George Marion Condrey, 8/3/1980
File — Box: 1, Folder: 5
Scope and Contents
Summary of transcript: Born in Fort Wingate, George’s grandfather worked for the Indian Service and was a trader. He recalls Wheeler buying trading posts, the decline in the Hubbell string of trading posts, Collier, the stock reductions and the Great Depression. As a young man, he lived with his uncle, Gibb Graham, who had lots of land in the Colonial Juarez area of Mexico because he wanted to avoid U.S. government taxes. George talks about Pancho Villa and the Mormons, ranching and how the partido sheep system helped many men get a start in business. He recalled such places as Gavilan, Casas Grandes, Torreon, San Luis, Ganado, Greasewood, Sunrise, Black Hat, Wild Cat, etc. He mentions the killing of Hootch in 1950, by a Navajo, Henry Castillo, who was convicted. George worked at trading posts on the reservation and describes trading, herding sheep to the railroad, wool, dyes, rugs, the influence of Hubbell, the Navajos making kachinas to sell and the bigger stores that provided them goods - Gross-Kelly, Gallup Mercantile, Babbitt Brothers, Cotton, Kimbles. He notes the services the traders provided the Indians - mail, credit, check cashing, getting them temporary jobs on the railroad, burials, taking them to the hospital, writing letters for them, etc. - services no longer needed today. He talks about Navajos, trucks and new laws against credit. He mentions he learned Spanish (Mexican) from the Navajos before going to Mexico, as the Navajos all spoke it.
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Dates
- 8/3/1980
Language of Materials
From the Collection:
English
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research.
Extent
From the Collection: 2 boxes (.5 cu. ft. containing 49 CDs, transcriptions, and notes)
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
cswrref@unm.edu
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
cswrref@unm.edu