Elias Milton Ammons originally a Republican

Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...

, was the elected Democratic

Democratic Party (United States)

The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...

 19th Governor of Colorado

Governor of Colorado

The Governor of Colorado is the head of the executive branch of Colorado's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Colorado General Assembly, to convene the...

 from 1913 to 1915. Born in 1860 in Macon County, North Carolina

Macon County, North Carolina

- Geographic features :Of the in Macon County, are federal lands that lie within the Nantahala National Forest and are administered by the United States Forest Service. Of the of USFS land, lie in the Highlands Ranger District and the remaining lie in the Wayah Ranger District...

, he is perhaps best remembered for ordering National Guard

United States National Guard

The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...

 troops into Ludlow, Colorado

Ludlow, Colorado

Ludlow is a ghost town in Las Animas County, Colorado, United States. It was famous as the site of the Ludlow Massacre in 1914. The town site is nestled at the entrance to a canyon in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. It is located along the western side of Interstate 25...

 during the Ludlow Massacre

Ludlow massacre

The Ludlow Massacre was an attack by the Colorado National Guard on a tent colony of 1,200 striking coal miners and their families at Ludlow, Colorado on April 20, 1914....

. He was also instrumental in starting the National Western Stock Show

National Western Stock Show

The National Western Stock Show is held every January at the National Western Complex in Denver, Colorado. First held in 1906, it is the world's largest stock show by number of animals and offers the world’s only carload and pen cattle show in the historic Denver Union Stockyards.The stock show is...

, which is still active. His son Teller Ammons

Teller Ammons

Teller Ammons was the 28th Governor of Colorado from 1937 to 1939.Ammons was the son of Colorado Governor Elias M. Ammons, and was named for his father's friend, U.S. Senator Henry Moore Teller...

 was also governor of Colorado

Colorado

Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...

. He died in Denver, Colorado

Denver, Colorado

The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...

 in 1925 and was buried in Fairmount Cemetery

Fairmount Cemetery (Denver, Colorado)

Fairmount Cemetery in Denver, Colorado was founded in 1890 and is Denver's second oldest operating cemetery after Riverside Cemetery. It was designed by German landscape architect Reinhard Schuetze...

 in Denver.

Early life

He was born in Macon County, North Carolina

Macon County, North Carolina

- Geographic features :Of the in Macon County, are federal lands that lie within the Nantahala National Forest and are administered by the United States Forest Service. Of the of USFS land, lie in the Highlands Ranger District and the remaining lie in the Wayah Ranger District...

. At age 26 (1871) he moved to Colorado and started in the cattle business.

Legislative

He served in the Colorado House of Representatives and served as the speaker and then served in the Colorado State Senate.

Governorship

While Governor, Ammons was accused of favoring the mine owners in a strike at many coalmines in the state lasting from 1913-1914.

External links

• Governor Elias M. Ammons Collection at the Colorado State Archives
• "Colorado Governor Elias Milton Ammons", National Association of Governors biography