By Charles B. Genung, 1915
(Edited by Parker Anderson and Kathy Krause)
(Ed. Note: Charles B. Genung (1839-1916) was one of Arizona’s earliest pioneers in the area soon after Arizona had been officially declared a Territory in Feb. 1863. He is a legend in the Yarnell-Peeples Valley area. Arriving in Arizona in July 1863, he first began mining down the hill from Yarnell in the Rich Hill-Stanton area where many other miners were striking claims. He was involved with much of the earliest mining in the Hassayampa River-Walnut Grove area. He believed his mine, the Montgomery, was the first quartz mine in the new Territory.
He married Ida Smith in 1869 and, in 1870, due to increasing problems with Apache Indians, moved to Peeples Valley, north of Yarnell, and started operating a ranch which he had purchased in 1865 from Abraham Peeples. It was C. B. Genung who chose the site for the cemetery there which now bears his name: Genung Memorial Park. He befriended the Yavapai Indians and fought for respectable treatment of them at a time when such views were widely unpopular.
In later life, he was befriended by Sharlot M. Hall, who persuaded him to recount his memories and, at the same time, help her obtain historical relics in anticipation of opening her museum in Prescott. C. B. and Ida had 10 children and the youngest, Grace, often accompanied Sharlot to surrounding ranches in search of items for the museum.
The article which follows first appeared in the long-defunct Yavapai Magazine, June 1915. Genung’s account here and with other writings was probably due to Sharlot’s urging. He died the following year, 1916, and is interred in Citizen’s Cemetery in Prescott.)
Charles B. Genung:
"I am submitting herewith a history of the finding and working of the first gold mines of Yavapai County.
In July 1863, I left San Francisco in company with Dr. John R. Howard and J. W. Beauchamp to go overland to Mexico. At Los Angeles, we met some men who had just returned from Lynx Creek and Rich Hill.
Dr. Howard had known the Walkers and other members of the Walker party in Contra Costa County where the party was organized. We concluded to take in the new strike, as it was not much off the direct road to Mexico.
When we got to Rich Hill we made the acquaintance of a man named A. J. Mayhan, who had been six years prospecting in Mexico and who wished to go to the Walker diggings and we were glad of his company.
We traveled to the Hassayampa (River ed.) and camped the first night just above the Walnut Grove dam site. Following the stream, we did a little prospecting for placer gold but found nothing attractive until we struck a quartz boulder near a tank of water, where Dr. Howard had taken the horse to water. The boulder showed some free gold. Beauchamp, who had prospected in Nevada and California, at once became interested. While the doctor returned to camp with the horses, Beauchamp began tracing float up the steep mountainside. In two or three hours, he came to camp with his hat full of nice gold quartz.
We located the ledge for the four of us. Dr. Howard suggested the name of the new find as Montgomery, that being his home town in Alabama.
We had brought pick, pan, shovel, and horn spoon from Weaver, near Rich Hill, and at once set to work on the new find. Howard did not stay long, as he was anxious to meet the Walkers.
He took a copy of our location notice to John Pennington, who kept the records of the placer locations, and had it recorded. Pennington was camped under a juniper tree about three miles above us on the creek."
Next week, Mr. Genung continues with his firsthand experiences of mining in 1863 in the Hassayampa-Walnut Grove area and his thoughts concerning mining in 1915.
Dan B. Genung, Jr., a grandson, has written a book about his grandfather, "Death in His Saddlebags: Charles Baldwin Genung – Arizona Pioneer," available at B & N and Amazon.com.
Sharlot Hall Museum Photograph Call Number:(pb126f9i4) Reuse only bypermission.