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marie S:arter
Anthony,
iew 'Mexico
570 words
Anthony
Hefugio Grant
OLD TILERS DICTIONARY
In
Detail
One of the dearest and most beloved ladies of our community lives
all alone on a ranch west of the Ai° Grande, in a little white house,
with climbing roses and honey -suckle. I had L ea with her the other
day. After she had cleared the table we sat down in her cozy living
room to visit awhile and to chat.
Anthony to -day, and Anthony of yesterday, are widely different,
aren't they" I ventured.
There is no comparison," was her quick response." When Pat and I
came here it was nothing but bosque. In, fact, he helped to clear quite
a bit of it."
4 -hat year was that'' I inquired.
1900. 4e came from Uvalde, Texas."
Oh, yes, Uvalde; Vice President Garner's home town. Did you
happen to know the Garners?" I asked.
Jell, I was aquainted with Mrs. Garner," Mrs. Coleman replied.
Her aunt, Alice Jatson, was my roommate at college. We attended Ad
Ran College, Thorps Sulphur Springs."
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where did you live when you fist came to Anthony?"
On the old business street west of the Santa ie tracks, where Charley
Miller, ',ars. Story and Lirs. Alvarez lived, Mrs. Story bought the house we
occupied so we had to move. Since houses were scarce we decided to move
to Chamberino and raise sheep," she said.
I understand sheep raising was a thriving industry of the early days,"
I observed.
It was," she assented. Ie didn't keep our sheep at Chamberino, how-
ever, but up in the Yranklin mountains, east of ,inthony. Sometimes I would
go up there and camp with Mr. Coleman. dhenever our supplies ran low I
went to Anthony to purchase more, riding a horse and leading a pack burro.
One spring we had an early snow and lost our whole herd.*
The what did you do"
le bought this place. Our deed calls for almost thirteen acres, but
the river stole six. You can't imagine what a source of worry the. Rio
Grande was in the early days. It was such a tricky old stream. One day
it would be so dry that the settlers could cross it on foot. And the very
next day it would be so full of water that they would have to resort to
skiffs."
las this land in the Refugio Grant?"
Yes, just a moment and you may see for yourself." As she spoke she
opened the top drawer of a heavy oak chest and took out a paper which she
gave me to read.
This is what I read: 'Abstract No. 3555. The Refugio Grant Colony
in Dona Ana County, New Mexico to wit: Beginning December 17, 1869, this being
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the date of filing of Grant to "efugio Golony, and bringing the title to
date. l'repared for irs. Clara k)leman, April 20, 1931.'
The Spanish and Mexican land grants of New Mexico may be divided into
two classes: The Spanish grants made between 1693 and 1821, and the
Mexican grants madd between 1821 and 1846. A few grants were made after
that time in the Lesiila Valley, which Mexico claimed until the dispute
was settled by the Gadsden treaty.
The Refugio Colony, Dona 1-iha County, was granted 15,000 acres in 1852,
and the grant was confirmed in 1901.
The "io Grande, which gave the early settlers so much trouble, is the
only important river in New Mexico that does not have its •source within
the state; It enters Jew Mexico in a deep canyon a short distance to the
east of the 106 th Meridian.
Mrs. Clara Coleman: Born in Uvalde, Texas, December 3, 1864; came
to hthony, New Mexico in 1900; Attended Ad Ran College at Thorps Sulphur
Springs; member of the crescent jlub of ,Inthony.