Arizona silver belt., 1905-09-07
THE OLDEST PIONEER
HAS CROSSED DIVIDE
Captain J. N. Tevis Passed From Life
at His Daughters Home in Tucson,
August 80


at His Daughters Home in Tucson,
August 80
Captain j. H. Tevis, of Bowie, died
in Tucson Wednesday afternoon at
the home of his daughter, where he
was brought couple of weeks ago
following paralytic stroke that came
after several months of i'll health and
from which he did not rally. Arrange
ments for the funeral are not yet
made. A daughter resides at Bowie.
He had been in Arizona longer than
any other white man now living. Cap
tain Poston, who died few years ago
at Phoenix, alone antedated him in
point of residence in the territory.
Capt. j. II. Tevis was among the
very first white men to reach Arizona.
He started west with party Of young
men before the outbreak of the civil
war. Arriving at FL Paso, then COM
posed of only a few scattering adobe
huts, Tevis and his companions went
across the river to take a look at the
old church in what was then known as
Paso Del Norte. They were arrested
and kept in Jail five days, accused Of
being members of Crabs filibusterers.
A man by the name of Defendorf was
the American consul, to whom applica-
ton was made for assistance. Defen-
dorf, apparently, could do nothing and
the party would yet be in the old Jua-
rez Jail had not the British consul lent
his kind assistance in securing its re-
lease.
As soon as released Tevis and his
party resumed the march for Arizona,
crossed the Rio Grande next day and
entered the town of Mesilla, where
few days rest was taken, then start
ing for Tucson. Chief Lees tribe had
the party in charge until it reached the
Mimbres river, and then old Mangus
Colorado and his party kept it company
until STEMS Pass, or Doubtful Canyon
was reached. There Old Jack, one of
old Cochise's underchiefs, took the
boys in hand until they reached Apache
Pass, where they were turned over to
Old Cochise. When he finished with
the party Captain Tevis was alone, and
he remained with Cochise for months,
acting as nurse girl for the numerous
papooses in the Cochise household, in
GLIDING Mana and Natchez, until the
government party arrived, establishing
the overland mail. A station was built
at Apache Pass, and Tevis went to
work for the stage company, with the
permission of Old Cochise. Afterward
he built a trading post on the San Pedro
river. and one at Mangus Springs.
While with the Apaches Tevis was
known as the property of Ganelea, the
second chief of Cochise's tribe.
When the civil government was
founded, Capt. Tevis commanded the
rangers, and fought the first battle on
the Mimbres river on the same day
that gold was discovered at Pintos AL
tos by Col. Snively and his party.
The orders to the rangers were to
protect Americans, and Capt. Tevis
went to Pintos Altos and made it his
headquarters, alternately fighting In
dams and mining. He built the first
house in Pintos Altos.
When the Civil War broke out Capt.
Tevis joined the confederate army and
commanded the Arizona scouts in the
trans Mississippi department, fighting
in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louis
lana and Arkansas. At the end of the
war he returned to Arizona to renew
his acquaintance with the Apaches and
to look after his mining interests.
In 1880 Captain Tevis located the
town of lewiston, NOW Bowie Station
on the Southern Pacific railroad.) 1t
was on the road leading from Fort
Bowie to the ella river. A well was
sunk several hundred feet for water,
and about the time it was completed
the Southern Pacific laid it's track to
that point. The Captain took home
stead covering the present town, and
soon making a sale of valuable mines,
built hotel and store on his townsite
and has been in business ever since,
though at times he has devoted much
of his energy to mining, and died own
ing some valuable claims south of his
home.
Captain Tevis was prominent mem
Der of the assembly in the Sixteenth
Arizona legislature, and vas the trust
ed friend of John N. Irwin, then gov
ernor of Arizona, in that body. The
governor became so attached to him
after the legislature adjourned he
made visit of a week at the Tevis