The Chronicles Of Grant County

Mules And President George Washington

Mule Mountains, Mule Springs, and Mule Creek are found in northwestern Grant County. (The map was provided courtesy of the United States Geological Survey, 1910.)

This week, most of the United States celebrated Washington's Birthday. New Mexico, though, will officially celebrate this holiday – also known as "Presidents' Day" – on the day after Thanksgiving in November. (Many folks in Grant County, though, celebrate this holiday alongside the rest of the United States.) The man of honor – President George Washington – is credited to have been one of the first prominent farmers to breed and use mules in the United States.

A mule is a combination of a male donkey and a female horse. Mules are used for a variety of purposes, from work in agriculture to the military.

There are a number of geographic features in northwestern Grant County named after the mule. These include Mule Mountains, Mule Creek, and Mule Springs.

While mules were bred in what is now the United States from long before it became an independent nation, mules were not considered to be critical in ag and transport operations according to a number of news reports. Many of these news reports reference how people considered other animals to be more appropriate for transportation and farming purposes.

"Few of the farmers of this country are aware what a debt of gratitude they owe George Washington for the introduction of mules into general use for the purpose of the farm," reported The Norfolk Landmark in a news article on November 26, 1881. "Previous to 1783, there were very few, and those of such inferior order as to prejudice farmers against them as unfit to compete with horses in work upon the road or farm, consequently there were no jacks; and no disposition to increase the stock, but [President] Washington became convinced that the introduction of mules generally among Southern planters would prove to them a blessing, as they are less liable to disease, longer lived, and work upon shorter feed, and are much less liable to be injured than are horses by careless farm hands."

According to this news article, President Washington secured his initial mules from breeding his horses with a jack (a male donkey) and two jennets (female donkeys) from the royal stables of the King of Spain as well as a jack and a jennet from Malta sent to President Washington by the Marquis de Lafayette. (A second jack from the King of Spain, according to other news reports, did not survive the transatlantic trip from Europe.)

Over a period of years, as a farmer, President Washington bred these animals and supplied a number of other farmers with mules.

Beyond the South, mules were utilized by settlers coming to and traveling through the Rocky Mountain region. The National Park Service reported that "New Mexican traders moved locally-produced merchandise across what is now six states to exchange for mules and horses."

Mules have long been part of the development of Silver City and Grant County. On March 7, 1893, the Southwest Sentinel of Silver City detailed new laws passed by the government of New Mexico Territory. One of those new laws was "An act preventing the temporary use of any horse, mule, or other animal without the consent of the owner." This act had been approved in Santa Fe on January 24, 1893.

The same newspaper reported that "An ore hauler from Pinos Altos lost a valuable mule one day last week," in a news article dated February 13, 1894. "A hard pull had just been made when the mule dropped dead in the harness."

New Mexico taxed each mule within its borders. The Eagle of Silver City reported on January 16, 1895, that the Territorial Board of Equalization "…has fixed the rates of assessment in a number of instances…[with] all American mules at $20 per head, all Mexican mules at $6 per head…"

The photograph below highlights that mules were used in Grant County decades before New Mexico was a territory of the United States and long before Grant County even existed. The caption for this photo from 1940 states that it shows the "Largest open pit copper mine in the world at Santa Rita, New Mexico. Copper was discovered here by an officer of the Spanish army in 1800 who sold the same to a wealthy Spanish merchant. Pure native copper was transported by pack mule to Mexico City to enter the royal mint for coinage. In 1900, a young mining engineer became interested in the development and was instrumental in the ultimate success of the Chino Copper Company. The ore is now shipped to Hurley, a short distance to the south, where it is put through a five million dollar smelter [now closed]."

Santa Rita Mine in Grant County. (The photograph was produced by Russell Lee and provided courtesy of the Library of Congress, May of 1940.)

Santa Rita Mine in Grant County.
(The photograph was produced by Russell Lee and provided courtesy of the Library of Congress, May of 1940.)

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