Denver, James William, secretary and governor of the Territory of Kansas, was born at Winchester, Va., July 23 (some authorities say the 18th), 1817. He was reared on a farm, attended the common schools, and about the time he attained to his majority went with his parents to Ohio. Here he studied engineering and in 1841 went to Missouri to engage in the practice of that profession. The following year he returned to Ohio and took up the study of law, graduating at the Cincinnati Law School in 1844. In 1847 he was commissioned captain of a company in the Twelfth United States infantry, and served under Gen. Scott in Mexico until the close of the war in July, 1848. He then located at Platte City, Mo., where he practiced law until 1850, when he went to California. While serving in the state senate of California he got into an altercation with Edward Gilbert. A duel followed, with rifles as weapons, and Gilbert was killed. In 1853 Mr. Denver was elected secretary of State of California, and the next year was elected to Congress. He served but one term, but Forney says: "Gen. Denver, while in Congress, as chairman of the committee on Pacific railroad, in 1854-5, presented in a conclusive manner the facts demonstrating the practicability of that great enterprise and the advantage to be derived from it." At the close of his term in Congress, he was appointed commissioner of Indian affairs, and in the spring of 1857 came to Kansas to make treaties. The following December he was appointed secretary of the territory, and subsequently was appointed governor. While governor of Kansas he was active in securing the erection of the Territory of Colorado, and in commemoration of his services in this connection, the capital of Colorado bears his name. On Oct. 10, 1858, he resigned his position as governor to engage in the practice of law. In Aug., 1861, he was commissioned brigadier-general of volunteers by President Lincoln and served until in March, 1863, when he resigned. For a time he practiced law in Washington, D. C., and then removed to Wilmington, Ohio. He was defeated for Congress in that district in 1870, and in 1884 his name was mentioned as a probable candidate for the Democratic nomination for the presidency. On Sept. 3 of that year he attended the old settlers' meeting at Bismarck Grove, near Lawrence, Kan., where he delivered an address. Gov. Denver died, at Washington, D. C., Aug. 8, 1894.