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G.A. Feather Dies SaturdayGeorge Adlai Feather, 84, a noted chronicler of New Mexico and Southwestern history, died at his Mesilla Park home Saturday. Tie died of naturalcauses.Feather was born in Perry, Iowa, on Dec. 22, IB92. He came to New Mexico at the age of 14 on a low fare offer by railways to encourage families to travel West. The (rip was made in a 36-foot boxcar, with Feather working as attendant in charge of livestock. The family first settled in Artesia.He attended the local high school in Artesia for three years and Park College near Kansas City, Mo., for two years then the University of ffew Mexico for two years and one senester where he earned an AB degree in Greek and Latin, followed by an MA degree In Latin. AIUNM he lettered in football, basketball and track.In December of 1916 Feather was awarded . a RhodesG.A. Feather .scholarship which was postponed because of World War I. He was the first New Mexican to receive the honor.The following year he joined the U.S. Marine Corps and spenttwo years with llae American Expeditionary Forces in the Dominican Republic. He served as gunnery sargeanl and later as interpreter.In October 1919, Feather was permitted lo accept his Rhodes scholarship and entered Oxford University. He chcse the school of Spanish language and literature. From Oxford he was permitted to spend two terms at the University of Madrid. During his three years inEngland Feather earned BA and MA degrees. He spent the fourth year as a Fellow at Durham University.In 1923 Feather returned lo New Mexico and settled in Las Cruces accepting the chairmanship of the Department of ; Languages at New Mexico State College ' of Agriculture and Mechanical Arts, now New Mexico State University. The firs I high school in Las Cruces had not been completed, but Feather would often be called upon to conduct classes at theNalional Guard Armory.in 1935 Feather left Ihe college io allend to his land interests. Also, in 1935, he joined Ihe Rotary Club and was presidenlinlSKMl.Other organizations in which Feather served as president were: New Mexico Society for Crippled Children, New Mexico Folklore Society, Dona Ana County Historical Society and the Los Cruces Country Club; he was vice president of the New Mexico Farm Bureau, chairman of the Dona Ana County Farm Bureau, and from 1929 to 1966 he was a Patron of the Good Shepherd Home for Girls in Mesilla Park.In 1952 Feather retired from all business interests, including a nursery, and undertook a project that took him to nearly every town in New Mexico. He researched their history in county and stale archives for the next 12years and essentially completed the scholarly pursuit.
Newspaper Details
Las Cruces Sun News
Las Cruces, New Mexico, US
Mon, Nov 01, 1976
Page 25
Full Page
Clipped by
Nancy L.
NM, USA 18 Jun 2018
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