Hi everyone! Just a quick reminder that we will not be open
Thursday, December 26, but we WILL be open:
Saturday, December 28th for Open House from 10 - 1:30
1317 W. Jefferson
Hope we see you all!
And Happy Holidays from us to you, our wonderful friends!!
John Fraser Cameron, born January 1878 in Memphis, Tennessee, is believed to have been the son of Col. John Fraser Cameron, Sr. and his wife Mary A. Myers. Since John Sr. and his wife died in 1882 and 1883 respectively, it is likely that their six orphaned children were raised by relatives. Three of the Cameron daughters—Mary Belle, Chloe Ann, and Nancy Louise--made advantageous marriages.
John F. Cameron was working as a telephone lineman when he enlisted in the U. S. Army at Galveston on April 28, 1898. It was just a few days after President McKinley had declared war on Spain.
Cameron was regarded as a very good soldier. He rose to the rank of sergeant in Company C, 30th U. S. Infantry and might have made a career in the military, had it not been for his contracting tuberculosis.
He was at Fort Bayard, New Mexico, when he was discharged on May 16, 1905, as unfit for duty. Fort Bayard was a decommissioned frontier fort which was being used as a tuberculosis sanitarium for Army personnel. A week later, Cameron was awarded a disability pension.
At that time, regulation veterans’ grave markers were available only to those buried in military cemeteries, not private ones. Without a marker, the exact location of Cameron’s grave is not known.
Libbie (maiden name unknown) was born in Canada about
1850. At some point, she came to the
United States and married Arthur W. Taylor, born around 1845 in New York
state. There is no evidence that the two
ever had any children.
In
1880, Libbie and her husband were living in Denver, Arapaho County,
Colorado, where Arthur was a molder at
the Colorado Iron Works.
The Taylors were in Phoenix by 1894, but thereafter it appears that Libbie and her husband separated, with Arthur moving to Los Angeles. Though estranged, they nevertheless did not divorce. Apparently Libbie had enough money to be self-sufficient, as she bought several lots in the Churchill addition for $3000, intending to use them as rental properties.
Libbie developed a case of pneumonia and died December 22, 1897, at her home at 27 South Fourth Avenue in Phoenix. Her funeral was postponed until after Christmas as friends sought to reach her husband in California by telegraph. She was buried in Loosley Cemetery, Block 5, Lot 11. One obituary gave her full name as Libbie H. Y. Taylor, possibly indicating she had been previously married.
Shortly
after Libbie’s funeral, her husband returned to Phoenix to take over her
affairs. Mr. Taylor had his late wife’s
remains moved to Porter Cemetery and a large marble monument erected. The plot Libbie is buried in has plenty of
room for other burials, so perhaps he was planning to be buried next to
her.
Since
Libbie had died intestate, a special administrator was appointed to handle her
estate. Notice was given and several
creditors came forward: James M.
Creighton was one of them. Keystone
Pharmacy submitted an unpaid bill for quinine tablets and laudanum, and there
were also bills for nursing and final expenses.
After all of Libbie’s debts had been settled, her husband A. W. Taylor
inherited $4666 in cash and real estate.
Arthur
was last known to be residing in Los Angeles, California, with a family named
Riley and working as a teamster in 1900.
-by Patricia G.
Margarita Wall was born February 14, 1882, most likely in Arizona. She was the first-born daughter of Fred Wall and Refugio Rebecca Ramirez. Fred Wall is thought to have been an immigrant from Ireland and sometime miner. A sister, Matilda, was born about four years later, after which her parents parted. Their mother remarried several times thereafter.
On February 15, 1904, Margarita (or Maggie, as she was known), wed Carlos Robledo Chretin in Phoenix, Arizona. Chretin’s unusual surname was due to the fact that his father, Jean-Marie Chretin, was a Frenchman who had married a Mexican woman.
Maggie was probably suffering from tuberculosis already at the time of her marriage. She gave birth to a male infant on December 2, 1904, and died only six days later, on December 8. She was buried in Rosedale Cemetery, with a three-piece marble monument marking her grave.
Maggie’s newborn son was originally named Fred John Chretin. Upon his mother’s death, he was given to his maternal grandmother, Refugio Rebecca Ramirez, who was already nursing an eight-month-old daughter named Ruby O’Leary. Baby Fred’s life was most likely saved because of this steady supply of breastmilk, which also imparted some degree of immunity to childhood illnesses. Fred and Ruby grew up together, and Fred always regarded her as his sister, even though she was actually his half-aunt. Being raised in his grandmother’s household, Fred adopted the surname of her then husband, Daniel O’Leary.
Margaret Chretin’s widower, Carlos Chretin, eventually remarried and had several more children with his second wife, Marta Hernandez. Both the Chretins and the O’Learys moved to Los Angeles around 1918.
Mary Ann List was born August 15, 1843, in Pennsylvania. She was the oldest of seven children belonging to David J. List and Ursula Newell.
The Lists had moved to Lee County, Iowa, by 1858, when Mary Ann married Benedict Mosier at the tender age of fifteen. Soon thereafter, the young couple moved to Tyler Township, Hickory County, Missouri, where Mary Ann bore eleven children between 1860 and 1875. Six survived to adulthood. The Mosiers were farmers and, apparently, quite successful ones. Mary Ann’s parents moved to Missouri at about the same time.
In the summer of 1861, Benedict Mosier enlisted in Company C, 8th Missouri State Militia Cavalry, serving in Captain William C. Human’s company. The mission of the regiment was to prevent Confederate forces from establishing a foothold in southwestern Missouri. The soldiers went on numerous scouting patrols and engaged in a few skirmishes. Since Mosier’s duties kept him fairly close to home, he was able to make periodic visits to his family.
Mary Ann’s father, David List, served in the same regiment although he was more than forty years old at the time. He died in Missouri in 1868, leaving his wife and five children.
Although the Mosiers had a productive farm in Missouri, they moved to Arizona around 1884, as did Mary Ann’s widowed mother and several of her siblings. Possibly the Mosiers’ son Sydney was ill and required a warm, dry climate. He died on 30 May 1886 and was buried in City Loosley Cemetery.
Mary Ann undoubtedly lived the life of a farmer’s wife. In addition to the usual household chores, she occasionally worked in the fields and forked hay for the cattle.
Late in life, Mary Ann developed heart problems. In April 1897, she resigned her position as a Sunday School teacher because of ill health. While driving home on 14 December 1897, she apparently suffered a stroke. A neighbor moving cattle noticed that the horse and buggy had stopped in the road and came to her aid, but attempts to revive Mary Ann failed. She too was buried in City Loosley Cemetery.
Following
Mary’s death, Benedict Mosier was much chagrined to learn that Arizona was a
community property state and that Mary’s property would be split between him
and their children. It had never
occurred to him that his late wife owned anything, much less half of the
marital assets.
Mary Ann’s mother, Ursula Newell List, outlived her, dying in Glendale, Arizona, in 1906.
Benedict died on 4 October 1908 and was buried in the family plot in City Loosley.
-by Donna Carr
Save the Date! You are invited to the dedication ceremony
for the Jacob Waltz Gravesite! Lots of time and talents were put into its
beautification for all generations to enjoy. Please RSVP to our email:
pioneercem@yahoo.com. Hope to see you there!
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Tallman Jacob Trask was born 1852 in Vassalboro, Maine, one
of eleven children born to William Chase Trask and his second wife, Sophia
Winslow. By 1860, the Trask family had moved to Concord, Illinois.
When he was 17, Tallman, or T. J. as he was known, went to
work for Abel Gum as a clerk in Gum’s dry goods store. T.J. roomed
with the Gum family while he learned the ins-and-outs of the mercantile trade.
Around 1876, young Trask traveled west to Pueblo, Colorado,
where he became the head clerk in the grocery store of John D. Miller.. It
was there that he met Laura E. Cooper, whom he married in July of 1877. The
couple had two children born between 1878 and 1879, but both died in infancy
and were buried in the Odd Fellows section of the Pueblo Pioneer Cemetery.
In 1879, T. J and Laura moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, to
start a new store with Lyman Putney, a business man from Lawrence, Kansas. The
store, which specialized in wholesale groceries and exotic fruits from
California, was located in downtown Albuquerque on Railroad Avenue, opposite
the train depot.
T.J. and Laura had a tumultuous relationship, with Laura
spending much of her time with her family in Pueblo and Kansas. In
the spring of 1884, T. J. filed for divorce on the grounds of desertion. It
was granted in October of 1884. In December of 1884, he married
Lizzie Strother of Ohio, thought by some to have been “an adventuress”. T.
J. dissolved his business interests with his partner Lyman Putney and moved to
Phoenix, Arizona, where he opened a store with his new brother-in-law, Emory
Kays.
Still later, in 1892, T.J. opened another store with Charles
Kessler and T.J’s brother Alonzo. Located on Washington between modern-day
Central Ave and 1st Avenue in Phoenix, the Trask-Kessler wholesale grocery
soon became one of the largest grocery stores in town.
As he prospered, T.J. took on many civic duties, becoming
president of the Arizona Industrial Exposition Association and territorial
fair. His most notable exhibits were a pagoda made from grains grown
on his farm, and a display of hanging tea cups and saucers from his wholesale
grocery store that spelled “Trask-Kessler”. He also served as
president of the Immigration Union, vice president of the Business Chamber of
Commerce in Phoenix, and was on the board of the Phoenix and Prescott Toll Road
Company.
T. J. died on December 8, 1894, from an intestinal ailment
which he had fought for eight months. He was laid to rest in Porter cemetery.
His headstone is of an unusual Moorish design and describes him as an “upright
businessman”.
-by Val Wilson
Reuben A. Hill was born November 5, 1839, in Naples, Cumberland County, Maine. He was the son of John Hill and Rebecca Garland, farmers in the area. Farming did not seem to be in Reuben’s future, however. By 1860, he was already in San Francisco, California, working as a common laborer.
That changed with the outbreak of the Civil War, when Reuben Hill enlisted in the Union Army for a term of three years. On September 29, 1861, he mustered in at Camp Downey, near Oakland, California, as a third corporal in Co. I, 1st California Infantry.
As part of the California Column commanded by Colonel James H. Carleton, Hill’s unit was posted to the New Mexico Territory, where it saw action against the Confederates at Picacho Peak, Arizona. Hill seems to have been an effective soldier. He was promoted to sergeant and then commissioned a captain in Co. K, 1st New Mexico Volunteers (New), at Fort Sumner, New Mexico Territory, Feb. 29, 1864. Captain Hill resigned at Fort Union, New Mexico Territory, on February 6, 1866.
After the war, Hill returned to Maine where he married Vesta Marhon Whittier on January 19, 1865, presumably while on leave from his military duties. They remained married until January 1880, when Reuben divorced Vesta so that he could marry a widow, Jane Tyler Burrell Wilson.
Jane later alleged that Hill drank excessively and was abusive. By the time he moved out in 1894, he had spent all of Jane’s money. Destitute, Jane was forced to move in with her married daughter. Although Hill suggested that Jane divorce him, she did not do so—possibly because of the social stigma of being a divorced woman.
Reuben Hill then secured a loan from another widow, Olivia S. W. Payne, with which he purchased a hotel in Strafford, New Hampshire. He remained in New Hampshire until about 1902, when he sold the hotel and moved to Arizona to speculate in mines. Once in Phoenix, Hill was cagey about his past and intimated that he had traveled in Europe on a mission for the U. S. government’s secret service.
On December 7, 1905, Reuben Hill died of a broken neck when thrown from his wagon near his mining property at Cave Creek, Arizona Territory. He was buried in Rosedale Cemetery, North section, Block 168, Grave 7.
Hill’s widow Jane did not learn of his death until her son-in-law saw a notice published in a Boston newspaper. Since she was still legally married to Hill at the time of his death, she applied for and received a widow’s pension based on his Civil War service.
In March 25, 1841, she married John Preston Osborn, a native of Claiborne County, Tennessee. By 1850, they were farming in Morgan County, Kentucky., and already had four children.
Around 1853, the Osborns relocated to Adams County, Iowa. The Civil War was in full swing by 1863, when they moved to Colorado, but they had their sights set on the newly created territory of Arizona. Early in 1864, the Osborns joined a party of emigrants traveling via Santa Fe to northern Arizona. They arrived in Prescott on July 6, 1864, with three or four ox teams and wagons loaded with flour, ham and bacon which they sold to Prescott’s hungry miners. With flour selling at $1 a pound and bacon at $.75 a pound, they soon had enough capital to begin their family’s new life in Arizona.
The Osborns built Osborn House, one of Prescott’s first hotels, which provided modest accommodations with a menu of pork and beans, bread and coffee. Perlina, by now expecting her tenth child, remained in Prescott to run it while John Preston explored Del Rio and the Verde Valley and tried his hand at farming and ranching. Unfortunately, his attempts came to naught as the local Yavapai tribesmen repeatedly raided his livestock and crops.
The Osborns’ oldest children having reached marrying age, daughter Jenettie wed Joseph Thomas Barnum in 1865, and Louisa married an up-and-coming lawyer named John Alsap on June 6, 1866. However, the alliance was short-lived as she died barely a year later.
The Osborn's son, John Jr., along with his erstwhile brother-in-law, John Alsap, moved south to the Salt River Valley in 1869, and John Sr. and Perlina joined them in January 1870, establishing a homestead at what would become McDowell and Seventh Street.
Once again, the Osborns were among the first white families to settle in a pioneer town. John Preston, now in his sixties, became an influential citizen of the new town. Perlina was known for her nursing skills, and the Osborns hosted many a traveling minister during Phoenix’s early years.
When John Preston Osborn died on January 19, 1900, he was buried in the A.O.U.W. Cemetery. Around the time of Osborn's death, the street that ran along the south side of the Osborns' farm became known as Osborn Road, a tribute to this pioneer family.
Perlina passed away on December 3, 1912, at the age of 91.
-by Donna Carr
This December, we will commemorate 12 pioneers from our historic cemetery who passed away during this month. Through this countdown, we honor their contributions to our community, reflect on the challenges they faced, and remember the impact they had during their time.
While some of their stories are somber, they are an important part of our history, reminding us of the resilience and humanity of those who came before us. Join us in this journey of reflection and remembrance as we count down the 12 days, preserving their memory during this season of reflection and giving.
She may have been the daughter of John Wesley Maddux, a white man who owned a saloon in Happy Camp, California, and his first wife, a local Native American woman. John Wesley Maddux did have a daughter named Sarah, but little else is known about her.
While at school, Sarah apparently fell in love with a young man who was a member of the school’s baseball team. Being shy, she hoped to attract his attention by appearing on stage in the school’s dramatic productions. One such performance took place late in February, 1911, and all confirmed that she did an outstanding job. However, Sarah was bereft to learn that the object of her affections had not even been present to witness her triumph.
Feeling rejected, Sarah swallowed a caustic compound—possibly lye or mercury—and died about two weeks later from the painful effects. She was buried in Rosedale Cemetery.
It is not known whether the young baseball player ever knew of her interest in him.
- by Donna Carr
Pie Socials with Neighbors
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, post-Thanksgiving
evenings were often spent visiting neighbors for "pie socials."
Families would bring their leftover desserts to share while catching up with
friends. It was a relaxed and delicious way to wind down the holiday.
How could you revive it?
Host a mini pie party with leftover slices, or turn it into a potluck
dessert swap. Light some candles, play vintage music, and enjoy the cozy vibes.
Storytelling by the Fire
Before television, families gathered by the fireplace to
share stories. Elders would recount tales from their youth, and children would
chime in with their own whimsical creations. These sessions were rich with
laughter, learning, and love.
How could you revive it?
Set up a storytelling circle with family or friends. Ask older family
members to share their Thanksgiving memories, or take turns creating a
collaborative story.
Leftover Feasts
Late-night snacks were a beloved tradition. Families would
gather for a second, smaller meal of turkey sandwiches, pickles, and pies.
These impromptu feasts were about savoring the holiday flavors one last time.
How could you revive it?
Take leftovers to work or school, or even better, take a picnic lunch
with friends and family to the cemetery.
You can visit and celebrate with your loved ones there too, both past
and present.
Thanksgiving Scrapbooking
Victorian families loved creating keepsakes of their
holidays. They often documented Thanksgiving by pressing autumn leaves, writing
reflections, or sketching scenes from the day.
How could you revive it?
Start a Thanksgiving scrapbook. Collect mementos like photos, pressed
leaves, or handwritten notes of gratitude from family members. Add to it each
year for a cherished family heirloom.
The days after Thanksgiving can be used by embracing vintage
customs that make the holiday even more meaningful. By revisiting these
nostalgic traditions, you can create a warm, connected, and memorable
experience for everyone around you
What are your favorite post-Thanksgiving traditions? Share
in the comments, and don’t forget to pin this post for inspiration next year!
Opened in 1890, the Phoenix Indian School was intended to function as a residential industrial school and to teach Native American teens and young adults useful occupations such as carpentry, animal husbandry and the domestic arts--sewing, cooking, nursing. In time, its dormitories housed a total of about 700 pupils from 35 different tribes, including some advanced students from other Western states.
The school was designed to be a self-sufficient as possible. Vegetables were raised in the gardens. Male students tended the cows in the dairy and made the furniture used in the classrooms and dormitories. Female students sewed school uniforms and practiced some native crafts such as basket-weaving.
In addition to classes in occupational skills, the school had an academic curriculum similar to that taught in the average high school of the time. Many of the teachers were themselves Native Americans from tribes elsewhere in the United States, on the theory that they would serve as relatable role models. The school newspaper was produced in the campus print shop, and the school’s military drill team, marching band and football and baseball teams were highly regarded. Each fall, students participated in the annual territorial fair, exhibiting handicrafts and taking part in horse races and foot races.
Alfred Scott played left outfield on the school’s baseball team in 1901. In 1904, he gave a declamation entitled “The Road to Placerville”, from Mark Twain’s book Roughing it, at a literary night performance.
On 1905, Alfred married an Anglo schoolteacher, Mae Glase, in Los Angeles, California. They had met while Miss Glase was teaching at the Phoenix Indian School. After the wedding, the young couple moved to Fort McDowell, where Mae taught elementary school.
Tragically, Alfred was already suffering from tuberculosis and died less than a year later on 10 April 1906. He was buried in Rosedale Cemetery, and his widow had a red sandstone monument placed on his grave.
Mae Glase Scott eventually moved to Murray, Utah, where she was employed for 33 years as a schoolteacher and principal. She died in Seattle in 1951.
-by Donna Carr
Photo of a Maidu family, 1906 (William
Thunen, photographer)
LCCN 2020635536
Edna Hillman was born around 1891 in Greenville, California, to George
and Maggie Hillman. She is known to have
had two brothers.
Government and school records describe Edna as a full-blood Digger Indian. That was a somewhat pejorative term applied to many tribes that lived in the Great Basin regions of Utah, Nevada and northern California. The area around Greenville was home to the Maidu tribe, so it is likely that she was Maidu.
The Maidu were hunter-gatherers who typically lived in dugouts and subsisted on acorns, game, seeds and edible roots, hence the name. During the Gold Rush years, the Maidu were dispossessed of their lands and decimated by diseases to which they had no immunity.
Her parents having died, Edna was enrolled in a boarding school in California in 1897. She was a Methodist; it is not known whether that was by choice or because the school that took her in happened to be Methodist.
By all accounts, Edna was a good student. Since she was 19 and an orphan, she herself signed the permissions to attend Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania for five years. A Carlisle trade school education was the best available to Native Americans of the turn of the century. Edna’s classes would probably have focused on practical skills such as cooking, sewing and nursing.
When Edna arrived at Carlisle on October 9, 1910, she was 5 feet 1 inch tall and weighed 133 pounds. However, she entered the school’s hospital in August 1911, where she was diagnosed with tuberculosis.
Her medical records show what she was fed. She was sometimes nauseous and often refused the milk and eggnog that was pressed upon her (many Native Americans are lactose-intolerant).
By November 1911, Edna was failing rapidly. Having no family left in California to care for her, she asked to be sent to a government sanitarium in Phoenix. She left the school on December 11 but, by the time she reached Phoenix, it was clear that she was too far gone to recover. She died on January 22, 1912, and was buried in Rosedale Cemetery.
-by Donna Carr
Traditional burial practices of Indigenous peoples in Arizona vary greatly depending on the specific tribe, as each has its unique cultural and spiritual beliefs surrounding death and the afterlife. Here are some examples of traditional burial practices for tribes historically and currently in Arizona. This certainly is not an exhaustive list.
Hohokam
The ancient Hohokam practiced both cremation and burial in
the ground. Cremated remains were often placed in pottery vessels or pits and
buried, sometimes alongside offerings like tools, jewelry, or food.
Akimel O'odham (Pima)
The Akimel O'odham typically practiced cremation, believing
that fire purified the soul and helped it transition to the afterlife. After
cremation, the remains were placed in a pot or urn and buried. Personal items
of the deceased, such as tools or clothing, were also burned or buried to
accompany them in the next life.
Tohono O'odham
The Tohono O'odham traditionally practiced inhumation. The
deceased were buried in a seated position, often wrapped in blankets or cloth. Graves
were usually dug in remote locations, and offerings such as food, tools, or
personal items were included to assist the deceased in their spiritual journey.
Family members performed rituals to honor the deceased and ensure their
peaceful transition to the afterlife.
Piipaash (Maricopa)
The Piipaash also practiced cremation, similar to the Akimel
O'odham, with personal items often burned along with the body or buried nearby.
Their ceremonies included rituals to purify the spirit and protect the living
from the deceased's spirit lingering too close.
Yavapai
The Yavapai traditionally buried their dead in the ground,
often in locations close to nature, such as caves or under trees. They believed
that the soul would return to nature. Like other tribes, the deceased were
buried with personal items that were believed to aid their journey in the
afterlife.
Common Themes Across Tribes
Burial locations often held significance, such as being near
water, under trees, or in caves, symbolizing a return to nature. Many tribes
included personal items or offerings to assist the deceased on their journey or
in their next life. Rituals and ceremonies often focused on purifying the soul,
guiding it to the afterlife, and protecting the living from spirits. Many
tribes would avoid or abandon places associated with death, reflecting a
reverence for the power of spirits and the need to respect the deceased.
These practices have evolved over time due to changes and
external influences. However, many
Indigenous communities in Arizona continue to honor their traditional beliefs
and incorporate them into modern practices where possible.
Stock photo of Mohave mother and child, ca. 1900.
Emma Burrows was born around
1885. She was a member of the San Carlos
Mohave (Yuman) tribe. Her maiden name
appears in the written record as Burrows, Burroughs and Burris.
She graduated from the Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania in 1906. On 7 August 1907, she married William French, a Salt River Maricopa who had been a student at the Phoenix Indian School. Witnesses to the marriage were William’s brother Clarence and a woman named Ossie Mollie.
Emma’s first child, a girl, was born 22 July 1908 but died 11 May 1909 of whooping cough and lobar pneumonia. The Frenches were living at 231 North 2nd Street at the time.
On 4 December 1909, Emma gave birth to a boy, William. However, he too died on 13 April 1911 of pulmonary tuberculosis. Both children were buried in Rosedale Cemetery in Phoenix. When little William expired, the family was residing at 918 East Jefferson Street in Phoenix.
By May 1911, Emma herself was in the last stages of pulmonary tuberculosis. She was taken to Fort McDowell, possibly for medical care, and died there on 14 May. She was buried in Rosedale, presumably near her children.
William French remained a widower for more than two years, after which he married Ada Quorah (Cora) and fathered seven more children.
-by Donna Carr
Phoenix is home to examples of Pueblo Deco architecture, a style that blends Art Deco with Indigenous Puebloan design elements. The Arizona Biltmore Hotel, constructed in 1929, is a prominent example. Inspired by the geometric patterns of Indigenous Pueblo art and motifs, McArthur and Wright incorporated what became known as "Biltmore Blocks." These blocks, made from desert sand and bearing stylized patterns, reflect the Southwest’s Indigenous heritage and the natural beauty of the desert
These sites exemplify how Indigenous cultural influences are
integrated into Phoenix's architectural landscape, celebrating the traditions
and contributions of these
communities in the region.
Laura Long was born on September 11, 1871, in Kansas. She was the daughter of Isaac Zane Long, a prominent member of the Wyandotte Nation, and Catherine McConnell. Her father Isaac is thought to have been a descendant of the famous frontiersman Isaac Zane and his wife of the Wyandotte Nation, Myeerah. Born in Zanesfield, Ohio, Isaac went west when the remnants of the Wyandotte tribe were removed to reservations in Kansas around 1843.
Even though school records list Laura as being only one-sixteenth Wyandotte, she seems to have been regarded as Native American throughout her life. In 1891, she was working and going to school at the Quapaw-Wyandotte Indian School in Seneca, Kansas. Thereafter, she attended Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania, from which she graduated in 1895. By 1896, she was employed as a matron at the Phoenix Indian School.
Opened in 1891, the Phoenix Indian School was intended to function as a residential industrial school, training Native American teens and young adults in useful occupations such as carpentry, animal husbandry and the domestic art, such as sewing, cooking, nursing. In time, its dormitories housed a total of about 700 pupils from 35 different tribes, including advanced students from other Western states. Like Laura, many of the teachers were themselves Native Americans from tribes elsewhere in the United States, on the theory that they would serve as relatable teachers.
On February 22, 1897, Laura Long married John Piper Cochran, a blacksmith at the Phoenix Indian School. Laura and John had one son, John D. Cochran, born March 30, 1898, in Phoenix.
Laura died on January 8, 1899, of inflammation of the bowels and peritonitis (possibly a ruptured appendix). After a Methodist funeral service attended by almost all the Indian School students, she was laid to rest in Rosedale North, Lot 43.
Weeks later, her husband’s parents, William C. and Mary Cochran, came to Phoenix to take nine-month-old John back to Kansas with them. Following John P. Cochran’s remarriage in 1901, young John went to live with his father and his new stepmother.
- by Donna Carr
Several Indigenous peoples were directly connected to the early establishment of what is now Phoenix. They were central to the development of the region. They contributed knowledge, irrigation infrastructure, and agricultural expertise that helped sustain the early settler communities in the Salt River Valley. Here are a few examples of their amazing contributions:
Hohokam
The ancient Hohokam civilization developed the extensive irrigation canals in
the Salt River Valley between 300 and 1450 AD, which made the region viable for
large-scale agriculture. These canals were later restored and used by settlers
in the Phoenix area, directly influencing the city’s foundation and
agricultural base.
Akimel O'odham (River People)
Descendants of the Hohokam, the Akimel O'odham continued to live in the region
near the Salt and Gila Rivers. They maintained and adapted some of the
Hohokam’s canal systems and practiced agriculture. The Akimel O'odham were
instrumental in helping early settlers with knowledge of farming techniques and
the local environment.
Piipaash
The Maricopa, or Piipaash, migrated to the area and allied with the Akimel
O'odham along the Gila River. They contributed to the agricultural practices
and trade network in the region, forming a mutually beneficial relationship
with the Akimel O'odham. They brought unique traditions, such as pottery styles
and cultural practices that have enriched the broader landscape of the
area.
We honor and are thankful for all that they did for the city of Phoenix in making it what it is today.
Today, Station 8 serves a new purpose: preserving and sharing the legacy of the Phoenix Fire Department. This transformation into a museum ensures that the tools, memorabilia, and memories of those who served continue to inspire future generations. Walking through the station, one can almost feel the heartbeat of a bygone era, where courage and camaraderie defined each shift and every call.
Several fire fighters who once served in the Phoenix Fire Department have been laid to rest at the Pioneer and Military Memorial Park (PMMP), We had the opportunity to see a few of them in their uniforms on the walls of the Fire House!
A huge shout-out to Tim Kovacs, who graciously guided us through this journey back in time. Tim’s passion for preserving and sharing this history was evident as he walked us through the collection, each piece carrying its own story. From vintage equipment to heartfelt tributes, Tim’s detailed narratives helped breathe life into every artifact, offering a deep appreciation for the work and sacrifices of these firefighters.
Visiting Phoenix Fire Historic Station 8 was not just an educational experience but a meaningful reflection on the community’s spirit and resilience. It’s a testament to the enduring legacy of those who protected Phoenix,
If you ever find yourself in Phoenix, I highly recommend stopping by the museum. Not only will you learn about the evolution of firefighting in our city, but you’ll also feel the deep connections between this station, its community, and the people who called it home.
-By Val
