Wrong History Does Much Harm

This is a picture of Susan Shelby Magoffin, who history told us was the first "white woman" to cross the plains from Missouri to New Mexico on the Santa Fe Trail. The first "white women" my ancestors saw? This false history is extremely damaging, especially to Hispanic New Mexicans who were here when these "white folks" first arrived. And they wrote back to the "states" what they saw and felt about this foreign land and it's people.

Susan Shelby Magoffin wrote, "I have entered the city in a year that will always be remembered by my countrymen; and under the 'Stars Spangled banner' too, the first American lady, who has come under such auspices, and some of our company seem disposed to make me the first under any circumstances that ever crossed the plains."

So she would have us believe! She wrote her journal knowing it was an historic moment and believing she was the first and wishing to secure a place in history. And historians bought it. They bought it until Marian Cooper discovered and wrote about Mary Donoho.

Josiah Gregg wrote of others that had crossed before Ms. Magoffin. They were six (6) Spanish women who had, along with their families, been exiled from Mexico and traveled with Gregg from Santa Fe to Missouri. Gregg also noted that "other females, however, have crossed the praires to Santa Fe at different times, among whom I have known two (2) French ladies, who now reside in Chihuahua."

Another woman who traveled back and forth across the trail was Santa Fean Carmel Benavidez. She went with Antoine Robidou and accompanied him many time on trips to Missouri.

Also three white women, captives of the Comanche, were rescued  in New Mexico and came to Santa Fe where they joined trains going back to the States from Santa Fe. They were Sarah Horn, a Mrs Harris and Rachael Plummer. 

So, before Susan Shelby Magoffin even contemplated crossing we had the six (6) Spanish female exiles, the two (2) French ladies, Carmel Benavidez, Mary Donoho and the former Comanche captives, Sarah Horn, Mrs Harris and Rachael Plummer. That is at least thirteen (13) women who accomplished the feat. So what is so great about Susan Shelby Magoffin's crossing? I will tell you what! She figured it was an historic occasion and she had been told she was the first and probably saw an opportunity to end up in the history books.

This false history, all good intentions aside, is extremly damaging to Hispanic New Mexicans. Especially when we consider that the first arrivals usually hated the Mexicans they encountered. They hated their government, they hated their religion and, for the most part,  they hated them.