USA > New Mexico > History of New Mexico : its resources and people, Volume II > Part 32
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Mr. Krouse made a creditable record as a soldier of the federal army in the Civil war, serving as captain of Company E, Fourth Kentucky Cav- alry. He took part in Morgan's raid and in the battles of Fort Donelson, Fort Henry, Pittsburg Landing, Lookout Mountain and other important and sanguinary engagements, and was three times wounded. In matters of citizenship he has ever been loyal and progressive, and in business has displayed keen insight into conditions and a thorough understanding of possibilities that have led him to recognize the advantages that New Mexico affords and to ally his interests with the work of development and upbuilding here.
William M. Riley, a cattleman of Capitan, New Mexico, came to the Territory in 1890 from Louisiana. He settled at Lincoln and entered the cattle business, in which he has since continued, being closely associated with this enterprise, which is one of the most important sources of revenue of the Territory. In 1894 he removed to Capitan, where he entered a homestead claim, covering a part of the town site. He is now proprietor of the Capitan Hotel and also conducts a meat market, his varied business interests being a good source of revenue and winning for him a place among the substantial residents of this part of the Territory.
While living in Lincoln county Mr. Riley was called to various public offices. He served as deputy sheriff, was collector of the county for one term after his arrival and in 1897-98 filled the office of assessor of the county. He also had charge of the district clerk's office in Roswell under George Curray, and his devotion to all public duties is one of the strong and salient characteristics in his life record. His social relations connect him with Coalora Lodge, I. O. O. F.
S. T. Gray, conducting a livery business at Capitan, has been the promoter of business interests that have been of far-reaching and bene- ficial effect in advancing the material progress and welfare of the commu- nity. He was born in Coosa county, Alabama, and was reared in Louis- iana. On coming first to New Mexico he located on the Angus V. V. ranch, twelve miles south of Capitan, where in partnership with Pat Gar- rett, he engaged in the cattle business from 1884 until 1887. In the latter year he located on a ranch comprising the town site of Capitan and con- tinted as a dealer in cattle. In 1897 he opened the first store on the ranch and was instrumental in securing the establishment of a postoffice, which was called Gray. Later he was instrumental in securing the building of the railroad into the coal fields-a source of profit and income to the town-
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and in many other ways he has contributed in substantial measure to the upbuilding and progress of the community. In 1890 Mr. Gray embarked in the livery business, in which he has continued and he is also interested in mining, being engaged in the development of an iron field. Active as a supporter of the Democratic party he does all in his power to advance its interests and served for a time as cattle inspector and is a member of the Southeastern Stock Growers' Association.
Jones Taliaferro, a prominent representative of commercial pursuits at White Oaks, also interested in mining, came to this place in May, 1880, and during the first year of his residence here was engaged in prospecting. He also did a contract business in mining supplies and in 1884 he was elected clerk of Lincoln county, in which position he served through the four succeeding years. In 1885 he purchased the mercantile business of the firm of Robson, Young & Bogard, which had been established in 1880. He has since conducted this enterprise, removing from Lincoln to White Oaks in 1888. The store is a large and well appointed establish- ment, in which a good line of general merchandise is carried and its neat and tasteful arrangement together with reasonable prices and earnest de- sire to please his patrons have secured to the proprietor an extensive and growing trade. He belongs to Baxter Lodge No. 9, K. P., at White Oaks.
John A. Brown, a representative of mercantile interests in White Oaks, where he is also filling the position of postmaster, is a native of Daviess county, Kentucky, and was reared to the occupation of farming, early be- coming familiar with the duties and labors incident to the care of the fields. At the time of the Civil war he espoused the Union cause, enlisting as a member of Company E, Twelfth Kentucky Cavalry, with which he served until the close of the war in the capacity of corporal. He was in active duty in the eastern Tennessee and Georgia campaigns, and Stone- man's raids through West Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia, his regiment participating in many hotly contested engagements. While in the army he was wounded and still suffers from the injuries sus- tained in defense of his country.
Mr. Brown came to White Oaks on the 11th of September. 1883, and has since made his home in New Mexico. For two years he was engaged in prospecting and then turned his attention to merchandising and to the commission business, conducting his store here since 1885. He belongs to Golden Rule Lodge No. 16, I. O. O. F., of White Oaks and maintains pleasant relations with his old army comrades through his membership in Kearny Post No. 10, G. A. R. He is as true and loyal to his country and her interests as when he followed the stars and stripes upon the battle- fields of the south.
Henry Lutz, who is engaged in sheep raising, his home being near Ancho, New Mexico, was born and reared in Bavaria, and at the age of seventeen years became a resident of Trinidad, Colorado. He arrived in New Mexico in 1883, making his way to Santa Fé, where he entered the employ of Spiegelburg & Company. Subsequently he went to Albuquerque, where he was an employe of E. J. Post & Company, and in 1886 he came to Lincoln, where he embarked in merchandising as a member of the firm of R. Michaelis & Company. In 1889 Mr. Lutz made a trip to Europe and remained abroad for two years, returning in 1891. He then became a part- ner in the Lincoln Trading Company, with which he was associated for
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four and a half years, and subsequently he turned his attention to the sheep raising industry in Ancho, where he has since remained. He has made a close and discriminating study of the needs of sheep and what best pro- motes the business of sheep raising, and he is today a well-known and successful representative of this industry.
Mr. Lutz is very active and prominent in Republican politics, being an unfaltering supporter of the party and its principles and a recognized leader in its ranks in Lincoln county. He has served as treasurer and collector of the county for two terms. Fraternally he is connected with Lincoln Lodge, Knight of Pythias.
Charles A. Spence, extensively engaged in the raising of sheep and cattle at White Oaks, New Mexico, is a native of Iowa and came to New Mexico in 1882. Here he became actively interested in the stock industry, establishing a large cattle ranch and also opened a store at Pinos Wells. Through his efforts a postoffice was opened there and the village became an important business center and distributing point for the surrounding ranches. Mr. Spence has lived in White Oaks since 1901 and is engaged in sheep raising on a large scale. being one of the leading representatives of this business in his section of New Mexico. He has done much to im- prove the grade of sheep raised by the introduction of good breeds and has thus contributed in keeping the price up to a high standard.
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SIERRA COUNTY.
Sierra is one of the southern counties of New Mexico, and boldly ex- tends into Socorro county, being bounded by Luna and Doña Ana counties on the south, and a corner of Grant county and Socorro on the west. It is one of the smallest counties in the Territory, having an area of only 3,129 square miles and a population of 3,158 people. Its county seat, Hillsboro, in the southern part of the county, has a population of about 600, and is one of the important mining camps in this section of the Territory.
Sierra county was formed by legislative act. in 1883, from parts of Socorro, Doña Ana and Grant counties, the impelling cause being the de- sire of the miners in the vicinity of Lake Valley, Hillsboro and Kingston, to govern themselves, and their belief that their interests would be bene- fitted by having one county in which mining would be the leading in- dustry, rather than live on the borders of three large counties in none of which could they have a controlling influence. Although, as will be seen, it has very considerable grazing and agricultural interests in the valley of the Rio Granda. with its tributaries, its great industry is that of mining, as it probably always will be.
Physical Features .- Large plains occupy the extreme eastern portion of the county; then come a system of mountain ranges (Sierra Cabello), running north and south, along the eastern bank of the Rio Grande, around whose southern extremity that river makes a bold eastern sweep in its exit from the county. leaving about one-third of the area to the east; to the westward. interrupted here and there hy peaks of only moderate height, the plains extend to the foot hills of the Black Membre ranges, which form a lofty western barrier. With the exception of a few creeks in the extreme northwest corner, which flow into the Gila, all streams empty eastward into the Rio Grande.
Agriculture and Mining .- The county is well divided into the valley, mesa and mountain lands, embracing a considerable section of the Rio Grande valley, where agriculture is followed: wherever openings in the valleys of the different affluents afford room enough to do so, agricultural pursuits are followed. But the main interests of Sierra county are centered in the mines. The principal mining districts are : Apache, Black Range, Cuchillo Negro, Kingston, Hermosa, Animas, Hillsboro, Percha and Lake Valley.
Mining History of the County .- To hegin with the most famous of all the romances of mining. Lake Valley furnishes the best story. Here abounds the highest-grade silver-ore. In the early days, when Victorio, Loco and Nana made this valley unhealthy, two miners struck a gold pros- pect. They sold it for $100.000 to a Philadelphia syndicate, and two days after the lead ran into the "Bridal Chamber," the working of which yielded
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over $3.000,000. The expense was so trifling that one man offered the owners $200,000 for the privilege of entering the mine and taking the metal that he could knock down single-handed with his pick in one day ! This was an era of wild speculation. from which Lake Valley suffered a natural reaction ; but the riches of the camp seem only touched as yet. Millions of dollars have been taken from its mines, but there is still rich ore. It lies in blanket form and quickly runs into pockets and chambers.
The history of the discovery of these wonderful mines is interesting. In the year 1878 a miner named Lufkin, then living at Hillsboro, fifteen miles northwest of Lake Valley, or McEvers' ranch, as it was then called, in company with a companion, started out on a prospecting trip to the foot- hills of the southern extremity of the Black Range. They had no luck for some weeks; but finally, at a point about two miles west of McEvers', they discovered a large body of black ore croppings extending over a hundred acres of territory, and indicating plainly the presence of mineral of some kind. The big, black bodies of ore, cropping out above the surface, showed that. whatever the nature of the mineral to be found, it was certainly in immense quantities. They sank several prospect holes, and soon satisfied themselves that they had "struck it rich" in silver: but as their "grub stake" was by this time exhausted, they returned to Hillsboro and obtained employment, one as a cook and the other as a miner, saved up their wages for several months, in order to have a "grub stake" when they should go again to work on their claim.
In a few weeks the Indian war broke out upon the country, and min- ing operations in that section were suspended. Finally, however, through the assistance of J. A. Miller of Grant county, who was then the post trader at Fort Bayard, Lufkin and his partner were enabled to develop their mines sufficiently to prove that they were first class ; and then a rush began toward the new district. Claims were located on all sides and quite a min- ing camp sprang into existence. Ore running as high as $1,000 a ton was exposed, and Mr. Miller began to look around for means to better develop the mines. The result was that about 1894 Miller sold the principal mines of the district to a syndicate for $225,000.
This district was the scene of a great mining excitement more than twenty years ago, when the Apaches were removed from the adjacent reservation, but the difficulty and expense of transportation keep it in the background. Hillsboro and Kingston have both been famous in their days as enormous producers, one of gold and the other of silver.
County Officials .- Since its organization, the officials of Sierra county have been as follows:
Probate Judges :- 1884-6. Jose Tafoys: 1887-8. Jose Jesus Garcia : 1889-90, Doniciana Montoya; 1891-2, Jose Apodaca ; 1893-6, Francisco Apodaca ; 1897-8. Julian Chaves ; 1899-1900, Mersa Montoya; 1901-4. Procopino Torres; 1905-6. Esperidon Tafoya.
Probate clerks :- 1884-92. J. M. Webster; 1893-1904. Thomas C. Hall; 1905-6, J. M. Webster.
Sheriffs :- 1884-6, Thomas Murphy : 1887-90, Alexander M. Story: 1891-4. S. W. Sanders ; 1895-6. Max L. Kahler; 1897-8, August Reingardt : 1890-1000, Max L. Kahler : 1901-2, J. D. Chandler : 1903-4. Max L. Kahler; 1905-6, W. C. Kendall.
Assessors :- 1884-94, James P. Parker ; 1895-6, Aloys Preisser : 1897-1906, Andrew Kelly.
Treasurers :- 1884-6. F. W. Taylor; 1887-8. Norman C. Raff : 1889-94. William H. Bucher ; 1895-1900, Will M. Robins; 1901-6, J. C. Plemmons.
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County Commissioners :- 1884-6, A. E. Pitkin, G. W. Gregg, Richard Winn; 1887-8, Nathan Grayson, Frank Klines, James P'. Armstrong; 1889-90, B. N. Greeley, Fred Lindauer, Frank H. Winston; 1891-2, J. C. Stanley, Fred Lindauer, Jose Tofoya y Garcia ; 1893-4, Doniciano Montoya, Isaac D. Hilty, James Dalglish; 1895-6, Jose M. Apodaca, August Reingardt, George R. Baucus: 1897-8, Francisco Boyorquez, Robert West, John E. Wheeler; 1899-1900, Thomas T. Lee, James Dalglish, Crespin Aragon ; 1901-2, Marcelino Duran, James Reay, Crespin Aragon; 1903-4, Thomas Murphy, Vilcaldo G. Trujillo; 1905-6, Urbano P. Arrey, Thomas Murphy, Viliado G. Trujillo.
Towns of the County .- Hillsboro, the county seat, is the center of the gold mining district. It has a handsome court house, good schools and hotels. The metal carrier in this district is quartz, impregnated with copper and iron pyrites, and containing precious metals in the proportion of one ounce of gold to five ounces of silver. Perhaps the most notable feature in the Hillsboro gold mines is the unbroken continuity of the ore veins. Founded in 1877, the success and prosperity . of the town were only obtained after years of persistent effort. The camp is an off-shoot of Georgetown, Grant county. In 1876 David Stetzel and Daniel Dugan left that place on a prospecting tour, and in May, 1877, discovered gold in the present Hills- boro camp. Nicholas Galles, then on the Mimbres, soon after appeared at the place, with eleven others, including W. H. Weeks, H. H. Elliott and Joe Yankie. Each of the newcomers had a name for the new town. Finally one day in December, 1877, the names were all written on slips of paper and put in an old hat, and after an impartial drawing Hillsboro came to the surface.
Kingston, in the southwestern part of the county, a few miles west of Hillsboro, is the nucleus of a rich silver district. It is situated in the valley of the Rio Percha, the ore belt stretching from the Trujillo to the North Percha. The ores are found in connection with quartz, iron, cop- per, zinc, galena and talc. Binoxide of manganese also prevails throughout the district. The town itself is well situated, has a public water service, churches and schools and a good class of settlers. The first rich mineral in the district of which Kingston is the center was found in what was known as the Solitaire mine and was discovered in August, 1882, by Jack Shedden, the discoverer of the famous Robinson mine in Colorado. R. J. Wilson had located the claim in 1881, but, not knowing this, Shedden took possession of the mine and bonded it to Taber & Wurtzebach for $100,000. For some time after the discovery of the Solitaire mine the town had a wonderful growth. On June 6, A. Barnaby set up a tent in the woods at a point which soon after became the center of the town, and opened a little store, which was the first habitation of any kind erected in Kingston. On the 26th of August the first surveying for the town site was begun, and on the Ist of October the Kingston Town Company was organized and in- corporated. By the latter part of the fall the town had a population of about 1,800 people, and city lots on Main street brought as high as five hun- dred dollars apiece.
Lake Valley, already mentioned, is also the chief settlement in a pro- ductive silver district which lies to the south of Hillsboro and Kingston. In connection with Lake Valley is due a little more history, recalled by the burning of the famous Ingliss ranch house, three miles from that point, in the spring of 1906. The property was at one time owned by George Daly, of Leadville, Colorado, who was the founder of Lake Valley and was
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killed by Indians in 1881. His property included the famous Bridal Chamber, of horn silver, which at the time of his death had just been uncovered. He was one of the daring pioneers of that period, but death cut short the worldly fruition of his work. Tom Ingliss, from whom the ranch house was named, came later and had a remarkable history of shoot- ing affairs and miraculous escapes. But the burning of the house probably marks the deterioration or absorption of the property, so that it will no longer be known as the Ingliss ranch.
Thomas Murphy, county commissioner of Sierra county and a resident of Hillsboro, was born and reared in Portland, Maine, his natal day being November 22. 1848. His education was largely acquired through his own efforts in the school of experience, and in 1863, when not quite fifteen years of age, he responded to the country's call for troops, enlisting as a member of Company G, Second Regiment, Volunteer Infantry, in the District of Columbia, with which he served throughout the Civil war, being honorably discharged at Alexandria, Virginia, September 12, 1865. He participated in the campaign against General Mosby in the Shenandoah valley and participated in the battle of Fort Stevens, which was witnessed by President Lincoln. Following the need for volunteer troops, Mr. Mur- ply jointed the United States regular army on the 25th of October, 1865, in the Third Battalion, joining the Seventeenth Regiment, which after- ward became the Thirty-fifth Regular Infantry. He continued in active mili- tary service until 1878, when he was discharged as first sergeant of Com- pany G, Fifteenth Regular Infantry, having served through four terms of enlistment. Following the Civil war his military duty lay largely in Texas and New Mexico, mostly in suppressing the Indian outbreaks and in quelling the rustlers. He served at all the old forts in the southern part of New Mexico and thus gained broad and comprehensive knowledge of the Territory.
In 1878 Mr. Murphy became clerk in sulter's store at Fort Craig, where he remained until April, 1879. He was then transferred to Fort Bayard, where he continued until July, 1880, when he went to Lake Valley and took charge of the old McEvers ranch and mines for John A. Miller, who was then post trader for Fort Bavard. He acted as superintendent of his ranching and mining interests until 1882, when he took up his abode in Lake Valley, where he served for two terms as sheriff, being the first in- cumbent in that position in Sierra county. He was active and influential in every movement for the establishment of Sierra county, and after serving by appointment for one term as sheriff he was elected to the office for a term. He has likewise been school director and is now county commis- sioner. His interest in military affairs did not cease with his retirement from the regular army, for he acted as first lieutenant of Company H of the First Regiment of the New Mexico Militia during the time of the Apache Indian raids.
Mr. Murphy was married in 1893 to Miss Nellie Thurston, of El Paso, Texas. He belongs to Kingston Lodge No. 16, A. F. & A. M .; to Percha Lodge No. 9, I. O. O. F., and to Sierra Lodge No. 19, K. P. The same loyalty which marked his service as a volunteer and his course as a mem- ber of the regular army has also been manifest in political offices to which he has been called, and he stands as a typical representative of the South-
Armas Harthy
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west, interested in its development and lending active and hearty co- operation to many movements for the public good.
Andrew Kelley, who till recently filled the office of assessor of Sierra county, came to New Mexico as a member of Company B, Fifteenth Regi- ment of United States regulars. He had enlisted in the army in 1867 at Cleveland, Ohio, and was stationed at Fort McRae. He served for three years at that point, and after his retirement from military service he was employed in the Indian department from 1870 until 1882. Turning his at- tention to private business interests, he followed ranching on Cañada creek for three years and became connected with mining in Shandon district. He has been interested in mining to a greater or less extent since leaving the Indian department, but is now giving his attention more largely to ranch- ing, having taken up a homestead below Elephant Butte dam, where his farming and stock-raising interests are being carefully managed and are resulting in the acquirement of a gratifying success. In 1896 Mr. Kelley was elected to the office of county assessor, and by re-election was con- tinued in the position for ten years. He has resigned the office of assessor of Sierra county, and is at present residing in Paraje, Socorro county, en- gaged in the mercantile business. He belongs to Kingston Lodge No. 16, A. F. & A. M., has attained the 'thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite and is a member of the Mystic Shrine at Albuquerque.
Harvey A. Ringer, a cattleman of Hillsboro, was born in St. Francis county, Missouri, and, although deprived of the opportunity of attending school in his youth, he has learned many valuable lessons in the school of experience, continually broadening his knowledge by contact with men, by reading and by observation. He came to New Mexico in 1882 from south- eastern Missouri, locating in Fairview, where he became connected with the cattle business. He removed to his home ranch on the S. L. C. ranch, four miles south of Hillsboro, and is today the owner of several valuable ranches. In fact, he is recognized as one of the prominent cattlemen of the Territory, his holdings in this direction being extensive. He raises high-grade cattle and is continually breeding valuable stock. His business in this direction is notable, even in a district where cattle-raising is carried on on a most extensive scale, and his prosperity has resulted entirely from his own well-directed efforts, judicious investment and capable manage- ment. He is now a member of the American Cattle-Growers' Association.
Mr. Ringer was married in Kingston, New Mexico, January 31, 1897. to Miss Mabel Bright, and has three daughters. He is a thirty-second degree Mason, holding membership in Kingston Lodge No. 16, A. F. & A. M., in Denver consistory and in Albuquerque temple of the Mystic Shrine.
A. J. Hirsch, interested in a number of mining claims and superin- tendent of the Treasury mines, makes his home in Hillsboro. He was born at Point Pleasant, Ohio, April 29, 1861, in the house where the birth of General Grant occurred. His education was there acquired and he aft- erward learned the trade of blacksmithing, which he followed in Ohio until his removal to Arizona about 1886. He spent a year in that territory, after which he came to Hillsboro in 1887 and established a blacksmith shop. which he conducted for two years. He afterward worked in the Snake mine for about three and a half years, and subsequently took a lease on the mine for thirty days, paying a high price therefor. He has been in-
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terested in a number of mining claims, working on leases mostly, and was superintendent of the South Percha Mining and Milling Company, and is now superintendent of the Treasury mines, operating his leases along well- defined lines of labor, in keeping with modern methods and process. He is meeting with success in his undertaking and is well known as a repre- sentative of mining interests of this part of New Mexico.
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