The second inhabitant of the Whitehead-Peabody Mansion was James Hamilton Peabody. Governor Peabody’s legacy is wrought with scandal, violent opposition to unions and workers’ rights, an alleged stolen election, and political disgrace. One wonders what ghosts he may have invited into the house, as Peabody was responsible for injustices of many flavors during his political career.

His second term as the 15th governor of Colorado lasted less than 24 hours. This famous 1904 gubernatorial election is well known as the most corrupt election in Colorado history.

James H. Peabody, born in Topsham, Vermont in 1852, was the youngest of 17 children. In 1871 James’s family moved to Colorado to run a dry goods store, and after completing his degree, James followed his family to Pueblo. He worked as a bookkeeper for the family for a few years, then moved to Canyon City in 1875 where he worked for James Clellend, the owner of a mercantile store and the father of Peabody’s future wife, Frances Lillian Celland. Peabody eventually purchased Clellend’s store in 1882, and then began his political career as county clerk of Fremont County. 

James H. Peabody helped organize the First National Bank of Canon City and was elected president of the bank in 1891. He then served as treasurer, alderman, and was a key player in the establishment of the Canyon City Water Works Company and the Electric Light Company of Canyon City. 

Peabody became an active member of the Republican Party and ran for governor in 1902 on a “law and order” platform. He won the election in 1902, and in 1903 was sworn in as the 13th governor of Colorado. 

Peabody used his inaugural address to inform his audience he would not tolerate the public disorders of the previous decade. He declared that order would be “conserved and promoted by an efficient well equipped and well disciplined National Guard.” He thought Colorado had a bad reputation as an “unsafe place for the investment of capital” that made it necessary for him to use “all the power and authority” vested in his office to protect life and property.” – The Role of Federal Military Forces in Domestic Disorders 1877-1945, Clayton D. Laurie and Ronald M. Cole

After winning the election, Peabody set out to find a suitable home, and chose the property at 1128 Grant Street, the beautiful mansion built by Dr. Whitehead.

History tells us Peabody is well known for his adverse tactics against miners and miners’ unions. He commonly sent the National Guard and state militia to oppose strikes, make unwarranted arrests, break into miners’ homes, harass their wives and children, and detain miners without formal charges. In 1903 Peabody ordered 1000 militiamen to Teller County to support mine owners and their oppressive working conditions. At the time, an emboldened Mine Owner’s Association and its partner Citizens’ Alliance threatened to hang the county sheriff, Henry Roberston, and forcefully took over the pro-union periodical the Victor Record. They captured strikers and confined them to bullpens or deported them to Kansas where they were abandoned. 

During the unrest, Colorado National Guard Adjutant General Sherman Bell famously said, “Habeas Corpus hell! We’ll give them post mortems.” 

Governor James Peabody’s influence and support of mine owners was in direct opposition to the nonviolent stance of miners’ unions resulting in several deadly battles between the two factions. Mine owners came out of the labor wars victorious, and labor unions lost significant power. 

Following the labor strikes and violent clashes between mine owners and miners’ unions and workers of 1903, the gubernatorial election in 1904 was wrought with controversy. After the votes were counted, it seemed as if Democratic candidate Alva Adams had won, but the Republican state legislature insisted the election had been stolen from Peabody. Records later indicated that both sides had committed significant election fraud, and on March 17, 1905,  the day Adams was to be sworn in, Colorado Legislature voted to reinstall Peabody on the condition that Peabody resign immediately, handing the position to his lieutenant governor, Jesse McDonald. 

So, Colorado became the only state in the Union to have had three governors in one day. James H. Peabody then returned to Canyon City and retired from political life. He lived in Canyon City until he died in 1917.