In the March 15, 1911 Weekly Journal-Minor (1) there is a story on page 6 which reads: “Three Pioneers Admitted to Home” (Referencing the Arizona Pioneers’ Home in Prescott.) The men listed are James Howey of Phoenix, James Finn and H. Rambog of this county (Yavapai) saying they were all “favorably endorsed by the Board of Control for admittance to the Pioneer Home, and will be received today.”
The story goes on to extol the accomplishments of Mr. Howey, relating that he was known for having “erected the brick building that stands on the corner of Cortez and Goodwin streets, which is used as a fire hall by the city. He was a very industrious citizen and followed the vocation of blacksmith until ill – health compelled him to abandon an active life at the forge. His entry to the Home is one that will meet with the approbation of all.”
The building being described on Cortez and Goodwin is reported to have later been occupied by a James Adams as a second hand
store. The City of Prescott purchased
the property in 1904 to convert to headquarters for the fire department(2). More detailed history of the building was given by Tom Collins in 2019. "The original building stood where our City Hall stands today, on the southwest corner of Cortez and Goodwin streets, opposite the Post Office". After having been put to a number of different uses, apparently the original bricks from that building were later reconstructed at the Pioneer Living History Museum just off I-17 near Anthem (3).
Knowing more about the building is interesting, to a point. There’s just one problem with the 1911 Journal-Miner article. James Howey
never was a resident of Arizona Pioneers’ Home.
James Howey was born about 1846 in England. He emigrated to the United States in 1870 when he would have been about 24. By 1874 he was living in Prescott which was then part of Arizona Territory, as recorded in the Territorial Census record of that year (4). He became a naturalized citizen in Prescott on October 6, 1876 (5).
On October 31, 1897 he married Sarah Balmforth, an immigrant from Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.
He was 46 and Sarah was 43 (6).
 |
Sadly, this marriage was not to last long. Sarah Howey died on October 19, 1898, just a couple weeks short of their one year wedding anniversary (7).
From that time on things become a bit uncertain of what the circumstances were for James Howey.
In May of 1905 he was “Adjudged Insane”, based on the testimony of three neighbors and examination by two physicians, (W. E. Day and W. T. Smith). At that time he was committed to the asylum in Phoenix (8). Exactly what criteria was the basis for the claim in not clear. Apparently he had been living alone in a house in the Verde Valley, “and how he had been getting food to keep him alive has been a mystery to his neighbors. Recently they have noticed that he was getting worse, and they are afraid for him to be at large any longer, as he shows signs of being dangerous. He is a German by birth, and has no family in this country” (9). This is especially perplexing given that there is ample evidence that he was well known to have been born in England. Also, just a week before this, it was reported that “Mr. Howey, who is in Jerome on business, states that the heavy winter rains have badly damaged the irrigation ditches, and it will take much time and labor to put them into condition” (10).
So what is to be believed? Was he traveling about conducting business as usual in Yavapai County, or was he a recluse in the Verde Valley who his neighbors believed to be dangerous? Perhaps reporters for the journal miner at that time were less than careful about fact checking, considering the false report that Howey was entering Pioneer home in 1911, something he clearly never did.
A little further digging reveals that in August of 1911 his application to enter the home (along with those of several others) “was set aside for further action at some future time, because of insufficient information furnished by the board of supervisors.” At least he did not meet the fate of Robert Smith of Yavapai county, whose application at that same time was rejected because he was considered undesirable (11).
Perhaps James Howey had developed dementia. What the exact circumstances of him going to that institution were, we cannot say. However, it seems that someone had made an effort to have him removed and placed in the Arizona Pioneers' Home, considering that a more appropriate setting for this man to spend his final days. However, that was not to be.
James Howey died on September 19th, 1913 in the Arizona State Hospital for Insane. Cause of death was listed as "Senility". Apparently they knew nothing of his wife, as his death certificate lists him as single. He was buried in the Asylum cemetery, a sad end for a man once so highly respected among his Prescott peers.
2. Newspapers.com.
Weekly Journal-Miner (Prescott, Arizona). 30 Mar 1904. “The Local New of
the City and County”. https://www.newspapers.com/image/46164189/?terms=James%20Howey&match=1
3. Collins, Tom. Jan 05, 2019. "Days Past Articles". Sharlot Hall Museum. https://archives.sharlothallmuseum.org/articles/days-past-articles/1/levi-bashfords-opera-house-in-howeys-hall
4. Arizona, U.S., Territorial Census Records, 1864-1882. Ancestry.com (2016) Provo, UT, USA
5. Arizona History and Archives Division; Phoenix Arizona; Great Registers of Voters. Voter Registrations, 1866-1955. Ancestry.com. (2016). Provo, UT, USA
6. Arizona, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1865-1972. Ancestry.com. (2016) Lehi, UT, USA
7. Newspapers.com Weekly Journal-Miner (Prescott, Arizona) 19 Oct 1898. "Mrs. Howey's Death"
https://www.newspapers.com/image/39783496/?article=61f721c8-3a42-464b-b502-966c7456dec9&focus=0.6530951,0.77049047,0.759309,0.88162065&xid=3355&_ga=2.264818187.546644210.1623115925-1851596066.1621641659
8. Newspapers.com. Weekly Journal-Miner (Prescott, Arizona) 24 May 1905. “Adjudged Insane” https://www.newspapers.com/image/46143670/?terms=James%20Howey&match=1
9. Newspapers.com.
Weekly Journal-Miner (Prescott, Arizona) 24 May 1005. “Going Insane”.
https://www.newspapers.com/image/46143656/?terms=James%20Howey&match=1
10. Newspaper.com.
Weekly Journal-Miner (Prescott, Arizona) 17 May 1905. “News From Jerome”.
https://www.newspapers.com/image/46143617/?terms=James%20Howey&match=1
11. Newspapers.com.
Tucson Citizen (Tucson, Arizona) 05 Aug 1911.
https://www.newspapers.com/image/580439646/?terms=James%20Howey&match=1
12. 1910 United States Federal Census. Phoenix, Maricopa, Arizona. Roll: T624_40; Page: 10B. Enumeration District: 0074; FHL microfilm: 1374053. Ancestry.com (2006) Lehi, UT, USA
13. Arizona Department of Health Services; Phoenix, AZ; Arizona Genealogy Birth and Death Certificates. Arizona, U.S., Death Records 1887-1960. Ancestry.com. (2016) Lehi, UT, USA
No comments:
Post a Comment