Henry Kellerman
Born: Illinois. June 8, 1859.
Died: Leadville, CO. April 4, 1896.
Mertle “Minnie” Kellerman
Born: 1860. [1]
Died: Leadville, CO. April 22, 1892.
Henry Kellerman came to Leadville in 1880 where he found employment with A. Hirsch & Co. and roomed with Sol Hirsch [2] at 139 West Chestnut Street. [3] Henry engaged in several vocations during his Leadville residency, but was most well known as an expert pastry chef which aided him in his endeavors as a restaurateur. He was also a dedicated member of the Elks and Freemasons. [4] Henry did not remain attached to the Hirsch brothers for long and by the spring of 1882 he was the proprietor of the Magnolia Club Rooms at 203 Harrison Avenue. [5]
Henry’s time in Leadville did not pass without occasional controversy. Noted to be a larger man with an athletic build, Henry had no trouble keeping the peace in his own establishments and sometimes those of his neighbors. On November 19, 1883, Joe Allen and Billy Sanderlin, two African-American miners, were present at the Golden Stair where Henry operated a lunch counter. For several months, Allen and Sunderlin had been visiting one of the establishment’s working girls, and according to the Daily Herald, occasionally sharing her services. On this particular evening Allen had decided that he was no longer happy with this arrangement. Allen and Sanderlin quarreled at high volume for over an hour. At about 7:00 PM witnesses claim that Allen shouted, “I’ll see you pretty soon and have satisfaction”, and left the building. He returned a few minutes later with a revolver, shot at Sanderlin and missed. This gave Henry and another bystander, Neal Garvey, the opportunity to disarm Allen and restrain him. Allen broke free from Garvey and Kellerman and fared no better as the remaining patrons pummeled him mercilessly until police arrived. Allen was arrested and charged with attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon, however there is no record of a trial or conviction. [6]
Henry served a brief stint as Deputy Sheriff and moved his residence to 205 East 8th Street [7] in the summer of 1884. Not long after the infamous gunfight at the O.K. Corral, Doc Holliday came to Colorado in an attempt to soothe his ailing health, first visiting Pueblo and Denver before arriving in Leadville. Venturing to maintain a low profile in the aftermath of the Tombstone incident, Holliday did not carry a gun. Holliday had difficulty earning a living by his normal means of gambling, and would frequently rely on loans for card game stakes. Holliday claims to have been the victim of great harassment during his time in Leadville and shared that most of the gambling house patrons would tease and insult him knowing he would not retaliate. In addition, Holliday claimed he was regularly stopped by police on the streets and subjected to random searches for weapons. Billy Allen, a bartender at the Monarch Saloon, claims that he had loaned Holliday five dollars and for several weeks Holliday refused to repay the debt. Allen approached Holliday and demanded “payment by Tuesday” or he would “do him up”. Holliday claimed that he was frustrated with his treatment by the “cowards” of Leadville, and as a result thought to make an example of Allen while at the same time repair his reputation. Allen had pressed Holliday relentlessly for payment for several weeks and had finally given Holliday an ultimatum to pay up by noon Tuesday (August 19, 1884). Holliday, convinced the threat was real, had a friend hide his revolver at the end of the bar, which was waiting for him when he arrived at the Manny Hyman’s saloon a bit after five o’clock. Shortly thereafter Allen arrived and Holliday raised his gun and fired at Allen. The bullet passed through Allen’s shoulder and then shattered the upper right corner of the establishment’s front door. Holliday fired a second shot which missed its target and then was disarmed and subdued by Deputy Henry Kellerman. Allen was seriously injured as the ball penetrated an artery that required surgical repair but ultimately recovered. Although Allen maintained he never threatened Holliday with any harm, there were enough witnesses that claimed to have heard Billy Allen express his intention to resolve the situation with violence that Holliday was acquitted of all charges. [8] Holliday left town soon after.
By 1885, Henry had given up his law enforcement career and was tending bar at the Opera House Saloon [9] when Jack Kelley, a local bully, came into the establishment looking for trouble on the morning of April 10. There was a row of armchairs along the back wall where Henry allowed his customers to sleep off their libations. Ryan crept quietly behind the bar and liberated a seltzer bottle, which he then emptied on several resting patrons without cause. It was then that Kellerman came out from behind his bar and with considerable but reasonable force retrieved the bottle and returned it to its proper location. Kelley became enraged and threatened to return later to kill Kellerman for his interference. A few minutes later Kelley returned armed with a repeating rifle and was disarmed at the door by Jack Ryan. This barely slowed Kelley’s stride and he continued on to attack Kellerman with his bare hands. Kellerman, who was reportedly waiting patiently for Kelley’s return with two loaded .45s under the counter, left the weapons behind and emerged to meet Kelley head on. After Kellerman struck his first blow, Kelley found himself unconscious and bleeding on the barroom floor. When Kelley revived himself he attempted to reclaim his rifle from Ryan who stood his ground and kept hold of the weapon, which was still in his possession when he left the establishment a few minutes later. There are no reports of legal action or further reprisals from Kelley. [10]
Henry was known as a friendly man and was well liked within the community. In 1885, he married Mertle. There is little known of Mrs. Kellerman; she was known to friends as “Minnie” and was not Jewish. Sadly, they were married only a few years when she died in 1892 after suffering for months with an unknown disease. That year Henry partnered with Theodore Shultze and Frank Dale in the Enterprise of Kellerman & Co. which focused on property and business speculation. The company thrived on Henry’s well-earned reputation. [11] The firm generously presented a custom badge to City Marshall W. R. Phelps on May 3, 1885. [12] Henry also enjoyed painting as a hobby [13] and was acknowledged by the city for being one of the few local dog owners who consistently paid his licensing fees. [14] Henry moved once more in 1888 to 211 East 8th Street, [15] and again in 1889 to 108 East 4th Street. [16] He continued to operate his lunch counters through 1889 when he was selected as a delegate to the state Republican Convention. [17]
In 1890 Henry moved again to 225 East 8th Street and began to focus his attention on real estate and mining speculation. He began to acquire property and businesses about town through his Kellerman & Company partnership. [18] In 1891 he purchased the Saddle Rock Restaurant at 417 Harrison Avenue [19] as well as Otterbach’s Market at 138 East 6th Street which he reopened on April 1 as the Gilt Edge Market. [20] In 1892, Henry and Minnie moved again to 134 East 9th Street. [21]
While walking home on the night of March 21, 1892, Henry was accosted by two masked men at gunpoint who told him to throw up his hands and give them all of his money. He responded by striking the weapon from the gunman’s hand and, by the time he had yelled for help, the bandits ran away. [22]
On May 19, 1895, Kellerman & Co. purchased the Saratoga Saloon at 416 Harrison Avenue [23] and Henry moved his home one block over at 519 Harrison Avenue. [24] During December, Henry and one hundred other notable Leadville mine owners that included Sol and Marx Kahn and Adolph Shayer, formed a leasing association that defined ownership percentages through the purchase of stock and leased properties to working miners and provide stability to the Leadville mining industry. [25]
Early on the morning of June 2, 1896, Henry Kellerman died of heart disease at 37 years of age. It was noted that a few years before, Henry contracted a case of la grippe, [26] which weakened his constitution and likely contributed to his heart condition. [27] The epidemic is reported to have spread from three originating points; Central Asia, Greenland and Canada, [28] and during that period Henry had spent considerable time abroad in British Colombia. [29] Henry had no children and Emanuel Katz was appointed administrator of Kellerman’s estate on June 11, 1896. [30]
1 "Colorado State Census, 1885," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8WN-W5R : 1 April 2016), H Kellerman, 1885; citing NARA microfilm publication M158 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 498,507.
2 "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFDJ-3CN : 19 August 2017), Henry Kellirman in household of S Hirsh, Leadville, Lake, Colorado, United States; citing enumeration district ED 73, sheet 318D, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0091; FHL microfilm 1,254,091
3 TB Corbett and JH Ballenger. “Corbet, and Ballenger’s Second Annual City Directory: Containing A Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City Of Leadville for 1881”. Corbet and Ballenger Publishers. Leadville, CO; USA. 1881. P176.
4 “In Memory Of Those Who Passed”. Leadville, CO; USA. Herald Democrat. December 1, 1906. P8.
5 “Snags”. Leadville, CO; USA. Leadville Daily Herald. June 11, 1882. P1.
6 “Attempted Murder”. Leadville, CO; USA. Leadville Daily Herald. November 20, 1883. P4.
7 TB Corbett and JH Ballenger. “Corbet, and Ballenger’s Fifth Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List Of The Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City Of Leadville For 1884”. Corbet and Ballenger Publishers. Leadville, CO; USA. 1884. P151.
8 “Holliday Shoots”. Leadville, CO; USA. Carbonate Chronicle. August 23, 1884. P2.
9 TB Corbett and JH Ballenger. “Corbet, and Ballenger’s Sixth Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List Of The Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City Of Leadville For 1885”. Corbet and Ballenger Publishers. Leadville, CO; USA. 1885. P150.
10 “Went A Gunnin”. Leadville, CO; USA. Carbonate Chronicle. April 11, 1885. P1.
11 “A Sabbath Celebration”. Leadville, CO; USA. Leadville Daily Evening Chronicle. April 4, 1887. P4.
12 “Handsome Badge”. Leadville, CO; USA. Leadville Daily Evening Chronicle. May 4, 1887. P2.
13 “It Is Rumored”. Leadville, CO; USA. Leadville Daily Evening Chronicle. June 11, 1888. P8.
14 “Dog Tax Payers”. Leadville, CO; USA. Leadville Daily Evening Chronicle. June 29, 1888. P8.
15 JH Ballenger and Richards. “Ballenger & Richard’s Ninth Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City of Leadville for 1888”. Corbet and Ballenger and Richards Publishers. Leadville, CO; USA. 1888. P157.
16 JH Ballenger and Richards. “Ballenger & Richard’s Tenth Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City of Leadville for 1889”. Corbet and Ballenger and Richards Publishers. Leadville, CO; USA. 1889. P153.
17 “Republican Convention”. Leadville, CO; USA. Leadville Daily Evening Chronicle, October 12, 1889. P4.
18 JH Ballenger and Richards. “Ballenger & Richard’s Eleventh Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City of Leadville for 1890”. Corbet and Ballenger and Richards Publishers. Leadville, CO; USA. 1890. P155.
19 “The Saddle Rock Sold”. Leadville, CO; USA. Herald Democrat. December 22, 1891. P8.
20 “A New Firm”. Leadville, CO; USA. Herald Democrat. March 28, 1891. P8.
21 JH Ballenger and Richards. “Ballenger & Richard’s Thirteenth Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City of Leadville for 1892”. Corbet and Ballenger and Richards Publishers. Leadville, CO; USA. 1892. P158.
22 “Bold Robbers”. Leadville, CO; USA. Herald Democrat. March 22, 1892. P7.
23 “Change Of Firm”. Leadville, CO; USA. Herald Democrat. May 19, 1895. P6.
24 JH Ballenger and Richards. “Ballenger & Richard’s Sixteenth Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City of Leadville for 1895”. Corbet and Ballenger and Richards Publishers. Leadville, CO; USA. 1895. P161.
25 “New Mining Proposition”. Leadville, CO; USA. Herald Democrat. December 2, 1895. P3.
26 La grippe was a term most commonly associated with a 1918-19 Spanish Flu pandemic, was a deadly form of influenza that eventually evolved into what is more commonly known today as Swine Flu. Prior to 1918, la grippe was associated with what was also known as Russian or Asiatic Flu, which had several periods of global epidemic during the latter nineteenth century. The largest of these occurred from 1889 to about 1892 and was the first influenza epidemic of the bacteriology era associated with Dr. Louis Pasteur (vaccination and pasteurization) and Dr. Robert Koch (cholera, anthrax and tuberculosis treatments). For more information see: Kempińska-Mirosławska, Bogumiła, and Agnieszka Woźniak-Kosek. "The influenza epidemic of 1889–90 in selected European cities – a picture based on the reports of two Poznań daily newspapers from the second half of the nineteenth century." Medical Science Monitor 19 (December 10, 2013): P 1131-1141. doi:10.12659/msm.889469.
27 “Henry Kellerman Dead”. Leadville, CO; USA. Herald Democrat. June 2, 1896. P1.
28 Kempińska-Mirosławska, Bogumiła, and Agnieszka Woźniak-Kosek. "The influenza epidemic of 1889–90 in selected European cities – a picture based on the reports of two Poznań daily newspapers from the second half of the nineteenth century." Medical Science Monitor 19 (December 10, 2013): P 1131-1141. doi:10.12659/msm.889469.
29 “Personal Mention”. Leadville, CO; USA. Leadville Daily Evening Chronicle. May 16, 1895. P4.
30 “Administrator’s Notice”. Leadville, CO; USA. Herald Democrat. June 11, 1896. P2.
Bibliography
“A New Firm”. Leadville, CO; USA. Herald Democrat. March 28, 1891.
“Administrator’s Notice”. Leadville, CO; USA. Herald Democrat. June 11, 1896.
“Attempted Murder”. Leadville, CO; USA. Leadville Daily Herald. November 20, 1883.
“A Sabbath Celebration”. Leadville, CO; USA. Leadville Daily Evening Chronicle. April 4, 1887.
“Bold Robbers”. Leadville, CO; USA. Herald Democrat. March 22, 1892.
Ballenger, JH and Richards. “Ballenger & Richard’s Ninth Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City of Leadville for 1888”. Corbet and Ballenger and Richards Publishers. Leadville, CO; USA. 1888.
Ballenger, JH and Richards. “Ballenger & Richard’s Tenth Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City of Leadville for 1889”. Corbet and Ballenger and Richards Publishers. Leadville, CO; USA. 1889.
Ballenger, JH and Richards. “Ballenger & Richard’s Eleventh Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City of Leadville for 1890”. Corbet and Ballenger and Richards Publishers. Leadville, CO; USA. 1890.
Ballenger, JH and Richards. “Ballenger & Richard’s Thirteenth Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City of Leadville for 1892”. Corbet and Ballenger and Richards Publishers. Leadville, CO; USA. 1892.
Ballenger, JH and Richards. “Ballenger & Richard’s Sixteenth Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City of Leadville for 1895”. Corbet and Ballenger and Richards Publishers. Leadville, CO; USA. 1895.
“Change Of Firm”. Leadville, CO; USA. Herald Democrat. May 19, 1895.
"Colorado State Census, 1885," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8WN-W5R : 1 April 2016), H Kellerman, 1885; citing NARA microfilm publication M158 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 498,507.
Corbett, TB and Ballenger, JH “Corbet, and Ballenger’s Second Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City Of Leadville for 1881”. Corbet and Ballenger Publishers. Leadville, CO; USA. 1881.
Corbett, TB and Balanger, JH. “Corbett, and Ballenger’s Fourth Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City Of Leadville for 1883”. Corbet and Ballenger Publishers. Leadville, CO; USA; 1883.
Corbett, TB and Ballenger, JH. “Corbet, and Ballenger’s Fifth Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City Of Leadville For 1884”. Corbet and Ballenger Publishers. Leadville, CO; USA. 1884.
Corbett, TB and Ballenger, JH. “Corbet, and Ballenger’s Sixth Annual City Directory: Containing a Complete List of the Inhabitants, Institutions, Incorporated Companies, Manufacturing Establishments, Business, Business Firms etc. in The City Of Leadville For 1885”. Corbet and Ballenger Publishers. Leadville, CO; USA. 1885.
“Dog Tax Payers”. Leadville, CO; USA. Leadville Daily Evening Chronicle. June 29, 1888.
“Handsome Badge”. Leadville, CO; USA. Leadville Daily Evening Chronicle. May 4, 1887.
“Henry Kellerman Dead”. Leadville, CO; USA. Herald Democrat. June 2, 1896.
“Holliday Shoots”. Leadville, CO; USA. Carbonate Chronicle. August 23, 1884.
“In Memory Of Those Who Passed”. Leadville, CO; USA. Herald Democrat. December 1, 1906.
“It Is Rumored”. Leadville, CO; USA. Leadville Daily Evening Chronicle. June 11, 1888.
Kempińska-Mirosławska, Bogumiła, and Agnieszka Woźniak-Kosek. "The influenza epidemic of 1889–90 in selected European cities – a picture based on the reports of two Poznań daily newspapers from the second half of the nineteenth century." Medical Science Monitor 19 (December 10, 2013): P 1131-1141. doi:10.12659/msm.889469.
“New Mining Proposition”. Leadville, CO; USA. Herald Democrat. December 2, 1895.
“Personal Mention”. Leadville, CO; USA. Leadville Daily Evening Chronicle. May 16, 1895.
“Republican Convention”. Leadville, CO; USA. Leadville Daily Evening Chronicle, October 12, 1889.
“Snags”. Leadville, CO; USA. Leadville Daily Herald. June 11, 1882.
“The Saddle Rock Sold”. Leadville, CO; USA. Herald Democrat. December 22, 1891.
"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFDJ-3CN : 19 August 2017), Henry Kellirman in household of S Hirsh, Leadville, Lake, Colorado, United States; citing enumeration district ED 73, sheet 318D, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0091; FHL microfilm 1,254,091
“Went A Gunnin”. Leadville, CO; USA. Carbonate Chronicle. April 11, 1885.
To cite any of the information in this biography, please use the following reference.
AUTHOR: Jeffrey P. Grant
EDITOR: William Korn
SOURCE: Jewish Surnames/Kellerman
PUBLISHED BY: Temple Israel Foundation. Leadville, CO; USA. 2018
STABLE URL: http://www.jewishledville.org/kellerman.html
