To Sarah from Dora (Curnutt) with Love
Dora Edna Ross was my great-grandmother on my mother's side. Below is a letter that she wrote to her mother, Sarah Elizabeth Curnutt, one hundred and seven years ago, on June 20, 1915, about a recent trip.
Dora was born in 1876. She taught high school in Missouri for several years and earned her B. S. degree in Education and Home Economics at the Missouri State University in 1913. In 1913 and 1914 she was a graduate student and earned her master's degree.
She was 38 when this letter was written, while Sarah was 60 years old. She was working at the New Mexico State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts where she was an accomplished writer and toured the state giving educational demonstrations on all forms of home economics and agriculture.
Six months from this letter, in November, she would marry my great grandfather, Clarvel Alexander Curnutt. A year after that my grandfather Clarvel Ross Curnutt would be born.
Some other things going on around the time this letter was written:
- New Mexico became a state in 1912.
- World War 1 - 1914-1918
- Women's Suffrage 1920
- The Great Depression 1929-1933
My parents gave me the middle name “Ross”. It was also my grandfather’s middle name, and it was his mother’s maiden name. Her father’s name was John Ross. Even though I never met my great-grandmother or my great-great-grandfather, I’ve always thought it was pretty cool that we share that name.
June 20, 1915
Dear Mother⎯
I arrived in Santa Fe last night but too late to get my mail. Got it this morning however and among other things was your letter written the 17th. I certainly was glad to get it and also to hear you at least had that porch done. I feel sure you will get lots of good as well as pleasure out of it and that it will save you lots of work.
I read in the paper last night that K. C. Was threatened with another flood and people had been warned to move out or into the second story of buildings.
The Sunday school bells are ringing and I suppose I should go but I don’t know anyone here. I’ll go to church tonight.
I have a bad cold and it makes me feel stupid. The nights are so cold up here in the northern part of the state. Then too I have been in such a range of altitudes the past week. I brought winter wraps with me and it’s a good thing I did for I have certainly needed them.
I have certainly spent an interesting week. We left Las Vegas (NM) Wednesday morning and went to a little county seat town, Mora 30 miles off of any railroad. We demonstrated before their Country Teachers Institute. They had 68 teachers enrolled and just one of the number who was not a Mexican. They treated us most royally. Had ice cream and cake after the demonstration, then the Sisters took us to the Convent and had a musical for us. That night they gave a dance for us. Mr. Conway wouldn’t go, but Mr. Gonzales and I went. We got them to dance some of their old Mexican dances and it was something novel to me. They are very hospitable and like the Japs, feel offended if you do not participate in their entertainment and at least pretend to enjoy it.
Well, Thursday morning we left Mora for a trip across the mountains to Taos, one of the most interesting and historic places in N.M. or in the US for that matter. There were four of us. Mr. Conway & I The Mexican driver and his wife. We had a two-seated spring wagon and a good sure footed team of mules used to the mountain roads. We left a six o’clock A.M. after a good breakfast, stopped one hour to feed the team and eat our lunch, and a few minutes at various spots to take pictures and arrived at Taos that evening at six o’clock — a distance between 50 and 60 miles. No one knows the exact distance I suppose for in getting down the mountains in many places the roads are perfect terraces like this. (Diagram of a road with several switchbacks.) The scenery was to grand to describe. I hope to have some pictures. Mr. Conway and I used up a dozen slides on the way, but we are both so amateur I do not know how good our pictures will be. We crossed the divide at an altitude of 10,000 and just to our right were peaks on which there is snow yet 20 feet deep. The range of vegetation from mountain aspen, to pines and scrub oaks and on up to nothing but larchen, the mountain streams with the silver trout in them which we could see right down through the water etc. etc. are all interesting beyond description.
Well, next in Taos. I held a meeting with the ladies Friday evening and we gave a demonstration Friday afternoon. In the mean time, or rather Friday morning we did as much sight seeing as we had time. The town was Kit Carson’s old home. We visited the old house where he lived, went to the cemetery where he and his wife are buried, went also to the nation graveyard where the soldiers of the Mexican war are buried. Then we went out to the Indian pueblos two miles from Taos. Met the old Indian governor. He invited us into his home and seemed wonderfully pleased to have us, although he can’t speak a word of English. His daughter speaks fairly well and acted as interpreter. Again I can’t tell half of the interesting things about the Pueblo and what we saw there. Next we went out to the Black Mesa where one of the hardest battles of the war of “47” was fought. At the foot of the Mesa are the remains of an old church. In this the Mexicans and Indians took refuge hoping the sacredness of the church might protect them. The walls are of adobe about three feet thick. When the troops drove them out of this place they climbed the Mesa which is a high mountain with a perfectly flat top having an area of eleven acres. Here they were all either starved to death for food and water or met death by attempting to get down. The Catholics have erected a large wooden cross on the Mesa to their memory. I tried to get a picture of the old church, but do not know how well I succeeded. I should like to have spent a week there but had to drive on.
Saturday morning we started for Santa Fe. Again it took us all day to come. Came part way on the train and part by auto. The most beautiful and interesting part of this trip and perhaps of the whole week if there is any difference was the Grand Canyon of the Rio Grande. Next to the Grand Canyon of Arizona it is said to be the most picturesque canyon in the US. The auto road winds down & down the canyon to a distance of 1200 feet then back up. It is about two miles across the top. About all I could say was wonderful. I wish you could all see and enjoy I have, but you could hardly stand it to make the trips I have this week. I am sore all over as if I had been playing football but I am glad I made it if it makes me sick.
We have two meetings here tomorrow, go to Albuquerque Tuesday, to Belen Wed and home Wed night. Write so I’ll get it at State College Sunday next as I’ll only be in 4 days then start on another three weeks trip, one week from tonight.
Love to all
Dora.