Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1908-03-17
RESIDED HERE
SIXTY YEARS
Jose Diego Coma
les Answers Last
Summons
his CAREER INTERESTING
Was Freighter on Famous
Santa Fe Trail Born
in Mexico.

lnfirmities of old age were responsi
BILE for the death Of Jose Diego Con
zales, who passed away at 1:10 o'clock
this morning at the family residence,
ia Cerrillos street. He had been in
falling health for over a year and dur.
ing the past few weeks his decline
was rapid. Notwithstanding his al.
vanced age and the lingering illness he
retained all of his faculties and was
conscious almost to the last.
Of a family Of fourteen children, on.
ly one survives him, daughter, Mrs.
Frank Plomteaux, with whom he had
made his home. His wife died about
eight years ago. The deceased was for
many years prominent resident of
Santa Fe but for the past decade or
more had been living in retirement.
He had resided in this city almost con.
tinuously for sixty years or since lS4s
Freighter on Santa Fe Trail.
Mr.. Gonzales was born in Novem
Der, 1882, at San Pablo. Mexico He
accompanied Colonel Sterling Price
on its march back 10 the states
of the United States army to this city
after the Mexican war and thence
went to Westport, Missouri, which is
now Kansas City, over the old Santa
Fe trail He was then a youth still in
his teens He secured employment as
a driver of an OK wagon, which was
then the only form Of transportation
of merchandise, from the states across
the Rocky mountains. He followed the
ayocation of freighter on the old San.
ia Fe trail for several years and during
that time participated In many thrill
ing encounters with savage Indians
who attacked the wagon trains at in
tervals.
Don Diego as he was familiarly
known among his acquaintances, pick
ed up the English language very read
lily through contact with the American
soldiers and could converse as fluently
in the tongue Of his adopted country
as he could in Spanish. When in a
reminiscent mood of late years he
talked freely of his experiences in the
early days along the old trail and in
Santa Fe. He had remarkable mem.
|ory and could tell names and dates
with unfailing fidelity.
Knew All Governors Since Kearney.
Some six months ago he was inter.
viewed by the New Mexican and re-
lated episodes which had taken place
lduring the frontier days when the
Santa Fe trail was an important art
|ery of commence and the only known
route across the Rocky mountains. He
was personally acquainted with Kit
Carson and other well known frontie :
men who blazed the trail westward.
He enjoyed the distinction also of
knowing all Of the governors of New
Mexico from General Kearny down to
Governor Curry, with the exception of
Governor Bent, who was assassinated
at Taos.
An Empoye Of Old Exchange Hotel
Mr.. Gonzales was employed for over
twenty years at the famous old fonda
in this city which marked the end of
the Santa Fe trail and which was
known as the Exchange Hotel. The
building is still standing although no
longer used as hotel and 1t is an
object of interest especially to tour
lists and sight-seers.
The Exchange hotel during its haly.
con days was a regular gold mine for
it's owners and the earnings on the
gaming tables in a single day ran up
to over thousand dollars. Americans
for hundreds of miles around when in
the city always made it their stopping
lplace.
Mr.. Gonzales amassed a comfort.
able fortune which he invested in San.
lta Fe real estate. Later he disposed OF
practically all Of his property with the
exception Of the family home :tead.
The funeral arrangements have not
lyet been definitely decided upon but
| 1t is expected the obsequies will take
place Thursday morning. Interment
will be IN Rosario cemetery. The de.
ceased was devout Catholic and a
nnanahar Of tho Hothodral no rich