Oscar Ashburn was one of the best-known and most highly-respected cowmen of southern Arizona. Ashburn was (born  in Lima. Ohio, on April  17. 1806, And came to Arizona in 1874 with his widowed mother and his brothers, James and Jessie.
    Mrs. Ashburn and her three sons started building up a cattle ranch where the town of Patagonia now stands. Within  short time, however. Oscar started a ranch of his own, the Salero ranch, on Sonoita Creek. But. when the Harshaw mining district began to boom, Oscar sold his ranch and Opened a butcher shop at Harshaw. He furnished beef for the road camps of the Benson-Nogales railroad, which was being built in 1882. In about 1884, after four years at Harshaw, Ashburn established a cow outfit on the San Pedro River at Benson, using the SA Bar brand. Soon thereafter be married Liza Fenter.
    The Ashburn ranch was on a flat on the river, and on September 30, 1896, heavy rains sent the river on a rampage. Oscar was away from home, but the sudden flood overwhelmed the ranch and Mrs. Ashburn and their two small daughters were drowned.
    In 1900, Oscar married Minnie Perry, a widow with three children. In the same year, he bought the Pennsylvania ranch at Monkey Springs, near Patagonia, in partnership with Walter Vail, of Vail and Gates of the famous Empire ranch. Ashburn established the Rail X brand, a long slash on the shoulder connecting with an X on the ribs. That was one brand that had the slick brand changers scratching their heads! While operating the
Rail X. Ashburn and Vail also shipped cattle from the drought areas in Arizona to Kansas and fattened them there for market. Ashburn also found time to be active in Santa Cruz County affairs, and served three terms as County Supervisor. Ashburn died on December 11, 1024. In 1928 the ranch was sold to the Boices of the Chiricahua Cattle Co. Mrs. Ashburn died on March 14, 1929.
    One son and two daughters survive. The son, Marshall, operates his own ranch in the San Rafael Valley, and specializes in registered  Herefords. One daughter. Mrs. Hulda Laney. lives in Nogales. The other, Mrs. Zelda Frazer, lives in Los Angeles. Three stepsons,  Glen, Guy and Pete Perry, live in Tucson.
Source: Pioneers and Well Know Cattlemen of Arizona by Roscoe G. Willson volume 2


George w. Atkinson, one of the pioneer cattlemen of Santa Cruz County, was born in Peoria, Illinois, Dec. 14,1844. he came to Arizona in 1877 and started a brick yard at the booming mining camp of Glove. However, 2 yrs. later he moved to Calabasas, in southern Pima County, and built a large brick hotel for Col. C.P.Sykes, who was developing the Santa Cruz Valley. ( Both old Calbasas and this hotel have long since disappeared).
In 1879, Atkinson acquired land along the Santa Cruz and began farming and raising cattle, establishing the 61 brand in that year.
On one occasion in 1879, Atkinson was returning home from a visit to the famous Pete Kitchen when 5 Mexicans suddenly appeared from the bushes beside the road relieved him of his horse, saddle and $40 in cash --------- leaving him to walk home.
Up to this time he had gone unarmed. But at the first opportunity, he went to Tuscon and bought a pistol.
Arriving home, he hung the gun on a nail and started to get a meal, when bandits once more surprised him--- this time forcing him to cook and serve them supper.  Then, believing he had money hidden on the premises, they put a rope around his neck and hoisted him to the rafters several times before becoming convinced that thirty dollars in a drawer was allthe cash he possessed.
In 1882 Atkinson married Julia Jordan. Later on the adopted 2 Deegan boys, the elder of whom, Joe ,became ranch foreman
After his first wife’s death, Atkinson married Joe’s sister, Catherine Deegan.
Atkinson sold part of his range and 1,500 cattle in 1916 to Louie Parker for about $60,000. Then, turning over the 61 brand and balance of the range to Joe Deegan, he retired to Tuscon, where he died on Oct.17,1918 Joe Deegan later sold to Tony Bell who still carries the old 61 brand , started by Atkinson over 70 years ago.
George Atkinson was one of the old, rough and ready breed of cowmen that has now practically disappeared.
Source: Pioneers and Well Know Cattlemen of Arizona by Roscoe G. Willson volume 2

    "It is probable no other citizen of Arizona contributed as much toward improving the laws and conditions affecting the interests of the cattlemen as Colin Cameron, Sr." So states McClintock's History of Arizona.
    Colin Cameron was born in Danville, Pennsylvania in 1840. He was the son of James Cameron. Secretary of War under President Grant and later a U. S. Senator.
    In 1882, Colin and his brother. Brewster, came to Arizona where they purchased the San Rafael Ranch, a Spanish grant near the Mexican border east of Nogales.
    There was a good deal of trouble with neighboring cattlemen for a time because the boundaries of the grant were indefinite and the title was not clear. However, from the beginning, the Camerons went right ahead and began breeding a high quality strain of Herefords.
    Brewster soon returned to Pennsylvania, but Colin remained to continue raising purebred Herefords. and to carry on a long court battle over the grant. It was about this time, too, that Colin brought out his wife, the former Alice Smith, to help settle the grant.
    With the confirming of the grant in 1892, Cameron built a large brick home for the family. It was one of the finest ranch homes in the Territory.
    The following year he was appointed Chairman of the Livestock Sanitary Board. In this position, and at his own expense, he had many of the laws drawn up that helped put the Arizona cattle business on a more satisfactory basis.
    A member of the National Livestock and the American Hereford Breeders Association. In was also one of the organizers of the Arizona Cattle Growers Association in 1903. For a number of years he exhibited at the Kansas City Livestock Show and became recognized as an authority on Hereford cattle.
    Cameron sold the San Rafael in 1909 to the Green Cattle Company, and retired to a beautiful home in Tucson, where he entered into real estate development with his son. Colin. Jr.. and his son-in-law, Walter Wakefield. Two years later, on March 6, 1911, he died.
Source: Pioneers and Well Know Cattlemen of Arizona by Roscoe G. Willson volume 2

Here is a man. "sort of bunged up" who at 77 "rides after cattle almost every day."
One of the best known and respected cowmen of southern Arizona. Frank Moson has been in the border country ever since the early days of Tombstone.
Born on a ranch near San .lose, California. October 18, 1878. he lived for a time in Oregon, but with an uncle and his mother and sister settled in the San Pedro valley in 1882.
In 1884 his widowed mother married W. C. Greene, who was then working in the Tombstone mines. This was the Bill Greene who later developed the famous Cananea copper mines in Sonora.
Those were the days when Geronimo's band occasionally caused the family to seek temporary shelter in Tombstone.
Frank was raised in the saddle and when his mother's "OR" cattle were moved to Mexico where Green was dabbling in mines. Frank, at 15, looked after them, living in a dugout and cooking over a fireplace.
Soon Greene struck it rich in the Cananea copper mines and with Frank Proctor acquired large range holdings in Mexico, and in Cochise and Santa Cruz counties, Arizona.
By this time Frank was a thorough cowman and for many years was in charge of the Mexican and Arizona ranges which at one time ran as high as 33.000 cattle.
In 1902 he married Pearl Parker, daughter of a Santa Cruz pioneer,
Hilly Parker.
After Greene's death Frank moved to California in 1912 and took a quick cleaning in the real estate game.
In Arizona again he borrowed  $5,000 and got started back in the cattle business on the San Pedro.
In a few years he was on his feet again, and in 1918 acquired the Y-Lightning ranch at Hereford which is now one of the popular guest ranches of Arizona as well as a going cattle outfit.
Frank says Pearl is "on her own" in the guest business and. with the help of daughter Eva, has made a success of it.
Frank and Pearl also have a son. Frank B. Moson. Jr.. who is Chief Deputy Sheriff in the Fort Huachuca and Hereford districts.
Source: Pioneers and Well Know Cattlemen of Arizona by Roscoe G. Willson volume 2