Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1903-06-24
THE PASSING
Of A PIONEER
Eventful Life Brought
to a Close.
Brief Biographical Sketch of the
Late William Munds
of Jerome.

The death of William Madison
Munds, which occurred last Thursday
at Henry Schuerman's ranch on Oak
Creek, marked the passing of pion-
eer and one of the most respected and
representative citizens of this section
of the country.
He was born in Clay county, Ken
lucky, September "a, 1885; he was the
direct descendent of a noble family
of French Hugenots, who came to this
country from France to escape re-
ligious persecution and settled in Vir
ginia during the latter part of the
seventeenth century.
He numbered among his ancestors a
great many of those brave and fearless
men who blazed the way for civiliza-
ton and have been characters in the
early history of the country to which
they belonged.
In 1S49 when but IA years old he
went to California and spent a num-
Der of years amid the wild scenes that
characterized the period of the gold
excitement in those days; he after
ward went north into Oregon, and
there he married Sara Cox daughter
of John Cox a pioneer citizen; five
children we're born of this union two
Of whom survive him, these are his
eldest Mrs. NJ. A. Carrier of Jerome
and his youngest John L Munds of
Prescott. In 1876 he left Oregon and
came with his family to Williamson
Valley. Arizona. The following year
he moved to the Verde valley and be-
came interested with the Willard |
Bros. in the cattle business and their
stock ranged in the Verde valley in |
the winter and in the Mogollon noun
tains in the summer. The Munds |
ranch near Flagstaff is one of the land |
marks in the maps of this territory.
While living on the Mogollon noun
tains one of his sons Cornelius Will
lam was killed by broncho horse
falling with him, and a few years
later his son James T. was also killed
by the accidental discharge of a fire
arm.
In March 1889 he married Cornelia
LaTourette, daughter of the oldest
settler of Phenix. The death of his
two sons greatly saddened his life and
soon after his son James death he sold
out his cattle Interests and devoted
his attention exclusively to the
butcher business in Jerome which he
had purchased in 1893. He followed
this business with good success for
several years until failing health
warned him that he should lead less
active life. He was the first mayor of
the town of Jerome serving in that
capacity for two years and helped to
pilot the little town through many a
troublesome time. His rapidly failing
health made it necessary for him to
retire entirely from active life, so
he resigned his position as mayor and
sold his business and with his wife
travelled some months in California.
Although this trip somewhat restored
him he never entirely regained his
health and from time to time was
forced to leave Jerome where he had ,
taken up his residence and seek some ,
other place. He and Mrs. Munds /
lived for some months on upper Oak [
Creek at the Indian Gardens where it '
was thought the waters had a benefi- &
cial effect upon the disease which {
had fastened itself upon him. About c
two months ago he was again prostrat- 6
ed with severe attack and from that |
time on it was plain to all that the {
end was not far distant, but he chung $
to life with a tenacity that was pos t
sible only for man of iron nerve. j
He begged to be taken back to Oak
Creek and as soon as be could stand
the trip he was taken to Henry
which loving hands could bestow upon
him could not stay the Grim Reaper, .
and about the first of June his wife I
and dauhgter who had been with him I
since the beginning of his illness gave a
up hope and telegraphed for his son +,
John l.. Muuds who came with all ,
possible haste, his wife and children /;
following couple of days later. All Z
hat was possible was done to ease his =
asst moments and surrounded by his a.,
family he passed peacefully away the 4
of June IL, 1903. r
He was buried the next day in the 9
upper Verde cemetery. He was life I,
ong Mason, joining at the age of % .
md so he was laid to rest with the =
beautiful and impressive Masonic =
ceremony. Z
The funeral was attended by large =
number of Masons and friends from :,
Jerome and the valley and the floral o.
offerings were bueautiful, the be- >
'eaved wife and family have the deep
,st sympathy of the entire community
md great many people throughout
he country for Vim. Munds was we'll a
Known in this territory and was uni .