Daniel B. Flores

Clancey: a Sea Captain in the Desert Daniel B. Flores

The story about Captain John G. Clancey, a sea captain who retired to the desert of New Mexico and raised sheep in the last quarter of the 19th century into the early 1900's. He lived in Alamo Gordo, near Puerto de Luna. Billy the Kid stopped at some of his sheep camps. He once loaned Sheriff Pat Garrett a wagon to transport his prisoners to jail in Las Vegas. One of those prisoners was Billy the Kid. He was a good friend of Padre Polaco, Alexander Grzelachowski. He served in the New Mexico Territorial Legislature for one term and also was a member of New Mexico's two constitutional conventions. The Constitutional Convention of 1910 eventually led to statehood for New Mexico. His colorful life began in Vermont, his birthplace, and took him around the Cape to San Francisco. He came to New Mexico Territory after giving up the sea life. He had sailed on both clipper ships and steamships. He also raised Shetland ponies on his ranch near Puerto de Luna. He was very actively involved at the national level in promoting the sheep industry in New Mexico.