J.J. Hagerman
Encyclopedia
James John Hagerman (March 23, 1838 - September 13, 1909) was an American industrialist who owned mines, railroads and corporate farms in the American West in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was one of the most influential men in territorial New Mexico
.
, in Canada
. His parents were James and Margaret (Crawford) Hagerman, immigrants of Scandinavia
n descent. The family moved to Newport, Michigan, in 1843. The family became naturalized United States citizens in 1848.
Hagerman went to the University of Michigan
in 1857. While in college, Hagerman took a job as a clerk with the Milwaukee Iron Company, a manufacturer of railroad ties. He continued working there after graduation in 1861, and by 1863 had so impressed the company's owners that he was made business manager of the firm.
Hagerman married Anna Osborne in 1867. The couple had two sons, Percy and Herbert
.
J. J. Hagerman contracted pulmonary tuberculosis in 1873. Although he recovered, his health was greatly weakened for the remainder of his life.
As the country recovered from the Panic of 1873
, Hagerman anticipated the increased need for iron ore. When the Menominee Mining Company was organized in 1877, Hagerman became an investor in and president of the firm. Using his knowledge of iron deposits gained while working for the Milwaukee Iron Co., Hagerman enabled the firm to become highly successful. The company's first successful iron operation was the Norway Mine. Hagerman built the nearby town of Norway, Michigan
, to provide housing and services for the company's employees.
Hagerman's health deteriorated in 1881, and he moved to Switzerland
. The family soon left for Italy
, and purchased a residence in Milan
.
, hoping that the dry air and high altitude would continue to improve his health.
Hagerman quickly became involved in local business. He built an office building and became a major stockholder in the First National Bank.
, which ran from Colorado Springs to Aspen
. Hagerman sought to expand the railroad to the boomtown of Leadville (where silver had been discovered in 1877). He bored the Hagerman Tunnel
through the Sawatch Mountains, and completed the spur in 1888. Hagerman also used lucrative coal mines to not only power his railroad but also to sell coke to the Leadville smelters. In 1890, Hagerman sold the railroad to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
.
Still suffering from the effects of tuberculosis, Hagerman moved to New Mexico
in 1892. But he retained his Colorado holdings, and took an active hand in managing his interests there.
The Panic of 1893
and repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act
caused the value of silver to collapse. But the price of gold remained unaffected, and the gold mining industry was still strong. A major gold strike near Cripple Creek, Colorado
, led Hagerman to become involved in gold mining.
Hagerman was one of three mine owners to precipitate the Cripple Creek miners' strike of 1894
. The mine owners, who employed about a third of the miners in the area, extended the work-day to 10 hours while refusing to increase pay. The workers, represented by the Western Federation of Miners
, struck. Although some smaller mining companies capitulated immediately, the remaining owners (including Hagerman) raised a paramilitary force under the legal protection of the local sheriff. After a tense and somewhat violent standoff, the governor sent in the state militia to protect the miners. Hagerman and the other mine owners agreed to return to the eight-hour day. It was a major victory for the union.
In 1898, Hagerman sold his stake in the Isabella Gold Mining Company and turned his remaining Colorado interests over to his son, Percy.
's Jingle Bob Ranch (now known as the Old South Spring Ranch) near Roswell
in Chaves County
. He built extensively on the ranch, and founded the nearby town of Hagerman
to accommodate his family's needs and his financial interests.
Hagerman quickly decided to build rail and irrigation concerns in the region to enlarge his holdings.
In September 1898 Hagerman donated the flat land atop North Hill in Roswell to New Mexico Military Institute.
, to Eddy (now Carlsbad), New Mexico
, along the Pecos River
. Hagerman wanted his line to connect with the Texas and Pacific Railway
to improve local access to markets. The Pecos Valley Railroad was completed in 1890.
The discovery of a major artesian aquifer
in the area in 1891 led Hagerman to extend his railroad. Hagerman reorganized the company and formed the Pecos Valley and Northeastern Railroad. Work began on extending the line toward Amarillo, Texas
. The line reached Roswell and Portales
in 1894, and connected to the Panhandle and Santa Fe Railroad at Texico
. The line opened in 1899.
Hagerman's irrigation company began designing an irrigation system for the entire Pecos Valley. The company built the Avalon Dam on the Pecos River in 1891, creating a six-mile (10 km)-long reservoir. The Avalon Dam's rockfill structure with impervious earthfill facing was the first of its type to be used for irrigation in the United States. It was 45 feet (13.7 m) high and 1070 feet (326.1 m) long at its crest. An irrigation canal paralleling the Pecos River was also built. The canal crossed over the Pecos three miles (5 km) south of the dam by a massive 475 feet (144.8 m) long, 25 feet (7.6 m) wide wooden flume built in 1890. Hagerman's company began building a second dam, the Mcmillan Dam, in 1892. It was nine miles (14 km) upstream from the Avalon site.
In August 1893, flooding washed out the Avalon Dam and the flume across the Pecos River, and damaged the Mcmillan Dam. Despite the economic depression which had hit the nation, Hagerman poured money into reconstruction and repair of the structures, completing the dams in 1894. Similar to the Avalon structure, the McMillan Dam was a rockfill dam, 1835 feet (559.3 m) long and 56 feet (17.1 m) high. The Mcmillan Dam served as a water storage facility, while the Avalon Dam served as a water distribution center for the irrigation system. The Avalon Dam, meanwhile, was raised by five feet and extended by 65 feet (19.8 m). The flume was also rebuilt.
The irrigation project, however, began to slowly collapse. Hagerman's local business partners sold their interests in the Pecos Irrigation and Improvement Company in 1894. Experiments in growing a number of crops in the region had not met with much success. The company began to hemorrhage money, Hagerman's interest in the project began to wane, and additional financial support was not forthcoming. The company declared bankruptcy in 1898. Another flood washed out the wooden flume the same day. The company was sold to the Pecos Irrigation Company on August 17, 1900. That same year, Hagerman moved from his ranch into the town of Roswell.
moved to New Mexico shortly thereafter. He worked the Hagerman ranch while his father lived in Roswell. Herbert was named territorial governor of New Mexico in 1906.
Hagerman's health failed toward the end of 1900. He returned to Italy, and died in Milan on September 13, 1909.
J. J. Hagerman is considered one of the most important men in New Mexico history. Along with John Chisum, Charles Eddy and Robert Tansill, Hagerman deeply influenced development of the Carlsbad area. The development of railroads and irrigation in the region would not have occurred nearly as quickly without his financial backing and business acumen. He founded and built up towns and cities, donated large plots of land for public and educational use, and in general is considered one of the 'founders' of modern New Mexico.
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
.
Early life
J. J. Hagerman was born March 23, 1838, near Port Hope, OntarioPort Hope, Ontario
Port Hope is a municipality in Southern Ontario, Canada, about east of Toronto and about west of Kingston. It is located at the mouth of the Ganaraska River on the north shore of Lake Ontario, in the west end of Northumberland County...
, in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. His parents were James and Margaret (Crawford) Hagerman, immigrants of Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n descent. The family moved to Newport, Michigan, in 1843. The family became naturalized United States citizens in 1848.
Hagerman went to the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1857. While in college, Hagerman took a job as a clerk with the Milwaukee Iron Company, a manufacturer of railroad ties. He continued working there after graduation in 1861, and by 1863 had so impressed the company's owners that he was made business manager of the firm.
Hagerman married Anna Osborne in 1867. The couple had two sons, Percy and Herbert
Herbert James Hagerman
Herbert James Hagerman was an American attorney, was the Governor of the New Mexico Territory from 1906 to 1907....
.
J. J. Hagerman contracted pulmonary tuberculosis in 1873. Although he recovered, his health was greatly weakened for the remainder of his life.
As the country recovered from the Panic of 1873
Panic of 1873
The Panic of 1873 triggered a severe international economic depression in both Europe and the United States that lasted until 1879, and even longer in some countries. The depression was known as the Great Depression until the 1930s, but is now known as the Long Depression...
, Hagerman anticipated the increased need for iron ore. When the Menominee Mining Company was organized in 1877, Hagerman became an investor in and president of the firm. Using his knowledge of iron deposits gained while working for the Milwaukee Iron Co., Hagerman enabled the firm to become highly successful. The company's first successful iron operation was the Norway Mine. Hagerman built the nearby town of Norway, Michigan
Norway, Michigan
Norway is a city in Dickinson County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,959 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Iron Mountain, MI–WI Micropolitan Statistical Area....
, to provide housing and services for the company's employees.
Hagerman's health deteriorated in 1881, and he moved to Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. The family soon left for Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and purchased a residence in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
.
Colorado ventures
With Hagerman's health somewhat restored, and he and his family returned to the U.S. in 1884. He moved to Colorado Springs, ColoradoColorado Springs, Colorado
Colorado Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and most populous city of El Paso County, Colorado, United States. Colorado Springs is located in South-Central Colorado, in the southern portion of the state. It is situated on Fountain Creek and is located south of the Colorado...
, hoping that the dry air and high altitude would continue to improve his health.
Hagerman quickly became involved in local business. He built an office building and became a major stockholder in the First National Bank.
Colorado Midland Railway
Hagerman's new-found interest, however, was in railroads. In June 1885, Hagerman gained control of the Colorado Midland RailwayColorado Midland Railway
The Colorado Midland Railway , incorporated in 1883, was the first standard gauge railroad built over the Continental Divide in Colorado. It ran from Colorado Springs to Leadville and through the divide at Hagerman Pass to Glenwood Springs and Grand Junction....
, which ran from Colorado Springs to Aspen
Aspen, Colorado
The City of Aspen is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Pitkin County, Colorado, United States. The United States Census Bureau estimates that the city population was 5,804 in 2005...
. Hagerman sought to expand the railroad to the boomtown of Leadville (where silver had been discovered in 1877). He bored the Hagerman Tunnel
Hagerman Tunnel
Hagerman Tunnel was a 2,161 ft railroad tunnel crossing the Continental Divide in Colorado at an altitude of 11,528 ft ....
through the Sawatch Mountains, and completed the spur in 1888. Hagerman also used lucrative coal mines to not only power his railroad but also to sell coke to the Leadville smelters. In 1890, Hagerman sold the railroad to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway
The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The company was first chartered in February 1859...
.
Mollie Gibson mine
A miner at heart, Hagerman was not about to be left out of the silver boom hitting the region. H.B. Gillespie, a mine owner in the region who had been involved in several major silver strikes, owned the Mollie Gibson mine. A major silver vein had been discovered in the mine, but Gillespie was convinced that the vein also ran under a number of other, nearby mines. Seeking capital to purchase these properties before news of the strike got out, Gillespie contacted Hagerman, who agreed to invest heavily in the new company. In 1890, the Mollie Gibson Mining & Milling Company was organized with Gillespie as manager and Hagerman as president. The company quickly purchased the Lone Pine, Silver King and Sargent mines and invested heavily in the Emma and other smaller mines. The company announced its silver strike on December 9, 1890. The combined Mollie Gibson mine became the richest silver mine in the world until that time.Still suffering from the effects of tuberculosis, Hagerman moved to New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
in 1892. But he retained his Colorado holdings, and took an active hand in managing his interests there.
The Panic of 1893
Panic of 1893
The Panic of 1893 was a serious economic depression in the United States that began in 1893. Similar to the Panic of 1873, this panic was marked by the collapse of railroad overbuilding and shaky railroad financing which set off a series of bank failures...
and repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act
Sherman Silver Purchase Act
The Sherman Silver Purchase Act was enacted on July 14, 1890 as a United States federal law. It was named after its author, Senator John Sherman, an Ohio Republican, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee...
caused the value of silver to collapse. But the price of gold remained unaffected, and the gold mining industry was still strong. A major gold strike near Cripple Creek, Colorado
Cripple Creek, Colorado
The City of Cripple Creek is a Statutory City that is the county seat of Teller County, Colorado, United States. Cripple Creek is a former gold mining camp located southwest of Colorado Springs near the base of Pikes Peak. The Cripple Creek Historic District, which received National Historic...
, led Hagerman to become involved in gold mining.
Isabella gold mine and the Cripple Creek strike
Hagerman was approached by the owners of the Buena Vista mine, who were convinced that properties adjacent to their claim also contained gold. Following the pattern established in Aspen, Hagerman and his partners purchased 22 adjoining properties and formed the Isabella Gold Mining Company. The mine became a major success.Hagerman was one of three mine owners to precipitate the Cripple Creek miners' strike of 1894
Cripple Creek miners' strike of 1894
The Cripple Creek miners' strike of 1894 was a five-month strike by the Western Federation of Miners in Cripple Creek, Colorado, USA. It resulted in a victory for the union and was followed in 1903 by the Colorado Labor Wars...
. The mine owners, who employed about a third of the miners in the area, extended the work-day to 10 hours while refusing to increase pay. The workers, represented by the Western Federation of Miners
Western Federation of Miners
The Western Federation of Miners was a radical labor union that gained a reputation for militancy in the mines of the western United States and British Columbia. Its efforts to organize both hard rock miners and smelter workers brought it into sharp conflicts – and often pitched battles...
, struck. Although some smaller mining companies capitulated immediately, the remaining owners (including Hagerman) raised a paramilitary force under the legal protection of the local sheriff. After a tense and somewhat violent standoff, the governor sent in the state militia to protect the miners. Hagerman and the other mine owners agreed to return to the eight-hour day. It was a major victory for the union.
In 1898, Hagerman sold his stake in the Isabella Gold Mining Company and turned his remaining Colorado interests over to his son, Percy.
New Mexico ventures
J. J. Hagerman took up residence in New Mexico in 1892. Hagerman had purchased John ChisumJohn Chisum
John Simpson Chisum was a wealthy cattle baron in the American West in the mid-to-late 19th century. Born in Hardeman County, Tennessee, Chisum's family moved to Texas in 1837, with Chisum finding work as a building contractor...
's Jingle Bob Ranch (now known as the Old South Spring Ranch) near Roswell
Roswell, New Mexico
Roswell is a city in and the county seat of Chaves County in the southeastern quarter of the state of New Mexico, United States. The population was 48,366 at the 2010 census. It is a center for irrigation farming, dairying, ranching, manufacturing, distribution, and petroleum production. It is also...
in Chaves County
Chaves County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*70.9% White*2.0% Black*1.2% Native American*0.6% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.2% Two or more races*22.0% Other races*52.0% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
. He built extensively on the ranch, and founded the nearby town of Hagerman
Hagerman, New Mexico
Hagerman is a town in Chaves County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,168 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Hagerman is located at ....
to accommodate his family's needs and his financial interests.
Hagerman quickly decided to build rail and irrigation concerns in the region to enlarge his holdings.
In September 1898 Hagerman donated the flat land atop North Hill in Roswell to New Mexico Military Institute.
Pecos Valley Railroad
Prior to his move to New Mexico, in 1890 Hagerman incorporated the Pecos Valley Railroad to construct a railroad from Pecos, TexasPecos, Texas
Pecos is the largest city in and the county seat of Reeves County, Texas, United States. It is situated in the river valley on the west bank of the Pecos River at the eastern edge of the Chihuahuan Desert and the Trans-Pecos region of west Texas and near the southern border of New Mexico...
, to Eddy (now Carlsbad), New Mexico
Carlsbad, New Mexico
Carlsbad is a city in and the county seat of Eddy County, New Mexico, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 26,138. Carlsbad is the center of the designated micropolitan area of Carlsbad-Artesia, which has a total population of 55,435...
, along the Pecos River
Pecos River
The headwaters of the Pecos River are located north of Pecos, New Mexico, United States, at an elevation of over 12,000 feet on the western slope of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range in Mora County. The river flows for through the eastern portion of that state and neighboring Texas before it...
. Hagerman wanted his line to connect with the Texas and Pacific Railway
Texas and Pacific Railway
The Texas and Pacific Railway Company was created by federal charter in 1871 with the purpose of building a southern transcontinental railroad between Marshall, Texas, and San Diego, California....
to improve local access to markets. The Pecos Valley Railroad was completed in 1890.
The discovery of a major artesian aquifer
Artesian aquifer
An artesian aquifer is a confined aquifer containing groundwater under positive pressure. This causes the water level in a well to rise to a point where hydrostatic equilibrium has been reached. This type of well is called an artesian well...
in the area in 1891 led Hagerman to extend his railroad. Hagerman reorganized the company and formed the Pecos Valley and Northeastern Railroad. Work began on extending the line toward Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo, Texas
Amarillo is the 14th-largest city, by population, in the state of Texas, the largest in the Texas Panhandle, and the seat of Potter County. A portion of the city extends into Randall County. The population was 190,695 at the 2010 census...
. The line reached Roswell and Portales
Portales, New Mexico
Portales is a city in and the county seat of Roosevelt County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 11,131 at the 2000 census. Portales is located near the larger city of Clovis as well as Cannon Air Force Base, a major contributor to the economy of the region.Eastern New Mexico...
in 1894, and connected to the Panhandle and Santa Fe Railroad at Texico
Texico, New Mexico
Texico is a city in Curry County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,065 at the 2000 census.-Name:The name is a portmanteau of "Texas" and "New Mexico". Texico is located on the Texas-New Mexico border...
. The line opened in 1899.
Irrigation projects
Hagerman also sought to create farmland out of the New Mexican desert, and transport this produce on his railroad. In early 1890, Hagerman formed the Pecos Irrigation and Improvement Company. On July 1, 1890, this company absorbed the assets of the Pecos Irrigation and Investment Company, revising its charter in order to turn it into a land holding enterprise. Through the new company, Hagerman slowly assumed control of private irrigation project throughout the Pecos Valley.Hagerman's irrigation company began designing an irrigation system for the entire Pecos Valley. The company built the Avalon Dam on the Pecos River in 1891, creating a six-mile (10 km)-long reservoir. The Avalon Dam's rockfill structure with impervious earthfill facing was the first of its type to be used for irrigation in the United States. It was 45 feet (13.7 m) high and 1070 feet (326.1 m) long at its crest. An irrigation canal paralleling the Pecos River was also built. The canal crossed over the Pecos three miles (5 km) south of the dam by a massive 475 feet (144.8 m) long, 25 feet (7.6 m) wide wooden flume built in 1890. Hagerman's company began building a second dam, the Mcmillan Dam, in 1892. It was nine miles (14 km) upstream from the Avalon site.
In August 1893, flooding washed out the Avalon Dam and the flume across the Pecos River, and damaged the Mcmillan Dam. Despite the economic depression which had hit the nation, Hagerman poured money into reconstruction and repair of the structures, completing the dams in 1894. Similar to the Avalon structure, the McMillan Dam was a rockfill dam, 1835 feet (559.3 m) long and 56 feet (17.1 m) high. The Mcmillan Dam served as a water storage facility, while the Avalon Dam served as a water distribution center for the irrigation system. The Avalon Dam, meanwhile, was raised by five feet and extended by 65 feet (19.8 m). The flume was also rebuilt.
The irrigation project, however, began to slowly collapse. Hagerman's local business partners sold their interests in the Pecos Irrigation and Improvement Company in 1894. Experiments in growing a number of crops in the region had not met with much success. The company began to hemorrhage money, Hagerman's interest in the project began to wane, and additional financial support was not forthcoming. The company declared bankruptcy in 1898. Another flood washed out the wooden flume the same day. The company was sold to the Pecos Irrigation Company on August 17, 1900. That same year, Hagerman moved from his ranch into the town of Roswell.
Death
J. J. Hagerman's son, Herbert James HagermanHerbert James Hagerman
Herbert James Hagerman was an American attorney, was the Governor of the New Mexico Territory from 1906 to 1907....
moved to New Mexico shortly thereafter. He worked the Hagerman ranch while his father lived in Roswell. Herbert was named territorial governor of New Mexico in 1906.
Hagerman's health failed toward the end of 1900. He returned to Italy, and died in Milan on September 13, 1909.
J. J. Hagerman is considered one of the most important men in New Mexico history. Along with John Chisum, Charles Eddy and Robert Tansill, Hagerman deeply influenced development of the Carlsbad area. The development of railroads and irrigation in the region would not have occurred nearly as quickly without his financial backing and business acumen. He founded and built up towns and cities, donated large plots of land for public and educational use, and in general is considered one of the 'founders' of modern New Mexico.