Mrs. Clara Coleman

Old Timers Dictionary

Interview

Marie Carter 

Anthony, New Mexico 

570 words 

Anthony Refugio Grant 

OLD TIMERS DICTIONARY 

In Detail 

One of the dearest and most beloved ladies of our community lives all alone on 
a ranch west of the Rio Grande, in a little white house, with climbing roses 
and honey-suckle. I had tea with her the other day. After she had cleared the 
table we sat down in her cozy living room to visit awhile and to chat. 

" Anthony to-day, and Anthony of yesterday, are widely different, aren't 
they?" I ventured. 

" There is no comparison," was her quick response." When Pat and I came here 
it was nothing but bosque. In, fact, he helped to clear quite a bit of it." 

What year was that?" I inquired. 

" 1900. We came from Uvalde, Texas." 

" Oh, yes, Uvalde; Vice President Garner's home town. Did you happen to know 
the Garners?" I asked. 

" Well, I was aquainted with Mrs. Garner," Mrs. Coleman replied. " Her aunt, 
Alice Watson, was my roommate at college. We attended Ad Ran College, Thorps 
Sulphur Springs." {Begin handwritten} C. 18 - [N. ?] {End handwritten} 

{Begin page no. 2}

" Where did you live when you fist came to Anthony?" 

" On the old business street west of the Santa Fe tracks, where Charley 
Miller, Mrs. Story and Mrs. Alvarez lived, Mrs. Story bought the house we 
occupied so we had to move. Since houses were scarce we decided to move to 
Chamberino and raise sheep," she said. 

" I understand sheep raising was a thriving industry of the early days," I 
observed. 

" It was," she assented. We didn't keep our sheep at Chamberino, however, but 
up in the Franklin mountains, east of Anthony. Sometimes I would go up there 
and camp with Mr. Coleman. Whenever our supplies ran low I went to Anthony to 
purchase more, riding a horse and leading a pack burro. One spring we had an 
early snow and lost our whole herd." 

" The what did you do?" 

" We bought this place. Our deed calls for almost thirteen acres, but the 
river stole six. You can't imagine what a source of worry the Rio Grande was 
in the early days. It was such a tricky old stream. One day it would be so dry 
that the settlers could cross it on foot. And the very next day it would be so 
full of water that they would have to resort to skiffs." 

" Was this land in the Refugio Grant?" 

" Yes, just a moment and you may see for yourself." As she spoke she opened 
the top drawer of a heavy oak chest and took out a paper which she gave me to 
read. 

This is what I read: " 'Abstract No. 3555. The Refugio Grant Colony in Dona 
Ana County, New Mexico to wit: Beginning December 17, 1869, this being 

{Begin page no. 3}

the date of filing of Grant to "Refugio Colony, and bringing the title to 
date. Prepared for Mrs. Clara Coleman, April 20, 1931.' 

The Spanish and Mexican land grants of New Mexico may be divided into two 
classes: The Spanish grants made between 1693 and 1821, and the Mexican grants 
made between 1821 and 1846. A few grants were made after that time in the 
Mesilla Valley, which Mexico claimed until the dispute was settled by the 
Gadsden treaty. 

The Refugio Colony, Dona Ana County, was granted 15,000 acres in 1852, and the 
grant was confirmed in 1901. 

The Rio Grande, which gave the early settlers so much trouble, is the only 
important river in New Mexico that does not have its source within the state. 
It enters New Mexico in a deep canyon a short distance to the east of the 106 
th Meridian. 

Mrs. Clara Coleman: Born in Uvalde, Texas, December 3, 1864; came to Anthony, 
New Mexico in 1900; Attended Ad Ran College at Thorps Sulphur Springs; member 
of the Crescent Club of Anthony. 

Credit: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, WPA Federal Writers' Project 
Collection.

Dona Ana

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