davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Arizona republican., 1921-04-13
MEADOWS FAMILY
 MURDER RECALLED
 BY PHOENIX WOMAN

The murder of the Meadows family, | including the father, two sons and two daughters, on their ranch a few miles north If Phoenix by Apache Indians, was recalled by Nancy J. Richeson, an Arizona resident since 1879. as one of the early Apache out rages in the Salt River valley Mrs. Richeson, natil Texan. made the trip overland with her father in an OK team.
 'Apaches had been on the warpath for some time with apparently little l opposition from the whites" Mrs. Richeson declared. "This free hand reign had the effect of adding to their courage and daring. They finally left their mountain homes and came into the valley as raiding parties but never as an organized band bent on a fight to the finish.
 When they saw that there was nc organized effort against them they drew closer. Their raids extended deeper into the valley until they fi- naIly menaced the city itself. Then one night they visited the Meadows ranch and when neighbors called la ter they found the father. two sons and two daughters murdered in cold blood There was evidence that they had been cruelty tortured before be- HIS put lO dCoNAAs ~'AA -7- NNAN%AN-N@A w clared.
 "The whites were immediately UT in arms. Men, armed with rifles and revolvers, set out afte- the murder CTS, but they succeeded only in driv- ing the Indians off to the mountains
 Notwithstanding the fact that food stuffs were freighted into Phoenix by wagon from Maricopa, the cost of living was much cheaper in the valley during pioneer days than now Mrs Richeson declared
 we had to ship in almost every ] thing We ate because there was little land under cultivation, but prices were much lower then than now, she said.
 Maricopa and Pima Indians wer, the white mans friends during tho early days, she said. Their dres. was somewhat abbreviated, consist ing solely of geestrings.
 At that time there was only on'
 brick store in Phoenix, the old IT. vine property. Indians infested thi! store to such an extent. Mrs. Rich eson declared, that a customer would be obliged to step over the form! of lazy redskins to make a purchase
 "A law was finally passed com : polling the Indians to wear clothei in the city" she said. The law served it's purpose all right. Tn 1 Indians would ride up to the edg'
 Of the city in their geestrings. Ther' , they would unearth their clothes, pu
 them on and come into town. On de : parting. they would disrobe at tn edge of the city. secret their clothins and go on their way"
 For several years. Mrs. Richesol . said. her father the late A. A Wilsoi drove a freighter between Phoeni,
 and Maricopa. The trip required wv . days she said. and there was sur 5. prisingly large amount of freight = shipped into Phoenix from cast an west, though the city then was bu
Arizona republican., 1921-04-13
HIGH PRICED LOTS IN PHOENIX SCARCE IN
 1885; S0 WAS MONEY

Finances in the early days of Phoe- nix were far more of a problem than now, J. l.. Cant, one of the aldtimers of the valley, writes from Glendale.
 T was standing with group of men at Central avenue and Washing ton street back about 1903 when a stranger asked the length of my residence in Arizona
 I've been here about 20 years now told him.
 When you first came here you could have purchased any of these lots about this corner for few hun dred dollars, couldn't you?" he asked me.
 There were mighty few lots around here then worth as much as sl.e0e :" I replied.
 If I'd been around here in those days, I'd have picked up few of them" my new acquaintance re- marked.
 A few days later I was talking with Henry Wilky and I told him oi my experience with the stranger Willly said:
 Yes. he would: he would have been rustling bacon and beans, the same as the rest of us. and then sometimes when we got home we had
 
 Some years prior to this, back iT February, 1885, to be exact, MT. Gant was a newcomer to the Salt River valley He had disposed of his farm in an eastern state and took employ ment in Phoenix with P. K. Hickey then the only real estate dealer ir the city. The position paid him S7s a month.
 MT. Cant loaned out a few thousand dollars that he had realized from tho sale of his eastern farm at ? pei cent per month. A customer entered he office one day and asked loar of S400 on the northwest quarter o the Frank Shaw property, part o which is now utilized for the stats capitol building and park.
 Mir. Cant did not feel quite sure that the property was worth such { heavy loan, but when MT. Hickey as sured him that the Shaw note wa! good without any mortgage, he mad, the loan
Arizona republican., 1921-04-13

they loved the danger and excitement. They loved the fight or the promise of fight and they felt themselves builders who sought rather to lay foundations than to hoist the final capstone. Then again, in the Divine appointment of things there must be some who are to form the vanguard. There may have been some force be- yond that visible to us that took cer- tain invididuals from the crowded centers and thrust them out into the wilderness, where stout hearts and stout bodies, keen perceptions and unflagging industry were needed to create highways over which the rail- roads could be built and to establish villages that later should bloom out into American cities. All this has been done in Arizona. The record of achievement is wonderfui one Everyone whose name is found upon that record is one who should be hon. ored by the people of today.
 'sThe number of real pioneers in Arizona is decreasing rapidly. Any move that tends toward securing their personal stories is one that Is of value to the state and one that should be honored and encouraged by the later generations. I trust that I may help in forwarding this good work and. though absent in person, I send to the gathered pioneers a message of warmest good will that comes from my sincere feeling of a Junior com radeship
 Sincerely yours.
 THOMAS F. CAMPBELL, Governor"
Arizona republican., 1921-04-13
INDIAN SCARES WERE FREQUENT IN LIFE IF
 MRS. MARY \. DAVIS

Indian scares were frequent in the early day life of Mrs. Mary J. Da- wis in Ariona. zHer husband, the late Simeon Davis, had narrow es- capes from death at the hands of rowing Indian and Mexican bands, she writes, and was many times obliged to leave his home to escape their wrath. She writes interest ingly of her experiences as follows:
 We left Texas in May, 1884. with 1000 head of cattle and 25 head of horses, our party consisting of my husband and myself and six men.
 We came by the way of the old Santa F'e trail across the plains. Several times during the trip we were surrounded by hostile Indian and Mexican bands, but in some manner we lived through it all. Sew eral times during the trip my hus- band was fired upon and on some occasions he was obliged to flee to the hills or mountains to escape.
 Three months after we left Texas we reached 'Pueblo.' We were sur rounded by about 300 Mexicans. We were getting supper when they came upon us. We piled our things into the wagons and started on the trail again. The Mexicans followed us for several miles and my husband had to hide to keep from being mur- dered
 We had a Mexican interpreter with us and he frequently interceded in our behalf when we came across hostile Mexican bands. We were the first white people to succeed in com ing safely through this district with out losing any cattle, but we were obliged to travel day and night on numerous occasions to escape.
 Finally we reached Springerville and lived in that community for a year. We then took the trail again coming by Fort Apache and San Carlos. At these points we learned of Indian outrages. A white man had been killed only a few hours be- fore our arrival At Fort Thomas two white families had been mur- dered by warning tribes we learned so we turned from the old trail to ! the left of Fort Thomas and came | through Globe. reaching Phoenix three weeks before Christmas, 1885 where l have since resided"
Arizona republican., 1921-04-13

Sale by her husband of the old Vulture mine, one of the richest gold strikes in Arizona history. for the sum of $S0,00e, was told recently by Mrs. w. W. Jones in an interesting resume of early day life in this state. Mrs. Jones. now a resident of Tempe, came to Arizona from Altar, Mexico, in 1860. entering the territory at the port of Yuma
 She had been adopted by a Madame West. an English nurse who had served under Santa Anna, and who later gave her an education in this country.
 Her husband, the late Dr. W. w. Jones. was one of the first practicing physicians and surgeons in the ter ritory, she said. Together with the late Joe Goldwater, he had the first freighting contract for the govern ment in this territory. she said. They freighted foodstuffs, supplies and am- munition from Sacramento to the army posts in this territory Indians destroyed much freighting apparatus she declared, in attacks. and once Joe Goldwater was shot and slightly wounded by hostile redskins.
 In 1872, her husband established one of the first cattle ranges in the country. At that time the section was alive with warning Apaches. she said. Later they conducted a. freight ing post at Sentinel for many years.
 Mrs. Jones Is the mother of seven daughters and one son. five or whom are still alive. The family. in addi- ton to her five daughters, comprises more than 20 grandchildren and two great grandchildren, all of whom re- side in the vicinity of Tempe.
Arizona republican., 1921-04-13
ROUGH AND TOUGH DAYSOF TOMBSTONE
 DURING LATE 7O'S

Days when there were steamboats coming up the Colorado river, stage coaches plying between Tucson and Tombstone. and gangs of bad men in the latter city are recalled in the "reminiscences of Daniel Eldredge of Chandler:
 .I came to Arizona March 8. 1878, and settled on the San Pedro river. There were only a few settlers on the river at that time. at Tres Alamos and a mail station. Soon after, Ed Schiefflin discovered the Doughnut mine. William Girard was interested with him and they devel- oped 1t and built two mills at Charleston on the San Pedro river. Then Messrs. Parsons and White &C., quired the Contention mine and put up a mill at Contention, also on the San Pedro. George Warren discoy- cred the Copper Queen mine at Bis bee and sold it to the Phelps Dodge company, and a smelter was put up there. I was acquainted with both Schiefflin and Warren.
 Freight was hauled from Yuma. coming up the Colorado by steam boat. There were two six horse stages running between Tucson and Tombstone daily. One was owned by J. D. Kneer and Walker, and the oth- CT by Sandy Bob,' and there was much competition between them They took great pride in their horses and coaches.
 "A very rough element grew UT around Charleston and Tombstone, known as the Clanton gang. Billy Clanton and Frank McCloury and Tom McCloury were shot in a fight with officers. The officers wanted them to give up their arms and the fight started on the street. 1 knew all the boys who were killed; worked for Frank putting up hay for the Huachauca government post.
 Then the Earp brothers came to Tombstone and they got to be off cers. One worked in the express off, flee. The Clantons and Earps were in together on the stage holdups. The Earp in the express office would tip them off when there was money on the stage and the Clanton gang would hold 1t up. The other Earps. who were officers. would go out to catch the robbers, and they would meet them and divid the spells. The Earps would come back and report they had lost the trail.
 At last the Earps and ClantonS fell out and they practically ran each other out of the country. That put an end to a great deal of the rus ting around there. They weren't called robbers, but rustlers, and there used to be a lot of rustling of horses and mules and cattle. They would go over into Mexico and bring out cattle and sell them for few hun- dred dollars, then go to Charleston, where there was a dance hall and Sa- looms. and blow their money. A graveyard quickly grew up there, with from one to three additions a day. Jim Burnett was tine justice of the peace. He was killed a few years later by Bill Green of Cananea. Mex leo.
Arizona republican., 1921-04-13
SAW ONLY CHAP PARRAL
 AND RATTLESNAKES

Chaparral and rattlesnakes were about the only objects visible on the Arizona desert when Mary Ann Stap- ley came to Arizona with her husband and six children in April. 1881.
 My sons freighted for MT Hay den." Mrs. Stapley writes. There was only one road from Pinal to Phoenix and a jump off road went down through Stringtown and on to AIaricopa.
 The first house I lived in was but a shed. After a short time We built a little adobe house-dirt floor and roof About every week we would have an electric storm and every thing around us would be razed by high winds.
 Later we settled on q ten acre ranch without water. My husband dug the first well in Stringtown. We then built another little two roomed adobe house with shingled roof and boarded flooring. The lumber was hauled from Prescott in wagons over the Black canyon.
 We raised all our own eatables also our own chickens, turkeys and ducks.
 About 13 years ago We sold our place in StTingtown and settled on a little plot in Mesa. My husband died about four years later"
Arizona republican., 1921-04-13

by way of Blackberry. a mining camp, and through the Williams valley, Phoenix and Tucson.
 When I arrived at the San Pedro river there were a few settlers at a place called Tres Alamos, but we got our provisions al Tucson, 50 miles away. A short time after l came to the San Pedro, Tombstone was dis covered by Ed Schieffeiin. There were no railroads and all freight came from Yuma by team. The first ma chinery was brought into that coun- try by James Carr, who freighted it from Yuma to Charleston for a quartz mill there.
 The capitalists of Tombstone were William Girard of the Tough Nut, and Parsons and White of the Con- tention mines. J. D. Kneer and a man named Walker were the first to run a daily six horse stage from Tucson to Tombstone. Then came sandy Bob with fine six horse stage in opposition. and it was very exciting to see the horses and stages polished to the minute and not a minute lost at the change stations.
 My mother is still living at saint David, CocEise county.
Arizona republican., 1921-04-13
AN APPRECIATION

The management of The Arizona Republican here desires to its appreciation of the able and tiring work of its regular news department in the gathering and compilation of these pioneer remin- iscences. The work solely that of E. A. Young, editor assisted by J. w. Spear, editor of the paper and the members of the local staff E. O. Whitman, Ward Adams, F. F. Mcleod A. P. Findley, C. H. Threlkeld and Sally Jacobs.
 Each story, with few exceptions, indicates its own source In most the stories are word for word written by the pioneers themselves. The other stories personally related to members of the staff It with pride that point the fact that general outside help necessary in this his torca and interesting compilation of early Arizona "reminiscences.
 CHAS. A. STAUFFER,
 General Manager.
Arizona republican., 1921-04-13
R. ]. HOLMES SR.
 CAME IN 1851

R. J. Holmes Sr., came to krizo- ma when he was IS years old. He IS now Ss. He has briefly outlined some of his early experiences as fol-a lows:
 Tn 1851, I came through Arizona, then Mexico, and stayed for several months with Dick Howell, who lived on the site of the present city or Yuma. While there I engaged In the cattle business, sold meat to the immigrants and helped them to get across the river. At times there was considerable travel as there was camp of United States soldiers on the west side of the river
 Beaver, black tailed deer and mountain sheep abounded. l grazed cattle in the Gila bottoms where they quickly fattened- Most of the catC tie drifted in from Texas droves and were footsore when they got to thei Gila bottom lands.
 That winter I went on to Calif~ mia and mined there and in British Columbia Later, l went to Alaska and from there returned to Arizona, making the trip from Fort Nranslc to Globe in the fdIl Of 1876"
 With the exception of few years in California. British Columbia and Alaska. Mir. Holmes has hesn |" Ari- zuua n years.
Arizona republican., 1921-04-13
INDIAN ATTACKS ON STAGES WERE
 MANY IN 0[D DAYS

Buckboards had replaced the GUS tomary stages between Ehrenburg and Prescott, because of the many at tacks by Indians, when Mrs. Edna W. Lawrence first made the trip in 1874. Mrs. Lawrence is now a resi- dent. of Phoenix, after 47 years in Arizona
 ''The heavy, cumbersome stages were easy prey for the quick and agile Indians. and for that reason the lighter and more easily handled buck boards were drafted into the serv- ice" Mrs. Lawrence said. With two fast horses it was fig ured that there might be a chance to escape the Indians by outrunning them with the lighter wagons. The stages, however, never had a chance once they were attacked. Many horses had been lost by the stage company. as the Indians invariably shot the lead horses when staging holdup.
 But even the chance for the light buckboards did not stop the depre- dations. Our trip from Ehrenburg 1 to Prescott was said to have been the first one made without trouble in period of six weeks. The Indians presumably realized that they had an easy and regular source of -in- come from the stages and they did not intend to let buckboards make any difference in their operations she said
 Mrs. Lawrence came to Arizona with her father and mother, the Rev. and Mrs. D. B. Wright. Reverend Wright had been assigned to the new country" by the Troy confer ence of the Methodist Episcopal church. He was probably one of the first ministers of the gospel assigned | to the territory.
 The trip from New York was made via the Isthmus of Panama, freight ing across the isthmus and then sail ing up the coast line to San Francis co. From there they sailed down the coast and up the Colorado river as far as Ehrenburg. The trip required little more than two months
 "We experienced a good many In dian scares at Prescott during the frontier days, but no serious trouble | ever happened at Prescott, Mrs. i Lawrence said. She expressed the | opinion that the military post there was responsible for the freedom from Indian raids on the Mile High City Fort Whipple was a good sized military post in those days with some very capable Indian fighters at the head, including General Crook. This fact undoubtedly had much to do with pacifying the Apache.
 At that time Prescott was hardly more than a tent city" she contin- ued. There were few permanent structures made of logs. but they were the exception rather than the rule"
 Mrs. Lawrence went to California | in 1888. returning to rizona in 1889, and has been a resident of this state continually since.
Arizona republican., 1921-04-13
List of Pioneers in This Issue is
 Registration to Monday Night

In the list of Arizona pioneers appearing other page in this edition of The Republican there ,yiIl be found missing the of pioneers yho attended the reunion and who registered Tues Jav morning at The Republican office.
 This is for the reason that the list 1t appears this issue was made up of the registration up to and .ncIudine Monday night April II.
 The name of everyone, however, who attended he reunion and who either sent in their reg ;ted at The Republican office is the list which 5; heinz preserved for future reference.
Arizona republican., 1921-04-13
FORTY YEARS AGO IN
 SOUTHERN ARIZONA

Daniel Eldredge of Chandler came into Arizona in 1878. having started three months before from Utah. His account of the southern part of the state as he saw it more than 40 years ago follows:
 I started from Utah in December, 1877, and landed on the San Pedro river in Cocuise county. Arizona, in March. 1878. I came by team with one other family making the journey d small settlement.
 Since coming to Arizona. Mrs. Rich eson has lost through death her ia ther and mother. two brothers and one sister.
Arizona republican., 1921-04-13
Sixty-Five Pioneers Now
 Guests at PioneerS' Home

Surrounded by the conveniences of a hotel and the atmosphere of home, 65 pioneers of Arizona are spending their declining years as guests of the Pioneers Home at Prescott, one of the states fine institutions. Seven of the number are women.
 Standing on a hill overlooking much of the city of Prescott, the Pioneers Home is all imposing edifice when viewed from without and most com fortable place viewed from within. The pioneers have pleasant quarters in which to live, spacious rooms in which to while away the hours with books and magazines and cards and "reminiscences. and a cuisine that any hotel would be proud of. The home includes hospital facilities as well as every modern convenience, and over it all George A. Shea. the superinten- dent, and his wife preside like hosts anxious for the comfort of their guests.
 Following is list of the guests at the Pioneers Home.
 cochise County
Arizona republican., 1921-04-13
Mrs. Davenport explained

Mrs. Davenport explained.
 She is the mother OF five chi- dren, four of whom are also Arizona pioneers. The firth. Leroy Daven- port, is now a resident of Tonopah. Nev.
 The other children are William R.. and H. NJ. both of Phoenix. and Mrs. William Morgan and Mrs. Fred Mus ser, also of Phoenix.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1921-10-26
Johnson Grange Notes

AT the meeting of johnson Grange No
$40, Oct. 20. class of four received the
first and second degrees. A ter the degree
work short program was rendered. A
special meeting will be held Oct. 27, for
confering the third and fourth degrees.
Program for Oct. 81; Singing by
Grange, Roll call, some numerous incident
that happened at home, Instrumental mu
sic, fifteen minutes for study of Grange
work, reading, Mrs. Waters and singing.
Grange.
On Nov. will be held the anniversary
meeting. All Charter members are invit-
ed to this meeting whether they are men,
bers of any Grange at present or not.
This is one Of the big meetings Of the year.
Program Song Of Words; Grange, Words
of Welcome; W, F, Sinclair. Roll Call;
What has tie Grange done for you? Ami
versary song; Grange Recitation, Florence
Davis; Paper, A Look Backward; N. A.
Waterman, Song; Original Poem, M. R.
Waterman; Solo, Mrs. Wilson; Reading,
Mrs. Wheeler; Song, The Model Grange;
Suggestions for the Good of the Order by
Charter Members; Recitation, W. F. Wa
ters; Music, Matte Sinclair; Paper, "a
Look Anead," o. H. Wilson; Song, God
Be With You," Grange.
News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1921-10-26
Methodist Church

Many Invitations to attend church on
Sunday last were received and there was
a good congregation. The Preachers
Meeting proved to be an enjoyable and
profitable time.
An executive meeting of the Christina
Endeavnr Society was held at the close of
last SUNDAYS Service and arrangements
wer5 made for seri Of meetings to be
held on alternate Friday evenings in the
Churches con3ecutivsIy. These evenings
will be arranged by the Literary, Missiou-
airy and Social Committees, Look out
for these dates.
Services on sunday next are as follows:
Morning Worship at 10:45
Sunday School at 1900, noon.
Evening Preaching and Endeavor Ser
vices in tho Copgl. Church.
Prayer meeting on Wednesday at 1880
p. NJ. at Miss Barton's home. The
Worlds Temperance Sunday will be OBJ
served in Cnurch and Sunday school, all
are cordially invited