On the Way to Arizona

My grandparents, William Ashurst and Sarah Bogard, met and married in 1871 in Red Bluff, CA.

They amassed a herd of sheep and decided to make their way to Arizona. Their journey took them two years. They were camped near Winnemucca, Nevada on the way. Sarah was pregnant with my Great Uncle Henry and had a two year old daughter, Eva.

A band of Indians attacked the herd of sheep and William and some herdsmen went to protect their livelihood. While they were gone, a huge dust storm kicked up and as nature sometimes gives us a little more than is fair, Sarah went into labor. Not wanting Eva to get lot in the dust storm, she tied her to a wagon wheel and went into their tent and gave birth to Henry.

William and his herdsmen made it back alive, but William was wounded in the battle. In spite of it, the story goes, he still cooked dinner for his family that night. They eventually made it to Arizona where they first settled near Williams and drouthed out. They finally settled near a spring where Ashurst Lake is now located.

What was left of the cabin was taken down and moved and rebuilt at the Pioneer Museum in Black Canyon City.

This is a picture of my Great Grand Parents and family. My Grandfather, Edward Bates Ashurst is the baby.

More stories later…Trailer Park Jean