9th Arizona Territorial Legislature
Encyclopedia
The 9th Arizona Territorial Legislative Assembly was a session of the Arizona Territorial Legislature
which convened on January 1, 1877, in Tucson, Arizona Territory
.
It passed 79 statutes and adopted the Hoyt Code as the basis of the Territory's legal system.
's native population pacified. Following 1877 there would be periodic outbreaks of violence but no widespread conflict. The reduction in violence was allowing the economy to boom. Prospectors had found and were developing a number of mineral deposits. Reduced Indian problems had allowed importation of sheep and cattle. Additionally, the Southern Pacific Railroad
was being built across the territory.
Governor Anson P.K. Safford
's education initiatives were prospering. A May 1876 census showed at least 1,450 of the territory's 2,955 children were literate
. Territorial school districts were also preparing to issue bonds
to replace makeshift classrooms with larger structures better able to handle the growing demand.
The territorial legal code
was in need of updating. To address this need, Territorial Secretary John Philo Hoyt
had been commissioned to create a revised code based upon the "Howell Code" which was adopted by the 1st Arizona Territorial Legislature
.
s. Declaring highwaymen "are a scourge to civilization, a disgrace to humanity, and should be swept from the face of the earth as remorsely as the most ferocious wild beast", he recommended highway robbery be made a capital crime. The governor was able to report that the Yuma Territorial Prison
was partially open, holding eight prisoners with a capacity for thirty.
Despite the previous session's permanently fixing the territorial capital
in Tucson, the first action taken by this session was to move the capital to Prescott
. Other organizational changes included adjusting the northern boundary of Maricopa County
, moving the seat
of Mohave County
to Mineral Park, and incorporating
the City of Tucson. In a related activity, residents of Grant County, New Mexico Territory
had voiced a desire to have their county annexed to the Arizona Territory. The legislature responded by petitioning the U.S. Congress to make the requested transfer.
To help deal with continuing lawlessness, the session authorized payment of a US$300 reward for the capture of two highwaymen who had robbed a stagecoach and its accompanying United States mail near Skull Valley
on January 4, 1877. They also authorized formation of another volunteer force to fight in the Apache Wars
.
Other actions included imposition of a US$50 fine on anyone who allowed their hogs to run wild within a town. Maricopa County was given permission to issue US$15,000 in bonds for a series of four roads radiating from Phoenix
: one to Globe City
, one to Yuma
via Agua Caliente, and two routes to Prescott via Black Canyon
and Wickenburg
. Finally, the session granted divorce
s to ten couples.
Arizona Territorial Legislature
The Arizona Territorial Legislature was the legislative body of Arizona Territory. It was a bicameral legislature consisting of a lower house, the House of Representatives, and an upper house, the Council. Created by the Arizona Organic Act, the legislature initially consisted of nine members in...
which convened on January 1, 1877, in Tucson, Arizona Territory
Tucson, Arizona
Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200...
.
It passed 79 statutes and adopted the Hoyt Code as the basis of the Territory's legal system.
Background
The Indian wars were winding down, with most of Arizona TerritoryArizona Territory
The Territory of Arizona was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 24, 1863 until February 14, 1912, when it was admitted to the Union as the 48th state....
's native population pacified. Following 1877 there would be periodic outbreaks of violence but no widespread conflict. The reduction in violence was allowing the economy to boom. Prospectors had found and were developing a number of mineral deposits. Reduced Indian problems had allowed importation of sheep and cattle. Additionally, the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
was being built across the territory.
Governor Anson P.K. Safford
Anson P.K. Safford
Anson Pacely Killen SaffordVarious sources give multiple variations for the spelling of Safford's two middle names. Among these are Peasley, Peacely, Keeler, and Killen. was the third Governor of Arizona Territory...
's education initiatives were prospering. A May 1876 census showed at least 1,450 of the territory's 2,955 children were literate
Literacy
Literacy has traditionally been described as the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about printed material.Literacy represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from print...
. Territorial school districts were also preparing to issue bonds
Bond (finance)
In finance, a bond is a debt security, in which the authorized issuer owes the holders a debt and, depending on the terms of the bond, is obliged to pay interest to use and/or to repay the principal at a later date, termed maturity...
to replace makeshift classrooms with larger structures better able to handle the growing demand.
The territorial legal code
Legal code
A legal code is a body of law written by a governmental body, such as a U.S. state, a Canadian Province or German Bundesland or a municipality...
was in need of updating. To address this need, Territorial Secretary John Philo Hoyt
John Philo Hoyt
John Philo Hoyt was an American politician and jurist. He served as the fourth Governor of Arizona Territory and was nominated to become Governor of Idaho Territory but declined the position...
had been commissioned to create a revised code based upon the "Howell Code" which was adopted by the 1st Arizona Territorial Legislature
1st Arizona Territorial Legislature
The 1st Arizona Territorial Legislative Assembly was a session of the Arizona Territorial Legislature which began on September 26, 1864, in Prescott, Arizona, and ran for forty-three days...
.
Legislative session
The legislative session began on January 1, 1877.Governor's address
As with all his previous addresses, Governor Safford discussed the current situation involving the Indian Wars. To this he added his concerns about outlawOutlaw
In historical legal systems, an outlaw is declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, this takes the burden of active prosecution of a criminal from the authorities. Instead, the criminal is withdrawn all legal protection, so that anyone is legally empowered to persecute...
s. Declaring highwaymen "are a scourge to civilization, a disgrace to humanity, and should be swept from the face of the earth as remorsely as the most ferocious wild beast", he recommended highway robbery be made a capital crime. The governor was able to report that the Yuma Territorial Prison
Yuma Territorial Prison
The Yuma Territorial Prison was a prison in the Arizona Territory of the United States and now in present day Yuma, Arizona. The Territorial Prison is one of the Yuma Crossing and Associated Sites on the National Register of Historic Places in the Yuma Crossing National Heritage Area.The site is...
was partially open, holding eight prisoners with a capacity for thirty.
Legislation
The ninth session of the Arizona Territorial Legislature was unusually productive, passing 79 new laws. The revised legal code drafted by the Territorial Secretary, dubbed the "Hoyt Code", was adopted as the basis of the territory's legal system.Despite the previous session's permanently fixing the territorial capital
Capital City
Capital City was a television show produced by Euston Films which focused on the lives of investment bankers in London living and working on the corporate trading floor for the fictional international bank Shane-Longman....
in Tucson, the first action taken by this session was to move the capital to Prescott
Prescott, Arizona
Prescott is a city in Yavapai County, Arizona, USA. It was designated "Arizona's Christmas City" by Arizona Governor Rose Mofford in the late 1980s....
. Other organizational changes included adjusting the northern boundary of Maricopa County
Maricopa County, Arizona
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*73.0% White*5.0% Black*2.1% Native American*3.5% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.5% Two or more races*12.7% Other races*29.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
, moving the seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Mohave County
Mohave County, Arizona
Mohave County is located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2010 census, its population was 200,186, an increase of 45,154 people since the 2000 census count of 155,032. The county seat is Kingman...
to Mineral Park, and incorporating
Municipal corporation
A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. Municipal incorporation occurs when such municipalities become self-governing entities under the laws of the state or province in which...
the City of Tucson. In a related activity, residents of Grant County, New Mexico Territory
Grant County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*84.9% White*0.9% Black*1.4% Native American*0.4% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*2.8% Two or more races*9.8% Other races*48.3% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
had voiced a desire to have their county annexed to the Arizona Territory. The legislature responded by petitioning the U.S. Congress to make the requested transfer.
To help deal with continuing lawlessness, the session authorized payment of a US$300 reward for the capture of two highwaymen who had robbed a stagecoach and its accompanying United States mail near Skull Valley
Skull Valley, Arizona
Skull Valley is a small, unincorporated, and rural, ranch community in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States. It is located twelve miles west of Prescott. There is a general store, a gas station, a cafe, an elementary school, an autoshop, a fire station, a church, and a post office...
on January 4, 1877. They also authorized formation of another volunteer force to fight in the Apache Wars
Apache Wars
The Apache Wars were a series of armed conflicts between the United States and Apaches fought in the Southwest from 1849 to 1886, though other minor hostilities continued until as late as 1924. The Confederate Army participated in the wars during the early 1860s, for instance in Texas, before being...
.
Other actions included imposition of a US$50 fine on anyone who allowed their hogs to run wild within a town. Maricopa County was given permission to issue US$15,000 in bonds for a series of four roads radiating from Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
: one to Globe City
Globe, Arizona
Globe has an arid climate, characterized by hot summers and moderate to warm winters. Globe's arid climate is somewhat tempered by its elevation, however, leading to slightly cooler temperatures and slightly more precipitation than Phoenix or Yuma....
, one to Yuma
Yuma, Arizona
Yuma is a city in and the county seat of Yuma County, Arizona, United States. It is located in the southwestern corner of the state, and the population of the city was 77,515 at the 2000 census, with a 2008 Census Bureau estimated population of 90,041....
via Agua Caliente, and two routes to Prescott via Black Canyon
Black Canyon City, Arizona
Black Canyon City is a census-designated place in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States. The population was 2,697 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Black Canyon City is located at , at an elevation of 1,975 feet ....
and Wickenburg
Wickenburg, Arizona
Wickenburg is a town in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 6,423.-Geography:Wickenburg is located at ....
. Finally, the session granted divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
s to ten couples.
Members
| House of Representatives | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | District | Name | District | |
| J. A. Parker | Maricopa | John H. Marion | Yavapai | |
| D. A Bennett | Pima | S. C. Miller | Yavapai | |
| James P. Bull | Mohave Mohave County, Arizona Mohave County is located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Arizona. As of the 2010 census, its population was 200,186, an increase of 45,154 people since the 2000 census count of 155,032. The county seat is Kingman... |
Estevan Ochoa Estevan Ochoa Estevan Ochoa was a Mexican-born American businessman and politician who participated in the creation of the Arizona Territory.-Biography:... |
Pima | |
| M. H. Calderwood (Speaker) | Maricopa | William Ohnesorgen | Pima | |
| J. W. Dorrington | Yuma | Ed G. Peck | Yavapai | |
| C. B. Foster | Yavapai | Hugo Richards | Yavapai | |
| G. Hathaway | Yavapai | Mariano G. Sameniego | Pima | |
| William S. Head | Yavapai | George Scott | Pinal | |
| W. W. Hutchinson | Yavapai | George H. Stevens | Pima |
| Council | |
|---|---|
| Name | District |
| F. H. Goodwin | Pima Pima County, Arizona -2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*74.3% White*3.5% Black*3.3% Native American*2.6% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.7% Two or more races*12.4% Other races*34.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:... |
| F. G. Hughes | Pima |
| George D. Kendall | Yavapai Yavapai County, Arizona -2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*89.3% White*0.6% Black*1.7% Native American*0.8% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*2.5% Two or more races*5.0% Other races*13.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:... |
| Andrew L Moeller | Yavapai |
| J. M. Renondo | Yuma Yuma County, Arizona -2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*70.4% White*2.0% Black*1.6% Native American*1.2% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.8% Two or more races*20.8% Other races*59.7% Hispanic or Latino -2000:... |
| Levi Ruggles | Pinal Pinal County, Arizona -2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*72.4% White*4.6% Black*5.6% Native American*1.7% Asian*0.4% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.8% Two or more races*11.5% Other races*28.5% Hispanic or Latino -2000:... |
| John A. Rush | Yavapai |
| Lewis A. Stevens | Yavapai |
| King Woolsey King Woolsey King S. Woolsey was an American pioneer rancher, Indian-fighter, prospector and politician in 19th century Arizona. Woolsey Peak and other features of Arizona geography have been named after him, but he has also been criticized by historians for brutality in his battles with Apache native... (President) |
Maricopa Maricopa County, Arizona -2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*73.0% White*5.0% Black*2.1% Native American*3.5% Asian*0.2% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*3.5% Two or more races*12.7% Other races*29.6% Hispanic or Latino -2000:... |