William Lewis Penrod

William Lewis Penrod and Polly Ann Young

Article written by Leora Peterson Schuck. From the book "A Tribute to the Lakeside Pioneers" Author: Karen Laduke; Mesa, Arizona Family History Center 41 South Hobson Street Mesa, Arizona 85204 Reference Number 979.135/L1 D3

I have been writing about the founders of Lakeside who were comparatively late in the White Mountains. They did not come to a wholly uninhabited wilderness. They were preceded by sheep men, squatters, ranchers, farmers at Woodland and the large Penrod family in Pinetop, three miles away, who had been there for nearly 20 years and had made a thriving village of it.

Pinetop's first resident was one Johnny Fipps (or Phipps) who is mentioned in diaries and sketches. Mrs. Annie Penrod states in her account of William Penrod's life that Fipps was the only person living at what is now Pinetop when Penrod arrived there in 1887, and he welcomed the family. Otherwise, his life is shrouded in mystery. Research by interested residents has failed to turn up any information as to his origin, how long he remained in the country, or where he went. One fact is known- he owned a saloon and catered to the soldiers. It is said the soldiers called the place Pinetop because it was at the top of the mountain coming up from Fort Apache. After the Penrods came, someone suggested they name the town Penrod, but Grandfather William said no, he liked the name of Pinetop and that is what they would continue to call it.

William Lewis Penrod was born on the 27th day of January, 1832, in Union County, Illinois, son of David Penrod and Temperance Keller. Temperance was a native of North Carolina. There were a good many Penrods living in Union County at that time. David's father having settled there early from somewhere in the East and he raised a large family. On Feb 12, 1840 David Penrod was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and he knew the prophet Joseph Smith at Nauvoo. He came with his family to Utah in 1849. According to William's son Liona, in a sketch of his own life, his grandfather David was a wheelright and for a period was stationed by the wayside to repair wagons of the "Saints" as they made their unprecedented trek to the Salt Lake Valley.

William Lewis came to Utah with his father, a boy of 17. He had several brothers and sisters and they grew up in and around Provo. A book has recently been published in Utah by members of the family about all the descendants of David Penrod. Arizona Penrods are included in the book and we have many very fine sketches written by children and grandchildren of William.

A few years after arriving in Utah William met and married Polly Ann Young, a young woman who came from Tennessee and had crossed the plains by ox team. To this union were born 13 children. William and Polly were living in Wallsburg, Utah a town not far from Provo, when he joined the pioneers coming to Arizona. A niece, Eva Penrod Sabin, recalls when he lived at Wallsburg, where he raised a big family and provided for them well. She said they bought factory jeans and calico by the bolt, not yard. The hearts of the relatives were sad when William's family decided to explore new lands and find a home in Arizona. She said, "The wagon stood waiting, the covers slightly drawn. Aunt Polly sat in the seat, the girls with their bonnets on." She also recalls that her uncle came back several times to visit and told them of the fish and wild turkey plentiful in the White Mountains.

It was Oct 26, 1878, when William and Polly Penrod left Utah with nine of their children. The first two, Mary and David, were already married and they came later. Of the nine who accompanied their parents, Susan at 18, was the oldest. She is designated as the fourth child in the family. I had no record of No. 3. Perhaps he or she died in infancy and inadvertently the name was not given. The other eight were: Albert, Delbert, Ephraim, (Eph), Elnora, Liona, Liola, Ralph, and Mayzetta, the latter being two years old. There were two sets of twins, Albert and Delbert, called Bert and Del, and Liona and Liola (pronounced with a long I), known as Own and Ole.

In reminiscing to his daughter-in-law, Annie Butler Penrod, Mr. Penrod related that the team they started with consisted of one cow and one ox. When they arrived at the Pyreah (probably Paria River), they got another ox to replace the cow. They also obtained some horses. Here they laid over for two weeks waiting for Tom Adair's family who were to accompany them, then came to Lee's Ferry. They had to wait another two weeks for the water to go down so they could cross the Colorado, as it happened to be in flood. They ferried over the river on a flat boat. After crossing, they had to put on three teams to a wagon to pull them to the top of the hill (Lee's Backbone) one at a time. The company camped two days at Willow Springs and the next stop was Holbrook where there was only one adobe house-no railroad as yet. The nearest store they knew of was Albuquerque, NM. Fortunately, they had provisions enough with them to last six months. From Holbrook they went to Show Low, arriving there Dec 31, 1878, where they camped in an old house that belonged to a sheepherder. Show Low was only a ranch that belonged to Col. Cooley.

On New Year's morning of 1879 the Penrods awoke to three feet of snow on the ground. The stock had to browse on the willows along the creek. After riding to Forest Dale one day, William was very discouraged and wanted to go back to Utah, but Polly, a very delicate lady, was in ill health at the time and would not make the trip. Next summer the Penrods lived on the John Willis ranch near Show Low and took care of his cattle. In the fall they had a wedding in the family. Susan Penrod married William Stephens at the ranch, Sep 25, 1879. She had first met him at Willow Springs where they camped on their way to Show Low.

The family ground corn on an old coffee grinder to make bread for eleven, but in spite of hardships they were a happy family. Soon they moved to Juniper (Linden) where they dry farmed. One day word came that the Indians were on the war path. All ranchers moved their families to Show Low and "forted up" as they called it with Cooley. He owned a fort which had been built by Santa Jaques' father who had come from Washington, Utah with Hansens. (He had married Anna Hansen, Hans' sister. In his son's history Santa's father also built the St. Johns Court House and the first school at Woodland.

Cooley was a white man but married to an an Indian woman. Liona writes: "If it hadn't been for Mr. Cooley, I guess we would have been massacred." Cooley and William Penrod became good friends. The former called Penrod "Whistling Bill" because he was always whistling. Liona said, "We all knew Father was coming; the whistle got there before he did."

William put up a shingle mill and sold shingles to the settlers as the country grew. His first customer was Robert Scott, the sheep man. Two sons, Del and Bert, went to work for Mr. Cooley in the fall of 1880; Ralph, being a child of seven or eight, rode the mule while his father cut shingles. When there were no sales William also worked for Cooley which paid off in pork, beans, and corn, which kept the family eating.

In 1881 the Penrod family was gladdened by another baby and thirteenth child. She came when Mazetta was five years old, and they named her Geneva. She was a great comfort to her parents and made their home happy. They said she had come to cheer them in their old age.

In 1883 William Penrod with Polly and their younger children went back to Utah with a team of horses, the oxen having died. They stayed there two and a half years. Dave, Bert, and Del hauled freight from Wilcox to Globe with horse teams. Mary and Eph stayed there at the ranch and took care of things. Mary was a widow at the time. After William returned from Utah, he became dissatisfied with dry framing and set out with David to find a place with water. That is when he discovered the beautiful meadow at Pinetop with streams running though it. In 1887 they moved to the new home, living in a wagon box and camping out until Mr. Penrod, with Ralph's help, cut logs and built a one-room cabin which took about ten days. In the spring of 1888 they cut trees and put in a crop. Then William put up a shingle mill and Ralph again drove the mule. The following June, Susan and husband with three children moved to Pinetop (1888) and made their home adjoining her father's place. Then Bert, Del, and Eph came with their wives and children. Liola, Liona and Mayzetta married and lived in Pinetop near their father. Soon he had all his children around him. Pinetop grew to be quite a town. It had a post office, store, and small school. The sons and daughters of William Penrod had very little chance for schooling while they pioneered, but they saw to it that advantages for their children were much better.

The store belonged to a man named McCoy. He was not related to the Penrods and he remained in Pinetop until about 1920. It was a small store but supplied surrounding families with staples, having patrons from Lakeside and Woodland also. Two other families moved to Pinetop- those of John Colvin and John Adair. Colvin ran a sawmill for a time.

William Penrod was about 55 years old when he settled in Pinetop. There he prospered and his family had plenty to do with. In addition to the shingle mill, he raised good crops. They built a six-room house and it was always open to their children and grandchildren for many good times. Their hospitality took in everyone in need. William loved sports. He could ride, he could rope, he could take a joke and give one, and he loved music and dancing. His youngest son Ralph had an ear for music. His father had bought him a violin when he was about 16 years old. Soon he played for dances, not only in Pinetop, but all around the country. Sometimes the whole family drove as far as 25 miles to a dance.

William's wife Polly Ann had been frail for many years. On April 9, 1909, she died. I read in the diaries of Margaret Larson and Augustus Hansen of Lakeside that on April 10, they attended services for Mrs. Penrod at Pinetop. I'm sure there were many others attending from miles around as she was held in great esteem. After her death Ralph and Annie with their children moved into the home, and Grandfather Penrod lived with them for eight years. He took sick in June and passed away on Aug 21, 1916, at the home of his daughter Susan Stephens. He loved his own home so much that he had requested to be brought back there for the funeral. He was 84 years of age.

William Penrod had always been a jolly and jovial man, living up to his nickname of "Whistling Bill." His motto was, "If you can help the cause, fine; if not, why worry." Never a man to get discouraged or downhearted for long, he always had an open door for strangers as well as friends of whom he had many. He fed everyone who came to his door hungry, regardless of color or creed. The sick were often cheered by his presence. He was the grand old man of Pinetop; in 1942 his descendants had reached the number of 897. It is hard to estimate how many there would be today in 1978. He did his share to claim a wilderness.

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Whistling Bill A Tribute to William L. Penrod By Sarah Ann Penrod

You may talk of noble characters O statesmen far and wide But the man of this town Whose name shall long live Is the one called Whistling Bill

He whistled in the morning, When the dew was on the grass, He whistled in the evening to finish up his tasks. This whistling Bill was the man of the time Whose name we shall honor today.

Whistling Bill was a sport, he could ride, he could rope. He could take a joke, and give one as well; He could laugh, he could smile, At the things worthwile.

That's the man called Whistling Bill.

His whistling was known to friends far and wide As the man who could whistle In joy, sorrow, and pride. He could saddle old pet, and whistle the while As he made preparations to visit the folks.

Whistling Bill is now dead, but we reverence his name Of the noblest of men, the Father of us all we honor today.

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Mary Ann Penrod 1855-1935

The oldest child of William and Polly Ann Penrod was a daughter, Mary Ann. Born July 5, 1855, at Wallsburg, Wasatch Co., Utah, she grew up there and married one John William Gilson in 1871. Shortly after her parents came to Arizona in 1878, Mary and her husband followed, but their life was not happy together and they were divorced while living at Juniper. Mary went to work for George Scott, a prominent sheep owner, and there she met John Francis Norton and married him on June 4, 1884. No children were born to either union. Most of Mary's life was spent in Pinetop. She had a little cabin there and lived in it until 1932, alone after her husband's death. Then she moved to the home of her brother Ralph and it was there she succumbed suddenly to a heart attack on February 13, 1935, at age eighty. I remember her as a quiet little woman, dark, neat and comely. Her sister-in-law stated that her outstanding characteristic was her cleanliness about herself and home.

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David Israel Penrod 1858-1932

David Israel Penrod was born November 30, 1858 in Wallsburg, Utah. He was the second of thirteen children. David was named after his grandfather.

On June 6, 1877, he married Cynthia Ann Smith in the St. George Utah Temple. Cynthia is the daughter of Thomas Washington Smith and Susan Reynolds. David and Cynthia had eight children: Cynthia Jane, David Heber, Susannah, Delbert Alvy, James Arthur, Paul Ray, Polly Irene, and Loren Rupert.

David and Cynthia came to Arizona in the fall of 1879 with their first child, Cynthia Jane. Annie Butler first remembered David when he came to Greer in the fall of 1902 as a forest ranger. (A tribute to the Lakeside Pioneers). He lived many years in Pinetop, Arizona and was a pillar of the community. Like his father William, he was known for his hospitality to all who needed entertainment, regardless of color or creed. Once his life had been saved by an Apache woman and in return he was especially kind to the Indian people and taught his children to treat them well.

David Israel Penrod died August 13, 1932 in Pinetop and is buried there with may of his relatives. He is and will be remembered by many as a Pioneer who led the way for his many descendants.

You may click on the URL http://home.att.net/~davidpenrod/davidisraelpenrod.html below for more information on David Israel Penrod.

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Heber Lewis Penrod 1860-1872

Heber was the third child of William and Polly Ann. He was born September 1, 1860 in Wallsburg, Utah. He died in 1872 in Wallsburg as a result of a hay mowing accident while he was lying in an alfalfa field.

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Temperance Susan Penrod 1862-1945

Temperance Susan, fourth child of William and Polly Penrod was born in Midway, Utah, on January 19, 1862. She was seventeen years old at the time of her arrival in Arizona in Dec 1878. On September 25, 1879 she married William Adam Stephens at the Willis Ranch near Show Low. After 1887 they made their home in Pinetop. Mr. Stephens freighted from Pinetop to Albuquerque and later from Ft. Apache to Holbrook. William and Susan were parents of eleven children, six girls and five boys: Arty Pollyanna, Temperance May, William Mitchel, George Walter, Mary Emeline, Elnora Dorothy, Wilmer, Geneva, Chloa, Fredrick Jeffrey, and Vonna Hazel. Susan passed away September 22, 1945, at her home in Pinetop, having reached the age of eighty-three.

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Albert Nathaniel Penrod 1864-1922

The fifth and sixth Penrod children were Albert Nathaniel and his twin brother Delbert Abraham, called throughout life Bert and Del. They made their wordly debut in Payson, Utah, on May 14, 1864, and came with their parents William and Polly to Arizona at the age of fourteen. They continued growing up in the Show Low-Juniper section of what was then Apache County, meeting all the vicissitudes and problems of that rugged frontier. The brothers were almost inseparable. Even after marriage they lived near each other and remained close in their associations, both personally and in business.

When he was twenty-one Albert married Mary Catherine Beckstead of Taylor, Arizona. The date was May 25, 1885. Mary was about fifteen. The wedding was celebrated at the home of the bride's father with a dinner and a dance afterward which lasted until the small hours of the morning. To this couple were born twelve children, four girls and eight boys, whose names I regret I do not have at this time.

Bert made a living by farming and shearing sheep, settling in Pinetop along with his father and others of the family. In the early years of the new century he went into business with his twin brother Del and with the proceeds bought cattle in 1912 and took up a homestead at Pineyon, a few miles north of Pinetop, where he farmed and raised cattle until the time of his death which occured April 5, 1922 at the age of fifty-eight. His daughter wrote that he was a kind and loving father to whom the family always came first. "He left many friends and all loved him who knew him; that meant more than wealth to us."

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Delbert Abraham Penrod 1864-1938

Delbert spent his younger learning years in Wallsburg, Utah, and Show Low, Arizona, very small towns with not to adequate schooling facilities at that time, so his formal education was about equivalent of the third grade. But he learned fast from every source. In his life time of experience in real pioneering he learned how to work, love and live with his fellow men in a way he never could have done from books.

When Bert had been married a year or so he took his young wife on a visit to Utah, and his twin brother Delbert accompanied them. Del went for the express purpose of renewing acquaintance with a girl he knew in Utah with whom he thought he might be in love. They stopped off in Marysvale and while there they "took in a dance." Del caught glimpse of a small girl weighing eighty-nine pounds (as he later learned), five feet four inches tall, with long reddish brown hair and light blue eyes. He was smitten at once and sought an introduction, dancing every dance available with her. The girl's name was Merintha which seemed to fit her perfectly and added to Del's admiration. Merintha in turn was attracted to this handsome youth, seven years her senior. He had blue eyes but his hair was coal black and he wore a full black mustache, a striking contrast. Five feet ten inches tall with broad shoulders, a quick wit and ready smile, he would have swept any girl off her feet.

Del remained in Marysvale until he won Merintha, the other girl forgotten. Merintha Altheria Calaway, daughter of Thomas and Eliza Newby Calaway, married Delbert Abraham Penrod on the 18th day of August 1887, at a gala wedding. A month later the couple journeyed back to Arizona by team and wagon. Delbert often told his children throughout the years that when he first laid eyes on Merintha, he thought she was the prettiest little thing he ever saw in his life.

In 1889 0r 1990 Del and his bride moved to Pinetop where Merintha had the first post office. A small part of the office she used for the sale of novelties of all kinds. Here nine of their ten children were born, Mildred, the last, being born in Snowflake. Children's names are as follows: Delbert Cecil who married Ida Bell White; Thomas William died in infancy; Merintha married Paul E. Amos; Harvel married Louise Rhoton and they live in Lakeside; Albert, deceased; Lottie Enes married Thomas Jay Woolford; Dicye Polly married George Easley; Leonard Lamar married Beulah Goodman; and Leslie Mildred married Edwin Whiting. Another child died in infancy.

In writing about her father, a daughter states that he was a great joker and loved to sing, especially with his children. He was strict when occasion warranted, a very just man and well loved. Especially close to his identical twin brother Bert, never a day passed that they were not together. In 1913 they each homesteaded 160 acres two miles apart at Pineyon, but visited everyday. Birthdays together were special occasions. After Bert passed away, Del would be seen almost daily leaning on his shovel in the field or on a fence looking into space for minutes at a time. At this time his wife Merintha was a true helpmate and comforter, trying to finish her housework quickly so that she could spend time with him in the field and keep him company.

Delbert Penrod's devotion for that beautiful girl he had fallen suddenly and completely in love with in 1887, remained steadfast and grew over the years. She returned it in full and they were an ideal couple. In 1937, Del and Merintha celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary at their ranch in Pineyon, with 500 Utah and Arizona friends and relatives present. It was a wonderful affair, never to be forgotten. Del built a pavilion beside a huge pine and he and Merintha danced a schottische together without missing a step; there was a barbeque, programs all the rest. It was a memorable and crowning tribute to a rich and rewarding life together.

A year later Delbert took sick and died on June 14, 1938, at Holbrook. According to his wish they took him back home to his beloved ranch where his beautiful roses seemed to have bloomed just for him. He was buried in the family plot at Pinetop. He was seventy-four years old.

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Ephraim Penrod 1866-1935

Of all the Penrod brothers who founded Pinetop, none lived there longer or left a stronger imprint than Ephraim, known as Eph. He arrived there in 1888 and remained until his death on May 10, 1935, except for a year when he worked in the mines at Clifton and one winter in Globe. Most of his adult life he was a merchant and he also farmed and ran a herd of cows. In the early days it was often necessary to dabble in many things to make a living. Eph's granddaughter says he tried a number of professions, such as selling wild horses, prospecting, running a mill, and hauling freight from Holbrook. She also states that Eph was a self-made man, as schooling in his day was almost unobtainable.

Ephraim Penrod was the seventh child of William Lewis Penrod and Polly Ann Penrod. He was born September 17, 1866 at Payson, Utah, and came to Arizona with his parents at the age of twelve. Shortly before he turned nineteen he married Vilate Whipple of Show Low. The date was July 17, 1885. They had two children, Lee and Bessie. Then Violate was taken by death on July 9, 1891.

Eph met Mary Jane Hansen of Woodland, daughter of Hans Hansen Sr., and they were married on November 21, 1892 at Pinetop. To this union were born ten children as follows: Elmer, Grace, Archie Hans Othello, William, Mary Jane, Viola Irene, Reuben Buster, Beatrice, and Galdys Elmina. Gerald Penrod, prominent and popular resident of Pinetop today, is a grandson.

Eph and his family once had a strange adventure. Coming home from Clifton in a covered wagon, they were held up at a point on the road by desperados who had guns and demanded their horses and money. At a crucuial point, the oldest son Elmer stuck his head out of the wagon and said, "Howdy Floyd." It happened Elmer had gone to school with the son of one of the would be robbers and he had come along. The men then offered Eph almost anything if he wouldn't tell the sheriff, and they went their way empty handed.

Eph was described as having black lashes and brows which emphasized dancing blue eyes. He was rather a small man and wore a heavy mustache, and he had considerable charm. He had a large posterity.

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Elnora Penrod 1870-1894

Elonora was number eight in the family of William and Polly Penrod. Born June 12, 1869, at Provo, Utah, she was nine years old when she put on her sunbonnet and traveled to Arizona with her parents in a covered wagon. It would be a long and tedious journey for a little girl and one wonders how she spent the hours and how she felt about it. One can only imagine how tiresome it might have been.

Elnora met George Edward Beckstead the same evening that Bert Penrod met his siter, Mary Beckstead, which happened at a dance or party on December 20, 1884. The two couples had a double wedding at Taylor on May 25, 1885, after about six months of courtship. Elnora was only sixteen years old. Fate, however, held tragedy for her future. When her first child was three years old, her husband was accidentally shot while hunting. After his death she came to the home of her parents in Pinetop. Later she met James A. Baird and three children were born to them. They went to live in Concho and there she died of typhoid fever in 1898 at the untimely age of twenty-four. In her short time on earth she saw many changes and did a heap of living.

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Liona Penrod 1871-1959

A second set of twins was born to William and Polly Penrod on May 21, 1871, at Wallsburg, Utah, the ninth and tenth children. They were named Liona and Liola but were generally known by their friends as Own and Ole. They came to Arizona at the age of seven years and knew about the rigors of a harsh frontier.

On February 6, 1901 Liona married Marcena Hansen at Pinetop in the dance hall, a gala wedding. She was the daughter of Hans Hansen, Sr. and sister to Eph's wife Jane. Her brother, Hans Hansen Jr. performed the ceremony. Liona and Marcena started life at the bottom, their house one log room and a small lumber room. But Marcena was clever and artistic and they fixed it up to look very cozy. The dresser was made of apple boxes, but camouflauged by curtains, and other things in comparison.

This happy home in Pinetop was blessed with seven happy youngsters, but two small boys were taken in death. They lived here until 1916 when they sold their home and cattle and bought the Clara Wolford Hotel in Show Low which they ran. They also kept government teams, served meals to teamsters, hauling freight from Holbrook in Ft. Apache and had a little grocery store. In 1949 they moved to Mesa for health reasons. They celebrated their 50th anniversary February 6, 1951 in Mesa. Liona died April 3, 1959 at the age of eighty-seven. Marcena lived on in Mesa until the summer of 1978, having attained some ninety odd years of life. They were a devoted, hard working couple who left a numerous posterity to bless their name.

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Liola Penrod 1871-1931

A short history of the life of Liola Penrod has been written by his son Cecil who says the twin boys helped their mother in the home as young boys as there were enough older brothers to do the outside work. Perhaps this training made it possible for Own to cook for sheep shearers at fifteen. However, helping their mother didn't last long. Ole soon worked on a shingle mill owned by his father. They sheared sheep and he was considered the best shearer in the country. He played a bass fiddle with his brother Ralph for dances. He met a young lady named Martha Senora Packer who lived in Duncan, Arizona, while he was carrying mail from Duncan to Solomonville for $1 a day. He continued until he earned enough for a wedding stake. They were married April 6, 1899, and moved to Pinetop to make their home.

Six children were born to this couple: Cecil Packer Penrod, Mettie Penrod Gillespie, Lottie Penrod Blair, Jessie Penrod who died at age two; Bertha Penrod who died at age one; and William Liola Penrod. Jessie and Bertha were stricken with dysentery when babies and passed away only a few hours apart. Thus these young parents knew great sadness early. Then Ole suffered another blow when his wife Martha died when the last child was born, leaving him with four children to raise. He kept them together and made a good home for them, leaving at times only long enough to earn a little money. Cecil began working early to help.

Liola later sold his home in Pinetop and homesteaded 160 acres sixteen miles north where he kept things going with the help of his children. He died July 27, 1931 after a long illness, age sixty, beloved by his children and a friend to many.

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John Ralph Penrod 1872-1974

John Ralph Penrod was child number eleven, but he was the last to marry. There is not anymore information at this time.

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Mazetta Penrod 1876-1938

Mazetta Penrod was born September 17, 1876. She was two years old when she came to Arizona and grew up in the mountains. She married Nephi Taylor Packer in October, 1891 at the age of fifteen. They had four children: Pauline May, Oral Nephi, Violet Helen, and Vonnie Geneva, and they lived at Pinetop. Her husband died at Ft. Apache June 25, 1915. She then married John D. Smith who survived her. I could not find many particulars of her life. See below for a picture of Mazetta

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Geneva Penrod was the Arizona native of the family, having been born in the Show Low area on July 27, 1881. She was the thirteenth and last child of William and Polly. From the age of six her childhood was spent in Pinetop. At age eighteen she married George Alfred Hall on December 25, 1899. A Christmas marriage was a good omen: They were to enjoy fifty-two years of life together. To their union were born eleven children, four boys and seven girls, all of whom are living except one girl Bessie, who died at the age of twelve on Roberts Ranch near Whiteriver.

Geneva lost her husband June 5, 1951. She was a quiet woman, rather shy, but to her many children she was a brave and perfect mother. She suffered trials and hardships but was cheerful through it all. She died of a heart attack and was laid to rest by her husband in Taylor, Arizona, February 10, 1957, leaving a posterity of eleven children, 47 grandchildren, and 24 great-great grandchildren. The figures would be greater now. Geneva spent 28 years in Whiteriver on the reservation where for some time she was the only white woman, her husband being an officer for the tribe. They also ran a store at Pinetop, sawmilled and freighted, ran ranches and did all things that it took at that time in the ways of pioneering a new country.

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Other Early Pinetop Settlers By Leora Peterson Schuck

Two other families who were not Penrods who lived in Pinetop from its earliest days were those of John Colvin and John Adair. I regret I do not have their histories at this time and hope to obtain them later. Mr. Colvin ran a sawmill for a time and sold it to the first Lakeside settlers. Mr. Adair farmed. Both had a number of children who were popular in town. Robin Adair, a handsome blonde youth, was killed while fighting a forest fire when a burning tree fell on him. All the settlers for miles around were saddened by this tragedy. These young people along with the grandchildren of William Penrod were my contemporaries although many of the latter were grown when I was still small. I remember lovely dark complexioned ladies who in my opinion were the acme of beauty. The men also had that brunette attraction although there were a few blondes. They were, of both sexes, exceedingly graceful on the dance floor. In fact, good dancers were plentiful in the mountains. They had lots of practice.

Please feel free to contact Delbert Adair Jr. the following address: dtadair@att.net

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