Originally written by Michael Wurtz and first appeared in the Courier's Days Past column on November 2, 1997.  This version is slightly different form from the original article.

Mollie Monroe has the unfortunate distinction of being the first woman in Arizona Territory to be declared insane.  Born in New Hampshire in 1846 to a fairly affluent family, she was christened Mary Elizabeth Sanger and was given a finishing school education to equip her for marriage to a successful businessman.

By Al Bates

Arizona pioneer Richard Gird is a tough man to pigeonhole.  Although his formal schooling ended at age 16, his considerable practical skills included: prospector, mining and mechanical engineer, surveyor, geologist, assayer of mineral wealth, and cartographer.  To top it off, he was a man of his word.

Alvina E. (Bennett) Mackin Clyburn was born April 22, 1883, at the site of Banning Creek that is now covered by Goldwater Lake. Her parents were Charles Henry and Alvina Maria (Rodriguez) Bennett.

On April 2, 1902, she married Peter Mackin, superintendent of Silver King Mine. They owned a ranch and Old Halfway House in the Groom Creek area; this was a stagecoach stop, with overnight accommodations.  

Helen “Ellen” Forrest Maders Stephens, was born in Scotland in 1827.  Her parent’s names are not known. She was married in Scotland and had a son named George Forrest (1848 – 1916). When her first husband died (his first name is not known), the young George was sent to live with his father’s family. One day in 1849, as George was playing in a park under the supervision of his nurse, Helen kidnapped him, took him to a ship and sailed off to America.

Nora Catherine (Larremore) Kinsman Roberts Ryan Gray Alexander was born on July 1, 1890, in Globe, Gila County, Arizona Territory, the daughter of Sarah Jane (Milne) and Lebious Thadious Larremore. When she was very young, the family moved to Humboldt, Yavapai County, Arizona Territory.

Clare Josephine (McEachran) Lessard was born January 30, 1887 in Williamsburg, Iowa, to Robert McEachran of Indiana and Bridget Isabell (O’Hehir) McEachran of County Clare, Ireland.

Clare was the sixth of seven children born to the McEachran family of Iowa: Mary F. McEachran (1872); James E McEachran (1873); John F. McEachran (1875); Ellen H. (McEachran) Donohoe (1878); Annie M. McEachran (1880); and Helen A. McEachran (1892).

Alice Mildred (Anderson) Buell Adamson Grimes was born on December 12, 1906, in Bisbee, Cochise County, Arizona Territory,  to Edith Maude (Haggard) and William Melvin Anderson.

Alice attended Tempe Normal School in Tempe, Arizona where she received a teaching degree in 1926. She started teaching immediately at the elementary school that she had attended, Nofstger Hill School in Globe.

Edith Maude (Haggard) Anderson was born April 7, 1880, in Springfield, Brown County, Minnesota, to Henry and Lucy (Sammer) Haggard.  She had auburn hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion.  She had one sister, Agnes. 

Mary “Elizabeth” (Aughey) Young Collinson was born in Canada October 31, 1840. The exact place of birth and her parents are unknown.

At a young age she married Joseph Young, and they had five children-- four boys and one girl.  Reportedly only two children survived to adulthood.  George Henry was born March 1868 and Leonard Bingham was born April 1872 in London, Ontario, Canada. 

Louise C. (Genung) Earle Walcott was born November 28, 1873, in Peeples Valley, Arizona Territory, to Charles Baldwin and Ida (Smith) Genung.  Her father, Charles Genung, came to Arizona Territory in 1863 and worked as a miner, administrator of the Colorado River Indian Reservation, Peeples Valley postmaster, and rancher.  Her mother was born in Iowa and traveled with her family by covered wagon to California as a child.  She met Charles in California, and they married in 1869.