Pleasanton, New Mexico

Pleasanton is an unincorporated community in the Williams Valley of Catron County, south of Glenwood and north of Cliff, in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It was renowned as a safehaven for Mormon polygamists for several years. [McClintock, J. (1921) "Mormon Settlement in Arizona: A Record of Peaceful Conquest of the Desert." Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Retrieved 6/14/07.]

History

Pleasanton was founded by Mormons in 1882. [McClintock, J. (1921).] The 24th child of Mormon polygamist Jacob Hamblin was born there in 1884. [Reilly, P.T. (1970) "The Amarilla Hamblin Lee Interview." University of Utah Marriott Library. Retrieved 6/14/07.] Hamblin died of malarial fever in 1886. [McClintock, J. (1921)] Other polygamists, including William Maxwell, made their home in Pleasanton specifically to evade the law. [Udall, S. (2002) "The Forgotten Founders: Rethinking the History of the Old West." Island Press. P. 47.]

In 1885 a band of Chiricahua Apache killed a group of U.S. Army in a triple cross-fire trap near Pleasanton. [(nd) [http://www.legendsofamerica.com/NA-Timeline5.html Native American timeline of events] . Retrieved 6/14/07.]

References