D e s e r t E x p o s u r e
January 2010
The Secret History of "Arizona"
Before there was an official Arizona Territory, a group of secessionists pursued a very different "Arizona" — and then shifted their sights to gold, in Pinos Altos.
By Erica and Jim Parson
Editor's note: Authors Erica and Jim Parson have recently undertaken an exhaustive effort to explore and correct the history of Pinos Altos, the little town north of Silver City that burst into existence — and short-lived prominence — after the discovery of gold there in 1860. As part of that undertaking, however, they realized it was first necessary to explain the many references to "Arizona" and "Arizona Territory" found in historical documents, and the references to Pinos Altos being located in "Arizona Territory." Many works today give the impression that "Arizona" and "Arizona Territory" refer to the State of Arizona as it exists in its present form, with the same boundaries, and encompassing the same area of land. In fact, "Arizona" prior to the official establishment of Arizona Territory on Feb. 24, 1863, was a quite different entity — whose story is surprisingly connected with that of Pinos Altos.
In this article, the Parsons explain that early history of "Arizona" and its connection to Pinos Altos. Next month, they will set straight the error-riddled history of Pinos Altos itself.
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed on Feb. 2, 1848, formally ended the Mexican War that had begun in 1846. The treaty was approved by the US Senate the following month and was ratified by the Mexican Congress on May 30, 1848. Under this treaty, the Republic of Mexico was forced to cede a vast swath of its lands to the United States, including not only what would become New Mexico Territory, but also the lands that form the modern-day states of California (Alta California), the southern part of Colorado and Utah, all of Arizona and the southern part of Nevada.
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The Disturnell map of 1847 was so
filled with geographical errors that it led to the international boundary
being established some 40 miles too far to the north. |
Article V of the treaty described where the new international boundary between the much-reduced Mexico and the newly acquired lands was to be. At the time of the treaty, the southern border of the United States was determined by using a map furnished by the Smithsonian Institution — the infamous Disturnell map of 1847. This map was so filled with geographical errors that it led to the international boundary being established some 40 miles too far to the north. It was not until official surveyors began to physically stake out the boundary that the error was discovered. It would be another six years before the United States took full possession of what had become a disputed area of land with the signing of the Gadsden Treaty (Gadsden Purchase) in 1854 and the establishment of the boundary as it appears today.
Had the United States not gained possession of the disputed territory — at a cost of $10 million — then the Bootheel region of New Mexico, including the land on which present-day Lordsburg is located, would still be part of the Republic of Mexico. So would all of the Mesilla Valley except for the town of Doa Ana. All of the land east of the Rio Grande was claimed by Texas at this time.
The boundary as it was originally defined ran west from a point on the Rio Grande 1.75 miles below the village of Doa Ana. It ran almost exactly along what is today the northern city limit of Lordsburg, which is marked by a sign on Highway 70 where that highway crosses the Lordsburg Draw. Continuing west, the boundary line then took a sharp turn to the north to intersect the Gila River just east of the present-day town of Safford, Ariz., following that river until it converged with the Colorado River. All land lying west of the Colorado River was California.
The Gadsden Purchase lands were unceremoniously annexed to Doa Ana County on Jan. 15, 1855. Doa Ana County now stretched from what is today the Texas border on the east, to the Colorado River, which marks the eastern boundary of California, on the west. It encompassed approximately 70,000 square miles. It included the settlements of Tucson, Tubac and all of the other settlements south of Tucson along the Santa Cruz Valley.
The Gadsden Purchase included the stretch of land that was desperately desired for, and was the most suitable for, the proposed southern railroad route to the Pacific — a desire the United States had held since before the War with Mexico.
It was not long until this area of New Mexico Territory began to be referred to as Arizona. Being a part of Doa Ana County, however, "Arizona" was of course part of New Mexico Territory, with the county seat at the town of Doa Ana. As early as 1854, even before the Gadsden Purchase lands had been officially annexed to Doa Ana County, New Mexico Territory itself had memorialized Congress for the organization of this Arizona territory, but no action was taken.
The citizens of the western portion of the Gadsden Purchase lands had some major grievances. There was a complete absence of any localized civil government, and of any recourse to the Territorial judicial system. Tucson was reported to be particularly lawless. On an equal footing with this was the fact that the area's residents suffered almost continual depredation by Apaches. The small numbers of US troops garrisoned in the southern part of New Mexico Territory were frequently criticized for their inefficiencies and disinterest in the problems of civilians.
Both the county seat at Doa Ana and the Territorial capitol at Santa Fe lay hundreds of miles away, on the other side of some of the most inhospitable desert terrain, home to roving bands of hostile Apaches.
A chronological account of all of the bills and memorials introduced before the US Congress in Arizona's (Gadsden Purchase lands) quest for independent organization and representation would take up several more pages. Suffice it to say here that there were multiple such appeals from 1854 onward. Arizona had even elected delegates to Congress in 1856 and 1857, both of whom were refused admission and therefore failed to take up their seats.
In 1860, New Mexico's Territorial Legislature finally responded to the incessant pleas of the citizens of the Gadsden Purchase lands. On Jan. 17, 1860, the Legislative Council of the Territory passed the bill that created Arizona County. The bill was enacted, and approved by the governor of the Territory on Feb. 1, 1860.
Arizona County was formed from the western portion of Doa Ana County. Its eastern boundary, as it ran north-south, passed through a point one mile east of the Stage Station at Apache Pass (placing it west of today's Arizona-New Mexico border). Tubac was designated the county seat, although the following year the country seat was relocated to Tucson.
On Jan. 12, 1862, however, after an existence of less than two years, Arizona County was dissolved, the land being temporarily restored to Doa Ana County. A little over a year later, the Territory of Arizona was officially established when President Abraham Lincoln signed the Arizona Organic Act on Feb. 24, 1863.
The brief history of Arizona County included an event that in 1860 that has gained fame and caused much historical misunderstanding. This event was the formation of the Provisional Government of the Territory of Arizona in April 1860.
Despite the creation of Arizona County, it appears this was viewed as an unsatisfactory solution — at least, to some of its citizens. There were factions in the population who remained insistent in their claims that the Gadsden Purchase lands should be organized as a territory — "Arizona Territory" — in its own right.
The Provisional Government of the Territory of Arizona existed in little more than name only. It was never recognized or sanctioned by either the New Mexico Territorial government or the federal government in Washington. There is no evidence that it ever accomplished very much. It was a very short-lived affair, and, it is reported, one of the main reasons for this was the discovery of gold at Pinos Altos. There are reports that some officials of the Provisional Government resigned their positions, preferring instead to join the gold-hunting exodus to Bear Creek and Burch's Gulch.
Several of those involved with the Provisional Government would soon be calling Pinos Altos home, as would several of those who were the staunchest of secessionists. The 1860 census for Pinos Altos lists B.F. Neal, lawyer, who had been attorney general to the Provisional Government, and Ed McGowan, who would be elected delegate to Congress for the Provisional Government in November 1860. Sam G. Bean, elected marshall by the Provisional Government, would soon be proprietor of a general merchandise store at Pinos Altos alongside his brother Roy(the subsequently famous Judge Roy Bean).
The political machinations of these people, amongst others, would soon have a catastrophic effect on Pinos Altos and all of southern New Mexico. The discovery of gold by Snively, Burch and Hicks would put this very small, very isolated and extremely dangerous frontier region of New Mexico Territory firmly on the map, drawing to it the attentions of some who would do it little good.
"Arizona" at this time was in a state of turmoil, unsure of whether it was a county of New Mexico or a territory in its own right. Its seat of government, which was, legally, the New Mexico Territorial Government, lay many miles away at Santa Fe, and secession and Civil War were on the near horizon. Both of these events would initiate momentous changes in our area of the Territory — happenings in which Pinos Altos would play a major role, but which would leave the settlement in a state of economic and social ruin, and virtual abandonment.
Jim and Erica Parson live in Silver City. Jim was born in Silver City, and grew up in the area. His family settled in Grant County in the late 1870s, having been in the Southwest since the early 1830s. Erica was born and raised in South Wales, and lived there until 2004 when she came to New Mexico. Over the past four years, they have been engaged almost full time in researching the history of southwestern New Mexico. They have a particular interest in the early history of Grant County and in the true history of the old ghost-town of Shakespeare, just south of Lordsburg.