Jesus Gil Abreu (September 1, 1823 – June 30, 1900) was an American rancher and pioneer who owned a New Mexico ranch that now comprises Philmont Scout Ranch.

Early years

He was born in

Santa Fe, New Mexico Santa Fe ( ; , Spanish for 'Holy Faith'; tew, Oghá P'o'oge, Tewa for 'white shell water place'; tiw, Hulp'ó'ona, label=Tiwa language, Northern Tiwa; nv, Yootó, Navajo for 'bead + water place') is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. ...

. His father was on the staff of

New Mexico Governor , insignia = Seal of the Governor of New Mexico.svg , insigniasize = 110px , insigniacaption = Seal of the Governor , image = File:Michelle Lujan Grisham 2021.jpg , imagesize = 200px , alt = , incumbent = Michelle Lujan Grisham , incu ...

Albino Pérez and was killed along with the governor during the

Revolt of 1837 (New Mexico) The Revolt of 1837, also known as the Chimayó Rebellion, was a popular insurrection in New Mexico against Albino Pérez, the Mexico, Mexican governor at the time. Background Albino Pérez, Governor Pérez had arrived from central Mexico in 1835. ...

. 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, th ...

where he worked for

Kansas City, Missouri Kansas City (abbreviated KC or KCMO) is the largest city in Missouri by population and area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 508,090 in 2020, making it the 36th most-populous city in the United States. It is the central ...

founder

John Calvin McCoy John Calvin McCoy (September 28, 1811September 2, 1889) is considered the "father of Kansas City". Early life McCoy was born in Vincennes, Indiana. He studied as a land surveyor at Transylvania College in Lexington, Kentucky, during 1826-1827. ...

at Westport, Kansas City and Independence, Missouri.

Mexican–American War

During the Mexican–American War 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 wago ...

to be an interpreter for the United States Army. When the troops were dispatched to Santa Fe,

Ceran St. Vrain Ceran St. Vrain, born Ceran de Hault de Lassus de Saint-Vrain (May 5, 1802 – October 28, 1870), was the son of a French aristocrat who immigrated to the Spanish Louisiana in the late 18th century; his mother was from St. Louis, where he was bor ...

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) was a gold rush that 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 fro ...

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 Lucien Bonaparte Maxwell (September 14, 1818 – July 25, 1875) was a mountain man, rancher, scout, and farmer who at one point owned more than . Along with Thomas Catron and Ted Turner, Maxwell was one of the largest private landowners in Uni ...

who, after marrying the daughter of Carlos Beaubien, had become the owner of the million-acre Maxwell Land Grant. 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 Waite Phillips (January 19, 1883 – January 27, 1964) was an American petroleum businessman who created a fully integrated operation that combined petroleum producing, refining and marketing. With headquarters in Tulsa, Oklahoma, he also develo ...

in the 1920s, who was to donate to the Boy Scouts of America in 1938.

References

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