JOHN A. LUTGERDING
History of Arizona, 1896

Among the prominent ranchers, stock dealers and old residents of 
Maricopa County, Arizona stands the name of John A. Lutgerding, 
a name well and favorably known throughout the section.  He was 
born in Hanover, Germany, September 1, 1843, as were also his 
parents, George and Elizabeth (Roup) Lutgerding.  In the year 
1850 the parents crossed the ocean to America, landed at New 
Orleans, and subsequently made their way to Quincy, Illinois, 
locating about nine miles from that city.  There the parents 
resided for some time, and there the mother passed away about 
1858.  In 1893 the father moved to Arizona and is a resident 
of the Territory at the present time.  Of the eight children 
born to them only three are living at the present time, John 
H. and Sophia (twins) and our subject.  The latter was but 
seven years old when he came with his parents to this country 
and as a consequence has but a dim memory of his fatherland.  
He was reared to farm life and attended the country schools, 
but for the most part is self-educated.  When but fifteen years 
he was left motherless and at this loss the affectionate boy was 
very much disheartened.  He soon went to Quincy, entered a 
blacksmith shop, and after learning the trade followed this 
in connection with other enterprises until 1864, by which 
time he had accumulated some money.  On the 20th of April of 
that year he started to cross the plains to California and 
while on that long journey had considerable trouble with the 
Indians and with high water.  He had many thrilling adventures 
during that trip but escaped injury and reached the Pacific 
coast in safety.

Mr. Lutgerding drove a four mule team all the way and was six 
months and nine days on the road.  He first stopped at San 
Bernardino, Southern California and remained there until the 
fall of 1866, working at his trade for a dollar a day and 
taking his pay for the most part in goods from a store.  In 
the last named year he went to La Paz, on the Colorado River, 
in Arizona, followed his trade there for himself and often made 
as much as $50 a day.  He charged $6 for shoeing a horse and 
$20 for setting the tires of a buggy.  While living in La Paz, 
the Indian agent, a man by the name of Lehigh, came to our 
subject and offered him great inducements, $15,000 to 20,000 
by a government position.  Mr. Lutgerding, only a boy and 
anxious to make money fast, thought over the matter and finally 
concluded to accept his proposition.  He sold out his shop and 
had everything ready to start on a certain morning but his 
conscience troubled him so that early on the morning of the 
day he had planned to start he went over and told the Indian 
agent that he would not go.  This did not prevent the latter 
with two others from going and all were killed.

Early in 1870 Mr. Lutgerding located in Wickenburg and with J.M. 
Bryant was engaged in hauling quartz from Vulture to Vulture 
Mill, following this for three years. He was cheated out of the 
pay for this. Afterward he engaged in teaming over the Territory 
for a few years, and in 1877 located in Phoenix where he has 
since made his home, or at least in the vicinity.  He ran a 
blacksmith shop for several years in connection with other 
business enterprises and being liberal and warm hearted, started 
a number of friends in business.  Mr .Lutgerding built the 
first brick house in Phoenix and it is certainly one of the 
old landmarks of the place.  At the present time he is engaged 
quite extensively in stock raising and has from three hundred 
to five hundred head of cattle on the ranch.  He owns about 
530 acres of land, a part being in the city and he is also 
interested in one of the best meat markets in Phoenix.  He has 
become the owner of a comfortable competency and like the 
majority of those of his nationality, is an honorable and 
progressive man.

Mr. Lutgerding was married in 1879 to Miss Rosilla Linville, a 
native of California and they have two children: George H. and 
Robert L.

On Sunday morning in 1871 while at the Vulture Mill, Mr. 
Lutgerding was standing in the door of his cabin when the stage 
coach, containing eight passengers and a driver passed by.  At 
ten or eleven o'clock that night a messenger came to him and 
told him that all the people in the stage had been murdered but 
two and wanted a team to go after the two then living.  Mr. 
Lutgerding saddled his horse and in company with two or three 
others started for the scene.  Arriving there Mr. Lutgerding 
stumbled over the body of one man in the dark and found two 
others sitting upright in the stage, but both dead.  They found 
the two living passengers almost frozen and badly wounded.  They 
were carried to Vulture Mill and all the bodies were brought 
there and buried.  The Indians, the perpetrators of this outrage, 
escaped with all the plunder.

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