![Ernest Todd [Click here to view full size picture]](media/history/tn_ernest_dude_todd.jpg)
Ernest Richard "Dude" Todd was born in 1903 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. As an infant he came with his parents to Toponas where his uncle ran a stage stop. The family eventually settled in Oak Creek where his father was a mechanic for the Moffat Coal Company and during the summer homesteaded on Morrison Creek. "Dude" grew up in south Routt attending high school in Oak Creek. At age 16 he started working in the mines loading 2 1/2 ton cars at $.50 cents each. Following high school he went to work for Colorado-Ute Coal Co. and studied to become an electrician. He became the company's chief electrician. In 1931 he was appointed superintendent of the Oak Creek light plant and was town manager of Oak Creek for a time. In 1928 "Dude" married Dorothy Taylor and they moved to Mt. Harris where he was employed as assistant superintendent of the mine. While there he devised a system that enabled the Mt. Harris mine to double its tonnage. "Dude" continued working in the mines until he was elected sheriff in 1942, taking office in January 1943 and served a two year term. He was a member of the Oak Creek Masonic Lodge #167 and was active in community affairs serving with the Routt County Council on Aging and helped to bring a senior center to the city of Steamboat Springs where he lived after retirement. Ernest "Dude" Todd died on March 15, 1984 at his home on Pine Street, the senior center.
Resource:
Steamboat Pilot, March 1984
© 2004 Joyce Cusick nacpinc@hotmail.com
|
![Ernest Todd [Click here to view full size picture]](javascript:showPic(new picObj('media/history/ernest_dude_todd.jpg', ' Ernest Todd',410,600));)