USA > New Mexico > History of New Mexico : its resources and people, Volume II > Part 25
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70
George Gratton King. manager of the Aztec Mineral Water Com- pany (incorporated). Tavlor. Colfax county, New Mexico, was born in Emporia, Kansas, November 22, 1874, son of Patrick and Catherine (Sul- livan) King. and was reared and educated in Kansas. In 1891, while yet in his teens, he engaged in railroad contract work, as a member of the Chase County Stone Company, at Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, and that same year came to New Mexico to build the abutments and bridges at Cerrillos. He was also engaged in similar work at Las Vegas, and on the Santa Fé Railway between Kansas City and Albuquerque, and at the quarry at Las Vegas Hot Springs. Afterward he was interested in general con- tracting. He still retains an interest in the business, which is now in charge of his brother, E. E. King.
In February, 1905, he entered into a partnership with J. C. Taylor, of Taylor Springs. New Mexico, and incorporated the Aztec Mineral Water Co. The Aztec mineral water is obtained from the Aztec Spring located six miles east of Springer, in Colfax county, and the business, al- though a new one, promises to be successful. Mr. King is devoting his entire attention to it.
In June, 1897, Mr. King married Anneta Carter, and they have two children, John, born March 17, 1898, and Villar, May 9, 1899.
John Utton, postmaster of Bell, Colfax county, New Mexico, has been identified with this locality for a period of twenty years. Mr. Utton is an Englishman by birth. He was born in Oxfordshire, April 23, 1857, and spent the first twenty-two years of his life in his native country. In 1879 he came to the United States, and that year located near Pittsburg, where he engaged in coal mining for three years. In 1882 he returned to England, but after eighteen months he came back to America and again sought the mines in Pennsylvania. Six months later we find him in Pana, Illinois. The next two years he spent there and in various other places, and finally, in 1886, he came to New Mexico. Here for six months he worked in the mines of Blossburg. Then he took claim to a tract of land on Johnson's mesa, and for several years devoted his summers to the improvement and cultivation of his land, and the winter months he spent in Blossburg mines. With the exception of three months in 1894, when he was in Utah, Mr. Utton has continued to reside on his homestead, which now comprises three hundred and twenty acres of land, and on which he raises a variety of crops, chiefly oats, wheat, barley and potatoes. Also he has a small general store, the only one on the mesa, in connection with which he keeps the postoffice, he having been appointed postmaster of Bell in 1903.
Politically Mr. Utton is a Republican. He was initiated into the mys- teries of the Knights of Pythias order while at Blossburg, and now has membership in the lodge at Raton. June 19, 1901, he married Miss Lulu T. English, daughter of C. A. English, an old settler of the mesa, and
702
HISTORY OF NEW MEXICO
they have two children, Thomas Clyde and Annie Clair. Mrs. Utton is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
John Henry Towndrow, for twenty years a rancher on Johnson's mesa, in Colfax county, New Mexico, is an Englishman. He was born in Derbyshire, England, March 19, 1852, and may be said to have been reared in the mines, as he was put to work there before he was eight years old. He continued mining in England until 1878, when he came to Amer- ica. His first work in this country was in the coal mines at Brazil, Indi- ana, where he spent two months. Coming west to Colorado, he was eight months in the mines of Trinidad, after which he returned to Indiana and resumed work in the Brazil mines, where he remained two years. 'Then again we find him at Trinidad, and from that place, in June, 1882, he came to Blossburg, New Mexico. Here he mined four years. In June, 1886, he pre-empted a claim of 160 acres and tree-claimed another 160 acres. That year he built a small house and put up sixty tons of wild hay. Then he continued mining for a time, going once a week to the ranch. In 1887 he enlarged and improved the house and moved his family here, and from that time forward the work of improving and add- ing to his original holdings has been carried forward until now Mr. Town- drow has 1,400 acres, and his sons have land as follows: Arthur, 640 acres; Henry, 160; George, 160; William, 160; Richard, 160; Herbert, 160. His first crops were oats and wheat, and later potatoes, and of recent years, while they raise a variety of crops, he and his sons have been giving their chief attention to dairying. In a single year he has sold $800 worth of butter, the average price being twenty-seven and a half cents per pound.
Having brought his family to this new home, Mr. Towndrow's next care was to secure a school here for his children, and in 1889, largely through his efforts, a schoolhouse was built on the mesa. Politically he is a Republican ; fraternally, a Knight of Pythias. He was a charter mem- ber of the K. of P. lodge at Raton, but now has his membership at Bloss- burg. November 28, 1869, Mr. Towndrow married Miss Emma Treese, who proved herself a worthy helpmate and shared the joys and sorrows of life with him for nearly three decades, until she was called home, July 21, 1897. Their children are: Arthur, Henry. Joseph, George, William, Herbert, John Richard, Mary and Isabella. The last named is the wife of William Nisch.
John R. Belisle, a farmer on Johnson's mesa, Colfax county, New Mexico, his postoffice address being Bell, dates his birth in Bates county, Missouri, December 27, 1868. He is a son of William and Millie Par- thenia (McClain) Belisle, farmers, and was reared in Bates and St. Clair counties. At the age of twenty-one years he came west to New Mexico, landing here in August, 1800. The next year he was followed by his brother, Marion W., and subsequently by his other six brothers.
On his arrival in Colfax county, John R. Belisle was employed on the mesa by A. L. Bell, and while thus occupied he took claim to a tract of government land, which he "proved up," and which he traded, in No- vember, 1900, for his present farm, a tract of four hundred and eighty acres. On this place at the time he came into possession, a house had been built and some other improvements made. He is continuing the work of improvement and devoting his broad acres to general farming and stock
I. H. Jauchav
703
LOCAL HISTORIES
raising, with the success which his well directed efforts merit. Polit- ically Mr. Belisle has always been a Democrat. He served one term as a member of the school board, District No. 5. September 24, 1893, he mar- ried Miss Rosa E. Dale, daughter of J. P. Dale, who came to this Terri- tory the year before Mr. Belisle located here. Three children are the fruits of their union, namely : Willie, Mary and John.
George Honeyfield, the owner of a ranch on Johnson's mesa, his post- office being Bell, in Colfax county, was born in Dorsetshire, England, in 1841, and came to the United States in 1862, locating at Johnstown, Penn- sylvania, where he worked in the coal mines. He was also similarly em- ployed in Allegheny, Armstrong and Venango counties, and in 1871 re- moved to Trumbull county, Ohio, where he followed farming and mining and also worked at the mason's and plasterer's trades. In 1887 he re- moved to Blossburg, Colfax county, New Mexico, and a few months later took up a claim on Johnson's mesa, where he has since resided. He was one of the first men to make a permanent location there, and put in his first crops in 1886. He has contributed in substantial measure to agricultural progress and now has one hundred and sixty acres planted to grain and potatoes. His political support is given the Republican party, but he has never sought office.
In 1864 Mr. Honeyfield was married to Rebecca Saville, of. Armstrong county, Pennsylvania. They have reared eight children : Charles, of Raton, New Mexico; William and John, who are living on the mesa ; Mark, also of Raton; Sarah, the wife of Henry Windler, of the state of Washing- ton ; Eliza, the wife of D. L. Strine, of California; Liney, deceased wife of Alexander Heck, of Raton; and Lizzie, the wife of Irving Shirley, living on the mesa.
London D. Moore, a rancher residing eleven miles southeast of Raton, New Mexico, has been a resident of this Territory for over twenty-five vears. Mr. Moore is a native of Tennessee. He was born near Jonesboro, that state, in 1857, and there spent his youth and early manhood. In 1879, at the age of twenty-two years, he came west to try his fortune on the frontier, and here for fifteen years he was emploved as a cow puncher. About 1881 he was for a year in the employ of Hon. O. A. Hadley, on Eagle Tail ranch. In 1800 he took a homestead claim and previous to that time bought a piece of land from the Maxwell Land Grant Company. Al- together he now has about ten thousand acres of land, where he lives. January 6, 1887, Mr. Moore married Miss Cora Gillespie, also a native of Tennessee, and they are the parents of four children, namely : Minnie J., Walter W., Ernest L., and an infant at this writing unnamed.
John Barkely Dawson, a rancher and cattleman, formerly of Colfax county, New Mexico, but now living in Colorado, was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, in 1831. He passed through this Territory in 1853 en route to California, attracted by the discovery of gold on the Pacific coast. He spent the winter of 1859 in New Mexico and drove cattle through the Territory from Texas to Colorado until 1867, when he located in Colfax county, on the Vermejo Creek. He purchased from the Maxwell Land Grant Company twenty-three thousand acres of land, known as the Dawson ranch, and the Dawson coal fields and Dawson railroad were named in his honor. He continued ranching until 1900, when he sold out to the Dawson Fuel Company and removed to Colorado. He now owns a large ranch in
704
HISTORY OF NEW MEXICO
Routt county, Colorado. He was born a typical frontiersman, and is now located one hundred and twenty miles from a railroad. He left Kentucky when a youth with absolutely nothing, and in the midst of an active business career, in which he has had to contend with all the hardships, trials and vicissitudes of pioneer life, he has steadily worked his way upward, and from 1902 until 1904 was president of the Citizens' National Bank, of Raton, New Mexico.
Mr. Dawson has been married three times. His third wife was Miss Lavina Jefferson, of Burlington, Iowa, a daughter of an old Virginian fam- ily. Their children are: Augustus G .; Si M .; Bruce A .; Manley M .; L. Jefferson, who died in 1888; John B., who died in 1888; Edwina, the wife of Frederick Whitney, of Waterloo, Iowa; Laura, the wife of Earl Wilkins, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and Henry M. Dawson, who died in 1887.
Manley M. Dawson, secretary and treasurer of the Raton Electric Light & Power Company, at Raton, New Mexico, was born May 20, 1874, in Colfax county, on a ranch near the Vermejo creek, and is the son of John Barkley Dawson. He was educated in the public schools of Raton, and in Missouri State University at Columbia, Missouri, while eventually he was graduated in law at the Northern Indiana Normal School, at Val- paraiso, Indiana. He practiced his profession for two years in Denver, Colorado, and afterward engaged in the sheep business with his brothers for a short time. Returning to Raton, New Mexico, in 1898, he resumed the practice of law, in which he continued until elected probate clerk of Colfax county in 1900, which position he filled for two years. Upon his retirement from office he became cashier of the Citizens' National Bank of Raton, serving from 1902 until 1904. when he became secretary and treas- urer of the Raton Electric Light & Power Company, which is his present business connection.
Mr. Dawson was married June 29, 1896, to Miss Grace C. Strong, a daughter of Albert M. Strong. of Joliet, Illinois, and they have one child, Bernice. Mr. Dawson belongs to the Masonic fraternity, having taken the degrees of the blue lodge and of Aztec Commandery No. 5, K. T. He is also a member of Raton Lodge No. 865, B. P. O. E.
William F. Ruffner, a merchant of Raton, who has been a resident of New Mexico since 1883, was born in Hannibal, Missouri, December 7, 1855, and is indebted to the public school system of that city for the edu- cational privileges he enjoyed. He was reared to farm life in Missouri and agriculture remained his chief occupation until his removal to New Mexico. He arrived in the Territory in 1883, locating at Raton in the service of the Santa Fé Railroad Company, and after about two years he embarked in general merchandising in June, 1885, on Front street, con- ducting his store for eight years, or until 1893, when he restricted the scope of his trade to groceries, queensware and kindred goods. He has since con- ducted a grocery store and is enjoying now a large and gratifying patron- age. He spent six months in Dawson, New Mexico, and in addition to his mercantile interests is the owner of real estate in Raton.
On the 28th of November, 1889, Mr. Ruffner was married to Miss Anna Clarke, of Quincy, Illinois, and to them was born a daughter, Mau- rine, in 1890. Fraternally Mr. Ruffner is connected with Raton Lodge No.
Gro & Prace
705
LOCAL HISTORIES
8, I. O. O. F., and is interested in community affairs to the extent of giv- ing hearty co-operation to many progressive public measures.
Chester D. Stevens. who has been one of the actual builders of the progressive city of Raton, has resided in that city since 1882. His father, A. S. Stevens, preceded him to New Mexico in 1880 and was engaged in mining and in work at his trade of carpentering for several years. Both father and son soon became well known throughout the northern part of the Territory.
Chester D. Stevens was born in Watertown, New York, September 18, 1856, his parents being A. S. and Julia A. (Perry) Stevens. He was educated at Ogdensburg, New York, and in April, 1879, making his way westward, located at Blackhall, Colorado, where he worked at the carpen- ter's trade for a year. He afterward returned to New York and on the 5th of May, 1882, came to Raton, where he has since been actively engaged in business as a contractor and builder and was for a time a dealer in lumber. Raton was a mere village at the time of his arrival here and he has witnessed its growth to its present size and population. The terminus of the Santa Fe railroad was at that time at Otero, five miles below Raton. Chester D. Stevens has erected. under contract, many of the most sub- stantial business blocks and residences in Raton and has taken an active interest in all movements inspired by a desire to promote the general wel- fare of the community.
In January, 1880, in Ogdensburg, New York, Chester D. Stevens was married to Miss Marion Patterson, and to them has been born a son, Chester P. Stevens. In his political views Mr. Stevens is a Democrat and has served as a member of the school hoard and of the city council. In community affairs he is actively and helpfully interested and his efforts along the lines of substantial improvement have been of direct benefit to the city. Fraternally he is a Knight Templar Mason.
George James Pace, Raton, county treasurer and collector of Colfax county, New Mexico, was born in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, Novem- ber 19, 1843, son of David and Margaret (Woods) Pace. At an early age he became self-supporting and in his youth learned the trade of stove moulder. When the Civil war came on he had not yet emerged from his teens, but his patriotism soon asserted itself and on August 7, 1862, he enlisted as a member of the One Hundred Twenty-Third Pennsylvania Infantry. After a service of nine months, he was honorably discharged, May 13. 1863. February 6, 1865, he again enlisted, this time as a member of the Fourth Pennsylvania Cavalry, with which he served until July Ist of that year. Both times his service was in the Army of the Potomac, and among the engagements in which he participated were the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville.
After the war Mr. Pace worked at his trade in the east until 1873, when he came west and located in Las Animas, Colorado. When the present Las Animas was founded he was on the ground and sold the first merchandise in the town. In 1876 he went to Lake City, Colorado, where he was in business eighteen months. In November, 1878, he came to Willow Springs, a stage station. He helped to establish the town of Otero and had a store there until the railroad came and Raton was started, since which time Mr. Pace has been identified with its growth and develop- ment, having a grocery store here until June, 1902.
706
HISTORY OF NEW MEXICO
As showing his popularity, we note that although Colfax county is nominally Democratic, Mr. Pace has several times been elected to office on the Republican ticket. In 1880 he was elected county commissioner, for a term of four years; in the fall of 1902 was the choice for county treasurer and collector, in 1904 was re-elected to succeed himself, and is now the incumbent of the office. In 1888 Mr. Pace married Mrs. Laura R. Thomas. She has two children by her former marriage: James Ray Thomas and Alice M., wife of S. W. Clark.
John Thomas Hixenbaugh, county assessor of Colfax county, New Mexico, was born in Centerville, Iowa, September 23, 1859, son of George and Sarah Jane (Davis) Hixenbaugh. At the early age of ten years we find him on a cattle range in Kansas. A few years later he came with a bunch of cattle from Indian Territory on his way to Prescott, Arizona, and stopped in New Mexico at Senator Dorsey's Chico Springs ranch. Instead of continuing with the rest of the party to Arizona, he remained and went to work as a cow puncher for Senator Dorsey. Before he reached his majority he was appointed deputy sheriff, under Peter Burleson, and subsequently served as deputy under Sheriffs Bowman and Wallace, and at the close of Judge Wallace's term, in 1884, was elected to succeed him, as sheriff and collector. During the first year of his term, while performing his official duty in attempting to arrest Dick Rogers for the murder of a man in "Chihuahua," in the suburbs of Raton, Mr. Hixen- baugh was shot through the knee, from which he suffered serious injury, necessitating three amputations. Rogers was afterward killed at Springer, Colfax county, while trying to release a friend of his who was incarcerated in the jail at that place. On account of his injuries Mr. Hixenbaugh re- signed the office. Since then he has been engaged in the liquor business, at different times, and he is also interested in ranching, owning the old Hall ranch west of Springer. In 1897 he was elected county assessor, has been re-elected, and is now serving his eighth year in this office. He has always been a Democrat, and has usually received a majority of from 600 to 700 votes.
Mr. Hixenbaugh is a member of the Elks Lodge at Las Vegas and the Eagles and Red Men in Raton.
Hugh H. Smith, living retired in Raton, was born in Killwinning, Scotland. July 27. 1859. a son of John and Margaret (Haddow) Smith, who in 1867 came with their family to the United States. They settled at Morris Run, Pennsylvania. and Hugh H. Smith began working in the coal mines there. being thus employed for about ten years. He after- ward spent two years in the coal fields at Staunton, Illinois, and subse- quently was in the coal mines at Cleveland, Iowa, but after a few months returned to Staunton. In 1882 he went to Blossburg, New Mexico, where mines had been opened about a year before, two hundred men being em- ployed there. For a number of years Mr. Smith was identified with the development of the coal industry of Blossburg and on leaving that place went to Indian Territory in 1883. He was working there in a mine when coal gas caused an explosion which blinded him for three weeks. Soon afterward he returned to Blossburg, where he continued mining until 1888. In the meantime he engaged in merchandising and about 1888 became manager of the store. He was associated in this enterprise with his two brothers, William H. and John H. Smith, the latter a noted cornet soloist,
707
LOCAL HISTORIES
who won the first prize at Denver in 1897. The other brother, William H. Smith, now makes his home at the head of Dillon canyon. Hugh H. Smith continued as manager of the store until 1899 and he and his brothers also conducted a harness shop in connection with the store. In 1896 they erected the Palace Hotel building and recently Mr. Smith of this review has purchased his brother's interests in the property. He has thus been closely associated with the industrial and commercial develop- ment of his community and his efforts have been an important factor in the material progress, contributing to the public prosperity as well as to individual success.
Mr. Smith has been married twice. He first wedded Clara Turner, a native of Staffordshire, England, who died November 1, 1893. Of their three children one is now living, Alice Elizabeth, who is yet at home. In July, 1901, Mr. Smith wedded Mrs. Ann Jane McArthur, who, by her former marriage, had four children: Sarah, the wife of Frank S. Law- rence : Charles, who married Cora Masters; William and Ann Jane.
In community affairs Mr. Smith has been prominent and influential. In politics he is a stalwart Republican and was twice chosen by popular suffrage to the office of county collector and treasurer, serving for four years, beginning in 1894. He was a candidate for mayor in the spring of 1904, but lost the election by thirty votes. He is a Mason, belonging to Gate City Lodge at Raton and also the Chapter. He is chancellor of the local lodge of Knights of Pythias and is now deputy grand chancellor, is connected with the uniformed rank, and was formerly an Odd Fellow. He likewise belongs to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He served on the school board of Blossburg and he and his brother John were active members of the band of Blossburg. Starting out in life in the humble capacity of a worker in the coal mines he has gradually advanced to a position of prominence in business circles and is now in possession of a handsone competence that enables him to live retired.
Mathias Broyles Stockton, now living retired at Raton, Colfax county, has been prominently identified with the affairs of both town and county during his residence here, which covers a long period. Mr. Stockton was born in Ray county, east Tennessee, June 23. 1845, son of William Hay- den and Emeline (Broyles) Stockton, and passed his early boyhood days in his native state. At the age of fourteen years we find him on his father's cattle ranch in northwestern Texas. He was in Texas at the time of the Civil war. Joining the state troops, he became a member of Com- pany D, and performed guard duty on the frontier, meeting with some exciting experiences incident to skirmishes with the Indians. From Texas he made trips up the valley of the Pecos, bringing droves of cat- tle to New Mexico, and in 1868 he and his father came as far as the present site of Raton. The only settlement of any kind then on the Pecos was the government post at Fort Sumner. His first location was on the Sugarite. Thomas L. Stockton, his brother, had come to the Territory over a year previous to that time. With the stock they brought with them they established themselves in the cattle business in Colfax county, which they continued successfully for years.
Mr. Stockton has always been an ardent Republican. In June, 1882. he was appointed sheriff of Colfax county to fill a vacancy, and acted in that capacity for eighteen months. In 1890 he was elected to the office, and
708
HISTORY OF NEW MEXICO
served a term of two years. Next he was elected and served one term as mayor of Raton. In 1903 he was honored by election to the office of repre- sentative from his district to the territorial legislature, and also in 1905, and while a member of that body introduced a bill that became a law during the next session, namely, a law requiring marriage licenses to be recorded.
Fraternally Mr. Stockton is a Mason, having membership in the lodge, chapter and commandery. He married, in 1872, Miss Dove Stout, a native of East Tennessee, who bore him four children: Alvin Claude, Clarence T., Laura V .. and Frank.
Alonzo Lyden Bell, a ranchman residing two miles east of Raton, was born in Vinton county, Ohio, about one hundred and twenty miles east of Cin- cinnati, on the 15th of August, 1845, a son of John and Sarah (Laycock) Bell. He remained in Ohio until 1877, after which he spent two years in Rush county, Kansas, and in 1879 came to New Mexico to fill a contract to cut ties at the head of Chicken creek for the Santa Fé railroad. He was thus engaged for two years and in 1881 he bought cattle and located in Dutchman Canyon. New Mexico, in the stock raising business. The first coal prospectors of that locality boarded with him and his wife, and in 1881 a camp was opened at Blossburg, after which Mr. Bell worked in the mines for a part of the time. In 1886 he and John Towndrow cut the first crop of hay, and they were partners in business interests for a number of vears. In 1887 Mr. Bell took his family to the ranch and about 1889 he built a stone house there. He raised good crops and made his home there for about eleven years, but since 1900 has resided on his present home- stead. While on the mesa he gave his attention to farming and stock rais- ing, and has raised and threshed fifty bushels of wheat to the acre. After locating in the valley he was the first to adopt the Campbell system of farming. He did this as an experiment, soon demonstrated its success, and believes it to be the greatest system in the world.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.