The Jose Ramon Aguilar Story
From Centennial Aguilar Booklet 1994
Jose Ramon Aguilar was born in Mora County, Territory of New Mexico, on February 10, 1852, and came to the beautiful Apishapa that headwaters at the base of the Spanish Peaks in 1879.
Prior to this, the first irrigation ditch was appropriated and named the Gonzales ditch in 1866, and in 1867 Agapito Rivali had set up a trading post for Indians and Spanish American farmers. The wife of Julian Gonzales (the family the Gonzales ditch was named after) sold their homestead to Jose Ramon Aguilar in April of 1882.
In 1886 J.R. Aguilar borrowed $500 from Muerdo Mackenzie giving him a deed of trust to the property. Muerdo Mackenzie was a cattle baron in the county. J.R. Aguilar sold 160 acres of his property to Casimiro Barela in 1889 and they began a partnership for a five year period. Barela later became a Colorado State Senator. In 1892 with their land being surveyed they gave W.H. Schultz power of attorney to sell lots in town and he received a 20% commission. In July 1892 Barela and Aguilar signed the official plat of the town.
J. R. Aguilar, J. W. Jamison, P.W. Gribble, W. F. McDowell, and H. D. Tobey were appointed commissioners for holding an election to incorporate the town in 1883. Then January 18, 1894 Aguilar was incorporated as a town and J. H. Hibbitts was the first Mayor, and J. R. Aguilar served as one of the first trustees. Mr. Aguilar served in the Colorado House of Representatives in 1881-1882, 1887-1888, and in 1891 he served his first term as county commissioner. He also served as Mayor in 1897-1898 and 1901-1902. Mr. Aguilar served on the school board and initiated the building of a two room adobe school house adjoining his property on East Main. In 1884 only first and second graders were enrolled and the teachers were E. Gildersleve and Sadie McDonald.
Mr. Aguilar was a prominent cattle and sheepman and farmed the fertile valley of the Apishapa. In 1885 he was united in marriage to Nicolasa Coca from the prominent Coca family of east Aguilar. In 1891 he married a second time, Bersabe Lopez, and they had nine children, two girls and a boy died as infants. The other children were Jose Jr, Anna, Josephine, Justine, Esperanza, and Amelia. They lived in the adobe home on east Main raising their family and Mr. Aguilar remained busy in community affairs and operating the ranch.
Mr. Aguilar passed away in Aguilar, CO in 1929 and was laid to rest in the Catholic Cemetery southeast of town. Mrs. Aguilar passed away March 21, 1969 and was laid to rest alongside her husband. Jose Ramon and his wife Bersabe were truly pioneer people who settled this beautiful Apishapa Valley and were contributors to all of the lives they touched. His greatest honor is the town of Aguilar that has survived for more than one century and was named in his honor.