Holzwarth Historic Site - Who Were The Holzwarths

Holzwarth Family - John Holzwarth Sr., Maria, Julia, Sophia Holzwarth Sr Bottom Row: John II, Sophia

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John Gottlieb Holzwarth “Papa” (1865-1932)

Patriarch of the Holzwarth family, John Holzwarth immigrated from Germany to the United States in 1879 at the age of 14, as an indentured apprentice to a baker in St Louis, Missouri. After a few months he ran away to Texas, barely speaking English, where he travelled and worked ranch jobs such as horse wrangler and cook.

Shortly thereafter in 1881 he found himself in Colorado in the Middle Park area, in modern Kremmling. He lived with his brother who drove a mail stagecoach between the towns of Hot Sulphur Springs and Georgetown. He had initially tried to homestead 80 acres that now lie under Lake Granby, but left the area in 1893 to move to Denver and work for Tivoli Brewing.

Sophia (Lebfromm) Holzwarth “Mama” (1870-1954)

Sophia immigrated to the United States in 1890 at the age of 20 from the German state of Baden. She worked as a housekeeper in Denver for affluent families, contracted to work 14-hour days at a rate of $20 per month. She was introduced to John Holzwarth by her younger brother, who was his coworker at Tivoli Brewing in Denver.

John and Sophia Holzwarth

John Sr. and Sophia demonstrated a substantial amount of courage and determination in their lifetimes, establishing a stable life for themselves in the United States. The two were married in 1894 at the St. Elizabeth Church in Denver. They had five children in total: Christina (1895-1895; died in infancy), Julia (1896-1967), Maria (1898-1919), Sophia (1900-1971), and Johnnie (1902-1983).

They operated a saloon in Denver from 1897-1916 called the Old Corner. Their business proved to be profitable, allowing the Holzwarths relative affluence during this time. At one point, they took a trip to Germany to reconnect with family and allow their children to experience their home culture, a rarity for working-class immigrants at the time.

When Colorado’s state prohibition laws went into effect in 1916, it forced them to convert the saloon to a grocery, which proved less successful. In addition, anti-German sentiment as a result of World War I made Denver an even more hostile place for the family to reside. The combination of these factors made retreating into the mountains an appealing option. The Holzwarth family began their homesteading journey in 1917.