Johann Friedrich Hermann DELVENTHAL

Obituary Immigrant’s Contribution Wins Pioneer’s Praise Brighton Blade - Colorado News Paper Date unknown Transcribed by Priscilla Delventhal One of Brighton’s pioneers, 77 year old W.F. Hiller, who came here in1899, here pays tribute to another early-day settler of the community,John Delventhal Sr., a German immigrant, who died Dec. 29 in the househe had built northeast of Brighton in 1886. Mr. Hiller has been anavid Blade contributer for many years, giving his views on manysubjects of both local and national interest. By W.F. Hiller John Delventhal Sr. came from Germany in his teens. This was sometimein the 1880’s. As a youth without means he worked on farms for aliving. In Winter months he attended public school. This was atFirst Creek. He saved his wages. The Americanism he learned at school helped him in his pioneering,which He carried on through life. He didn’t neglect to acquirecitizenship. And he used his right to vote. While still young and unmarried, he together with his brother, Herman,brought the Pitman farm, two miles northeast of Brighton. Hermanlater taking over the northern part of it and John, the southern part. On this land of his John Delventhal lived something like 60 years.This farm he improved-with the help of his wife and children, who wereall born on it. On this farm, the family dairied without interruptionfor more than a half century. Self-Reliance Mind you, it was work with his own strong arms that he did. When hisphysical strength with age declined, he refused to move to town, thereto retire, but remained active, daily choring around. What made John Delventhal an asset to the community was that hepersistently and consistently in more than one way by example and byadvice, adding to the upbuilding of Brighton. He was an irrigation farmer. If anyone believed in irrigation it wasJohn. An irrigation shovel was his constant companion. It was thesign by which he conquered. When asked in former years by prospectivesettlers about purchasing a farm he would tell them to be sure of anadequate water supply. He would dig holes to make sure there wereenough feet of top soil above the ground to hold the moisture after ithad been applied, To secure for his own farm a plentiful and constant supply ofirrigation water, he built his reservoir-this with his own good handsand teams. His farm, when he acquired it, was not located on any publicthoroughfare. To get to Brighton-to make daily milk deliveries to thecreamery, for instance-he had to drive through the neighbor’s veryyard-Hurley and Miller’s place it was then. Now Herman Rosenbrock isthe owner. Opening a few gates was necessary on every trip away fromhome. Perservance To overcome this handicap and get adequate contact with the outsideworld, John Delventhal made his own road-the one ½ mile north and eastof the sugar factory. Besides purchasing the strip of land needed andgrading up the roadbed, another fence had to be made, and the ditchfor the neighbor’s farm had to be moved over 30 feet. This work alsoJohn did with his own help and horses and tools. Thus in various ways was John Delventhal a pioneer and a communitybuilder. By acquiring wealth, first by working for others, then byextracting it from the soil and saving it and putting it to use wherehe could have it under his own supervision. In this way, he like manythousands of other immigrants from various European countries havehelped make America what it is today. Generosity In the same manner in which Mr. Delventhal helped himself, did he helpothers. There were those who once had worked for him as hired men.Later he gave them a chance to rent from him. And still later heassisted them in acquiring their own land, or to become successful inlife. Aspirants, thus helped were both whites and Japanese. To enumerate all the virtues of John Delventhal, which he had incommon with other pioneers and builders of Brighton, would beimpossible and needless. Neighbors know what these men did. And therecord is not silent. Thus also was John Delventhal-again backed by his good family-apioneer and builder of Zion Lutheran Church. He was one of thecharter members, in early years a frequent office holder, a generoussupporter throughout the church’s more than 50 years of existence-anda constant attendant at its services.

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