Audrey of the Mountains: The Story of a Twentieth Century Pioneer WomanAudrey Clements Simpson was one of the first female journalists in New Mexico and was known for her informative, influential and inspiring writing. Born in Lincoln, Nebraska on November 11, 1912, she was brought up in a family where her father was a cowboy and her mother a teacher. When the Clements family moved to New Mexico, Audrey's mother roped a wild cow every day to provide milk and rode horseback to the school house. Audrey's father taught his two-year-old daughter to ride when he wasn't out on the range herding cattle. Audrey later worked her way through school, then married Clyde Simpson and they had two children. During a separation, Audrey moved back to her mountain ranch near Las Vegas and had to deal with the elements and the wild life while supplementing her income by free lance writing for such publications as "The Denver Post," "New Mexico Magazine" and "True Treasure." Audrey later worked as a reporter/editor at the "Las Vegas Daily Optic." After she was reunited with her husband, they had a third daughter. Audrey interviewed and knew, among others, some of the last of Teddy Roosevelt's Rough Riders; actors Rex Allen and Fred A. Stone; and writers S. Omar Barker and Claire Turlay Newberry. The events of Audrey's years from 1912 to 1997 are rich in the pathos of life in a world that few remember. Dorothy Audrey Simpson, Ed.D., a native of Las Vegas, New Mexico, is a professor emeritus from New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas. Her first book, "Hovels, Haciendas and House Calls: The Life of Carl H. Gellenthien, M.D.," was published by Sunstone Press in 1986. That book, written under the name Dorothy Simpson Beimer, was dedicated to her mother, Audrey Simpson. With a B.A. from New Mexico Highlands University, an M.S. from the University of Utah, and an Ed.D. from the University of New Mexico, Dr. Simpson taught over thirty years while writing various articles for publications such as "True West," "Old West," "Good Old Days," and "Dog Fancy." She has also published under the names Dorothy Simpson Croxton and D.A. Simpson. She has two daughters, Laura Mitchell and Rose Shore, and three grandchildren: Caitlin Nelson, Wade Nelson, and Jessica Mitchell. |
Contents
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| 25 | |
| 27 | |
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| 43 | |
The Ten Dollar House | 282 |
Forest Springs Ranch | 301 |
The Fifteen Dollar House | 318 |
Victory Garden Par Excellence | 328 |
Part 11 | 335 |
Gift of God | 337 |
Their Sons Brave Hearts | 356 |
Troubles | 357 |
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| 56 | |
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| 69 | |
No More Shetlands Lincoln to Bradshaw and Back to Lincoln | 75 |
Lincoln to Las Vegas | 79 |
MacInerney Ranch Las Dispensas | 90 |
Dimmick Ranch | 98 |
Las Vegas | 102 |
Chapelle | 110 |
Peña Ranch then Las Vegas | 118 |
Las Vegas to Lagunita | 124 |
Las Vegas to ChapelleAgain | 127 |
A New Beginning | 137 |
Violence in the Village | 147 |
First Love | 152 |
Riches Found and Lost | 158 |
Bernal to Santa Rosa | 165 |
Santa Rosa to Cuervo | 178 |
Cuervo to Mosquero | 181 |
The Old Homestead Ranch | 187 |
Long Road to School | 197 |
From the Ranch to Garcias | 212 |
From Garcia Mill to Chaperito | 222 |
From Chaperito to Reid Ranch Taming Wild Horses _228 | 228 |
Audreys Song | 239 |
Nebraska and Back | 244 |
Reids to San Geronimo | 250 |
Wedding Vows_ | 253 |
Pecos New Mexico | 265 |
Brilliant Beautiful Blessed | 269 |
Forest Fire | 276 |
An Empty Saddle | 381 |
Thanksgiving under the Pines | 388 |
Christmas at Forest Springs | 394 |
Cabin for Three | 398 |
Reading and Writing Lessons and Another Fire | 404 |
Stranger by the Roadside | 412 |
Little Joys | 415 |
No Rain and No Rain | 423 |
Crystals Courage | 433 |
The Barbed Wire Phone Line | 436 |
Phone Call from Santa Claus | 442 |
Thirtytwo Below in Sunny New Mexico | 447 |
Valiant Bonnie | 452 |
Mountain Top Farewell | 460 |
Part 111 | 467 |
A Bride Again | 469 |
The Church The House The Home | 493 |
Newspaper Reporter Journalist Author | 502 |
Writer Editor Career Woman | 507 |
Heavenly Blessing | 513 |
Fire at the Office | 533 |
The House on Seventh Street | 536 |
Building the Dream Home | 549 |
The Day after Easter | 555 |
FreeLance | 567 |
Most Destructive Forest Fire | 585 |
By Your Boot Straps | 595 |
Another Wedding | 612 |
Generations | 620 |
Leaving a Legacy | 635 |
NOTES641 | 641 |
REFERENCES | 671 |
Common terms and phrases
Albuquerque asked Audrey and Clyde Audrey and Opal Audrey recalled Audrey Reid Audrey Simpson Audrey wrote Audrey's baby Betty bi-line Bob Simpson Bonnie cabin canyon Carringtons Charles Vivian Christmas church Clements Clyde and Audrey copy indicating item Copy of original creek Crystal Daddy Denver Post Dollar House door Dorothy Dorothy Simpson Edward fire Forest Springs Ranch friends girls Grandma Highlands University Holly horse Ibid interview by Millicent item was written Jessica July 31 kids knew Las Vegas Daily later letter lived looked loved Mama marked copy indicating married Mexico Mexico Highlands University miles Millicent Wickman Milly Mineral Hill mother mountain moved Nebraska never original manuscript submitted road Rodeo Edition San Geronimo Scrapbook Simpson Archives stay story Street Tape thought told took town trees Vegas Daily Optic Vern Waddell walked wanted written by Audrey