USA > New Mexico > History of New Mexico : its resources and people, Volume II > Part 14
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On being discharged from the United States service at Santa Fé on account of his wounds, having been in the hospital for some time, Mr. Hig- gins located in Socorro, where he established a blacksmith and carpenter shop, continuing in the business from 1872 until 1874. He then removed to Water Canyon, where for eight months he was engaged in the cattle busi- ness. He removed to Tularosa, where he secured a ranch of one hundred
Vol. II. 7
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and sixty acres on the old Apache reservation, from which the Indians had been recently removed. He then engaged in the cattle business, which he conducted for a number of years, and in 1897 he bought a ranch on the Frisco river. He has sold his cattle and is now giving his attention to farming. He resides in Socorro.
Mr. Higgins was married in 1863 to Miss Perfeta Sanchez, and they have twelve living children and three who are deceased. Mr. Higgins is a member of Slough Post No. 7, G. A. R. Thoroughly familiar with the experiences of military service and pioneer life in the southwest, he has contributed to the work of subduing the red race and reclaiming this region for the purposes of civilization, and has now settled down to the quiet life of a farmer, his labors adding to the agricultural development and pros- perity of his county.
Richard C. Patterson, a mining prospector and rancher of Carlsbad, New Mexico, is one of the prominent and well known pioneer settlers of the Territory. He located in this section of the country when it was a wild and unsettled district, when marauding bands of Indians committed many depre- dations and atrocities, and when only here and there could be found a settlement to show that the white man had started tipon the attempt to reclaim this district for the uses of civilization. He is familiar with the history of those wild but picturesque days, and can relate from experience many interesting incidents concerning pioneer existence in New Mexico.
Mr. Patterson was born in Veazie, Maine, about four miles above Bangor, on the 7th of March, 1837. He was educated in the public schools, and for eight years was on a whale ship, during which time he visited all parts of the world. In 1858 he made his way to California and was engaged in placer mining in that state. There he enlisted for service as a soldier in the Civil war, and in 1862 he came to New Mexico in the volunteer service, landing on the Rio Grande river. He was attached to Company G, First Regiment of California Infantry, and later he re-enlisted, becoming first sergeant of Company B of the First Regiment of Veteran Infantry. The command was engaged in constant service in suppressing the Indians and preventing outbreaks against the white men, and in this way Mr. Patterson saw arduous frontier service until mustered out after the close of the war, on the 15th of September, 1866. In that year he settled at Monticello, New Mexico, where he began farming. He was thus engaged for three years, when he turned his attention to mining in the Magdalena mountains. He built a small smelter in the Patterson canyon, which he operated until 1875, in which year he removed to the Patterson ranch and began farming and stock raising. He was the first to take up land in the western part of Socorro county, and during those early days had many brushes with the Indians. At that time the nearest postoffice was at Socorro, one hundred miles away, and the nearest neighbor was forty miles distant. Mr. Patter- son was a leader in movements against the Indians and horse thieves. The red men were very numerous in those early days, and while engaged in defending the frontier settlers against their depredations he has killed seventeen Indians and has been himself wounded twice. He continued ranching on the Patterson ranch until the spring of 1903, when he sold that property and removed to a ranch at Polvadera, New Mexico, comprising two hundred acres of land. A postoffice was established at Patterson about
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1885. His attention is now given to the management and conduct of his ranch property and to prospecting in mining districts.
Mr. Patterson was married, in June, 1867, to Miss Francisquita Chaves, and to them have been born three children, James, Mary and Julia, the last named being the wife of George Sickles. The family home is near Carls- bad. Mr. Patterson is a member of the Masonic fraternity, belonging to Socorro Lodge No. 9, A. F. & A. M. His mind bears the impress of the early historic annals of the Territory, and he has broad information con- cerning its history from the period of the Civil war to the present time, watching with interest the changes that have occurred and the wonderful transformation that has been wrought as hardy, resolute frontier settlers have reclaimed the district for the uses of the white race.
Charles MI. Crossman is proprietor of a ranch twenty-five miles west of San Marcial, on which he is raising cattle, horses and mules. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, August 11, 1874, and comes of German ancestry. He arrived in New Mexico in 1896 when a young man of twenty- two years, and was employed for two years on a ranch. At the expiration of that period he purchased cattle and has since been engaged in business on his own account. He now has about one thousand acres of patented land and about one thousand head of cattle, and has become recognized as a leading and prosperous ranchman, whose practical efforts are factors in his success.
On the 29th of October, 1889, Mr. Crossman was married to Miss Lula M. Darrow, a native of Abilene, Kansas, and they have a daughter, Maude Louise. His political allegiance is given to the Republican party, but he is without aspiration for public office. Fraternally he is connected with San Marcial Lodge, I. O. O. F.
Edward W. Brown, owner of a cattle ranch forty miles southeast of San Marcial, in Socorro county, was born in Kerrville, Texas, in April, 1858, and was reared to ranch life, so that practical experience equipped him for the duties which he assumed on embarking in business on his own account. He came to New Mexico in 1884, spending the first year in Lincoln county, and since 1886 he has been engaged in the cattle business in Socorro county. He has a large ranch and has run as high as thirty-five hundred head of cattle. At different times he has engaged in the butchering business at San Marcial and Alamogordo, but at all times has continued his ranching interests, which are extensive and profitable.
Mr. Brown is an earnest Democrat, but has no desire for the honors and emoluments of office. Fraternally he is connected with the Knights of Pythias at Alamogordo. He was married in 1883 to Miss Nettie Johnson, who died in 1892, leaving two sons, James E. and Stephen I. Brown. His present wife bore the maiden name of Marv Latham.
Boleslo A. Pino, probate clerk at Socorro, was born there May 13, 1869, a son of Juan Pino y Baca and Erinea (Baca) Pino. The father, born in Socorro, is still living in the town, and has devoted the years of his manhood largely to the cattle business, although in early life he was a freighter over the Santa Fe trail to the St. Louis & Kansas City Railroad. At one time he was sheriff of Socorro county, and he is still engaged in the cattle business.
Boleslo A. Pino was educated in the public schools of Socorro and in St. Michael's College at Santa Fé, where he studied for three years. He
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entered business life as a clerk in a mercantile establishment, where he remained five years, and for two years was manager for the Park City Mercantile Company, while for nine years he served as bookkeeper for Henry Chambon. In the meantime he served as city clerk for one term, elected in 1900, and in 1902 and again in 1904 was elected probate clerk on the Democratic ticket. He is a public-spirited citizen and has made a clean record as an official. In addition to discharging the duties of the office, he gives supervision to a cattle ranch which he owns in Socorro county.
On the 21st of June, 1890, Mr. Pino married Teresa Pino, and their children are Soila, Ines, Lucela, Erinea and Isabel. The parents are com- municants of the Catholic church, and Mr. Pino has always given his political allegiance to the Democracy.
John F. Cook, who died in Socorro February 17, 1906, had located there in 1881, coming to New Mexico from Pueblo, Colorado. He was born and reared in Washington county, Virginia, his natal day being June 29, 1842. In the place of his nativity he was educated and he learned the carpenter's trade in the old Dominion. At the outbreak of the Civil war, in 1861, he enlisted in the Confederate service as a private of Company D, First Virginia Cavalry, with which he was connected until December, 1861. He then re-enlisted for the remainder of the war in Stewart's Artillery, and missed only two important battles in the operations of the armies in the east. With his command he surrendered at Appomattox, being at that time with the army under Lee.
When the war was over Mr. Cook went to Missouri and followed farming in that state and in Kansas. He then went to Colorado and was engaged in carpentering at Pueblo. In the meantime he had been married, near Parsons, Kansas, in 1875, to Miss Annetta Fisher, and to them was born a son, George E. Cook.
On leaving Colorado in 1881, Mr. Cook located in Socorro, where he began business as a contractor and carpenter. He assisted in the construc- tion of the smelter, and after it was opened he continued as boss carpenter for two years. He was then chosen deputy sheriff of Socorro county, filling the office until 1892, in which year he took charge of the smelter as guard of the property and agent for the St. Louis Smelting & Refining Company in the Territory, which position he held until his death. He was also connected with the cattle business, having done operations in this line in 1894, and in the eighties he prospected to some extent, but his attention in later years was confined to his duties in connection with the smelting com- pany and to his cattle interests.
Mr. Cook was a thirty-second degree Mason. He belonged to Rio Grande Lodge No. 9, A. F. & A. M., at Albuquerque; the Santa Fé Lodge of Perfection No. I, and the Consistory, and was also a member of the Mystic Shrine at Albuquerque. He had membership relations with the Elks Lodge No. 461 at Albuquerque, and in politics was a stalwart Democrat.
WV. J. Hanna, librarian of the Santa Fé Railroad at San Marcial, has been a resident of the Territory since 1881. He is a native son of Penn- sylvania, where his childhood and youth were passed. He came to New Mexico in 1881 and entered the water service of the Santa Fé Railroad Company, having charge as foreman of the water service south of Albu- querque until June, 1905, when he was transferred to his present position,
John F. Cook
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that of librarian of the Santa Fe reading room at San Marcial. His per- sonal popularity and other qualities well qualify him for this position. Fra- ternally he is connected with San Marcial Lodge No. 14, I. O. O. F.
Edward S. Stapleton, deputy sheriff of Socorro county, was born in, that county October 8, 1859, a son of Robert H. and Pabla ( Baca) Staple- ton, the latter a daughter of Pedro A. Baca, who was a lieutenant in the Civil war and also a member of the militia. The father came to New Mexico with the United States troops in 1848, and was afterward made colonel in the militia. He had the contract to build Fort Craig, and he became largely interested in business enterprises in this part of the Terri- tory. He purchased two thousand acres of land south of San Marcial, well known as the Stapleton ranch, and he had sawmills and threshing machines, and he used thirty-two teams in his various business enterprises. As a merchant he was carrying a stock of goods valued at one hundred and sixteen thousand dollars, which was destroyed by the Texas and other southern troops during the Civil war, and for which he never received any remuneration. He was in the fight at Glorieta and fled to the hills to save his life. He afterward retired to Socorro, where he died July 8, 1891.
Edward S. Stapleton has spent his life in Socorro county and was educated in St. Michael's College at Santa Fé, from which he was gradu- ated in 1874. When at home he assisted in operating the sawmill until 1881, when he was married and turned his attention to farming and mer- chandising, continuing in business three miles north of Socorro. He was thus engaged until he became chief deputy sheriff in December, 1904, and he still retains his farming interests. His political support is given to the Democracy. Mr. Stapleton was married August 2, 1881, to Emitira Baca, and their children are: Robert, Vivian, Lesandro, Edonardo, Jacob, Pablita, Isabel and Ernest Stapleton.
Conrada A. Baca, deputy county treasurer, living at Socorro, was born about three miles north of this city, in Socorro county, November 26, 1865, and his parents, Jose and Asencion (Baca) Baca, were also natives of that county, and the father followed merchandising throughout his entire life in Socorro and Frisco. In 1878 he represented his district in the general as- sembly as a member of the house, and has also been county treasurer, and was county judge of El Paso county, Texas, from 1880 until 1882, thus becoming an active factor in public life.
Conrada A. Baca was educated in Socorro, and in 1877 went to El Paso county, Texas, locating at Ysleta, where he remained for six years. He, too, was prominent and influential in local public affairs, serving as a member of the city council for one term, as deputy assessor in 1886 and deputy sheriff from 1900 until 1902. In the latter year he was storekeeper in the penitentiary for six months, and in January, 1903, he was appointed deputy treasurer and collector in Socorro county, serving under H. E. Baca for two years, and since that time under Mr. Terres. He has also been clerk of the board of education since 1903, and he is identified with com- mercial interests as a member of the mercantile firm of Jose Baca & Com- pany, the partnership having continued five years. In 1903 he began rais- ing Angora goats on a ranch in Socorro county, below San Marcial, and this business also claims a part of his time and attention.
On the 10th of March, 1883, Mr. Baca married Juanita Shaw, and their
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children are: Jose S., Lillie R .. Tuan, David and Piedad, all yet living. The parents are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
J. J. Leeson, a prominent merchant of Socorro, was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, September 2, 1845, receiving his education in the schools of that city and also attended the State Military School. He en- tered the Confederate service as a member of Company C. Eleventh Regi- ment of Louisiana Volunteers, and after the close of the Civil war he went to Mexico, there spending two years, on the expiration of which period he went to Colorado on a prospecting tour. In 1879 Mr. Leeson arrived in Socorro, New Mexico, but shortly afterward returned to Colorado, but in 1880 came again to this city, induced by its bright prospects. Since his arrival here he has been engaged more or less in mining pursuits, and in 1881 he established his general mercantile business in Socorro. During the Indian outbreak of 1882 Mr. Leeson served as First Lieutenant of Socorro Rangers under Colonel E. W. Eaton. In his political affiliations he is a Democrat, and has served as president of the Immigration Bureau, under Governor Thornton, and as commissioner and manager of the exhibits of the Territory at the Nashville and Omaha Expositions. Fraternally he is a member of the Knights of Pythias order. and instituted the Rio Grande Lodge, No. 3, at Socorro in 1881, and later instituted nine lodges in the Territory. He is past supreme representative to the Supreme Lodge, and filled all the chairs in the subordinate and Grand Lodge of the Territory.
Mr. Leeson was married at Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 1869, to Miss Rosa E. Neal, of Kemper county, Mississippi. Their only child is Lulu, the wife of William O'Gara, and they also have one daughter, Lavina.
Samuel C. Meek, of Socorro, came to New Mexico in the United States service, at that time serving as bugler of Company G, First In- fantry of California Volunteers. He enlisted for the Civil war from Grass Valley, Nevada county, California, and re-enlisted in Company B, First Veteran Infantry of that state, fighting against the Navajos until their surrender. He was mustered out of service on the 15th of September, 1866, at Los Pinos. From that time until December, 1866, he was em- ployed as post saddler at Los Pinos, and on the 6th of January, 1867, he located at Socorro and engaged in agricultural pursuits, thus continuing until 1869, when he sold his farm. In the following year, 1870, Mr. Meek was elected justice of the peace of Socorro. In 1875 he entered the mer- cantile business on his own account, in which he remained for one year, when he returned to Socorro, and in 1875 was re-elected justice of the peace. He was afterward made deputy clerk of Socorro county, serving in that official position until 1882, and in 1886 was appointed deputy as- sessor for two years, when he was again given the deputy clerkship. Dur- ing 1893 and 1894 he served as deputy sheriff and collector, from 1895 to 1896 was deputy assessor, and from that time until the present has been a notary public, translator and abstractor.
John Greenwald, a prominent miller of Socorro, has been a resident of the Territory since 1880. He was born in Odessa, Russia, in 1842, but left his native country to avoid becoming a serf, and his educational train- ing was received in Ohio. When the Civil war was inaugurated he enlisted for service in the First New York Mounted Rifles, Company F, with which command he remained throughout the period of hostilities, and among the engagements in which he participated was that of Cold Harbor.
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When his adopted country no longer needed his services Mr. Green- wald left the army and made his way to Chicago, Illinois, and took up the trade of milling, and for seven years he conducted a mill in southern Illinois, when he was taken ill with malaria and pneumonia, and this caused his removal to New Mexico in 1880. On his arrival in this city he em- barked in the real estate business and also engaged in mining in the vi- cinity of Magdalena, after which he again resumed milling, conducting a mill for Louis Heming in Valencia county. In 1893 he erected a flour mill in Odessa, being supplied with grain from the surrounding valley. This was known as the Golden Crown Flouring Mill, but in 1901 was sold to the Crown Milling Company. Prior to the sale, however, the mill had been destroyed by fire and was rebuilt by the present company.
In St. Louis, Missouri, in 1872, Mr. Greenwald was united in mar- riage to Miss M. A. Racine, and to them have been born three children : Viola, the wife of Dr. Harrington; Emma, the wife of H. M. Dougherty, and John, secretary of the Crown Milling Company, of Socorro.
A. D. Coon, an orchardist and mine operator at Socorro, was born in Owego, New York, October 27, 1845, and was there educated. He was reared to the occupation of farming and gained a knowledge of mining in the lead mines of Joplin, Missouri, where he remained for about six years, after which he came to Socorro. He arrived in New Mexico in 1879 attracted by mining inducements. He began working in the silver mines, holding claims in Socorro mountains, where he operated the Dewey mine. Large quantities of silver have been taken out from this mine, which is soon to be put in active cperation again and there is much ore in sight. Mr. Coon has been continuously connected with the mining operations of the Territory since his arrival and is thus contributing largely to the de- velopment of the natural resources of the state. In 1886 he also turned his attention to horticultural pursuits, setting out fifty acres to all kinds of fruit trees, having between six and seven thousand trees. He did this as an investment in order to wait for a raise in silver and has found it a very profitable source of income, the only detriment being the lack of water and the storms which occasionally visit the district and have proved hazardous to the orchards. However, success has usually attended him and he has harvested some fine fruit crops. He has also done some farming and has made many experiments in horticultural and agricultural interests.
Mr. Coon was married in Socorro in 1886 to Miss Mary H. Rose, and they have a daughter, Gladys. In politics he is a Democrat, and is serving as a member of the city council of Socorro. Since coming to the Territory he has prospered in his business undertakings, owing to his careful di- rection and enterprise, and is now in possession of a handsome competence which has come as the reward of his labors.
Richard Stackpole, a farmer of Socorro, was born in Ireland, July 10, 1846, and was educated in the national schools of that country. He came to America in 1863 and for two years was employed in the Corliss Machine shops before enlisting for service in the regular army. He became a recruit, joining the army at Providence, Rhode Island, and for three years did active service in the south during the reconstruction period. In 1869 he came to New Mexico as a member of Company B, Fifteenth Regiment of Infantry, having re-enlisted at Clarksville, Texas, in 1868. He served for two years at Fort McCrea and was promoted to the rank of first sergeant.
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He was then engaged for three years in the Indian service, collecting the Apache Indians and moving them to Tularosa, where an agency was estab- lished, and afterward moving them back to the Hot Springs reservation. He acted for some time as foreman of the Southern Apache Indian reser- vation.
When his service among the Indians was ended Mr. Stackpole retired from the Indian service and turned his attention to merchandising in Ala- macita, where he remained for a year. He afterward engaged in freighting for four or five years in New Mexico and has continued in freighting and farming to the present time. He had trouble with the Apache Indians dur- ing the Apache war in the San Mateo mountains, during which he lost his horses and cattle.
In community affairs Mr. Stackpole has been deeply and helpfully in- terested, recognizing public needs and doing everything in his power to meet them. For the past eight years he has been a member of the school board, and he assisted largely in instituting the public school system in Socorro county. In 1880 he was county commissioner, and for four years was a member of the city council. In politics he has always been an advo- cate of Republican principles, but at local elections casts an independent ballot, supporting the men whom he thinks best qualified for office. Mr. Stackpole was married in 1877, in San Marcial, to Miss Elicia Torres, and to them were born twelve children, three of whom are deceased.
P. N. Yunker, who is conducting a blacksmithing and carriage shop in Socorro, was born in Denmark, March 6, 1854. and a public school educa- tion fitted him for life's practical and responsible duties. In early life he learned the blacksmith's trade and saw military service in the army of Den- mark. In 1875, when twenty-two years of age, he came to the United States and was employed in New Jersey and in New York until 1877, when he went to Texas and entered the cattle business, which he successfully fol- lowed. For sixteen years he devoted his time and energies to the raising of cattle and afterward removed to California, where he engaged in dealing in real estate for six years. He first came to the Territory of New Mexico in 1880 for the purpose of mining and prospecting. He afterward located on a ranch at Lemitar, and in 1893 resided in Socorro. There he estab- lished a hotel, which he conducted until the building was destroyed by fire in 1905. He was also engaged in the livery business, dealt in feed and car- ried on an implement and commission business in Socorro. He likewise established a blacksmith shop, but has disposed of all of his business inter- ests in Socorro with the exception of the blacksmith and carriage shop, concentrating his energies upon these lines of business since October, 1905. While engaged in farming he planted a twenty-acre orchard of prunes, peaches, English walnuts, plums and apricots. He did much experimenting and found that English walnuts and apricots could not be profitably raised here, but that other trees produced good crops. He has sixty-five acres planted to alfalfa and one hundred acres of his land is under irrigation. He also has a small bunch of cattle on his place and raises hogs on an extensive scale. Mr. Yunker was married in 1881 to Miss Margaret M. Dickman.
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