Amazing Girls of Arizona

Amazing Girls of Arizona by Jan Cleere, 2008.

This is a fascinating collection of short stories/biographies of young girls who grew up in Arizona from the days of the earliest pioneers to the 20th century. Some of the girls remained in Arizona all their lives, while others moved on to other places, but all of them left a mark on this state and its history. Reading these stories gives insight into the hardships faced by people living in the old west and how children were raised and educated during those times. The girls whose lives the book describes are strong, intelligent, and talented, and their stories are inspiring. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in Arizona history or the West in general. To give you an idea of the topics covered by the book, here is a list of the chapters and a short description of each:

1. Indian Captive -- Olive Ann Oatman (Fairchild) 1837-1903 -- This is the story of a girl who was abducted by a group of Indians, along with her younger sister, while traveling with their family in a covered wagon.
2. Child of History -- Atanacia Santa Cruz (Hughes) 1850-1934 -- She grew up in Tucson, witnessing the changes that took place from the time of the Gadsen Purchase in 1854 to the coming of Confederate and Union troops during the Civil War and into the 20th century.
3. Desert Artist -- Laurette Lovell (Francis) 1869-1936 -- Although troubled by a disability (she was born with one leg much shorter than the other), she found her talent in art, becoming well-known for her painted pottery.
4. Mixed Blood -- Anna Magdalena Box (Neal) 1870-1950 -- Born on a Cherokee reservation in the Oklahoma Territory, Anna was also part African American. Her family came to Arizona to improve her father's health, but their racial background brought them mixed reactions.
5. Pandora Rancher -- Edith Olive Stratton (Kitt) 1878-1968 -- Edith developed a life-long love of the West growing up on her family's ranch and later was instrumental in the development of the Arizona Historical Society.
6. The Ride of Her Life -- Mildred Back (Fain) 1879-1967 -- As difficult as it was helping with ranch chores and looking after her siblings, nothing had quite prepared her for taking on her uncle's job of carrying money from cattle sales to the other ranchers . . . while there were thieves in the area.
7. Grand Canyon Wrangler -- Edith Jane Bass (Lauzon) 1896-1924 -- She was never as happy anywhere as she was helping her father give tours of the Grand Canyon.
8. "My Hands Were Never Still" -- Helen "Dowawisnima" (Sekaquaptewa) 1898-1990 -- Raised by her Hopi family and educated at schools run by white people, she struggled to find the best of both worlds.
9. Listen to the Silence -- Eva Antonia Wilbur (Cruce) 1904-1998 -- She was brought up to work hard by her demanding father on their family's ranch and developed a strong love of the natural world.
10. "Play Ball!" -- The Girls of Summer 1933-Present -- This chapter covers girls' softball teams in Arizona, including some notable players, such as former governor Rose Mofford.
11. No Place to Call Home -- Ruth Okimoto (Lipofsky) 1936-Present -- When Japanese Americas were rounded up and brought to interment camps during World War II, young Ruth's life changed forever.  (There is an interview with Ruth Okimoto from 2014 on the Arizona Highways channel on YouTube.)

 I grew up in Arizona myself, although my life was very different from any of these, having lived in a middle class suburb.  However, I love history, and I'm fascinated by the stories of life in Arizona in the past.