Photo by William Edward McBride and Mary Elizabeth Lines McBride

By Edres Bryant Barney

William Edward McBride was born on October 12, 1868 in Santaquin, Utah. He was the second of twelve children born to William Andrew McBride Sr. and Elizabeth Clarke McBride. Mary was born March 10, 1875 in Goshen, Juab, Utah, the third of eight children of Henry and Emily Weech Lines. We both came to Pima when we were young. William’s life was normal for a new settlement boy. His second oldest in his family, he started freight transport with his father at an early age. His recollection of Wilcox was that it was a whiskey-filled camp and the only warm places available were saloons.

Mary’s childhood memories are entwined with her uncle Hiram Weech and his daughters. A trip to their Fort. At Thomas’ store, the inside was cool because of the damp dirt floor, and I had fond memories of eating the ginger snaps and cheese I bought for lunch. Other trips involved climbing steep mountain passes to the Natol Valley and sawmills. These trips were also done in buggies. The shady valley was cool with running water, flowers and ferns. There was also a short trip to the Blackberry Patch with Mary’s brother and her parents, where she picked growing blackberries and mulberries.

William and Mary were married on 17 June 1897 at their parents’ home in Pima. Their first home was a one-room timber house with unbleached sheets. He became water manager for the Smithville Canal, a position he held for 30 years. When he died on February 3, 1937, there were still several children at home. Mary continued to support her family, and she lived 28 years before she died on October 4, 1965, at the age of 90.

Their 10 children and spouse is Esther Clara (David William Clough Jr.), Mary Della (Wallace Archibald johnston), Ethel Lena (Clarence Jerome Haney), Carl Henry (Edna Elizabeth Sudekum)), Edward Burt (Lella Fershaw),fill (Delsa Ethel Davis), Horace Paul (Mary Aaron Johnson), Edna L. (Evan Leavitt), James Lee Sr. (Charsey Sukkum), and Elsie Ruth (Claude Archie Clough).

The couple grew up as pioneer children. They and their children grew up to be contributing members of the community, contributing to the growth and development of the Gila Valley. Their descendants number in the hundreds, many of whom call the Gila Valley home.

This and other personal and family histories can be viewed at the Eastern Arizona Museum in Pima Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.