Virgil Earp in Yavapai County, AZ

[TerryC]

A neighbor of mine, in Yarnell, AZ, told me Virgil Earp owned a ranch in Yavapai County, near Yarnell.
Today I was in Prescott so I decided to call the county to find out if he owned a spread here. I talked to Carrie on the phone. She said come on down.


I drove to the building where the actual period records are kept'


I was met by Dean (left) and Joe (right) who helped me do the research. Carrie told them what I needed.


I "suited up" before handling the actual records.


Look, O J, mine doesn't fit EITHER!


They brought out some bound record indexes.


After going through three books, we FOUND IT! on pages 284 and 285!




It shows he and wife, Elvira, sold the place to Rudy for one dollar....probably a relative. So, yes, Virgil Earp DID own a ranch here in Yavapai county. How cool is THAT? Right down the road from where I live. As a side note, I found this (original?) document on the wall

If you cannot read it, it says "To the senate of the United States

I nominate John A. Gurley of Ohio to be Governor of the territory of Arizona."

(signed) Abraham Lincoln

Washington 7 March 1863

Dean and Joe were VERY enthusiastic about helping me find these documents! They were a real pleasure to work with. I must go back to find out when Earp bought the place. Using the legal description, I will be able to pinpoint the ranch's location.... but.... Yavapai County was pretty BIG at that time!


Thank you, Dean and Joe, for helping out! RESEARCH, makes this stuff more FUN!! ╦╦C

 

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[TerryC]

OOPS! Yavapai county got split up in 1891 so it was not so large while Virgil owned the ranch (at least not that large on the sale date of '02). ╦╦C

 

[TerryC]

Wikipedia spells his wife's name as Alvira. A correction to Elvira is needed there. Actually, Virgil never married Elvira so she was not his legal wife... just common law wife. (isn't research FUN!?) ╦╦C

 

[tamrock]

Pretty cool there Terry...I once tried to find a specifically location of a ranch in Colorado once owned by Two Gun Louis Alterie, who was a hitman for Chicago's notorious north side gang, during the prohibition years. I was thinking there might be some tommy guns stashed somewhere around there. Poor Louie paid the price for testifying against Al Capones brother and was later gun down by a sniper hit that was a technique that was one he perfected. I guess what goes around comes around.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Thank you for sharing!

 

[TerryC]

Pretty cool there Terry...I once tried to find a specifically location of a ranch in Colorado once owned by Two Gun Louis Alterie, who was a hitman for Chicago's notorious north side gang, during the prohibition years. I was thinking there might be some tommy guns stashed somewhere around there. Poor Louie paid the price for testifying against Al Capones brother and was later gun down by a sniper hit that was a technique that was one he perfected. I guess what goes around comes around.

Super cool! Yes, what goes around comes around... or in La Cosa Nostra parlance... Those that live by the gun and the knife, die by the gun and the knife. Tnx 4 the input! ╦╦C

 

[TerryC]

Also looks like Louie traded in his Fedora and city duds for a western hat and MANLY footwear! ╦╦C

 

[tamrock]

Also looks like Louie traded in his Fedora and city duds for a western hat and MANLY footwear! ╦╦C

He lived two lives as a hitman and rancher, so not only was he two guns, but could have easily been called two hats. Some of the gangsters believed him to be clinically insane as he would stand out in the middle of Chicago's streets taughting the rival gangs in a shootout to come out like a real man and get it on. In Colorado he was said to dress to the western cowboy hilt with 20 grand rolled up in his pocket and accessorize himself with 15 thousand bucks worth of diamond studded jewelry. It was while he was in Colorado I read he was introduced to the Thompson machine gun by other ranchers who used them to eradicate their coyote problems. He was a interesting and oddly unique gun slinger not found in the folklore of others like Thomas Horn Jr. Louie was somewhat off the charts imo.

 

[TerryC]

Yes. When Chicago needed some "house cleaning", they called on guys like Louie. When the West needed house cleaning, they called on guys like Tom. Tom got a bad shake in the end. ╦╦C

 

[islamoradamark]

good research on the Earp family hope you find the spot to hunt

 

[TerryC]

good research on the Earp family hope you find the spot to hunt

Tnx! I have no doubt I will find it. It probably will end up on the Maughan Ranches spread. They own many square miles of AZ, both up here and around Phoenix. I have already asked permission to detect Maughan Ranches years ago and was told no. Fair enough. If on other private property, well .... maybe! ╦╦C

(edit) Always ask! A "no" doesn't hurt at all but not knowing if you can or not sure does!

 

[TerryC]

Many times it is difficult to work with government people who are just "taking up space". BUT... these people were a REFRESHING change so I am letting the boss know! ╦╦C

 

[TerryC]

SUCCESS! I found the ranch that now owns the Earp place. I must now put a plan together to get permission to look the place over. I am keeping its location secret for the time being...until I check with current owners to get their permission to post its location. ╦╦C

 

[TerryC]

good research on the Earp family hope you find the spot to hunt

I found the Earp ranch, Mark. Today, it is located on the Rigden Ranch about 1 and 1/2 mile west of 89 on County 15. I just talked to the owner, Anna Glaab. She says the house no longer exists. Her son took pictures and she will send me one shortly by e-mail. I will post it when it arrives. She also tells me that her grandfather owned the ranch by 1902 and she does not know how William Rudy fit into the mix except that the sale for one dollar to Rudy may indicate a tax dispute of some sort. The ranch is on private property and permission to view the site was not granted. Her wishes will be honored. I am glad our group could close this project with a positive ending. ╦╦C