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Holographic manuscript, n.d.

 Item — Box: 1

Scope and Content

From the Collection: The manuscript, handwritten by John Angus MacDonald, describes five decades of his life in Colorado and New Mexico from the 1870s to the 1920s. It is not a detailed autobiography and is not in chronological order. There is a brief family history beginning on page 240.

MacDonald reminisces about his boyhood in the San Luis Valley in Colorado, describing the customs of the Indians, the different ethnic groups that settled the area and the coming of the railroad. The manuscript contains firsthand descriptions of ranch life, prospecting and mining. There are good descriptions of the Santa Fe, Albuquerque, and Magdalena areas as they were in 1895. MacDonald tells of the elections of 1896 and 1916 in Magdelana and how he helped battle railroad interests in the 1917 New Mexico Legislature. There are complete descriptions of many people he knew in the Magdalena area. He also tells many stories of outlaws and law men, Jim Lowe (Butch Cassidy), Black Jack Ketchum, and Tom Horn among them.

Dates

  • n.d.

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English.

Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Extent

From the Collection: 2 boxes (.7 cu. ft.)

Repository Details

Part of the UNM Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections Repository

Contact:
University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research & Special Collections
University Libraries, MSC05 3020
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque NM 87131
505-277-6451