VERY INTERESTING: I am from Ill. near GALENA, IL where there were head mines. I will have to look into it for I never heard of him being in AZ where I now reside. Edith > Date: Mon, 8 Nov 2010 09:31:34 -0500 > From: schwel@comcast.net > To: vannorman@rootsweb.com > Subject: [VANNORMAN] Henry Van Arnam, 1818- 1871+, in Arizona Territory 1871 > > Papers of Ulysses S. Grant: June 1, 1871-January 31, 1872, p 93 By Ulysses > Simpson Grant, John Y. Simon, Ulysses S. Grant Association > Google Books. [Google Search string: "Territory of Arizona, secretary Van > Arman"] > A plaintive letter to authorities during the US Grant administration from > Henry Van Arman 11 Oct 1871 from Sacaton, Arizona Territory, describes how > he and his nephew, after arriving in the spring of 1870 from the "ledmines" > by wagon train across the Missouri River, constructed irrigation ditches to > prepare their newly purchased land on the Salt River for farming, spending > nearly all what remained of the $2800 they took west with them. While they > were away, Indians came and destroyed it all. He had complained to the > Indian agent without redress and is pleading for it now. It appears to be > part of an investigation of abuses by and/or threats toward the Indian > agent. > > "On Oct. 11, Henry Van Arman, Sacaton, Arizona Territory, wrote to USG > "haveing left our home in the ledmines two-years ago last my for the west my > self and Nephew with the Sad to be the best waggon and team that had crossed > the Mo River that Season and $2800 twenty eight hundred Dollars in Cash we > brought upon Salt River in this territory about 18 month Since whare we > located farms and constructed a canal or ditch about 3 miles in length for > the purposs of irrogateing our farms which cost us evry thing we had Save > our groing Crop and improvenants which if we could have Saved would made us > quite independant but while absent for a few days leaveing my house in care > of a neighbor to attend to the Merricopa and Pemi or Pemoi Indians Made a > raid upon my place and Destroid evry thing we had a full Statementment of > which we have forwarded to the indian department with our affidavits and > other testimony now my good President Since doing this we are told unless > we employ a lobby lawyer we will not get any thing in 3 or 4 years and then > it will take all we claim to pay him --I am now working for the Indian agent > at Gila reservation whare I mit in person Mr. Vincent Colier and Stated our > Situation to him and he told me he would do all he could for me. Since the I > have been told by one in authority that he, colier receives thousand of > letters that he never reads them and will probably neve think of me again > now my Drs I am 53 years of age have spent all the best part of my life in > the mines you must know about what I am at this time of life and how well I > am capasitated to work by the month for my living which this misfortune > compels me to do which is terable on me allthough this agen is a verry good > Man to work for --now I will close by Saying in gods name help me if you > can, and please let me know at your earleyst convenience Direct to Gila > reservation A. T. in care of J. H. Stout of whom you can ask any question > relative to me you please and he will answer" ALS, ibid., RG 75, Letters > Received, Arizona Superintendency." > > Linda Schwenn > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to VANNORMAN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message