Horace B. Dye, 1910 Colorado
At first I wasn’t sure I’d be able to find much on H. B. Dye of Manzanola, first in line in the “bottom row standing.” With only initials to go on making an ID can be tough. But, I remembered that when I was researching George Ingalls, I came across a 1915 newspaper article where George had been elected a trustee for Manzanola and one Horace Dye was elected mayor at the same time. Strong possibility that H. B. Dye and Horace Dye were one in the same. Then when I started the search, H. B. Dye came up as Horace every time. So I’m pleased to introduce the former mayor of Manzanola – Horace B. Dye.
Horace was born on November 1, 1869 in Ionia, Michigan to farmer and civil war vetran Bloomfield Dye and wife Ellen Flint of New Jersey. He was only 7 months old in his first census of 1870 in Michigan. Horace lived with his young parents and a John Dye (likely an uncle based on age) and Mary Flint, aged 24, younger sister of Ellen Flint Dye. I was unable to find Horace and family in 1880. I don’t know if his parents had more children, but his is the only birth record with those parents that I was able to find. It’s likely Horace was an only child.
However, there will be more to come on Bloomfield Dye and family as he is in this July 4th Reception Committee photo as well! So, back to Horace. In March of 1893 Horace married Ella G. Beaty in Catlin, Otero county, Colorado. By 1900 the were still in Otero county but had a daughter Laura added to the family. In 1910, the year of this photo, Horace was a manager in Manzanola, CO. Still with just one child, Laura, who was now 16.
It was in 1915 that Horace B. Dye was elected Mayor of Manzanola with a “light vote” due to rain according the the Denver Rocky Mountain News on April 8, 1915. In 1917 the Pueblo Chieftan reported that Mayor Dye expected a large fruit crop this summer as he was a prominent fruit grower.
I’m not sure how long Horace served as Mayor but he still lived in Manzanola in 1930. His occupation was listed as manager, elevator & lumbar yard. His wife Ella had passed away a few years prior in 1928. Horace would live another 10 without her and he died in 1938. Both are buried in Manzanola Mountainview Cemetery.
Unclaimed Ancestors 
Found Horace’s Obit! He did have a brother, and there’s a little more info on when he came to CO.
Thanks to the Ionia County MI Archives, here’s the text:
“DYE, Horace B. 1938
DOD: Wednesday, 4 May 1938
Sentinel Standard – Monday, 9 May 1938
Horace B. Dye, mayor of Manzanola, Colorado, 25 years, and chairman of the
state board of agriculture, who was born in Ionia November 15, 1869, was found
dead at his home in Colorado last Wednesday. He had been in poor health
several months. At the age of 11 years he left Michigan with his parents for
Colorado where he has lived many years. He has visited in Ionia several times
since living in Colorado.
He is survived by his wife and a daughter, Mrs. John Spaulding of Phoenix,
Arizona; a brother, Royal Dye, a missionary who resides at Hollywood,
California. Amos M. Welch, George H. Dye, and K. R. Smith of Ionia are
cousins.”
Interesting it says he was survived by his wife (unless he remarried) as Ella’s grave indicates she died in 1928. Also, he was 11 when the family moved to CO – that would have been 1880. In the midst of a move like that the census takers must have missed them!