Mrs. Amelia (Bolton) Church

Dup

Georgia B. Redfield Roswell, New Mexico 9-23-38 Words [1,910?] 

Subject: Pioneer Story 

Source of Information: Given in Interview with Mrs. Church 

MRS AMELIA (BOLTON) CHURCH 

OCT 3 1938 	2nd

Selected by a Committee of Chaves County Archaeological and Historical Society 
as one of the Four Outstanding Pioneer Builders of Roswell and Southeast New 
Mexico. 

Mrs. Amelia (Bolton) Church - daughter of John Bolton, who was head of the 
quartermaster Department stationed with army officers at Fort Stanton, New 
Mexico, for protection of the early settlers from Indiana, and wife of the 
late J. P. Church, a pioneer builder of Roswell - has lived in Southeast New 
Mexico for sixty-seven years. 

Native of [Waxford?] Ireland 

Mrs. Church was born in Waxford Ireland July 3, 1862. In 1871 she came from 
Ireland to America with her mother, Ella ([Doyal?]) Bolton, and a brother and 
a younger sister, who is Mrs. Ella (Bolton) [Davidson?]. Mrs. Bolton and her 
children, on landing in New York, traveled by train as far as the railroad was 
built, and then by army ambulance and covered wagons, guarded by an army 
escort sent from Fort Stanton, by whom they were conducted safely through 
hostile Indian infested plains to what was to be their new home in the wild 
newly settled country of New Mexico. C18 - 6/5/41 - N. Mex.

Adobe Home at Fort Stanton 

Mr. Bolton had preceded his wife and children in coming to America. After they 
joined him at Fort Stanton he built for them a new adobe home. Here Mrs. 
Church lived happily with her parents and brother and sister the three first 
of her many continuous years of residence in New Mexico. 
 
{Begin page no. 2}

In 1873 John Bolton moved his family to the historic old town of Lincoln, New 
Mexico, where he was made postmaster. Here his daughters, Amelia and Ella grew 
to young girlhood, constantly surrounded by danger, not only from Indian, of 
whom they had lived in terror at Fort Stanton, but from the rough element of 
settlers of the new town, made up of cattle thieves, gamblers and murderers, 
and the gun-battles of the two factions of the bloody feudal conflicts, known 
as the Lincoln County War. The true stories of some of those battles - of 
which Mrs. Church is one of the few living eye-witnesses - and the traditions 
of the many historic places of interest in Lincoln County are desired by the 
Chaves County Archaeological and Historical Society for preservation in the 
Roswell Museum.

Beginning of Lincoln County War 

The killing of John H. Tunstall on February 18, 1878 was the real beginning of 
the Lincoln County War. Tunstall, who was a popular young Englishman, had 
established a ranch on the Rio [Felia?] and stocked it with cattle and horses. 
William Bonney, who became known afterwards ad "Billy the Kid, and as a 
bloodthirsty man-killer and outlaw", was employed by Tunstall to assist with 
the stock on the ranch. They became fast friends. They youthful outlaw made a 
resolve, while standing over the grave of his friend, that he would never let 
up until he killed the last man who had helped to kill Tunstall. Tunstall was 
shot down by officials of the law, who were sent to take Tunstall's cattle and 
property because of his partnership with McSween in the mercantile business in 
Lincoln. Sheriff Brady was supposed to have been responsible for the 
attachment

{Begin page no. 3}

issued against Tunstall's property, which resulted in his killing. 

Killing of Major Brady 

"I knew Major Brady very well." Said Mrs. Church during an interview at her 
home in Roswell in September, 1936. 

"He was the sheriff of Lincoln County when he was killed. I saw him as he and 
another man, deputy sheriff George Hindman, lay dead in the street, shot down, 
as they were [?], by Billy the Kid and his gang, who lay hidden behind an 
adobe wall. Major Brady was killed instantly. George Hindman fell when he was 
shot, and Ike Stockton who was standing near, on seeing he was still alive, 
ran to him and gave him water that he brought from a ditch in his hat. However 
nothing could revive him for he was mortally wounded and died in a few 
minutes. The third man, Billy Mathews, who was with Major Brady when the 
shooting began, made his escape by running into an adobe house near by." 

Old Lincoln County Court House 

"Up stairs in the old Court House at Lincoln is the room where Billy the Kid 
was confined waiting his trial for the killing of Major Brady. There have been 
many untrue stories told of the Kid's sensational escape after killing his two 
guards Bell and Ollinger. I remember all the facts in connection with that 
escape," said Mrs. Church. 

"Billy the Kid, was playing cards with Bell, while Ollinger, his other guard, 
was at dinner across the street, he saw his chance and grabbed Bell's gun. 
Bell darted down the inside stairway, but Billy the Kid was too quick for him, 
he fired and Bell fell dead at the bottom of the stairs. Billy the Kid then 
walked calmly to a window and shot Ollinger down as he came running when he 
heard the 

{Begin page no. 4}

shooting. The "Kid" then threw the gun on Ollinger who lay dying and to Ed 
Goss, the jail cook, to saddle a horse that was feeding in an alfalfa field 
near by. The cook helped get the shackles off the Kid's hands but, because 
they were welded on he couldn't get them off his legs that is why he was 
thrown from the horse because of having to ride side-wise on account of the 
shackles. He rode a mile and a half west before they were removed by a Mexican 
man, who afterwards gave the shackles to George Titsworth, who lived at 
Capitan, and possessed an interesting collection at that place." 

"The old Court House is now in process of reconditioning and strengthening. It 
is to serve as a memorial to the pioneers after its restoration." 

El Torreon - Old Stone Tower 

In 1935, Mrs. Church worked untiringly with the Chaves County Archaeological 
and Historical Society in the securing and restoration of El Torreon the old 
round stone tower, built by Mexican settlers around 1840 or 1850, at La 
Placita - later named Lincoln. The tower was first built to be used as a look 
out and protection against Indians. It served in later years as a place of 
refuge from white outlaws and as a refuge during the Lincoln County War. 

"I was interested in saving the old tower that was fast crumbling into ruins," 
said Mrs. Church, "because we felt safer all through those dangerous years of 
outlawry just knowing there was always a place of safety to be found behind 
its protecting walls. It helped keep us brave at times when we needed 
courage." 

"My sister Ella and my mother and I were the only white persons of twenty 
seven - the rest were all Mexicans - who spent the night crowded together in 
El Torreon after we had been warned to seek 

{Begin page no. 5}

safety in the tower, for the dreaded Herrell brothers, outlaw murderers, were 
on their way to wipe out the town. There had been seven of the Herrell 
brothers. Two had been killed at a baile (dance) after the younger one of the 
brothers had started a quarrel over a Spanish senorita. This threatened 
invasion was supposed to be for the purpose of carrying out their threat to 
kill every man, woman and child in revenge for the shooting of their brothers. 
We spent the night in fear and trembling, close by the side of our mother, but 
the morning found us quite safe in the old tower. The Herrells had accepted 
some kind of truce offered by a friend. They were mollified for the time being 
and no one at all was harmed." 

I know now," said Mrs. Church, "that our mother who possessed a brave and 
dauntless spirit and never complained during those dangerous times must have 
often longed for the peaceful security of her old home in Ireland." 

The First Jail Built in Lincoln 

Mrs. Church remembers the building of the first jail in Lincoln, the first 
occupant of which was Billy the Kid. 

"I watched the men as they worked on the jail." Said Mrs. Church. "They dug a 
square pit about nine feet deep, then they lowered into it, a rough closet 
like cell without any doors or windows. On top of the ground, over the cell 
they built a two room adobe house for the jailer. I saw them lower Billy the 
Kid through a trap door in the top of the cell below. There was a ditch 
running full of water close by. I was horrified when I heard one of the men 
who lowered the "kid" inside say: `Let's turn the water of that ditch into the 
cell and drown him like a rat.'"

{Begin page no. 6}

Knew Billy the Kid and McSweens 

While many harrowing experiences and murderings were indelibly impressed upon 
the young mind of Mrs. Church, she remembers also many pleasant social 
occasions during the years she lived in Lincoln. There were mucicale parties 
and dancing. She knew Billy the Kid who sang well and was a good dancer. He 
was a welcome guest at many of the early social affairs of the town. She often 
visited in the home of Mr. and Mrs. McSween. Mr. McSween though he never 
carried a gun, was one of the faction leaders of the Lincoln County War. She 
remembers Mrs. McSween as being a woman of refinement and culture. She was a 
good musician and owned a fine piano of which she was very proud. It was 
burned in her home, the night her husband was killed in the final battle that 
practically ended the Lincoln County War which took place in July 1878.

Married to Joshua P. Church 

Mrs. Church was married July 18, 1891 to Joshua P. Church then of Roswell who 
had been a resident of Southeast New Mexico since the spring of 1880. Children 
born to this union were Sophie (Mrs. L. L. [Oshenpaugh?], who live in Roswell) 
Joshua (a son, who lives in [Deming?], New Mexico) Aileen (Mrs. Langford 
Keith, who lives in Roswell) and Elinor (Mrs. Richard M. Harrison, who lives 
in Nogalis, Arizona). 

Old Pauly Hotel 

The first home occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Church, after their marriage, was the 
old Pauly Hotel which was the first real hotel built in Roswell. They 
purchased the interest and holdings in the first six months after its 
construction in 1890.  

After living in the hotel four years Mr. and Mrs. Church built 
 
{Begin page no. 7}

the home where Mrs. Church lives at the present time at what is now 210 South 
Kentucky Avenue, and where the death of Mr. Church occurred in 1917. 

Mrs. Church is one of the popular leaders of the social life of Roswell. She 
belongs to the Episcopalian Church, and is a member of the Roswell Woman's 
Club, of the Southwestern History Club, and Chaves County Archaeological and 
Historical Society, to which she has contributed much of her valuable time in 
the building of the Roswell Museum and the progress of its cultural 
development that is proving invaluable to the people of Roswell. The beautiful 
Pueblo style building designed by Frank Slandhardt Roswell architect, 
"Dedicated to the Founders and Builders of Roswell" is the culmination of the 
ideas of Mrs. C. D. Bonney and Mrs. Church, who first entertained the thoughts 
of building a suitable place to house the splendid archaeological collection 
owned by the society. It was completed as a W. P. A. project in 1937. 

In the selection of Mrs. Church, by a committee of the society, as one of the 
four outstanding pioneer builders of Southeast New Mexico, of whom a bust was 
to be sculptured for the Roswell Museum, she was justly honored, above all 
women contributors to the upbuilding and advancement of what was an 
undeveloped new section of the territory not so many years ago. 

The life like heads modeled of Mrs. Church, John Chisum, Captain Joseph C. Lea 
and James J. Hagerman, the work of John Raymond Tirkin a Santa Fe sculptor, 
were done under the W. P. A. Federal Art Project of New Mexico. They have been 
placed in niches especially designed for them built, shrine-like, in the four 
corners of the foyer of the museum. Here they will be safe and serve to 
perpetuate the 

{Begin page no. 8}

memory of, not only Mrs. Church, but all the pioneer wives and mothers for 
whom she stands, and not only of the three pioneer men, associated with Mrs. 
Church as builders, but all those pioneers for whom their sculptured heads 
stand as symbols, who were contributors in the development and cultural 
advancement of a new civilization in the country of the Southeast New Mexico. 

Mrs. Church has ever been interested in, the welfare of the poorer class of 
people and has worked ceaselessly through the years to improve and broaden the 
lives of those less fortunate in the educational advantages and beautiful 
surroundings. Gardening is her hobby. She is widely known because of her civic 
pride and achievements in developing beauty-spots, in which trees and lovely 
lawns and flowers now flourish, where in the early days she saw only salt 
grass, mesquite and weeds grow in profusion. 

Mrs. Church and her family are appreciated and stand high in the regard of the 
Roswell people.

Mrs. Amelia (Bolton) Church

Interview Georgia B. Redfield Roswell, New Mexico 9/23/38 Words [1,910?] 

Subject: Pioneer Story 

Source of Information: Given in Interview with Mrs. Church. 

OCT 3, 1928 	st

MRS AMELIA (BOLTON) CHURCH 

Selected by Committee of Chaves County Archaeological and Historical Society 
as one of the Four Outstanding Pioneer Builders of Roswell and Southeast New 
Mexico. 

Mrs. Amelia (Bolton) Church - daughter of John Bolton, who was head of the 
Quartermaster Department stationed with army officers at Fort Stanton, New 
Mexico, for protection of the early settlers from Indians, and wife of the 
late J. P. Church, a pioneer builder of Roswell - has lived in Southeast New 
Mexico for sixty-seven years. 

Native of Wexford Ireland 

Mrs. Church was born in Wexford Ireland July 3, 1862. In 1871 she came from 
Ireland to America with her mother, Ella (Doyel) Bolton, and a brother and 
younger sister, who is Mrs. Ella (Bolton) Davidson. Mrs. Bolton and her 
children, on landing in New York, traveled by train as far as the railroad was 
built, and then by army ambulance and covered wagons, guarded by an army 
escort sent from Fort Stanton, by whom they were conducted safely through 
hostile Indian infested plains to what was to be their new home in the wild 
newly settled country of New Mexico. C18 - 6/5/41- N. Mex.

Abode Home at Fort Stanton 

Mr. Bolton had preceded his wife and children in coming to America. After they 
joined him at Fort Stanton he built for them a new adobe home. Here Mrs. 
Church lived happily with her parents and brother and sister the three first 
of her many continuous years of residence in New Mexico. 

{Begin page no. 2}

In 1873 John Bolton moved his family to the historic old town of Lincoln, New 
Mexico, where he was made postmaster. Here his daughters, Amelia and Ella grew 
to young girlhood, constantly surrounded by danger, not only from Indians, of 
whom they had lived in terror at Fort Stanton, but from the rough element of 
settlers of the new town, made up of cattle thieves, gamblers and murderers, 
and the gun-battles of the two factions of the bloody feudal conflicts, known 
as the Lincoln County War. The true stories of some of those battles - of 
which Mrs. Church is one of the few living eye-witnesses - and the traditions 
of the many historic places of interest in Lincoln County are desired by the 
Chaves County Archaeological and Historical Society for preservation in the 
Roswell Museum. 

Beginning of Lincoln County War 

The killing of John H. Tunstall on February 18, 1878 was the real beginning of 
the Lincoln County War. Tunstall, who was a popular young Englishman, had 
established a ranch on the Rio Feliz and stocked it with cattle and horses. 
William Bonney, who became known afterwards as "Billy the Kid, and as a 
bloodthirsty man-killer and outlaw", was employed by Tunstall to assist with 
the stock on the ranch. They became fast friends. The youthful outlaw made a 
resolve, while standing over the grave of his friend, that he would never let 
up until he killed the last man who helped to kill Tunstall. Tunstall was shot 
down by officials of the law, who were sent to take Tunstall's cattle and 
property because of his partnership with McSween in the mercantile business in 
Lincoln. Sheriff Brady was supposed to have been responsible for the 
attachment?] [Coe, Garretts and Fultons versions not quoted Omitted by request 
Mrs Church who wants to write a book on this subject she does not agree on 
this version any way of [???]

{Begin page no. 3}

[issued against Tunstall's property, which resulted in his killing.?] 

[Killing of Major Brady Spring of 1878

"I knew Major Brady very well." Said Mrs. Church during an interview at her 
home in Roswell in September, 1938.?]	Omitted

"He was sheriff of Lincoln County when he was killed. I saw him as he and 
another man, deputy sheriff George Hindman, lay dead in the street, shot down, 
as they were passing, by Billy the Kid and his gang, who lay hidden behind an 
adobe wall. Major Brady was killed instantly. George Hindman fell when he was 
shot, and Ike Stockton who was standing near, on seeing he was still alive, 
ran to him and gave him water that he brought from a ditch in his hat. However 
nothing could revive him for he was mortally wounded and died in a few 
minutes. The third man, Billy Mathews, who was with Major Brady when the 
shooting began, made his escape by running into an adobe house near by."  

Old Lincoln County Court House 

"Up stairs in the old Court House at Lincoln is the room where Billy the Kid 
was confined waiting his trial for the killing of Major Brady. There have been 
many untrue stories told of the Kid's sensational escape after killing his two 
guards Bell and Ollinger. I remember all the facts in connection with that 
escape," said Mrs. Church.?] Omitted

Billy the Kid, was playing cards with Bell, while Ollinger, his other guard, 
was at dinner across the street, he saw his chance and grabbed Bell's gun. 
Bell darted down the inside stairway, but Billy the Kid was too quick for him, 
fired and Bell fell dead at the bottom of the stairs. Billy the Kid then 
walked calmly to a window and shot Ollinger down as he came running when he 
heard the?

{Begin page no. 4}

shooting. The "Kid" then threw the gun on Ollinger who lay dying and told 
Goss, the jail cook, to saddle a horse that was feeding in an alfalfa field 
near by. The cook helped get the shackles off the Kid's hands but, because 
they were welded on he couldn't get them off his legs that is why he was 
thrown from the horse because of having to ride side-wise on account of the 
shackles. He rode a mile and a half west before they were removed by a Mexican 
man, who afterwards gave the shackles to George Titsworth, who lived at 
Capitan, and possessed an interesting collection at that place."?] Omitted 

"The Old Court House is now in process of reconditioning and strengthening. It 
is to serve as a memorial to the pioneers after its restoration."? 

El Torreon - Old Stone Tower 

In 1935, Mrs. Church worked untiringly with the Chaves County Archaeological 
and Historical Society in the securing and restoration of El Torreon the old 
round stone tower, built by Mexican settlers around 1840 or 1850, at La 
Placita - later named Lincoln. The tower was first built to be used as a look 
out and protection against Indians. It served in later years as a place of 
refuge from white outlaws and as a refuge during the Lincoln County war. 

"I was interested in saving the old tower that was fast crumbling into ruins," 
said 'Mrs. Church, "because we felt safer all through those dangerous years of 
outlawry just knowing there was always a place of safety to be found behind 
its protecting walls. It helped keep us brave at times when we needed 
courage." 

"My sister Ella and my mother and I were the only white persons of twenty 
seven - the rest were all Mexicans - who spent the night crowded together in 
El Torreon after we had been warned to seek 

{Begin page no. 5}

safety in the tower, for the dreaded Horrell brothers, outlaw murderers, were 
on their way to wipe out the town. There had been seven of the Horrell 
brothers. [?? not known?] Two had been killed at a [baile?] (dance) after the 
younger one of the brothers had started a quarrel over a Spanish senorita. 
This threatened invasion was suppose to be for the purpose of carrying out 
their threat to kill every man, woman, and child in revenge for the shooting 
of their brothers. We spent the night in fear and trembling, close by the side 
of our mother, but morning found us quite safe in the old tower. The Horrells 
had accepted some kind of a truce offered by a friend. They were notified for 
the time being and no one at all was harmed."  

"I know now," said Mrs. Church, "that our mother who possessed a brave and 
dauntless spirit and never complained during those dangerous times must have 
often longed for the peaceful security of her old home in Ireland." 

The First Jail Built in Lincoln 

Mrs. Church remembers the building of the first jail in Lincoln, the first 
occupant of which was Billy the Kid.? Mrs Church wants to use this in book. 
Omitted by her request 

"I watched the men as they worked on the jail." Said Mrs. Church. "They dug a 
square pit about nine feet deep, then they lowered into it, a rough closet 
like cell without any doors or windows. On top of the ground, over the cell 
they built a two room adobe house for the jailer. I saw them lower Billy the 
Kid through a trap door in the top to the cell below. There was a ditch 
running full of water close by. I was horrified when I heard one of the men 
who lowered the "Kid" inside say: 'Let's turn the water of that ditch into the 
cell and drown him like a cat.'"?

{Begin page no. 6}

Knew Billy the Kid and McSweens.

While many harrowing experiences and murderings were indeliably impressed upon 
the young mind of Mrs. Church. [???] She also remembers many pleasant social 
occasions during the years she lived in Lincoln. There were musicale parties 
and dancing. She knew Billy the Kid who sang well and was a good dancer. He 
was a welcome guest at many of the [early?] social affairs of the town. She 
often visited in the home of Mr. and Mrs. McSween. Mr. McSween though he never 
carried a gun, was one of the faction leaders of the Lincoln County War. She 
remembers Mrs. McSween as being a woman of refinement and culture. She was a 
good musician and owned a fine piano of which she was very proud. It was 
burned in her home, the night her husband was killed in the final battle that 
practically ended the Lincoln County War which took place in July 1878. 
Omitted 

Married to Joshua P. Church 

Mrs. Church was married July 18, 1891 to Joshua P. Church then of Roswell who 
had been a resident of Southeast New Mexico since the spring of 1880. Children 
born to this union were Sophia (Mrs. L. L. Ochanpaugh, who lived in Roswell) 
Joshua (a son, who lives in Deming, New Mexico) Aileen (Mrs. Langford Keith, 
who lives in Roswell) and Elinor (Mrs. Richard M. Harrison, who lives in 
Nogalis, Arizona). 

Old Pauly Hotel 

The first home occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Church, after their marriage, was the 
old Pauly Hotel which was the first real hotel built in Roswell. They 
purchased the interest and holdings in the building from Mrs. Aileen O'Neal 
who had conducted the hotel for the first six months after its construction in 
1890. 

After living in the hotel four years Mr. and Mrs. Church built 

{Begin page no. 7}

the home where Mrs. Church lives at the present time at what is now 210 South 
Kentucky Avenue, and where the death of Mr. Church occurred in 1917. 

Mrs. Church is one of the popular leaders of the social life of Roswell. She 
belongs to the Episcopalian Church, and is a member of the Roswell Woman's 
Club, of the Southwestern History Club, and Chaves County Archaeological and 
Historical Society, to which she has contributed much of her valuable time in 
the building of the Roswell Museum and the progress of its cultural 
development that is proving invaluable to the people of Roswell. The beautiful 
Pueblo style building designed by Frank Blandhardt Roswell architect. 
"Dedicated to the Founders and Builders of Roswell" is the culmination of the 
ideas of Mrs. C. D. Bonney and Mrs. Church, who first entertained the thoughts 
of building a suitable place to house the splendid archaeological collection 
owned by the society. It was completed as a W. P. A. Project in [1837?]. 

In the selection of Mrs. Church, by the committee of the society, as one of 
the four outstanding pioneer builders of Southwest New Mexico, of whom a bust 
was to be sculptured for the Roswell Museum, she was justly honored, above all 
the women contributors to the up-building and advancement of what was an 
undeveloped new section of the territory not so many years ago. 

The life like heads modeled of Mrs. Church, John Chisum, Captain Joseph C. Lea 
and James J. Hagerman, the work of John Raymond Tirkin a Santa Fe sculptor, 
were done under the W. P. A. Federal Art Project of New Mexico. They have been 
placed in [?] especially designed for them built, shrine-like, in the four 
corners of the foyer of the museum. Here they will be safe and serve to 
perpetuate the 

{Begin page no. 8}

memory of, not only Mrs. Church, but all the pioneer wives and mothers for 
whom she stands, and not only of the three pioneer men, associated with Mrs. 
Church as builders, but all those pioneers for whom their sculptured heads 
stand as symbols, who were contributors in the development and cultural 
advancement of a new civilization in the country of Southeast New Mexico. 

Mrs. Church has ever been interested in, the welfare of the poorer class of 
people and has worked ceaselessly through the years to improve and broaden the 
lives of those less fortunate in educational advantages and beautiful 
surroundings. Gardening is her hobby. She is widely known because of her civic 
pride and achievements in developing beauty-spots, in which trees and lovely 
lawns and flowers now flourish, where in the early days she saw only salt 
grass, mesquite and weeds grow in profusion. 

Mrs. Church and her family are appreciated and stand high in the regard of the 
Roswell people. 

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

Lincoln

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