The Arizona sentinel., 1908-03-18
HON. MICHAEL ]. NUGFNT
PASSES TO GREAT
BEYOND.
Funeral Today UOder Direction of
EIkS, of which lie was an
HOnOred Member.

Hon. Michael J. Nugent, pioneer,
good citizen, loyal and generous friend
and neighbor, died in Tucson last
Wednesday night about 8 o'clock. OF
the immediate relatives at his bedside
during the last hours were Joseph and
Mary Nugent, brother and sister from
Yuma, and Gleason Nugent, a nephew,
of Tucson.
Some three weeks ago Mr.. Nugent
went to Tucson for medical treatment.
though it was not supposed by his
friends that he was in any immediate
danger at that time. His condition as
sumed an alarming phase last week,
and first became known here through
the summoning of his brother and
sister by telegraph to the sick mans
bedside.
Almost four years ago Mr.. Nugent
was stricken with paralysis, and from
this he never recovered. only partially,
and it was generally known that he
WAS uOOIUSu uO hkOU dUbdSh
was at Phoenix during the session of
the Twenty-second legislature, which
Colonel Nugent was attending as a
member of the council from Yuma
county. At several intervals since that
time there have been recurrent attacks
of l similar nature, although of milder
form.
In Yuma, where Col. Nugent lived
for so many years, his death has caused
universal sorrow. He was known to
almost every man, woman and child
and loved and respected by all. He
was notably courteous, generous and
kindly dispositioned, and many are the
tears that will fall from the eyes of
those whom he has aided without any
other promptings than sympathy and
kindness.
In Yuma's business life, also, his loss
will be deeply felt. He had amassed
considerable wealth, and while not act
lively engaged in business, was finan-
cially connected with a number of en-
terprises and had staked considerable
in the way of loans on the future OF
the Colorado valley: in which he had
supreme confidence.
For several years Col. Nugent, asso-
ciated with L. w. Alexander, had the
mercantile and other concessions at
Kofa, and he has long been a share
holder in the King of Krizona mine,
one of the great gold producers of the
territory. He did not engage actively
in business after dispOsing of his Kofa
interests, but settled down to a quiet
life in Yuma, and so lived until called
by the Grim Reaper.
Col. Michael Nugent was one OF the
makers of Arizona history. 1t may be
said that his coming to the territory
was coincident with the advent of the
Southern Pacific railroad. Born in
tayuga county, New York, 56 years
ago, he learned the machinist's trade,
but early acquired the western fever"
and not many moons elapsed before he
landed in Tucson, Arizona. and became
the first general foreman and master
mechanic of the s. J.. shops there. AL
most from the first he took strong in
terest in political affairs, and later at
tanned high political honor. For many
years be has been prominent in the po-
litical life of the territory and no other
man perhaps was so we'll known in ev-
cry portion of Arizona. In Yuma
county he had been hOnOred more fire.
quently than any other citizen. He
served three successive terms as sher-
! iff, WAS several times member of the
hoard of supervisors, and was twice
elected to the legislature; he was SUI
perintendent of the territorial prison
under Governor Franklin, and filed
many other positions. Col. Nugent
was democrat and had represented
his party in national convention, hav-
lug been delegate to the convention
which nominated Grover Cleveland.
Two years ago he was IL delegate to the
ElkS grand lodge in New York City;
he was past Exalted Rvler of the or
der.
Impressive Funeral.
The remains of Michael ]. Nugent.