Legend of Tucumcari, Quay Co, New Mexico

Tucumcari was founded in 1901 and Quay county was founded two years later. The eastern border of Quay county adjoins Texas and Tucumcari is directly west of Amarillo Texas on Interstate 40.

Joel's parents, Joseph Andrew Doran and Sophia Winifred "Winnie" MORGAN were married on 31 May 1910 in Tucumcari, Quay Co, New Mexico, USA. Their first born, Parker Aurora Doran was born on 2 Nov 1911 in San Jon, Quay Co, New Mexico.

In 1910 Joseph Doran is enumerated in San Jon, Quay Co, New Mexico as:
Doran, Joseph, head, male, white, age 23, single, born Texas, father born Texas, mother born Texas, farmer-general farm, own farm free. See Census Report . His sister, Lucy A, is nearby. See Census Report

In 1910 Sophia Morgan is enumerated in Revuelto, Quay Co, New Mexico as:
MORGAN, Winifred, dau, female, white, age 17, single, born Oklahoma, father born Mississippi, mother born Arkansas. She is with her parents and siblings, Sudie, Aurora, Stella and Rella.

Also in 1910, Sophia's uncle, Zeb Faught, was enumerated in San Jon, Quay Co, New Mexico. As: District 144, Dwelling 23 Family 24, Faught, Ziba, head, male, white, age 37, single, born Arkansas, father born Indiana, mother born Indiana, farmer-general farm, owns-free. He is alone. See Census Report
In 1920 and 1930 he is in Porter, Quay Co, New Mexico.

Quay County New Mexico


Legend has it that Apache Chief Wautonomah was nearing the end of his time on earth and was troubled by the question of who would succeed him as ruler of the tribe. In a classic portrait of love and competition, his two finest braves, Tonopah and Tocom, were not only rivals and sworn enemies of one another, but were both vying for the hand of Kari, Chief Wantonomah's daughter. Kari knew her heart belonged to Tocom. Chief Wautonomah beckened Tonopah and Tocom to his side and announced, "Soon I must die and one of you must succeed me as chief. Tonight you must take your long knives and meet in combat to settle the matter between you. He who survives shall be the Chief and have for his squaw, Kari, my daughter."

As ordered, the two braves met, with knives outstretched, in mortal combat. Unknown to either brave was the fact that Kari was hiding nearby. When Tonopah's knife found the heart of Tocom, the young squaw rushed from her hiding place and used a knife to take Tonopah's life, as well as her own.

When Chief Wautonomah was shown this tragic scene, heartbreak enveloped him and he buried his daughter's knife deep into his own heart, crying out in agony, "Tocom-Kari"!

A slight variation of the Chief's dying words live on today as Tucumcari, and the mountain which bares this name stands as a stark reminder of unfulfilled love.

Some credit this folktale to Geronimo. More skeptical and less romantic historians believe the word Tucumcari is a derivation from the Comanche word tukanukaru, which means to lie in wait for something. There's historical veracity to this explanation, since the mountain (actually a mesa) was known to be a Comanche lookout many years ago.

The Other "True Story of Tucumcari"

"This Tucumcari Mountain, which is a Mesa-type mountain just beside the town of Tucumcari, was named from an earlier Indian word, Tucumcari, which meant woman's breast. You'll not hear that much because it may be offensive to certain groups in the United States. Early Indians lived here and dealt with the Gringo outlaws that came through here.

"The old Elk Drugstore was owned by Herman Moncus"

"All the old timers and chamber of commerce people would come around and sit at the drugstore. They decided they would build an Indian Village on the top of Tucumcari Mountain out of old tepees. They made the tepees and stretched rawhide around them; then they went up and salted the area with old arrowheads. It was really done as an effort to attract tourists.

You could see those tepees for 40 miles away on that mountain. They figured that they would have to have a legend to go along with it, so they sat there and concocted that thing (the Legend of Tucumcari) one morning.

Each person would contribute a little bit, and they would laugh. "Reckon anyone will believe that?"

And Herman would say, "If you write it down, they'll believe it." And they wrote it down, and it became fact. This story, as kooky as it is, is the one that lasted. That's it."

"You mean, the story of the legend of Tucumcari is not true?" I said unbelievably.

"Just one big lie," he said, and then he began to laugh."

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