Annie “Mettie” (Simmons) Evans was born in Prescott, Yavapai County, Arizona Territory, May 28, 1879, the daughter of John Franklin and Sarah (Akard) Simmons, who came from two colorful pioneer families. Her father, John Franklin Simmons, was the son of John Wilson Simmons, who served in the third and fourth Arizona Territorial Legislatures. The Simmons family came to Arizona Territory in 1864 from Kansas and settled along Willow Creek in Williamson Valley.

Pearl Viola (Satathite) Ethridge, daughter of William Jackson and Lillian Belle Satathite, was born in Glendale, Maricopa County, Arizona Territory, on February 8, 1912. Her parents, both Texas natives, had moved to Glendale from Socorro County, New Mexico.  After Pearl’s birth, the family moved to Thompson Valley, which is in Yava, Yavapai County.  They stayed there until William bought a place approximately two miles south of Kirkland.

Margaret (Williams) Ehle was born on October 14, 1817, in Ohio, the daughter of Henry and Amy (Beale) Williams. Margaret married William Joseph Ehle in Washington County, Iowa, on December 9, 1841. By 1860 the family had moved to Colorado.  They accompanied the first U. S. troops to be stationed at Fort Whipple and arrived in Prescott, Yavapai County, Arizona Territory, on July 28, 1864. In 1865, they established the first government road station at Skull Valley.

Sarah Agnes (Lange) Eckert was born March 25, 1890, in a tent home at Globe, Pinal County, Arizona Territory, the daughter of Mary Elizabeth (Larremore) and Otto Augustus Lange. She was the eldest of the Lange children and helped her mother raise her nine brothers and sisters.

Ida Anna (Smith) Dutcher was born on September 27, 1855, in Allegany, New York, the daughter of Allison “Orlando” and Julia (Knox) Smith. She married Dr. Egbert William Dutcher on September 29, 1873.

The family was living in Colesville, Broome County, New York, when the census was taken in 1880. Ida and Egbert had two children:  Emma, born May 25, 1879, and Egbert K., born March 3, 1885.  They came to Prescott, Yavapai County, Arizona Territory, by way of California in July 1892.

Emma Ida Dutcher, daughter of Doctor Egbert and Ida (Smith) Dutcher, was born in Nineveh, Broome County, New York, on May 25, 1879. She came to Prescott, Arizona Territory, with her parents, who decided to move west because her mother was diagnosed with tuberculosis.

Emma attended Prescott High School and then Mills College in Oakland, Alameda County, California, where she studied literary courses and graduated in 1902.

Ida Sarah (Densmore) Durbin was born on July 31, 1859, in Wisconsin, the daughter of Elizabeth (Davis) of Morgan County, Ohio, and Joel Henry Densmore of Chelsea, Vermont. Ida came to Prescott, Yavapai County, Arizona Territory, from Golden City, Jefferson County, Colorado with her parents and siblings in 1875. Her brothers and sisters were Etta S., wife of James Maxwell; Eva Belle, wife of Joseph E. Nesbit; Nellie Lulu, wife of John Boone Crosby; Viola, wife of Joseph Andrew Gilmore; Edwin J., husband of Nancy Bell Lacy; Willis; and Paul Henry, husband of Emma Wright.

Effie Maxon "Maxie" (Webster) Dunning was born in the midst of a blizzard on March 8, 1888, in the old Webster homestead, called "The Maples," in Sennett, New York, the daughter of Florian Emerson and Marie (Maxon) Webster. She first attended an old stone schoolhouse and then the Sennett Schools. Maxie went to Mount Holyoke College, where she was a member of Gamma Kappa Sorority.

Adah Lenore (Francis) Dumas, daughter of John W. and Nellie Mae (Beal) Francis, was born in Flagstaff, Coconino County, Arizona Territory, on October 20, 1888. Her father, the first elected sheriff of Coconino County, operated a large merchandise store known as the Flagstaff Commercial Company. Adah’s maternal grandparents were one of the first white families in Flagstaff, and her grandfather, Marvin Beal, was a member of the Flagstaff school board.

Mata Eliza Dexter was born August 16, 1872, in New Albion, Cattaraugus County, New York, the daughter of Cordelia Ann (Day) and Thomas B. Dexter. Mata’s mother died early, and Mata was living with her father and brother, James, at her maternal grandparents’ home in New Albion, New York, in 1880.   She attended Edinboro State College in Edinboro, Pennsylvania, and taught there, as well as in Kentucky.