People

: James Leslie "Les" Kittle; A musician and teacher in the Grand Valley. He was born in Greeley, Colorado to Albert F. “Bert” Kittle and Margaret Eleanor (Robinson) Kittle. His father had moved to Greeley from North Carolina and opened a grocery store after seeing an ad in the newspaper placed by Horace Greeley. Les grew up in Greeley, where he biked and hiked in the mountains near Estes Park. After finishing school, he worked in his father’s grocery store. His musical career began in 5th grade, when he played clarinet in a boys’ band and took up the cello. In high school, he played music for Vaudeville acts and silent movies in theaters. He later played in hotels. He married Gladys West on July 5, 1927 in Greeley. He supported them by giving cello lessons while he obtained a master’s degree. His wife played piano and they often played together until her death in 1954. He taught at Adams State College from 1930-49 and Colorado Women’s College from 1950-55, presumably in music. He later married Lois Johnson, but they separated. He moved to Grand Junction in 1960. There, he married Dorothy Sherman and they had seventeen happy years together. He was a member of the Rotary, Colorado Education Association, and the Musicians’ Union.

: James McConnell; He was born in Ohio to an Irish immigrant father and German immigrant mother. Along with Mr. Lowe, he was the owner of the McConnell-Lowe shoe store in Grand Junction, Colorado. He was Glenn McFall’s boss, and a devout Catholic, which at the time caused him trouble from the Ku Klux Klan. Their discriminatory practices adversely affected his business.

: James McCourt; Early resident of Crested Butte, Colorado. Died in the Jokerville Mine Explosion on January 24, 1884.

: James McGregor; Early resident of Crested Butte, Colorado. Died in the Jokerville Mine Explosion on January 24, 1884.

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