Mary Elizabeth (Betty) (Larremore) Lange was born on January 11, 1873, in Texas, the daughter of Lebbius T. and Sarah (Milne) Larremore. Otto Augustus Lange met Mary Elizabeth in Carlsbad, New Mexico, when she and her family were on the way to the Arizona Territory. Otto kept track of the Larremore family, and they both settled near Globe.
When she was just fifteen years old, Mary rode behind Otto on his horse the twelve miles into Globe, Pinal County, Arizona Territory to be married on Christmas Day 1888. The first two of their ten children, Sarah Agnes Eckert (March 25, 1890) and Otto A. Jr. (November 21, 1892), were born in a tent-home in Globe, where Mary hid the children under the bed when Indians came around.
In 1895, the Langes and the Larremores moved to Yeager Canyon, near Prescott, Yavapai County, Arizona Territory, and their family continued to grow. Two more girls were born: Mary Ellen Johnston on June 12, 1895, and Clara on January 25, 1898. Sons Walter Rudolph (August 18, 1899) and John Houston (July 7, 1902) were born in Prescott. On June 8, 1905, Mary gave birth to Hazel Frances, who died in infancy. Charles Addison was born on February 20, 1908.
In February 1905, Mr. Lange acquired the ML Ranch in the area now known as Prescott Valley. This ranch was sold in 1909, after which he purchased and later sold the P Bar Ranch south of Groom Creek.
The Langes went back to Texas for a short time. On their return to Arizona in 1910, they purchased the GJ Ranch on the Verde River near Paulden. Otto and Mary's last two children, Iola Alice Pike (September 25, 1910) and Robert Elmer, were born in Prescott. In 1913 they repurchased the P Bar Ranch.
Mary moved into Prescott for the school terms, and at various times she and the children lived in rented homes on Marina, Virginia, Sheldon and Pleasant Streets. In 1928, they bought a house at 140 N. Mount Vernon Street. According to her granddaughter Mona, Mary indulged in dipping a little snuff, a habit which began when she was given snuff to deaden a toothache when she was barely a teenager. When the Larremore children misbehaved, she remembered, they were told they would receive a spanking from their dad at "2:00 next Wednesday."
A pioneer ranch wife, Mary was active in community affairs, and her sons participated in the rodeo during Frontier Days. Her sister May Wilson is also represented in the Territorial Women’s Memorial Rose Garden.
Mary died on January 18, 1954, and was buried in Mountain View Cemetery in Prescott.
Donor: Mona Lange McCroskey
Photo Located: PB-005, F-77–169, I-0825p
Updated: 5/9/2015, N. Freer
