By Worcester P. Bong

What do a Medal of Honor recipient, a Major General, an Apache Scout and a former Whipple Hospital Director have in common? They’re all laid to rest at the Prescott National Cemetery in Prescott, Arizona.

The Prescott National Cemetery has an illustrious history since its beginnings in 1864. Initially the cemetery was established at the temporary location of Fort Whipple in Del Rio Springs (north of present-day Chino Valley). In May of 1864, when Fort Whipple relocated to its permanent location, 1-1/2 miles east of Prescott, the cemetery was located along Granite Creek near the fort. In 1869, after several flash floods washed out numerous burials, the cemetery was relocated to the southern part of the fort’s property. The current location of the cemetery, one half mile southeast of the fort was established in the late 1800’s. In January 1904, the last buried remains from the cemetery on the fort’s grounds were relocated to the current location. 

The history of national cemeteries begins with President Abraham Lincoln and the US Civil War (1861-1865). In July of 1862, mounting death tolls from the war led Congress to empower President Lincoln to purchase cemetery grounds. These became national cemeteries to honor Union soldiers who died in the service of our country. Fourteen national cemeteries were established and managed by the War Department as the National Cemetery System. Many of the national cemeteries were placed near military hospitals, recruitment and training centers. After the war, the National Cemetery Act of February 22, 1867, was passed to finance and expand national cemeteries. By 1870 approximately 300,000 Union soldiers had been buried in 73 national cemeteries.

By Tom Brodersen

Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is an ancient Jewish celebration of religious freedom which has been observed for over 2000 years. Hanukkah is still celebrated by Jews all over the world. For most of its history it was considered only a minor festival in comparison to Passover, Rosh Hashana or Yom Kippur. When Prescott was founded, Hanukkah was mostly observed in Jewish homes by lighting candles and saying prayers, which would not be noted in the historical record.

Like most Americans, most of the pioneers were at least nominally Christian. Jews were a small minority among the immigrants seeking religious freedom and economic opportunity. When Michel Goldwater, a Polish Jew, left his home in 1835, he could not have dreamed that his grandson, Barry Goldwater, would one day be a candidate for President of the United States. Michel Goldwater, himself, was elected mayor of Prescott in 1885. His son, Morris Goldwater, served as Prescott’s mayor for over 20 years. They were among many Jewish immigrants who settled in Prescott in territorial days and contributed to the development of Arizona.

By Stuart Rosebrook, Executive Director, Sharlot Hall Museum

In American naval history, few ships are more honored than the Pennsylvania class of battleship, the U.S.S. Arizona. When the Arizona was christened by Prescott’s own Esther Ross in the Brooklyn Naval Yard in front of 75,000 on June 19, 1915, no one could conceive of the battleship’s fateful future; in contrast, the Arizona’s construction, along with its sister-ship Pennsylvania, was heralded as a symbol of America’s commitment to being one of the world’s most powerful militaries, a stern and strong message to its enemies in the war raging in Europe and the Atlantic.

How did 17-year-old Esther Ross, daughter of a Prescott pharmacist, become Arizona’s representative to christen the young state’s namesake battleship? She received an appointment from Governor George W. P. Hunt, but it was her father, William W. Ross, who championed his daughter’s role. “He quietly started to talk to his friends,” Esther Ross Wassell remembered in an interview with journalist Bob Thomas in 1967. “In the three years since the keel was laid he managed to get quite a backing. Gov. Hunt chose me out of hundreds of girls. Of course, like I said, my father started working on it a lot earlier than the other fathers.” 

By Parker Anderson

Broadcast radio over the airwaves began in the 1920s in various parts of the nation. By 1929 Arizona had four radio stations---two in Phoenix and two in Tucson. That same year, the state’s fifth radio station went on the air from Prescott, becoming that town’s first broadcasting station. KPJM was operated by the Prescott Arizona Journal Miner newspaper, hence its call letters. It was one of many renamings of the original Arizona Miner newspaper that had existed since 1864. Its success was waning at this time and the newspaper would end in 1934.

It took Arizona businessman Albert Stetson to bring radio back to Prescott. Mr. Stetson was already known in town for having opened the Studio Theatre for movies in 1933, as well as owning other movie houses in the state. Branching out into radio, Stetson launched KYCA on Sunday, August 25, 1940. He appointed himself President and General Manager of the station. KYCA was licensed to broadcast on a frequency of 1500 kilocycles, with a power output of 250 watts. The call letters stood for Yavapai County, Arizona.

Marjory J. Sente

Born June 8, 1879, in Prescott, Bessie Ethel Hatz was the second child of Arizona pioneers Daniel and Catherine Shanberger Hatz. A Swiss native, Bessie’s father came to Prescott in 1864 by way of Colorado. Daniel and John Raible constructed the territory’s first governor’s mansion, now the Sharlot Hall Museum’s centerpiece.

Bessie’s mother, then 23, arrived in 1875 by ox-team from San Bernardino with her sister, Younda Shanberger Probst and family. Daniel and Catherine were married in December that same year.

Bessie excelled in school. Although Prescott didn’t have a high school at the time, the quality of her education was sufficient that, in 1899, she applied for and received a teaching certificate. She taught at a school in Groom Creek during the fall, commuting between there and Prescott on weekends.

By Bradley G. Courtney

John Henry “Doc” Holliday’s two separate stints in Prescott in 1879 and 1880 weren’t noted in the local newspaper, the Arizona Miner. The first stretch was with Kate, who he sometimes called his wife. However, in the late winter of 1880, Doc broke it off with Kate, left Prescott, and returned to Las Vegas, New Mexico, for a few months. He returned to Prescott as a single man, probably in May. Doc then rented a room from businessman Richard Elliott, and was housemates with acting governor John Gosper.

In 1884, after a shooting incident in Colorado, Prescott locals would recall that Doc became a “well-known sporting man” during his two stays, meaning that the dentist turned full-time gambler made an impression on Whiskey Row. There’s no record regarding what saloons or other places Doc patronized, but we can be sure he went where faro was played.

By Bradley G. Courtney

Last week, John Henry “Doc” Holliday’s first tenure in Prescott—spanning the winter of 1879-80—was described. He spent that time with “Big Nose” Kate before she departed for Globe while Doc returned to Las Vegas, New Mexico, to tie up some loose ends and take advantage of the nearby Montezuma Springs.

Holliday was back in Prescott that spring. His name, written as “J. H. Holladay,” appeared in the 1880 Federal Census for Yavapai County. It’s sometimes difficult to remember that Doc was a young man at this time, being only 28-years old. His occupation was listed as dentist. The owner of the boarding house where Doc rented a room was Richard Elliott, a man who wore many hats.

By Bradley G. Courtney

Prescott history buffs know that the legendary John Henry “Doc” Holliday lived in Prescott before moving on to Tombstone. Most, however, don’t realize that Doc actually spent two separate tenures in our mountain town, the first of which was during the winter of 1879-80.

Doc came to Prescott by way of Las Vegas, New Mexico. His friend, Wyatt Earp, had gotten the hell out of Dodge City, Kansas, because he’d heard from brother Virgil, constable of Prescott at the time, about a new boomtown in southern Arizona with an unwelcoming name, Tombstone. No one can say for certain why Doc decided to join the Earp party, because almost a year would pass after hearing of Tombstone from Wyatt before he finally joined him there.

Holliday, with his girlfriend/partner Kate, arrived in Prescott in early November 1879. The couple found lodging in town while Wyatt and his lady, Mattie, stayed with Virgil and Allie. Wyatt’s time in Prescott was short, indeed more like an “extended layover” than a stay. He and Virgil were anxious to get to Tombstone.

By Worcester P. Bong

November is the month in which Thanksgiving Day is celebrated in America as a federal holiday. Families and friends gather to express gratitude for good health and well-being. Earlier in the month, on November 11^th, (also a federal holiday) is Veterans Day, celebrated to honor and express thanks to all U.S. military veterans.

During Arizona’s early territorial years, the Governor at the time would issue a proclamation of Thanksgiving observance. In the November 23, 1867 issue of the Arizona Miner, the proclamation was printed in its entirety. The beginning read as follows, “To the People of Arizona, the President of the United States having designated Thursday, the 28^th instant, as a day of general thanksgiving and praise to God. Now, therefore, I, Richard C. McCormick, Governor of the Territory of Arizona, do recommend that the day be observed in this new country, where, even amid unusual exposure and trial, the pioneer is constantly reminded of the goodness and mercy of Him who controlleth the destinies of men.”

By Marjory J. Sente

On July 23, 1898, four of prominent Phoenician Sam Dysart’s offspring—Fred, age 25; Winifred, 20; Zella, 17; and Arthur, 12—set out from Phoenix to visit the Grand Canyon. A team of two horses—Vic and Nell—pulled the wagon. Trilby, their dog, accompanied them during their seven-week sojourn.

Having just completed her junior year at Phoenix High School, Zella kept a diary of the trip, providing observations of summer in Arizona and insights into life in 1898.

The Dysart siblings reached the outskirts south of Prescott around noon on July 30. After quickly making camp, they went to town for provisions and to pick up their mail.

“We sought the latter first, as might be supposed, and were much pleased to find two good letters from Papa. We read them on the street corner, then drove to the store.” The letters were sent to them at the Prescott Post Office in care of general delivery.

Fred had visited Prescott three years prior on a trip to the Grand Canyon and noted that the town had grown considerably.