Circa 1980s – Isabella Fraser Research On Jacob And Lina Fitting – Page 1 ⧉

Lina Dauth was born in Westhofen Hessen, Germany (now Weisbaden) June 23, 1857. her husband, Jacob Fitting, was also born in Westhofen on March 24, 1856. They were married in Antwerp, Belgium before coming to America in 1880. They first came to fort Collins to see her brother, Louis and then went to Denver and got a room at 17th and Larimer. The room was over a saloon and dance hall and had a church across the street. Lina, who was a milliner, put a sign out front advertising her hats. Rich pioneer women like the Cheesemans and the Moffats paid $50 for them. Jacob, a German locksmith and iron worker, got a job with a Gus Winter and later bought him out. They started the Pioneer Iron and Wire Works at 1429 Market, but in 1933 after a disastrous flood of the Platte River, they had to homestead their land in order to gain Title to it again. Their first big job was making the three block fence around the Denver Union Station. This was done by hand and the wire was crimped at a jewelers. Paid $3,000 in silver dollars. They not only created some of the most beautiful ornamental iron fences to grace the yards of Denver Victorian homes, but a few examples of their other work were: Welcome Arch-Front Union Station, Fence and Iron Work-Denver Mint, Ornamental Gates in Union Station, Carriage Gate at Elitch gardens-now in Esplands, Brass Spigots for fountains in City Park-which they also operated, Fence around Buffalo Bill's Grave, Iron work on many businesses and churches including the gates near the sanctuary at St. John Episcopal Cathedral. Ornamental Iron work for Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, They sold out the family business after 68 years when Jacob Fitting died in 1948 at... ⧉