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APR 25
Redfield, Georgia B. Words 1080
RUTTM H. DUNNAHOO
Oldest Living Roswell Pioneer
Established Blacksmith Shop in 1881
Helped Build First Hondo River Bridge
Rufus H. Dunnahoo, Roswell's oldest living pioneer, came from San
Antonio, Texas to 4ew Mexico In July 180, and settled at Seven Rivers
eighteen miles north of the site on whic -luilding of tIle present City of
Carlsbad was started :_ine years later, in 1889.
At the time of the coming of Mr. Dunnahoo, Seven Rivers, then in
Lincoln County, and the teen of Lincoln and White OaLe were the only towns
or any consequence in Southeast Hew Mexico. Roswell sixty-five miles noth
Seven Rivers was only a cattle trading Post, having one store and a post..
office. Roswell today,
is a modern city of 12,500 population, while all that
remains of Seven Rivers are remmnts of adobe walls and what is known as
"Boot Cemetery", where most cf the on were buried with boots on, after numerous
shooting escapades.
At that time all the land from Seven Rivers, on bo.:h sides of the Focus
R ver, as far north as the Bosque Grande country thirty-five miles northeast of
Boswell a distance of nearly one hundred and twenty miles was used as cattle
grazing land by John S. Chisum who brought the first herd of cattle to the Pecos
Valley in 1867.
The town site of Seven Rivers in Eddy County and Roswell in Chaves County
were in Lincoln County until Eddy and Chaves County were created by Act of the
Territorial Legislr ure in if 09, going into effect January 1, 1891.
••••31•11
Ilion coming to Mew Mexico, Mr. Dunnahoo ran across a bunch of immi-
grants at Pecos, Texas, who were traveling in a caravan of sixteen covered
wagons. They had become discouraged, because of drouth conditions, and were
ready to turn back with their hard of cattle that had become tired out and
w_eak from lack of food. Mr. Dunnahoo contracted to assume all responsibility
in driving the herd, if they would continue the journey with him. The immi-
grants gladly gave their consent and Mr. U-unnahoo brought the cattle safely
through to Seven Rivers. Soon after their arrival a band of Geronimes In-
dians cams at night and stole the teams thirtrtio head all of the caravan
horses, exeepting the ones belonging to Ur. Dunnahoo, who had bought the old
beckwith Rancho and placed his horses in a five foot high adobe corral on
his rahche.
hasides his ranching interests he established a blacksmith shop in
seven Rivers, but he soon became dissatisfied with the lawless conditions of
the "Wild and Weakly* town and decided to seek a more peaceful place to live.
Accompanied by some of his uen campanions af the caravan, he headed La- Ise Vegas.
Traveling a dim trail via Roswell at that place they found the Hondo River
up, and no bridge on which to cross into the town. Captain Joseph C. Lea and
&ilea Guice, a friend of his, came down on horseback and gave them advice and
assistance. He sent them three vigas (large beams) these they laid across the
river and covered them with small under brush they cut from the river banks.
Ov-r this hazardous crossing the seven wagons, of the caravan, crossed safely
into the town of Roswell owned by Captain Lea and his wife, Sally (Wildy) Lae.
Remembering the beautiful country around the promising town and the
AnIdness of Captain Lea, end Ur. Guice, he returned a few months later, in
1831 to mai. Roswell his permanent home. On this eenond trip he found the
I'mrike-ehift* bridge, he helped build, had been stremgthened by Captain Lea,
who kept it up, for over three years, for a crossing for travelers many of
them being gold seekers, going to Silver City or "kite Oak during the gold
rush dnys of the seventies 4nd erxly eighties.
During the year of dr. autnehools coning to Roe well, in 1831, he
opened a much needed blacksmith shop oa the corner now occupied by the
"Green Lantern* on Aiorth gain -nd Fourth Streets.
He *ae one of Roswell's first Ausiciane. de played the violin and
Mill Lambley the banjo Aor d Chrla,tmee p-A.rty in 18i0„ giving at the nine
room adobe rancae house at South Spring, six mile south of Roswell, which
w,s owned by John Chimes.
Antelope and deer, cinAil, on! rabbit* were plentiful in those days.
Buff4lo still roamed the country on the plaint., east of Roswell, coning as
f=ir wet 33 the ?linos River.
Mr. Dannehoo 77613 a good barrel° hunter, and it is tali, by oli timers,
that he ha -7, undoubtedly killed more antelope and deer than any other mall that
ha* lived in New Mexico.
;e*ter Mr. Dannahoo come to Roewell a bend of Indians broke out of the
Meschlero Itdien Reservation and eluding the Coveroment officere (who thought
they ha:. the !IAA -MI6 trapoed in a big cave three miles east of Fort Stnton)
thlresceped by coming out =the opposite side of El Caoltan geuntAn where
they stole buncL hor,-,es an bringlne: them thrgagh this region e the
country, camped an 'dlr.! waste 15ne, which is now the campus of the New Mexico
Military Institute.
Mr. Dunnahoo und his ei.0 Ann (Rw.rnly) Dumnahoe, who ,9ees married
in 186, hed three chil,dren ?Oben they C*000 to Roswell to make their home;
g hny akmed George, und two girls, Ruth and Maude. Another daughter born
after they came to Roswell wet hert(ed Sallie f:a. s1iis (rildy) Lea, rife
of Cvt-kin Leh, Only two othtr white children lived in Roswell at that
time, they ;ere children of GaptAn Lind drs. t41dy, t boy, and
flin'r, ii by girl, ha was the :ir4,-t one born rithin the to= of Roevell:
Ir. Junnahtdo U-b4SS his home tith his daughter, Mrs. Sallie (Duanahoo)
Chewhin4 htr husb4nd Li. Hoary Cbenning, who liv. bout three mils
eazt oe ttotwei, ere r.Dunnnhoo can sec .rom bis front porch the old home
of it: ,riend PaL GL:rrett. Qua J. htt- mcn,t cherished pollealons ia a photo-
grh of ar. Qarett taken about the time he killed the famous New Mexico
autla 131.14 the 412, in Jul.y 1831.
Mt. )annahoo is the f,an o. R. e. en, KdtLarinz (Atkiason) Dun:mho°.
He .xe. born in thu 3tt,te of alss.Lssippi on Gorge 7ashington's birthJay an
Februury 139.
it the e.dlfteceLl age o eighty-nit yeErt:. he le still zctivs, and
as etrlag •_hi enjoys as good heUth as mineraus other men many years younger.
Hi i3 highly reect1 had honored in the community hore he lives and
atamis high in the dtiont o. thr.. e rly sottler,B of aoz-oll, among rhon he
ouctinuously or ne rly sixty ylr,rs.
Source of Inform -Aim
Mr. Lasenehoo in person Roswell
Personal knowledge of the writer