Fort Selden Troops – Surnames Kaemen – Kurtz

Fort Selden was established in 1865 in an effort to bring peace among the varied inhabitants in the south central region of present day New Mexico. Their primary intent was to protect settlers and travelers in the Mesilla Valley from desperados and Mescalero Apache Indians. Built near the banks of the Rio Grande, the adobe fort housed units of U.S. Army Infantry and Cavalry. The first troops to occupy the fort were companies of the 125th US Colored Infantry Regiment, a group of African-American enlisted soldiers from Kentucky who had been mustered into the Union Army near the close of … Read more

Fort Selden Troops – Surnames Abbott – Auvanta

Fort Selden was established in 1865 in an effort to bring peace among the varied inhabitants in the south central region of present day New Mexico. Their primary intent was to protect settlers and travelers in the Mesilla Valley from desperados and Mescalero Apache Indians. Built near the banks of the Rio Grande, the adobe fort housed units of U.S. Army Infantry and Cavalry. The first troops to occupy the fort were companies of the 125th US Colored Infantry Regiment, a group of African-American enlisted soldiers from Kentucky who had been mustered into the Union Army near the close of … Read more

Fort Selden Troops – Surnames Backworth – Butze

Fort Selden was established in 1865 in an effort to bring peace among the varied inhabitants in the south central region of present day New Mexico. Their primary intent was to protect settlers and travelers in the Mesilla Valley from desperados and Mescalero Apache Indians. Built near the banks of the Rio Grande, the adobe fort housed units of U.S. Army Infantry and Cavalry. The first troops to occupy the fort were companies of the 125th US Colored Infantry Regiment, a group of African-American enlisted soldiers from Kentucky who had been mustered into the Union Army near the close of … Read more

Fort Selden Troops – Surnames Cain – Cyphen

Fort Selden was established in 1865 in an effort to bring peace among the varied inhabitants in the south central region of present day New Mexico. Their primary intent was to protect settlers and travelers in the Mesilla Valley from desperados and Mescalero Apache Indians. Built near the banks of the Rio Grande, the adobe fort housed units of U.S. Army Infantry and Cavalry. The first troops to occupy the fort were companies of the 125th US Colored Infantry Regiment, a group of African-American enlisted soldiers from Kentucky who had been mustered into the Union Army near the close of … Read more

Fort Selden Troops – Surname Dabney – Dyer

Fort Selden was established in 1865 in an effort to bring peace among the varied inhabitants in the south central region of present day New Mexico. Their primary intent was to protect settlers and travelers in the Mesilla Valley from desperados and Mescalero Apache Indians. Built near the banks of the Rio Grande, the adobe fort housed units of U.S. Army Infantry and Cavalry. The first troops to occupy the fort were companies of the 125th US Colored Infantry Regiment, a group of African-American enlisted soldiers from Kentucky who had been mustered into the Union Army near the close of … Read more

Fort Selden Troops – Surname Eagan – Furth

Fort Selden was established in 1865 in an effort to bring peace among the varied inhabitants in the south central region of present day New Mexico. Their primary intent was to protect settlers and travelers in the Mesilla Valley from desperados and Mescalero Apache Indians. Built near the banks of the Rio Grande, the adobe fort housed units of U.S. Army Infantry and Cavalry. The first troops to occupy the fort were companies of the 125th US Colored Infantry Regiment, a group of African-American enlisted soldiers from Kentucky who had been mustered into the Union Army near the close of … Read more

Churches of New Mexico

In 1617 there were eleven churches in New Mexico the ruins of one of which, that of Pecos, can still be seen a few miles above Glorieta on the Santa Fe main line. This pueblo was once the largest in New Mexico but it was deserted in 1840, and now it’s great house, supposed to have been much larger than the many storied houses of Zuni, is entirely in ruins. The pueblo and church rested upon a natural fortress like elevation a few acres in extent, walled on three sides with the adobe wall of the church protecting the fourth … Read more

Missions at the Coal Mines near Gallup

Artesia Church

Every Sunday Holy Mass is said at Gibson, N. M., about three miles distant from Gallup. The school-house where Mass is said, is a small building about 50 feet long, divided into two rooms. One is used for the Kindergarten, and the other for divine services. A small but neat little altar, with statues of the Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Conception, an organ, about a dozen school benches and a home-made confessional comprise the entire church furnishing. As may be imagined, the “church” cannot hold more than about 80 people and then it is taxed to its utmost. Considering … Read more

Franciscans in New Mexico and Arizona, 1539

Written in emblazoned letters on the pages of history of the Catholic Church is the great work done by the early Franciscans in America, particularly in the southwestern part of the present United States. Arriving on the first ships, even with Columbus himself, these humble followers of the Seraphic Saint at once entered upon the difficult task before them with great energy and devotion. Neither lure of adventure nor lust for gold was their incentive, but the one desire to win souls for God, pursuant to Christ’s command: “Going, therefore, teach all nations. In 1539 a Spanish Franciscan, Fray Marcos … Read more

Order of Friars Minor Explore New Mexico

Cortez had conquered Mexico; Pizarro was conquered in Peru; Balboa had discovered the South Sea (the Pacific Ocean) and all Spain was aflame with gold lust. Narvaez in great pomp and ceremony, with six hindered soldiers of fortune many of them of good families and high social station, in his five specially built vessels sailed to gain fame, fortune and the fountain of perpetual youth in what we now call Florida. Disaster, destruction, death, I had almost said entire annihilation, followed him and scarce allowed his expedition to land, ere it swallowed him up, so that had it not been … Read more