Dilemnas of a Researcher

As I have read in many history books, they all have one thing in common – the author or authors said that many individuals are required to gather, shape and digest all the available information on the topic under research. Many of the individuals have lived through the event, others have knowledge from family members who lived through it and still others have collected many of their family histories and have them stored away. These “stored” documents may include letters, photographs and artifacts of that time. A photograph can tell a great deal about a place, as the old saying goes, “a picture can tell a thousand words.”

Thus, researchers do not do their research in isolation. Granted there are many hours spent in libraries, museums and special collections but then there is the reward of interviewing “old timers”. New friendships are cultivated that would not have happened if that researcher or researchers did not want to know more. And thus, one more piece of the puzzle found helps to tell a fuller story for future generations to know what took place in the past. That information is now made public through books, magazine articles, presentations, blogs, etc.

While some history is dull and mundane to one person it may be enlightening to another as it helps them understand the larger picture. I have always found reading a variety of genres has enriched my life. It may be just for fun reading as a fictional book or it may be very in-depth study of a subject such as astronomy or religion. Some allow our imaginations to work overtime wondering how the writer thought of the idea as in science fiction that I love to read for total relaxation.

So, as I bring you the history of the sheep industry in Arizona through this blog, my goal is to enlighten those interested in this topic, tell the family histories of the men and women who worked hard and helped build this industry and the state of Arizona – the history that has been hidden in old boxes, on dusty shelves and trunks of museums and in family closets so the history is preserved. Some history of the sheep industry has recently been discovered when someone told me that they bought the contents of a storage shed and inside found a box containing 40 odd years of records for one sheep rancher! The family has been contacted for them to go through and then hopefully it will be passed on to me or a museum.

So, bear with me as I jump around in years and families. Research takes time and new information is being located all the time. Newspapers get digitized. Family members come forward to tell me their story as something previously written has jogged a memory buried deep in their minds or reminds them of something else that was happening along with the event I am bringing forward. It takes time to digest all the information and then bring that history to life. I love what I do but there are not enough hours in a day……

Colin Campbell, Part III

As one does research, new information constantly appears as more newspapers are digitized from the 1800. Families come forward and share what information that they may have as has happened with this blog. A search of newspapers one day may lead to one or two or more new pieces of information and the next more newspapers are digitized and additional information is discovered. It can be frustrating to not be able to see all the information at one time but it is what it is. So, with more research the last couple of days a little more information has been found in various newspapers that carried an obituary of Colin. What I wanted to discover was the year that he came into Arizona. What I found did not fully answer my question and more research will be needed to one day resolve the question of when Colin Campbell arrived in Arizona, where he was prior to coming to Arizona and just maybe, why he came.

One newspaper, Arizona Daily Star, stated that he came into Winslow, Arizona with a pack train from Utah in the 1860s. While this may be plausible, it would put his age of arrival somewhere between seven years old (born in 1853) if we consider 1860 as the date and as old as 16 if the date of 1869 is used. It is doubtful he came alone at the age of seven since he was the first member of his family to come to Arizona. This newspaper also stated he died at home. I will come back to this piece of information. Further information on him was that he had been in the sheep business 40 years. Using 40 years and subtracting backwards we arrive at the date of at least being in Arizona by 1887 since he died in 1927.

But then what about the newspaper that stated he came to the United States when he was 20. That would mean 1873. The newspaper further stated that he went to Dakota in 1876 and came to Arizona in 1879. What he was doing between 1879 and 1883 has not been discovered as a search of available newspapers do not record any activity. We know that in 1883, he formed a partnership with Frank Hart and the two men ran sheep together under Hart and Campbell until Mr. Hart passed in 1898. While not germane to discovering more on Mr. Campbell, the newspaper reported that Perkins and Rand, two other sheepmen, bought Mr. Hart’s interest in Hart and Campbell from his estate. But back to Colin, he could have had sheep prior to the partnership with Hart, running them himself so the 40 years in the sheep business may be low.

Another newspaper, Williams News, stated he died at Hotel Escalante in Ash Fork which differs from the Arizona Daily Star. Is this really important to know? No, but it does make a researcher wonder how accurate any of the information in the paper is. Williams is not far from Ash Fork but Flagstaff is. Does that make a difference the distant one newspaper is from the actual event? It makes a researcher want to check further to verify the accuracy of all information to not continue any falsehood. But for now, it will be left! One fact that was found in both newspaper was that it reiterated that he was in the sheep business.

Colin was still in the sheep business when he died in 1927 as his sons reported that in 1929, they could not find herders and sold the sheep. They may have sold out just in time before the Depression and the sheep industry took a real nosedive.

And that is part of the “rest of the story!” as Paul Harvey would say.

Colin Campbell, Part II

A little of the known history of Colin L. Campbell:

Colin was born in Nova Scotia in 1853. He was one of two brothers who arrived in Arizona in the late 1800s. An exact date has not been determined by this author but research shows it had to be the early 1890 since he married Amelia in Winslow, Arizona, June 22, 1891. (On ancestry.com a family tree for Colin shows her name as Mary Amelia Emelia Daze and she was called Minnie Daze; she had been born in Canada also.) How Colin or his wife came to Arizona, why they came and how they met has not been discovered, yet!

What is known about the Campbell’s comes from many newspaper articles across the territory of Arizona. In the Coconino Sun, March 24, 1892, three names of interest popped up: Colin Campbell, W. H. Campbell and Wm. Daze the three men were admitted to citizenship. (Was Wm. a brother or father to Colin’s wife?) In May of 1892, Colin purchased controlling interest in the Santa Rita Land & Cattle Company. With citizenship he could own land.

Colin and Amelia Daze Campbell had a son, Eugene Colin, born in November 1893, in Winslow. The birth information comes from Arizona the Grand Canyon State, Volume I where a series of biographies can be found and the biography about Eugene Colin. In several different editions of the Coconino Sun other information has been found. In 1894, he attended the Wool Growers meeting. Over the next 20 years, Colin is mentioned many times in the territorial newspapers. For example: He had property across the state as he paid taxes for improvements to his lots in Winslow in 1896 (Coconino Sun) and in 1897, he put up 25 miles of telephone lines connecting both of his “large ranches with the city of Nogales.” (Holbrook Argus)

Many newspaper articles still need to be researched as a date for entering the sheep business is unknown. Dates for buying and selling of sheep have been found but most of these are in the early 1900s. The earliest evidence of sheep raising comes from the St. Johns Herald, 1897, stating he sold 2,200 head of sheep for shipment back east. This newspaper listed him as part of the firm Hart & Campbell of Winslow. The Weekly Journal-Miner, October 1899, stated that he had shipped 200 head of fine merino bucks and had “sold a large number of this class of bucks during the past few years” and the newspaper noted, “at a good price.”

More forthcoming once the rest of the newspapers have been researched.

Colin Campbell, Part I

As I was reading the minutes of the Executive Board meeting for the Arizona Wool Growers Association for 1927, the death of Colin Campbell was referenced in glowing terms. He was a director of the board and his death resulted in a vacancy. Reviewing these documents help understand problems associated with the sheep industry in Arizona and the records give some details of members albeit through their deaths. It was not unusual to find a nice biographical sketch written by them or at least what had been stated in the obituary of a local newspaper.

The minutes for their October 15, 1927, special meeting read: “The Arizona Woolgrowers Association has sustained a great loss in the death of the Chairman of our Board of Directors, Colin Campbell, which occurred on October 2^nd, 1927. He was also member for Arizona on the Executive Committee of the National Woolgrowers Association.” The special meeting was called to replace him on the board of directors. While not germane, H. C. Caveness, general manager of the Grand Canyon Sheep Company, was nominated to fill the vacancy.

The Wool Growers continued their accolades:

“It is superfluous to state that the name of Colin Campbell was known in every wool growing (sic) section of the country. His name was heard around the campfires of the herders, at the meetings of woolgrowers, at the National Ram sale, and at all places where wool and sheep were discussed.

With a matured judgement on all things connected with sheep raising and the marketing of wool, with a keen understanding of its problems, with wide reading and a retentive memory, his opinions were eagerly sought and the course of action taken by him was generally followed.

He was a pioneer of pioneers in all matters relating to grazing and the preservation of our ranges, in the improvement of breeds and the production of high grade rams.

The esteem in which he was held was shown at his funeral in Flagstaff on October 4, 1927. All classes of the community were present and in fact it was a gathering of the people of Northern Arizona who met to give testimony to his wonderful acquaintance and his sterling worth.

The following editorial from the Prescott Journal Miner, October 4, 1927, is quoted, as representing the feeling of this Board of Directors:

‘Not only Yavapai county but the whole state will feel the loss of Colin Campbell, whom death claimed at Ash Fork, Sunday. Of all the livestock men of this southwest, he was the peer, a pioneer who dared in a country not yet settled, down to the present state of things.

Mr. Campbell was of a family who carved empires out of the wilderness, a sturdy stock that populated the far portions of the earth at times when life was not so easy as it is now. He was a brother of the redoubtable industrialist and political leader, Hon. Hugh Campbell, who for years led the sheep men of Arizona as President of their association and one of their outstanding members. Of no less worth has been the contribution of Colin Campbell to the work of making productive a land scarcely attractive to the farmer, the town builder or the miner.

We know of no man who could gather so many friends about him. He was one of Arizona’s finest.’”

Colin Campbell distinguished himself in the sheep industry in the short time he lived in the state (1890?-1927). Next blog will look at his life in more detail.

Flag Wool and Fiber Festival

The vendors and their products. What gorgeous yarns and fibers.

The maker of the logo for the festival. She had a class on felting.

The brilliant colors of the yarns. It was hard to choose my colors for my skirt.

This is Hummingbird yarn! The colors would make a great cross stitch picture of a hummingbird! Can’t wait to try.

Other products sold at the festival include:

Love these purses and so did the attendees.

And that will finish the Flagstaff Wool and Fiber Festival for 2022. It is always held the first weekend after Memorial Day so plan on attending next year. I met some great people and got to see old friends.

Flagstaff Wool & Fiber Festival

Just the animals from this past weekends festival.

Would they hurry and shear us! It’s hot today. Temperatures were actually very delightful for someone who lives in the Phoenix area.

One of the fun things about the festival is all the animals.

A service provided for those with small herds.

Take the picture. I’m tired of staring this pose!.

Tomorrow will be the vendors, their beautiful colors, and some demonstrations.

The Rest of 1869.

Finishing out the year 1869 as one story had been written about (See April 29, How to Raise a Shepherd Dog) a few more pieces of information have been found about a few of the men engaged in sheep raising with Arizona.

In mid-February, Jim Baker had his sheep at Camp Willows but had not trekked them to the Prescott area due to bad weather conditions. By May he has his sheep in Chino Valley and was ready to start to New Mexico with Antonio V. Wanners to purchase sheep. Campbell and Buffum were reported to have sheared up to 1,600 pounds of fair quality wool. The newspaper stated that “We are glad that a commencement has been made in the business, and hope others will engage in it.” Mr. Campbell told the newspaper that sheep were doing extremely well in this country adding to the hopes of the men of the newspaper that others would soon engage in sheep raising.

The only other item for this year was for a proposal to be submitted for furnishing the military posts in the Territory with beef and mutton for the contract year, 1870. The military stated that they would need approximately 3,000 cattle and 1,000 sheep.

We have three sheepmen who came early into Arizona and at least two, Campbell and Baker, were sheepmen into the early 1900s. It will be interesting to track them and their sheep through the rest of the 1800s. With more newspapers digitized, more early sheep history may come to light, and we may learn what happen to Buffum. But for now, this is the news for 1869.

Donkeys on the Trail

It has been two years since the Auza’s have been able to trail their sheep for three weeks to the area near Williams. It has been extremely dry the past two years. It was always great fun to watch the herders move the sheep the day that they went through the underpass on State Route 260 near Cottonwood. My husband and I would travel from the Buckeye area the day before to catch the action of the herders, dogs, donkeys and sheep. The sheep once they had moved through the underpass on State Route 260 would head toward the river. Today I concentrate on the donkeys who carried the camp equipment, cooking utensils, personal items of the herders, and food for the herders as well as the guardian dogs.

It has been a long morning. Let me sleep!

Just chilling and grazing before the afternoon trek under the underpass.

One of the donkeys who wanted his picture taken!

Climbing the steep hill from the underpass.

On the north side of the road after the underpass.

Early 1866/67 Journals in Arizona

Just a few tidbits of information today as there has not been a great deal about sheep found in the newspapers of the 1866 or 1867. From a journey taken in 1853 that was reported in the 1866 newspaper Arizona was depicted as an ideal sheep raising area. The two-page newspaper story in the Arizona Miner, Fort Whipple, was taken from a San Francisco newspaper of a journey in 1853 by Mr. Aubry who across Arizona from New Mexico to California via the southern route of the Gila River with sheep and wagons. Aubry reported that “a large portion of the trail over which I passed-say some 250 miles west from the Rio Grande-is, for the most part, admirably adapted to farming and stock raising.” He was planning on doing another trip with sheep in 1854. Whether he undertook that trip, no information has been found at this time. While there was other information about Arizona, I only was interested in the sheep crossing our state.

Again in 1867, a journey from San Francisco to Prescott was included in the Arizona Miner, Fort Whipple as it was taken from the Examiner, most likely San Francisco but not given the newspaper’s origin. The paragraph of interest stated, “It is quite out of the question to describe in a single letter, all the advantages that Central Arizona possesses, or to enumerate the inducements it offers to permanent settlers. As a stock-raising district, no part of the Pacific (sic) to the northward can even bear comparison. Numerous grasses, of the most luxuriant growth and nutritious description, cover the country to the very summit of the mountains. For sheep, no place in the world could surpass, if equal it. As to farming, if wild grain is any criterion, this is surely the place to cultivate; for I have seen hundreds of acres of wild rye and oats at a glance, that made me instinctively look for a farmhouse (sic). Better crops I never saw anywhere, and all to be had for the gathering from the bountiful hand of nature …. The last paragraph also states that with all the wild grapes growing here the author predicted that Arizona would become a great vine producer.”

While the last part of the information is not germane, I thought it was interesting especially with Arizona having a wine producing area in the central part of the state as well as the southern.

The last piece of information to report about 1867 was what a person or family were allowed to retain in the case of a bankruptcy. Quoting from the Arizona Miner, Fort Whipple, again, “keep Household furniture, and other necessary articles, in value not exceeding $500; and in addition for those having a wife and children, 1 cow, 10 sheep, 2 hogs, 25 bushels of charcoal, 2 tons stone coal, 200 pounds of fat, 5 bushels of potatoes, 200 pounds of wheat flour, 2 cords of wood, 2 tons of hay, 10 bushels of turnips, 10 bushels of corn, or meal made therefrom, 10 bushels of rye, or the flour made therefrom, 20 pounds of wool, 20 pounds of flax, 1 sewing machine, 1 (a blurred word) in church and the wearing apparel of the whole family.

Lastly, I also stopped by Rovey Dairy today to get lamb burger and sheep cheese. Here is just one of the pictures from my visit:

Lambs at Rovey Dairy in Glendale, Arizona.

Correction and A sheep Sighting

My last blog should have stated that the information came from 1869 and I would be putting the news happenings for 1870 next. However, today’s blog comes from the Arizona Miner, Prescott, for 1864 as some of them just became available. There was a total of three available for the year of which two had articles on the sheep industry and one of them was attempting to influence more people to become involved in raising sheep in Arizona!

In the article, titled “The Season” it sang praise for the livestock industry and especially for sheep within the state. The article stated, “The constant freshness of the grass is gratifying to the stock raiser. The country is beyond question the finest for pastoral purposes upon the continent. Immense herds of sheep and cattle may be kept in good condition the year round without expense save for herders.”

The other article in the November 23, 1864, the Arizona Miner reported on travelers to Arizona and the difficulty of navigating the roads because of the large amount of rainfall in the past week. Two of those traveling this road were Captain Hargrave and Lieutenant Taylor and they had lost part of their large drove of sheep to either the Navajos or Apaches. In this same article Mister Huning, who will have sheep or may have already acquired them, was mentioned bring a large shipment of supplies from Albuquerque. It has been mentioned before in this blog that Huning had a store in Holbrook.

And that is 1864 sheep happenings. Really wowed you today, huh? As more newspapers are digitized for 1864, there may be more sheep sightings to write about in future blogs! So, stay tuned.

And just a different kind of sheep!