Document text
Maria Carter 1300 Words
Anthony, N. Mex.
OID TIMERS STORIES
Charles C. Geck (Wife; Roman Geck)
Interview May 17, 1937
"In recalling the early days of Dona Ana County" Charles C. Geck
of Anthony, New Mexico, said; "I was born in the family home where my
father, W.C.P. Geck was born before me, and where my grandfather Geck
lived a life time. I say a life time because he came to this country Ro
very long ago. He came to America from Germany almost ninety year ago.
Our house is one of the oldest houses in the town of' Dona Ana; it is in
good condition and occupied by my Aunt, Mrs. W.C. Weir."
In mentioning his grandfather Mr. Gook said: "Grandfather Geck
was a trader and a merchant. In the early days, when a shipment of mer-
chandise was ordered, the merchants never knew when they were going to
receive it, if at all, for the Indians would ambush the pack trains and
wagons, murder the drivers, rob the caravan and burn the wagons. My grand-
father told me many an exciting tale of the early days. I sometimes thought
that he knew everything; that be was the wikest man in the whole world.
No matter what I wished.to-.tnow he could tell me something about it."
Mr. Geek's parents craved new scenes. "So they piled their
household goods in the old covered wagon and headed for Las Cruces,"
he said. "That was in 1888. Las Cruces was a mere village. Then my
parents left Las Cruces and went to La; Union. The reason people moved
up and down the valley in the old days was because the Rio Grande wouldn't
let them remain in one place; it was like a mad dog at their heels. They
would no sooner get settled then it would rise and flood them out. During
the flood of 1995 the valley was covered with water from San Miguel to
White Spur, where the El Paso Electric Light power house stands."
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Mr. Geck paused then resumed: "My parents, who had moved from
La Union to Vinton, not far from White Spur, were forced to move to
Chamberino. There, in Chamberino, it was not so good either, for as
soon as they would plant their crops the Rio Grande would rise and wash
their seed away. It was a common sight to see some poor rancher's adobe
dwelling floating down the river; they couldn't bother about their homes
when it was all they could do to save their lives. I think the Rio Grande
should have been called "Tiad River". During the flood of 1905 the Provincio
family and other ranchers had to come to town to shop on skiffs. Por Dios,
it was an oceans The Provincios are some .of the very early pioneers.
Louis Provincio, Nemecio's son, married my sister Aivina." In 1902 my
parents 7rioved to Anthony."
In speaking of employment Mr. Geck said: "Work was scarce in
the old days. I would work for fifty cents a day and sometimes had to
take my wages out in trade. Farmers plougbed,with a small hand plough and
cut wheat with a scythe. The principal crops were wheat, corn, frijoles,
(beans) and alfalfa. The old Santa Fe Office was a small adobe house west
of the Santa Fe tracks. This whole valley was boaque or woodland with trees
nothing but trees everywhere; we were kept pretty busy clearing the_land.
But in the old days neighbor helped neighbor, and to say how much do I awe
you, would have been and insult, for when your time came they would all
flock to your ranch and lend a helping hand."
In comparing old main street with new main street Mr. Geck observed:
"The old business street is very quiet and the new business street is
noisy with traffic --in the old days it was a wagon road. Charley Miller
built and ran the first store on the old business street west of the
Santa Fe tracks. And this same man gave me my first job in Anthony. His
store was next to Mrs. 0.C. Story's place of business.
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Resuming the subject of the old business street Mr. Geck said;
"We were proud of the old street. Mr. and Mrs. Pat Coleman ran a boarding
house until Mrs. 0.. C4 %tory bought the house they lived in. Then the
Colemans moved to Chamberino and started a sheep ranch. Mrs. Story, who
had a sick husband, also ran a boarding house, But at a later date she
quit keeping boarders and started a notion store, which was the foundation
for the dry goods store she runs today on U.S. Highway 80, or the Broad-
way of America."
In speaking of the boarding house business Mr. Geck explained:
."Anthony was a stopping place for travelers that's the reason so many
of the townsfolks kept boarders. Mr. and Mrs. Alverez ran a boarding house
after they lost heavily in the flood of 1905. The Alvarez family lived
in the house at the north end of the street, where Judge and Mrs. Smith
live at the present time."
In the course of his conversation Mr. Geck mentioned the Valdez
family of La Union, saying: "Mrs. Valdes was born in La Unton. Her people
were among the first to colonize this valley. They are connected with my
family by marriage. Before her marriage,Mrs. Valdez was an Enriquez. Her
brother, Eneilia Enrique*, married one of my sisters. Por Diosl he chuckled,
"we are like a chain letter."
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When asked about the style of houses built by the early settlers
Mr. Geck replied: "Since we had plenty of trees we used them to build pole
houses. The poles were placed straight up and down and then plastered in
between with adobe musk. e used poles for our ceilings, too. Then we
whitewashed the house inside and out. The floors of our houses were plain
dirt. Americans and Mexicans, we all fared alike in the old days. Gradually
people began to build houses out of ac,obe, which were warmer in winter
and cooler in summer."
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They had good times in the old days. "Innocent fun." Mr. Gedk
called it. "We had picnics, barbecues, dance's, -chuck wagon suppers and
rodeos. The last rodeo was staged about eight years ago by a group of
old timers, and the last chuck wagon supper ten or eleven. The good old
days when we took our guitars and sang love songs to the girl of our
dreams will never return. Pretty soon the mothers will be like the girls
and buy all of our native dishes in tin cans." Charles C. Gook was born
in Dona Ana, New Mexico, Jan.27, 1880; He married Romans, Benevides of Las
Cruces, New Mexica in 1912; Came to Anthony, New Mexico with his parents
in 1902. Mr. and Yrs. Charlss C. Geck have five children: Margaret, Charley,
Mary Estella, Tele and Harry. Margaret is now Mrs. Mike Apadoea of San
Miguel, and Charley is in the United States Navy. Mary Estella, Tela and
Harry are pupils in the Anthony grade school.
Charles C. Gecks parents, Mr. and Mrs. W.C.P. Geck
children: Charles, Beatrice, William, Josephine, Epifanio,
Charles is a farmer of Anthony, New Mexico; .)eatrice lives
William is a business .man of El Paso, Texas; Epifanio is a
had seven
Louis and Alvina.
in Las Cruces;
farmer in San
Diego, California; Louis is a resident of Los Angeles, California; Alvina
is the wife of Louis Provincio, a valley farmer.
41K-11-3Ht-41
Charles C. Geck's father, IN. Geck, moved his family to Anthony
in 1902, where he built a home which is still standing in the town proper,
a short distance east of U.S. Highway 80. W.C.P. Geck served Anthony as
Justice of the Peace for fifteen years, and his son, Charles C. Geck,
held the same office for two years-- 1932 and 1934.