James Boyd Viele Sr.
was born May 30, 1819 near Schenectady, New York where he lived for 23
years and worked as a foreman of the first railroad between Schenectady
and Albany on the Mohawk and Albany road. In 1833 (age 14) he moved with
his parents to Bath, New York where he was a carpenter. In 1835 in
Bath, he married Lucinda Emerson. They had eight children and they moved
to Rock River, Illinois in 1841 where he ran a ferry for two years;
then they moved to Stevenson County, Illinois. In 1865 they crossed the
plains to Colorado. 
Boulder
County Miner article says James B. drove westward in early 1864 from
Freeport, IL. 'In spite of the Indian troubles of that year, Viele
recrossed the plains to buy farm machinery and to bring his family to
Colorado. It took the family eight months to get here. His wife was
ill.
“Rosetta
(James’ daughter) related how she in company with her parents, crossed
the plains with ox teams, some cows being yoked up with the oxen and
landed in Boulder the 1st day of August, 1865. One team of
horses, however, was in the caravan, Rosetta herself driving them all
the way from Omaha. ‘We brought with us our pet cow, which was tied
behind the wagon and also a threshing machine. At night the cows were
milked and the milk set on
the running board of the threshing machine, and in the morning it was
skimmed and put in a churn, with the fresh morning’s milk and from the
jolting of the wagon during the day, by night we had butter enough to do
us the next day and buttermilk to supply others of the party, out of
which hot biscuits were made.’ “
According to Albert Viele as interviewed by Forest Crossen in 1960:
“Father
and brother came in 1864 to Colorado. Mother had asthma. Was good for
health to move here. Mother and children moved in 1865. Horses and
wagon. Stopped at a fort and needed 100 rounds of ammunition and 100 men
before they could go further. Waited for two other trains. Wagon boss.
Saw Indians, put livestock
in circle and kept watch. Third day came upon a massacre of a whole
camp. Dug graves. Went on. Came through Denver. Camped on Hank Green
Farm (now Martin Acres) in Boulder. Natural spring. Father had bought
home on Pearl St. “
There
were not many homes in Boulder in 1865. They pitched their tent on the
public square (in 1912, this area was the court house grounds). He
later bought a little four room house and a good sized tract for the
trifling sum of $600. In 1912 this was the site of the Colorado Cafe. 
Lucinda
died about a year after the family arrived. Their daughter Rosetta kept
house for her father and the rest of the children.' (BCM 12 Sept 1912)
'The entire Viele family crossed the plains in 1865 in wagons drawn by
horses, cows & ox teams. Their first home in Boulder was a combination log & frame house where the Colorado Cafe stood 1947.
He homesteaded south of Boulder City and spent his first five years here taking the thresher from farm to 
farm
to harvest barley, oats and wheat. He and his sons slept in the fields
and were fed by the farmers' wives. Albert states: “ Had a ten
horse-power separator. One man drove horses. Threshed nearly
year-round.” He also was the first to switch to a steam-powered thresher
in 1878. Viele Lake in south Boulder is named after him.'
James Boyd Viele Sr. died December 22, 1895 of Pneumonia. 
He
had owned property in Boulder, (“James B. Viele owned lot 11 in block
67, assessed at $375. His vacant lots on the northwest corner of eighth
and Pearl Streets were assessed at $200. James B. Viele personal
property $845.00”). “All property estimated at $7000.00 goes to his
daughter Mrs. Fred W. Kohler except $2000. for son Albert.
Children of James and Lucinda Viele:
I
include in this document quite a bit about the Kohler's. We are not
blood related to them, (my mother was led to believe we were because
they didn't know the whole story) but there is a connection since our
great-grandmother, Ada went to live with them (her Aunt Rosetta and
Uncle Frederick Kohler) following her mother's (Catharine) death. I
felt this would be applicable to understanding Ada and may print
portions of that again under Ada's file.
Catherine
- born April 16, 1836 in Illinois and died in childbirth August 14,
1874 in Boulder Colorado. Married Christopher Potter, a Civil War
soldier on April 23, 1856 Daughter: Ada Frances Potter. She was buried
in Columbia Cemetery. She married David J. Goodail on February 11, 1866
in Boulder.
Benjamin – born November 16, 1838; died in 1840
Thomas Jefferson – born May 20, 1841. died September 13, 1887 suddenly by a stroke of apoplexy. “His
wife Polly Allen died May 6, 1887 at home 3 miles SE of Boulder. Her
daughter and Mrs. Cora Allen went to visit her at about noon. She
greeted them at the door, then started vomiting and died 5 minutes
later. Dr. Ambrook did not know the cause. Now a large family of
children are left without parental care”. Thomas is buried in Columbia
Cemetery in Boulder.
Rosetta – born October 14, 1848 in Stphenson Co, Illinois
Rosetta
married Frederick W. Kohler on June 4, 1868 in Boulder at the home of
D.J. Goodail (husband of Rosetta’s sister, Catherine A.) – son of
Frederick Kohler and Christina. (?)
“When
Mrs. Kohler was married a few years later there was only one carriage
in the place and Mr. Kohler went some distance to secure the use of it
for the occasion. He himself owned a light wagon, but that was not quite
the thing for a bridal tour.”
“In
the early days,” she said, “there were no trees except along the creek,
and when they wanted shade for celebrations, the men would go up in the
mountains and bring down silver spruce trees and place them where they
were wanted, standing them up against the buildings and sticking them in
the ground.”
Rosetta’s husband Frederick W. Kohler Sr.
was born in Germany and spent his first 18 years on a farm in Saxony
Germany. He came to the United States in 1849 at age 18. He worked on a
farm in Pennsylvania for 7 years, his first year’s wages coming to
$100.00. He saved his money and in 1856 went to California by way of the
Isthmus to try his luck gold mining. He made good in Calavaras County,
in the Mother Lode country but lost it all in a bank swindle. He made
another stake and moved east to Colorado Territory in 1862. He arrived
in Colorado a poor man. He bought a quick claim deed and filed a
homestead of 160 acres on which he built his ranch house. The farm was
on Baseline Road, a mile east of Boulder at the Marshall Road Crossing,
there he raised Hereford cattle.
Fred
was Boulder County Commissioner two terms in 1885 on ‘a prominent and
influential citizen of Boulder. He stands high in business, fraternal
and political circles and was member of Mystic Shrine of Denver Fred
Kohler, Sr. was an early settler to Boulder, arriving in 1862. He became
a successful rancher in the area of what is now Baseline, and was a
two-term County Commissioner. He was also one of the organizers of the
Boulder National Bank.
Information found at the Columbia Cemetery website:
Fred
Kohler, Sr. was an early settler to Boulder, arriving in 1862. He
became a successful rancher in the area of what is now Baseline, and was
a two-term County Commissioner. He was also one of the organizers of
the Boulder National Bank. In 1903, Mr. Kohler and his wife, Rosetta,
built this house in town right behind their son, Fred Jr.'s house at 942
Spruce Street. Fred Sr. reportedly committed suicide in the bathroom of
the house in 1904. Their son and daughter-in-law, Ed and Rose, moved in
to the house with Rosetta in 1904. Fred Jr. was president of the
Boulder National Bank for many years. According to the city directory,
they remained after Rosetta's death in 1919, until 1946, when Carl G.
Anderson bought the house as a rental.
In
1903, Mr. Kohler and his wife, Rosetta, built this house in town right
behind their son, Fred Jr.'s house at 942 Spruce Street. ' The log cabin
was standing in 1912 about a mile down in the field. 'Our big house
came later, was nearly a mansion in those days,' said Rosetta who had
lived on the farm for 40 years in 1912. In 1955 the original farm house,
barn and some acreage was owned by Mrs. E.C. Kohler, a daughter-in-law.
Fred Sr. reportedly committed suicide in the bathroom of the house in
1904. He'd been despondent and nervous lately and had insomnia. He
worried about everything. He died owning 800 'princely acres of valuable
farm land, etc.' 'He was known
for his liberality, his enterprise, his generosity and his strictest
probity.’ He cut his throat when he locked himself in the bathroom. Fred
left his farm on Baseline to his sons Fred W. Kohler Jr. and C.E.
Kohler, 'the well known stockman.' Fred Kohler's land was 'near the
Bureau of Standards. Some of his land was purchased for the right-of-way
into Boulder on Boulder Denver Turnpike; for the Highland Park
subdivision and the Crestwood Hotel.
Their
son and daughter-in-law, Ed and Rose, moved in to the house with
Rosetta in 1904. Fred Jr. was president of the Boulder National Bank for
many years. According to the city directory, they remained after
Rosetta's death in 1919, until 1946, when Carl G. Anderson bought the
house as a rental.
Albert Viele (Catharine and Rosetta’s brother) remembers early days on the pioneer Kohler ranch
By Forest Crossen
(Carnegie Branch Library for Local History, Boulder, Colorado (newspaper, May 1960?)
The Fred W. Kohler ranch house, big barn and buildings on Baseline road immediately east of 28th street stand out as one of the last landmarks of pioneer boulder. The house goes back almost a century.
One
beautiful May morning Albert Viele and I drove in and stopped under one
of the big cottonwood trees. Al who came to Boulder as a child in 1865
and is the city’s oldest living settler, at once brightened up.
“I
came to live here after my mother’s death, May 14, 1867,” he explained
as we walked over to the house. My sister Rosetta married F.W. Kohler
June 3, 1868. She took me with her.”
Original House
That’s
the original house, the two-story part running east and west across the
front. Kohler had it ready for her to move into. It’s build of good
native lumber, hauled down from the mountains.
“My
brother Jeff- Jefferson – built that big south addition in 1872 or ’73.
At first, it was all one big room upstairs, big enough to dance two
set. We used to have dances up there, have god times.”
Al
looked out across the wide lawn to the front. “There’s the old picket
fence and gate, where my father used to tand and greet people coming
along the road.” He turned and motioned, “Right there east of the house
is the old stone rot cellar. We used to store potatoes, vegetables and
fruit in there. Kohler set out quite an orchard west of the house.”
Born in Germany
Kohler,
born in Germany came to the United States in 1849 as a youth of 18. He
worked on a farm in Pennsylvania, his first year’s wages coming to $100.
He saved his money and in 1856 went to California to try his luck gold
mining. He made good in Calaveras County in the Mother Lode country, but
lost it all in a bank swindle. He made another stake and moved east to
Colorado Territory in 1862. He bought a quick claim deed and filed on a
homestead of 160 acres, on which he built his ranch house.
Al
had already told me about the barn raising. A fine carpenter and
jointer named Wood had made the timber framework, hewing it out with a
broad axe. He had mortised all joints, bored holes for pinning them;
then came the barn raising. Men from all around came in for that was the
way of the country in pioneer days. Their families came with them,
bringing big baskets of fried chicken, potato salad, homemade cheese,
crunchy bread baked from native wheat flour, fresh butter, cakes and
pies galore.
Keg of Beer
“We
could get good local beer in those days,” said Al, smiling. Kohler had
three or four kegs from Billy Cook’s little brewery up on the north bank
of Boulder Creek, just west of the present city hall.
“The
men started raising the framework. As they fitted the joints together,
Wood drove in sharpened hardwood pins with a wooden maul, and then he
sawed off the pins flush with the timber. There are no nails in that
framework.”
Now a Stable
We walked over to the barn, now occupied by the Flatirons Stable.
“Here
are the same old timbers they put in first,” explained Al. “The
north-south timbers were pinned in later. They used to drive in on the
floor above from the south side with loads of hay. We used to flail out
peas – Kohler raised a lot of peas – to feed to hogs.”
His
eyes lighted at a sudden memory. “We had a bay horse that was bad to
kick. One night I was currying him when one of the men came up behind
with a lantern.”
Fire Started
“The
horse caught the lantern with a hind foot, jerked it up against the
manger and broke it. The kerosene set the hay and straw afire.
“I untied the bay and another horse. The bay ran out, but the other one ran back farther in the barn.
My father was here then, and he had three men sleeping on the west side. They ran over and smothered the fire with blankets.
The
blaze had set my clothes afire. The men yelled to me, “run and jump in
the well, Opp.” Opp was my nickname. I ran for the well, which was down
there about a hundred yards. It was only about six feet deep. I was
burned but that water saved me.”
Ready For Dance
On
the way back we stopped for another look at this big structure. “They
did that raising all in one day. That night we held a dance on the big
second floor.”
It
had started off lively, the singing strings of fiddles going out on the
night air, the clear voice of the caller reaching, the stamp of flying
feet blood-stirring. Far into the night, until the last keg was emptied,
then home sleepily behind patient horses that could see their way in
the darkness.
“Before
Kohler built the barn,” Al went on, “he had a cow shed east of the
house. We heard that old story about cows getting down on their knees at
midnight on New Year’s Eve and bellowing. Some kids and I came out and
kept watch…all we got was a fine fooling.”
We
paused beside the car, a little reluctant to leave this place of mellow
memories. When it was new, the west had not been cleared of hostile
Indians, the silver boom at Caribou was in full swing, men were dreaming
of railroads that would cross the mountaints, of great things. The sky
was the limit for willing hands and stout hearts.
Viele passed his 100th birthday May 18. Funeral Service at 1st Congregational Church?
James Boyd Jr.
– born October 20, 1850. “Viele, James B. Jr., died November 7 1895 at
home SE of Boulder of consumption. He was well known in this county and
was highly respected. He was buried at Columbia Cemetery”.
Jacob Edward – born March 18, 1853; died May 22, 1874 of scarlet
fever at the age of 21 years, 2 months and 4 days, in Boulder, at the
home of DJ Goodail, husband of his sister, Catherine. Each of the
Goodail children and their parents Edward and Catherine had scarlet
fever. Jacob was unmarried and was buried at Columbia Cemetery.
Albert
– born May 18, 1860 in Lena Illinois. Albert went to live with his
sister, Rosetta following his mother’s death. He lived at 1116 Mapleton
for at least 22 years and married Erna Groven Arnold and later Abbie L.
Spicer on July 24, 1881 in Boulder. He is listed as having no children
on his history form at Carnegie Branch Library for Local History
Boulder, Colorado. He is also listed as a descendant of a Revolutionary
War veteran – no other details given. He attended school in the first
schoolhouse in Boulder. His funeral service was possibly at the 1st Congregational Church.
