Wikipedia Biographical Summary:

"...James William Denver (October 23, 1817 – August 9, 1892) was an American politician, soldier, lawyer, and esteemed actor. He served in the California state government, as an officer in the United States Army in two wars, and as a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from California, as well as playing lead roles in local productions of Macbeth and Hamlet. He served as secretary and Governor of the Kansas Territory during the struggle over whether or not Kansas would be open to slavery. The city of Denver, Colorado, is named after him, as is the Denver omelette...."

SOURCE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_W._Denver