In 1876 a family of five, William and Hester Ann Skaggs Rudy and their children,
Georgia, Kate and six month old Albert arrived in Ferguson Valley Arizona from Franklin County,
Arkansas. Hester, to me, has always been a favorite part of the family history. Hester was born on Valentines Day, 1839 in Kty. By the time she was fifteen the Skaggs family had 'wagoned' to Johnson
County, Ar., to Williamson Co., Tx. where at the age of fifteen she was married. She
was divorced and back in Arkansas by 1870 when she and William Rudy were married.
They came with a wagon train. Their wagons were pulled by oxen and Rudy worked as a freighter and ran a freight route from Prescott to Yuma. In 1879 he traded 10 to 12 work oxen (value about $1000) for land in Skull Valley using the brand "22" and added cattle and horses to the number they had brought from Arkansas. Rudy's were industrious, adding more land which included some they purchased from Virgil
Earp. They built the original store in Kirkland which thru the years also served as a
hotel, cafe and bar. They also ran a stage station with horse stable and feed as well as
room and board for travelers before the trains arrived.
When statehood came to Arizona in 1912 on her 73rd birthday,the Rudy's had lived in Arizona Territory for thirty years. In those years Hester had served as nurse, doctor, midwife, Indian fighter,, in addition
to the daily work of being a ranchers wife, mother and neighbor. I would love to of heard
the stories she had to relate.
.
Visiting Skull Valley and Kirkland is one of the highlights of my quest as I look for the history
of my family.
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