#17 - Henry Ramboz

Honore' "Henry" Ramboz
Birth:  10 May 1837  France
Death: 14 Oct 1916  Phoenix, Maricopa, Arizona

Entered Pioneers' Home March 12, 1911 at age 73
Lived there 3 years, 7 months
Taken to asylum 10/20/14

Henry Ramboz was born in France in 1837.  No record has yet been found for when he first arrived in America, but according to the Resident Ledger of the Arizona Pioneers' Home, Ramboz first came to Arizona in 1867 (1).  We do know that in 1874  he was living in Yavapai County, having been counted in the Arizona Territorial Census that year (2) and in 1876 he shows up in Florence, Pinal County (3). 
Arizona territorial census were taken in 1864, 1866, 1867, 1869, 1874, 1876, and 1882.  "Instructions were given that no settlement, mining district or ranch was to be excluded.  A daunting proposition considering the size of the territory" (4).  However diligent census takers may have been, not everyone wanted to be counted.  More than a few of the early pioneers show up on multiple voter registration records but are no where on census.  Henry Ramboz does not appear on a census again after 1876.

 Henry's family was established in California, yet there are multiple records of him in Arizona.  How much time he spent with his family in California is unknown.  He married Jane Starkey in Los Angeles, California in 1874  (5).   Also, both of his children were born in California - a son, John Henry Ramboz, born in 1879  (6) and daughter Ina Winona, in 1883 (7).  This is also where Henry Ramboz would become a naturalized citizen in 1879 (8).  It is possible that Jane Starkey Ramboz preferred to stay close to her mother in the Los Angeles area.  Jane's mother, Margaret J. Starkey, was involved in a legal dispute over land that she sold, since she was "a married woman, but was living separate and apart from her husband, who was residing in an eastern state"  (9).  Since Jane was born in Massachusetts it can be inferred at some point her mother took the child, left her husband and went west to California.  That appears to be where Jane chose to remain as well.  

Henry Ramboz was a skilled horticulturalist as well as a successful miner.  He had established orchards in or near Wickenburg in 1874.   Ramboz would load his fruit up in a wagon and haul it to Tucson for sale.  His peaches were especially fine.  One newspaper reported "Of course, a good many were rotted or damaged by transporting them nearly 200 miles in a wagon, but many were in fine condition, and more juicy and delicious fruit never grew outside of Arizona.  They were unusually large-far above the average size of peaches grown in the old States.  They sold readily here at 50 and 75 cents per dozen.  Mr. Ramboz says he also has some fine apples, plums and grapes in his orchard"  (10).

In 1875 he established silver mining interests in the district that would later become Globe, Arizona.  Reports from that time refer to him as "one of Arizona's best citizens" (11).   Ramboz also establish a manganese mine near Central Heights, Arizona which is now part of the Tonto National Forest (12). 

After having worked hard in both horticulture and mining for many years, Henry Ramboz's health began to fail in his later years, leading to his admission in the Arizona Pioneers' Home in 1911.  Within the next couple of years he became the focus of considerable controversy. 

By March of 1913,  the Superintendent of the home had claimed that Ramboz was insane and had him held in the county jail while it was determined if  the Pioneer could be committed to the State Hospital in Phoenix.   The allegation made against Ramboz was that he was suffering from hallucinations "Such as making faces at everybody in the home"  and that Ramboz was claiming "that parties are endeavoring to dig into his apartment with picks and shovels with the object of killing him" (13). However, Ramboz challenged this in court and after being examined by medical officers, the court agreed that Ramboz was not insane and should be returned to the Pioneers' Home (14).

                                                   


However, his troubles were not over yet.  Just two weeks later Superintendent Colwell evicted him from the home again, on grounds of "Impaired mental faculties" despite Ramboz having been declared "clear as a bell" in the previous examination.  Once again Ramboz was forced to appeal to the Superior Court Judge who again ruled that Ramboz was to be permitted to return (15) .

This ongoing struggle continued, with claims he was found "running at large in Skull Valley" (16)

Eventually Henry Ramboz condition deteriorated to the point that he was committed to the State Hospital.  One might speculate whether exposure to the chemicals associated with his mining activities in his earlier years may have contributed to his mental state as he aged.  It is also possible that Ramboz was afflicted by a type of dementia that was little understood in those days.  Whatever the case, he died at the Asylum on October 14, 1916 and was buried in their cemetery. 

                                     

1.  "Arizona, Yavapai County, Pioneers' Home Resident Ledger and Index, 1911-2000," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7JBP-QZPZ : 14 August 2019), H. Ramboz, 12 Mar 1911; citing Immigration, Prescott, Yavapai, Arizona, United States, Arizona Department of Libraries, Archives, and Public Records, Phoenix; FHL microfilm 007945458.

2. Arizona, Territorial Census Records for 1874, (1864-1882).  Ancestry.com  (2016)  Provo, UT, USA

3. Arizona, Territorial Census Records for 1876, (1864-1882). Ancestry.com.  (2016) Provo, UT. USA

4. Kindred Past. January 12, 2017.  "Using the Arizona territorial Census".   https://kindredpast.com/2017/01/12/using-the-arizona-territorial-census/

5. California Department of Public Health, courtesy of www.vitalsearch-worldwide.co. Digital images.  "California, Couty Birth, Marriage and Death Records, 1849-1980.  Ancestry.com (2017)  Lehi, UT, USA

6. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; Roll #: 1786; Volume #: Roll 1786 - Certificates: 101250-101625, 29 Nov 1921-01 Dec 1921.  U. S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925. Ancestry.com.  (2007).  Lehi, UT, USA. 

7. U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007.  Ancestry.com. (2015). Provo, UT, USA.

8. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Naturalization Index of the Superior Court for Los Angeles County, California, 1852-1915 (M1608); Microfilm Serial: M1608; Microfilm Roll: 1  U.S., Naturalization Record Indexes, 1791-1992.  Ancestry.com.  Provo, UT, USA

9. Newspapers.com.  Los Angeles Herald (Los Angeles, California.  13 Jul 1892. "A decision Notable to Property Owners".  https://www.newspapers.com/image/42216382/?terms=Margaret%20Starkey&match=1 

10.  Newspapers.com. Arizona Weekly Citizen (Tucson, Arizona.  29 Aug 1874. (Wickenburg Orchards)  https://www.newspapers.com/image/39805320/?terms=Ramboz&match=1

11.  Newspapers.com.  Arizona Weekly Citizen.  21 Feb 1880. 
https://www.newspapers.com/image/39785528/?terms=Ramboz&match=1

12. The Digginigs. (2021). "Ramboz Manganese Mine".  https://thediggings.com/mines/15738

13. Newspapers.com Weekly Journal-Miner (Prescott, Arizona) o5 Mar 1913."Insanity Charge Made Against Pioneer".    https://www.newspapers.com/image/42313935/?terms=Ramboz&match=1

14. Newspapers.com  Weekly Journal Miner (Prescott, Arizona) 26 Mar 1913.  "Insanity Charge Dismissed By Court". https://www.newspapers.com/image/42314684/?terms=Ramboz&match=1

15.  Newspapers.com.  Weekly Journal-Miner (Prescott, Arizona). 09 Apr 1913. "In and Out but is now Back Once More".  https://www.newspapers.com/image/42315032/?terms=Ramboz&match=1

16.  Newspapers.com.  Weekly Journal-Miner (Prescott, Arizona)  23 Apr 1913.  "Court Commits Ramboz to the Asylum"  https://www.newspapers.com/image/42315551/?terms=Ramboz&match=1