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10
ST. JONAH
ORTHODOX CHURCH
Come, See & Hear the Services
of Early Christianity
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Cenizo
First Quarter 2019
was divorced, the woman who
would one day become Nick’s
life-long companion, Belle
Keesey, turned eight years old.
Belle was the
daughter of Otis
Keesey, the first coun-
ty judge as well as the
first superintendent
to serve Jeff Davis
County. She was 19
when her father
moved to California
shortly after her par-
ents divorced. Belle
remained in Ft. Davis
with her mother
Adelina, who invested
her share of her for-
mer husband’s estate
on what was known
as the local “Bawdy”
house. It was there
some sources believe
Nick and Belle began
their relationship.
Nick purchased
the house next to his
own; there lived Belle Keesey
lived there after Nick’s death,
up until her own. In his will
Nick left both houses to Belle
Keesey, along with an
allowance to be paid monthly
throughout her life. Belle’s
husband, Reyes Marquez,
worked with the railway and
traveled often.
Though she was always
known simply as Belle Keesey,
and her relationship with
Nick was public knowledge,
Belle and Reyes lived together
in the house next to Nick’s
and remained married until
Reyes’ death in 1960. Belle’s
death came two years later in
1962.
Another self-taught skill
and income source for Nick
was photography. He was well
known for hosting slide pre-
sentations of his own work
and showcasing slide presenta-
tions he ordered from afar.
Reports that “pornographic”
photos were found in his
home after his death may
come from a reliable source.
In a photo of Nick in his
house, framed photographs
line his walls. In looking
closely at some of the framed
photographs they appear to be
the image a woman, her body
blurred by some alteration of
the photograph of Nick and
For a renaissance man such
as Nick Mersfelder, the fron-
tier life of early Fort Davis was
a paradise. His passions and
interests infused a remote
society with culture, music,
literature, and lawfulness. He
was loved for his devotion to
"Man holds himself at gunpoint" by Nick Mersfelder
his room. As was sometimes
the custom of the times,
Nick’s hanging and framed
photos were double-sided.
Which side faced out was
determined by his mood, or
the attitudes and expectations
of whomever was visiting his
home.
Nick enjoyed many of life’s
pleasures. He was one of the
founders and shareholders of
the Limpia Hotel, where he
attended regular meetings of
the Fort Davis Literary socie-
ty. He was known to always
have a tobacco pipe burning,
even when riding his bicycle
around town. Into his later
years he preferred a bicycle as
his mode of transport, though
he owned the first automobile
in Ft. Davis, and owned many
throughout his life. Again,
closer scrutiny of photos of
Nick in his house reveal a
smoking device on a table in
the room. Like most things in
life, smoking was not only a
habit, but another aspect of
life to explore and enjoy fully.
his community and forgiven
for his lack of concern for
societal norms. Nick’s could
be considered a story of True
Love: A love which tran-
scended boundaries, yet
espoused compassion, con-
cern, and loyalty, not only for
Belle Keesey, his life-long
companion, but for every
human being, and for life
itself.
“Art washes
away from
the soul,
the dust of
the day.”
~ Picasso