Coconino-Yavapai County AZ Archives Biographies.....Fairchild, Fletcher Fairchild ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/az/azfiles.html ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Carol Powell CarolPowell3478@myfamily.com August 14, 2007, 2:12 pm Author: Carol A. Powell The story of the man in the picture "The Cow Boy" was taken by John C H Grabill in 1887 it is an unknown member of Yavapai County Arizona Sheriff John Mulvenon's posse which was sent twice in 1887 to intervene in the Pleasant Valley War. "The Cow Boy" does in fact appear to be a photograph of John Fletcher Fairchild, later Sheriff of Coconino County. The Grabill collection is now in the Library of Congress and these wonderful photographs are now in the public domain. http://www.old-picture.com/old-west/Cowboy.htm http://www.answers.com/topic/cowboy-jpg Fletcher Jr., told the story of his fathers tragic fate: My father met a tragic death ... He was a Texas Ranger in the early days, and you know how when they used to drive the trail herds to Dodge City and Abilene and all those places, the Earps and Bat Masterson used to give those cowboys quite a bad time. At one time there was some cowboys that were real close friends of my fathers that went up there with a trail herd. A few of these fellows gun whipped them and one thing and another. My father and a few more of the Rangers down there who were personal friends of them boys just made a trip up there to Dodge themselves. And they got into quite a little melee with the Earps. Wyatt Earp in particular. Wyatt was a rank enemy of my father from that time. And was prior I guess. But they had this big deal up there and they didnt use guns. Just used their fists. My father got his nose broken very badly in this fight ... he couldnt breathe real good. So after my father was elected sheriff in 1898 and figuring he had the money to do it, he made a trip to Los Angeles to see a fine specialist, such as they were in them days and have his nose operated on. So my father went out there and he wouldnt take any anesthetic. Just sat in this chair and let them carve on him. So the consequence was that it made him very nervous. The thing wasnt all that successful. So he died then, I believe it was in October of 1899. Fletcher Sr. went insane; he died in the Territorial Insane Asylum in Phoenix. On the night of May 29th 1897 officers of Yavapai County were returning by rail with two prisoners to the city of Prescott, the train which was carrying the group stopped outside of the city away from the regular railway depot the captives were taken at that point in a closed carriage to the county jail. The party fearing the large mob which had gathered at the railway depot to await the arrival of the train upon which these outlaws were being brought in would do great bodily harm to these defendants and carry into execution the threats of lynching which had, before that time, been made, in the most public manner by the inhabitants of Prescott. The crowd at the depot was demonstrative in character, there were cries of "hang them" that Coconino County Sheriff, although accompanied by five or six officers well armed with Winchester rifles and six shooters, deemed it necessary did make a personal appeal to the mob gathered to restrain them from taking the prisoners from him and his officer associates. The defendants were charged with the killing of E.L. Norris a prominent citizens of old Prescott being related to one of the leading families of Yavapai county a bounty was posted, dead or alive, As a genealogist I found any time I looked for answers I found more questions this story wrote it's self these words came from the application for a change of venue for James Parker and Louis Clair Miller. It is stated that there was a fear of violence towards the defendants that they worried there would be an effort to take the prisoners from the officers' custody. Parker and Miller were surrounded by law enforcement armed to the teeth without this force it was believed that the townsmen would hang them because of public bias, prejudice, and the feeling of animosity. The violent prejudice feelings which existed against the two by the local law enforcement Sheriff Ruffner and his deputies caused each of said defendants to be shackled from June 12th until May 29th of 1897 they were not permitted to take a bath, be shaved or change their underclothing. Change of venue was denied and 12 eligible jurors were found for jury service. One lone juror did save the life of Louis C. Miller; Jim Parker wasn't that lucky he was the one that actually pulled the trigger that killed Norris. One of the most interesting stories was the one about deputy Fletch Fairchild a Coconino County lawmen and James Parker taken from the book Mountain Town (meaning Flagstaff AZ.) a wild west thriller, incidents of which have appeared in countless western novels and movies, was the story of Jim Parker, train robber and killer, I had just started tracing my husbands roots I begin with his great-grandfather Fletcher Fairchild after finding this story I was hooked. I was taking a course on how to do geology the teacher said not to expect to find anyone famous, I disagree ancestors can be found in the local newspapers by birth anousments, marriage dates, obituaries and other events in their lives it is documented on a small scale in the communities they lived in. In 1897 Fletch was a Coconino county lawman working out of Flagstaff Az. when he became involved with Jim Parker. Parker and three accomplices forced a watchman to flag a train they seized the registered mail an express man shot and killed one of the band as they fled. Deputy Fairchild was bringing a prisoner from Kingman on another train when he arrived at the scene with in moments, he placed his prisoner in the hands of railroad police found a horse, organized a posse and took out after the robbers. Fairchild was riding far in the lead when he came upon Parker; they conducted a running gun fight in the trees until dark. Deputy Fletch had sent wires asking for help before he left searching for the fugitives at dawn a couple of sheriffs with a posse and volunteers found Parker and soon the outlaw was in jail. Months later, Parker and two other desperate prisoners attacked the jailer and seized his keys. This is where the story involved another named on the family list one of the other prisoners had traveled across the plains from Texas to Arizona with deputy Fletch before the tale was over the deputy would put his life and badge on the line to save the life of Louis Miller. If it hadn't been for the family of Miller he wouldn't have made it to trial. His brother in-law Deputy John Fletcher Fairchild probably was one of the armed men with a six shooter and a Winchester that accompanied Miller from Flagstaff to Prescott. Saving Miller from himself proved to be a bigger job then saving him from the mob. He was a well-known notorious citizen of Yavapai County. This story embodied all the major themes of southwest history. Louis escaped from jail with James Fleming Parker in 1896 during the break-out Parker shot and killed Lee Norris. The details of Millers capture were interesting. Miller headed straight for his sisters home in Jerome he hid two miles away in the mountains. Miller would have been lynched if his sister Minnie Hass and their brother in-law John Fletcher Fairchild hadn't conspired to have Miller turn himself in to that County for his safety. It was deemed advisable not to return him to Prescott that night, a team of officers was secured and Louis was taken by his brother in-law Fairchild in a private conveyance to Flagstaff until things in Prescott settled down. Little could be learned from the people instrumental in his surrender, as they refused to talk. A statement that Fairchild was sent for by interested parties was denied, many found his arrival in Jerome very opportune to say the least. MORE TO THE STORY Fletch Fairchild was typical of the thousands of courageous young men who helped tame the Wild West but whose names and stories have since been largely forgotten. For every Wild Bill Hickok or Wyatt Earp immortalized by the dramatic exaggerations of dime novelists and sensationalistic journalists, the West had dozens of men like John Fletcher Fairchild, who quietly did their duty with little fanfare, celebration, or thanks. The following letter explains the bond that Fletch had with L.C. Miller. Fetchs first wife was Louis Millers older half sister, her name was Pearl Howard. In a letter dated May 7, 1985 Madeline Fairchild wrote: Papa (Fletch) and his first wife (Pearl Howard) had moved to Chavez pass, near Winslow (the ranch at Fairchild draw). They had two children, Frank and Annie, (Grandma Clara's mother) and were expecting a third. They had bought sheep. Chavez pass was thirty-five miles south of Winslow, in desolate country. Papas wife refused to stay in Winslow, though papa wanted her to. She developed a very bad cold, and at the same time they were out of wood. Papa left her in bed. He had to go a long way for wood, and was late returning. When he came in sight of the house, he saw her standing in the door with the cold wind blowing her night dress, and pneumonia developed. He didnt know what to do. The nearest doctor was in Winslow, and there was no one to leave (her with) but the two children. Their house was on an abandoned stage route, and luckily a couple going to phoenix had missed the way and came by. The couple stayed, and papa rode to Winslow for a doctor. There was only one doctor in Winslow, and he had gone to Gallup! The Santa Fe sent an engine to Gallup and brought Dr. Cornish back. They hurried to Chavez pass but she was dead when they arrived. After papas desperate ride to Winslow his poor horse died of exhaustion. Pearl and Fletch met and married in Texas. Pearl died 10 years before her brother became a part of one the biggest man hunts in Prescott AZ. history. Carol A. Powell Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/az/coconino/photos/bios/fairchil126gbs.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/az/coconino/bios/fairchil126gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/azfiles/ File size: 10.5 Kb