A.N. Blazer Papers,, 1883-1966
Series
Scope and Content
From the Collection:
The Blazer Family Papers document a century (1864-1965) of varied activities by a pioneerfamily living on land in the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation in southern New Mexico. In1867, Joseph H. Blazer took over the operation of a sawmill which was important economicallyto the region, and in 1878 was the scene of one of the battles of the Lincoln County War. Thesignificance of this collection is enhanced by the family's proximity to the Mescalero Apaches,its ties with New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts, Las Cruces, New Mexico,particularly professors Hugh Megalone Milton II and Ralph W. Goddard, and the creativeproductions of family members. One of the most important segments of the collection iscomprised of some five hundred photographs.
The Blazer Family Papers consist of eleven linear feet of materials (ca. 2,476 items) and havebeen arranged in eight series, five of which are by family member: Joseph Hoy Blazer, AlmerNewton Blazer, Joseph's son; Emma Blazer Thompson and John Howard Thompson, Joseph'sdaughter and son-in-law; Paul A. Blazer, Almer's son; and Noel E. Blazer, Almer's son; theseventh series is a Miscellany. Within each of the first six series the documents are divided intosub-series such as correspondence, financial documents, legal documents, etc., where applicable.Photographs make up the eighth series.
The materials in the Joseph H. Blazer series cover the years 1864-1901 and includecorrespondence and financial and legal records which pertain primarily to the acquisition andearly operation of the water-powered sawmill and grist mill. One item of interest is a copy of anagreement made in 1877 between the town of Tularosa and the settlers of Tularosa Canyonregarding construction of a ditch to bring water to the town from the Tularosa River.
A. N. Blazer followed his father in the operation of the mill, so the mill records are continuedas financial documents in the third series. He also became a licensed Indian trader, as his fatherhad been, and took over the management of the family farm. The family's many legal strugglesover water and land are well documented by his carefully preserved records and correspondence.
A. N. Blazer was a writer and had several articles and stories published in such periodicals asNew Mexico Magazine and Frontier Times. However, he was never able to find apublisher for his two major works, "Los Jirones" and "Santana." These stories are based on hispersonal knowledge of life among the Mescalero Indians and present much information abouttheir beliefs and activities. The richest source of information regarding the Mescaleros' customsand rituals, however, is found in his correspondence with artist-author William Robinson Leigh.Leigh wrote a novel, "Little Foot," based on information supplied by A. N. Blazer about theMescalero Indians' way of life. (This novel also was never published.)
A. N. Blazer was a thirteen-year-old witness to a gunfight at Blazer's Mill involving Billy theKid. There is little in the collection concerning this episode with the exception of his account,published in the Alamogordo News, July 16, 1928, and a transcript of remarks made by A. N.Blazer and George Coe at a public meeting in Mescalero in 1932. There is more materialconcerning Billy the Kid in Paul A. Blazer's correspondence, but it doesn't deal specifically withthis gunfight.
A. N. Blazer devoted more than fifty years to the invention and improvement of the BlazerInternal Combustion Rotary Engine and held patents on its various parts. The Blazer SpiralEngine Company was incorporated in 1906. In 1909 it licensed the Sullivan MachineryCompany of Boston, Massachusetts, to make, sell and use the rotary engine known as the BlazerSpiral Engine. The Blazer Spiral Pump was made and distributed by the HumphryesManufacturing Company of Mansfield, Ohio in 1910. Tests of this pump were conducted atNew Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts in 1927.
The papers in the fourth series include a history by Thompson entitled, "Makers of El Paso,"which Charles Leland Sonnichsen attempted to publish after Thompsons death.
Paul A. Blazer's papers include his correspondence with William Vincent Morrison, an ElPaso attorney and history enthusiast, who supported "Brushy Bill" Roberts's claim to be Billy theKid. There are copies of Morrison's correspondence with others as well. Also of interest in thisseries are the records relating to Paul A. Blazers position as water commissioner of TularosaCanyon, 1936-1939.
Noel E. Blazer received a degree in mechanical engineering from New Mexico College ofAgriculture and Mechanic Arts in 1921. The subject of his thesis was the Blazer Spiral Engine,invented by his father. Most of Noel E. Blazers correspondence, which covers the period1924-1947, was conducted with his father and a great deal of it concerned the engine.
The Miscellany series contains documents which were generated by people other than thefamily members mentioned above. Particularly notable are copies of letters written by Indianagents of the Mescalero Apache Agency, 1876-1904, and a Mescalero vocabulary supplied byPercy Bigmouth, 1931-1932.
The Photographs series includes several fine examples of the work of New MexicoTerritorial photographers and present early views of the Mescalero Indian Agency andsurrounding area. There are a number of Indian portraits, one of which is purported to be the"First Photo of Mescalero Apaches 1870."
The Blazer Family Papers consist of eleven linear feet of materials (ca. 2,476 items) and havebeen arranged in eight series, five of which are by family member: Joseph Hoy Blazer, AlmerNewton Blazer, Joseph's son; Emma Blazer Thompson and John Howard Thompson, Joseph'sdaughter and son-in-law; Paul A. Blazer, Almer's son; and Noel E. Blazer, Almer's son; theseventh series is a Miscellany. Within each of the first six series the documents are divided intosub-series such as correspondence, financial documents, legal documents, etc., where applicable.Photographs make up the eighth series.
The materials in the Joseph H. Blazer series cover the years 1864-1901 and includecorrespondence and financial and legal records which pertain primarily to the acquisition andearly operation of the water-powered sawmill and grist mill. One item of interest is a copy of anagreement made in 1877 between the town of Tularosa and the settlers of Tularosa Canyonregarding construction of a ditch to bring water to the town from the Tularosa River.
A. N. Blazer followed his father in the operation of the mill, so the mill records are continuedas financial documents in the third series. He also became a licensed Indian trader, as his fatherhad been, and took over the management of the family farm. The family's many legal strugglesover water and land are well documented by his carefully preserved records and correspondence.
A. N. Blazer was a writer and had several articles and stories published in such periodicals asNew Mexico Magazine and Frontier Times. However, he was never able to find apublisher for his two major works, "Los Jirones" and "Santana." These stories are based on hispersonal knowledge of life among the Mescalero Indians and present much information abouttheir beliefs and activities. The richest source of information regarding the Mescaleros' customsand rituals, however, is found in his correspondence with artist-author William Robinson Leigh.Leigh wrote a novel, "Little Foot," based on information supplied by A. N. Blazer about theMescalero Indians' way of life. (This novel also was never published.)
A. N. Blazer was a thirteen-year-old witness to a gunfight at Blazer's Mill involving Billy theKid. There is little in the collection concerning this episode with the exception of his account,published in the Alamogordo News, July 16, 1928, and a transcript of remarks made by A. N.Blazer and George Coe at a public meeting in Mescalero in 1932. There is more materialconcerning Billy the Kid in Paul A. Blazer's correspondence, but it doesn't deal specifically withthis gunfight.
A. N. Blazer devoted more than fifty years to the invention and improvement of the BlazerInternal Combustion Rotary Engine and held patents on its various parts. The Blazer SpiralEngine Company was incorporated in 1906. In 1909 it licensed the Sullivan MachineryCompany of Boston, Massachusetts, to make, sell and use the rotary engine known as the BlazerSpiral Engine. The Blazer Spiral Pump was made and distributed by the HumphryesManufacturing Company of Mansfield, Ohio in 1910. Tests of this pump were conducted atNew Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts in 1927.
The papers in the fourth series include a history by Thompson entitled, "Makers of El Paso,"which Charles Leland Sonnichsen attempted to publish after Thompsons death.
Paul A. Blazer's papers include his correspondence with William Vincent Morrison, an ElPaso attorney and history enthusiast, who supported "Brushy Bill" Roberts's claim to be Billy theKid. There are copies of Morrison's correspondence with others as well. Also of interest in thisseries are the records relating to Paul A. Blazers position as water commissioner of TularosaCanyon, 1936-1939.
Noel E. Blazer received a degree in mechanical engineering from New Mexico College ofAgriculture and Mechanic Arts in 1921. The subject of his thesis was the Blazer Spiral Engine,invented by his father. Most of Noel E. Blazers correspondence, which covers the period1924-1947, was conducted with his father and a great deal of it concerned the engine.
The Miscellany series contains documents which were generated by people other than thefamily members mentioned above. Particularly notable are copies of letters written by Indianagents of the Mescalero Apache Agency, 1876-1904, and a Mescalero vocabulary supplied byPercy Bigmouth, 1931-1932.
The Photographs series includes several fine examples of the work of New MexicoTerritorial photographers and present early views of the Mescalero Indian Agency andsurrounding area. There are a number of Indian portraits, one of which is purported to be the"First Photo of Mescalero Apaches 1870."
Dates
- 1883-1966
Language of Materials
From the Collection:
English, and Spanish.
Access and Use Restrictions
This material may be examined by researchers under supervised conditions in the SearchRoom.
Extent
From the Collection: 11 Linear Feet (35 Boxes)
From the Collection: 2,476 items
Repository Details
Part of the New Mexico State University Library Archives and Special Collections Repository