By Al Bates

In last week’s article we traced Arizona’s early days as a neglected part of New Mexico Territory and how the Gadsden Purchase started the concept of a political subdivision by that name.  This week we look at the shaping of Arizona (literally) by the United States Congress and how its first government was formed.

The debate over splitting Arizona from New Mexico Territory included some 18 Congressional bills that produced a variety of proposed shapes.  Some proposals split Arizona from New Mexico Territory along a horizontal line while others called for a vertical split.  It was not until February 20, 1863, that the Senate finally agreed to a bill that had passed in the House over nine months earlier.  President Lincoln signed the statute four days later.  The next step was to appoint a slate of officers for the new territory.  And here’s where Charles Debrile Poston, the self-designated “Father of Arizona”, comes in.

Poston, a colorful self promoter, had been one of the earliest adventurers to inspect the Gadsden Purchase for potential mineral riches (fabled Spanish silver mines) and had, with backing of Eastern financial interests, established a productive mining operation with its headquarters at Tubac.  However, with the coming of the Civil War and the resultant withdrawal of Union troops from New Mexico Territory, the Apache menace forced him and surviving associates to flee to safer climes.

Poston was soon in Washington where he began, by his description, successful efforts to lobby the president and members of Congress in the cause of territorial status for Arizona.  When these efforts appeared to be bearing fruit, he turned his attention to the forming of the new territorial government with, he hoped, a prominent role for himself.  And that brings us to the fabled “Oyster Dinner” with a guest list of congressional “lame ducks” and other politicians eager to gain public appointments in the new territory.

Details of the dinner, such as who organized it and who paid the bills, are not revealed in Poston’s account of the event, but through his presence he was able to get for himself the consolation post of Territorial Indian Agent, but only after all the plum assignments had been doled out.  His contention in later years that his influence on the lame ducks aided in final passage of the creation bill is self serving and probably inaccurate.

This map shows Arizona Territory in its original configuration with its first political subdivisions, the original three judicial and legislative districts. The projection at the northwest corner later became a part of Nevada (Map Courtesy of Author).

Preparations for the journey from Washington D. C. were made with the goal of the newly appointed officers being in Arizona before 1863 ended (thus to ensure that the officers were eligible for that year’s pay), but were delayed by the death of Governor-to-be John A. Gurley.

The final slate of territorial officers included: Governor John N. Goodwin, Secretary Richard C. McCormick, Chief Justice William F. Turner, Associate Justice William T. Howell, Associate Justice Joseph P. Allyn, District Attorney Almon Gage, U. S. Marshal Milton Duffield, Surveyor-General Levi Bashford, Superintendent of Indian Affairs Poston and Postmaster the Reverend Hiram W. Reed.

The bulk of the Governor’s Party traveled west over the Santa Fe Trail, arriving at Santa Fe on November 26.  Poston and Marshal Duffield travelled separately to Tucson (via San Francisco), arriving in January 1864 where they expected to meet the Governor’s Party.  (One proposed version of the Organic Act included a provision that the seat of government be established in Tucson, but that item was removed, thus leaving the location to be selected by the governor.)

Plans had changed and when the Governor’s party left Santa Fe their new destination was to be the new gold diggings in the Central Arizona Highlands and the eventual establishment of Arizona’s first Territorial Capital on the banks of Granite Creek.

(Days Past is a collaborative project of the Sharlot Hall Museum and the Prescott Corral of Westerners, International. The public is encouraged to submit articles for Days Past consideration. Please contact Assistant Archivist, Scott Anderson, at SHM Archives 928-445-3122 or via email at archivesrequest@sharlothallmuseum.org for information.)