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During the seventies and the early eighties there was not a Trading Post on the Northern Navajo, from Mexican Water, which is located Southeast of and many miles across the San Juan river, from Bluff, Utah, and on to Tohatchi. In the late seventies a colony from southern Utah crossed the Colorado river, — then known as the Grand river,—in the vicinity of the Hole in the Rocks, making road as they went, and settled in what they called Bluff City, in San Juan County, Utah. This is about 125 miles down the San Juan from Farmington. After that the Navajos at Mex ican Springs and Sweet Water could make the journey to Bluff to do their trading, when the river was low. The tribes-people in the Teec-Nus-Pos country could make the long trip to Bluff, or the longer one to Round Rock, on the other side of the Carrizo mountains, after the Round Rock Trading Post had been establish ed there by Chee Dodge and Ald rich some time in the eighties. Aldrich was the brother of U. S. Senator Aldrich of those and later years. Trading Post One of the old time features of this Trading Post, noticed by the writer during a visit some years back, was the floor of the “bull pen.” It was made of pine poles covered with the slats from Arbuckles coffee cases. This cof fee was the old time standby in early day trading circles. The native residents of the Bed rock country, and the San-Nostee section crossed the Lukai-Chukai mountains and traded at Round Rock. This could not be done in the winter time because of the deep snows, and so a winter's The flour was largely supplement became a necessity in those days: supply of flour, sugar and coffee ed by corn meal. This was mixed with the flour, as long as the flour lasted; then they ate straight corn meal bread. The old timers invariably had flattened or ground down teeth caused by the grit in the meal which was ground in metates. The Indians of the Two Gray Hills and Toadlena districts went over the mountain to Fort Defiance, and later to Crystal, after the trading post had been establish ed there early in the 90's. This also could not be done during the winter. Those living farther south, at Sheep Springs and Nas Chitty, had the same routine, except that they later made the trip to To hatchi, especially during the win ter, after a trading post had been established there late in the 80's. New Towns As for the Indians up and down the river, as well as inland, south of the river, they too were handi capped for a long time. Early in the 80's Farmington was estab lished; Fruitland and the lower valley—then known as the Jewett Valley —followed, as well as Olio, now known as Kirtland, these all were coming into existence. Dick Simpson ran the store and post office at Olio. Tom Bryan had op ened a store on the bank of the river at Fruitland, and a man named Welch had a post in the Jewett Valley, on the old Deluche place. Hank Hull and Tom White were at the Hogback. This store later became ee, and Baldwin, Harry Baldwin having arrived from New York State to visit his %i 2hd later last into business with his uncle. Later, a store was opened across the river from the Four Corners which was known as the Four Corners Post. Early in the game Gillette Bros, pioneer merchants and millers of Cortez and Mancos built a Post at Aneth, and these two posts took care of the Navajos on both sides of the river, and in the beginning, of those at Teec- Nus-Pos. Some time afterwards the trader at the Four Corners Post, a man named Fritz, was kill ed by a Navajo youth from Teec- Nus-Pos, and the Post robbed. Troops to San Juan In the fall of 1893, Trader Welch of the Jewett Valley Trad ing Post was shot and killed by 2 Navajo, and two troops of cav alry from Fort Wingate were rushed to the San Juan. This body of men added much to the gayl ety, a the budding county, and baseball reached a new high along the San Juan and Animas rivers. Aztec, Farmington and the Fruit land section developed teams which vied with Durango, and ev en Silverton which was then at the height of its mining activities. But to return to the Navajos, this business activity along the San Juan was a boon to the na tives who came long distances to the river to trade their pelts, wool and blankets and to pick up fruit in the season thereof. This latter was a treat to the people who lived largely on mutton, cof fee and corn cakes or flapjacks. However, the Navajos raised a few peaches before the fruitgrow ers of the San Juan got started. There are to this day, old time peach orchards at Tohatchi, Toad lena and Teec-Nus-Pos, and they are still bearing. During the late 80's and the 90's and from there on, Trading Posts were established at San Nos-Tee, Nas-Chitty, Two Grey Hills, Toadlena, Captain Tom's Wash, Red Rock, — all of these along the foot of the range of mountains, called, in some parts, the Toadlena range and in others the Luka-Chukai. The Teec-Nus- Pos Trading Post situated in the foothills of the northern part of the Carrizo mountains came into being during the early period. Lat er came the posts at Sweet Water and Mexican Water, and finally the Red Mesa Trading Post, about the last of the Trading Posts to be established in the Northern Navajo. Post Owners It would perhaps, be interesting to break down this array of posts in the terms of the names of those who established them, of in terest particularly, to old timers. Saa-Nos-Tee was opened by Joe Wilkins, who had previously own ed an interest with Joe Reitz in the Crystal Post. Wilkins had driven a large freight outfit from Gallup to Ganado and to Round rock before that time. Two Gray Hills was first owned and operat ed by the brothers Henry and Frank Noel. Henry is still in New Mexico, living near Hot Springs, while Frank resides in Draper, Utah. Frank owned San-Nas-Tee some 30 or 35 years ago, and was there, in the midst of it, during the Beautiful Mountain rebellion. The Nas-Chitty Post was opened by Tom Bryan of Fruitland and was managed by Buke Maupin, an old timer on the San Juan, re membered by many and now de ceased. Toadlena Trading Post was started by Merritt Smith, who now resides in Cortez, Colo. Merritt is the son of R. G. Smith one of the pioneer farmers on the Junction peninsular. The old Smith home is still in existence. The Captain Tom's Wash post was built and first operated by Charles Nelson, father of Roswell Nelson, manager of the Farming ton Merc. Now Retired Red Rock Post was established by Olin C. Walker, a resident of Albuquerque. The writer has a number of interesting items fur nished by Mr. Walker, regarding the opening of the Bedrock Post and these will be given the read ers of the Daily Times in a future issue. The Teec-Nus-Pos store was built and operated by Hamp Noel —brother of Henry and Frank,— and Hugh Currie. Hamp has been a resident of Fruitland for a good ly number of years. The Sweet Water Post was originally launch ed by John Wade, now a resident of Farmington. The Mexican Post came into being under the guid ance of Joe Lee, a long time and well known character of the In dian country. Joe has a reputation for telling tall stories, and is cred ited with being able to talk the Navajo language better than the natives themselves. Joe is now re tired and is spending the later years of his life visiting his num erous friends within, and on the borders of Navajo Land. ‘All rights reserved! Temperatures of 150 to 180 de grees have been taken in the sun along the coast of the Persian Gulf in southern Iran, but these are unofficial records since offi cial records must be taken in sheltered and ventilated locations. CVE DADDY SAX #IS 208 TODAY FAMILY OF 11 PICKET HOTEL — The Hickey family of New York pickets the Hotel Statler, after the father of nine, Henry Hickey, was fired. Hickey claims he was fired without cause. The hotel said he was fired because of ill temper and because he mistreated a guest who failed to tip him. Left to right: Robert, 1 (in carriage); John, 3; Mrs. Hickey; Dick, 14; Frank 11; Pat, 9; Henry, 8; Betty, 6; Margie, 5; Hickey: and Sandy, 2. The Hickeys live in the Bronx. (AP Wirephoto)
Newspaper Details
Farmington Daily Times
Farmington, New Mexico, US
Wed, Aug 24, 1949
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Patricia T.
NM, USA 28 May 2026
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