Birth 27 Mar 1935
Death 19 Sep 2009 (aged 74)
Burial Cedarvale Cemetery
White Oaks, Lincoln County, New Mexico, USA
Memorial ID 43304474 · View Source
Father Donald J Queen, Mother Dorothy B. Queen
His ashes were scattered over the gravesite of Donald J. Queen.
| Name: | Donald Maurice Queen |
|---|---|
| Birth Date: | 27 Mar 1935 |
| Death Date: | 19 Sep 2009 |
| Cemetery: | Cedarvale Cemetery |
| Burial or Cremation Place: | White Oaks, Lincoln County, New Mexico, United States of America |
| Has Bio?: | Y |
| Father: | Donald J Queen |
| Mother: | Dorothy B Queen |
| URL: | https://www.findagrave.com/mem… |
Newspaper Clippings
Lincoln County Ownership
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Results for your Search by Grantee: QUEEN DONALD For official copies of documents, please visit the County office. Type Grantee Rec Book Page # Filed Grantor Instrument Description Doc# QCD QUEEN DONALD J 3 6 262 1 19390519 EL AVIADOR GOLD MINING COMPANY 19381003 193900262 3 HOMESTAKE SOUTH LODE 193900262 WD QUEEN DONALD M 1 84 912 1 19780912 ALFORD C A 19780911 MCDONALDS ADDITION BLOCK 24 197851934 1 LOTS 6 7 8 9 10 AND 11 197851934 1 ALFORD ERMA L 197851934 1 197851934 1 ALFORD ERMA LOUISE AKA 197851934 1 197851934 DD214 QUEEN DONALD MAURICE 3 61 864 1 19791127 U S ARMED FORCES 19790208 110102946
See Interactive Map Ownership
None listed in White Oaks
Ancestry.com
- LISTED
The following was copied from Ruidoso News
Readers can learn about White Oaks in countless books but the best one is “Gold-Mining Boomtown – People of White Oaks, Lincoln County, New Mexico” by Roberta Key Haldane.
In the weeks to follow I will tell the story of White Oaks through the eyes of a young University of New Mexico student.
Donald M. Queen (1935-2009) graduated with the 1953 class at Carrizozo and enrolled at UNM shortly after that. His countless memorabilia, photographs and research collection over the years reveal that he had been interested in White Oaks and mining all his life. (He contributed some information and photos to Haldane). Having been raised in maternal and paternal (Lee and Queen) families with deep roots in White Oaks he had a first hand account about the history of the town where he lived. The Queen families and associates were well known in the mining world in the southwestern United States. The following information is taken from Don’s college paper and his early version of the history of White Oaks, from the beginning to the end of a once thriving business and mining district:
The town of White Oaks began with the discovery of gold by Mexican sheepherders in the early 1850s. The sheepherders had been coming down into the White Oaks Valley for many years, when they discovered gold in the area. Soon a group of these men were making a living by panning the sands of what later became known “Baxter Gulch.” The placer mining continued for over a quarter of a century, the men working at White Oaks during the warm months of the year, then leaving to spend the winter in some larger New Mexico settlement. During this period, no permanent settlement or town was started at White Oaks; only a few cabins were built to house the men during their summer operations.
By the late 1870s many prospectors and miners had passed through the White Oaks country, yet lode gold was not discovered. It remained to be discovered only by accident, by a man who knew nothing of mining. The story of this discovery is as follows, In 1879, John Wilson escaped from a Texas jail, cut across the mountains to visit two friends, Jack Winters and Harry Baxter, who were placer mining in the White oaks country. The day after his arrival, Wilson started for the top of Baxter Mountain to obtain a view of the country through which he expected to travel.
He took a pick with him and jokingly said that he was going to find a gold mine. Halfway to the summit he sat downs to rest and began to chip pieces from the rock. Examining the chips, he found them speckled with yellow. When he returned to the cabin Winters asked Wilson if he had found his mine and Wilson passed over the chips. One glance at the rock sent Winters into the air with a yell, and Harry Baxter, awakened from a nap, became equally excited. It was now pitch dark but the three made a climb for the spot by lantern light.
The owner of the Donald M. Queen Historical Collection is in the care of Bobby. Don requested that upon his passing that these historical materials be in the possession of Bobby. Don passed away on Sept. 19, 2009 at Casa Area Blanca Nursing Home in Alamogordo. Bobby and Don became friends around 1986 when Bobby was manager of the Texaco station at the intersection of Highways 380 and 54.
Bobby went on to other jobs and the two remained friends until Don’s death. Bobby was Don’s friend in good and bad times. Donald Maurice Queen, born March 27, 1935 was the only child of Dorothy Vivian Bricker and Donald John Queen. Don asked Bobby that his cremated ashes be scattered in White Oaks Cedarvale Cemetery where his parents rest in peace. He told Bobby to keep his White Oaks memorabilia, photographs, and historical research. (Don’s ancestry dates back to the early White Oaks historical Queen and Lee families with connections to mining and the business district.) Don attended Lincoln County Historical Society functions because he was fond of history. He was a graduate of the class of 1953 and went to Carrizozo High School reunions. He enjoyed touching bases with classmates.
