1. Bessie Alberta *** - July 1907

Estes was an artistic person, he sang as Bass in the Orpheus Male Chorus in Loveland as a young man, and later was a noted artist in the Estes Park community.

Along with his father and brothers, L.E. was a partner in the Loveland-Estes Park Auto Transportation Company.  Ads for the company list him as a Secretary for the business.  Lawrence and Bessie moved to Estes Park to run the operation from that end of the line.

In 1923, after the company was sold, Estes and Bessie moved to a 40 acre tract in Estes Park and began a new venture:  fox farming.  (He continued to manage the Osborn (auto) Garage for for the next.)  Life remained lively for a time; the following transcription is from the Estes Park Trail, September 28, 1923:

DYNAMITE IS HARD ON EYESIGHT

Work has been progressing nicely at the new fox farm of Estes Osborn's but things progressed just a little too lively for a few seconds Monday morning about 9 o'clock.

Recently several men have been employing dynamite in digging a trench on the farm in which to lay water pipes from a nice spring to the site of the new house. Monday morning three shots of dynamite of about two-thirds of a stick each were placed in a gravelly stretch and each of the three men lit their fuse at the same time. The two outside fuses took hold at once but the center one did not seem to catch fire.

When the two end fuses took the fire the men hastily beat a retreat to a safe distance and in due time there were two spurts of flying gravel into the air. After waiting a moment for the other charge and it failing to go off, the three men returned to the trench, clambered in and went over to the charge that failed to fire.

Just as they arrived over the spot one of the men observed an unrest under the surface of mother earth and shouted, "It's going," and he flew. The others, Estes Osborn and a Mr. Shoemaker, were not able to get away and the charge exploded before they could turn around. The explosion blew both men out of the trench, and filled their faces with sand and gravel.

It was indeed fortunate for both men that the charge was placed in gravel and sand, for had it been in rock both would likely have lost their lives, or at least been very seriously hurt. Medical attention was rushed to both men. Both suffered as much from the nervous shock as from the force of the flying sand. The following day Mr. Shoemaker returned to work and Estes Osborn navigated the streets observing the famous old landmarks of the village from behind a huge pair of very dark glasses.

Mr. Osborn says he prefers to recommend Murine rather than dynamite as an eye treatment.

He was elected as an Elder in the community church for a 3 year term in 1924.  In that same year, local newspapers note that he served as an agricultural field agent.  He coordinated the planting of peas and lettuce - new crops for the area.

In 1925, the farm was ready for its new residents and Estes purchased brought his first pair of Silver Foxes home to the Sunny Valley Silver Fox Ranch.  Silver Foxes were considered to have high quality fur, and Estes Park was judged to be an excellent environment for the foxes.  The fox farm was in operation for a number of years.

A few years prior to his death, Estes moved back to Loveland, where he later died.  Prior to his death, he had a commercial business on Estes Park's main street selling his paintings of Colorado scenery.  He is buried in Loveland Burial Park, Loveland, Larimer Co., CO.