Juan Martin Legarza was born Feb. 5, 1874 in Nachitua, Spain. He immigrated to the USA in the mid 1890's and began working as a sheepherder before acquiring the Riverside Ranch at Orovada, Nev., (now owned by Grace McErquiaga). In late 1899 he sent a letter to EA, Spain asking for the hand of Maria Florencia Erquiaga and she made the journey, via Ellis Island, arriving at the Sod House Ranch where she stayed with her brothers until her marriage to Juan Jan. 2, 1900. The couple settled in at the Riverside Ranch and their eight children-Martin, Matio, Joseph, Nieves, Salvador (Salee), Adolpho (Al), Fransisco and Anna were all born there.
It is said that when Mr. Lagarza traveled to Winnemucca with his sons he was always respected as a gentleman. Town was no easy task those days and he would deliver his wool with a wagon pulled by teams of mules or horses. He then loaded his supplies and started home, over Paradise Valley Hill, where he used blocks that he carried with him to block the wagon every few feet so that it could not roll back! The kids all attended grade school at the ranch until 1908 when Juan and Marie bought a house in Winnemucca from George Nixon so they could live there during the school year. (Before they were allowed in school the kids were required to learn to speak English.) In 1933 Juan was taken from the family due to a case of unattended appendicitis. Times were tough due to the depression and even with all the children working, the family ranch was lost and Marie moved to the Legarza home in Winnemucca where she continued to raise her children. (This home is located at 451 W. 2nd Street and is now number 16 on the historical registry).
Fransisco (Frank) Legarza was born March 12, 1912-the same day that the Girl Scouts of America was founded. He lived many places during his life, mainly in the Winnemucca area. In 1941 he married Mildred Barnes, daughter of Henry and Flora (Yorgensen) Barnes of Connecticut. They lived in Catalina, Calif., where Frank served in the Merchant Marines before returning to Nevada. Frank and Millie had three children-Florence (married to Gene Thacker who owned the Cosgrave Ranch until Gene's death in 1985), of Winnemucca; John (married to Paddy Shepard) who owes Legarza Exploration in Elko, Nev.; followed on Nov. 5, 1955, by McDermitt Combined School Alumni, Jocelyn (Legarza) Johnson.
The family lived at several mine sites in the '50s and early '60s - Jocelyn remembers starting school at the Getchell before her brother contracted arsenic poisoning and they had to leave. Next was Imlay where Frank worked for the State Highway Department. In 1963 Frank and Millie divorced and Jocelyn lost touch with her mother at the age of only eight! With his oldest daughter married by then, Frank became a single parent to John and Jocelyn. Jocelyn attended the second grade through the sixth in Fallon, where her dad worked construction until a vehicle accident on the old Schurz Highway resulted in Frank confined to a body cast for six months. Although married, her sister Florence came to help out during this time. Following his accident Frank worked as a watchman on several mines and while living in Imlay Jocelyn attended school in Lovelock, Nev., from seventh grade through her sophomore year. She remembers her first job and being able to drive their 1956 Chevy pickup on back roads, to work at the Midway Café (now the TA at Mill City) as a dish washer in 1966 at age 11. She worked there for three years before starting to stay with her Aunt Nieves (Dufurrena) in Winnemucca during the summers, in the same Legarza home where her grandmother lived for many years, working at the Chuck Wagon restaurant in the Star Broiler for her cousin Raymond Legarza, a part owner. She also worked as a maid for Phil Gabica at the Neda Motel for several summers.
In 1971 Frank accepted a position as caretaker at the Flat Creek Ranch near Orovada, owned by Ted and Karen Ugalde. Jocelyn remembers how she and her dad loved the swimming pool that was there-and starting her junior year of high school at MHS.
She had a great time going to school in McDermitt-riding the bus with the Hill boys (MHS 1972; 73 & 75) and Eddie Ann Ugalde (MHS 1975); and making lifelong friends such as Patti Albisu (MHS 1973). The school was small enough to have a personal touch, with all the teachers and administration knowing all the kids names, making it a very special place. She liked Miss Craner, Mr. Johnson and Barb Ferguson (class advisor) and a favorite was Mr. Pokinghorn. She recalls that Jeannie Mentaberry was the school secretary. Unfortunately, Ted and Karen sold Flat Creek Ranch in late 1972 and Frank and Jocelyn had to leave.
Frank agreed to let Jocelyn stay in McDermitt for her senior year and she moved in with Dick and Sharon Swisher and family-Chuck, Dixie (MHS 1974), Chad (MHS 1975), Jack (MHS 1979), and George (MHS 1987). Jocelyn remembers that the Swisher family took her in as one of their own and says she will always be grateful to them.
"Already five kids, and now me! I had so much fun in that family. We worked hard and played hard, however, you couldn't get much by Sharon. She ran a tight ship and we respected that! I still think she had eyes in the back of her head!" she said.
That year Jocelyn worked at the Snack Stop with Sandra (Albisu) Bengoa (MHS 1972) to earn spending money.
Graduating in 1973, Jocelyn moved to the Cosgrave Ranch to watch over the place while her sister and brother-in-law were at Willow Creek above Dunn Glenn taking care of their cattle. On Aug. 1, 1973 just a few months after her graduation, Frank Legarza passed away, and Jocelyn moved into Winnemucca to go to work full time.
At Tallman Lumber she learned to be a bookkeeper under the tutelage of Patti Allred. (She learned the dubious skill of cursing from John Tallman!) A year later she went to work at the Eagle Drug Store on Bridge Street. While working there she met her husband, Howard Johnson, who worked for the Union Pacific Railroad for 36 years before retiring in 2010, and they were married in January 1975. In 1976 Jocelyn was employed by the Nevada National Bank where she worked until she temporarily retired when her son Jacob was born in 1980. Lisa was born in 1983 and Jocelyn returned to the bank in 1987 (by then the US Bank) working there until 1994, when she had the opportunity to match her kids days off with a job as an aide in the Humboldt County School District at Grass Valley School, for Margo Hendrix. She enjoyed her job and later applied and was awarded the job as payroll clerk for the district. When the district reorganized in 2010 she became the district purchasing agent, and plans to remain there until she retires-hopefully in a couple of years.
Though recently moving into a new home, Jocelyn and Howard's children lived in the same house all of their growing up years. Jake, 33, makes his home in Spring Creek and holds two degrees from college in Elko-certification as a welder as well as an electrician, with knowledge in diesel mechanics. He has worked for P and H Mine Pro, now Joy Global, for about ten years and is now their underground account manager. An avid hunter and outdoorsman, his home is on three acres where he lives with his dog Crocket. Lisa, 30, graduated from Boise State College in 2005 and went to work as a Physician's Assistant for the Vein and Skin Institute of Idaho. While she continues to make her home in Boise, Idaho where she enjoys, hiking, motorcycles, mountain biking and all other outdoor activities, in June of this year she retired when she decided to sell Nerium, an anti-aging skin cream.
She now has Jocelyn involved, and Jocelyn says that it is the best part time job she has ever had! To be able to travel with her family, including Jake as well is an amazing gift, and while Howard doesn't do the networking-he uses the product! Jocelyn feels her husband and children are her best assets. They live a truly blessed life and they are all grateful for their family.
She looks forward, after retirement, to visiting and seeing more of Humboldt County with Howard, traveling with their fifth wheel and riding in their side-by-side buggy. She would like to volunteer time to her church, St. Paul's, and work with Alzheimer patients, and she still buys many boxes of Girl Scout Cookies for gifts every year, to honor the birth of her father.
She would tell the kids at McDermitt to, "Never forget your roots-they are a part of you wherever you may go. Be proud of them. Stay in touch with those who love and care about you. Don't forget to pay it forward whenever you have the chance. You will be a better person for it!"[[In-content Ad]]
