In 1848 the Southwest was acquired by the United States in the
War
with Mexico. Arizona was part of the region that became known as the
New Mexico Territory consisting of what is today known as the States of
Arizona and New Mexico.
In 1849
"The Gadsden Purchase" acquired the region
south of the
Gila River extending from the California border to the Rio Grande
River. With Gold discovered in California, migration through Arizona
was extensive and eventually those who were unsuccessful in California
came to Arizona to settle.
The southern region of the New Mexico Territory, especially
Tucson
and Mesilla, would become settled primarily by pioneers from the south,
including many Virginians. There would also be heavy settlement by the
Mormons throughout most of the Arizona part of the Territory.
On March 16, 1861, an "Ordinance of Secession"
was
passed by a
Convention of the People of Arizona at Mesilla, Arizona Territory. On
August 1st, the Territory of Arizona was created and seceded from the
Union. The Arizona Territory consisted of the portions of the region of
the New Mexico Territory which was south of the Gila River from El Paso
to Yuma.
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On February 14th, 1862, the Territory of Arizona was recognized
by
the Confederate States of America. Granville H. Oury of Tucson, a
Virginian, was elected as the first delegate to the Confederate
Congress. |
On February 14th,
1863, the Territory of Arizona was recognized
by
the United States Government, but to spite the Confederacy the borders
were established as we know it today.
From 1865 to 1900, there was a great influx of settlers mostly
from
the southern states, most of whom were ex-Confederates or refugees from
the Reconstruction South, including a great many from the war devastated
regions of Virginia. A large migration of Mormon Pioneers moved into
the Snowflake area in 1878. (See
Gale and
Kartchner Families) Additional Mormon families moved into Lehi and
Mesa to settle. As the mining boom hit, many more settlers came to
Arizona from the mid-west, and from countries around the world,
including Germany, Ireland, Wales and China.
On February 14th, 1912 Arizona became the 48th
State.
In 1921 Hugh Ernest Foster moved from Clovis, New Mexico to Southern Arizona.
He settled in the town of Bisbee and began his lifelong trade as a barber.
His wife, Mabel Elliott Foster and her three children (Ilene,
Alton,
Maxine) moved to the Globe, Arizona
area to live with her half sister Clara Miller. Soon thereafter their divorce was
final. Hugh was to continue as a single man never to marry again. Mabel was to
find favor with another four or five husbands but no additional children were born.
Mabel continued to work as a seamstress in Globe and eventually moved into the
Phoenix area where she purchased a home where my father (Alton Scott Foster)
finished his education at Phoenix Union
High School. See
History of Alton Scott Foster. See also the Personal History
of Gary Lee Foster.
Click here to go to Foster Family Website
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