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Redfield, Georgia B. 2.26.37. 432 words.
Judge Frank H. Lea
Interview by Daughter
Gertrude Lea Dills.
My father, Judge Frank H. Lea and mother Sue Whetstone
Lea were married in Louisiana November 14, 1866 atwAliburn*
the rlantation home of my mother, near Bastrop, Louisiana,
After their marriage they lived at Auburn until after
my brother Joe, and sister Minnie, were born.
They then moved to the plantation home of my father's
family at Lea's Summit, Missouri.
My grandfather had been shot and the palatial Lea home
burned by Yankee soldiers during the war.
Vy parents lived at Lea's Summit ten yesrs until 1879
when my father sold hip land and with my mother and five
children Joe, VAnnie, Carrie, Jennie, and To came to New Mex-
ico by train to Las Vegms where we ,vere net by mother's broth-
er, Asbury Whetstone who lived in Roswell.
Fe brought a covered nrairie schooner (wagon) drawn by
oxen and a hack, both we used to move all of us and our things
to Ropwell.
The journey acrops the plains as hard and tiresome
nothing but miles and miles of barren prairie with no houses
only those of Fort Sumner between Las Vegas and Roswell to
break the monotony.
'97her we drew near Roswell and crosped North Pnring River
we thought it a beautiful stream and that we had reached the
"Promised Land." This was long before artesian wells
drained the waters out. Both North and South Spring Rev-
ers ran bank full in those days.
Roswell, at that time, was just one store and a hotel
or residence of adobe, both owned by my uncle Oaptain
Joseph O. Lea. These buildings were located in the block
west of the Court souse. Our entire family occupied one
room in the store, while a house and a store were being
built for us in White Oaks.
will never fret our trip from Roswell to White Oaks.
We arrived after dark and camped all night at 'ehite Oaks
E!pring, several miles from Matte Oaks.
elept peacefully and were not molested by Indians.
The next night, at the same spot, Indians killed two drummers
scalped them, and left the bodies, taking the wagon and hor-
ses and all the drummer's clothes and. things.
White Oake wes not quiet and peaceful. It was just like
all noisy roistering mining towns during the 701s.
On one 03085 ion our hoe :as
ehet up by a crowd of drunks
who returned later after drinking more, to do more shooting.
They were met by ri posse of miners, gathered to protect uppeho
fired on the 1.runks and killed and wounded several.
Our mother rap prostrated, from this shock, for several
months. Her baby my sister, Pearl eas born shortly after
this eeperience.
My father WAS Justice of Peaoe of White Oaks for many
years until we moved to Roswell where he wae also Justioe
of the l'eaoe serving about thirty.five years in service of
peace and order in the state of New Mexico.
Our pioneer mothers were the ones who suffered most in
the early lawless days. They bore bravely all hardPhips and
dangers were truly the 'torch bearers" for the men who bias
e,'! the way and built homes in a new country.
It is well in this tine of depression rith sTall priva.
tions, to keep those days in remembrance and to think of those
women who faltered not in the face of tragedies awl hardships,
that are bard to br,lieve were ever enrtured in this now peace-
ful oouatry aacl. modern city of 'Roswell.
Given In Interview 4-9-37.
By Mrs. Gertrude Lea Dills,
410 N. Penn. Ave., I,,osTell, New ;.'exioo.