PCA Archives - Noah Broadway
Noah Broadway is believed to have been the son of William M. Broadway and Mary “Polly” Key. On the federal census of 1850, Broadway was living with his brother John in Kemper County, Mississippi, and his age was given as 19, making him born around 1831.
No photo of Broadway has ever been found, nor evidence of him marrying or serving during the Civil War. He seems to have been a somewhat solitary man.
Broadway is known to have been farming in the Salt River Valley by 1868. He and seven other men formed the Prescott Ditch company on 26 Sep 1870, and dug the Prescott (later Broadway) Ditch to irrigate his crops.
The Maricopa Crossing was on Broadway’s ranch. It was a nice crossing with a firm gravel bottom, and the stages usually crossed the Salt River there. The road which ran through Broadway’s ranch is known today as Broadway Road.
Broadway never sought public office but was nominated for sheriff and elected on the 14th ballot in late 1884. Some didn’t support him as he had publicly expressed a desire to ‘string up’ men who were selling whiskey to Indians.
Broadway was the first sheriff to have his office in the new, two-story brick courthouse between First and Second Avenues facing Washington. the previous office was an adobe structure, and had several escapes.
As sheriff, Broadway regularly conveyed prisoners to Yuma. Another of Broadway’s duties was conveying insane people to the hospital in Stockton, California. On 9 March 1885, the county approved the issuance of bonds to build an insane asylum in Phoenix.
Broadway’s term as sheriff was plagued by a rash of armed robberies, and host of other issues. For more fascinating information on this man, come to the PMMP! - adapted story from Donna Carr
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