Horace Tabor
Horace Austin Warner "Haw" Tabor (November 26, 1830 – April 10, 1899), also known as The Bonanza King of Leadville and The Silver King, was an American prospector, businessman, and Republican politician. His success in Leadville, Colorado's silver mines made him one of the wealthiest men in Colorado. He purchased more mining enterprises throughout Colorado and the Southwestern United States, and he was a philanthropist. After the collapse in the silver market during the Panic of 1893, Tabor was financially devastated. He lost most of his holdings, and he labored in the mines. In his last year, he was the postmaster of Denver.
Horace Tabor | |
|---|---|
| United States Senator from Colorado | |
| In office January 27, 1883 – March 3, 1883 | |
| Preceded by | George M. Chilcott |
| Succeeded by | Thomas M. Bowen |
| 2nd Lieutenant Governor of Colorado | |
| In office January 14, 1879 – January 9, 1883 | |
| Governor | Frederick Walker Pitkin |
| Preceded by | Lafayette Head |
| Succeeded by | William H. Meyer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 26, 1830 Holland, Vermont, U.S. |
| Died | April 10, 1899 (aged 68) Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| Resting place | Mount Olivet Cemetery Wheat Ridge, Colorado, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
While married to Augusta Tabor, he had an affair with Elizabeth McCourt Tabor. He divorced Augusta and married Elizabeth, who became known as "Baby Doe". Their relationship was a scandal. When Tabor died, though, there were a reported ten thousand people who attended his funeral.
His life is the subject of Douglas Moore's opera The Ballad of Baby Doe and the 1932 Hollywood biographical movie Silver Dollar. Also, Graham Masterton's 1987 novel Silver has a protagonist named Henry T. Roberts, whose life includes incidents from Tabor's.