Document text
Edith L. Crawford,
Carrizozo, N. Mex.
Date: November 18, 1938
Words:
Tapia; Pioneer Story
Source of Information:
Rumaldo Aguilar Duran
Carrisomo„ New Mexico.
?Ion= ma my 21193F
net
I came to Lincoln County, New Mexico, in 1887, from
Franklin Texas, (now El Paso, Texas), and have lived in Lincoln
County for Fifty-one years.
My father, Jose Aguilar, married my mother, Salome Duran,
at Old Meanie, New Mexico,(I have forgotten the date). They moved
to the Upper Nimbres Valley in Grant County New Mexico, where my
father worked in the mines. There were both silver and copper
mines there. I was born February 7, 1880, at a mining camp in the
Upper Nimbres Valley. When I was about three months old my father
was killed in the mines at San Vicente, Luna County, New Mexico,
which is near what is now Silver City, New Mexico.
After my father's death my mother went to live with her
father and mother, Nestor and Santos Duran, who lived in the Up-
per Kimbres Valley, not far from us. After a few years my grandparents
and my mother moved to Franklin Texas, (now El Paso Texas), where
they lived for several years. My grandfather worked at his trade
as a carpenter and mill worker. While we were living in Franklin
my mother married a man by the name of Made Mon tore. They had
one child, a girl named Nesters.
In September 1887 we left Franklin Texas for Lincoln, New
Maxim. We traveled in a covered wagon drawn by two mnall ponies. In
the crowd were my grandfather and grandmother Duran, my step -father
Amado Montero, my mother, my step -sister Nestor!, and myself.
It took us about a month to make the trip. The sand was so
deep between Franklin Texas and Tularosa New Mexico, that we had
to travel miry slowly. while we were traveling through the sand
2.
we broke an axle on the wagon and had to lay over for a week
while the men went up in the mountains and got a piece of timber
to mike a new axle for the wagon.
;ye came by way of Tularosa, the liescalero Indian Agency,
through Dark Canyon to the Ruidoso River and up OaTilan Canyon
to Alto New Mexico. From there we traveled almost due north,
down Cedar Creek Canyon, by the "V" Ranch, and on toward Fort
Stanton Army Post. Just before we reached Fort Stanton we heard
shooting. A were all wry much afraid of the Indians and my
grandfether, who was driving the wagon, drove off to one side of
the road in the brush. Leaving the rest of us hidden in the brush,
my grandfather and step -father took their guns and sneaked up the
side of the mountain to see whet was going an. When they got to
where they could see they found thit it was the soldiers from
Fort Stanton at target practise. That wee the only scare we got
on our trip but the men always kept their guns where they oould
reef* them., as the Indians hid been giving a lot of trouble in
this part of the wountry in the early eighties. From Fort Stanton
we traveled southeast down the Rio Bonito and arrived at Lincoln
New Mexico, about the middle of October, 1887.
We first lived in a house belonging to the Catholic Priest
just south of the old Cetholic Church. my grandfather worked at
his trade as carpenter. Sometime later, I do not know the exact
date, my grandfather bought a small farm about a mile south of
Lincoln, where we raised corn and vegetables.
On Ally 20, 1900, I was serried to Honorata Mirabal. There
were seven children born to us, six boys and one girl. Aurra,
Alan, Simon, Romundo, 'glider, Enrique and Manuel. All of these
children died in infancy. Not a one lived to be over three months
old. When our lest child, Manuel, died we adopted ay wife's bro-
ther's little boy who was the same age as our Manuel. We called
him Teodoro Duren. We have three adopted children now. Teodoro,
who is married and lives here in Carrizoso, a girl named Emma
Luccero, who was fourteen months old when we adopted her, and who
is now eighteen and lives with um here in Carrizozo, and we adopted
a baby boy named Isidro Mertinez, who was two months old when we
got him. He is eleven now and lives with us here in Carrizozo.
In 1915 my wife and I moved from Lincoln New Mexico, to
Encinoso, row Mexico. man named 5uu Farmer end I put in a general
merchandise store and had the post office too. In November, 1918,
I was cleated sheriff of Lincoln County and served for two years.
In December 1918, I moved to Carriaczo, New Maxis*, and have lived
here ever sines.
I served as County Commissioner for Lincoln County from 1906
to 1916. I was Assessor for two years, 1980 and 1986. I was Treas-
urer for two years, 1951 and 1932.
When I was a small dbild my stepdpfather loft my no and
my grendparents raised me and I took their name of Duren. My grand-
father and grandmother both died while we were living in Linooln
New Mexico. I do not remember the dates of their death. I do not
know what ever beeame of my step -father. My mother is still living
and lives with me here in Cerrizozo. Ey half sister is now Mrs.
Restore Greigo end lives here in Carrizozo New Mexico.
NARRATOR: Rumaldo Duran, Aged 58 rears, Carrizozo, New Mexico.
r,dith L. Crawford
Cerrizozo
CORRFCTION ON PION7TR STORY OF RUMALDO A. DUUAN
Peke 1. parureph 2,
They moved to the Iincr
In Grant County New iLexico.
I was born February 7, l8bC,, at crit_pin yhe Upper
kimbres
I'agel,varie_r{Ipb, Alter Lay father' b ue th 14.y Nether -"Mit
to live with her father and mother, Nestor and :Antos uran,
who lived in the Lpper Limbres Valley, not far from us.
After a few years my grand parente andmy mother moved to
Franklin, Texas.
Fax! 1. neraimmh 0. The eand was so deep between Franklin.
Texas and TUlarose, New Kexielo.
.fte, 2. De_reArOoh 2._ From Fort Stanton we traveled southeast
down the Rio Bonito end arrived at Lincoln, New UO2/100.
Paice 3. perearenh 2. In 1915 my wire and I moved from Lincoln.
New Maxim. to Ntoinoso, New Mexico.