New Mexico truly is the land of enchantment, full of picturesque scenery and magical places where we can celebrate our history and those who came before us.
The Pueblos, the Navajos, the Apaches, and the Spanish inhabited these lands for many years and left their mark on our culture. Later, there were courageous pioneers discovering and inhabiting our state, changing the landscape forever. We would not be where we are as a state without the lives of those who lived in the territory of New Mexico, who inhabited our lands during the early days, and whose legacies we still celebrate over a century later.
We are home to some local legends that helped shape our fair New Mexico. Our state’s history, especially the Lincoln County War, is painted with stories of outlaws and lawlessness that have inspired Western movies and books about the Wild West. Famous names from the likes of Pat Garrett and John Chisum might ring bells for most who know New Mexico history and cowboy culture. What we often miss in stories of the Old West are the families who traveled many miles to live the American dream on the frontier lands of the United States. One such family is the Joneses who came to New Mexico and became pioneer residents of the Rocky Arroyo. The Jones family—Heiskell Jones, his wife Barbara, along with their nine sons and one daughter, traveled from Virginia to New Mexico in 1866 and first made their home near what is now Loving on the east side of the Pecos River. The Jones family history in New Mexico, much like the family itself, spread across the state and staked claims, deeply rooting their place in our state’s history.
The matriarch of this famed family was Barbara “Ma’am” Jones, a true New Mexico pioneer woman. Strong, fierce, and compassionate, Ma’am Jones saved many lives at a time when survival was anything but certain. Settlers’ wars, fighting over land possession and resources, and braving the elements cost many pioneers their lives. Ma’am proclaimed her homestead as a safe haven for the hurt or downtrodden. She took any and all under her wing and cared for anyone who came across her doorstep, regardless of race or circumstance. Ma’am passed no judgment, only hope and sincerity to those who crossed paths with her.
Sam Jones, son of Ma’am and better known to the family as Sammie, in his recount of his life in the early days of New Mexico, states “folks nowadays have no idea of the hard work it took to make this Pecos Valley a place to live.”(1) He may have been referring to the landscape, the lack of resources at the time, the lawlessness, or perhaps all the above. However, none of these factors scared Ma’am from doing anything it took to care for others. One such example came from Sammie himself, who once tripped over some mesquite and landed face-first onto a broken bottle, almost costing Sammie his eye. Ma’am took quick action, along with a needle and thread, and saved her son from losing his sight. When a strange boy came to their home, half-starved and wearing boots a size too small, Ma’am did not hesitate to nurse him back to health. She took him in and cared for him as if he were her own child. That child’s name? Billy Bonney, but you might know him as Billy the Kid.
Ma’am Jones even helped a young Apache boy with a broken leg and, although she had never dealt with an injury like his before, she had no fear and went to work helping the boy heal. No matter what came her way, Ma’am Jones could handle it. Using her wits and what little her family had, she became known locally as a master healer, seamstress, and businesswoman. In later years, the Jones family made their way to a large, abandoned adobe in Seven Rivers and started a trading post where travelers and settlers began to know and grow to love Ma’am and her “hospitality, gracious welcome, hearty food, good whiskey, and fair prices.”(2) Ma’am really was as she was most lovingly known as “The Angel of the Pecos.” Ma’am Jones is a woman we can all look up to, passing on kindness and respect to all she met, and becoming a legend for her generous heart.
Something that connects New Mexicans past and current is the perseverance of the men, women, and children who literally paved the way for its future residents. We New Mexicans are strong, sometimes stubborn, but very strong people. We are incredibly proud of our roots, and of course, our green chile.
New Mexicans also boast about our rich cowboy history. The New Mexico territory was home to many groups of people who came together and created the rich culture we celebrate today as our own. The next time you step outside on a beautiful evening and enjoy one of our famous New Mexico sunsets, think back to a time when our skylines looked a little different, the homes were a bit humbler, and the times were a bit simpler. There was a family that stood where you stand today, working hard and tirelessly for future generations to continue enjoying this land that so many have called home.
References
- Ball, E. (1969). Ma’am Jones of the Pecos. University of Arizona Press.
- Hays, C. (2013, March 19). Ma’am Jones. True West Magazine. https://truewestmagazine.com/article/maam-jones/
Contributor’s Note
The book referenced in this article is incredibly well-researched and told from the first-hand accounts of those who lived in the early days of New Mexico. If you are interested in New Mexico frontier history or tales of the Wild West, I highly recommend Eve Ball’s book, Ma’am Jones of the Pecos, available at the Carlsbad Public Library and Amazon.
Article written by Karey Jeffress and originally published in Focus Regional 2023 Winter edition.
Karey Jeffress
Karey, a Carlsbad native, has a wide variety of interests and loves sharing them with the people around her. Karey’s passion for education and healthcare has inspired her career path to serving others with similar lived experience. Karey has recently taken on the role of Executive Director of the Carlsbad Community Concert Association and strives to connect the people of Carlsbad with fine arts as a means of healing and enriching their lives. She has a Masters in Public Health Promotion and is currently working toward a Doctorate in Education. She is a certified Mental Health First Aid instructor, yoga teacher, and community outreach professional, and is passionate about helping others live their lives to the fullest. Her favorite things include her husband Dale, her dogs, going to concerts and baseball games, the outdoors, and good nachos.
