Arizona's Beginnings (Happy 100th Birthday)

With Arizona celebrating being a state for 100 years I thought it would be good to write about our ancestors families that were part of settling Arizona, their contributions, and identify who was here when it was made a state in 1912.

Ellis Whitney Wiltbank

Ellis Whitney Wiltbank was called along with 12 other men to find suitable places for Mormon settlements in Arizona. After completing this task he returned to Arizona in 1879 with his family including his wife Hannah Mary Hall and children: William Ellis and Mary Ann. They settled in Round Valley. Ellis Whitney Wiltbank remained in the White Mountains until he died in 1932 at the age of 78. The children of Ellis Whitney and Hannah Mary Wiltbank, of which there were 9 who lived to be adults, mostly remained in the White Mountains of Arizona and helped to shape Arizona. One example of this is William Ellis Wiltbank, the first child of Ellis and Hannah. William Ellis is more affectionately called Pacer Wiltbank because of the fast pace of his walk. Pacer became a prominent rancher, served in the state legislature and senate.
Wiltbanks that were in Arizona when it became a state:

Wiltbank Reunion about 1940

Ellis Whitney Wiltbank (57)
    William Ellis(34) and his children
       Atella(13), William Ellis(11),
       Milo Charles(9), Waity Olive(7),
       Walter Lorenzo(1);
   Mary Ann Wiltbank Crosby(32);
   Florence Wiltbank Hall(31);
   James Hyrum(25) and his children
       Lester Lorenzo(1), Freda(0);
   John Cleveland(24);
   Milford Jay(21);
   Rebecca(19);
   Josephene(14).

Marcor Hansen Peterson

Marcor Hansen Peterson was sent in 1876 at the age of 34 with his family to help settle Arizona. He first settled in Brigham City which was near what is now Winslow. Then in 1880 he helped to settle St. Johns where he plowed the first furrow for the city ditch. He was active in the building and management of several irrigation systems. He farmed, did freighting between St Johns and Holbrook and made much of the brick using in building his first home. He worked and lived in and around St Johns until he died at the age of 95. Marcor brought his family with him. This included his daughter Dorthea Marie from his first wife who first settled in St Johns with 8 of her children. Later she moved to Greer with her family. All but one of these children stayed in Arizona. Dorthea was very industrious and worked hard to raise her children mostly alone but with the help of her father and step brothers.

George Henry Crosby

George Henry and Sarah Hannah Brown Crosby received a call to go to Arizona in 1880. George's Brother and Sarah's Father and Brothers were also called to to settle in the Little Colorado country.  George and Sarah brought with them their 8 children. Soon after arriving George was called to be Bishop of what became the Eagar ward. He and his counselors set about organizing the development of canals and later the the reservoirs north of Greer. George also served as the Road Overseer of the Springerville Road District. George left Arizona in 1899. Through his leadership Eagar began to take shape as a community.


Crosby's that were in Arizona when it became a state:
Sarah Hannah Brown Crosby(60);
   Benjamin Brown Crosby(43) and children
       GeorgeWilliam(10), Mary(7), and Frieda(4);
   Children of Lorenzo Crosby who had died
       Hannah(13), George Ellis(11), and Lester Lorenzo(9);
   Sarah Amelia Crosby Wiltbank(34);
   John Alma Crosby(29) and children
       Anona(6), Carl Lorenzo(2), Alice Geneva(1);
   Jesse Edward Crosby(32) and children
   Charles Wilkenson(27);
   Albert Walter "Bert" Crosby(26).

Sarah Hannah Brown Crosby

Sarah Hannah Brown Crosby, wife of George Henry Crosby, remained in Eagar Arizona teaching school and Sunday School. She was one of the original three teachers in Round Valley and taught for many years. She served as the Eagar Ward Primary President for ten years followed by serving as the St Johns Stake Primary President from 1904 to 1909. She would travel by Horse and Buggy across the stake that was considerable in size. Her children remained in Arizona close to her. Sarah was quite a make do person. Her son Bert tells the story about when on a trip from Nutrioso to Round Valley the double tree broke and the horses took off leaving the buggy and them. They chased down the horses and then "Mother took her hatchet out and cut a cedar limb, trimmed it and made a doubletree and wired it in, hitched up her team and on we went home". Sarah was of hearty stock and very industrious. Sarah was the daughter of Lorenzo Brown and Francis Crosby Brown. Lorenzo and Francis also were called to settle in Arizona and lived mostly in Nutrioso.
Browns that were in Arizona when it became a state:
Children of Lorenzo Brown (who had died by 1912)
   Benjamin(67) and his children
       Melissa Jane(45), Marion Elizabeth(41), Eliza Josephine(39), Hannah Matilda(36),
       Nina Ella(33), Emma Belle(30), Benjamin(28), Cordelia(25);
   Lorenzo John Brown(58) and his children
       Nina Frances(34), Lorenzo John(32), Lurana(29), Edward M(25), Ella(23), Donald(18), Horace Young(11);
Great Grandchildren - Louise(2); Loren Vance(10); Mary(8); Hazel Salina(5); Lorenzo JohnIII(3); Elton Earl(1).


I am sure that this is not a comprehensive list of the Wiltbank, Crosby and Brown members that were in the state on statehood day but you can tell that these families were large and well represented. Also I am not slighting those of us that are from a daughter who have other surnames of which I am one. I really enjoyed learning about these three families. I remember as a child going to the Brown, Wiltbank and Crosby reunions and I could never understand how we were related and who those people were. Now I have learned about these relations and have gained alot of respect for these families.

References:
The George Henry Crosby Family by Della Crosby Smith, 1998.
Lovin’ Memories, Published by Carol Bloomfield in 2010.