Article printed July 19, 2000
Bradshaw cut his teeth in California
before coming to ArizonaBy Terry Munderloh
(This is the first of a two-part story of William Bradshaw)
William David Bradshaw's exploits were well known in the mining districts of California long before he discovered the Arizona mountain (and later "mountains") which bear his name.
William was born in Tennessee around 1826. His presence in California is first chronicled in Horace Bell's REMINISCENCES OF A RANGER when young Bill was employed by the Mexican commander at Sonoma, Capt. Salvador Vallejo, early in 1846 before the outbreak of the Mexican War. Bell's narrative relates that while Bill was building a fence, Capt. Vallejo came along and, displeased with the way the work was going, struck Bill across his bottom with the flat of his sword. Bill promptly knocked the Captain down with a redwood picket, seized Vallejo's toledo and pounded it into pot-hooks with his axe. Upon realizing what he had done, Bradshaw saw that he must immediately choose between instant flight or a Mexican prison, so he hurriedly retrieved his rifle from his temporary lodgings and struck out for the Sacramento Valley.
After the United States' declaration of war against Mexico on May 13, 1846, Bill returned to Sonoma as a member of the Bear Flag party which captured Vallejo's garrison on June 24, 1846. When Salvador recognized the picket-wielding hero in the ranks of his captors, he allegedly told the Bear Flag commander, "now I suppose I will be murdered, finding this assassin in your force," pointing to Bradshaw. But Bill responded that an American never strikes an enemy when he is down, shook Vallejo's hand and promised him his friendship.
On October 6, 1846, William Bradshaw was appointed First Lieutenant, Captain Sear's Company D, Mounted Riflemen, in John C. Fremont's California Battalion and was honorably discharged April 17, 1847.
Bill spent some time around Los Angeles but when gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill in 1848 he turned to gold mining. In 1851 the Governor of California appointed Bill to command a detachment of militia to combat a threatened revolt of the French miners of Mokelumme Hill, and Bill successfully brought about a settlement without bloodshed. He was also a member of the miners committee that drew up laws regulating mining at Vallecito Camp in Calaveras County in June of 1853.
Bell characterizes Bill Bradshaw as being a polished gentleman of true born chivalry: brave, witty and generous yet eccentric and "in simple truth a natural lunatic. In manly form and physical beauty, perfect; in muscular strength, a giant; in fleetness of foot and endurance, unequaled."
When news of Pauline Weaver's discovery of the wealth of the Plomosa placer mines at La Paz, Arizona in 1861 reached California, the adventurous Bill decided to explore those gold fields for himself.
At that time two arduous routes existed for travel from Los Angeles to La Paz. One way was to go to Fort Yuma over the old Sonora Road or by way of Smith's Survey through San Gorgonio Pass to Yuma and then proceed overland or by river steamer up the Colorado River to La Paz. The other option was to travel from San Bernardino across the Mohave Desert to Fort Mohave and then continue down river to La Paz, a more hazardous route owing to the scarcity of water, lack of habitations and raiding Paiute Indians.
In the spring of 1862, leading a party of eight men, Bill set off for the Plomosa mines determined to locate a shorter route. Bradshaw's party traveled the existing trail over San Gorgonio Pass and made their way southeast to the Salton Sink where several Cahuilla villages were located. Here Bill was befriended by Old Cabezon, a Cahuilla Chief, and a Cocmaricopa Indian mail runner from Arizona who was visiting the villages. The two Indians provided Bradshaw with a map of an ancient Halchidoma Indian trade route through the Colorado desert complete with the location of springs and water holes.
Using the Indians' map, Bradshaw's party journeyed on to Dos Palmas, crossed the then almost unknown desert between the Orocopia and Chocolate Mountains in an easterly direction reaching the Colorado River at Providence Point. There they built a raft and after swimming their animals, traversed themselves and their gear across the river. A travel of four more miles up the east river bank brought them to Laguna de La Paz, the immediate base for the mines.
Bill stayed a few days in La Paz visiting with the settlement's two merchants and the miners while observing the quantity of gold loads being brought in from the mines. Seeing other lucrative business potentials in addition to mining, Bill struck up a partnership with William Warringer to open a ferry service at Providence Point.
Returning to Los Angeles, Bill announced in the Los Angeles Star his new found straight line trail from San Gorgonio Pass to Providence Point and the establishment of the Warringer and Bradshaw Ferry at the trail's termination.
Almost immediately upon the announcement's publication, travelers, freight and stage lines began using the Bradshaw Road, and it came to be part of the U.S. Mail route between La Paz and Santa Fe. Today's Bradshaw Road is a part of the Mojave Heritage Trail system, and portions of it are still accessible to off-highway travelers.
(Terry Munderloh is a volunteer at the Museum's Archives. She is also an active member of the Historic Trails Committee of the Yavapai Trails Association)
Article printed July 23, 2000
Isaac Bradshaw picked up legacy
after brother's deathBy Terry Munderloh
(This is the second in a two part series)
Not content to remain long in one place, William Bradshaw left the management of the ferry business to his older brother Isaac and gravitated to the Weaver mining district where the discoveries of fabulous gold strikes on Rich Hill were being reported. Missing the opportunity to stake a claim on Rich Hill, he moved on to the unexplored southern portion of the Silver Mountains to prospect.
Daniel Ellis Conner, a member of the Walker Party reports in his manuscript that when news of rich mines located by a man named Bradshaw reached the Prescott area, he started out with a party of men to join Bradshaw. Conner wrote: "Upon passing down Turkey Creek we struck the fresh trail of Bradshaw's party and followed it. But we were nearly at the locality sought, when we found this party. We all arrived at our destination about noon the next day and found the whole matter a myth. A more disgusted set of men never before sent on a fool's errand. This was a new land and looked at thought it had never contained any human souls...."
"These old hills and rocks echoed back that day the first horrible oaths expressed in the English language that ever graced this hitherto sterile and graceless quarter. This trip served only to name a mountain near Turkey Creek. Bradshaw Mountain retains its name."
Conner and his disappointed men probably later regretted their quick abandonment of Bradshaw's group, for in the fall of 1863 Bill did strike gold and a new mining district was named in his honor.
On May 26, 1864, Governor Goodwin issued a call for the first Territorial election, and Bill announced himself as a candidate for Delegate to Congress representing the miners. He was defeated by Charles Poston, but on November 7, 1864, the first legislature did grant to Bradshaw and his associates for a period of twenty years an exclusive ferry franchise on the Colorado River at any and every point between what was known as Mineral City and a point five miles above La Paz.
The ferry tolls authorized by the legislative acts were high: four dollars for a one-team wagon plus one dollar for each additional pair of animals; one dollar for every horse with its rider fifty cents for every person on foot and for each head of loose horses, mules, jacks, or cattle; and twenty-five cents for each hog, sheep or goat. The enterprising William had again struck gold.
At that time the Providence Point location of Bradshaw's Ferry had been renamed Olive City to honor Olive Oatman who had been held captive for several years by Mojave Indians. In 1867 it was again renamed Ehrenberg by Michael Goldwater in memory of Herman Ehrenberg who had been murdered at Dos Palmas.
Bill Bradshaw was back in Olive City in the winter of 1864. On December 17, 1864, the Los Angeles News published this startling announcement: "We learn from Mr. Grant that William Bradshaw, of Bradshaw route notoriety, well known to miners and mountaineers, committed suicide at La Paz on the 2nd instant, by cutting his throat. Bradshaw had been on one of his "Big Benders," was probably under the influence of liquor at the time; he was pursued by ghosts, etc. He walked deliberately into a carpenter's shop, took up a drawing knife, and with one stroke nearly severed his head from his shoulders."
Why would a financially secure and respected man of William's character commit suicide? A drawknife might be a hand instrument for an assassin standing behind his victim but an unlikely tool as a means of suicide, especially for a man proficient in the use of firearms.
Further shrouding the bizarre circumstances of the alleged suicide is the fact that the only known report of Bill's death is that given by James Grant, who held a long time grudge against Bill, James claiming to have been the first discoverer of the Bradshaw Road. No mention of Bill's death is reported in the December 1864 newspaper.
Probate of his estate filed in Yuma County lists his death place as Bradshaw Ferry in May (day unknown) 1865, place of burial known. The original probate papers are missing from the county files and no records of the contents and disposition of his estate can be found in the probate record book.
In 1867 Isaac Bradshaw sold his interest in the ferry and, leaving his wife and daughters in California, took up his bachelor brother's wanderlust for gold dust. Uncle Ike, as he came to be known in Yavapai County, became part owner, developer and superintendent of the rich Copper Basin mines.
By 1871 the discovery and rapid development of the Tiger and Eclipse silver mines warranted the laying out of a townsite on top of Bradshaw Mountain. The town was called Bradshaw City. At one time Bradshaw City had five thousand residents but now only a sign remains to tell of its existence.
In 1882 Uncle Ike sold his interest in the Copper Basin mines and moved on to the Castle Creek gold mining district. He died Christmas Day, 1886, at his claim on Whipsaw Gulch near Castle Creek where he is buried.
Over the subsequent years the entire Silver Mountain Range came to be known as the Bradshaw Mountains. If William and Isaac were alive today, the two brothers would probably be astounded by the number of places, business, schools and associations bearing their name.
(Terry Munderloh is a volunteer at the Museum's Archives. She is also an active member of the Historic Trails Committee of the Yavapai Trails Association)