this Committee is printed in page 266 of the Proceedings of the Convention (edition of 1907.) In 1881 he was appointed to revise the laws of Colorado, which he did, working several years. (Statutes of 1884.) The work is still the official law of the state. (His name does not appear on the book, however, except in the preamble.)

He was always most eloquent. When, in Congress, he made his speech on the Civil Rights Bill, Thaddeus Stevens came to him, and, taking both hands, said, "It was grand." As Stevens was the finest orator in the House, the praise was appreciated.

He ran on the same ticket with Lincoln in 1856, both being candidates for Presidential Elector, Lincoln being for Elector-at-Large, and he being for elector for the Seventh District (Buchanan's time). Both voted for Fremont. Others on the ticket were Colonel Olney of Chester, and John W. Palmer, who was candidate from the Springfield District; Allen C. Fuller of Winnebago Co., Judge Plato, Leonard Swett (Blooming-ton), Lawrence Weldon (C1inton). The ticket stood:

For many years he had been one of the most influential and prominent speakers and orators in promoting the organi-zation of the Republican party in Illinois, and to show how he worked, and what his influence was, a few letters of that period are appended to this biography. He "stumped" the state with Lincoln, and assisted him in that most important campaign of 1860. For twenty years he played a most important part in the political work of Illinois.

He was made a Mason in Temperance Lodge No. 16, at Vandalia, Ill., in 1854; Senior Deacon, 1855; Worshipful Master, 1856-7. Removing to Charleston, he was, in June, 1858, elected a member and Worshipful Master of Charleston Lodge No. 35 being re-elected in '59-'60-'61-'62 and '63. In 1861 he was appointed Grand Orator of the Grand Lodge of Illinois.

In 1862-4-9 he continued to fill this office. In 1863 he was elected Senior Grand Warden, Deputy Grand Master in 1864, and Grand Master in 1865. He declined re-election in 1866 as being unjust to J. R. Gorin, who had served as his deputy during his absence in Washington attending the stormy sessions of the Congress of 1865-6.

He took the Royal Arch Degrees in Edgar Chapter, Paris, Ill., in 1859. He was High Priest of Keystone Chapter, No. 54, Charleston, Ill., in 1861-2-3, received the Degree of Royal and Select Master at Paris, Ill., in 1860 or '61; the orders of Knighthood in Ellwood Commandery in Springfield, Ill., in 1861, and the Scottish Rite Degrees to the 32d in Denver, Colo., 1877. He was all honorary member of Naval Lodge No. 4, and Pantalpha Lodge No. 25, in the District of Columbia. In Denver he affiliated with Lodge No. 5, April 4, 1874, and with Denver Chapter No. 2, May 22, 1878. He was Grand Orator of the Grand Lodge of Colorado in 1874, and was made an honorary member of this body in 1889. He was also an honorary member of the Scottish Rite bodies of Denver. He was the originator of a branch of Masonry known as the F. & A. Architects, which flourished for a number of years. It was designed to impart to students of Masonry a knowledge of the symbolism not otherwise obtainable. It had five Lodges--one in Charles-ton, Ill.; one in Washington. D.C.; at Denver, and at Portland, Maine, and San Francisco. There was also a Grand Lodge. After his retirement from active work in it, the Lodges became dormant.

His work on Symbolry occupied him for twenty years in the composition, and was not published until after his death, under the auspices of the Grand Lodge of Colorado. He made elaborate and beautiful plates for its illustration, finely drawn in water color. This work, now published and circulated in nearly every Grand Jurisdiction in the world, has been made the subject of resolutions by the Grand Lodge of Illinois, by which it is characterized as "The most remarkable contribution of its class ever made to Masonic literature."

Lawrence N. Greenleaf characterized him as "The foremost Mason of his time." The late Dr. Joseph Robbins, one of the most eminent scholars in Masonry the Craft has ever had, said in an address delivered before the Grand Lodge of Illinois that he was "the most singularly striking personality that has graced the presence and adorned the annals of this Grand Lodge since its organization."

The "Song of the Wahbeek" was written at different times during his life, some portions of it, such as the story of the Whippoorwill having been published in The Age of Steam in Vandalia. This paper seems to have had a wide circle of exchanges, and was sent as far as Boston and New York. The connected poem as it was published in 1909, years after his death, was the result of much changing and amending, the last copy having been made in the declining years of his life. He did not add anything to it, but rearranged it somewhat, and took out portions he considered too long. In its first connected form, but very much smaller than at the time of its publication, it was read at McKendree College, in Illinois, in 1868, and on that occasion he received the Honorary Degree of Master of Arts. He was already well known as a scholar all over the state. He loved his poem of the Wahbeek, or "Boulder," as he at first called it, and was fond of reading it to gatherings of his friends. Once, by invitation, it was read to the assembled members of the Constitutional Convention of Illinois, in 1870. He was a fine reader and could deliver it in a style to make its beauties appreciated. At such times it seemed to be a piece of music in which the time and harmony were perfect.

He had only three children, the youngest of whom, Emma M., died soon after her mother, or in February, 1865; this child was born Aug. 16, 1864, in Corydon, Ind., where his wife died. She was a. most beautiful and gifted woman, and during their brief married life they were very happy. In her way she was as popular and successful as her husband, and a woman of fine style and education; a great loss to him. They were said to resemble very much, and used to be mistaken for brother and sister in traveling. (Elizabeth Emily Payne; m. June 20, 1858.)

His second child, Henry, or Henry Pelham Payne Bromwell, was b. in Charleston, Ill., Jan. 8, 1862, and d. in Denver Nov. 18, 1881, aged nineteen years and some months. He was a fine, tall, athletic boy, ambitious, studying law in the office of his father's former partner, Mr. Ezekiel B. Sleeth. He had more than the usual talent for the study, and was progressing well, when he was suddenly stricken with typhoid fever and died after a short illness. He was a boy of noble character, very unselfish, absolutely honest, with that honesty which is incapable of the slightest deceit. He would have made a partner of his father, and in his death all the father's plans were abandoned. He never recovered from this loss, and was never the same again. Henry was the hope of his old age, and his death broke his father's heart.

The only member of this family now living is the daughter, Miss Henrietta Elizabeth Bromwell, who lives in Denver, Colo.

The following is from William E. Ginther of Charleston, Ill.(It was published in The Charleston Courier, in 1903):

"His orations have never been surpassed, if, indeed, they have been equaled. A few brief quotations from one will prove this assertion: 'Truth, Most Worshipful Grand Master, is the corner-stone of the Masonic edifice; the stone of foundation of Enoch, and the glory of the Grand Architect of the Universe.' 'Truth is freedom, and error is slavery throughout the universe of God; and truth, and the freedom it confers, must prevail at last. Error may wrestle and combat under countless transformations, and at times grow strong, and become as a devastating storm; but truth, the celestial fire-bolt of Jupiter, hidden in the clouds, breaks from its own bosom to scatter and dissipate its rage, and make way for the standards of light.' 'For these reasons I have said that truth is the corner-stone of the Masonic edifice. For, if it were otherwise, the Masons would be neither free nor accepted; the edifice itself would not be the temple of knowledge and light, but a cave of superstition and darkness. Every crime would find a refuge in its courts, and instead of the Divine order of Jerusalem and the glory of the Shekinah, the confusion of Babel, and the darkness of Egypt would settle about its crumbling tower. Well might the philos-ophers of all ages seek for truth as the most precious object to which man may attain in mortal life, whether it be set forth in the plain enunciation of Solomon, or veiled in the awful myths of the seers of Chebar and Patmos; whether taught in simple household words, or the wondrous allegories of Pandit and Rosicrucian.' This must suffice for want of space.

"At any and all times when he arose to speak he commanded undivided attention. His conclusions and advice were always adopted without a question, and to this day I do not remember anyone who ever spoke an unkind or unloving word of him.

"In the beginning of his public career he possessed and gave life to native talents, found in comparatively few cases among the sons of men. To those, and to his persistent studies must be ascribed the wonderful development by his own efforts to that remarkable and profound erudition which distinguished him in after life. He was equally at home in history, and in the arts and sciences, and his poetic works prove his conspicuous ability in that direction, notably that upon the 'Boulder.'

"His extraordinary command of the English language was derived from an industrious study of philology, both in its primary and general sense. He knew as much, or more, of the German tongue and the German masters as the writer of this biography, who is of that nationality by birth. He who will read his translation into English of Schiller's great poems of 'Das Lied von der Glocke' (The Song of the Bell), and 'Der Taucher' (The Diver), and his comments thereon will be readily convinced of the truth of this assertion.

"There can be no wonder, therefore, to one knowing these facts, that he attained to extraordinary powers of eloquence in oratory, and instant readiness to respond in a telling manner to a call for a speech upon any topic upon which he had not been previously apprised. During one of his terms in Congress he accepted an invitation from the Masonic Fratern-ity in Baltimore to a great festival, and a request for an address upon purely Masonic mysteries. Upon his arrival from Washington, in the large hall where he was to speak, he found to his astonishment and dismay that it was filled not alone by the Masons, but also by their mothers, wives, sisters, sweethearts and aunts, whose presence (not to speak of their beauty, which ordinarily would have delighted and moved his loving and widowed heart to palpitation), was entirely out of place with him upon that occa-sion, as it ruined his carefully prepared speech, and left him stranded upon the shores of his immediate resources. He pulled himself together, however, and, as he expressed it to the writer, succeeded in making the best of all the orations that he had ever delivered impromptu or otherwise. The Press of Baltimore afterwards confirmed his opinion.

"The power and volume of his voice also contributed to his effectiveness as an orator. When he delivered his great speech upon the newly-laid corner-stone of the Masonic Temple in Washington, his eloquent words were distinctly heard by some ladies of his acquaintance at an open window, blocks away.

"He had, and ever preserved, a sunny temper; this, and his pleasing ways, together with his accomplishments as a conversationalist, unconsciously made him the central figure upon all occasions among his associ-ates, both of high and low degree of culture.

"One of the most conspicuous of the traits that made him popular was his humility, and constant effort to ascribe to others what really came from himself, and made for success and use. His greatness and talents were conspicuous, and appreciated wherever he went."

The Denver Republican of Jan. 10, 1903, had the following editorial, written by Judge Oliver B. Liddell:

"There will be a funeral in this city tomorrow of one of the most distinguished citizens in the life of the state for more than thirty years.

"Enfeebled by ill health and age, and in retirement for nearly twenty years, his abode among us has been largely lost sight of in the hustle, tumult and commotion of a commercial age.

"To those who knew Judge Bromwell no enconium or eulogy is neces-sary, for his attainments, nobility of character and splendid citizenship are a joy to those who come within the charmed circle, and ought to be deeply memorialized in the minds and lives of the younger generation; dying towards the close of his eightieth year, his life exemplifies the noblest prod-uct of our country in the last century.

"Drifting into the current of law his learning therein became of the most proficient, and he rose to the plane of the best, with Lincoln, Baker, Logan, Douglas and Palmer as his associates, co-workers and friends. Deeply versed in constitutional, statutory and common law, he added the quality of statesmanship, and was called by his fellow citizens of Illinois to represent them in Congress when in very truth 'the office sought the man.'

"What a sterling, worthy picture the character of this man presents to us at this time, as we see the travesty, caricature and burlesque practiced of the 'office seeking the man.' Without guile, dissimulation or slightest deceit in public or private, he was a model servant of the people, ready to make any sacrifice or perform any labor within his power in such service, and the people of Illinois made him one of the builders of their constitu-tion, and when the foundations of our state were laid he fitly became the master builder of our constitution (and well would it be for our people if his master hand could have followed and guided the many devious wander-ings of its amendments added thereto).

"In private life and purity of character he was the ornament and pride of his associates. In the order of Masonry to which he was attached he had more of its learning than any in our state, and his writings therein voluminous. His productions as a poet are endowed with lofty sentiment, fine rhythm and creative imagination. "Such a man he was in truth and in fact, without overdrawn description or fulsome flattery, a model in most things for young men, and a fine study and copy for all.

"Fortunate was the friend who had his friendship and enjoyed close communion with him as gentleman, lawyer, poet, scholar, philosopher and statesman."

NOTE - For further biographical and other mention of H. P. H. Bromwell, see the following: Restorations of Masonic Geometry and Symbolry, preface (1905). The Song of the Wahbeek, preface (1909). Iowa-Journal of History and Politics, April, 1904 (published quarterly by the State Historical Society of Iowa; article by Elmer Herbert Meyer of the University of Denver, Colorado, on the Colorado Constitutional Convention of 1875. Square and Compass, Jan., 1903 (by Lawrence Nichols Greenleaf). Rocky Mountain News of Jan. 12, 1903 (by Ellis Meredith). The Charleston (Ill.) Courier (by Wm. E. Ginther), Jan., 1903. The Denver Times, Nov. 7, 1903 (by Mrs. Mila Tupper Maynard). In this article the Minority Report on Suffrage was first published. Proceedings of the Constitutional Convention of Colorado, pub. 1907, containing a record of his work in that body in 1875. Rocky Mountain News, Feb. 17, 1901. Editorial, Denver Republican, Jan. 10, 1903. The Denver Post, Jan. 18, 1903. Masonic Oration at the laying of the corner-stone of the Denver Masonic Temple, Charleston Courier, May 2, 1889. Oration on Lincoln, Feb. 13, 1896, Denver Republican or Rocky Mountain News. Speeches scattered through the volumes of The Congressional Globe, from March, 1865, to March, 1869. Oration, laying the corner-stone of the Masonic Temple, Washington, D. C., The Washington Chronicle, May 21, 1868. Speech on Re-construction U. S. House of Representatives, Feb. 24, 1866. The Voice of Masonry contained articles from his pen from 1883 to 1888, or later (Chicago), now entitled Masonic Voice Review (see files). Hon. 0. B. Liddell in the Annual Report of the Colorado State Bar Association (1903). The Hist. of Denver (1880), Square and Compass (Denver), contained articles, orations, poems, etc., from his pen for years (1890 to this time). Orations as Grand Orator of Ill. in Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Ill., A. F. and A. M., for the years 1863-4-6, etc. (He was the successor of Stephen A. Douglas as Grand Orator of Ill.). Colorado Grand Lodge Proceedings contain several of his orations in part or entire. Many articles were published in papers and magazines at various times during his entire adult life. Many articles on his works and writings have been published since his death. The Proceedings of the Grand Lodges of Ill. and Colorado (A. F. and A. M), contain portraits and biography (19O3). Some biographical notices of him appeared in most of the Grand Lodge Proceedings of the United States, and Canada (at the time of his death). Byer's History of Colorado also contains biography.