One in a collection by Allen Bachoroski,
Local Historical Writer,
Tales Along the
Highway of Legends
Note: This
is one in a series of historical stories about local families
in the Trinidad region.
Click here to find out more
about how these stories were collected.
David
Polk Newcomb was the second child and the eldest son of
pioneer cattle ranchers and land owners on Colorado in
the early days. His father Clarence Pollack Newcomb was
born in Henrietta (Clay County), Texas on November 17,
1877, and came to Las Animas County with his parents in
1888, driving a trail-herd of cattle from Texas to the
Barela Ranch area east of Trinidad. After a time they
moved to California, then back to town where they lived
in a mountain ranch west of town. They then moved back
to town where they engaged in the dairy business for a
time before returning to ranching in the Barela and Trinchera
district in 1899.
David's grandmother was born in Ohio and married his grandfather,
a New Yorker, who as a young lad had run away from home
and served as a seaman for a few years. The trails and
tribulations of a young Ohio bride living in the Indian
country of Texas were terrifying at times. One especially
interesting story told by David's father, Clarence, was
about when he was a tiny little boy in Texas. The Indians
came and took him from his yard, leaving a calf in his
place. It frightened his young mother from Ohio so much
she was almost incoherent, but when his father , John
Newcomb, was finally able to figure out what happened,
he immediately got on his horse and headed for the Indian
camp to retrieve his son. He had to do a lot of bargaining
to get him back. The Indians were feeding little Clarence
some of their boiled meat and he was perfectly content
among the savages when his father returned the calf and
traded it again for the little boy.
Young Clarence became a cowboy and helped his father run
their ranch. He was sometimes sent as far as Kansas City
to the stockyards with carloads of cattle for marketing.
It was on one of these trips, and through business associations
with Canby Hawkins, that he was invited to Mr. Hawkins'
home, a large tobacco farm near Weston, Missouri, where
he met and courted Veva Polk Hawkins. They were married
in Trinidad June 6, 1906, and set up residence at the
Barela Ranch place where their first child. Laura Ellen,
was born. (Laura Ellen married Jimmy Fox and they were
prominent ranchers in the Branson area. She is now widowed
and resides in Trinidad.) Two years later' when a second
child was about to make his appearance, Veva returned
to Missouri where David was born in her home on June 27,
1909. He was brought to Colorado when he was about six
weeks old by Santa FE train, and introduced to the family.
David's memories of living in Barela were vague and very
few, for when he was quite young Clarence acquired the
Butcher Block Ranch north of Trinchera, and when the children
became old enough to attend school, the family moved to
Trinidad where they lived part of the time. Three other
children, a sister, Clara Ethel, and two brothers, John
Canby and Phillip Donald, followed rapid succession. Another
brother, Clarence, Jr., arrived several years later.
David's early memories were of the baggy trousers and
bulky shirts his grandmother, Veva Hawkins Newcomb, made
him, and of the home cut, bowl-type haircut styles worn
by many young lad of his time. His father taught him to
ride horses and to help with the ranch work at a very
early age. He had a small saddle, spurs, quirt, and chaps
which were handed down to younger members of the family
as he outgrew them. His first pair of boots were a prized
possession. He enjoyed the little-toy things of childhood
and spent many hours listening to stories told to him
by his grandmother and also early day happenings as told
by his father.
His grandmother told of interesting happenings on their
many trips from Kansas City to Colorado by car before
the roads improved or even had markings on them. It took
several days for the trip and they d\stayed at farm houses
along the way at night. She always brought enough food
along for the days they travelled and she rode along with
the car door open so she could jump out if it was necessary.
David's first memories of Trinidad were of a new red wagon
that carried him over the high wall on Grant Avenue again
and again, until his mother removed the wheels so he wouldn't
break his neck. A large sled given to him one Christmas,
on which he burned his initials and the Butcher Block
brand, gave him many hours of pleasure and was used by
the entire family. It was also used by David's four children
in later years; therefore, it covered a span of well over
forty years of service and many, many miles traveled up
and down the ice and snow covered hills of Trinidad.
At an early age he learned to drive the family Model T,
and it was on one of the many rides he took with his father
and sister that upon looking back they discover that the
sister had fallen out of the doorless back seat. Luckily
cars didn't travel with much speed in those days, she
was only slightly scratched when they found her sitting
beside the road very much abused and feeling forsaken.
David spent a lot of time on the ranch helping his father
and the ranch hands, so he learned more and more about
the work he had to do. His father gave him a calf and
the increase from the animal soon grew into a nice herd
of cattle for him. Each steer was traded for a heifer,
which helped to increase his herd more rapidly.
When living at the Butcher Block Ranch the children had
fun at play on high rocks behind the house and laid logs
across the crevices for crossing the areas they could
not reach otherwise.
The Newcomb children attended school three miles from
the Butcher Block Ranch headquarters for a few years.
David drove the trusty car or the old tame horse hitched
to a buggy to take the children to school. It was while
attending this one-room school that he began to separate
the girls from the boys and where first love of his life
appeared in a cute little neighbor girl who shared her
lunch with him. He took her for many a ride in the horse-drawn
buggy and Model T. The young people of the community enjoyed
many parties and picnics and had all sorts of fun get-togethers
that country folk enjoyed in those days.
Each summer his mother, Veva, and all her brood visited
for a few weeks in Missouri. At first they went by train,
but after David was old enough he drove the family there
by car. The last summer David went he learned to drive
a tractor and to do other farm work. He courted a girl
while there and gave his grandmother and mother many anxious
moments. One day he took the family car without permission
and drove to Kansas City all by himself and spent the
day sight-seeing in the big city. On their return trip
home to Colorado he was driving to fast when he hit a
dip in the road. His mother, who was riding in the bach
seat, was sound asleep, took a mighty bounce, and hit
her head on the top of the car. She came home from her
long journey with a marvelous black eye.
(Note:
if you have Photos of this family or know of anyone that
does, please have them get in touch with us so that we
might share some photos of the family here)