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Simpeon,Mrs.„R.T.F.
3 --70°,-
Peminiscences of Lr.Joe.Prewitt.
Mr Prewitt one to Durangp, Colorado, in 1861 ,and in
Mah 1882 He came to Farnimgton,wtdoh was his home for several years. At that
time Farmington contained only about ten buildings, and all of them were ma de of a
adobe,with Sift roofs. "Not a shingle in the townV "Wel1",he said, "it was jist as
well, and in some instances, better; For imammt frequently, there would
be a group) of cow -boys sitting in a saloon,and just for amusement, they would
shoot through the IWO with their sixishooters,whieh would have made a regular
solve of a shingled roof,but with a dirt roof it did but little harm,for the
bullet mild be seen to raise a little streak of dirt a few inches in the air,
then the dirt in the roof would just settle buck and the hole closed up
3ome of the old 'imilOmge aro still in prtty good shai,e,especially the
old Markley LAnading,whore I be Aed when I first Wont to Farmington
Tho two old school houses were both adobe,but are now both eaeased in a sheathing
of lumber. The second school -house was really a chueeh which was dedicated an
Christmas day in 18C3. The building was used for all kinds of meetings -except
dances- it was never used for dances. Thera was a 'Lan named George MeedLam,
who was presiding Elder of, the methodist Churoh who opened adachool For
Higher Education" in the ouildingobwt it did aot eontivle.
Tha first fruit crop waz harvested in I863,but tnere was not more than
a bushel or two of it all told.But tae fruit crop was soon greatly i.w'reased,and
before Lisni years the fit from The an Juan Valley w:.,8 shipped by the #rain
load Across land and sea,and this trait has naje for its self a wide reputation
for good fruit with fine falvor. t this early ay Farmington ha(i no eh trees
But to -day the town can bo,.st of many beauties and adds much to the attractiveness
of the homes thee.
"'rank Aliens Grand Hotel" was just a three rooms lid w,ist and north of
Aliens p1 co Johuyler jmith had a farm(later boueht oy Blake) which wJ.s broad and
aimpson,hre.a.T. F.
$--700a- (4) Penimisoences of Ur. Joe Prewitt.
felt ana un-fenced .nd often on Jundays,wheathe oowacoye ofthe town were out for
a bit of tun,tney raced thrie ponies across this fiat and on through the town,
shooting their guns into the air with a whoop stirring up both dust and noise.
Ocoasionally Indians indulged in the same pastime, till one day in the
winter an 84 5,it had been foraged in by "Dobe ifeir who lived an the place.
The fenoe,whieh they did not see in time to stomas hit full force and all piled
up in a neapeboth horses and Indians, aad taat was the last of the /adieu= ratline
through the town.
The Navajo frequently brought in a wild turkey or a saddle of
veniein, whioh they gladly sold for fifty Gents.
In front of the present "Avery Hotel" to the south and west of it,
was (and is' an acre or so of good flat ground-whioh had been sowed to winter wheat.
in the spring it was fresh and green looking and a good feeding ground for wild
geese whioh frequently furnished the inhabitants with a ry palatable dinner of
roast iltldagpose.
aaking the trip to Durango at that time was aaite an unaertaking.
The Animas 77:iver was oroesed nine times, and there being wily one bridge, it had to be
forded just eight times. There was no road, 'twas but a trail where some one else
had driven, avoiding as best he aould the roughest plaoes,and winding around trees
and big bonljers, and you had to keep a -going to make it in two days. If it was muddy
it took three or four days,and you couldn't make it at all if the snow was deeps while
we make it in about an hour in any kind of weather. ;ell, they had regular stopping
places on the road where we could get meals,but the beet place of all was at the
home of ars. Kounts,who served such good meals,that we made every effort to get there
at meal time. The aemory of them is still very vivid. he lived in that adobe house
in Aztec still standing,but snowing the age of its years,just between the bridge and
a large garage as you enter the town going north.
3 (3)
-i-Aminiecencee of 4r Joe :›realct.
The moil arrived frum Laren's°, bj going. first to
t. L 14, then to the
"JOhnnie :end 7snoh" on the La natavehere the stage stayed over night.. then to
Pendelt0044.. the Post UM* on the La Plata,in the store of Dan iiheadi, POIS
.astervoni to ,Astec N.n. and across to Bloomfield,whioh W48 quite a town..and then
down to Oarmingtona 441 got the mall twice a week4except when the water was hIghi.
Apuroe Of 1nfOrMation
ur. Joe N•ewitts Durango, OolorLd0.
7-eminisoencos of kr. JOG Prewitt.
1.
(Continued).
Tioring theJtooktou iiar",in the earty oightles,and after "Barker" hud been
killed,as well as ort Jtookton, there ocourred the .Ulliug Ike of two 1Len ,one
side
nmed yatt and one na ea George Brown,?yutt o,ling on the Jtooktuniand Brown on the
other side. The shooting took place ut a New Years danoe when the two men met outside
of the danoe hall ,both wen shot and both Len were killedleach killed the other,as the;
we.:e both dead shots.
7he first are in tile town "1,iller's",and the seaond was Cheeneys ,in the
old uarkley building,which was bAlt by Ohaeney,as well as the old Palmer house,just
north of the present 7almer hoLe, and ,'•oth were bought by Irr. Ilarkley when he arrived.
"I was employed bj nIrkloy,i4nd late:. wont into toe business with him.
The demand for produon cx.s good,in those d..ys,and wilan sold,brougnt good prices
-Otatoes Leo pt.(' pound. Ha I4O.00 pr ton at timms..EverythIng hauled from °helm.
There was ::;o:e cutbr iu the old Jan 7uan in toss days th-al the is now,and in the
high watt; 's iuritt toso.ing the rivtx tookit's toll and n4iny woo drownd.
Au04it %th, 1661, the first regular train on the new Denver and to Grand R.T..
rolled in to Durango and earmington helped to celebrate the event,which mall done
in a big way, as it meut so much to -oth towns.
2his was the begining of the end of trio "old &Lysol
Oimpsonorrs.E.?.F.
--700 (4) Rominiseencas of kr.Joe nrewitt.
"Y 63, this was but they wore ,in some wawa, superior d -is. For
people then were honest, and brAve, and wotld go to any lungt4 to do the right
thine. :4 neyer locked our duors not ezen auring a six weeks absenoe at a time.
No eteLding would not t-,ve been tolerated. Aople were always
willing to extend their hospitality to the cra7olier, ;oven the Indians would
do the same. 1 renumber *hula ij b?ctnur Anu i were .1.ost on the reservation,sone
indtins took us in to a two roomed hogan, arid made us comfortable for the Might
with plenty of contorts and bLanKets and sheep skins to sleep on. They were
generoos,toe with food(no m...tter now hard it wA., fur thum to get it)but it was
eetter not to look too closely when they were preparing it. I hare founik taht the
DuCians will treat you well, 0,0Yid,A you gU h-lf tay,nci treat him rightly."
Source of Information.
Mr. Joe ',I:1'4mM. Durango. Colorado. Personal interwiew.