- George McJunkin
George McJunkin (1851–1922) was the
African American cowboy inNew Mexico who discovered theFolsom Site .Biography
The son of
slave s who was born inTexas , McJunkin was about 14 years old when the Civil War ended. He worked as anoxen driver , working onfreight ers. He reportedly learned how to read from fellowcow punch ers. McJunkin taught himself to write, speak Spanish, play the fiddle and guitar, eventually becoming an amateur archaeologist and historian. [ [http://www.abqjournal.com/2000/nm/who/12who09-19-99.htm "George McJunkin,"] "Albuquerque Journal". Retrieved 10/18/07.] Later in his life McJunkin was a buffalohunter , and eventually worked for several ranches inColorado ,New Mexico and Texas. He was also reported to be an expertbronc rider and one of the best ropers in theUnited States .When he died in 1922 [ [http://www.uh.edu/engines/epi2010.htm " GEORGE McJUNKIN & ALEŠ HRDLICK"] University of Hawaii. Retrieved 10/19/07.] , McJunkin was buried at the Folsom Cemetery in
Folsom, New Mexico . [ [http://folsommuseum.netfirms.com/cowboy_george.htm "Cowboy George McJunkin,"] Folsom Museum. Retrieved 10/18/07.]References
Bibliography
* Folsom, F. "The Life and Legend of George McJunkin, Black Cowboy."
* Kreck, C. (1999) "Out of the Shadows: George McJunkin was the forgotten man at the center of the century's most startling archaeological find", "The Denver Post, Empire: Magazine of the West," Feb. 25, 1999. p. 14.
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