# Edward John McWenie (1881-1967) *A Life Intertwined with the Growth of Las Vegas, New Mexico* ## Early Life and Family Origins Edward John McWenie was born on 3 August 1881 in New York, the son of James McWenie and Mary Moore. His father was engaged in the cigar business and traveled frequently, including extended trips to the American West. These journeys would ultimately shape Edward’s future in ways no one could have predicted. Tragedy struck early in Edward’s life. Both of his parents died when he was still a young child, leaving him orphaned by the age of five. In 1886, Edward was sent west to Las Vegas, New Mexico, to live with his aunt, Margaret “Maggie” Holland, and later with another aunt, Etta McWenie Reed. This move placed him in a frontier town undergoing rapid change and growth, and Las Vegas would remain his home for the rest of his long life. For a brief period, Edward returned to Whitesboro, New York, where he attended first and second grade. He then returned permanently to Las Vegas, where he completed his education and became deeply rooted in the community. ## Education and Formative Years in Las Vegas Edward’s schooling reflected the growing pains of a young Western town. Public education in Las Vegas during the late 19th century was often interrupted by lack of funding, temporary school buildings, and overcrowding. Edward attended classes in a variety of locations, including early public school buildings, City Hall, the Brothers School in West Las Vegas, and the Presbyterian Academy. The opening of the New Mexico Normal University in 1898—later known as Highlands University—marked a turning point. Edward became a member of its first full graduating class, earning his degree in 1901. He was not only academically successful but athletically gifted, serving as quarterback on the football team and second baseman on the baseball team. The 1901 football team achieved local renown by defeating the University of New Mexico, New Mexico A&M, and other regional competitors. His years at the Normal University cemented both his professional prospects and his lifelong loyalty to Las Vegas. ## Banking, Business, and Early Career Even before his formal graduation, Edward began his professional career. In April 1901, he accepted employment with the First National Bank of Las Vegas as a collector. He made daily rounds—often by bicycle—collecting deposits and drafts throughout the growing town. Over time, he advanced within the banking world, working with the Plaza Bank, San Miguel Bank, and the consolidated institutions that followed. From 1901 to 1925, Edward was continuously involved in banking, serving as cashier until the closure of the First National Bank during a bank failure. In addition to banking, he owned and operated the Las Vegas Roller Mills from 1908 to 1919, making him at one point both a banker and a miller—an unusual but telling combination in a regional economy still dependent on agriculture and barter. Edward vividly recalled wagonloads of wheat arriving at the mill and neighbors trading fruit, grain, and labor rather than cash. These experiences placed him at the center of everyday economic life in northern New Mexico. ## Marriage and Family Life On 10 August 1910, Edward married Muriel Beveridge Hill in Idaho Springs, Colorado. The couple established their home in Las Vegas and raised two children: • Edward John McWenie, Jr., born December 1911 • Margaret Beveridge McWenie, born 5 May 1924 From 1920 until Muriel’s death in 1948, the family lived at 1103 Seventh Street, at the corner of Baer and Seventh. Muriel’s death was a profound loss. Edward sold the family home the following year and spent time living in California, southern New Mexico, and Arizona, though Las Vegas remained his emotional anchor. ## Public Service and Civic Leadership Edward John McWenie was deeply involved in civic life for more than six decades. He served as Las Vegas City Clerk beginning in 1951, working under three mayors before retiring in 1955. His earlier civic engagement included leadership roles in the Chamber of Commerce, the Commercial Club, and extensive service to fraternal and service organizations. He joined BPO Elks Lodge No. 408 in 1906 and served as Exalted Ruler from 1917 to 1920. At the time of his death, he was recognized as the oldest living past Exalted Ruler in New Mexico. He was also a charter member of the Rotary Club, organized in Las Vegas in 1920, and served as its second president. Edward was a lifelong member of the Catholic Church and widely known by the affectionate nickname “Mr. Mac.” ## Witness to Frontier Violence and Transformation Edward’s memory preserved vivid snapshots of a turbulent frontier era. He personally witnessed armed conflict along Bridge Street when troops were called out to disperse outlaw bands, recalling the dramatic moment when soldiers charged with fixed bayonets and the outlaws “melted away” into the night. He remembered destructive fires, including the 1892 blaze that wiped out an entire business block in East Las Vegas, and the eerie nighttime parade of the “Whitecaps,” masked vigilantes who terrorized the countryside before being suppressed by law enforcement. He also recalled major public events—the Rough Riders reunion, early rodeos, championship boxing matches, and the arrival of the town’s first paved streets—each marking Las Vegas’s gradual transition from frontier settlement to established city. ## Later Career and Retirement After leaving banking, Edward worked for 24 years as a sales representative for the Pet Milk Company, covering all of New Mexico and southern Colorado. He retired from this role in June 1949. In retirement, Edward remained socially active, often residing at the Elks Club and traveling seasonally to Arizona to attend Major League Baseball spring training, following teams such as the Cleveland Indians, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, and San Francisco Giants. Baseball remained a lifelong passion. ## Final Years and Legacy Edward John McWenie died in March 1967 in Las Vegas, San Miguel County, New Mexico, at the age of 85, following an extended illness. He was buried in Las Vegas. He was survived by his son, Edward J. McWenie, Jr., of Arizona; his daughter, Margaret (McWenie) Hosford, of Alamogordo; five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Edward’s life spanned the transformation of Las Vegas from a volatile frontier town to a stable regional center. Banker, miller, salesman, city clerk, athlete, and civic leader, he was—above all—a living memory of the town itself. Few individuals were as closely intertwined with the everyday history of Las Vegas, New Mexico, as Edward John McWenie.