Galiuro Wilderness
Galiuro Wilderness | |
---|---|
wilderness area) | |
Location | Graham County, Arizona, United States |
Nearest city | San Manuel, Arizona |
Coordinates | 32°35′12″N 110°19′48″W / 32.58667°N 110.33000°W |
Area | 76,317 acres (309 km2) |
Established | 1964 |
Governing body | U.S. Forest Service |
Galiuro Wilderness is a 76,317-acre (309 km2)
Topography
Elevations in the Galiuro Wilderness range from 4,000 feet (1,219 m) to 7,671 feet (2,338 m) at the summit of Bassett Peak. The Galiuro Mountain Range is a very rough and brushy
Vegetation
The vegetation growing in Galiuro Wilderness varies from species of the semi-desert grassland type to those of the mixed conifer type. The majority of the south and west-facing slopes of the Galiuro Range are covered with dense stands of
Wildlife
A variety of wildlife can be found in the Galiuro Wilderness, including large mammals such as desert
History
Original native inhabitants of the area are believed to be the Jacome Indians, a little-known group possibly related to the Apaches.[4]
White settlers began arriving in the mid-19th century, taking up prospecting and later mining and ranching in the 1890s. In 1909, Jeff Power and his family homesteaded in Rattlesnake Canyon and began mining nearby. When two of Power's sons, Tom and John Power, failed to report when drafted into
In 1932, Congress set aside 52,717 acres (213 km2) in the Galiuro Mountains as the Galiuro Primitive Area within the Crook National Forest. It was renamed the Galiuro Wild Area in 1940, with administration shifting to the Coronado National Forest in 1953. With the passage of the Wilderness Act in 1964, the area was redesignated the Galiuro Wilderness. A last addition in 1983 incorporated the floor of Rattlesnake Valley into the wilderness, bringing it to a total of 76,317 acres (309 km2).[4]
In January 1943, a World War II
Life of Tom Sisson
Thomas Joseph W. Sisson was born on June 9, 1869, in
Sisson was the youngest in the family. His next oldest sibling, sister Lucretia, was born nearly ten years before him. By 1880, at age 11, he was motherless. The Federal census of that year indicates just he and his 65-year-old father living in the household.[6] Five years later, the Minnesota State Census of 1885 indicates that it was still just he and his elderly father, indicating that he spent much of his childhood alone.[7]
In March 1890, Sisson enlisted as a
On June 16, 1895, Sisson was discharged from the army at Fort Grant. His discharge indicated he was an "excellent" soldier. He remained in Arizona as indicated by his next documented appearance in the
Although the United States Marshal's wanted poster indicates that Sisson was a "paroled convict", there is currently no documentation regarding his involvement in any criminal activity prior to the gunfight at the Power's Cabin in February 1918. [However, on October 2, 1913, Sisson was convicted of being a horse thief – he had been indicted on a charge of grand larceny for stealing a horse from an Indian and was given a sentence of not more than ten nor less than one years at the State prison; a certificate of reasonable doubt was granted and a bond of $1,000 was granted;[9] he was paroled by Governor George W. P. Hunt.[10]]
After being convicted, Tom was sentenced to life in prison. He escaped briefly in 1923, by walking away from a work detail. He was quickly recaptured. As incredible as it may seem, in 1932 Sisson, who had then been in prison for fourteen years, received a pension for his military service from the United States Government.[11]
Sisson died on January 23, 1957, after spending 39 years in prison, a record at the time. His grave is located in the Florence Cemetery, at
See also
- List of Arizona Wilderness Areas
- List of U.S. Wilderness Areas
References
- ^ Galiuro Wilderness - Coronado National Forest
- ^ a b c d Galiuro Wilderness Archived 2010-01-19 at the Wayback Machine - GORP
- ^ a b c Galiuro Wilderness - Wilderness.net
- ^ a b c "Guns and Gold: History of the Galiuro Wilderness" by John P. Wilson, September 1977, ASIN B0006P0F68
- ^ "Home". footnote.com.
- ^ Census of 1880 – Sherburne County, Minnesota; Roll: 633; Page: 174A; Enumeration District: 64; Image: 0352.
- ^ Minnesota Territorial Census of 1885 Roll MNSC_44, p. 10.
- ^ Census of 1910 - Arizona Territory; Roll: T624_39; Page: 8A; Enumeration District: 0049.
- ^ Graham guardian., October 03, 1913, Image 1 Library of Congress accessed January 7, 2019
- ^ Arizona republican., February 12, 1918, Image 1 Library of Congress accessed January 7, 2019
- ^ National Archives & Records Administration - Pension Application #1728089 Certificate #A3-1-33. November 16, 1932
External links
- Galiuro Wilderness - Coronado National Forest
- Galiuro Wilderness - Wilderness.net
- Galiuro Wilderness - GORP
- Lands Exhibit: Galiuro Wilderness - Public Lands Information Center