Historical Potpourri: Leadership Lincoln visits County Clerk’s Office

“We roll around in history…” – Lincoln County Clerk Rhonda Burrows

When I accompanied the Leadership Lincoln (LL) group for a visit with Lincoln County Clerk Rhonda Burrows, we learned that her office records real estate documents, such as deeds, mortgages, judgments, satisfactions of judgments, liens, release of liens and deeds of trust.

They issue marriage licenses, are in charge of elections and serve as clerk to the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners and the probate judge.

Burrows’ office staff includes Chief Deputy Clerk Whitney Whittaker; Elections Clerk Shannan Hemphill; Historical Records Clerk Karen Mills; and deputy clerks Diane Shoemaker, Charlotte Emmons and Allysanne Huey.

I was especially interested in historical documents, which includes the history of elected county officials. That is where I found my great-grandfather listed with the 1898 county commissioners. Estolano Sanchez served with M. Gronin and Bernard Cleve. The probate judge that year was N. F. Blanchans; B. J. Baca, assessor; R. Inichaelis, treasurer; Demetrio Perea, sheriff and Isidro S. Analla was the clerk. My great-great-grandfather Mauricio Sanchez is found in assorted legal documents, along with famous names of early day Lincoln residents, who made it into history books.

Burrows told the group that this historical data as well as today’s county doings and ‘who’s who’ can be viewed on the county’s website at www.lincolncountynm.gov. There is a newspaper achieves dating back to the 1800s that provides information for researchers, genealogists, students and the general public with inquiring minds, like mine.

“We roll around in history…” Burrows told the LL group. “That’s how we roll.”

The county newspaper archives are where my great-great-grandchildren’s children will read the many columns, articles, reports and photographs that I submitted during my Lincoln County News work years (1973-1992) beginning with Paul Payton, editor and publisher. During my 19 years at Lincoln County News, my husband, Nat and I raised six children and now have 15 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

The newspaper archives include issues of the Ruidoso News, where my news work and photographs can be viewed beginning in the year 1994, when Joanna Dodder was the editor. Twenty-two years later I continue to be associated with the Ruidoso News, with my column, “Historical Potpourri.”

As alumnus of the second-year class of the then budding Leadership Lincoln program, I was interested in joining the 16th year class this month as they participated in their county government session in Carrizozo, the county seat.

The daylong sessions this month included presentations by county officials Nita Taylor, manager; Beverly Calaway, treasurer; Walter Hill, assessor; Robert Shepperd, sheriff; John Sugg, district attorney (Otero/Lincoln 12th Judicial District). The group were served a barbeque lunch catered by ZZQ at Tularosa Basin Gallery of Photography and toured the Carrizozo Heritage Museum.

The LL class members who came to Carrizozo were Dominique Taylor, Becky Kesterson, and Bryan Dooley, Alto; Sara Griego, Gwyn Kaitis and Brigett, Ruidoso; Thomas Mendez, Mescalero, and Debbie Hernandez, Capitan. Lydia Radosevick, Ruidoso was unable to attend due to a prior scheduled engagement. LL board members, Danielle Montes and Larry Cordova, Ruidoso; and Selena Chino, Mescalero accompanied the class.