Winfield Scott Stratton
Winfield Scott Stratton | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Jeffersonville, Indiana, U.S. |
| Died | September 14, 1902 (aged 54) Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Prospector, entrepreneur, benefactor |
| Known for | Discovering the Independence Lode; first millionaire of Cripple Creek Mining District; philanthropy in Colorado Springs |
Winfield Scott Stratton (July 22, 1848 – September 14, 1902) was a notable American prospector, entrepreneur, and benefactor. On July 4, 1891, he uncovered the Independence Lode near Victor, Colorado, becoming the Cripple Creek Mining District's inaugural millionaire by 1894. Stratton contributed significantly to the development of local infrastructure, including constructing buildings, enhancing streetcar systems, establishing the first professional baseball park, and supporting various community welfare initiatives.
Early life
Born on July 22, 1848, in Jeffersonville, Indiana to Mary and Myron Stratton, he hailed from the Windsor, Connecticut branch of the Stratton family. Among twelve siblings, he was reportedly the sole surviving male child beyond early childhood.
Education
Stratton acquired carpentry skills working in his father’s shipyards. After moving to Colorado, he pursued studies in geology at Colorado College and metallurgy at the Colorado School of Mines in 1874.
Career
In August 1872, Stratton earned $3 daily as a carpenter around Colorado Springs, Colorado. He became a member of the Carpenter's Union and crafted furniture and homes during winter months, including notable projects like the residences of Helen Hunt Jackson and the McAllister House.
By 1874, he began summer prospecting for gold and silver. After modest results in San Juan County, Colorado, he concentrated efforts on the Cripple Creek Mining District, where he discovered the Martha Washington mine and sold it for $80,000.
On July 4, 1891, using proceeds from the Martha Washington sale, Stratton claimed the Independence mine in Cripple Creek, Colorado. By 1893, he found a near-surface gold vein valued at $3 million and generated approximately $1 million annually until 1899. This achievement established him as the first millionaire of the Cripple Creek Gold Rush.
In 1899, Stratton sold the Independence mine for $11 million. Additionally, he held stakes in the Portland mine and invested in real estate within Denver.
Philanthropy
Stratton gifted land for prominent Colorado Springs structures such as City Hall, the Mining Exchange, and the Post Office and Federal Courthouse. He financed construction of the El Paso County Courthouse (currently housing the Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum) and erected the Independence Building to serve as his office.
He invested $2 million to expand the streetcar network into the Colorado Springs and Interurban Railway, extending it to 36 miles with 56 cars. The line terminated at Stratton Park—land he donated to the city—which became one of America’s leading streetcar systems.
Stratton also funded Colorado Springs’ inaugural professional baseball stadium for the Colorado Springs Millionaires. His estate included provisions to establish the Myron Stratton Home.
He aided miners and local residents facing hardship—supporting education for a talented violinist and providing bicycles to laundresses. Following the 1896 Cripple Creek fire, Stratton financed food and shelter for those displaced. He is said to have given $5,000 to "Crazy Bob" Womack—who discovered gold at Cripple but later experienced misfortune—and donated $20,000 to Horace A. W. Tabor during Tabor’s financial struggles.
Personal life
After accumulating his fortune, Stratton chose to live modestly in a wooden residence located on Weber Street. His marriage to Zeurah Stewart in 1876 was short-lived, ending amid disagreements concerning paternity. For an extended period, he employed a housekeeper named Eliza, who was characterized as "faithful yet suffering," despite Stratton's frequently curt demeanor. Over the years, he grew increasingly withdrawn and eccentric, developing a habit of heavy drinking and seldom engaging in social activities.
Stratton often cited a saying by William Henry Channing that highlighted the value of being content with simple possessions and focusing on spiritual advancement. He made his home at 115 N. Weber St. in Colorado Springs and battled health issues including cirrhosis of the liver and diabetes. By the time he reached 43, he was physically weakened with white hair, necessitating the accompaniment of his doctor, Dr. D.H. Rice, during travels. Stratton passed away at his residence on September 14, 1902, at the age of 54. Before his interment at Evergreen Cemetery, over 8,600 individuals paid their respects at the Mining Exchange Building.
The majority of Stratton’s wealth was allocated to fund the establishment and ongoing support of the Myron Stratton Home. He bequeathed $50,000 each to his son Harry Stratton of Toulon, Illinois, and other family members; these gifts were subject to stipulations that prevented will contests or inheritance claims if Harry died before receiving the funds.
Legacy
Stratton dedicated most of his fortune to founding the Myron Stratton Home, an institution aimed at aiding "the aged poor and dependent children," honoring his father Myron Stratton.
In 1909, a bronze sculpture of Stratton crafted by Nellie Walker was placed on the grounds of his estate.
A second casting of this statue is displayed in downtown Colorado Springs.
Stratton was posthumously honored with induction into the National Mining Hall of Fame and later, in 1967, into the Hall of Great Westerners at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum.
Places named after Stratton
- The town of Stratton, Colorado, situated on the eastern plains.
- Stratton Park located in Colorado Springs.
- Stratton Hall at Colorado School of Mines, completed in 1904 and named for Stratton who contributed the school's initial philanthropic donation of $25,000; he served as trustee beginning in 1899 and as board president starting in 1901.
- Stratton Spring, a mineral spring created in 1936 at Manitou Springs, Colorado.
- The Winfield Scott Stratton Post Office in Colorado Springs, designated by Congress in 1995; Stratton had sold the land below market value for this purpose.
- Stratton Elementary School situated in Colorado Springs.
- Three streets—Winfield, Scott, and Stratton—found within Colorado Springs.
Popular culture
In the 1964 episode "Sixty-seven Miles of Gold" from the syndicated anthology series Death Valley Days, hosted by Stanley Andrews, actor Gene Evans portrayed Stratton. The narrative depicts Stratton's fortune gained shortly before transferring his mining claim to a syndicate.