Meet The Original Owner, Dr. Charles B. Masser

Here’s a bit of biographical information about the House’s original owner, Dr. Charles B. Masser.  Quoted from the book, Progressive Men of Western Colorado, originally published in 1905 by A.W. Bowen and Company, Chicago, Illinois.  It was transcribed to the USGenWeb Archive Project by Judy Crook and is used here with permission.

Charles B. Masser, M.D.

Dr. Charles B. Masser was born in St. Joseph county, Michigan, on October 1, 1839, the son of William and Rachel (Boone) Masser, who were natives of Pennsylvania, and were reared, educated and married in that state.  Soon after their marriage they became pioneers in St. Joseph county, Michigan, where they bought four hundred acres of government land which they developed and improved  into an excellent farm.  The father also kept a store at Three Rivers for a number of years, and both parents died there.  Their offspring numbered eight, of whom only two are living, the Doctor and a brother who still resides in Michigan.  The Doctor grew to manhood in his native county, and received his early education at its primitive country schools of that day.  After leaving school he engaged for some years in farming and railroading, and at the age of twenty-five began the study of medicine,  pursuing it a number of years and practicing in Michigan.  In 1872 he removed to Kansas and, locating in the county of Republic, again devoted his attention to his profession.  Prior to this time,  in 1869, he was graduated from the Kansas City Medical College.  He remained in Kansas actively engaged in practice until the spring of 1888, when he came to Colorado and settled in Mesa county, at the town of Fruita, where he has since made his home and the seat of his active professional work.  He has taken several post-graduate courses at the medical schools of Denver, and by a close and judicious study of the literature of his profession has kept abreast with its most advanced ideas. In 1891 he established a drug store which he has since conducted in connection with his practice, and in both he has been very successful.  He was married on January 15, 1868, to Miss Gertrude A. Powers, of St. Joseph county, Michigan.  They have had eight children, five of whom are living, James, Henry, Gertrude, Mary and Lulu.  Those deceased are Marta, Bonita and Lillie.  In political faith the Doctor is a Prohibitionist, and he is firm in the support of the principles he espouses.