Description

Charles Trumbull Hayden (b. 1825 – d. 1900) was both April 4, 1825 in Windsor, Connecticut and died February 5, Tempe, Maricopa, Arizona Territory.  He was an American businessman and probate judge. His influence was felt in the development of the Arizona Territory where he helped found both the city of Tempe and Arizona State University.

An 8-foot tall bronze sculpture of Hayden was erected at 140 E. 5th Street in Tempe, Arizona and still stands there.  It features four bas-reliefs around the base depicting (1) the founding of Hayden Flour Mill, (2) Hayden's Ferry, (3) Tempe Normal School, and (4) Hayden's role as a territory judge.

He began his career as a teacher at age 18, first in New Jersey, then in Indiana and Missouri. He then embarked on a business to haul merchandise westward bringing his first wagon load to Sante Fe, New Mexico. In 1849 he brought a 14-wagon supply train to Sante Fe where he sold it to some parties headed to California. He returned to Missouri and restocked and established himself in business in Sante Fe.

In 1858 he re-established himself in Tucson. He contracted with the Government to furnish supplies during the Civil War to soldiers and built a large freighting business to the mines, bringing supplies in and ore out. He was appointed the first Probate Judge at Tucson under the laws of New Mexico.

About 1870 he came to what is now Tempe and established the first ferry across the river and the first store in what was then called Hayden’s Ferry (later to be called Tempe).  He supplied the canal builders, and obtained water power for his flour mill. His business interests were extensive; he owned the mill, the mercantile business, the blacksmith shop, the carpenter shop, and practically the whole town, besides which he established other stores, two on the Gila Reservation, and one on the Salt River.

In October, 1876, he was married at Nevada City, California, to Miss Sally Calvert Davis, a native of Arkansas. They had four children including Carl Trumbull Hayden the first representative in Congress from Arizona and then Arizona’s multi-term senator. His wife died in 1907.

He died February 5, 1900 in Tempe and is buried at Tempe Double Butte Cemetery.

Source:  https://accessgenealogy.com/arizona/biography-of-charles-trumbull-hayden.htm