Tuesday, November 29, 2016

1908: Mrs. R. Grumbles Is New Mexico Cattle Queen

December 11, 1908, The Carlsbad Current

Widow with Seven Children Successfully Manages Large Place--An Expert with the Lariat and Branding Iron Mrs. R. Grumbles of Carrizozo, N.M., is a resourceful little woman, a good mother, and immaculate housekeeper, a business woman, a ranch owner and "the cattle on a thousand hills" bear her mark and brand. Her ranch home is five miles north of the town. It is a beautiful little home in the valley, nestled at the foot of the mountains, where the color of the cedar floats through her cool rooms, lending additional restfulness to the place. Virginia creeper and bitter sweet vines shade the gallery and a sweet eglantine brier grows close to the door. Other roses thrive and the "salt cedar" waves its long plumes of pink flowers gracefully to the mountain breeze. Mrs. Grumbles went to New Mexico 20 years ago with her husband and 17 of these years have been spent at her Carrizozo ranch. She was left a widow 12 years ago, with seven children, five daughters and two sons. The youngest daughter is now 12 years old-a typical western girl. Mrs. Grumbles attends to all the business of the ranch, even to the most minute details, and she has all well in hand. Difficulties she encounters not a few, and her share of care and sorrow, but with it all she is calm and serene, doing her duty under all circumstances. She is a fine marksman, and when in the season she can bring down a fine deer or bag a fine fat turkey before breakfast. There is not a cowboy on the plains that can excel her in throwing the lariat, and when she has to she can mark and brand the calves with a deftness that would put many a young lubber to shame...more

No comments: