There is true beauty in the career of a self-reliant soul bent on success in a laudable direction. The courageous steps of such a woman embody a lesson worth treasuring in print. Such a propelling power animated and guided the soul of Mabel Day Lea through her entire life.
Mabel Day Lea was born in Brunswick, Chariton county, Missouri, July 4, 1854, the daughter of Mr. John Doss, a native of Kentucky, who in 1833 married Francis Pope Monroe, who was born in Richmond, Va., in 1817, a grand niece of President Monroe, and also a direct descendant of John Buckner, emigrant from England, who settled in Gloucester county, Virginia. He was a member of the House of Burgesses at the session of November 1683, to October 16, 1693. His son, Richard Buckner, of Essex and Caroline counties, was also a member of the House of Burgesses for Caroline at the session of February 1727-8, May, 1730, to May, 1732.
Mrs. Mabel Day Lea, née Miss Mabel Doss, was educated at Hocker College, Lexington, Kentucky, where she graduated with honors in 1872. In 1873, she came from Chillicothe, Missouri, with her brother, John Doss, to Sherman, Texas; and as a teacher of music won not only distinction but a warm place in the hearts of the best and most refined people of Sherman. Their friendship was manifested by rich and enduring presents bestowed upon her on different occasions.
On the 26th of January, 1879, in Sherman, Miss Mabel Doss married Colonel William Henry Day of Austin. This marriage was chronicled by the press of Denison and Sherman as one of the most joyous ever witnessed in Texas, hailed with blessings by friends of both parties. To them was born, December 19, 1880, a daughter, upon whom was bestowed the joint names of her parents, Willie Mabel.
Colonel Day had bought a ranch of 85,000 acres well stocked with fine cattle in Coleman county, and it was here he made his home with his family until the time of his death, June 14, 1881.
Mrs. Day was left a widow with a young baby and a large property heavily encumbered. She was a woman of positive, progressive and aggressive character. Her mind was well balanced for business as well as the fine arts. With her indomitable will power and unswerving faith in what was right, she took up her husband's business, overcame difficulties that would have discouraged others, and succeeded when many around her failed. Failure to her was only a link in the chain of success.
The Day ranch was the first to be fenced in the State of Texas. The cattle people in those days were accustomed to free grass, and there was a body of men who revolted against the idea of pastures being fenced and formed themselves into a body known in history as the fence-cutters. Shortly after the death of Colonel Day, they cut every strand of wire on the Day ranch, and destroyed hundreds of miles of fence. Mrs. Day went to Austin and legislated against fence cutting, and it was she who was instrumental in having laws passed which made this act a felony, thereby putting an end to this lawless business.
Mrs. Day was a regular attendant at the conventions of the Texas Cattle Raisers' Association, and though not a member of the association, she had many close and ardent friends in the convention, and was quite active at this time in consummating large cattle and land transactions. On April 28, 1889, Mrs. Mabel Day was married the second time to Captain J. C. Lea, of Roswell, New Mexico, the founder and promoter of the famous Pecos Valley. Mrs. Lea was a woman who could not stand still. In Roswell, she put her energies to work to build churches and colleges. She was a charter member of the Christian Church there, and today a beautiful $25,000 church building, with a large and active membership, stands as a monument to her pioneer efforts in church work.
The New Mexico Military Institute, a State military school, was first founded by Captain and Mrs. Lea, Mrs. Lea being the power behind the throne, and the captain with his active connection with government affairs succeeded in having this made a territorial institution. It has for the past three successive years been designated by the United States War Department as a distinguished institution, which fact places it among the first ten military schools of America. Graduates from this school enter the United States army as second lieutenants. The Military Institute is owned and supported by the State of New Mexico. The present plant is estimated to be worth $300,000.
Mrs. Mabel Day Lea was a foundation builder, a pathfinder, a committee of ways and means of opening up and doing things. Mrs. Lea was at all times in close touch with her business interests in Texas, and Coleman county owes her much, for she was the first one to open her ranch for colonization. She had founded homes and settled over five hundred families in Coleman county, and built up schools and churches, and communities of high moral and religious tone. Mrs. Lea was actively engaged in this work at the time of her death, April 4, 1906.
Mabel Day Lea was born in Brunswick, Chariton county, Missouri, July 4, 1854, the daughter of Mr. John Doss, a native of Kentucky, who in 1833 married Francis Pope Monroe, who was born in Richmond, Va., in 1817, a grand niece of President Monroe, and also a direct descendant of John Buckner, emigrant from England, who settled in Gloucester county, Virginia. He was a member of the House of Burgesses at the session of November 1683, to October 16, 1693. His son, Richard Buckner, of Essex and Caroline counties, was also a member of the House of Burgesses for Caroline at the session of February 1727-8, May, 1730, to May, 1732.
Mrs. Mabel Day Lea, née Miss Mabel Doss, was educated at Hocker College, Lexington, Kentucky, where she graduated with honors in 1872. In 1873, she came from Chillicothe, Missouri, with her brother, John Doss, to Sherman, Texas; and as a teacher of music won not only distinction but a warm place in the hearts of the best and most refined people of Sherman. Their friendship was manifested by rich and enduring presents bestowed upon her on different occasions.
On the 26th of January, 1879, in Sherman, Miss Mabel Doss married Colonel William Henry Day of Austin. This marriage was chronicled by the press of Denison and Sherman as one of the most joyous ever witnessed in Texas, hailed with blessings by friends of both parties. To them was born, December 19, 1880, a daughter, upon whom was bestowed the joint names of her parents, Willie Mabel.
Colonel Day had bought a ranch of 85,000 acres well stocked with fine cattle in Coleman county, and it was here he made his home with his family until the time of his death, June 14, 1881.
Mrs. Day was left a widow with a young baby and a large property heavily encumbered. She was a woman of positive, progressive and aggressive character. Her mind was well balanced for business as well as the fine arts. With her indomitable will power and unswerving faith in what was right, she took up her husband's business, overcame difficulties that would have discouraged others, and succeeded when many around her failed. Failure to her was only a link in the chain of success.
The Day ranch was the first to be fenced in the State of Texas. The cattle people in those days were accustomed to free grass, and there was a body of men who revolted against the idea of pastures being fenced and formed themselves into a body known in history as the fence-cutters. Shortly after the death of Colonel Day, they cut every strand of wire on the Day ranch, and destroyed hundreds of miles of fence. Mrs. Day went to Austin and legislated against fence cutting, and it was she who was instrumental in having laws passed which made this act a felony, thereby putting an end to this lawless business.
Mrs. Day was a regular attendant at the conventions of the Texas Cattle Raisers' Association, and though not a member of the association, she had many close and ardent friends in the convention, and was quite active at this time in consummating large cattle and land transactions. On April 28, 1889, Mrs. Mabel Day was married the second time to Captain J. C. Lea, of Roswell, New Mexico, the founder and promoter of the famous Pecos Valley. Mrs. Lea was a woman who could not stand still. In Roswell, she put her energies to work to build churches and colleges. She was a charter member of the Christian Church there, and today a beautiful $25,000 church building, with a large and active membership, stands as a monument to her pioneer efforts in church work.
The New Mexico Military Institute, a State military school, was first founded by Captain and Mrs. Lea, Mrs. Lea being the power behind the throne, and the captain with his active connection with government affairs succeeded in having this made a territorial institution. It has for the past three successive years been designated by the United States War Department as a distinguished institution, which fact places it among the first ten military schools of America. Graduates from this school enter the United States army as second lieutenants. The Military Institute is owned and supported by the State of New Mexico. The present plant is estimated to be worth $300,000.
Mrs. Mabel Day Lea was a foundation builder, a pathfinder, a committee of ways and means of opening up and doing things. Mrs. Lea was at all times in close touch with her business interests in Texas, and Coleman county owes her much, for she was the first one to open her ranch for colonization. She had founded homes and settled over five hundred families in Coleman county, and built up schools and churches, and communities of high moral and religious tone. Mrs. Lea was actively engaged in this work at the time of her death, April 4, 1906.
Sinclair Moreland, The Texas Women's Hall of Fame, 1917
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