Cotopaxi, Colorado: Russian Jewish Colony
Emanuel Saltiel
...now lies in an unmarked grave in Wyoming. Probably.
Some background
The history is that Emanuel Saltiel influenced the Hebrew Emigrant Aide Society (HEAS) to provide him with funds to establish the colony in Cotopaxi. The funds were provided for Saltiel to purchase all implements, tools, food and supplies for the colonists and build homes for each family and, but when the colonists arrived, the homes were not all built and the "homes" that were constructed were not completed. The failure of Saltiel to fully execute his commitments had a negative impact on the success of the Colony.
First, let me disclose that I am not related to Emanuel Saltiel, I am not
related to any descendantsa descendant of the Cotopaxi Colony, and I am not Jewish. (apparently, my family "line" does have a remote verified connection back at least to Judah!)
I have lived in the Cotopaxi area (within 6 miles or closer with the exception of about two years) since 1973. About 15 of those years were within the "town limits" of Cotopaxi. I have lived on the "Mow" place, which previously was owned, at least partially, Abraham Snyder. I currently live near the colonist's 1st camp just above the Zedek land declaration location.
I hold Emanuel Saltiel in high esteem. According to the Makovskys, "Saltiel / Shaltiel / Shal-el" means "I have requested of God" And even we Gentiles have an understanding of "Emanuel" as "God-with-us". So, I figure with a name like that, Emanuel Saltiel had good in him. Without Emanuel Saltiel, I wouldn't have met the Makovskys, so he is ok in my "book".
The purpose of this page is not to demean Emanuel Saltiel, nor pit one Jew - or Gentile - against another.
Food for thought
Emanuel Saltiel influenced HEAS to establish the colony in Cotopaxi.
The Colony Jews would likely have suffered from anti-Jewish laws in Russia.
My wife, Cruz, proposes this analogy:
Joseph was sold by his own brothers.
This was for a reason. God's reason. (It's all in the Bible!)
Joseph forgave his brother's actions.
However, no one out of the eleven tribes of the brothers says
"No, we didn't sell Joseph."
the bottom line:
Joseph was sold by his own brothers. Joseph forgave his brother's actions.
Thus, while understanding the bottom line,
We are going to look at the facts,
while remembering:
Emanuel Saltiel helped some Jews get out of Russia
at a critical time in the history of Jews in Europe.
The genealogy work by Jen Lowe shows the importance:
Jen's IF-Then Blog If you think it didn't happen
concerning the Jews of Brest Litovsk
that did not come to Cotopaxi
the Holocaust:
From Jen Lowe,
"....when you do genealogy and see that an entire family of 3 generations ALL died on the very same day.....
you know that it is real."
Please do not be upset with Saltiel.
He was a fairly sharp operator.
Notes that Julius Schwarz
reports that the colonists/HEAS had at their disposal over 3000 acres of land at the Cotopaxi Colony. And Saltiel had provided only two plows for them.That math doesn't add up to success.
Without Emanuel Saltiel, I probably wouldn't have met the Makovskys, Marcia Snyder or Sheldon Altman, and others, so Saltiel is ok in my "book".
*At some point, we may take a critical look at the revision of history by Miles Saltiel that the Rocky Mountain Jewish Historical Society has published.
Miles has -without permission - taken Flora Jane Satt's thesis from this site and put it on his own site. He took out Flora Jane's footnotes and added his own. Miles contends that Emanuel Saltiel was in no way a villain - mainly because he was a Saltiel. In other words, Miles has some serious family name pride. That's ok. But that familiar enthusiasm is contradicted not just by the colony descendant's family stories, but also by the Taman family reports, which are quite negative towards Emanuel Saltiel.
.......more developing....THIS WILL TAKE SOME TIME....it isn't an important issue to me, and will likely be "back-burnered"
A look at the relationships between Emanuel Saltiel
and the the history of the Cotopaxi Colony.
Beginning with:
The Amazing History of Emanuel H. Saltiel
Such as:
Served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War
Was an Officer in the Confederate Army.
Was captured by the Union Army.
Escaped -
Obtained the new identification and name (Isaacs) from a banker acquaintance -
Returned to Union Army confines
This to prevent his execution (as he was a Confederate officer)
Joined Union Army - sent to western Frontier
Drummed out of Army
(this guy is a survivor!)
1868: co-authored book with George Barnett
History and business directory of Cheyenne
and guide to the mining regions of the Rocky Mountains
Saltiel owned and operated newspapers.
1882: Saltiel OWNED Cotopaxi.
1882: Election Judge, Cotopaxi
1882: George W. Meyers Constable of Cotopaxi
1883: Emanuel Saltiel's Sweated Labor (Jewish Colonists)
1884: Returned to Cotopaxi the day Gold Tom was shot and killed!
1897: Wanted in Montana
1897: Saltiel Indicted for Fraud
Saltiel was partners with
...Buried in and unmarked grave in Wyoming.
to be continued...
Please do not be upset with Saltiel.
Copyright © 2001-2016 Nelson Moore. All Rights Reserved.