Turley’s Mill at Arroyo Hondo, New Mexico
Nestled in the embrace of the imposing Sangre de Cristo Mountains in northeastern New Mexico, a historic landmark once thrived: Turley’s Mill. This establishment, a bustling hub of commerce and community, served as a welcome respite for trappers and traders navigating the rugged Taos Trail. Founded around 1830 by the enterprising Simeon Turley, the mill was strategically located in the fertile Arroyo Hondo Valley, along the banks of the Rio Hondo, approximately ten miles north of Taos.
George F. Ruxton, an English explorer and travel writer, offered a vivid snapshot of Turley’s Mill just days before the eruption of the Taos Revolt in 1847. His words paint a picture of prosperity and abundance: "On the other bank of the stream was situated a mill and distillery belonging to an American by the name of Turley, who had quite a thriving establishment. Sheep and goats and innumerable hogs ran about the corral; his barns were filled with grain of all kinds, his mill with flour, and his cellars with whiskey ‘in galore.’ Everything about the place betokened prosperity. Rosy children, uniting the fair complexions of the Anglo-Saxon with the dark tint of the Mexican, gamboled before the door. The Mexicans and Indians at work in the yard were stout, well-fed fellows, looking happy and contented; as well they might, for no one in the country paid so well and fed so well as Turley, who bore the reputation, far and near, of being as generous and kind-hearted as he was reported to be rich. In times of scarcity, no Mexican ever besought his assistance and went away empty-handed. His granaries were always open to the hungry, and his purse to the poor."
Simeon Turley’s journey to becoming a prominent figure in the New Mexican landscape began on a family farm in Madison County, Kentucky, in 1806. He was the youngest of nine children born to Benjamin and Nancy Ann Noland Turley. In 1811, his elder brothers, Stephen and Samuel, ventured westward, establishing themselves in the burgeoning Boone’s Lick area of Howard County, Missouri. Coincidentally, Lindsay Carson, the father of the renowned mountain man Kit Carson, also relocated to the Boone’s Lick region from Madison County, Kentucky, in 1811.
The untimely death of Simeon’s father, Benjamin, in 1812 prompted his brother, Samuel, to return to Kentucky to settle the estate. Following the conclusion of the War of 1812, Samuel journeyed back to Boone’s Lick, accompanied by his younger siblings, including Simeon, who would spend their formative years in this dynamic frontier environment. It was during these early years that Simeon Turley forged a close and enduring friendship with Kit Carson, a bond that would last throughout Simeon’s life.
The Boone’s Lick area was also home to William Becknell, a pivotal figure in the history of the American West. In 1821, Becknell blazed the trail that would become known as the Santa Fe Trail, a vital artery of commerce and migration. His successful return from his pioneering expedition sparked widespread interest, transforming the nearby community of Franklin, Missouri, into the de facto birthplace of the Santa Fe Trail. Soon, numerous families from the region, including some of the Turleys, joined the ever-growing caravans bound for Santa Fe and Taos, seeking opportunity and adventure.
Inspired by the pioneering spirit of his older brothers and the lure of the Southwest, Simeon Turley embarked on his own journey to New Mexico around 1829. Initially, he established a store in Taos, laying the foundation for his future endeavors. In 1830, he made a significant investment, purchasing land on the Arroyo Hondo Land Grant from Juan de Jesus Valdes and David Waldo for 40 reales. This acquisition would become the site of his ambitious enterprise: Turley’s Mill.
On this strategically chosen land, located approximately ten miles north of Taos, Turley constructed a complex that included a store, a two-story grist mill, and a distillery. To ensure a reliable water supply for powering the mill, a dam was built approximately 100 yards downstream from the mill in the narrow canyon of the Rio Hondo. Though only 30 feet across, the dam proved adequate for harnessing the river’s energy. The heart of Turley’s Mill was the two-story adobe main building, which housed the mill, distillery, and granaries. This structure faced a plaza, partially enclosed by stables and dwellings, with the remaining sections secured by fences and a large gate. Corrals for Turley’s livestock extended south from the complex toward the river, while a small vegetable garden flourished to the north.
The distillery at Turley’s Mill quickly gained renown, attracting mountain men who eagerly traded furs for Turley’s famous "Taos Lightning" whiskey. This potent concoction, reportedly 188-proof, was uniquely flavored with chili powder, gunpowder, and tobacco, making it a sought-after commodity in the region. To manage the distribution of his products, Simeon Turley hired Charles Autobees, a French-Canadian mountain man, to serve as the firm’s traveling salesman. Autobees loaded pack mules with flour and whiskey, traversing the trading posts along the Arkansas and Platte Rivers to the north, returning to the Rio Hondo with valuable furs and buffalo robes.
In addition to his milling and distilling operations, Turley, in partnership with his brother Jesse, imported American-made yard goods for sale in Taos and Santa Fe, further diversifying his business interests. Adding to his complex life, Simeon entered into a common-law marriage with Marfa Rosita Vigil y Romero, and the couple would eventually have seven children.
In 1841, Turley’s correspondence with associates in Missouri revealed concerns about the prevailing business conditions and the competitive pressure from the rival firm of Rowland and Workman, who were aggressively undercutting prices on flour and whiskey as they prepared to depart for California. However, after their departure, Turley’s fortunes improved significantly. This resurgence was also attributed to the stricter enforcement of U.S. regulations prohibiting the importation of whiskey into Indian territory. As Turley’s distillery was located on Mexican soil, traders sought him out as a reliable source of supply.
The success of Turley’s Mill allowed Turley to expand his operations further. He opened a store at the new trade fort of El Pueblo, located at the confluence of the Arkansas and Fountain Creek in present-day Colorado. El Pueblo served as a central collection point for the furs and robes gathered by Autobees, streamlining the transportation process. Instead of hauling these commodities to Arroyo Hondo, they were loaded onto Turley’s new wagon at Pueblo for direct delivery to Missouri warehouses, with the wagon returning laden with merchandise for the store.
By 1846, Turley’s business was thriving, strategically positioned along the trade routes that connected Taos and Santa Fe to the south with the Colorado trading posts to the north. During the Mexican-American War, General Stephen Watts Kearny took control of Santa Fe in August 1846, establishing a civilian government with Charles Bent as governor and leaving Colonel Sterling Price in command of U.S. forces as he marched towards California. While the surrender of Santa Fe occurred peacefully, many New Mexicans harbored resentment toward the change in governance.
In January 1847, this simmering discontent erupted into the Taos Revolt. On January 19, 1847, local insurgents assassinated Governor Charles Bent and several other authorities in Taos, plunging the region into turmoil. Charles Autobees, returning from Santa Fe with a whiskey delivery, witnessed the revolt firsthand. He immediately rode to warn Turley and his men of the approaching mob, before continuing on to Bent’s Fort in Colorado. Turley consulted with his men on how to defend against the impending attack. Despite his reluctance to treat the native population as a threat, he eventually agreed to his men’s advice: close the gate in the outer stockade, board the windows, and barricade the entrances to the buildings.
Soon, approximately 500 Mexicans and Pueblo Indians arrived at the gate, demanding that Turley surrender his men and property in exchange for his life. Turley refused, triggering a fierce battle. Despite being heavily outnumbered, the Americans held a strong defensive position, inflicting significant casualties on the attackers throughout the first day. However, during the night, the besiegers managed to gain access to the stables and corrals, slaughtering livestock and setting fire to the mill, where most of the defenders were barricaded. Unable to extinguish the blaze and running low on ammunition, the eight surviving Americans attempted to escape under the cover of darkness. Several were killed in the attempt, but four managed to break through the siege.
Tom Tobin made his way to Santa Fe, William Le Blanc reached the Greenhorn settlement in Colorado, and John Albert, after a grueling solitary journey on foot, arrived in Pueblo, Colorado. At dawn the following morning, Simeon Turley, hampered by a crippled knee, was discovered not far from his burning mill, which was being looted by the mob. He encountered a Mexican "friend" from whom he attempted to purchase a horse. The man refused but promised to bring help. Instead, he betrayed Turley’s hiding place to the looters. Turley was soon captured and brutally murdered.
The Taos Rebellion was swiftly suppressed. Colonel Price’s Missouri Volunteers, augmented by a volunteer militia recruited by Ceran St. Vrain, marched north from Santa Fe, engaging the rebels at Santa Cruz, Embudo, and Taos Pueblo. A separate force of U.S. troops conducted operations against the rebels in Mora. The men who perished in the Battle of Turley’s Mill are buried in a common grave at the Kit Carson Cemetery in Taos. Among them are William Austin, William Hatfield, Joseph Marshall, Peter Robert, Louis Tolgue, Albert Turbish, and Simeon Turley.
The estate of Simeon Turley – the land, buildings, and other property – was legally transferred to his common-law Mexican wife and her children. "Uncle Dick" Richens Wootton was appointed as the guardian of the minor children. Today, the site of Turley’s Mill, now owned by the Kit Carson Memorial Foundation, Inc., retains some of the stone foundation walls of the distillery. However, the site is currently closed to the public, preserving its historical significance.