Chaves County

In 1889, Roswell patriarch Capt. Joseph C. Lea, Pat Garrett (the former sheriff who shot Billy the Kid), and land developer Charles B. Eddy ventured to the territorial council and house in Santa Fe to petition for the creation of two new counties from the massive Lincoln County in southeastern New Mexico. The request was granted and Chaves County officially came into being on February 25, 1889. Today, 120 years later, Chaves County still thrives with a population of more than 60,000 people and is the dairy capital of the Southwest, producing around 1.7 billion pounds of milk annually. Explored in this volume is Chaves Countys earliest peoples and settlements, including Roswell, Dexter, Hagerman, Lake Arthur, and Elk. It also takes a look at long-forgotten towns such as Acme, Blackdom, Cumberland, Greenfield and even old ranching outfits and farms such as John Chisums South Spring River headquarters, the Clifton Chisholm alfalfa farm, and many others.

In 1889, Roswell patriarch Capt. Joseph C. Lea, Pat Garrett (the former sheriff who shot Billy the Kid), and land developer Charles B. Eddy ventured to the territorial council and house in Santa Fe to petition for the creation of two new counties from the massive Lincoln County in southeastern New Mexico. The request was granted and Chaves County officially came into being on February 25, 1889. Today, 120 years later, Chaves County still thrives with a population of more than 60,000 people and is the dairy capital of the Southwest, producing around 1.7 billion pounds of milk annually. Explored in this volume is Chaves County's earliest peoples and settlements, including Roswell, Dexter, Hagerman, Lake Arthur, and Elk. It also takes a look at long-forgotten towns such as Acme, Blackdom, Cumberland, Greenfield and even old ranching outfits and farms such as John Chisum's South Spring River headquarters, the Clifton Chisholm alfalfa farm, and many others.

In 1889, Roswell patriarch Capt. Joseph C. Lea, Pat Garrett (the former sheriff who shot Billy the Kid), and land developer Charles B. Eddy ventured to the territorial council and house in Santa Fe to petition for the creation of two new counties from the massive Lincoln County in southeastern New Mexico. The request was granted and Chaves County officially came into being on February 25, 1889. Today, 120 years later, Chaves County still thrives with a population of more than 60,000 people and is the dairy capital of the Southwest, producing around 1.7 billion pounds of milk annually. Explored in this volume is Chaves County's earliest peoples and settlements, including Roswell, Dexter, Hagerman, Lake Arthur, and Elk. It also takes a look at long-forgotten towns such as Acme, Blackdom, Cumberland, Greenfield and even old ranching outfits and farms such as John Chisum's South Spring River headquarters, the Clifton Chisholm alfalfa farm, and many others.

From the days of the Cattle Kingdom, to the sheriffs who rode out after such outlaws as George Musgrave and Black Jack Ketchum, to the rocket experiments of Dr. Robert H. Goddard, TREASURES OF HISTORY IV: Historical Events of Chaves County, New Mexico relates many exciting episodes in the history of Roswell, Chaves County, and Southeast New Mexico. This is the fourth book in the Treasures of History series and the third volume consisting mostly of stories that had their origins as feature stories in the Roswell Daily Record of Vision Magazine.Some chapters deal with famous characters who had connections with Roswell, such as Frank Chisum, the former slave who became a cattleman; George Causey, the famous buffalo hunter; Charles Lindbergh, the aviation hero; Wild West Show performer Uncle Kit Carson; and Milt Mabie of "Louise Massey and the Westerners" music group. Two early doctors and three sheriffs are chronicle. Two outstanding women-Amelia Church and Annie Laurie Snorf-are featured. Other interesting and important events are recorded in the book's 26 chapers.Although each chapter is a story unto itself, they are arranged in chronological order to place them in the appropriate period in the history of Roswell and Chaves County.