MILES W. MERRILL

FARMER, FREIGHTER, MINER, PIONEER

BISBEE, ARIZONA. PROSPECTORS

Recorded by C.C. Beddoms, Field Reporter

While this man probably hasn’t the color wanted for material, we think his background warrants consideration as this story will unfold some interesting facts relative to this part of the world.

Back in the year 1846, when the Mormon expeditions were winding their way toward the west from eastern points, one of the caravan leaders, Philemon C. Merrill circled south from the Kansas plains and headed through the panhandle country of western Texas, across New Mexico and entered Arizona at what is now known as Guadalupe Canyon some thirty miles east of Douglas, Arizona.

In this canyon the expedition gave battle to a band of Indians that surprised them just at evening, but the pioneer group was able to save most of their belongings, losing only a team of horses and an elderly woman who, it appears, very likely died from fright. However, several members of the party were wounded by arrows and they continued to camp within the confines of the rocky mountains for several days while looking for the horses that were run off by the Indians.

Miles Merrill states that he heard his grandfather mention several times that in this region they killed many buffalo and that plenty of wild game was available. The expedition, Merrill continues, “Pushed on through the Sulphur Springs Valley north of Bisbee and headed west into what is now St. David, Arizona.” Here on the banks of the San Pedro River, the group rested for many days, while the men hunted and the women washed clothes. This particular spot was so attractive to the elder Merrill, that he returned thirty years later with his family which consisted of three children, the oldest being Miles’ father, John Merrill, who served as Bishop in the Mormon colony, and later went to the State Legislature as Senator from Cochise County, throughout the years that he lived in this district. John Merrill died at St. David in 1935 and is buried at that place.

It was at St. David that Miles Merrill was born and reared. Being of the rugged pioneer stock, outdoors was his playground and as he matured into manhood. Miles seemed to absorb the atmosphere into his being, for his work as a young man consisted of freighting between the mines and the towns, always having a pay load each day.

It was not until 1892 that the railroad was built into Tombstone and Miles’ dad, John, had the contract to do the grading. The railroad was built from Fairbanks where the line continued on into Bisbee.

As to the recreation prevalent at that time, if one didn’t indulge in gambling or drinking fiestas, one had the weekly dances to look forward to, and to socials conducted by church women. The old time square dances were quite the thing, with an occasional “mazurka, shottiche or lancers” being thrown in for those who didn’t care for the popular waltzing numbers. Still later the two-step was introduced and this dance was considered the ideal if one could master or follow the music, which consisted mostly of stringed instruments.

Tombstone was the county seat and was formed out of a portion of Pima County in 1880. John Behan was the first sheriff and John Merrill was his deputy at St. David. There is a story to the effect that a saloon-keeper at Charleston (the mill town) by the name of Stuttering Jerry Barton undertook to deliver three Mexican prisoners to the county building, so before leaving Charleston his bartender handed him a rifle and inserted one bullet in the chamber, saying, “If any of those greasers try to escape, pop him off.” Barton arrived at Tombstone with no prisoners and upon being questioned it was learned that they had tried to escape so he had to shoot them. Then it was later learned that he only had one cartridge in his rifle. He explained it by saying, “They were all running in a straight line, so the one bullet knocked ‘em all over’. It is believed that Barton lined his prisoners up for some ostensible reason and going around behind them, deliberately shot them down with the one bullet. At least when the bodies were located they were all handcuffed. Nothing was ever done about it according to Mr. Merrill.

Miles Merrill is now leasing at the White Tailed Deer Mine, near Don Luis and he is the Bishop of the local Mormon Church.

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