My name is John Ludlow Pendery, born on the 20th day of December 1823, in a log cabin, then situated in Springfield Township, Hamilton County, Ohio, eight miles from Cincinnati, on the banks of Mill Creek.

My father's name was Alexandre Pendery, born in 1871 [sic! actually 1781], at Shepardstown, Virginia. Died in 1866 at the ripe old age of 85 years.

My mother's name was Mary Ludlow, daughter of William Ludlow. Born on the banks of Mill Creek, in Hamilton County, Ohio, between Carthage and Cincinnati. Her mother came from the Sate of Jersey, in the early days of Cincinnati.

William Ludlow my mother's father, was a brother of Israel Ludlow the first Surveyor General of Ohio. His remains were buried in the Presbyterian Church yard situated on the corner of 4th and Main St. Cincinnati, where it still remains. I quote the following from a book published by H.B. Teetor, entitled "Past and Present of Mill Creek Valley." It embraces the Valley between Hamilton and Cincinnati.

"The Pendery Family"

Among the earliest of these families who followed the pioneers and settled permanently in our neighborhood was the well-known one of Pendery. Their grandfather and father immigrated to the tract still owned by their descendants, in 1805, coming down the Ohio in keelboats lashed together with log-chains. It is worthy of mention that Mrs. Pendery, mother of Israel and Goodloe, was the first female white child born in the present limits of Cincinnati. They settled on a farm of 140 acres of which 40 acres were given to Mr. Thomas Wilmuth."

My father was appointed Captain of the first Light Horse Troop in Ohio, by Gov. Morrow, in 1806. My son H.R. Pendery, now attorney at law residing in Leadville, Colo. has the original commission in his possession.

My father accumulated 200 acres in all, as constituting the old Pendery homestead.

My brothers and sisters were as follows:

Ludlow Pendery,
Goodloe Pendery,
William Pendery,
Alexandre Pendery,
Findley Pendery,
Ralph Pendery,
Myself, John L. Pendery,
Israel H. Pendery,
Martha Pendery,
Belle Pendery.

Israel H. Pendery, younger than Bell and myself the youngest member of the family and myself are the only ones living. Israel still resides with his family of 6 children on the old homestead, now embraced in the little town of Wyoming.

My sister lives at Morrow, Ohio; her name is Mrs. Belle Geopper.

I worked upon the farm till I was 18 years of age. At that time my uncle Jas. C. Ludlow, of Cummingsville, Ohio, near Cincinnati, requested my father to allow me to come and live with their family and go to Carey's Academy, on College Hill in the same county. After graduating at Carey's Academy, my uncle Israel Ludlow who lived opposite the foot of 5th St. in Cincinnati on the Kentucky shore of the Ohio River, he being in delicate health and owning 1,000 acres reaching up to Covington, Ky. gave his attention simply to looking after his 1,000 acres and tenants thereon. Whilst I was living with him he advised me to go into the law office of Fox & Lincoln, the leading attorneys of Cincinnati, and study law, going back and forward across on the ferry from our home on that side, I did so daily.

After 2 years I went before Judge Noah Swain, afterward one of the Supreme Judges of the United States, who was then one of the Supreme Judges of Ohio, and was examined by him and admitted to the Bar. Subsequent to that I was admitted to the Supreme Court of the United States, and had my certificate as a lawyer from that Court.

I remained with Fox & Lincoln on a salary for one year. I then opened an office for myself on 3rd St. between Walnut and Vine in Cincinnati.

Judge McClean afterwards on of the Supreme Judges of the United States, who then held Courts on the Circuit, was allotted among other states to Ohio. He married a cousin of mine (A. Ludlow), a widow by the name of Garrard. Her first husband was a distinguished lawyer of Ohio in the early days. About that time he appointed me United States Commissioner.

About that time I married Catherine Rockey, I had one child by her, the only child I have living, whose name is Henry Rockey Pendery. He went to Exeter, New Hampshire, which is a preparatory school for Harvard University. He graduated at Harvard in the class of 1873. He now resides at Leadville, and is a lawyer of the firm of Phelps & Pendery. He having 2 children, John M. Pendery and Catherine Pendery. John is a graduate of the School of Mines at Golden in this State, is 25 years of age, was made President of his class, the largest class ever graduated at the School of Mines.

I left Ohio in 1857, and came to Leavenworth, Kansas, on a Steamer called D.A. January, owned by a gentleman of that name in St. Louis. I came all the way from Cincinnati to Kansas by river, down the Ohio, up the Mississippi and then up the Missouri… My oldest brother frequently engaged in transporting by flat boats all kinds of produce raised in the North that was used in the South.

"The Rosetta Slave Case."

During the time that I held the position of United States Commissioner some very interesting cases were brought before me. The Rev. Mr. Dennison was in charge of the Episcopal Church in Louisville at that time. He was a son-in-law of President Tyler. His wife died in Louisville, leaving a little girl about 6 years old. The Rev. Mr. Dennison undertook a trip back to Virginia with his little daughter and a slave servant whose name was Rosetta, about 16 years of age, as nurse. He came by steamer to Cincinnati, took "The Little Miami Railroad" on a Saturday afternoon and arrived at the Neil House in Columbus, Ohio, when he concluded not to travel on the Sabbath day, and remained over until Monday morning, and while at the hotel the friends of the colored people found out that Rosetta was held as a slave, and informed her that she was free unless she concluded to go on into a slave State. In the meantime a Guardian was appointed by her friends, and when Monday morning came and Mr. Dennison proceeded to go on to Virginia he was informed that Rosetta could not go; that a Guardian was appointed for her and that she must remain there. The result was she was arrested by the United States Marshal Sy Robinson, then Editor and owner of the Cincinnati Enquirer, and brought before me asking that she be remanded to her master in Kentucky. Upon a full hearing of the matter under what was known and is known, as the Fugitive Slave Law, which provides "That if a slave should escape from one State into another and the fact be established, they should be returned to their master." After a careful and prolonged hearing with able counsel on both sides, Chase & Jolliff leading attorneys, appeared for Rosetta. Col. Carpenter and other leading attorneys of Ky. appeared for the Master.

I decided that a slave held to service and labor in a slave State escaped into a free State, upon proof of the fact, should be remanded to her master, but in this case the master brought her voluntarily into Ohio and it did not come within the Fugitive Slave Law, and as there was no law in Ohio could be invoked to return her, she was therefore free and "Once free forever free." What effect would have taken place if she had returned voluntarily with her master into a slave State, was a question which was held by many distinguished attorneys as a voluntary return into slavery, but not being an escape under the Fugitive Slave Law she therefore could not be returned, and I dismissed the proceedings and let her go free.

"The Garner Case"

Another important fugitive slave case occurred about that time as follows: Major Gaines, Paymaster in the United States Army was a Kentuckian, lived about 20 miles back from Covington in Kentucky, was the owner of slaves, their name was Garner consisting of himself, wife, 2 children and a sister. Upon a cold winter night with snow on the ground about one foot deep, the slave Garner hitched up his master's 2 horses to a sleigh took himself, wife, sister and children and came to Covington, tied the horses on the bank of the Ohio river which was upon the ice. They were received by their colored friends and secreted by them. The next day Major Gaines pursued them, found the horses on the bank of the river and drove across to Cincinnati, secured a warrant under the Fugitive Slave Law and placed it in the hands of the Marshal who proceeded to execute the writ, and made the arrest in the out-skirts of Cincinnati. In the meantime the wife and mother was advised by friends of the fugitives that if there was an attempt to arrest them and return them to slavery, the best thing she could do was to murder her own child, the little girl, which she did; it created a great excitement. They were all confined in the Hamilton County jail in Cincinnati. The next morning they were brought before me as United States Commissioner to determine the question whether they should be remanded under the Fugitive Slave Law. The excitement was so great that before the United States Marshal Mr. Robinson, could bring the parties before me I had to swear in a posse cometatus of 517 men to aid the marshal in executing the law.

The most distinguished attorneys from Kentucky and Cincinnati, Salamon P. Chase and John J. Jolliff represented the fugitives. Salamon P. Chase was afterward Governor of Ohio, and elected United States Senator from Ohio, and was subsequent to that made Secretary of the Treasury of the United States. During the trial which lasted 27 days the friends of the slaves procured an indictment in the Criminal Court of Cincinnati against the mother who killed her child, and procured a writ of Habeas Corpus to take her out of the jurisdiction of my Court. A writ having been issued by Judge Leavett of the United States District Court of Ohio. Upon a hearing of said Habeas Corpus case he decided that as my Court, which was the United States Commissioner's Court, had taken jurisdiction of the person prior to the indictment of the said authorities, that my jurisdiction must be respected and executed first. I decided upon the proof that they had escaped and came within the Fugitive Slave Law and the master was entitled to a return of them into Kentucky.

The owner after being put into possession of the slaves returned to Kentucky placed the woman who had committed the murder in the county jail in Covington KY. And notified the Sheriff of Hamilton county that have her remain in the jail for two weeks. The said authorities took no action afterwards.

Referring to page 3 of my leaving Cincinnati and going to Leavenworth I will state: Leavenworth is situated 2 miles from Fort Leavenworth on the W. side of the Missouri river in Kansas, now one of the leading posts of the United States. Leavenworth at that time was a prosperous young city. The Territory of Kansas at that time was much exercised over the question of slavery. The South sent many people there, the North also, the result was conflict, all of which you can read in history.

No railroads extended beyond Jefferson City up the Missouri river to Leavenworth at that time, and stages were used during the winter months when the river was frozen over so that steamers could not get up the river.

I opened a law office in a storeroom by placing my desk and safe in the front of said store. No law offices could be rented, as none were available. The first brick house built there I secured an office when they began building, and when completed I moved into it. I became attorney for the banks, Scott, Kerr & Co. and Clark, Cruber & Co. The second year my business increased so much that I took into partnership with me 2 young lawyers, David Bailey and Daniel McCook. The firm being Pendery, Bailey & McCook. McCook was a member of the McCook family of Ohio. Bailey whose father was a Quaker lived in Cincinnati.

In the meantime the city had improved, fine law offices were constructed, our office was then over Clark, Gruber & Co.'s bank on Delaware St., of said city.

William T. Sherman and Gen. Thomas Ewing of Ohio came to our city and started the law firm of Sherman & Ewing. They being from the same section of Ohio that my young partner Daniel McCook came from, asked me as a favor, as neither one of them were practical lawyers if I would let them take Daniel McCook in with them as a partner; I consented much to my regret and my law firm became Pendery, Bailey & Wold. The law firm of Sherman & Ewing became Sherman, Ewing & McCook. Of course history will tell you that Sherman was our great General in the late war between the North and South at that time.

In the meantime General Ewing was appointed General, a history of him may be found in reading the wars of the border of Missouri and Kansas where he was in command.

During my residence in Leavenworth, Kansas, beginning in 1857, I was at the head of the leading law firm of the city; first was Pendery, Bailey & McCook; the second firm was Pendery & Gambell, Gambell being one of the most distinguished attorneys in that section of the country and came from Michigan in the early days. Then came Penery & Brewer, (David J. Brewer), afterwards elected to the Supreme Court of Kansas out of my office. Judge L.M. Goddard, being a young man in our office at the time, upon the retirement of Judge Brewer, became my partner as the firm of Pendery & Goddard. He was County Attorney there for two terms. Judge Brewer was afterwards appointed to the Circuit Court of the United States by Chester Arthur, President. The distinguished attorneys, the Fields, who were Judge Brewer's Uncles, one of which was on the Supreme Bench of California and the others distinguished lawyers in New York, friends of President Arthur, myself and other friends of Judge Brewer in Kansas, secured the appointment from the Circuit Court of the United States to that of the Supreme Bench of the United States by President Harrison, at that time President, for him. Judge Brewer still remains and is now one of the Associated Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, one of the most distinguished justices on the Bench, respected and loved by everybody.

Whilst I was living in and practicing law in Leavenworth the Quantrill raid upon the city of Lawrence occurred, in which some hundreds of persons were murdered in cold blood by Quantrill [sic] and his band; you can read the history thereof.

I saw the first train of cars on the Missouri Pacific, which came into Leavenworth up from St. Louis. The mode and manner of transporting freight West up to that time and until the completion of the Union Pacific Railroad, was by freight wagons commonly called (Prairie Schooners,) drawn by oxen and mule teams. The freighters had a great deal of trouble in going West to Salt Lake, Fort Union and other Posts at that time by Indian raids, and also in the spring by large herds of buffalo coming from the South to the Northern pastures. They were so numerous that the freighters had to carrell [?] their animals by running the tongue of one rell [?] to keep their stock inside of that, for the moment they got into the herd of buffalo they never returned. The buffalo were so numerous that it would take two weeks time for them to pass a given point in the spring going North, and later in the fall going South. The prairie would be black as far as the eye could see to the horizon, going slowly in droves. By their trail the herd was thirty miles wide.

In 1878 the law business of Leavenworth, Kansas was not so encouraging and flattering as it had been. Kansas City, a rival town twenty-five miles below us on the Missouri River, took away a good many of our business citizens and Leavenworth lost its prestige. All kinds of business depreciated as well as realties. I concluded that I would come to Colorado and did come in 1878.

Whilst living in Cincinnati in the year 1852 the death of Henry Clay occurred in Washington City, he being at that time a United States Senator, representing Kentucky in Congress. He was one of the most distinguished orators and best known Americans in the United States. He belonged to the old Whig party in the days of Daniel Webster, Calhoun and other distinguished Americans in Congress. His remains were conveyed and accompanied by a committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Upon the arrival at Cincinnati, thirty-four young men, one representing each state, there being thirty-four states in the Union at that time only, organized themselves into what was known as the Clay Guard and took charge of the remains on board of the Steamer at the landing in Cincinnati, myself then representing Ohio and being a citizen of Cincinnati and a young lawyer. Our dress consisted of drab hats with dark bands, inscribed with Clay's name, and black coats and white pantaloons. Upon the arrival of the remains, they were conducted through the streets of Cincinnati, seventeen of the Clay Guards on each side, to the steamer, which was lying at the landing at the foot of Broadway. As the boat toll line was loosing ad the steamer backed out from the landing, a sea of human faces were gazing upon us as we stood upon the hurricane deck of the steamer. Silent and sad with uncovered heads thousands and thousands of people stood silent and it seemed that even the heavens wept, as the scene was sad and grand. Great drops of rain fell from the clouds and as the steamer righted herself up for her downward trip to Louisville, at every little town and hamlet on both sides of the Ohio river, the Kentucky shore and the Indiana shore, people gathered in silent and sad admiration to gaze upon the last remains of the great man. The steamer's curfew bell tolled and warned the people of our coming and when we arrived at Louisville, there was a scene never to be effaced from my memory. It seemed as if all the population was at the river landing as we approached the shore, all silent and uncovered. The Clay Guards had the honor of the front ranks and as we passed on the railroad from Louisville to Lexington a repetition of human faces, sad, silent and loving hearts at every station at every farm-house and road-crossing, the people of Kentucky had gathered in to see the cortege pass. Mr. Clay was loved by his people more than any statesman in the history of America was. He was the most eloquent speaker, had been speaker of the House of Representatives and I refer you to his history.

When we arrived at Lexington, the last resting place of this great man, the scene will also never be effaced from my memory. Ashland, the home of the statesman was reached and we had charge during the night of the remains as a guard. At twelve o'clock at night, a tall, sad, dignified lady, the wife of the deceased, approached and asked us, as a guard to retire from the room, which we did at once, and as I cast my eye back in passing from the room, Mrs. Clay kneeled by the side of his remains and in silent prayer remained some half hour when she indicated for us to return, which we did.

On our return, the Mayor of the city extended the hospitalities of the city of Louisville to the Clay Guard. We remained over night and enjoyed the hospitalities of her people.

"Leadville"

I was landed at Leadville by a mule wagon from Canon City, the termination then of railroads up the Arkansas River. I slept on the road from Canon City to Leadville in what was known then as Pilgrims Houses, provided by some kind and humane people to the pilgrims going to the mountains seeking for gold. They provided log cabins with fuel cut and piled up in the cabin for us to shelter ourselves and…

I arrived at Leadville on the 4th day of April 1878. There was but one mine discovered in the camp at that time and that was known as the Gallagher Mine. The only shelter I could secure the first night in Leadville was in a room over a Grocery Store without any furniture, bedding, etc., and nothing but loose boards that covered the joyce. I procured a bed tick, bought some hay and grass, and laid it upon the floor, using a satchel for my pillow, and a candle for my light.

Leadville was the most exciting camp in the country at that time from some developments made shortly after. To be brief, I located what other people would have; being what is called a "sucker and greenie" a claim just in the edge of the town on Carbonate Hill. I sent some young men out to survey and locate it according to law, forgetting to give a name to the claim and not accompanying them, they concluded to call it "The Judge Pendery" and so it remains to this day and is a good silver mine. My friends tried to discourage me in putting any money into developing that ground, the Pendery Claim, but I persevered.

In the meantime, my old law partner in Leavenworth, Judge Goddard, followed me and claimed that the law business was declining to be profitable any longer and he sojourned with me in my cabin, which I had built near the "Pendery Mine," for 2 weeks. In the meantime, I had only been there a little while, some few months, the County Seat was eighteen miles down the Arkansas river, where the courts were held and the official reports of the county were located and we had no courts in Leadville at that time except Justice of Peace. I soon procured an office and clients came pouring in and Judge Goddard remarked that if I would take him in with me on the old terms he would abandon Leavenworth and come to Leadville. That was in 1878. I accepted and he claimed that my business yielded me more money than all the lawyers left in Leavenworth did, and during his visit he tried a few cases before Justices of Peace. Whilst in Leavenworth we thought a $5.00 fee for attending to a small case before a Justice of Peace was a fair compensation, in Leadville we never appeared for less than $25.00 and that paid in cash.

…the County Seat removed from Granite to Leadville and a new county formed called Lake County.

Judge Goddard others and myself developed the Judge Pendery mine. At a depth of 188 feet we struck as fine a body of chlorides of silver as ever was found in the camp. It created great excitement, telegraphs were sent over the country of its marvelous development in silver running up as high as $19,000 to the ton. We soon procured machinery and I, who knew nothing about mining, was made manager of the mine. I employed a good foreman and commenced to develop the property, never having been down in a mine in my life, but I stuck to it and in a little while we took out clean profit of $66,000 and then sold it for $200,000 cash; bankers of Leadville being part of the purchasers. Afterwards, by the act of Congress, demonetizing silver, all of our silver mines in Colorado became almost worthless. I sold many a ton of my silver ore at $1.12 and after the demonetization it has not averaged for some years over .59 to .64.

I left Leadville after we had sold our mine and I returned to Leavenworth, where I still owned my old homestead, repaired it and settled down for a while, but being restless I went to Joplin on a visit, my home still being in Leavenworth, and undertook mining for zinc ore and lead. I expended about $6,000 of my good money that I had made in Leadville and quit, and along in the early Spring of 1892 I visited Cripple Creek with my wife on the way to Leadville, simply as a matter of curiosity to see what was there in the way of gold.

"Cripple Creek"

In Cripple Creek, all the valuable properties were taken up and all I could get hold of was a few fractions on the South end of Little Bull Hill. Among them was the Rubie, Combination and the LaFayette; the latter I had to purchase, being a fraction; in all between eight and nine acres, adjoining each other.

I built myself a log cabin in Cripple Creek, partly with my own hands, made two rooms to it and built a little kitchen to it, where I remained over a year. I visited my development on the Rubie, Combination and LaFayette by a two wheeled cart. After spending $1,500.00 I … cash. I also bonded and leased the Rubie for $20,000, which I received. In the meantime, I received several thousand dollars as royalties while the same was being developed. I also bonded and leased the LaFayette, after finding good ore at a depth of 178 feet. These are all gold ores.

I was then 70 years of age and in a year's time, with its royalties and cash sales, I realized over $70,000 in cash and still have a few thousand owing me and other properties undeveloped. My prediction is that a century from now Cripple Creek mines will still be inexhaustible.

"Colorado Springs"

I moved from there to Colorado Springs, where I now live at 518 N. Nevada Ave., where I built myself a little cottage, a picture of which accompanied this biography, and where I expect to live the remainder of my life, which cannot be long. I seek no display in my home other than all the comforts I can get out of life. The trees, some of them, in my yard were 50 to 60 feet high at this time and if any of my heirs by the name of Pendery or Ludlow should be living they can find were I once resided.

Our city is on of the most beautiful little cities in America. As a result of the discovery of gold in Cripple Creek, our little city has blossomed and bloomed, not only with flowers and fruits, but massive buildings have been built up with the products realized by many of our citizens. One of the most prominent is W.S. Stratton, who was a carpenter by trade in this city, but by perseverance and patience he finally discovered what was known and named by him as "The Independence" Mine on Bull Hill in Cripple Creek, which he sold for $10,000,000. At this time he is building a fine building on the corner of Nevada and Pike's Peak Ave., and has purchased property in different parts of the city and is improving them with fine dwellings. He has purchased much valuable property in Denver also. As he said to me the other day, he has invested over $4,000,000, of the $10,000,000 that he received, in buying mining property in Cripple Creek and Real Estate in both Denver and Colorado Springs, and just within the last few weeks he has purchased what is known as "The Rapid Transit Corporation" rights for carrying passengers through our city to Manitou and other places.

I love the mountains because they fed and clothed me when I was hungry and naked, so to speak.

At this time, the first day of August, 1901, I am sitting beneath my own shade trees and each afternoon about 4 or 5 o' clock the shadow of Old Snow Capped Pike's Peak is cast quietly and gently over our beautiful city as the sun goes down in the West, making it one of the most beautiful climates in America. At night we sleep with blankets over us, but in summer, on my South porch in the shade, it often is 75° to 90° at noon.

My politics at this time would be called Democratic. The two great parties of the day are the Democrats and Republicans. When I was a young man, the great political parties were Whig and Democrat. Of course, I refer you to history for a detailed account of the different political parties in this country.

My religion is "Do Right" and with it carry the "Golden Rule." The Golden Rule expression is claimed by the present religious people called Christians, but history dates it thousands of years before Christianity was known. The history, by the time my biography will be opened, will be enlightened by what is now going on in the Babylonian Country, "Explorations and Adventures on the Euphrates" by the University of Pennsylvania, showing ancient cities as far back as 3800 B.C., the mysteries of which will be developed and you will have the opportunity to more enlightenment and advancement than we can have at this crude beginning in the 20th century.

The history that I have lived in is the most progressive and enlightened, and constitutes the brainiest people that ever lived. The inventions are so many, the great steamers upon the Oceans, the Railroads, the telegraph, the telephone, the bicycle and last of all the automobile, now just being introduced into our city, there being about ten of them. My prediction is that you will be navigating the air and that distance will be no consequence whatever. It will be possible to breakfast in Colorado and by the next morning in New York.

I would like to speak in detail of the brave men who lived and died for what they claimed their rights in the late rebellion, beginning in 1861 and ending in 1865; of our great President Lincoln, Generals Grant and Sherman, and on the opposite side, the brave general, Robert E. Lee, and I would like to name others of like character about whom you may learn from history, but I am abbreviated for the want of time and by the sickness of my beloved wife. Although I was not in the war, I tried and undertook to raise a regiment when Mr. Lincoln's first order came for recruits, but the few men that I had enlisted were put into other regiments, being a larger part of the recruits. I was a democrat, as I said before, but I was a "Union" man. I enjoy to think of the good feeling that has been brought about between the old soldiers of the North and the South, who fought against each other, but who have become brothers in every sense of the word.

"Agriculture"

When I was a school boy in my early history, the school books used taught us that the section of the country west of the Mississippi River on to California constituted the Great American Desert, unoccupied and supposed to be never capable of producing agricultural interests or products, but the intelligence, the perseverance and energy of the American people has pushed forward, and today it is the richest and best portion of our whole country with crops far excelling in value and amounts to the acre than any other section of the country. The most delicious of the vegetables that this portion of the "Great American Desert" produces are our luscious Rocky Ford Melons, watermelons and cantaloupes. In their season, they are enjoyed by all the principle patrons of the finest hotels in New York, as well as by the richest people of the Eastern cities.

My first wife died in Leavenworth and in 1873 I married Mrs. Rebecca McNulty, her father being a resident of Cincinnati and having accompanied me to Leavenworth, she being a widow at the time of our marriage with two children, Frank McNulty and Maude McNulty, Maude McNulty still residing with us. Both marriages were pleasant, charming and the last years of my life with my present wife was the sweetest of our courtships, peace and happiness. She accompanied me into the mining camps and endured the pleasures and hardships of that life. At this very hour, I regret to say she is dangerously ill with what is known as Bright's Disease. Yesterday, as I dictated the foregoing, we had hopes of her life being spared. What the result may be will be determined in the next twenty-four hours.

There is only a brief time given me to prepare this little biography of myself, and I have only until tomorrow when it will be sealed up in an iron box to be opened by you 100 years from now, Members of the Colorado Bar Association.

As I am talking to the next century, I only have a few suggestions to indulge in. I hope the profession at that time will be much more learned and better lawyers than at present, the law being so complicated that it takes a lifetime to become a lawyer and my suggestion is that you classify your professions, making a specialty of them. You gentlemen that might possibly live in large cities upon the sea shore would study the Admiralty laws and add to it some other branch, say insurance. Others can take up Real Estate and Commercial Relations. Make yourselves proficient in whatever you do. Be loyal to your clients at all times. Do not permit unlearned men into the profession. Make the laws of admission to the Bar more strict; allow no man to be called a member of the Bar who is not worthy of the profession

If there is a hereafter, we may meet in the future. My views are somewhat crude upon Biblical matters. I cannot bring my mind to believe all that is in the books said to be written by Moses. The Garden of Eden story, the flood, the story of Jonah and the Whale, and such things, in my judgment, never occurred. Many learned men that are perhaps better than myself believe this. When they claim God, who is All Powerful, All Love, made man, he afterwards clamed that he found he had made a great mistake, and called upon Noah to get together two of every living kind of things, to make an ark, and he turned and drowned all the human family.

By the time that this is read, I hope that the world will be wiser and better and all these things will be better understood.

I respectfully submit my name and signature, written by myself.

John Ludlow Pendery

The above dictation was given to two young lady stenographers, Miss Dela Halpin and Miss Florence Pitkin.