Mary (Ward) Ruffner was born on June 13, 1888, in Benton, Illinois, the daughter of Lulu B. Ward. She was raised by her widowed mother and a maiden aunt. She had two siblings, Helen and John.

"She claimed to have been an indifferent student," her son Lester “Budge” Ruffner wrote in a birthday tribute to her in 1933, "yet in the world of music she possessed a talent far above average. . . It demanded that her family, mother, aunts, uncles and cousins pool funds for her advanced training."

Helen Margaret (Born) Royer was born on March 14, 1902, in Prescott, Yavapai County, Arizona Territory, daughter of Margaret Barney Johnston and Charles Born Jr. She grew up in Prescott and lived at 418 Weaver Street (now Goodwin Street). She was a member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church where she was baptized, confirmed and married.

Marie (Burdick) Roper was born on August 8, 1875, in Pueblo, Colorado, the daughter of Ellen and William Burdick. Her father was a jeweler by trade who had been born in New York.

Marie married Dr. Ralph Jay Roper a native of Illinois on November 26, 1899, in Orange County, California. The Ropers came to Prescott, Arizona the next day. Dr. Roper was born in Illinois, the son of John J. & Eraminta (Paine) Roper. Ralph had become a dentist. He had graduated from the University of Michigan Dental School.

Annie J. (Moore) Roberts was born on March 15, 1862 in Enterprise, Clarke County, Mississippi. She was the daughter of Mary (Page) and Joseph F. Moore. Her formal name was Julia Anne Roberts, but she went by Annie.

She was fourteen years old when she married George W. Roberts on December 28, 1876 in Clarke County, Mississippi. In 1877, they moved by covered wagon to North Marshfield, Coos County, Oregon.

Virginia “Virgie” Allen (Hite) Robbins was born on December 6, 1887, in Eureka Springs, Carroll County, Arkansas, the daughter of Fannie Fern Fitzsimmons and Marion Francis Hite. Her mother, Fannie, passed away in 1897.

Nellie Grace (Miller) Ritter was born in Barrackville, Marion County, West Virginia, on March 20, 1882, the daughter of Enos and Mary Elizabeth (Pitzer) Miller. Her mother died in 1898. Nellie came to the Arizona Territory in 1902 to care for her brother, Curtis, who had arrived in Arizona before her and then become ill with tuberculosis.

Renette (Hill) Rees was born December 29, 1882, in San Diego County, California, the daughter of Clayton E. and Laura Hill. She had one brother, Herbert, born in 1888. She came to Chino Valley, Yavapai County, Arizona Territory, in 1883 when she was one year old for a visit with her relatives, the Storm family of Chino Valley.

Ida May (Finch) Redden was born October 27, 1876, in Florence,  Pinal County, Arizona Territory, the daughter of Sarah (Lewis) and George Nelson Finch, early pioneers of California and the Arizona Territory. Ida was one of nine children born to her relatively poor but hard-working parents.  Her siblings were Charles Edward, Louisa, Emma, Robert, Jesse Martin, Ira Lewis, George Nelson and Carrie Isabel.

Abbie Harriet (Wright) Raudebaugh was born June 5, 1886, in Clifton, Iroquois County, Illinois, the daughter of Mary (Harling) and Charles Wright. Abbie had two younger brothers, Willard and Guy. Unfortunately, Willard lost his life during World War I.

Like many women of her time, Abbie endured hardships and sorrows but continued to live with diligence, sweetness and humor.  Abbie lost her mother when she was quite young and was not treated kindly by her stepmother.  She attended school in Chicago as a teenager, while living with her father, stepmother and brothers.

Laura C. (Digby) Perkins was born on January 15, 1886, in Cold Springs, Campbell County, Kentucky. She was the daughter of Sarah “Sallie” (Murnan) and James S. Digby. Laura was the youngest of seven children; her siblings were James Jr., Fannie, Josie, Lida, Kennel and Susan.