Frederick Walker Pitkin

Frederick Walker Pitkin (August 31, 1837 – December 18, 1886) was an American politician who served as the second governor of the state of Colorado from 1879 to 1883. He was a member of the Republican Party.

Life and career Frederick Pitkin was born in Manchester, Connecticut. He graduated cum laude from Wesleyan University in 1858, and earned a law degree from Albany Law School in 1859. on Engineer Pass with Milton Cline.

Utilizing his contacts in the mining industry, he announced his candidacy for Governor of Colorado in 1878, and won. During his two terms as governor, he dealt with a number of crises including the railway feud involving the Atchison, Topeka-Santa Fe, and the Denver-Rio Grande rail companies. He ordered the suppression of the Ute Indian uprising at the Milk Creek Battle or Meeker Massacre in 1879. In 1880, he declared martial law during the mining strike at Leadville. He was an unsuccessful candidate for U.S. Senate in 1882.

Following his retirement from public office, he settled in Pueblo, Colorado and resumed his law practice and mining business. He died in Pueblo and was buried in Riverside Cemetery in Denver, Colorado. Later, his remains were moved to Fairmount Cemetery in Denver.

He and his wife Fidelia James, a native of Lockport, New York, had three children: Robert James Pitkin, Florence Pitkin, and George Orrin Pitkin.

Entities named after Pitkin Pitkin County, Colorado Pitkin, Colorado Pitkin Avenue, Saguache, Colorado Pitkin Street, Fort Collins, Colorado Pitkin Avenue, Glenwood Springs, Colorado Pitkin Avenue, Grand Junction, Colorado Pitkin Avenue, Pueblo, Colorado