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leorgis B. 2-12.77. 700 wordr.
f7harler L. Ballard
Pioneer story Interview.
"T rRp eleven yearr old. when my arentr A. J. Rallard and
Tatherine Pedding Ballard and my brotherr and risters and I left
Fort nriffin, Texar durInrr the winter of 1878 and came to New
!!ewico to live.
"Mile on the trin re row nnel lid many thin' r that have
been lartin7 nemorier.
"tote of '-,ter har run under the brIdger rince that tine,
and have re_n htrto v rie, in reveral -lacer in New l!exlco.
"Fat'aer had hunted buffalo on the nlainr for went sr the
Pecos ?liver in 1875-76. fle liked the Lower Pecor Valley country
and decided. to return live.
Traveled in Covered fis.onr.
"We trriveled in covered 7,np,ons and it rasnst an eery journey
acrorr the nlainr.
"The country war different from that irolind Fort IrifIln so
there nlenty to keen ur intererted every day.
7erdr Of Buffalo.
IrAle .re lid not mee rtamnedin7 herlr of thourands of buf-
falo, that we heard would run over camperr on the nlainr we did
see huniredr, but they naured no trouble.
qls e7mected Indian attacks every lay and night, erreolally
around watering olaces, but we were not molerted by Indians either.
"T renember -e ho l one ernecially hard drive dl one day
without -ater. Alorrr about lark we raw what rre thought war an In..
dian camp.fire. Father said for us to slip up and see what
kind of people were camped there. You may be sure we went
very quietly and were hapoy to find a friendly Mexican oamp
and a rpring of fine water. It was Port ales Spring.
Located In Fart Sumner.
0ftes Portalee Spring we went to Pert Summer and remained,
though when we left Fort Oriffin we had not decided to locate
in that place. There was no school at Fort Sumner so board.
ed in Anton Chico and went to school.
Moved To Lincoln.
After our home was demolished in Fort rummer, 14e moved
to Lincoln.
'The destruction of several of the houses built around a
nlara or patio in Fort Sumner war ONUROA by an explorion from
a drunk shooting into a keg of gunpowMer„ in a store.
"In Lincoln we found ourselves in the excitement of fruit
and Billy the Xid's escapades.
Paced 'nth Billy the Kid.
"T remember good -timer I had with Billy the Kid. Hr TPA'
not nn outlaw in manners 1-ar quiet, but good company always
doin7 r^mething interesting. That war why be had so many trUmmtp.
We often raoed horses torether. re nap- not very large weighed
a hundred and twenty five or thirty nounds. He war s. fine rider.
"Silly was credited with more killings than be ever did.
However, there were plenty that could be counted against his. It
was reported he was the one who killed Chapman, !?hen lhapman re-
talked to dame* when ordered, but Billy had nothing at all to
do with that shooting.
Vowed To East reoond Vtreet.Poswell.
*Gs moved to Poswell in 1851, or three miler out on rart
Peooni ?'tzest.
"I went to school to Judge Asbury C. Pogere who rap the
first perron to teaoh rehool in or near Roswell. He taught
in the fittt echool houre built in 1581 a one room adobe
with a dirt roof which was built on the southvest corner of
sohool meottin thirty -sir, three milet out on East Second Street.
Drove Light Yoke Oven.
"I helped make the pioneer Irrigation ditch, oalled the
Ballard Osnningbam !Atoll* and used eight yoke of oxen to the
plow and romper in the work.
Rough Rider rnanish American ar 1M98.
*governor Otero 17a0 Territorial Oovernor when war was Dom.
minced against Pnain. he wired me and asked if would **coot
a regiment. I did accept and took about thirty WAD from around
Rowell to neat& Fe. From there we went to Fan Antonio and
Teddy Roosevelt who hal first oonoeived of the ifta of the
Rough kiidere met us there. There was 3 squadron from Oklahoma,
Arizona and our state tiew Mexico.
"At the request of Roosevelt, Ir. Leonard Xood.phyrictian of
the Seoretery of 4ar, Rursell Alexander Alger.was mode Colonel
in oosmand of the Rough Riders. Theodorre Roosevelt r.pigne4 Ids
place as assistant Nforetary of the tavy and was male Lieut.
Colonel.
*On the 29th of ay 1898 we left San Antonio, Tema for
Tampa, Florida where we embarkel for OUba.
slolons/ Rooeevelt after seeing that Mr men had been sad*
as comfortab/e RP possible for the journey, waited for the let
and 000reet train. le never soared himrelf st all. le gave
hie pleening car berth to a sick soldier. It has been truth.
fully said that rank, money, and occupation meant little to him.
Coviboye, ambassadors, prize fighters and clergy' -en were after.
wards entertained and sat topether sr guests of the Roosevelt
family at the Thite,Ticuse tltle.
*when hostilities -!;ere suspended and re 'ere !metered out
of service at tIontauk Point, tong Island, August 12, 159t, Cel.
onel Roosevelt invited five of us to go to his hone at Oyster
Bay for s viit. The five were John C. Oreenray whose rifle
/sabelle Greenway rap Congrerswoman from Arizona for two terss.
navil 7. loodrioh.Tho is now chairTan of the board of noodrioh
lubber Co4nany flal iyre, Robert Fernupon, rtnd I. Charles L.
Ballard.
10';711ile 7 can't ray we were conriderefl lIeroes me newsy and
Foton were, we -:ere royally entertained, by the Roosevelt!, and
others, riVn dances, fisTlin, nIrties, 71nd dinnerr.
2 rd. of Rollin Theodore Roosevelt
Manapration
*Fbrty of UP Rough Ridere formed the guard Of nos= from
the White nous* to the Capitol Building when Teddy Rooeevelt was
inamqurated. There are very few left of the** men and I don't
know of any here in oswell.
inter -vier friven fly ChF,Tler
Artepi,, lew mexleo.