Jesus Abreu
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Jesus Gil Abreu (September 1, 1823 – June 30, 1900) was an American rancher and pioneer who owned a
New Mexico New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...
ranch that now comprises Philmont Scout Ranch.


Early years

He was born in
Santa Fe, New Mexico Santa Fe ( ; , literal translation, lit. "Holy Faith") is the capital city, capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico, and the county seat of Santa Fe County. With over 89,000 residents, Santa Fe is the List of municipalities in New Mexico, fourt ...
. His father was on the staff of New Mexico Governor Albino Pérez and was killed along with the governor during the Revolt of 1837 (New Mexico). After the revolt, he headed east on the
Santa Fe Trail The Santa Fe Trail was a 19th-century route through central North America that connected Franklin, Missouri, with Santa Fe, New Mexico. Pioneered in 1821 by William Becknell, who departed from the Boonslick region along the Missouri River, the ...
where he worked for
Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City, Missouri, abbreviated KC or KCMO, is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri by List of cities in Missouri, population and area. The city lies within Jackson County, Missouri, Jackson, Clay County, Missouri, Clay, and Pl ...
founder John Calvin McCoy at Westport, Kansas City and
Independence, Missouri Independence is a city in and one of two county seats of Jackson County, Missouri, United States. It is a satellite city of Kansas City, Missouri, and is the largest suburb on the Missouri side of the Kansas City metropolitan area. In 2020 Unite ...
.


Mexican–American War

During the
Mexican–American War The Mexican–American War (Spanish language, Spanish: ''guerra de Estados Unidos-México, guerra mexicano-estadounidense''), also known in the United States as the Mexican War, and in Mexico as the United States intervention in Mexico, ...
in 1845, he was engaged by a
sutler A sutler or victualer is a civilian merchant who sells provisions to an army in the field, in camp, or in quarters. Sutlers sold wares from the back of a wagon or a temporary tent, traveling with an army or to remote military outposts. Sutler wa ...
to be an interpreter for the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
. When the troops were dispatched to Santa Fe, Ceran St. Vrain dispatched Abreu in advance to buy up the goods of competing sutlers for St. Vrain so it could enjoy a monopoly with the United States. Abreu worked in a store for St. Vrain in Santa Fe, and worked as an interpreter for the United States and in the winter of 1848–49 delivered the U.S. mail between Santa Fe and Fort Leavenworth, Kansas (a process which took 40 days).


California Gold Rush

During the
California Gold Rush The California gold rush (1848–1855) began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California from the rest of the U ...
he traveled to California in 1850–51.


Return to New Mexico

When he returned to New Mexico, he worked for Joseph Pley, a partner of Lucien B. Maxwell who, after marrying the daughter of Carlos Beaubien, had become the owner of the million-acre
Maxwell Land Grant The Maxwell Land Grant, also known as the Beaubien-Miranda Land Grant, was a Land grants in New Mexico and Colorado, Mexican land grant in Colfax County, New Mexico, and part of adjoining Las Animas County, Colorado. This 1841 land grant wa ...
. He at first worked in Mora, New Mexico and then at the Maxwell store in Rayado.


Ranch

On November 26, 1859, he married Petrita Beaubien, another daughter of Beaubien. In 1862, he acquired of the land grant for his Abreu Ranch. A history of New Mexico described the ranch house as "one of the most picturesque and attractive in New Mexico and is the scene of a most generous hospitality." The family sold most of the ranch in 1911 after his death and was bought by Waite Phillips in the 1920s, who was to donate to the
Boy Scouts of America Scouting America is the largest scouting organization and one of the largest List of youth organizations, youth organizations in the United States, with over 1 million youth, including nearly 200,000 female participants. Founded as the Boy Sco ...
in 1938.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abreu, Jesus Gil 1823 births 1900 deaths People from Santa Fe, New Mexico Ranchers from New Mexico Philmont Scout Ranch People from New Mexico Territory