Thomas H. Rynning
Encyclopedia
Thomas H. Rynning was an American law enforcement officer, warden of Yuma Territorial Prison
and a captain
in the Arizona Rangers
, serving as head of the organization from 1902 to 1907.
, Rynning enlisted in the US Army rising to the rank of first sergeant
. A veteran of the Spanish-American War
, he served as a second lieutenant
in Troop B of Theodore Roosevelt
's Rough Riders
and one of several former Rough Riders to join the Arizona Rangers following the war. Following Burt Mossman's resignation, he was appointed head of the Arizona Rangers on September 1, 1902.
In June 1906, authorities received a telegram from mine owner William D. Greene reporting that American citizens were being attacked by rioting caused by a strike among the workers
at the Cananea Consolidated Copper Company in Cananea, Mexico. A volunteer force of 275 armed men was quickly organized and Rynning, with 5 Arizona Rangers and 70 others armed with rifles, boarded a train at Naco, Arizona
and entered the U.S.-Mexican border with orders to suppress the rioting and protect American lives and property. Although the Sonora
territorial governor Rafael Yzabel was alerted to the possibility of the escalation of the conflict between the Arizona Rangers and the largely unarmed strikers, the governor simply refused to intervene commenting that the men were "on their own". The fighting had long since ended as a truce had been arraigned by the strikers and local officials by the time of Rynning's arrival. Placed between the strikers and the office buildings of the Cananea Company, Rynning's men guarded the property during negotiations until asked to leave by Mexican officials several hours later.
On September 4, Rynning led Arizona Rangers and immigration officers in a raid on an underground cell of the Partido Liberal Mexicano during a meeting in Douglas, Arizona
. Discovering dynamite, pistols and banners, seven members were arrested for violation of the Neutrality Law. The group had been gathering weapons and ammunition for a major expedition into Mexico which included capturing custom houses on the border, blowing up railways, cutting telegraph wires and raiding stores for weapons and supplies. The Douglas group had also commissioned Javier Huitemea to negotiate with the Yaqui to support them promising the tribe the return of the land which had been taken from them. Extensive evidence of correspondence with Saint Louis Junta provided U.S. authorities with evidence of other groups operating in Mowry and Patagonia, Arizona
. During that period he also worked extensively with Ranger Jeff Kidder
, who would later be profiled in the book "Deadly Dozen", by author
Robert K. DeArment, with DeArment indicating Kidder was one of the most underrated gunmen of the American Old West
.
Resigning his position with the Arizona Rangers in March 1907, he was appointed superintendent of the Yuma Territorial Prison
by President Howard Taft and later had the prison moved from Yuma
to Florence, Arizona
.
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...
and a captain
Police captain
- France :France uses the rank of capitaine for management duties in both uniformed and plain-clothed policing. The rank comes senior to lieutenant and junior to commandant....
in the Arizona Rangers
Arizona Rangers
The Arizona Rangers is an Arizona law enforcement agency modeled on the Texas Rangers. The Arizona Rangers were created by the Arizona Territorial Legislature in 1901, disbanded in 1909, and subsequently reformed in 1957. They were created to deal with the infestations of outlaws in the sparsely...
, serving as head of the organization from 1902 to 1907.
Biography
Born in Beloit, WisconsinBeloit, Wisconsin
Beloit is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2010 census, Beloit had a population of 36,966. The greater Beloit area is home to more than 91,000 residents.-Claim to fame:...
, Rynning enlisted in the US Army rising to the rank of first sergeant
First Sergeant
First sergeant is the name of a military rank used in many countries, typically a senior non-commissioned officer.-Singapore:First Sergeant is a Specialist in the Singapore Armed Forces. First Sergeants are the most senior of the junior Specialists, ranking above Second Sergeants, and below Staff...
. A veteran of the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
, he served as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in Troop B of Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
's Rough Riders
Rough Riders
The Rough Riders is the name bestowed on the 1st United States Volunteer Cavalry, one of three such regiments raised in 1898 for the Spanish-American War and the only one of the three to see action. The United States Army was weakened and left with little manpower after the American Civil War...
and one of several former Rough Riders to join the Arizona Rangers following the war. Following Burt Mossman's resignation, he was appointed head of the Arizona Rangers on September 1, 1902.
In June 1906, authorities received a telegram from mine owner William D. Greene reporting that American citizens were being attacked by rioting caused by a strike among the workers
Cananea strike
The Cananea Strike, also known as the Cananea Riot, or the Cananea Massacre, took place in the Mexican mining town of Cananea, Sonora, in June 1906...
at the Cananea Consolidated Copper Company in Cananea, Mexico. A volunteer force of 275 armed men was quickly organized and Rynning, with 5 Arizona Rangers and 70 others armed with rifles, boarded a train at Naco, Arizona
Naco, Arizona
Naco is a census-designated place in Cochise County, Arizona, United States. Its population was 833 at the 2000 census. It is across the United States–Mexico border from Naco, Sonora. The Naco port of entry is open 24 hours per day....
and entered the U.S.-Mexican border with orders to suppress the rioting and protect American lives and property. Although the Sonora
Sonora
Sonora officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city is Hermosillo....
territorial governor Rafael Yzabel was alerted to the possibility of the escalation of the conflict between the Arizona Rangers and the largely unarmed strikers, the governor simply refused to intervene commenting that the men were "on their own". The fighting had long since ended as a truce had been arraigned by the strikers and local officials by the time of Rynning's arrival. Placed between the strikers and the office buildings of the Cananea Company, Rynning's men guarded the property during negotiations until asked to leave by Mexican officials several hours later.
On September 4, Rynning led Arizona Rangers and immigration officers in a raid on an underground cell of the Partido Liberal Mexicano during a meeting in Douglas, Arizona
Douglas, Arizona
Douglas is a city in Cochise County, Arizona, United States. Douglas has a border crossing with Mexico and a history of mining.The population was 14,312 at the 2000 census...
. Discovering dynamite, pistols and banners, seven members were arrested for violation of the Neutrality Law. The group had been gathering weapons and ammunition for a major expedition into Mexico which included capturing custom houses on the border, blowing up railways, cutting telegraph wires and raiding stores for weapons and supplies. The Douglas group had also commissioned Javier Huitemea to negotiate with the Yaqui to support them promising the tribe the return of the land which had been taken from them. Extensive evidence of correspondence with Saint Louis Junta provided U.S. authorities with evidence of other groups operating in Mowry and Patagonia, Arizona
Patagonia, Arizona
Patagonia is a town in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, United States. As of 2010 Patagonia had a population of 913. Patagonia was formerly a supply center for nearby mines and ranches. Currently, it is a tourist destination, retirement community and arts & crafts center. The Nature Conservancy's...
. During that period he also worked extensively with Ranger Jeff Kidder
Jeff Kidder
Jeff Kidder was a little known police officer in the closing days of the American Old West. He is profiled in the book "Deadly Dozen", written by author Robert K...
, who would later be profiled in the book "Deadly Dozen", by author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
Robert K. DeArment, with DeArment indicating Kidder was one of the most underrated gunmen of the American Old West
American Old West
The American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
.
Resigning his position with the Arizona Rangers in March 1907, he was appointed superintendent of 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...
by President Howard Taft and later had the prison moved from 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....
to Florence, Arizona
Florence, Arizona
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 17,054 people, 2,226 households, and 1,540 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,056.2 people per square mile . There were 3,216 housing units at an average density of 387.7 per square mile...
.
In popular culture
- Rynning was portrayed by Tristram Coffin (1909-1990) in the 1957-1959 syndicatedTelevision syndicationIn broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
television series 26 Men26 Men26 Men is a syndicated American western television series about the Arizona Rangers, an elite group commissioned in 1901 by the legislature of the Arizona Territory and limited, for financial reasons, to twenty-six active members. Russell Hayden was the producer of the series and the co-composer of...
. Kelo HendersonKelo HendersonKelo Henderson is an American former actor who co-starred as Deputy Clint Travis in the 1957-1959 syndicated western television series 26 Men. The program starred Tristram Coffin as Captain Thomas H. Rynning, the real-life commander of the Arizona Rangers, the case files of which were the basis...
co-starred as Deputy Clint Travis.
Further reading
- Rynning, Thomas H. Gun Notches: The Life Story of a Cowboy-Soldier. New York: Frederick A. Stokes, 1931.