Noisy River: the Saga of Captain Paul Dowlin

Ruidoso, Spanish for noisy river, is the name given to the burbling stream tumbling out of the White Mountains in New Mexico. These mountains and much of the plains to the east were inhabited by natives known as the Mescalero who have tribal ties to the Apache. It was alongside this busy stream that Paul Dowlin, an ancestor of Irish immigrants who migrated to the United States even before the Revolutionary war, found his destiny. He was born and lived in eastern Pennsylvania for over 30 years. His yearning for adventure and advancement led him to make his way across the country in 1859. Soon after his arrival in New Mexico Territory he joined the newly formed New Mexico Volunteers to resist the invasion by the Confederate forces and supporters. The fighting in the Civil War in New Mexico was brief; but the battles against the native tribes took much longer. Dowlin served directly under the command of Kit Carson, the commander of the New Mexico Volunteer Army in the Civil War battles and the major campaigns against the Mescalero, Navajo and other tribes. After separation from the army Dowlin was able to acquire land and build a thriving settlement in what became Lincoln County, New Mexico. At one time he was one of the largest tax payers in the county and one of the political leaders of the county and the state. He was always cordial to all people including the Mescalero, the Mexican descendants in the area, and the late coming Americans. The question is: Why was he shot and killed in 1877? He was unarmed and knew his killer. Ken Dowlin, a descendent of Captain Paul Dowlin has woven facts derived from 4 years of research in libraries, museums, archives, and site visits into family stories that were passed down from generation to generation. His education, career, and lifelong learning has provided him with the necessary skills to produce a historical novel based on facts and family stories.