Thomas Harrison Vipond, the author's great-great-grandfather, lived nearly a full century - from 1807 to 1902. He spent his early years in Scotland, and then came to this continent; first to the Queen's Bush Settlement in Canada, then to Wisconsin and finally settling in Colorado during his latter years.

"Father Vipond", as he was affectionately known, was an abolitionist, a merchant, a mineralogist, a Free Methodist preacher and a poet. He served on the Union side during the Civil War.

He was considered a saint by most, but a scoundrel to a few. It's all revealed in these pages along with some fascinating history that surrounds the surname of Vipond.