History Of Arizona Collections

Yapapei (Sic) Mining District

By Laws Leihy & Mellons Camp September 10th 1863 “Notice is hereby given that a Miners Meeting will be held at Leihy & Mellon ‘s Camp on the 28th day of September for the purpose of forming a Mining District and to make laws governing the same – September 28th 1863 “The meeting called in accordance with the above notice was organized by electing A. B. Smith – President & Geo. W. Leihy Secretary – “A committee of 5 were elected to draft laws for government of District & its boundaries – A. B. Smith, Geo. W. Leihy, G. C. … Read more

Weaver Mining District

Weaver Mining District Name and Boundary of District “1st This District shall be known as Weaver District and bounded as follows – to wit, commencing at the mouth or sink of the Hassayamp Creek following up the eastern bank of said creek to the Tanks on the Southern boundary line of Walkers, thence West to the head of the Canyon of the St. Maria, thence southerly to Indian Springs continuing in said direction crossing Date Creek near the Indian cemetery ten miles from said crossing, thence east to the place of beginning. Size of Claims. “2nd – The size of … Read more

Walker Mining District

“At a meeting of the Miners of Lynx Creek & Vicinity held pursuant to notice on the 24th day of November 1863 at the office of the Recorder, the President T. J. Johnson tendered his resignation which was accepted and Capt. Bogert was elected chairman. “The Recorder J. V. Wheelhouse tendered his resignation, and an election for the office of Recorder was called after a ballot Mr. V. C. Smith was declared elected. “Upon Motion a committee of five was appointed by the chair to draft Laws to govern the Quartz mines of the District consisting of Y. C. Smith, … Read more

Quartz Mountain Mining District

Laws “At a meeting of Quartz Miners held at Lount Cabin on Granite Creek December 27th 1863. John West was chosen Chairman and 0. M. Dorman Secretary – “The following laws & regulations for the better governing of Quartz Mining, as reported on by the committee, were taken up separately and adopted. “Article 1st. That this District shall be known & called the Quartz Mountain District, and shall be bounded and described as follows: Commencing at a Bald Mountain known as the North West corner of the Walker District running along the west line of said District to its South … Read more

Pioneer Mining District

Miners Meeting on the Oolkilsipava River May 10th 1863 Mr. S Shoup President J. V. Wheelhouse Secretary “Names of original prospectors as required by Resolution No seven – Capt. J. R. Walker. George Bloper. G. Gillahan. Jos. E. Walker, Jr. A. C. Benedict. Jackson McCrackin. John Dixon. S. Shoup. Rodney McKinnon. Jacob Linn. T. J. Johnson. Felix Cholet. Jacob Miller. B. Ellis. M. Lewis. Jas. V. Wheelhouse. A. B. French. Jas. Chase. Jack Swelling Chas. Taylor. George Coulter. Frank Finney. H. B. Cummings S. C. Miller. Wm. Williams. “Preamble, laws & resolutions adopted & passed by the ‘Walker’ prospecting & … Read more

History of Arizona

The following collection provides 28 biographies extracted from the History of Arizona by Thomas E. Farish in 1915, as well as histories on the 6 mining districts found within Arizona. If you’d like to peruse the more historical portions of the manuscript then I suggest you view The History of Arizona at our sister site which provides the first two of the eight volume set.

Castle Dome Mining District

At a meeting held at La Paz on the 8th day of December 1862 by persons claiming interests in mineral veins near the Castle Dome range of mountains Col Snively was requested to act as Chairman and H. Ehrenberg as Secretary of the meeting and the following resolutions were adopted. “That the District wherein said veins are situated be called the Castle Dome District and be bounded as follows: Beginning at the peak known as Castle Dom – Thence 10 miles south – Thence East 10 miles – Thence north 10 miles – Thence West 10 miles to the starting … Read more

Biography of William S. Oury

William S. Oury was born in Wythe County, Virginia, on August 13th, 1816. In early life he drifted to the west and was with General Sam Houston, at the battle of San Jacinto. He came to Arizona in 1856, and engaged in stock raising and trading. He bore his part in the early history of the Territory, and was a member of several expeditions against the Indians. He organized the expedition against the Indians which resulted in what has been called the “Camp Grant Massacre.’ ‘ The following is his own story concerning it; and is a paper read by … Read more

Biography of Sylvester Mowry

Sylvester Mowry entered West Point Academy in 1848, graduating high up in his class in 1852. Among his classmates were General Crook, General Kautz, Colonel Mendel, Jerome Bonaparte, Jr., Major General Evans, Captain Mullin of San Francisco, Lieutenant Ives, and other well known army officers. In the summer of 1853, he was engaged with George B. McClellan on the Columbia, surveying for a railroad route; in 1855 he was with Colonel Steptoe at Salt Lake City, and in the spring of that year conducted some recruits and animals through to California. At this time he was a lieutenant, and, late … Read more

Biography of Samuel Hughes

Samuel Hughes, probably the oldest pioneer Arizonan now living, was born in Wales, British Isles, August 28th, 1829. In 1837 his father settled in Pennsylvania, where Mr. Hughes lived up to 1848, when he became a cabin boy on the Mississippi River, which vocation he followed until 1850, at which time he came to California overland from St. Louis. His first mining was done in Hangtown, California. In 1851 he went to Yreka, California. In 1852 he crossed the mountains to Rogue River Valley in Oregon, where he was one of the first to discover Rich Gulch at Jacksonville. In … Read more

Biography of Samuel C. Miller

Samuel C. Miller as we have heretofore seen was one of the Walker Party, the first to discover gold in northern Arizona. He was the youngest member of this exploring band, and was, in many respects, a very remarkable man. He was born in Peoria, Illinois, November 4th, 1840. At the age of fifteen, he crossed the plains to the Pacific coast with his father and mother, making the entire journey on foot. He was naturally a frontiersman, which may account for the fact of his joining the Walker party at the age of twenty-one years to explore the wilderness … Read more

Biography of Peter Rainsford Brady

Among the early pioneers of Arizona, none bore a more prominent part in its development than Peter Rainsford Brady. He came, on his paternal side, from good old Irish stock. His mother, Anna Rainsford, was from Virginia. He was born in Georgetown, District of Columbia, August 4th, 1825; received his education, in part, at the Georgetown College, later entering the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, from which he was graduated about the year 1&44. After cruising around the Mediterranean Sea in the United States vessel “Plymouth,” he resigned from the navy, and left his home October 26th, 1846, for San … Read more

Biography of Peter Kitchen

One of the earliest pioneers of Arizona was Peter Kitchen, who came to the Territory in 1854. He was born in Covington, Kentucky, in 1822. Little is known of his early life beyond the fact that he served in some capacity during the Mexican War. He was a man, as I remember him, about five feet ten inches in height, rather spare, always wearing a wide brimmed sombrero; very quiet in his manner; low and soft spoken. There was nothing about the man to indicate the daredevil of dime novels, which is associated in the Eastern mind with the pioneers … Read more

Biography of Pauline Weaver

Probably, the first white settler, if, indeed, a trapper at that time could be called a settler, was Pauline Weaver, a native of White County, Tennessee. Of his early history there is little known. His name is inscribed upon the walls of the Casa Grande with the date, 1833. He is credited with having explored the Verde, and also the Colorado River numerous times. There was hardly a foot of the Territory of Arizona he was not conversant with. Differing entirely from the majority of the trappers of that day, he had no difficulties with the Indians, but was always … Read more

Biography of Michael Goldwater

One of the earliest business men to settle permanently in Arizona was Michael Goldwater, who came to Arizona in 1860, locating at La Paz on the Colorado River. At that time he was associated in business with Mr. B. Cohen, and founded a large forwarding and trading business besides being Government contractors and merchants. They erected the first mill upon the Vulture Mine, and when it was completed, Mr. Goldwater, with Mr. James Cusenberry, the superintendent, took charge of the property, and ran the mill for about ninety days, paying off all the debts upon it and then turning it … Read more

Biography of L. J. F. Jaeger

The following biographical sketch of L. J. F. Jaeger was furnished me by his son, now living at Tucson: “My father, L. J. F. Jaeger, was born in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He worked as a mechanic in the Baldwin shops, Philadelphia. Later was appointed mechanic in the arsenal at Washington, D. C. In the latter part of 1848, he took the first sailing vessel out of Philadelphia bound for San Francisco, the ‘Mason. ‘ On reaching San Francisco he worked for a while as a carpenter. At that time the Bay extended to Montgomery Street. He was then employed as … Read more

Biography of King S. Woolsey

Among the most notable of the early pioneers of Arizona, was King S. Woolsey. He was a native of Alabama, but was raised to manhood in Louisiana, from which state he emigrated to California when only eighteen years of age. He came into this territory in 1860 in company with Mr. Benedict of Tucson, and Colonel Jackson, who settled in Yavapai County. When they landed in Yuma, all the money in the party was five dollars, which King Woolsey had. In addition he had a horse, rifle and pistol, and the others were similarly mounted and armed. They had ridden … Read more

Biography of John F. Stone

The Tucson Post prints the following concerning John F. Stone: “Stone Avenue was named for John F. Stone. Just how or why he came to the country no one now living seems to know. He was a man of considerable means and of magnificent physique. Of powerful build and wearing a heavy black beard he stood distinguished among his fellow men. A rich gold vein had been discovered in Apache Pass, and upon this he built a small reduction mill. While en route to Tucson with the proceeds of the first month’s run, he was killed by Indians in Dragoon … Read more

Biography of James Pennington

James Pennington, familiarly known as “Old Pennington,” was also one of the pioneers of Arizona. The Pennington family consisted of James Pennington, his wife and five children, three daughters and two sons. They moved from Tennessee into Texas, and from thence pushed westward through New Mexico into Arizona and settled upon the Sonoita near Fort Buchanan in the year 1857 or 1858. During the time of the abandonment of the country by the Americans “he occupied,” says Ross Browne, “a small cabin three miles above the Calabasas, surrounded by roving bands of hostile Indians. He stubbornly refused to leave the … Read more

Biography of Jackson McCracken

Jackson McCracken, a member of the Walker Party, served in the First Legislative Assembly of Arizona Territory in 1861, as a member of the lower house from Yavapai County. He was born in South Carolina in 1828. After his arrival in the territory with the Walker Party, he spent his time in mining and prospecting. Evidently, he was not very fastidious as to dress or personal appearance, for the following story is told of him: After his election, some of his constituents went to him and told him that he was now a member of the First Legislature of the … Read more