Joseph Bunce

Background

Joseph Henry Bunce was born on 15 December 1823 in New New York

Career

He was a steamboat captain until the mid-1860s, when he founded a wholesale grocery firm. Typical of Louisville steamboat captains, he lived with his family in the Portland district. A Democrat, he ran against future mayor John G. Baxter and police chief Robert Gilchriest in 1869.

He was elected to a two-year term, but the city charter was changed in 1870 to allow for a three-year term and Bunce chose to run again for a new term, and was defeated this time by Baxter.

In 1888, he built the first area school, which is still known as the Bunce school. He was appointed postmaster of the Bunce station in October 1895.

In 1896 he was justice of the peace for Allenspark and Jamestown. Bunce was a significant figure in Allenspark, Colorado, history, homesteading near there in 1897.

Around 1900, he moved to Lyons, Colorado, where he was elected justice of the peace in 1901 and later mayor.

Bunce married Josephine Mullins (1828-1882) and had four children who survived, Mary Alice, Charles William, Harriet Archer, and Marshall Halbert. He died on 27 February 1908 in Lyons, Colorado.

Achievements

• Despite not being endorsed by the democratic party or The Courier-Journal, Bunce won by 300 votes over Baxter.