As a boy growing up in Saguache during the depression years, I was intrigued by George Robertson. He lived alone in the house which is near the old flour mill, located about a mile and a half west of town. George rode his bicycle to town about once a week to pick up his mail and get a few groceries. He was the only adult I knew who rode a bicycle in those days. His bike didn't have fenders or a chain guard - he rode with a rubber band around his pants leg to keep it from becoming tangled in the chain.

Whenever George came to town, he stopped to buy a newspaper from Oscar Marold, who ran the drug store. Sometimes his bike would be parked there for an hour or more (they were both Democrats and liked to discuss politics)

I knew George and his father had operated the flour mill when my mother was a girl, but that was many years ago.

After WWII I worked in the Post Office for several years. That is when I became rather well acquainted with George Robertson. He did not have a Post Office box, but called for his mail at the general delivery window. I learned that the old fellow was an avid reader and he kept up to date on World Events. After leaving the Post Office, he would sometimes go to Smokey’s Lunch to visit his friend Milo Means. Both of these fellows enjoyed prospecting and had many mining claims down through the years. (George's father developed the mines in the Klondike area at about the turn of the century.)

George was fourteen years old when his family moved to Saguache County and his father purchased the flour mill which was built in 1873 by Enos Hotchkiss.. This was to be his home for 65 years until a tragic accident resulted in his death.

It was about five years ago that I had my last visit with Charlie Davis. I asked him to tell me the details of finding George Ro-bertson when his team, ran away and he was badly injured.

Charlie and Florence Davis worked for Ruth Gotthelf and lived on the ranch just east of the Robertson place. Florence hadn't seen George for a couple of days, so Charlie went to investigate.

He found the old man near the wrecked hay wagon where he said he had lain for three days and two nights. At night, the old fellow pulled the loose hay over himself for protection.

The local ambulance took George to the hospital in Monte Vista where he passed away at the age of 79. This incident happened in September of 1952.  George was bringing a load of hay out of the meadow when the team ran away - missed the gate opening and hung up on the fence. (The broken posts along with part of the wagon can still be seen after all these years). Charlie said the team was still hitched to the wagon when he found them. The horses had eaten every spear of grass for as far as they could reach.

One of my favorite tombstones in Hillside Cemetery is that of George H. Robertson 1873-1952. The, stone shows a beautiful engraving of the flour mill.

(My next column will be the history of the flour mill at Saguache, Colo., written by George H. Robertson in 1931).

Crescent Ed’s note: Sister Irene and I remember Robertson as he visited our Dad Charlie Ogden frequently and wrote articles occasionally for the Crescent. The men argued politics - one a Democrat the other a Republican, but they always remained friends!

#41 - 9 Jan 97 - History of The Flour Mill