Lawrence N. Greenleaf

Lawrence Nichols Greenleaf (October 4, 1838 – October 25, 1922) was an early pioneer of Colorado. He was an entrepreneur, newspaper correspondent, comedian, poet, publisher, and Past Grand Master of Colorado Masons. He is best remembered for his poetry, especially his "The Lodge Room Over Simpkins’ Store". He has been called "poet laureate of Freemasonry" and "Pioneer Poet".

Biography Early life and pioneer Greenleaf was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on October 4, 1838, to Gardner Greenleaf of New England and Rebecca J. Caldwell of Nova Scotia. He received his education in the Boston public schools, graduating in 1855 from the English High School. After completing his education he worked in a wholesale importing house for four years.

At the start of the Pike's Peak Gold Rush in 1859, Greenleaf partnered with Gardner G. Brewer to start a mercantile business in what was then Kansas Territory. via Colorado Springs, Colorado (then known as Colorado City) and Ute Pass—a very treacherous route, but the only way of getting to California Gulch. Having made a considerable profit, the two men returned to Denver to start a mercantile store but starting in 1863 they began to transform their store into a toys and fancy goods shop. The two men would work together for thirty years. and as president in 1894.

Lawrence and Jennie Greenleaf had three children together. Their first child, Gardner, was born on February 6, 1871, and who later moved to Chicago. Their second child, Eugene Lawrence Greenleaf, born on August 19, 1875, went on to become a continentally renowned magician and stage artist. Eugene primarily lived in Chicago and traveled with the Redpath Lyceum Bureau and the Chautauqua Circuit. Just as his father wrote under a pen name, so too did Eugene work under a stage name: Eugene Laurant. Their third child, Rebecca Jane, born in 1877, married a Salt Lake City merchant, Don Rose Lewis. and was a judge for the First Ward in the Denver City Election of 1866. He served on the Board of Education of Denver School District No. 1 from 1885 until 1891, It is believed Greenleaf was so impressed by the way the Freemasons handled the situation and sought justice that he desired to become a member. However, Greenleaf did not become a Mason for another three years, nor was he initiated into the Masonic fraternity in Colorado.

Greenleaf was initiated an Entered Apprentice, passed to a Fellowcraft, and raised a Master Mason on the same day by special dispensation at Columbian Lodge in Boston on November 21, 1863. For what reasons he had returned to Boston is unknown. Eight months later he traveled back to Colorado, demitted from Columbian Lodge and affiliated with Denver Lodge No. 5 A.F. & A.M.

Greenleaf earned the title of "Pioneer Poet" in December 1860. The very next day the Rocky Mountain News had the following to say concerning the poem:

It was of an humorous character, abounding in keen satire and well devised puns, and produced repeated rounds of applause from those present. Mr. G. possesses rare poetic talent, and may in time become no insignificant rival of the renowned [John] Saxe.

Edward H. Collins (left), Lawrence N. Greenleaf (center), and William N. Byers (right) in Masonic regalia circa 1870 Over the years Greenleaf would publish poems in the Rocky Mountain News, as well as witty jokes and comical correspondences. The publisher of Rocky Mountain News, William Byers, was a close friend of Greenleaf's. Like many of Greenleaf's associations and friendships, Byers was a Freemason and a Past Master of Denver Lodge No. 5 A.F. & A.M in 1876. Byers permitted Greenleaf to publish in the newspaper his satirical and comical writings, which he did under the nom de plume Peter Punever. As Punever, Greenleaf shows off his wit and humor, usually in the form of puns. The Punever jokes were very popular, and gained him the epithet of "the undaunted and the inspired Pike's Peak punster".

The satirical writings, poems, and jokes of Greenleaf, as both himself and as Peter Punever, led him to publish a collection of his poems in a book entitled King Sham and Other Atrocities in Verse; Including a Humorous History of the Pike's Peak Excitement (New York: Hurd and Houghton). It was Greenleaf's only published book. The book is composed of two parts: “King Sham,” which is the collection of his comical poems, most of which had been previously published in the Rocky Mountain News; the second part is composed of “Serious and Occasional Pieces.” A few of the serious poems had been previous published in the newspaper, such as "Shades and Gleams", but most were previously unpublished or had only ever been presented at literary association events.

The poem "King Sham" is one of the most popular of the poems in King Sham. It is an incredibly pessimistic and satirical poem that, first, illustrates a fantasy world call the Kingdom of Humbug, which is ruled over by King Sham. Everything in this fantasy world is cheap, fake, and coerced. Next Greenleaf reveals that this fantasy is, in fact, reality: "Society's a sham, beyond a doubt." This poem was very popular unto itself. It was first presented on March 26, 1862, at the People's Theater as part of a benefit performance. He then took the poem on tour to the various isolated mining camps throughout the Territory of Colorado, As publisher and editor of a Masonic magazine, he was finally provided the platform on which to regularly disseminate more of his written works and drive his agendas for Freemasonry.

Books on Lawrence N. Greenleaf Lawrence N. Greenleaf: Pioneer Poet of Colorado, Volume I: The Poetry. Ed. Patrick M. Dey. Denver, Colorado: House 12 Underbelly. 2023. ISBN 979-8218178109. (A compilation of the collected poetry of Greenleaf, including a biography and annotations to his poems). Lawrence N. Greenleaf: Pioneer Poet of Colorado, Volume II: The Writings. Ed. Patrick M. Dey. Colorado Springs, Colorado: House 12 Underbelly. 2024. ISBN 979-8218526443. (A compilation of the collected writings of Greenleaf).