MySource:Tarbet/Queen Family History

Bryan Archie was the eldest son of ELIAS BUTLER QUEEN. and was born in Georgetown, Texas, April 9, 1878. He married SELINA BARTLETT (1880-1962) onDecember 28, 1897. As a young married man he ran a blacksmith shop in Nix, Texas, where OLLYE, EDITH, ETHA BESS, and ESSIE were born. The family moved first to Channing, Texas, then to Lockney, Texas, where he owned a butched shop on Main Street, and where BRIAN BARTLETT, WANNA LAVERN, and ARCHIE were born.

The family moved to Melrose, New Mexico, in 1920, taking with them BRYAN ARCHIE'S brother LEON, and his family. They took cattle (dairy cows) and settled on a place just cata-cornered from the Melrose cemitary. There they raised corn and vegetables as well as Producing milk. Dairy farming did not prove profitable for the Queens, so they sold the cows after a year or two. LEON'S family did not like Melrose and returned to Texas. The Queen farm at Melrose had a big two story white house, with the master bedroom down stairs and two bedrooms upstairs. Food was prepaired on a wood stove. There were lots of sand and some large trees in the front yard. BRIAN ARCHIE rode his old horse "Jug" to the village each day to open his meat market on Main Street. later he sold the market and he and SALINA ran the telephone exchange. While living in the farm house BRIAN ARCHIE contracted typhoid fever, and the family feared he was going to die. He recovered after a few weeks. After the telephone exchange was sold he opened a blacksmith shop on Main Street. He rean for Constable of Melrose and was elected to serve in this capacity for a number of years. He rean for Deputy Sheriff, and was elected to serve a term or two in this capacity. Then he rean for Sheriff and was elected to serve for a term or two. It was while he was Sheriff of Curry county New Mexico, that Dillinger was being hunted throughout the west. When word came that Dillinger was headed for New Mexico, BRIAN ARCHIE strapped on his .38 pistol as he headed for work each day- - making quite an impression on the children! He rean for county Commissioner of Curry County and was elected. After this he bought and ran a garage in the old Austin Building, where he was on the Sunday morning of his faital stroke, May 3, 1936. He is burried in the Melrose cemetary. Folks said BRIAN ARCHIE was a little "distant" with strangers, but very friendly with those whom he knew. He was always broke, but he had good credit.