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Georgia B. Redfield
II INTRRVIRW
DOW 'OLD Trim,
Tint by Born in Roswell
These experiences or stories given in an interview, to
this writer, by Ina Lea Dow who was the first white baby born
in Roswell, are incidents taken from her life when a baby, and
when a child growing into young girlhood and up to the present
time when she is a happy wife and a devoted mother. She is the
wile of R. N. Dow, they were married August 18, 1913. Jr. Dow
is also an *old.timerte is a prominent attorney of Roswell, and
is well known throughout the state of Sew Serie..
There are also stories of her father Captain Joseph C. Lea
and of her mother Sally Indy Lea. These intimate little stories
of her father and mother are touching, revealing, little incidents
showing the splendid manhood of the man, and gallantry of the we..
mans he chose to share (as be planned) only the pleasures and cos.
forts of his life. It was by her decision and choice that she
shared the hardships and the dangers of the pioneers life in this
wild new country her husband loved so dearly.
'My mother was a woman indulged and accustomed to every lux.
ury,* said Mrs. Dow, 'and my father insisted that she remain in
her home until he could prepare a safe and comfortable place for
her here in New Mexico.
*She Irma brave woman!" She showed me a beautiful photo.
graph of her mother and bravery was stamped in the strong but
beautiful features of her face.
NI have a letter written by my mother to my father in
which she said "I want to be with you, even if there be
nothing but the stars over my head.* So they were married in
Sartartia, Mississippi, February 3, 1875.
It is strange," said Mrs. Dow reminescently, February
was always the month in which events of importance happened
in their lives. They were married in February, Mother died
February 20, 1884 and father died February 4, 1904.
"An old sweetheart of my mother's came to visit us here
in our western hole. He was shocked to find her mounted on
a soap box whitewashing the walls of our four room adobe house
where I was born in 1882."
This place mentioned by Mr. Dow was built for and had
been, the first hotel of Roswell. /t was located in front of
where the court house stands at the present time.
°The hard rough life and being far from a physician's
care during her last illness was responsible for her early
death," said Mrs. Dow, 'I was three years old at that ti,4e,
and when four, while living with my Aunt Ella Mrs. Ella
Pierce,- I was named for her you know my father came one
day and not wishing to distress my aunt by taking me away, he
picked me up without her knowing, and carried me to the Thur.
beris home. My aunt had too many children to care for in her
to
home and he thought it best for me to go California with Mrs.
Thurber and her daughter. So I lived in San Jose, California,
four years, until my father's marriage, in 1889, to Mrs. Weibel
Doss Day of Coleman, Texas, then returned to Roswell.By this
time, my father had turned the waste of a desert land into
a safe and pleasant little town. In 1685 he had Uncle Alf,
his brother, Alfred E. Lea, come from Denver and lay out the
town into blocks and nice wide streets. The work was well
done.
*Some years later a friend visiting here remarked how
much the town reminded her of her own home town Cleveland,
Tenn., My uncle had lived in Cleveland and had unconsciously
used the same plan in laying out this town.*
This writer, then fifteen years of _age, was the over.
night guest of Ella Lea's step -sister Willie Day. The two
girls were busy peaking their trunks. They were leaving the
next day for boarding school in Texas.
remember that trip well,* said Yrs. Dow, laughing
heartily, 'It was in 1894, the railroad to Roswell was not
yet completed. Willie, my step -sister, and rode in a top.
less wagon drawn by mules. We were poking along on our way to
Eddy (now Carlsbad) when I took the reins and whacked those
mules good and hard, and one of them kicked me clear out of
the wagon. I was so sunburned when we arrived at the school,
the girls called me the 'Mexican from New Mexico,' this both.
ered me not at all for it furnished amusement for many a day.*
At this point in Mrs. Dow's story, she showed me many
treasures accumulated in her beautiful home. Among them was a
photograph of an exquisite mural done by her cousin, Tom Lea,
who is a well known artist, who has lived and still owns a
home in Santa Ye.
*le had a writer of note in our family as well as an
artist," said lire. Dow, "HO was Homer Lea, the eon of Miele
Alf Lea. Some of the books be wrote are "The Valor of 46-
noranoo0N "The Day of Easona,'and the *Vermilion Pencil."
They have become so highly prized they have been removed from
the library shelves for rafe keeping.*
lire. Dow showed me the lovely wedding gifts of one of
her three daughters, Josephine, a recent bride, who ir now
lire. Oarl J. Rohr, whose summer home is at Elk Horn Lodge,
Estes Park, Colorado. She told me of the still more recent
marriage of Dorothy, her youngest daughter, who is now lire.
Towle? Beaty of Larkin, Kansas.
Elinor, the oldest daughter, is manager of The Native Mar.
ket at Santa Fe. All the unique and beautifully hand made ar-
ticles furniture, rugs, wrought from frames, stands, etc. are
made by the natives, and sold from this shop or market, to keep
them from relief.
"No I can not stay for lunch,* I replied to lire. Dow's
gracious and urgent insistence. I had spent three pleasant
hours in her home and still had not heard all I would like to
tell.
vrs. Dow had been glad to talk of the accomplishments of
many of the relatives of the Lea family, but she was sparing in
praise of those she held elope and dear. However, knew all
they hal accomplished, and of the love and honor in which her
parents were "held in the hearts of the *old-timers" of Roswell
and the Peoos Valley. It is because of these parents, mainly,
that the stories of this first baby girl born in Roswell
are of keen interest, and because the pattern of her life
so like her mother's and her father's, has always been
closely woven with the history, growth, and development of
this city, and because she is the daughter of the man and
the woman, responsible for there ever being a safe and beaut-
Ifni city of Roswell.
At one time Captain and Mrs. Lea owned the entire town
of Roswell.
Captain Lea not only gave his untiring efforts in works
which accomplished wonderful achievements for the benefit of
the town he loved, but he gave freely of his lands on which
to build improvements, and the first industrial plant, and the
land for the public buildings our court house and for schools
and parks. Ho is responsible for the establishment of our yes.
derful school, the New Mexico Military Institute, and for the
building of humble homes for the needy.
A movement is on for a memorial for this man so loved by
the Roswell people. It should go through to completion at
once and should be a fitting one. A memorial towering high,
overlooking this city, he has built. /t should be a beacon,
a guide, a weloo-e to the new -comer whom he was always first
to welcome. Only the best would be a fitting memorial for rem-
embrance, and for appreciation of the achievements of this man
"The Father of Roswell."