By Al Bates

When America’s Civil War started in 1861, “Colonel” Palatine Robinson was a prominent Tucson businessman and an active Arizona politician while his lovely and fair-complexioned wife, Sarah E. Robinson, was the belle of Tucson’s small Anglo community.  Less than two years later Palatine was a fugitive, a bail jumper on his way to Confederate Texas.  Sarah was left behind in Union-occupied territory, quite likely never to see her husband again.

By Al Bates

In January 1737 Captain Juan Bautista de Anza reported from his outpost in Sonora to his superiors in central Mexico that there were vast deposits of silver near the “Arizona rancheria” owned by his deputy mayor, Bernardo de Urrea.  That discovery, known as the Planchas de Plata, had two results.  The first was a struggle over ownership of the silver.  The second was the adoption of the rancheria’s name to identify the surrounding area as well.

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.