Emmett Ayers Bromley, the "Father of
Adams County" |
| Emmet Ayers Bromley was a descendent of the first Bromleys, English
immigrants to America. Luke Bromley, an ancestor, first came to America in 1648 from
Bromley, England (which has since been absorbed by London). Emmet was born in Peru,
Clinton County, New York, on February 14, 1858 to John B. and Roxey Ann (Ayers) Bromley.
Emmet was educated in Plattsburg, New York.. When he was seventeen years old he
moved to Burlington, Vermont, where he worked in a clothing store. |
| When Bromley and his brother, Martin, arrived in Denver, Colorado in
July 1877. In 1883, Emmrt bought 200 acres at what is now Brighton - South 4th
Avenue and Bromley Lane (named after him) - and also worked 600 acres of dry land east of
his ranch. Bromley became one of the largest sheep and livestock raisers in Colorado.
Bromley owned 8000 acres of dry land. |
| Bromley had a long and distinguished record of public service. He was the
deputy sheriff and deputy assessor in old Arapahoe County. He was described a man of
broad vision and public spirit, of high ideals and of successful achievement. Bromley
served two terms in the Colorado House of Representatives and two in the State Senate. He
was a Democratic member of the Colorado House of Representatives in the 8th and 9th
General Assemblies. He served in the Colorado State Senate during the 11th and 12th
Assemblies, starting his term in 1890. |
Bromley became well known in the legislature as a
strong advocate for farmers and ranchers. He was well versed on irrigation and worked hard
to simplify and liberalize irrigation laws. Bromley introduced the bill in the Colorado
state legislature making October 12 "Columbus Day" a state holiday. He was
responsible for the state farm loan act that permitted loans to be made to farmers from
the state school funds. By that act, he contributed in large measure to the development of
agriculture in Colorado. |
Emmet Bromley is today known as the "Father of
Adams County" because he made the motion in the Colorado Senate to divide Arapahoe
County, which he then represented, to create the new county. Arapahoe County had been
organized originally as the western end of Kansas Territory in 1855. It included one-fifth
of what is now Colorado and extended from the Continental Divide eastward to the 103rd
meridian, which is the present Kansas border. Its northern border was the 40th parallel,
which is the approximate border of present-day Adams County, south to the 38th parallel,
which is the approximate latitude of the Arkansas River, then the northern border of New
Mexico. After 1859 and the arrival of many gold seekers to this area, Denver was
designated as the seat of this huge county. |
| Emmet A. Bromley died at home on July 1,1922, of apoplexy. Reports
indicate that he had been in poor health for about a year but that his death came
suddenly. He was buried at Almwood Cemetery in Brighton. |
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