Post by Author Angela Raines
One of the early women in Colorado history is Maria Teresa 'Teresita' Sandoval. This amazing women was born in 1811 in Taos, in what is now the state of New Mexico. She married at seventeen and had four children, Juana, Cruzita, Jose and Rufena, with her husband Manuel Suaso. In the 1830's she moved to Mora, New Mexico Territory on a land grant given to them by the Mexican government. It was there she met Matthew Kinkead. She left her husband, took her children and moved in with Kinkead, a naturalized Mexican citizen who came from Kentucky, who also had a land grant in the area. The family left Mora and moved to the American side of the Arkansas River. In 1841 they moved to Ft. Pueblo, a trading center for trappers, travelers and Indians. There is indications she and Matthew helped build and run this Fort, planned by George Simpson, Alexander Barclay, James Beckworth and Joseph Doyle. It was a thriving business that kept the couple busy. Some of the people Teresita came into contact with is like a who's who of early American traders and trappers, James Beckworth, Jim Bridger, Kit Carson and 'Uncle Dick' Wooten, the man who built the twenty seven mile toll road over Raton Pass. http://www.legendsofamerica.com/we-richenswootton.html
Eventually Kinkead left for California with their nine year old son, Juan. At that point in 1843 Teresita moved in with Alexander Barclay and they moved to Hardscrabble, a settlement northwest of Ft. Pueblo, then later returned to Mora where Barclay planned to build a fort. He hoped to sell to the U S Government after the Mexican American war in 1848, but the government built a fort of their own.
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| The only known image of Teresita, done by Alexander Barclay |
Teresita left Barclay sometime between 1848 and 49 and moved in with with her daughter, Cruzita, who had married Joseph Doyle, on their ranch Casa Blanca in the Arkansas River Valley. Her other daughter, Juana, married George Simpson. Teresita remained in the Arkansas River Valley the rest of her life, but she wasn't done yet. When Cruzita's husband died, Teresita took over the running of the property, keeping it from falling into the hands of rival cattleman. Teresita died 1894, a woman still in charge of her own life.
A further note on this time in history. Before 1848 while the region Teresita lived in was still under Mexican law, women shared ownership with their husbands, could purchase land, and establish businesses on their own. Women were also allowed to divorce. Once the land became part of the United States many of these rights were taken away.
In my story 'Never Had a Chance' in the current Prairie Rose Publication anthology "Cowboy Celebration" the heroine looks up and is named for Teresita Sandoval. Leave a comment and one lucky person will win an e-book of this anthology, full of great stories and even greater recipes. Also watch for the Christmas in July event later this month from Prairie Rose Publications. You will not be disappointed with the stories awaiting you.
"NEVER HAD A CHANCE" , second in the Agate Gulch stories, in the Prairie Rose Publications "A COWBOY CELEBRATION" anthology http://amzn.to/1GzwJhw
HOME FOR HIS HEART the first in the Agate Gulch stories. http://amzn.to/1GJhpSu
Author Page: http://amzn.to/1I0YoeL
Angela Raines is the pen name for Doris Gardner-McCraw, Author, Speaker, Historian-specializing in
Colorado and Women's History. She also posts a photo and haiku five days a week at: http://fivesevenfivepage.blogspot.com
