Obituary of Oliver H.P. Baxter from the Pueblo Chieftain, 16 Apr 1910.

O. H. P. Baxter, Pueblo Pioneer, Passes Peacefully Away After Short Illness. Much Beloved Citizen Who Has Watched Pueblo Grow From Frontier Village Goes to His Reward.

O. H. P. Baxter, one of the most loved and respected citizens of Pueblo, a prominent man throughout the state, a pioneer to Colorado, passed away at his home at Grand avenue and Fifteenth Street about 10:30 last night. Mr. Baxter was in good health until last Sunday. He declined rapidly for two days and his death was looked for on Wednesday. He recovered slightly, however, on Thursday and it was thought that he had a chance to live until a few hours before his death last night. A statement as to the cause of death has not been given out by the physician. He was 74 years of age.

Mr. Baxter was respected by all who knew him. He had an unlimited number of acquaintances and friends in Pueblo and southern Colorado, many of whom since his death has been expected have expressed themselves that his word was ironclad and that there was no more loved man in the entire state. He was a friend of the friendless and his deeds of charity, unheralded to the public, were legion.

Born in Harrison County, Indiana [sic Jefferson County, Indiana], Oct. 31, 1835, he secured his education there, and when 24 years old set out for the Rocky mountain region with a party of men whose spirits were as bold as his own. They traveled over the country in prairie schooners and arrived on the banks of the Arkansas in the fall of 1859. There were no railroads in Colorado at that date. There was no Pueblo. After searching the mountains for gold for a short time Baxter with a few others took up some land twenty miles east of here and engaged in farming and cattle raising. When the railroad came the settlement was named Baxter. Mr. Baxter was married in 1867, while still in the ranching business, to Miss Edna Alice Henry, daughter of J. W. Henry, a wealthy rancher of the same district.

It was about this time that the Indians became troublesome and the settlers in all the western country were in constant danger of their lives. Sectional repulses did no good. A regiment was organized under the leadership of Colonel Chivington, settlers from all over the state volunteering their services. The Indians had been terrorizing the country in and about where Pueblo now is. The regiment met up with them on Sand creek and destroyed the entire tribe, squaws, papooses and all. O. H. P. Baxter was a captain in this regiment. [Yes, this was what was known as the Sand Creek Massacre.]

In 1868 he removed to the then arising town of Pueblo and engaged in the milling business. Old settlers of this city recall the mill which ground out their flour and which stood where the post office now stands. It was in that day a long way from the city. After many years of prosperous milling the growth of the city demanded that the mill be torn down and Mr. Baxter went into the banking business. The American National bank absorbed his time and energy up until a few years ago. Since that time he has conducted a real estate office.

Mr. Baxter was a member of the Odd Fellows, having joined that organization in 1856 at his home in Indiana. He was the first noble grand master of the Pueblo lodge. He was also a member of the Southern Colorado Pioneers' association. He is survived by a wife and two daughters, the latter of whom are Mrs. W. L. Bruner, of Chicago, and Mrs. A. E. Starkloss, of Philadelphia. These children of the deceased were informed by telegraph when their father was first taken seriously ill, but were later told that he was better. Word was sent of the death last night and both will arrive in the city before the funeral. ~end obit~

FAMILY

Oliver H.P. Baxter was the husband of Edna Alice Henry Baxter, daughter of Judge John Wesley Henry and Ann Elizabeth Shoots Henry.

Edna Alice Henry Baxter had two sisters: Martha Jane Henry Noble; and Margaret Henry Thatcher. Their mother, Ann Elizabeth, died c. 1851 in St. Joseph, Missouri. Her grave site is unknown. John W. married a second time to Margaret Struby. John and Margaret had no children together.

O.H.P. Baxter and Edna Alice had five children: Jennie Baxter;
Maude Hattie Baxter Bruner (1871-1941), residing in Chicago at the time of her death;
Edith May Baxter (she was living in Indiana in the 1930 census, DOD unknown);
Henry H Baxter;
Oliver Hazard Perry Baxter, Jr.

O.H.P. Baxter was part of the Indiana Baxter family, known as the "Fighting Baxters": seven brothers fought in the Civil War and all seven returned. His siblings include:

James Riddle Baxter (1829-1896)
Josiah Kerr Baxter (1831-1921)
William Alexander Baxter (1938-1877)
Hiram Bennett Baxter (1840-1938)
George Washington Baxter (1843-1920)
Alonzo Hayden Hayes Baxter (1845-1930)
Edward Arthur Zener Baxter (1847-1934)
Leonidas Napoleon Baxter (1849-1928)
Havanna Salome Baxter (1852-1935)
Emolona Hazeltone Baxter (1854-1856)
Erastus Virgil Baxter (1859-1861) half brother

Burial Note: O.H.P. Baxter was originally buried at Northside Cemetery (IOOF Cemetery), aka Pueblo Pioneer Cemetery, established in the 1870s, the oldest cemetery in Pueblo. On Find-A-Grave, this is known as Pueblo Pioneer Cemetery. His grave was removed to Roselawn Cemetery, Pueblo, Colorado on 27 Jun 1953.

I don't know why someone moved these Noble/Baxter family graves, except that it seems that someone wanted all of these people to be buried together. Obviously, these are not the original stones for the people who were disinterred and re-interred. What did O.H.P. Baxter's original stone look like? Unless we can find someone with photos of the cemetery prior to 1953, we will never know. We've lost a lot of information about the family members who were moved, and the more I think about it, the more annoyed I become. It seems to me to be incredibly presumptuous on the part of whomever did this to simply move another person's grave. If anyone has any more information about this event than I do, I would appreciate being contacted.