The Harrison family of Lochiel is described in the April 2024 PRT Glimpses article. A 1926 interview of their eldest daughter, Mary Augusta Harrison Chalmers (1870-1931), provides wonderful information about daily life on the remote Harrison ranch, including a trip to Nogales to purchase supplies and deliver a live turkey. [Reminiscences of an Arizona Pioneer. Personal Experiences of Mary Harrison Chalmers. Effie L. Scott interviewer, 1926].
Mary Wilson Harrison, mother of Mary Augusta, Nell, & Virginia, 1800s. Photo courtesy Ancestry.com
“Those were great days; full of anxiety and danger, and yet we had our fun, too. I think one of the most amusing experiences that ever happened to any of us was when my sister Virginia (1875-1966) and I went to Nogales to take a turkey to my sister Nell.” Nellie Ellen Harrison (1873-1906) married Joel Lincoln Hathaway (1861- 1902) in 1889 so this trip probably happened about 1900. The girls’ mother was determined that Nell have a live turkey for the holidays, so Mary and Virginia set off with Strawberry and Sid harnessed to the spring wagon. They took the southern route, across “the line” and soon discovered that each time they stopped, the turkey gobbled—a distinct problem when trying to conceal him from Mexican customs agents they encountered. Fortunately, Virginia “spoke Spanish glibly and had charming ways.” They talked their way through three custom stops [Santa Cruz, Davisidaros (sic), Nogales] and successfully delivered the gobbler to Nell.
Once their wagon was loaded with supplies purchased in Nogales, they started home via the Patagonia road. “We knew it would be a long spooky sort of drive and we didn’t have either a pistol or blank with us. Everything went along well until we struck a steep hill.” Despite coaxing, urging, pushing, and a few punches, Strawberry and Sid refused to move. They were unhitched, fed and watered and still no luck. Mary and Virginia unloaded the wagon, carried everything to the top of the hill and tried again—no dice. Darkness was fast approaching when they spotted a mule. He was soon harnessed next to Strawberry. “I gave old Strawberry a good punch in the ribs and he started.”
At the top of the hill the wagon was reloaded, Sid was tied behind, and they set off. At a house a few miles down the road they stopped to water the equines. “Just as we drove up out came a lady who said sweetly: ‘Why there’s old Jerry!’ The lady was Mrs. Safford, the governor’s wife. Jerry was the name of the mule.” Sid was put back into service as Jerry was needed by the Saffords.
Mary and Virginia soon realized that they would never make it home that day, so they stayed overnight at John Harmon’s cabin. It was after 2pm before they finally arrived home the next day. “The folks were worrying about us but father said he had told mother, ‘Just leave it to Molly. She’ll get back some way!’”
Postscript: A.P.K. Safford was governor of Arizona Territory from 1869- 1877. In 1882 he moved to Florida but returned to Arizona in 1889 hoping to be elected governor again. The Mrs. Safford in this story was his third wife, Soledad Bonillas, whom he married in 1881. Safford was involved in mining in Tombstone and Harshaw so perhaps had a home in the area.
Alison Bunting can be contacted at alisbunting@gmail.com.