Document text
Edith L. Crawford,
Carrizozo, N. Mex.
Date: September 15,1938
Words: 2431
Subject: Pioneer Story
Source of Information:
Mrs. Alice Z.VanWinkel.
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I was born in Carlinville, Illinois, August 26,1857, in
a three room log cabin, on my grandfather Bill Whitney's farm.
My mother was Mary Whitney. She was married to my father,
John Collins, about the year 1855, in Carlinville Illinois.
My maiden name was Alice J. Collins. I was married to John H.
Shears in Carlinville, Illinois, in 1876. (I do not remember
the date). We went to housekeeping in a two roomed log cabin
on my grandfather's farm. My grandfather ghitney, on whose place
we lived, raised corn, wheat and hogs.
My husband worked on the farm while we lived there. He
took the corn and wheat to Litchfield Illinois, and had it ground
into corn meal and flour. We killed our own hogs and cured all
of our awn meat, hams, shoulders and side meat. e had a garden
and reised all of our vegetables. About the only things we bought
were sugar end coffee.
We made our awn candles in those days. I made mine out
of mutton tallow and twisted twine string, and moulded them my-
self. I had my own moulds. Nobody had kerosene lamps in those
days.
My grandfather Whitney had some sheep on the farm and
my grandmother Whitney washed the wool from the sheep, card
and spun it, end would weave it into cloth to make our clothes.
I never saw a calico dress until I was ten years old.
My husband and I lived on this farm for about two years.
We then took a notion to go to Texas, so in September 1878, we
Left Carlinville, Illinois, in two covered wagons, drawn by
Edith L. Crawford,
Carrizozo, N. Mex. 2. Date: eptember 15,1938.
Words: 24‘71
Subject: Pioneer story.
Source of information:
Mrs. Alice Z. VanWinkel.
two horses to each wagon. We had five head of horses and led
the extre horse.
My husband drove one wagon and I drove one. had our
chuck box in the back of one of the wagons and kept our dishes
and supplies in it. We had our own flour, corn meal and meat
and bought the rest of our supplies. I did the cooking. I used a
Dutch oven for baking and made hot biscuit and corn bread. We
used Mesquite roots for fuel until we got on the plains in Texas
and then we had to use buffalo chips.
We slept in one of the wagons. We had a pair of bed
springs in the bottom of the wagon with our beds on that. We
burned candles that I had made on the farm before we left.
We had our drinking water in water kegs tied on the side
of one of the wagons. We always tried to drive to water each day
for the horses.
We enjoyed camping out. e saw lots of antelope and coyotes.
We did not have any trouble at all on the trip. I do not remember
the names of any of the towns we passed through. We had good
weather and the country was beautiful all the way.
We were on the road just two months when we reached
Weatherford, Texas, the last of October, 1878.
We rented a two roamed lumber house in Weatherford, and
my husband got a job plowing up prairie land. He used three
horses to s fourteen inch plow. He made good money plowing for
other people.
While we were living in Weatherford our first chill,
Minnie Irene, was born on Zune 6, 1879. We continued to live on
in Weatherford Texas, until about the first of February, 1881.
Edith L. Crawford, Date: September 15,1938
Carrizozo, Nr. Mex. 3. Words: ?AZ:,
Subject: Pioneer Story.
Source of Information:
Mrs. Alice I. VanWinkel.
t,e left Texas then for New Mexico, with our two covered wagons,
drawn by two horses to each wagon, the baby and I in one wagon
and my husband in the other.
We started out with enough provisions to last us on the
trip, except for fresh meat. My husband would kill a nice fat
antelope and we would have plenty of meat for awhile. It was
cold weather and the meat would keep for several days. We had
lovely weather and no trouble on our trip.
At Midland, Texas, we picked up a young fellow by the
name of Frank Jackson, who wanted to come to New Mexico, so we
brought him along with us.
At that time all there was to the town of Midland, was
a pump and a tank for the Texas and Pacific Railroad Company.
There wes a men there who took care of the pump. He lived in a
ten foot lumber shank.
We left Midland and drove out about ten miles west, to
a beautiful natural lake, with the prettiest clear water, and
cotton wood trees all around the lake. We got there about noon
and I began to cook dinner. My husband and Frank Jackson took
their guns and said that they would go out to see if they oould
kill an antelope, as we needed fresh meat. I finished dinner
and waited and waited for them to return, but they did not come.
Just before it began to get dark I sew a string of horseback
riders but they were too far away for me to see whether they were
white men or Indians. I was just soared to death but they did not
come by where we were camped. I rounded up the three remaining
horses and put ropes on their necks and led them up to the back
Date: September 15, 1938.
Edith L. Craaford, 40 Words: 243:
Carrizozo, N. Mex. Subject: Pioneer Story.
Source of Information:
Mrs. 4^,lice 7. Vanfiinkel.
of the wagon that we slept in, and tied them. I put my baby
to bed end got a six shooter that my husband had in the wagon
and I set in the back of the wagon with the six shooter in
my lap end the ropes that held the horses in my hands. I set
there all night. I ayes so afraid some one would slip up end
steal the horses and I would be a -foot with my baby. I just
could not imagine what had become of my husband and the young
man, but just at day -break they came riding in. They had gone
farther away from camp than they realized and when they started
beck they got lost and dark overtook them and they just wandered
around all night long. When day light came they were about three
hundred yards away from our camp. I was so glad to see them
that I cried with joy.
The rest of the trip to Pecos City was very pleasant
considering it was in winter time lve saw some live buffalo
and lots of buffalo carcasses and hides that had been staked
down to dry.
While crossing the plains we had to burn buffalo and cow
chips altogether for fuel. -;Then we care to a place where there
were lots of chips live would gather them up, several tow -sacks
full, and put them in the wagons, so that if we came to a place
where there was no fuel, we would have something to burn.
Then we got to the Pecos River, at Peoos City Texas,
we had to cross on the railroad bridge, as the river was up
too high for us to cross any other way.
lv'e traveled almost due north, up the Pecos Valley and
passed through wile t is nor Carlsbad. It was nothing but a cow
ranch then.
Edith L. Crawford, 6. Date: September 15,1938
Carrizozo, N. Mex. Words: 2431
Subjeet: Pioneer Story
Source of information:
Mrs. Alice J. VanWinkel.
We arrived in Roewelks_New Mexico, about the last of Feb-
ruary, 1861, after having been on the road far six weeks. All
there was of Roswell at that time were three adobe houses and a
blacksmith shop, run by Fred Gayle. Captain I. C. Lea owned the
three houses, and he and his family lived in the largest and used
part of it as a hotel.
We stayed in Roswell for ebout three days and then my hus-
band got a job as a ranch hand on the Phelps white ranch, on the
Boaque Grande, about forty miles eest of Roswell. We stayed on
this ranch about two months.
7ve moved from this Whits ranch to Las Vegas, New Mexico,
where we heard there was a big saw -mill. My husband bought six
bead of oxen and started hauling logs for the saw -mill. We did
not like this country as well as we did Lincoln County, so about
August 1, 1881, we sold out our oxen and moved back to Roswell,
New Mexico, and stayed there until the next spring.
In the spring of 1862 my husband rented a small place
in the Sacramento mountains, where we farmed ana raised e few
oattle. We lived in a two roomed log cabin. The nearest town
was La Luz, New Mexico, where we got our mail. We did real well
while we lived on this plaos. It was a beautiful country. We
had no close neightwors and I was awfully scared of the Indiana
and my husband was away a good bit looking after the place.
In November, 1884, I went tp Roewell for a few weeks
and on the 22nd of November, 1884, our second child was born.
R. was a boy and we named him William Milan.
One night while I was alone with my two children,
Edith L. Crawford, 6. Date: Septerber 1C,1238.
i:.i-ort.), Y. Tç. ';.erds: e431
Subject: Pioneer Story
Scurc e of Information:
Mee?. Paige -1.. Vt..L.,-inkel.
I heerd. the dogs barking about midnight. I got up and got the
six shooter and looked out the window and could see three dark
objects prowling around the house. I went to the doors end win-
dows to rneke sure they were all fastened. tight. My hueband hs.d
fixed our doors with two by four bars across them, when we first
moved to this place because I was afraid to stay at night by my-
self. Pretty soon I heard sorabody knock at the door, but I
kept quiet and. just let them knock. When I did not answer who
ever it was tried, to break down the door. That frightened me so
bedly thet I asked what they wanted. A voice asked for some ar-
son thr. t had never heard of and I said there was nobody of that
neree there. Instead, of going away they kept on trying to get in.
I told them that the first person that came th.rough the doer would
certainly get shot. After finding, that they could not get in
they finally went sweer. I was very much frightened..
It husband thought the t it was sorR one trying to rob us
es he bed sold some cattle just a few days before and as there
were no banks we kept the money in the house and we thought
they v'ere after this money. When they rode awry I could see that
they were three man but whether they were Ilexicen, Ind.ien. or Prier
leans we never knew.
had a pet deer while living on this piece and one Torning
the deer end the children were pleying out ir. the yard.. All at
once the deer cane boundinc into the house and jumped up on the
bed. I knew at once that the deer was soared by something unusual
SO I stepped to the door to see where the children were. To my
horror I saw five Indians all dressed up in their blankets and
Edith L. Crewford, 7. Data: September 15, 1938
crIrrizazot r. ex. Wordat 2431
Subject: Pioneer Story
Source of Information:
Mrs. Alice J. Vaninkel.
war paint, coming towards the house. I stepped out in the yard
to neet them for the children and I were all clone. The Indians
knew that I was afraid of them for one of the Indiena sei2 to mei
"Indians no hurt white squaw ahe give Indians something to eat."
WPS baking light bread tbat day so I want into the kitchen
Rnd cot two loaves of bread end gave to them but they still went
ad something. We had a he if of mutton hanging up out in the
shed room end I decided Iwould give them a piece of it 90 they
would leave. I went and got the butcher knife and went to the
shed room to out a piece of the mutton and when the Buck saw
that I was going to give them just a piece of the meet, he
grabbed the knife and if I had not turned it loose he would
have pulled it through my hand and out my hand open. He laid
the knife down and picked up the whole piece of neat and walked
away. I did not say anything for I was only too glad to get
rid of them.
In lem I went to Fort Sumner,: llw Mexico, and our third
child was born on June 9, 1886. We named her Gerrie.
We lived on the piece in the Sacramento mountains until
the year 1890, and then moved back to Roswell. We did not stay
there very long and then we moved to the Hondo River Valley,
about twenty miles southeart of Linooln, New Vexico. My husband
worked, et odd jobs on farms, plowing and planting for the farmers.
lived in the Hondo Valley until the late nineties, but I do
not remember the exeot date.
We moved to Arizona for my husband's health after we left
the Hondo Valley. He was not able to work very much but did
such odd jobs as he could. We lived in Douglas, Arizona, and
Et,ith L. Creeterrl, 8. Date: FzeeterbP'r 15,
eri ee es 7,f. 24;51
Subect: Pioneer Etore.
Source ef infreere tl on
Alie9 j.
my hesbend, Total H. Sheers, died. there on April 28, 1902.
My oldest daughter, Minnie, had been married before we
went to Arizone, (I do not remerber the exect e,Pte) era efter
my husbend died I Oen, beck to Tinnie, New Ifeeico, to stay with
my deuehter, Mimi', end her husbencl, ""fest Purcelle, who lived
t rrinnie on e rench.
My son Williem Merlin Sheers, married erd he end his
wife end little girl lived neer there. One morning ry son
left home end we have never seen or heard of him since. That
was in 1908, e.bout thirty years ego. After he went !may I
took Ms little girl end reised her as my own.
In August, 1912, I wee married to Tess Yen Winkel.
He owned e ranch on the eest side of the Capiten l'.(ounteine
where we lived until he died in February 1920. After Mr.
Yen Winkel 's deeth I went to live with the grend-deughter
whom I reised, Her flare sees Minnie Sheers end she hed merried
1'1,11 nemed'Frnest Purcelle. I heve lived with them for ell
these years es I Pm too old to live elone. They live on the
old Torres place, about six miles northwest of Lincoln, New
Mexico.
My daughter Minnie, who married West Pureella, had
fifteen children, eleven of whom Pre still livire. They still
live at Tinnie, New Mexico.
My youneest deuchter, Carrie, married Serford Backus,
end they live at Roswell, New Mexico. I do not remember dates
very well end I cen't reeember when they married.
NARRATOR: Mrs. Alice J. Van Winkel, Aged 82 years. Lincoln, N. Mex.