Susan McSween facts for kids
Susan McSween (born December 30, 1845 – died January 3, 1931) was a very successful cattle rancher in the 1800s. People sometimes called her the "Cattle Queen of New Mexico." She was the widow of Alexander McSween, who was an important person in the Lincoln County War. He was killed by members of a rival group.
Early Life and a Big Conflict
Susan was born in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. She left home when she was young after her mother passed away. She married Alexander McSween on August 23, 1873, in Kansas. In 1875, they moved to Lincoln, New Mexico. Her husband first worked for a company run by Lawrence Murphy.
Soon, Alexander McSween became friends with John Tunstall, a rich rancher from England. By 1877, these three men started their own business. This new business competed with the Murphy-Dolan group, who controlled most of the businesses in Lincoln. The Murphy-Dolan group had support from a powerful organization called the Santa Fe Ring.
Problems started between the two groups. On February 18, 1878, John Tunstall was killed. This event started the Lincoln County War. Tunstall and McSween had hired skilled gunmen to protect their interests. The other side had also hired groups like the Jesse Evans Gang. Tunstall's side included famous people like Billy the Kid.
The two groups fought over Tunstall's death. Many people were killed on both sides. The fighting ended with a big battle called the Battle of Lincoln in 1878. Susan McSween was there during this battle. Her husband was killed at the end of the battle, even though he was not armed and tried to give up.
After her husband's death, Susan McSween hired a lawyer named Huston Chapman. She wanted to bring charges against those who killed her husband. She also worked with Governor Lew Wallace to get a pardon for the men who had defended her husband. One of her main targets was Colonel Nathan Dudley, who was put on trial but was found not guilty. Lawrence Murphy died later that year. James Dolan was charged with Tunstall's murder but was also found not guilty. He was never directly linked to Alexander McSween's death.
Building a Cattle Empire
After the Lincoln County War, Susan struggled to make a living in New Mexico Territory. She received help from John Tunstall's family in England. She managed her husband's and Tunstall's properties. She was able to pay off their debts by selling some of their belongings. In 1880, she married George Barber, a young lawyer who helped her recover. George Barber worked for John Chisum, another cattle rancher. Chisum gave Susan 40 cattle, which helped her start her own cattle business. Later, Susan and George divorced.
Susan took control of a large area of land, about 1,158 acres, near the Mescalero Apache Indian Reservation. By 1890, Susan was running at least 5,000 cattle on her ranch. Her ranch was called the Three Rivers Cattle Company, located in Three Rivers. Some people believed she owned more than 8,000 cattle. By the mid-1890s, her ranch was one of the biggest in the territory.
She became very rich by selling cattle. She also found a small amount of silver on her land and mined it. Susan was also known for the fruit orchards she planted. She got the trees for these orchards from John Chisum.
In 1892, a local newspaper reported that she had moved 700 to 800 cattle from her ranch to Engle. This was the closest train station. From there, the cattle were shipped to feed lots in Kansas.
Later Years
In 1902, Susan sold most of her ranch. She kept only the ranch house. She moved to White Oaks, New Mexico, which was becoming a smaller town. Over time, she spent the money she had earned. She often traveled to El Paso to sell her jewelry to support herself.
Susan McSween died from pneumonia on January 3, 1931, at the age of 85. She was a poor woman when she died in White Oaks. She is buried there in the Cedarvale Cemetery. Her nephew, Edgar Shields, helped support her in her later years.
