|
Denver County, History of Colorado, BIOS: STOCKER, Allison (published 1918)
"History of Colorado", edited by Wilbur Fisk Stone, published by The S. J.
Clarke Publishing Co. (1918) Vol. II p. 80, 82
ALLISON STOCKER.
When a youth of but eleven years Allison Stocker began working at
the carpenter's trade; today he is one of the leading contractors and builders of Denver, carrying on an extensive business under his name.
The firm formerly was Stocker & Fraser, which had been in existence since 1892 and through all the intervening years, covering more than a
quarter of a century, had been prominently identified with building operations, erecting many of the principal buildings of the city. The
business is now conducted under the name of Allison Stocker, Mr. Fraser having retired.
Mr. Stocker was born in St. Clair, Pennsylvania, August 11, 1862.
His father, Matthew S. Stocker, was also a native of the Keystone state and was a son of Alexander Stocker, who was a native of Scotland and on
coming to America took up his abode in Columbia county, Pennsylvania, where he engaged in agricultural pursuits. There he resided throughout
his remaining days and eventually met an accidental death. His son, Matthew S. Stocker, was reared and educated in Pennsylvania and in
young manhood entered upon an apprenticeship to the carpenter's trade, which he followed in his native state until 1879. He then came west to
Colorado with his eldest son, Alexander. They settled in Leadville, where he followed mining and prospecting, continuing his residence in
Leadville until 1882, when he removed to Denver, where he lived retired from active life until called to his final rest in November, 1884, when
sixty years of age. In early manhood he had married Elizabeth Allison,
a native of Mauch Chunk, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Joseph Allison, who was a native of England but came to America about 1825 and
settled in Pennsylvania, where he spent his remaining days, occupying the position of mine superintendent. He reached the advanced age of
eighty-six years. His daughter, Mrs. Stocker, died in Denver in 1903, at the age of seventy-two years. She had survived her husband for
almost two decades and her remains were then interred by his side in Fairmount cemetery. In their family were eight children, four sons and
tour daughters, three of whom are yet living, namely: Allison, of this review; William; and Mrs. John H. G. Eraser, also a resident of Denver.
Allison Stocker pursued his education in the public schools of
St. Clair, passing through consecutive grades to the high school of Pottsville, the county seat of Schuylkill county. While pursuing his
studies he also took up a course of law under the direction of Congressman Strauss. He was only eleven years of age when he began
working with his father at the carpenter's trade during vacation periods and in his youthful days he also engaged in clerking in a
general store in his native county. In 1880 he came to Colorado, first settling at Leadville, where he arrived on the 29th of March. He was
there associated with his father and a brother in mining and prospecting and also worked at the carpenter's trade in Leadville. For
a time he was employed by the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad and on Christmas of 1882 he became a resident of Denver, where he worked as a
journeyman carpenter until 1888. He then entered the contracting and building business on his own account and has steadily advanced in this
connection until he has developed a business second to none in the state. In 1892 he became one of the organizers of the firm of Stocker &
Fraser, which firm erected many of Denver's principal buildings, including the Young Women's Christian Association building, the
Coronado block, the Colonial building, the Littleton Creamery, the Beatrice Creamery, Brown Brothers' building, the
Spratlen-Anderson building, the McPhee & McGinnlty building, the New Century building,
the Sheedy building, the new Abattoir, the new Stock Yards Exchange building, the Ford Auto building, the O'FaIlon, the Barteldes seed
building, the Denver Chamber of Commerce, the new Union Station and various others. Mr. Stocker is now one of the contractors on the new
United States General Hospital. In fact his patronage exceeds in volume and importance that of any other contracting firm of the state and his
position through many years has been in the foremost ranks of the contractors of Denver. Mr. Stocker is also vice president of the
Merchants Bank and of various other important business corporations and he is a director of the Master Builders Association. Step by step he
has worked his way upward along the line of his chosen vocation until his position has long been one of leadership.
The same qualities which have fitted him for leadership in this
connection have brought him prominently to the front in other relations. He is a very prominent figure in political and civic circles
and after filling the office of county treasurer in 1912 and 1913 he was elected state treasurer of Colorado on the republican ticket,
filling the office in 1915 and 1916. He has been alderman of Highlands and in 1897 he represented the fifteenth ward on the board of aldermen
of Denver. Of the Chamber of Commerce he has served as president and as director for a number of years. Fraternally he is connected with the
Woodmen of the World, the Modern Woodmen of America and the Masons and has been particularly prominent in the last named. He is a past master
of Highlands Lodge, No. 86, A. F. & A. M.; belongs to Highlands Chapter, No. 29, R. A. M.; Highlands Commandery, No. 30, K. T., and In
his life exemplifies the beneficent spirit of the craft. He also holds membership with the Denver Civic and Commercial Association, the Lions
Club and the Boulevard Congregatlonal church, in which he has served as superintendent of the Sunday school. These associations indicate much
of the nature of his interests and the rules which govern his conduct, making him a man whom to know is to esteem and honor.
On the 28th of July, 1884, in Denver, Mr. Stocker was married to
Miss Blanch Roerig, a native of St. Clair, Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Henry C. and Ann Roerig. They have become parents of three children;
Jessie, who was born in Denver, June 30, 1885, and died September 21, 1909; Harry S., who was born in Denver, December 4, 1886; and Ruth, who
was born February 24, 1893. The family occupy a pleasant home at 2636 West Twenty-seventh street, which was erected by Mr. Stocker thirty
years ago. There is no record in this volume perhaps that Indicates more clearly the value of a strong character, of persistent purpose and
laudable ambition. Starting out to provide for his own support in early youth, working at the carpenter's trade when a lad of but eleven years,
he has steadily advanced and as the architect of his own fortunes has builded wisely and well. |
