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Scholefield Family Tree

When examining the Arizona papers available by subscription in GenealogyBank.com‘s Historical Newspaper Collection, there are many hits for the name Scholefield. In addition, there are hits for variations of the name, amounting to over one thousand hits. Those alternates searched: Schofield, Scholfield, Sholefield, Sholfield, Shofield, also the previous as feild, Scholfleld, Scofleld, Schofleld, Scholefleld. (Yes, that is f-L-e-l-d! The papers were run through OCR software that “saw” the dot on the i, blurred and bled, as an l. There are also several other name variations that can be searched, but since there were more results than those I listed below, they can be searched if needed later.)

The papers that are available for the area extending from Phoenix south after about 1885 when the family moved to Tucson are: Tucson Daily Citizen, 10/15/1870 – 12/31/1922; Tombstone Epitaph Prospector, 5/1/1880 – 12/31/1899; Phoenix Weekly Herald, 1/2/1896 – 6/22/1899; Weekly Republican, 6/29/1899 – 3/7/1901.

Throughout the papers one will find notices that Scholefield inspected a bunch of cattle as part of his duties as cattle inspector. The Weekly Republican carried notices that G. P. Scholefield sold many strays between the years 1899-1900. It also ran a notice that G. M. Scholefield was the cattle inspector based in Tucson (the middle initial is not much of a concern because of the middle of Major which George gave to his son). On 9 Jun 1898 the Phoenix Weekly Herald stated that according to the estimate of inspector Schofield of Tucson, 20,000 would be the approximate number of cattle to be shipped from Tucson during the spring and summer.

One of the first mentions of George was in the Tombstone Epitaph Prospector on 28 Mar 1886 as a witness who could prove the residence of Frederick M. Moore, both of whom were of Total Wreck. Moore was attempting to file a pre-emption claim on his land. (Was Moore related to Clara?) The notice was published several times in accordance with the law. In the same paper on 22 Oct 1889, notice was made that Mr. Geo. P. Schofield, of the Santa Ritas, had been appointed by Frank P. Clark, U.S. Custom collector at El Paso, deputy collector of customs for the district of Paso Del Norte, with headquarters at La Noria. On 24 Jul 1890, there is mention of hail storm which had swept through Pima county, carrying away orchards and gardens and drowning stock and horses in the vicinity of Schofield’s ranch. On 13 Aug 1900 the Prescott Mourning Courier reprinted a story from the Tucson Post of 10 Aug that George Scholefield reported that a man named Gavino and his son were struck by lightning at Greaterville last Saturday. Those who currently live in Arizona will recognize these as monsoon storms which include large amounts of lighting and can drop hail as well as down trees or rip off a roof in a microburst and sweep away cars in a flash-flood. Monsoon storms still make the news every year from June through September!

On 12 Jun 1900 the Arizona Daily Citizen (later the Tucson Citizen) reported that a deed was filed in the recorders office today transferring the St. Helena ranch located in the Santa Ritas not far from Barrel Canyon from George and C. A. Scholfield and wife to Walter Vail.

On a trip to Phoenix, George P. Scholefield compared the street car system to that of his Tucson home. His comments were published in the Republican Herald on 14 Feb 1901. The one mule and one car in Tucson, he said, has a better schedule than the Phoenix system. The mule has a definite pace, and there is no danger of a grounded electrical current. The only difficulty faced by the mule is mud covering the tracks, causing detours and delays as the trail is found.

Scholefield’s political career actually began with defeat. The Arizona Daily Citizen reported on 10 Dec 1901 that he ran against Sam Barkley, who was the democratic candidate for the first ward, which was traditionally republican. Scholefield lost and Barkley’s popularity was cited as the reason. During his time on the Council, George P. Scholefield was known for his favoring annexation. He cited several reasons including the fact that those who live outside the city limits still reap the benefits of living near a city of 15,000 residents and work in the city limits. Also, they expect city fire service but are unwilling to pay the taxes that enable the service to continue. One night when there were many dogs barking outside, he threatened to move that the poundmaster be required to attend meetings of the City Council.

On 18 Oct 1905 the Tucson Citizen reported that the Council discovered that a new Territorial law had been overlooked. It required that notice of an election be given 60 days before and that deadline was Oct 11. Also, new members of the council must be duly elected. George P. Scholefield and two other Councilmen, therefore, may have been held over for another year. Councilman Rosenstern said he would simply resign. In November of the same year, at the Republican city convention, Schumacher prevented re-nomination of Councilman George Scholefield because he voted for the Democratic anti-gambling ordinance. The evening of 2 Jan 1906 George P. Scholefield resigned as Councilman for the second ward along with the remaining members of the old Council. A new was then appointed. (This was done to get around a new Territorial law and was reported in the paper the following day.)

Nine days later on 11 Jan 1906 the Tucson Citizen reported that George Scholefield was unanimously elected fire chief. He was nominated by his opponent in the City Council election two years earlier, Sam Barkley. Five false alarms which were due to “crossed wires” at the telephone company marred the celebrations.

On 5 May 1906 Chief Scholefield said that the Tucson fire department responds as quickly as any in Arizona or New Mexico. However, delays in reporting fires are hampered by observers having to find a phone. It is probable that he will petition the Council for an alarm box system. Five days later, 10 May 1906, the paper reported that Chief George P. Scholefield would be reporting to the council that frame buildings were going up which disregarded fire ordinances. Wooden buildings within earlier city limits were outlawed with the objective of lowering fire risks. Surprisingly, permits have been obtained from the city for some of these buildings.

Those who live in Tucson know the woes of fireworks in the area because of the dryness. Each year there is a large debate about running the city sponsored fireworks show on A Mountain. It is controversial because almost every year the fireworks light the mountain on fire – and that has resulted in the joke that everyone just watches the fireworks in order to watch them burn the mountain down. Since Scholefield’s days, consumer fireworks have been outlawed in Arizona. The day before the Fourth of July in 1906, Fire Chief Scholefield was reported to understand that the American boy wishes to make as much noise as he pleases. Fireworks would not be restricted the next day. The Chief requested that property owners remove combustible materials which may be stored in back yards because there had been no rain for several months.

The following year on 5 Jul 1907, George P. Scholefield unanimously elected president of the Territorial Fireman’s Association. Chief Scholefield promises a warm report on 20 Nov 1907 regarding the reported delay in the actions of firemen in regards to the fire which destroyed the foundry of the Gardiner, Worthen and Goss company Monday night. One month later on 26 Dec, the Eagle Milling company sent a check to George P. Scholefield a $50 check fort the fire department as a Christmas present and thanks for a quick response to three fires at the mill on Tuesday night.

Throughout the Tucson Citizen you will also find notices that he came into town from various places he had traveled as an inspector or from his ranch in the Santa Ritas. A carrier pigeon visited the Rosemont hotel which is conducted by Geo. Scholefield reported the Tucson Citizen on 5 May 1915. In Feb 1916 George Scholefield began to work the Daylight claim on the Lewisohn property at Rosemont which was near his ranch. On 14 Feb 1917 George Scholefield’s two-story home is listed as one of the principal sights in the Rosemont area where he ran a store and weighed wagon loads of ore coming out of nearby mines.

Armour was mentioned in the paper on 20 Jun 1898 as the friend of Lee Orndorff, who had been visiting Armour. Lee had developed into the perfect nimrod, because when hunting last he shot three large mountain lions and two good sized deer. Lee now turns up his nose at small game.

Miss Helen Scholefield is frequently mentioned in her many social pursuits as well as her trips to California. On 15 May 1902 Helen was on the program to give the valedictory address at the Public School Commencement Exercises to be held at the Opera House the following evening. The evening of 10 Oct 1907 she married Max Brodie. Miss Scholefield was reported to be considered one of the most attractive of Tucson’s young ladies. Max Brodie, who had only been in the city for about two years, was the head of the shoe department in the Albert Steinford store and was known to be reliable and straightforward.

On 24 Jun 1908 the paper reported that Carl B. Scholefield was officially appointed as a forest guard on the Santa Rita reserve. He had been acting as a guard for some time. Carl acted as an inspector and judge for the balloting process and counting of ballots for many years. On 23 Dec 1914, C. B. Schofield and wife along with Mrs. Brodie motored into Tucson in their big Lozier car.

George’s mother was mentioned in Feb 1886 when Mrs. H. M. Schofield visited her son George P. with the hope that the change in climate would aide her failing health. She was in town on 3 May 1904 when Councilman George P. Scholefield asked to be excused in order to meet his mother Mrs. Helen Scholefield who is here for the first time in eleven years. After a brief visit she will visit as sister in San Diego and then return to Tucson.

On 14 Feb 1901 the Weekly Republican reported the death of Mrs. M. M. Moore, George’s mother-in-law [more about her later] and stated that Clara had a twin sister named Susan who married a Charles Connell. And on 13 Feb 1906 his brother-in-law Charles H. Kenyon’s death was reported in the Tucson Citizen.

Some additional articles which give some insight into the life during this time and George Scholefield are:

18-Feb-1902, Tucson Citizen, George P. Scholfield will be a charter member of a local camp of the Sons of Veterans which will be organized in this city tonight.

2-Mar-1903, Tucson Citizen, Delinquent Tax List for 1902: Scholfield, Geo. P., personal property, P.T., Territorial and County Tax: 80 15 Penalty: 3 88, Cost: 50 (none to City of Tucson)

5-Oct-1904, Tucson Citizen, The Phoenix Republican reported that George P. Scholefield, of Tucson, cattle inspector, head of the Tucson police committee, and well known cattleman spent Sunday in the city. He bragged about his ability to catch fish and shoot duck. However, he was unsuccessful and Mr. Harrison’s little boy finally said disgustedly, “You can’t neither fish nor shoot.”

23-Nov-1904, Tucson Citizen, George P. Scholefield, the live stock sanitary inspector for this district, was a witness in a queer illustration of the devious ways of the law. A calf was slaughtered and a cow’s throat slit and Scholefield discovered the evidence. However, no one reported seeing the man who was on trial do the actual deed so he was acquitted. Others were up for the same charge and it was determined that this man could then swear on the stand that he had done the deed, getting his friends off the hook, but could not be retried himself.

16-Oct-1905, Tucson Citizen, Councilman and chairman of the Police Committee, George Scholefield, made good as a policeman when he aided Officer Urquides in arresting four unruly Mexicans. A desperate battle resulted in bruised knuckles for the councilman.

21-Apr-1917, Tucson Citizen, Southwestern Cattle Growers discuss regulations on the Indian Reserve. George P. Scholefield, of Rosemont, made several points: the Papago round up cattle before anyone else; they brand calves as their own (even when the heifer is owned by another cattleman); cattlemen can get their stock back from the Indians, but not their calves; he feels that if the Indians do this, then others should participate in the same practice.

Specific citations available upon request.

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