The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1905-09-05
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Capt. Jno. w. Poe.

The unpretentious, brief-spoken
Straightforward business man who is
president and principal stakeholder
of the Citizens National Bank is the
last man in the community whom a
stranger would suspect ever had a
career in which physical courage and
daring were a necessary part of mis-
every day life. Capt. Jno. w. Poe a
no bluff or buster in his makeup,
and would rather talk on any other
subject than his personal adventures.
AS a ranger and as sheriff he per-
formed his duties as conscientiously
as he now performs his trust in pre-
siding over the financial affairs of
one of the leading banks of Roswell.
Always a courteous gentleman, with
never an unnecessary word, the same
executive ability that made him a
leader of men in the stirring pioneer
days, today enables him to handle
with expedition and faithful accuracy
the big business enterprises in which
he is interested, and gives him the
Oh lnG cOIHIIluuIty- ne Is
one of seven men in the Territory
who has reached the 32nd degree in
Scottish Rite Masonry and is eligible
to the 33rd. He is a Past Master in
the Masonic lodge. Past Grand Mas
ter of the Territorial Grand Lodge,
n Past Grand High Priest.
He was a large stakeholder in thu
first bank organized in Roswell, the
bank which is now the First National,
and was at one time president of
that institution. This position he re
signed and organized h Citizens
National, the second bank of the CT
ty, of which he is the largest stock
holder and has been president since
its organization. He also owns much
land in the Pecos Valley, and all his
interests are involved in the prog
ress and development of the county
in which he helped to lay the foun-
dations of civilization and prosperity.
He is both an old and a new timer, |
standing for law order at a time |
when it required physical courage
and manhood to uphold the right.
and standing today for honest and
promoting all the best interests of
the Pecos Valley. His judgment is
sought by men in all lines of 5usi-
ness, and his advice is based on ey-
p~erience and careful observation
To Capt. Poe is given the credit
of demonstrating the practicability |
of raising alfalfa on a large scale by
irrigation in the Valley. This he und-
ertook after the only season of lis |
couragement he had shown in the
Valley. He and J. Smith Lea. now
county treasurer, had left the coun-
try in 1886 and gone to South Ameri-
ca to seek their fortunes. There hey
ton, but were not satisfied to stay
on account of the form of govern
ment in that country. Coming back
to the Pecos Valley, Capt. Poe i'm
proved SIS acres of what is now the
L. F. D. stock farm and became he
first large grower of alfalfa, now the
most profitable crop in the Valley. He
finally sold the farm to Mr.. Hager-
man. h in turn sold to ]. P. White
and Major G. w. Littlefield, of Aus
tin, Texas. Capt. Poe did as much
as any other man toward the devel
opmen of irrigation in Chaves coun-
ty, the first artesian well, however,
being bored by Jaffa & Prayer. The
systems of bitches from the rivors
furnished the first water for irriga-
ton in the Valley, and even since
the development of hundreds of ar
tesian wells, the bitches are by no
means of small Importance. Capt.
Poe was superintendent in Chaves
for the Pecos Irrigation and
Improvement Company, and under
his supervision the principal canals
and bitches of the county were OPP
ened.-
The record of Capt. Poe's life in
this section of New Mexico indicates
in a great Measure the state of af-
fairs in the Territory and the prog
ress and development now working a