ABSTRACT
Early Life William Harrison "Jack" Dempsey, one of eleven children, was born on June 24, 1895, in Manassa, Colorado, of Indian, Irish, and Scottish ancestry. The son of Hyrum and Celia Dempsey, he became accustomed to a nomadic existence early in life, a primary requisite for a boxing career. Hyrum had converted to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints and had moved to Manassa in 1880 because it was a center of Mormon life. Hyrum, however, never was a successful businessman and was regarded as something of a dreamer. The family began a succession of moves from Manassa when Jack was four or five years old; the longest stay was at a ranch near Montrose, Colorado, for two years.
