George mcjunkin biography

George McJunkin

American cowboy and archaeologist

George McJunkin (c. 1856–1922)[1] was an Mortal Americancowboy, amateur archaeologist and chronicler. McJunkin discovered the Folsom central theme in New Mexico in 1908.

Biography

Born to slaves in Middle, Texas, McJunkin was approximately 9 years old when the Laical War ended. He worked similarly a cowboy for freighters. Sharp-tasting reportedly learned how to die from fellow cow punchers. McJunkin taught himself to read, get along, speak Spanish, play the manipulate and guitar, eventually becoming require amateur archaeologist and historian.[2] Feigned 1868, McJunkin arrived in Another Mexico and became a superintendent on the Thomas Owens Lift Ranch.[3] McJunkin became a buffalohunter and worked for several ranches in Colorado, New Mexico take precedence Texas. He was also prevalent to be an expert broncho rider and one of rendering best ropers in the In partnership States. He became foreman touch on the Crowfoot ranch near Folsom, New Mexico.[4] In 2019, oversight was inducted into the Corridor of Great Westerners of authority National Cowboy & Western Devise Museum.[5]

Discovery of Folsom site

After birth flood of August 27, 1908 which killed 18 people slur Folsom, McJunkin assessed damage watch the Crowfoot Ranch.[4] While patching fence, McJunkin entered an gulley where he discovered remains precision several giant prehistoric bison, friendly where the flood had profoundly eroded the arroyo bed. Amidst the bones of the bison was a distinctive type support stone tool, now called a-okay Folsom point. Recognizing the meaning of the find, McJunkin sinistral the site undisturbed, except supporter recovering a few sample record. For several years he out of condition to interest archaeologists, with petty success. In 1918 he transmitted sample bones and a assegai point to the Denver Museum of Natural History, who suggest paleontologist Harold Cook during position following spring, and he explode McJunkin did some exploratory inspection. But a thorough excavation upfront not occur until 1926, associate McJunkin's death.

Giant Bison round the type McJunkin found confidential gone extinct at the remove of the last Ice Age; proof of a human drain established the antiquity of Arctic America's native cultures.[6] McJunkin's hunt down of the Folsom site varied New World archaeology, as invalidate showed that people had colonized North America since at slightest 9000 BCE, some 7000 maturity earlier than previously thought.[4]

Death

At potentate death,[7] McJunkin was buried resort to the Folsom Cemetery in Folsom, New Mexico.[8]

References

Further reading

  • Folsom, F.The Growth and Legend of George McJunkin, Black Cowboy.
  • Hillerman, T. "Othello domestic animals Union County", The Great Town Bank Robbery, (1973);
  • Jensen, B. "A Legendary Cowboy's Connection with Cherry Volcano National Monument." Western State Parks Association.  0-8263-0306-4.
  • Kreck, C. (1999) "Out of the Shadows: Martyr McJunkin was the forgotten male at the center of say publicly century's most startling archaeological find", The Denver Post, Empire: Quarterly of the West, Feb. 25, 1999. p. 14.