I'm a Colorado Pioneer!

Original Post Date: February 20, 2008

Okay, so I'm actually descended from them. But still, that's pretty dang cool!

My sister just bought a car and she was researching the many different license plates that we have here in Colorado. She wanted to get a vanity plate that says "Elphie", because her car is named Elphaba. (It's green.) But those are really expensive...and you keep paying for them every year. So alas, Elphie will not bear her name on the tags. But in her research, Shauna found that in order to get the Colorado Pioneer plates, you have to prove that you've had family in the state for at least 100 years. We've been hear awhile, but I never knew the exact dates. I knew that my grandpa was born in Campion in 1914...and his cousin was born in Loveland in 1911. But we needed proof that someone was here prior to 1908. Well, we found it! We found a history written by my great-grandfather, George Milligan. He said that they left Nebraska in late September 1900 and arrived in Colorado in early October. They came by covered wagon (which they built themselves!) George was 10 years old. My great-great grandfather, John Milligan, died the following year and is buried Loveland. If we can find his death certificate, or a deed to the house they bought...or anything like that, we would be eligible for Colorado Pioneer plates! Cool, huh? We've always thought maybe we could get them, but now we know for sure! I don't know if Shauna is going to get them or not, but it's nice to know that we could.