John H. Behan
Arizona the Youngest State, 1913
Arizona USGENWEB archives

A life varied in service and faultless in honor came to a 
close June 7, 1912 when John H.Behan died athis home in 
Tucson.  In his career those things which make for success--
good citizenship and worthy living--found ample justification 
and the record of his activities may well serve as a source 
of inspiration to the younger generation.  Mr. Behan was born 
in Westport Missouri and came as a pioneer to Arizona, crossing 
the plains in 1863.  He settled immediately in Tucson and was 
engaged by the U.S. government to furnish supplies to the 
troops stationed at the fort.  He afterward went to Prescott 
where he freighted to the mines with bull teams, and 
gradually became well known in public life, 
serving as county recorder and sheriff of Yavapai County.  
During the course of his career he made many changes in 
location, becoming familiar with standards and conditions in 
all parts of Arizona and proving his loyalty and public spirit 
by worthy public service. 
He was elected to the territorial legislature from Mohave 
County on the democratic ticket and was afterward the first 
sheriff of Cochise County.  He followed this by a period of 
service as superintendent of the state prison at Yuma under 
Governor Zulick and was then appointed by President Cleveland 
special agent of the department of the treasury for Arizona 
and Texas with headquarters at El Paso.

At the outbreak of the Spanish-American War his patriotic 
spirit aroused, Mr. Behan joined the army and was sent to the 
front as a member of the quartermaster department under 
General Humphreys. He saw active service in Cubaand 
continued his military career inChina, where he took part in 
many engagements during the Boxer uprising.  

The last years of his life were spent in Tucson where he was 
connected with the commissary department of the Arizona 
Eastern Railroad in which capacity he was serving at the time of 
his death, June 7, 1912.  His upright and straightforward 
life and his long and honorable public service won him the 
respect and esteem of all with whom he came in contact, and his 
death was sincerely mourned by his many friends.

Mr. Behan was married and had one son, Albert P. who was born in 
Prescott in 1873.  
He acquired his education in the common schools of that city and 
in Cogswell Polytechnic College in San Francisco.  

Following in his father's footsteps he entered public life and 
in it gained a position of importance and prominence.  He 
began in 1880 as page in the territorial legislature and 
when that body removed to Phoenix he served as messenger in 
1893.  He was deputy collector of customs on the Mexican 
border and later for three years under sheriff of Yuma County. 
 
This was followed by eight years devoted to mining in Mexico
but at the end of that time he returned to Arizona and in 
1911 was made deputy sheriff of Yuma county, an office in 
which he is now serving, discharging his duties in an able and 
conscientious manner.