Topic: Arizona History

Undoubtedly the Confederate invasion of Arizona and New Mexico, and the organization of Arizona into a separate Territory by the Confederates, which was acknowledged by the Confederate Government, with the discovery of gold in large quantities in Arizona, of which the Government at that time stood in great need, were the real causes of the passage of the bill through Congress in the session of 1862-63 for the creation of the Territory of Arizona. Charles D. Poston, who was in Washington at that time, aided by General Heintzelman, was active in promoting the measure, which had the support of Ben … Read more

In the campaign; of 1844, which resulted in the election of James K. Polk to the presidency over Henry Clay, the democrats had declared for two things, first, the annexation of Texas, and, second, the extending of their claims upon the Pacific to 59° 40. The last official act of President Tyler was the signing of a joint resolution of both Houses of Congress for the annexation of Texas, and one of the first acts of President Polk was to officially notify the people of Texas of such annexation. A treaty with England was made which defined the boundaries on … Read more

From the time of the organization of the Territory of New Mexico, which embraced Arizona, up to 1867, when it was abolished by act of Congress, peonage prevailed in that Territory. Peonage was one of the worst forms of slavery and it is described fully by W. W. H. Davis in his work entitled “El Gringo” as follows: “Another peculiar feature of New Mexico is the system of domestic servitude called peonage that has existed and still exists in all the Spanish American colonies. It seems to have been an institution of the civil law, and in New Mexico, is … Read more

On the morning of September 27th, 1861, a force of over two hundred warriors attacked the mining village of Pinos Altos, but, fortunately for the people, Captain Martin had arrived the night before with a detachment of Arizona Guards, a volunteer organization, and after several hours hard fighting, the Indians were driven off with considerable loss. Soon after one hundred and fifty warriors attacked a large wagon train, one day out from Pinos Altos, and besieged it for fourteen hours. The train escaped destruction by the timely arrival of the Arizona Guards, who escorted it to the Mimbres River. The … Read more

To Mr. Silas St. John, who was connected with the San Antonio and San Diego Line, established in 1857, we are indebted for the following facts in reference to this, the first stage line ever established across Arizona: “The initial contract was for a semimonthly service between San Diego, California, and San Antonio, Texas, via El Paso. Mr. James E. Birch, President of the California Stage Company, took it as a personal venture for the sum of one hundred and forty-nine thousand dollars per year. Mr. Isaiah C. Woods, previously at the head of Adams & Company’s Express in California, … Read more

According to the terms of the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, the Commissioners of the Boundary Survey were to be appointed within one year from the signing of the treaty. Mexico appointed General Pedro Garcia Conde, and President Polk, early in 1849, appointed John B. Weller, who had served in Congress from Ohio, and afterwards in the United States Senate from California, and also as Governor of the last mentioned State. In February, 1850, after establishing the initial point for the survey, the Commission adjourned. Soon thereafter Weller was superseded by John C. Fremont who, having been elected Senator from California, … Read more

In Sylvester Mowry ‘s book: ” Arizona and Sonora,” 3rd Edition, published in 1864, is given the report of F. Biertu, metallurgist, on the Mowry mine and others situated in that part of the country, which describes, perhaps better than can be done in any other way, the condition of the mining industry around Tubac and Tucson in the year 1860. The report is as follows: “My first visit to the Patagonia Mine, now called Mowry Silver Mines, has lasted four days – the time necessary to give it a full examination in all its parts, and to make a … Read more

Arizona Biographies from History Of Arizona Volume 2 Biographical Sketch of John T. Alsap Biographical Sketch of A. F. Banta Biography of Peter Rainsford Brady Biography of Charles O. Brown Biographical Sketch of James Cusenberry Biography of Herman Ehrenberg Biography of Michael Goldwater Biography of Charles Trumbull Hayden Biography of Samuel Hughes Biography of L. J. F. Jaeger Biography of Captain Thomas Jonathan Jeffords Biographical Sketch of W. H. Kirkland Biography of Peter Kitchen Biographical Sketch of Charles H. Meyer Biography of Jackson McCracken Biography of Samuel C. Miller Biography of Sylvester Mowry Biography of Estevan Ochoa Biography of William … Read more

The Yuma Indians and the Mohave Indians live along the Colorado river; are and have been for some time at peace with the whites, and have received the largest portion of the appropriation made annually for the benefit of the friendly Indians of this Territory. They have received just enough assistance from the Government to cause them to believe that they can live without work, but too little to keep off the gnawings of hunger. The result is that they are reduced to the lowest stages of degradation. Licentiousness and disease are doing their work, and soon these Indians will … Read more

The market price of produce will average, at Tucson and south of the Gila River: Beef, on the block 12 to 15 cents per pound. Fresh Butter 75 cents per pound. Bacon 35 to 40 cents per pound. Irish Potatoes 6 cents per pound. Eggs 75 cents per dozen. Flour 6 cents per pound. Wheat, Barley and Corn 3 cents per pound. At Prescott and in Central Arizona: Beef, on the block 15 to 20 cents per pound. Fresh Butter $1.25 per pound. Bacon 35 to 40 cents per pound. Irish Potatoes 8 cents per pound. Eggs $1 per dozen. … Read more