The Lucky Sheep Man – H.T. Atkin

Just one of the many Utah men who herded their sheep on the Arizona Strip.

Henry T. Atkin began to herd his father’s sheep in 1892 as his father had quite the flock. In 1893 he rented those sheep, 1500, from his father grazing them on Cedar Mountain, Utah, in the summer but took them to the Arizona Strip in the winter. He said in his diary that the land was free, grass plentiful and sheep did very well. In 1894 the state took ownership of the land and he had to purchase land to graze the sheep. First, he bought 160 acres from Mr. Jackson for $300. Next, he bought 1000 acres of state land for $1.25 per acre. He wrote in his diary, “In this way I continued to get more land and got a good start in sheep.”

Marrying in 1884, he took on many jobs but it seems he did the best when he had sheep. While his growing family lived in St. George between 1893 and 1908, he was seldom home as he wanted to be out with the sheep, “trying to get a start and build up a foundation for the sheep business.” After 16 years in the sheep business, he sold them in 1908. Whom he sold them to is unknown.

Between 1908 and 1916, he was involved in many activities in Utah which are not germane to this story. What is, is in 1916, he returned to the sheep partnering with Edward H. Snow and A. B. Andrus. They purchased 1,500 ewes at $7.00 a head. He soon bought his partners out. The year 1917 was a boom year for sheep as wool was used by the U.S. military for making wool uniforms for the soldiers. Lamb was also sent for their food. Between 1916 and 1922 Atkin ran the sheep year-round on the Arizona Strip. He bought or constructed reservoirs for year-round use allowing him to move his sheep to meet the seasonal changes. But once again, he sold the sheep, now having grown to a flock of 2,000, to his brother for $10 a head, making a profit as he had when he sold his sheep in 1908.

A Story of Sheep and the Arizona Strip

Research should be fun and I can honestly say that I enjoy the challenge of hunting information on the sheep industry in Arizona. I have tried to concentrate lately on the Arizona Strip area as little is know. Sometimes I am lucky and I find a story. This is one of those stories. However, there are many unanswered questions in this story and more research will be needed to piece the full story together. But for now, just a little sheep story and Moccasin, Arizona.

Moccasin, Arizona is a town on the Arizona Strip near Pipe Springs. William B. Maxwell saw that the land had possibilities for livestock. Earlier he had found a spring that was clear with cool water. He saw a moccasin footprint left by an Native American and thus he called the area Moccasin Spring. Maxwell made a claim in 1865. The claim included three springs, of which two were close together and the other spring was only a short distance away. With available water Maxwell could easily raise livestock. What is unknown is how long he held this land until he sold it for 80 head of sheep to a Mr. Rhodes.

So, the questions that need to be answered – did Maxwell have sheep here before he traded the land for 80 head of sheep from Mr. Rhodes? What happened to the 80 sheep? Did Maxwell move someplace else and continue to raise the sheep? Did Mr. Rhodes have more sheep and did he raise them on this piece of land? Questions, questions, questions!

The Rest of Then and Now

The men 30 strong, had organized themselves in squads searching every canyon and ravine. Certain signals were agreed upon. So if any trace should be found they could soon be called together. They finally crossed his track followed it on and on and on – it seemed in creditable (sic) a child of seven could walk so far with out food nor water. Now a track: now a bit of clothing on the bushes on and on they went, their hopes rising with each new evidence that they might yet find the little fellow still alive. They heeded not the pangs of hunger nor the weary fatigue of their own bodies – on and on they wet as far as their horses could go. Still the tracks went on, they left their horses with tow of the party, took water and a little brandy, and crept along the ledge over precipices – down ledges they slid – till finally there they saw him on the very brink of a perpendicular ledge, his clothing torn from his little body, feet bleeding, flesh torn by the thorns of the underbrush. So crazed by fatigue, fright, thirst and hunger, they dared not disturb (sic) him lest he plunge over the brink and be lost forever.

Not a man spoke a word, not a sound dared they make. The father went back from the terrible scene and called the lads name ever so softly. He became conscious, turned saw his father with outstretched arms and sprang back and ran to the fond embrace. The men seeing him safely back from the brink rushed to him with water and with a few drops of brandy added to a few spoonsful of water in a baking powder can revived him sufficiently to be carried back to camp. They wrapped him in a Navajo blanket and took him on the horse. He seemed to be terribly frightened at this mode of travel. He squirmed loosed from the blanket, so he was placed in the saddle with his father behind and his arms around the terrified lad.

It was many days before he regained his sanity and became normal. Then they finally arrived at the Park all the men had heard the good news of his rescue and the whole party had assembled. The father asked the men how much he owed them for their efforts. They had put in six days and nights searching. They all answered as one man – “Nothing!”

That completes the story of the unknown sheepherder and his lost little boy.

Stay tuned for more stories coming this week.

Then and Now Continued

“The sheep were moved from one canyon to another according to feed conditions. At this particular time they were being driven down the canyon near Bright Angel, the herd split in two sections, father and son became separated, each following a different herd in different canyons. The boy wandered on and on – until he was out of gun shot.

“The father hunted for days not daring to give up the hunt long enough to go for help. Thinking of course he would run across the little fellow in each revine or on top of each ridge. He finally was obliged to give up the lonely hunt and send for help.

“He found the cowboys at VT ready and willing at a minute notice to mount their horses and ride in haste to rescue the lost child. As the word spread over the country that the boy was lost, men sprang in to their saddles and were off to join in the search. Word finally reached Kanab. A rescuing party was formed in a few hours. Women came from every direction with food and supplies for the hunters. When they were off they stood around in terrifeid groups too grief stricken to go back to their homes. The children felt the terror in the air. And every night in every home a prayer was offered to God that the little fellow would be found alive and brought home in safety to his grief stricken parents. The women of the little town took turns watching and waiting comforting the prostrate mother as best they could.”

Final installment tomorrow!

Guest Writer – Janice Bryson

A story written by Janice Bryson for the Arizona CattleLog, December 2013, about the Atkins Family tells ofa sheepman on the Arizona Strip. There were Atkins that had sheep on the Strip but I will relate their story later in future blogs. For now, we will just stick with this sheepman.

Joy illustrated the remoteness of the strip with the story of sheep man Wayne Gardner. He was a prominent St. George resident who grazed sheep on the Arizona strip. A fierce snowstorm hit the strip in January 1949, Gardner was worried about his sheep and his herder Ed Harrington. He left home early one morning and his family raised the alarm when he did not return. Due to the continuing storm, Maurice Miles and Rudger Atkin flew to the vicinity of the sheep camp and dropped a note to Harrington. Through signaled replies, they determined that Gardner had not arrived and Harrington needed help. No sign of Gardner could be located from the air. Two weeks after Gardner left home, a search party traveled three days through the snow to rescue Harrington and move the sheep to lower country. Gardner’s hat was located but no sign of the man. The Sheriff called off the search until the snow melted but was convinced to try again one more time. Searchers with hunting dogs traveled to the area and the body of Gardner was discovered 75 yards from the sheep camp. He had walked twelve miles from his pickup in snow up to his waist. His frozen body, covered with snow, was found leaning against a Cedar tree as he had apparently stopped to rest and froze to death.

A sad ending for just one of about twelve families that raised sheep on the Arizona Strip. Other sheepmen stories from Utah and Nevada will be posted soon.