Bautch, Carl Frank

CARL FRANK BAUTCH - Recollection of Charles Gregory Bruch, nephew, along with limited internet findings

(07/08/2019)

Carl Frank (known to us as Uncle Frank) born during 1889 and died in Denver, CO, July 9, 1966. His death during1966 corresponds to my last conversation with him (phone conservation from Denver Airport (during a plane change) the summer of 1965. He related that he was in the later stages of Prostate Cancer and was not happy about the need for the ongoing medical treatment which he thought was not effective.

My understanding is that during his youth, and being the oldest son of A.J. and Paulina Rosek Bautch, Uncle Frank had been involved in A. J.'s water well drilling operations in Wisconsin and possibly later in Alberta Canada. He, along with the older siblings, had gone with the family on A. J. 's venture in Alberta, Canada. As time went on, the venture unfolded less successfully. I remember Uncle Frank saying once that as he saw it going to failure, he told A.J. that they both were poorer than they were when they came to Canada and that he was leaving. A. J.'s comment was that he would be unable to cross the border into the U.S. Uncle Frank responded with "we will see." The crossing was accomplished and I believe that Uncle Frank went to a Texas oil field and used his past well drilling knowledge to work there. He then went to the new field at Lance Creek, Niobrara County, Wyoming, and became a drilling contractor there with as many as seven operations going on at one time. He resided at a boarding house operated by Mabel Bernard Gariepy, a widow with three children named Glenn, Gail and Bill. Frank married her possibly in 1923. Our mother Josephine Bautch had been too young to go with the family to Canada due to lack of a school there. Upon graduation from Highschool, she went to work in Minneapolis, MN. While there, she came down with Rheumatic Fever and was having a slow recovery. Frank and Mabel invited her to come to Lance Creek for recovery. Wyoming agreed with her and she ultimately married our father Albert Bruch January 16, 1929 in Independence, WI, and then lived the remainder of her life in WY. Twins Elizabeth "Betty" Pauline and Elizabeth "Beth" Lucille had been born February 9, 1925 to Frank and Mabel. Subsequently, Frank and Mabel moved the family to Lusk, WY, possibly for the children and/or better living conditions, plus work opportunity for our mother Josephine at the Niobrara County Courthouse.

During 1935, with drilling slowing down plus requiring rotary rather than percussion drilling due to depth, decided to leave the drilling business. He went to Denver and purchased the 100 room Sears Hotel at 1755 California Street, located in the middle of downtown Denver. He operated the hotel as owner/manager, living in a second-floor suite of four rooms plus another room down the hall used for the kitchen. Mabel managed the hotel maid service from a linen storage room. The operation continued until probably 1946 or 47 when he sold the hotel and retired to a house purchased in the 700 block of Cook Avenue in Denver. I attended Regis College in Denver during 1948-49 and was a guest at their location occasionally for Sunday dinner. I remember being in down town Denver and encountering Frank on 17th Street one Saturday afternoon near the hotel. We noticed each other and he said to me enthusiastically "I just bought the hotel back!" As time went on, however, business declined and he sold out again in 1961.

During the Denver school years of Betty and Beth, they attended the exclusive Kent School for Girls with Frank driving them to it daily and keeping his Buick auto in the multistory garage across the street from the hotel. Upon graduation, they both attended the University of Wyoming and were active in the Tri Delta women's sorority there. As I recall, they did not graduate, but each married at the end of four years there. Betty to Henry H. Cook, who then went on to Colorado State University, Fort Collins, where his studies led to his becoming a Veterinarian. Betty died July 23, 2015 in Roseville, CA, and Henry later there on August 19 2017. Beth married Russell L. "Russ" Bugas, son of a prominent Wamsutter, Wyoming, ranch family. Russ graduated and went to work for a Denver meat-packing company as a livestock buyer. Russ's oldest brother had become International Vice-president of Ford Motor Company, while an older sister was active as an Attorney in Denver. Russ died in 1982, and Beth in Salisbury, MD, on July 28, 2008.

Mabel's son Glenn Gariepy graduated from the University of Wyoming in Geology and later became the Chief Geologist of the Ohio Oil Company in Findlay, Ohio. I had met him during the summer of 1952 when I was at the Naval Shipyard, Long Beach, CA, attending Officer Candidate School. Glenn with wife Pearl then were living in La Canada, CA. Later, with a company transfer to Houston, TX, Glenn died of a heart attack there on October 18, 1962. Gail had graduated in Education at the University of Wyoming, and married John Gudger, the son of a prominent ranch family near Newcastle, WY. I recall that they operated a creamery in Newcastle where she taught school. He was drafted into the army for World War II. Gail died April 3, 2004, at Centennial. CO. Mabel's son Bill Gariepy didn't fit into life well and was looked upon as a "Bum" usually coming around periodically for a handout from Mabel and Frank.

Uncle Frank was an enterprising businessman and tried to help his relatives financially with this:

1. Brother in law Albert: Our father Albert Bruch had been a State of Wyoming Department Manager at the capital building. Being a Democrat, and with a Republican Governor elected during 1938, he was turned out of office in 1939 and began investigating alternative business opportunities. One late fall afternoon Uncle Frank stopped at our house in Cheyenne, WY, and suggested that he and our father look into purchasing a small oil refinery and filling station at Yoder, WY, some 75 miles north on U. S. Highway 85. This resulted in the purchase and our move to the location for the purchase which finalized on January 1, 1940. Our father and mother operated the business until the fall of 1945 when it was sold to two Mills brothers from Lusk, WY. Aunt Mabel later had told us that Uncle Frank had been pleased with the fact that the business provided him with a profit each year for his share of the venture, and that his investment was returned upon the sale.

2. Stepdaughter Gail and her husband John Gudger: After John returned from WW II, Frank helped them go into sheep ranching in Southwestern CO near Montrose. It didn't go well and a few years later they sold out and I think moved to Eaton, CO and later to Fort Lupton. CO.

3. Daughter Beth and her husband Russ Bugas: As time went on, Frank helped Russ buy into a heating and ventilating company in Longmont , CO. The venture apparently did not go well and Russ and Beth moved to Salisbury, MD, where apparently they lived until passing away. As time went on, Russ wanted to leave the livestock buying for the meat company and Frank helped Russ go into a heating and ventilating company in Longmont, CO. The venture apparently did not go well and Russ and Beth moved to Salisbury, MD, where apparently they both lived until passing.

4. Daughter Betty and her husband Henry Cook: Frank helped him and an associate financially to startup a Veterinary practice in Denver. Betty and Henry moved to Roseville, CA, during 1963 where he then practiced (often for race horses) and they both lived until passing away. At one time Henry had President Ragan's California horse doctor.

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