BRACKETTVILLE - A GLIMPSE INTO THE PAST News from the Las Moras 1920 - 1929 (16) - Mary West & Mary Nan West

This is a continuation of the story of Mary West from last week. Mary and her daughter Mary Nan were living with her parents until Mary Nan went off to college. Then Mary, now 33 years old, married for a third time. On June 8, 1942 she married Francisco M. Cardenas of Saltillo, Mexico in Nueces country. The newly married couple moved to Saltillo, Mexico in 1943. Information was not available about this marriage. The only information was that Mary Cardenas flew into El Paso from Mexico in 1948. The 1950 census indicated that Mary W. Cardenas, age 41, was married and living in Pinal, Arizona. Her occupation was listed as rancher. Her husband was not listed as a resident. Had he died or were they divorced? Four hired hands, one of their wives and a cook were listed as living with her.

Mary married once again for the fourth time. The Tucson Daily Citizen of February 20, 1952 reported, “Of interest to Tucsonians is the St. Valentine’s Day wedding of Mrs. Mary West, owner of the 3-C ranch at Oracle and Paul Blakemore Sr. of Des Moines Iowa. The bride, well known in Tucson, was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George Washington West of San Antonio, Texas. For her wedding the bride wore a Traina-Norell gown with white satin bodice and extremely bouffant coca-colored chiffon skirt. With it, she wore a small cocoa-colored bridal hat of maline with matching purse and shoes, a bouquet of white and beige orchids and the West collection of champagne diamonds and pearls. Mrs. Margaret West of San Antonio and Beverly Hills, the bride’s sister, was matron of honor. She chose a specially designed Adrian gown in three shades of appliquéd Honan, ruby and diamond jewelry and a bouquet of ruby flowers at the waist. Paul Blakemore Jr. was best man for his father. The bride was given in marriage by Ralph Bilby of Tucson. Only a few intimate friends of the couple attended the wedding. A cocktail-buffet reception was held following the ceremony in the Rodeo room of the Beverly Hills hotel…The room was decorated with forests of ferns, palms and orchids and driftwood trees were garlanded with orchids and tropical blooms specially flown in for the wedding. A rumba orchestra and a quintet of Latin musicians provided dance music for the party. There were 100 guests.”

Even though this marriage event was beautiful, the marriage did not last. Three years following the wedding, the Des Moines Tribune of June 20, 1955 reported, “Paul Blakemore, former De Moines advertising man, was divorced Saturday in Superior Court at Florence, Arizona by Mary West Blakemore…Mrs. Blakemore accused her husband of mental cruelty. The decree granted Mrs. Blakemore permission to resume her maiden name, Mary West. The court ruled that inasmuch as the couple had no community property, title to individually owned property should remain with each. No other property settlement or stipulation was involved.” Mary eventually returned to Texas where she did on April 16, 1980 in Hudspeth, Texas at the age of 71.

Mary Nan West, the daughter of Thomas Knox Newell and Mary West and granddaughter of George W. West, was born on June 6, 1925 in San Antonio, Texas. She spent her childhood on her grandparents’ ranch near Batesville, Texas. In 1942 she went off to University of Arizona at the age of 17. She married Joseph C. Adams Jr. between semesters on January 25, 1943 in Maricopa County, Arizona. Joseph graduated from the New Mexico Military Institute with honors. He continued his education at University of Arizona where the young couple met. On March 31, 1943 Joseph enlisted in the army and was called to serve in September 1943. He completed his military service on October 9, 1945. Their first daughter Mary West Adams was born in 1944. Their second daughter, Robbie Lucille Adams, was born in 1946. The 1950 census indicated that the young family was ranching in Zavala County, Texas, where Mary Nan was raised. At some point Joseph and Mary Nan were divorced.

The Austin American-Statesman of January 3, 2001 published a lovely article following the death of Mary Nan West on January 1, 2001. “Rodeo legend Mary Nan West, who organized the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo for nearly 20 years died Monday. She was 75. West, a South Texas rancher and civic leader, was considered a pioneer in the male-dominated rodeo and ranching world. She was the first woman to chair and be president of the San Antonio Livestock Exposition Inc. Two years ago she was inducted into the national Cowgirl Museum’s Hall of Fame in Fort Worth. In 1988 West was even named “Man of the Year” by the Texas County Agricultural Association… 

She believed in getting a lot of things done and she got lot of things done… Associates cite West’s creation of the Stock Show and Rodeo scholarship program as one of her greatest accomplishments - one that will benefit people for generations. The scholarship West created in 1984 have awarded more than $8 million in scholarships, grants and endowments to Texas students who are pursuing agricultural studies…”

Next week we will learn more about Frank Kincaid whom Mary West had first married.