Cisco at a Glance by the 14th Census

: first sheet of 1920 Census

The US Censuses are disclosed 72 years after they are taken. The 14th Census was released in 1992.

As for Cisco, it was enumerated by prospector/miner Fred McCoy (1868−1945) of Castleton between January 30 and February 2, 1920. 95 persons in 26 dwellings are enumerated in Enumeration District (E.D.) 10-6.


56 persons in 14 dwellings are enumerated outside the Cisco townsite.

Several ranch farmers and their families reside at the foot of Book Mountains/Cliffs north of the Cisco townsite.
Stock rancher Harvey Valentine Owens (1882−1959), his wife, his two daughters, and his two sons reside in a rented home(Census “number of dwelling house” 64), and stock farm laborers Charles Glass (1878−1937) and a boarder reside in Glass' home(66), both at Turner Ranch.

Several farmers and their families reside at Danish Flats north of Cisco townsite.
Farmer Quintus Cato (1857−1930), his wife, and his two sons reside in his own home(62). He was the first settler to homestead in the Danish Flats area. By Jan. 1920, farmer Frank Absolum Hickman (1881−1969), his wife who is a daughter of Quintus Cato, his son, and his daughter reside in his own home(63), farmer Jacob Henry Standifird (1886−1977), his wife, and a boarder reside in Standifird's home(65), and sheep grower Pete Patten (1885−?) and his wife reside in a rented home(79), all at Danish Flats.

Hendrix families reside at Coates Creek located southeast of Cisco townsite at the east bank of Grand/Colorado Liver. Teamster John Milford Hendrix (1884−1959) and his mother reside in a rented home(80), and farmer Thomas Henry Hendrix (1877−1956) and his son reside in another rented home(81).

Several stockmen reside at unidentified places outside the Cisco townsite.
Stock laborer Frank L. Poris (1885−?) and sheep laborer Joseph P. Martin (1884−?) reside in a rented home(85), sheep foreman Perfecto Mearin (1885−?) and seven sheepherders reside in a rented home(86), and sheep grower Albert A. Glenn (1872−1933) and four sheepherders reside in a rented home(87).


Several railroad workers and their families reside at Westwater station east of Cisco townsite. Section foreman John Willard Dowell (1869−1937), his wife, and his four sons occupy the section house(76), and section hand, later Whitehouse foreman, Abedon B. Sanchez (1892−1932) and his wife occupy the bunkhouse(75)[1].

Several railroad workers and their families reside at Whitehouse station located west of Cisco townsite. Section foreman David Samuel King (1867−1941), his wife, his daughter, and his son occupy the section house(70), section hand Lorenzo Smith King (1895−1968), his wife, and his daughter occupy a bunkhouse(71), and section hand Earl Herman Dahling (1890−1967), his wife, his daughter, and his son occupy another bunkhouse(72)[2].


39 persons in 12 dwellings are enumerated in the town of Cisco.

Cisco Mercantile co-proprietor James Guyn McBride (1879−1968), his wife, and his three daughters reside in his own home(67) behind the Mercantile, and the Cisco Mercantile co-proprietor Douglas Morton McBride (1886−1977), his wife, and his daughter reside in his own home(68) also behind the Mercantile.

Postmaster Henry Hansen (1860−1932) and his wife reside in his own home/post office(69).

Hotel proprietor Dean L. Edwards (1874−?), his daughter, cook, cook's wife, cook's daughter, cook's son, and pool hall proprietor Riley P. Shideler (1848−1921) reside in the hotel(77). Riley’s son mail contractor William Andrew Shideler (1872−1939), his wife, his son, his two daughters, his sister-in-law, and his mother-in-law reside in his own home(78).


Along the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad tracks, several railroad workers and their families reside in the railroad facilities. Agent/operator Charles W. Johnston (1898−?) occupies the depot(73). Telegraph operator Marie C. Cooper (1891−?) and her mother occupy the telegrapher’s bungalow(74). Section foreman Louis Demarco (1878−1931), his wife, his two daughters, and his son occupy the section house(84)[3]. Section hands Vern Lewis (1877−?) and Filepe Alonse (1880−?) reside in a bunkhouse(82), and section hand Gustacio Delgado (1874−?) resides in another bunkhouse(83).


A decade after the establishment of the Cisco townsite, the businesses at Cisco steadily grew: Pace Brothers Company was established in 1913, Riley Shideler expanded his Cisco Hotel in 1917, and the post office escaped from the railroad depot and dominated next to the Hotel in 1919. Midland Trail completed in 1913 also drew roadside businesses to the town.

[1] Jan. 18, 1923 Times Independent;
[2] Dec. 16, 1920 Times Independent;
[3] Mar. 25, 1931 Daily Sentinel;

: 1919 ICC valuation map, courtesy of Utah State Archives