People

: Ella (Foster) O'Brien; A homemaker, printer's devil and poet. She was born in Norwood, Colorado and raised on a homestead in the Paradox Valley area of Montrose. She and her brother Earl often stayed with their grandparents Sarah and James Bristol while they were growing up, as their parents worked on a nearby ranch. In the 1910's, her family moved to a boarding house for miners in Bull Canyon that was owned by W.L. Cummings. There, her father John "Peg-leg" Foster and mother Laura Foster ran the boarding house. Upon her parents' divorce, Laura married John Keski, a Finnish immigrant and miner. As a child, she witnessed the shooting death of their family friend Henry "Indian Henry" Huff by her stepfather John Keski over a card game. Upon John Keski's release from jail, the family moved to join him in Utah, then returned shortly after to Colorado. While in school in Lake City, Ella worked on the local newspaper and became a printer's devil, wrote poetry, and sang at silent movies. She later worked off and on for a resort in Lake City owned by Mrs. French. She was married Ralph Foreman on November 5, 1933, and divorced him on March 11, 1933. She married Glen Grimsbey November 4, 1925, and divorced him on February 6, 1933. She married Clinton O'Brien in 1933. She gave birth to five boys and six girls. Five of her girls died in childhood. All five of her sons served in World War II.

: Ella (Moore) Nessler; She was born in New York state to unknown parents. She had moved to Iowa by 1883, when Iowa marriage records show that she married William Nessler, a fellow New Yorker. The 1900 US Census shows them living in Sioux Rapids with daughter Eva Nessler, with her husband working as a harness maker. Along with many other Iowans, they moved to Palisade, Colorado in 1906. There, the family farmed fruit.

: Ella Donovan; Contributor to "In Our Own Write," (source: In Our Own Write: A Gunnison Valley Journal)

: Ella Fahlander; 2002 Cattlemen's Days Queen, graduated from Crested Butte Community School in 2002, attended Colorado State University (from 2002 Cattlemen's Days Brochure)

: Ella Knox; Ella Mae McWhorter Knox was born 25 March 1912 in Dayton, Ohio to Allen and Edna McWhorter. She was the eldest of four children. She attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. After college, she moved to Oklahoma City where she met and married George Knox on 21 April 1936. Two sons were born to the union: George Knox, Jr. and Allen Knox. After relocating to Cascade, Colorado, the Knox family removed to Vail in the 1960s. They established the Vail Trail on 15 October 1965. Ella Knox wrote a column entitled, “Green Thumb Ella.” She also served as circulation manager for the Vail Trail and Secretary-Treasurer of Knox Publishing Company. A legendary cook and high-altitude gardener, Ella Knox was politically active and committed to her faith. Noted in the “President’s Daily Diary,” Ella and George Knox, Sr. regularly attended social functions with President Gerald Ford and First Lady Betty Ford in Vail. Ella Knox passed away on 13 June 2007 in Carbondale, Colorado.

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