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Oldest Citizen Lived At Arabella
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There's a grave in the little cemetery at Arabella, where lies the remains of one of the most colorful men to come out of the West, a Navajo Indian by the name of Francisco Sais. When he passed away, back in the 1950-2, Francisco Sais was 137 years old-maybe older it's fairly certain that he was born in 1810. In any event he lived long enough to have one of the most interesting -as-well's exciting lives of any man to come out of the West.
No one knows the whole story about Francisco. However, according to old timers in the Tinnie-Arabella region he was one of the most colorful figures around. it is rather common knowledge that Francisco was stolen from his Navajo family when he was just an infant. Then he was sold to a family on the Rio Grande, a family named Sais,who eventually gave Francisco their name for his own,since he had been too young to tell them his real name.
Francisco became an expert vaquero as he grew up. He learned well how to handle sheep and cattle and he became am excellent hunter, often bringing in fresh met from the hills for the Sais table.
Eventually, however, as Francisco approached middle age he drifted into the central mountains of New Mexico, finally taking a job as a freighter out of Fort Stanton when that army post was still in construction, according to those who are still alive who knew Francisco. He became acquainted with Simon Sanchez then says former Tinnie resident ninety-three year old Oney Raymond, who now lives in Roswell. Francisco made freighting trips out of Fort Stanton to Las Vegas she said and finally Simon Sanchez began hauling freight too. The two men became good friends.
It was during those days that Francisco began spending a lot of time at the Sanchez ranchita at the foot of El Capitan Mountain near Arabella. During those days Apaches often raided the small settlements and drove off the homesteaders, sheep and cattle, but Francisco's ability to get along with the Mescaleros was excellent and they always passed on by the Sanchez homestead without causing trouble.
Finally the Indian grew older, Simon Sanchez insisted that he make his home with the Sanchez family, and eventually he became the foreman of the ranch.The old Indian was an excellent gardener and as he became too old to take care of the sheep and cattle he would stay at the ranch and take care of the smaller chores, working the garden, picking the fruit, milking cows and doing all the necessary duties that fell his lot to do around the house.
When Francisco died, more than a century of history went with him, however as the years go by more early day citizens of Lincoln County who lived in or near Tinnie and Arabella and in the surrounding region attest to the fact that they knew Francisco and perhaps as time goes by some day most of Francisco's story will be told. If so, it will truly be an amazing one for Francisco Sais life represents history in the making in New Mexico.
Source: Submitted by Virginia Stanbrough
