Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1903-04-15
AN EASTER MEMORIAL

Perhaps few beyond the circle of
her most intimate friends realized
what genuine pioneer was lost to
Prescott in the death of Mrs. Alfred
S. Clough on the 23rd of February
last. To have watched the growth of
ones own city and state from its
birth is an exceptional experience,
and that such an experience should
fall within the short span of fifty
years is more unusual still.
Mrs. Clough was indeed a pioneer
of other states as we'll she was born
on November %, 1862, in Versailles
county, Illinois, then a new coun-
try. In 1858 her father moved his
family into Kansas where the free
soil fight was hottest, and for six
years they we're part of that ever
changing border life. But it was not
a pleasant outlook and in May, 1864,
her father again started with his fam
lily to find new and more peaceful
home. Some years before Mr.. Alex
ander had crossed the plains to Cali
fornia and it was to the Russian river
in that state that he now planned to
remove.
There we're twelve families in the
party when they reached Big Bend on
the Arkansas river and learned that
the northern route to California which
they had meant to take was no longer
safe by reason of hostile Indinas. So
they turned southwark to Santa Fe,
meaning to go on from there to Cali
fornia.
There was no thought of stopping in
the scarcely organized territory which
had year before been set off from
New Mexico. Nine tenths of Arizona
was still marked UNEMPLOYED" on the
map and Prescott consisted of a gov
ernor's proclamation and few log
houses when the caravan of OK teams
wound in along the old government
road bringing with its dozen families
thirty children, of which the twelve
year old Mary Alexander was one.
So though it was not planned they
became permanent settlers and for
many years thereafter the family
name is identified with the history of
this section. 1t was her father who
secured the charter for the old toll
road from Hardyville to Prescott and
with Capt. Hardy and others built and
operated it.
The Peck mine, that most famous of
Arizona's silver bonanzas, was found
and for several years worked by the
little prospecting party of whom Mr..
Alexander was one.
On April 13, 1874, Iary Alexander
was married to Alfred s. Clough, also
a pioneer, and thereafter her life was
spent near Prescott; most of the time
on the Point of Rocks ranch famous
for its fine fruit and beautiful natural
location.
Quiet and retiring as she always was
she yet drew around her circle of
warm friends who one and all felt the
influence of her kindly, earnest ma
ture and found help and inspiration
in her keen and sympathetic interest.
Her memory was storehouse of Incl
dents interviewer with the early his
tory of Prescott and the surrounding
section, and she appreciated as few
have done the Importance of preserv-
ing the fast fading record of those
first years. 1t is not alone in her own
home that she will be missed; such
friendly, earnest natures are the sun
shine of the world and there are many
for whom it will be less bright be-
cause of her absence.
Dear friend, who into the stiffness
We mis-name death has passed,
our hearts with its chiIlness,
Our souls with its wonder vast.
For you let be no sorrow;
No words of grief be said;
What care may the living borrow
For them, the happy dead?
Who passing outward leave behind
But tender memory,
And in the hearts that love them find |
Their Immortality. S. NJ. H.