Amenuensis Monday - Ethel Mae Wilbur Mastin

Ethel Mae Wilbur Mastin was born on October 22, 1921, in Gilbert, Maricopa County, Arizona, and died on July 31, 2010. Her older sister Alice Jane Wilbur Waggoner also was present at the interview. Alice was born on March 8, 1911 and died on January 15, 1993. They were daughters of Everett Ray Wilbur and Nelly O. Duncan.

All census records from 1910 through 1940 show the Wilbur family living in the Gilbert/Mesa area of Maricopa County, Arizona, although the precinct numbers varied.

Ethel Wilbur married Bill Mastin in 1942. Gilbert Airport was built in 1946 by Bill Mastin and his brother-in-law, Joseph Wilbur. It was established on Everett Wilbur's property. This airfield has since been abandoned and is now the site of Mesquite Junior High School. A description of the airfield and its founder is online. An article about it was published in the Apache Junction Independent, on August 16, 2005.

At the time of this writing there is an online obituary for Ethel Mae Wilbur Mastin.

Visit the FindAGrave memorial for  Alice Jane Wilbur Waggoner.

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Transcription of the interview abstract. All typos and misspellings appear as in the original.

Craig R. Schill

Dr. Hinton, Hist 399

INTERVIEWED: Mrs. Ethyl Mastin.  Born in Gilbert, Arizona, 1921. She is aided
                                 in this interview by her sister, Alice Wagner, born in Gilbert, 1911.
                                 The interview took place on March 18, 1989.

I. Early memories of Gilbert
     a. small town
     b. agricultural community
     c. 300 residents in 1920's

II. Early experience as a child
     a. water tank on farm
     b. cropdusters

III. Parents early settlers
     a. arrived at age eight (father)
     b. mother was in teens
     c. attended Tempe Normal School

IV. Gilbert in relation to Phoenix
     a. considered "a long way off"
     b. made trip once a year
     c. automobile was main transportation mode

V. Predjudice in Gilbert
     a. Spanish had separate grade school
     b. integraded in High School
     c. segregated physically but not emotionally

VI. High School
     a. 15 in graduating class
     b. everyone knew everyone

VII. Changes in Gilbert
     a. have happened too fast
     b. Mesa and Gilbert run together
     c. liked it as a small town

VIII. Weather and Climate
     a. very hot and uncomfortable
     b. early evaporative cooler
     c. slept outside, wet clothes
     d. generally miserable

IX. Crime in Gilbert
     a. hardly a problem

X. Church development in Gilbert
     a. Methodist & Mormon church established in 1907
     b. Catholic (mainly Hispanic) had to travel to Chandler for mass.

XI. Trips taken outside of Gilbert
     a. Summit camp, between Superior and Miami
     b. California

XII. Politics
     a. father was first mayor of Gilbert
     b. Alice Wagner was on City Council

XIII. Depression's effect
     a. no cash, used eggs for bartering
     b. almost lost farm
     c. took years to fully recover

XIV. More on Gilbert High School
     a. met in two story building, grades 9-12
     b. Junior High in same building
     c. Gilbert Historical Building was old grade school building

XV. Entertainment in Gilbert
     a. you made your own
     b. swimming in canals
     c. playing in irrigation pumps
     d. roller skating
     e. dances
     f. movie theatre
          1. closed twice, not enough people in town to keep it in business
          2. had to go to Mesa to see a movie
     g. church activities were a strong social focus

XVI. Childhood story
     a. kept Junior High class in grade school building because of trouble makers in one year ahead.

XVII. Life after High School
     a. ASU for 1 1/2 years
     b. entered Navy
     c. lived in Tucson

XVIII. Started Gilbert Airport
     a. only airport in Gilbert

XIX. Changes for better or for worse?
     a. some of both
     b. advantages
          1. activities increased
          2. retail opportunities increased
     c. disadvantages
          1. crime
          2. too many people
          3. drugs, alcohol

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Amenuensis Monday - Eleanor Margaret Treat Woods

Eleanor Margaret Treat Woods was born on February 21, 1911, in Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado and died on April 12, 2008. She was the daughter of Jay Emery Treat and Dora Brigham Treat.

The 1910 census shows her parents living in Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado, and in 1920 the family is found in Trinidad, Las Animas County, Colorado. By 1930 they had settled in Tucson north of the University at 1401 E Mabel St., Tucson, Pima County, Arizona.

Eleanor married George Freeman Woods in 1931. By 1940 they were living along De Moss Petrie (now Grant) Road near Oracle Road. Their granddaughter shared their story at the 40th anniversary celebration of the Woods Memorial Branch Library of the Pima County Public Library. Her tale was online at the library web site in 2012.

Visit the Find A Grave memorial for Eleanor Margaret Treat Woods.

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Transcription of the interview abstract. All typos and misspellings appear as in the original.

Craig R. Schill

Dr. Hinton, Hist 399

INTERVIEWED: Mrs. Elenor Woods. Born 1911 in Colorado Springs, CO. Came
                                to Tucson in June of 1929. Interview took place on April 6, 1989.

I. Early memories of Tucson
     a. small town
     b. 35,000 people
     c. shopping down town (Congress, Stone)
     d. lived on Highland and Mabel
     e. little development North or East of University.

II. Parents
     a. father worked for an Abstract Co.

III. University of Arizona
     a. small
     b. treated Freshmen poorly
          -had to wear bobby socks
          -had to wear green beanies

IV. Husband
     a. owned Farview Dairy
     b. only 3 dairies in Tucson
     c. milked 100 cows
     d. milk delivery
     e. water was the reason for going out of business
     f. served on city council for 8 years in Tucson

V. City Council
     a. G. Freeman Woods library named in honor of his work
     b. respected greatly in Tucson

VI. Entertainment
     a. Church activities
     b. Family

VII. Church development
     a. most churches were located on Stone
     b. First Baptist on 5th st. started many of the other baptist churches in Tucson

VIII. Prejudice
     a. all schools segregated except for High School
     b. Dunbar on Main St. was a black school
     c. prejudice was not very evident

IX. Different road names

X. Crime
     a. not a problem
     b. houses not locked

XI. Climate
     a. people just lived with the hot weather
     b. no one knew the difference - hot was hot, there was no AC .

XII. Story
     a. Flowing Wells School burning

XIII. Changes for better or worse?
     a. better
         -educational facilities
          - parks
          - development
     b. worse
          -ruined views
          -too many people

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Amenuensis Monday - Shirley Ethel Norvelle Welch

Shirley Ethel Norvelle Welch was born on July 18, 1915, in Pratt County, Kansas, and died on February 17, 1999. She was the daughter of Clyde Larrison Norvelle and Flora Ethel Ohley Norvelle. As Clyde worked for the railroad, the family moved between railroad towns, living in Kansas, Colorado, Texas and Arizona. It is possible they also lived in other places that aren't documented in online records.

In 1920, the family was living in Wichita Falls, Wichita County, Texas. By 1930, they had settled in an area that was northeast of Tucson, but now is well within the city. Their home in 1930 was near the intersection of Grant Road and Country Club Boulevard. The 1940 census shows the family, without Shirley, living on Bermuda Avenue, which is a few blocks north of Grant Road and east of Country Club. They report having lived in the same house in 1935.

Shirley had married Obie Lee Welch, a truck driver, and they were living in Palo Verde Judicial Township, Riverside County, California, in 1940. Shirley told the census taker that they both had been living in Pima County, AZ, in 1935.

Shirley and Obie returned to Arizona by about 1945, when they bought a home at 26 East Mac Iver Place. This home was built with adobe blocks salvaged from the 1881 Pima County courthouse, which was torn down in 1928. Shirley was interviewed about the house by a writer for the Tucson Daily Citizen and the article was published in 1988. That interview was available online in 2012.

Shirley, Obie, and her parents are all buried at South Lawn Cemetery in Tucson. Also online was Shirley's obituary from the Tucson Daily Citizen.

Visit the Find A Grave memorial for Shirley Ethel Norvelle Welch.

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Transcription of the interview abstract. All typos and misspellings appear as in the original.

Craig R. Schill

Dr. Hinton, Hist 399

INTERVIEW: Mrs. Shirley Welch. Born in 1915 in Pratt, KS. Came to Az in
                           November of 1923. Interview took place on April 12, 1989.

I. Early memories
     a. arrived by train
     b. father was a "fireman"
     c. stayed at Coronado Hotel
     d. lived on 3rd Ave.
     e. moved to south 4th Ave. and 19th Street.

II. School
     a. Safford School
     b. Davidson School
     c. Tucson High School

III. Fireman's job.
     a. a fireman shovels coal for railroad engines
     b. dad and brother worked together
     c. Route went to Lordsburg (stormy route)

IV. Climate
     a. used burlap sacks with water as early coolers
     b. fanned dad
     c. not as hot due to dirt streets and adobe houses

V. First telephones
     a. a ten party line
     b. R & J lines
     c. an adult item

VI. Transportation
     a. walked
     b. one car

VII. Schools

VIII. Prejudice
     a. none
     b. only white child at Safford
     c. that's just the way it was

IX. Entertainment
     a. there was none
     b. just stayed at home

X. Items in home
     a. outhouse
     b. well (50 feet)
     c. no washing machine

XI. Past times
     a. visited Temple of Music and Art.

XII. Were changes in Tucson for better or for worse?
     a. for the worse
          -too much trafic
          -too much travel

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Amenuensis Monday - Charlotte Munday Curd Stearns

Charlotte Stearns was born on September 28, 1904, in Kentucky, and died on June 6, 1994. She was born Charlotte Munday to William Gabriel Munday and Nannie Charlotte Parks. Due to her mother's death in childbirth, she was raised by her aunt and uncle, Artis Curd and Minnie Ruby Munday Curd.

The Curd family can be found in the 1910 census in North Burgin, Mercer County, Kentucky. Her name was given to the census taker as Lotta M Curd with relationship of daughter. By 1920, the family had moved a few miles west to Harrodsburg and Lottie Munday is listed as niece.

Charlotte married William Alexander Jackson in 1925. He was a soldier who died in 1928. The 1930 census finds the widowed Charlott M Jackson, niece-in-law,  living with the Curd family at 503 East 3rd Street in Tucson, Pima County, AZ. This address is now on University Boulevard, at the corner of 3rd Avenue. This is the location that her cousin Munday Curd described as the location of his parents' boarding house.

By 1940, Charlotte had married Arthur Engle Stearns. To date they have not been located in the 1940 census.

Visit the Find A Grave memorial for Charlotte Stearns.

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Transcription of the interview abstract. All typos and misspellings appear as in the original.

Craig R. Schill

Dr. Hinton, Hist 399

INTERVIEW: Mrs. Charlette Sterns. B. 1904. Came to Arizona in 1922.
                           Interview took place on March 31, 1989.

I. Early memories
     a. last year of high school
     b. went to school with blacks for the first time
     c. 65,000 people

II. Early memories of Tucson
     a. not many paved streets
     b. dust storms
     c. street cars

III. Climate situation
     a. would 'close' up house

IV. Work history
     a. worked for railroad
     b. involved in shipping

V. transportation
     a. walked a lot
     b. trolly system

VI. Parents occupation
     a. owned boarding house

VII. Tucson church development
     a. few churches i n 20's and 30's
     b. most churches located on Stone
     c. Baptist history

VIII. depression
     a. hard on parents

IX. changes in Arizona
     a. growth / expansion

X. Entertainment
     a. ball games
     b. concerts

XI. Tucson High
     a. only high school in Tucson
     b. 1000 kids in daughters graduating class
     c. Kentuky accent made fun of

XII. Early memories
     a. visiting people
     b. friendly people

XIII. Were changes in Tucson for better or for worse
     a. worse
         -water situation
         -crime

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Amenuensis Monday - Julia May Mills Seitz

Julia May Mills Seitz was born on September 4, 1912, in Lordsburg, Hidalgo County, New Mexico, and died on January 5, 1993. She used the name May, rather than Julia.

John and Tennessee (Wood) Mills can be found in the 1910 census, before May's birth, in Sutton County, Texas. In 1920, the family is living in Animas, Hidalgo County, New Mexico. May is enumerated twice in the 1930 census. Her parents were living in Prescott, Yavapai County, Arizona, where May is listed, but noted as absent. She also appears in Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona, as a servant living in the household of Charles P. England. The home no longer exists, as its location is now at the 7th Avenue interchange with the I-10 freeway.

The 1936 Phoenix directory shows that May has married Richard Seitz. The Seitz family home in 1940 has since become another victim of growth in Phoenix. It was located near the intersection of 18th Street and Henshaw Road, now Buckeye Road. Today that area lies just past the west end of Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport and is zoned light industrial, primarily used for airline operations and the rental car center.

May's interview refers to working for Murphy, Major [sic] of Phoenix. The reference is probably to Frank G. Murphy, who served as the mayor of Phoenix from 1954 to 1956.

The interview abstract does not expand on the changes that May thought to be very bad; however, my many years as a (former) Phoenix resident lead me to believe that the building and expansion of the airport and the surrounding freeways contributed to her observation. The contentious battles between affected property owners and governmental authorities were widely reported by the media.

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Transcription of the interview abstract. All typos and misspellings appear as in the original.

Craig R. Schill
Dr. Hinton, Hist 399

INTERVIEWED: Mrs. May Seitz, born in Lordsburg NM, 1912. Came to Arizona
                                in 1920. The interview took place on March 17, 1989.

I. Homesteaded land in New Mexico
     a. lived there until 10 years old
     b. sold due to illness
     c. came to Arizona

II. Trip to AZ in 1920
     a. in covered wagon
     b. was enjoyable
     c. stopped in Globe

III. Globe (Summer 1926)
     a. father worked on road
     b. rented out teams
     c. earned $6/day/team

IV. Moved to Higly, AZ
     a. worked on farm
     b. kids put in school

V. Moved to Chandler, AZ
     a. raised ostriches at home
     b. finished school year

VI. Moved to Phoenix in 1929

     a. attended Phoenix Union H.S.
     b. worked through school

VII. High School
     a. (up north) 2 rooms, 2 students
     b. (in Phx) 4000 kids at Phx. Union
     c. new buildings
     d. Mask of Yellow Moon pagent

 VIII. Prejudice

     a. not very evident
     b. integrated well

IX. Transportation
     a. street cars were big
     b. automobiles

X. Depression
     a. worked for Murphy, Major of Phoenix
     b. either feast or famine
     c. built first house on land given them at Buckeye Ave.

XI. Crime and Saftey
     a. no fear at all
     b. little crime
     c. Phoenix was a small town

XII. Responsibilities on ranch
     a. looking after younger children
     b. birth of sisters' baby
     c. cowboys helped out
     d. canned pears
     e. scared of cows

XIII. Changes for better or worse?
     a. some very very bad things
     b. some good changes

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