Page 242 - Cooke's Peak - Pasaron Por Aqui

special shoes for her. Other daughters were Millie (1893) and Anna (1898). Two sons, born in 1895 and
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1897, died as infants.
Although a small woman physically, Winnie was
apparently very tough and, especially for the time, quite aggressive. After establishing her home, boarding house, and restaurant at Cooks about 1890, she reportedly won wagers that she could load ore buckets just as fast as the men could. Winnie and her eldest son, Riley, provided a certain social spice and economic stability to the community.6
Riley George (he disdained using his first name Lawrence), was no less a character and entrepreneur than his mother. George had a small cabin (Figure 62) next to the only sweet-water spring
high on the mountain, just below Cooks, and a string of 10 or 12 burros. He sold the spring water packed in 10-gallon casks that he strapped to either side of
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He acquired several minor claims with the proceeds of his business but ap- parently never worked them. Instead he raised goats and cattle and peddled his spring water and
firewood (Figure 64).
George reportedly did not get along well with some
people and, in a shootout with the brothers Sam and Dink Tennel killed Sam and his horse. This was most likely Samuel Tinnell, a cowboy, who, by 1910, had married into the Gassaway family. In later years, George said he regretted killing the horse. Supposedly he was a good shot, but Elizabeth Hyatt
Figure 61. McDaniel Family. Photo courtesy of the Deming-Luna Mimbres Museum.
Figure 62. Riley George’s Spring. Photo courtesy of the Deming-Luna Mimbres Museum,
Figure63. RileyGeorgeandhisburroswithwater kegs. Photo courtesy of the Deming-Luna Mimbres Museum.
Figure64. RileyGeorgeandhisburroswith firewood. Photo courtesy of the Deming-Luna Mimbres Museum.
Mining and Ranching Around Cooke's Peak
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his animals (Figure 63).