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Genung Family Papers, SHM MS-5 1860-1950

SHM MS-5

Biographical Note

Charles Baldwin Genung (1839-1916) was born at Penn Yan, Yates County, New York, July 22, 1839, to Oshea and Amanda Genung. He relocated to San Francisco with his mother in 1850, hoping to overcome the tuberculosis Charles had battled for years. Charles’ mother established a daguerreotype gallery in Downiville, California while Genung worked for the Sierra Citizen, a small newspaper in north-central California. In 1858, Genung and his mother went to Hong Kong to engage in portrait photography. They remained in Hong Kong for two years and returned to California in early 1860.

Late in the summer of 1863, with his health in poor condition, Genung left San Francisco with Dr. John R. Howard and John W. Beauchamp. They travelled to Los Angeles, where they switched to horseback for the journey to Sonora, Mexico and a better climate. Before leaving Los Angeles, word of a gold strike at Rich Hill in Arizona came and Genung joined Cal Myers and Ben Weaver for the journey to Arizona. Crossing at La Paz the group moved up the Colorado River to Williams Fork then inland to Weaver, Arizona. Arriving at the future site of the Walnut Grove Dam, the group began prospecting until finding the Montgomery (Climax) lode, the first quartz mine north of the Gila River.

Charles Baldwin Genung married Ida Elizabeth Hester Smith (1848-1933) on February 16, 1869, in San Bernardino, California. Ida E. H. Smith Genung was born in Council Bluffs, Pottawattamie, Iowa October 7, 1848, and died in Prescott, Yavapai, Arizona November 11, 1933. Charles and Ida had one child, Grace Genung Chapman, born May 17, 1884, in Peeples Valley, Yavapai, Arizona Territory. Grace served as the Yavapai County recorder from 1923-1954, and volunteered with many organizations. Grace died in Yavapai County on May 1, 1959.

Genung voted in the first Territorial election in 1864. He assisted Henry Wickenburg in building the first arrastra to extract gold at the Vulture Mine north of Wickenburg (It is rumored that Genung was the first to refer to the town as ‘Wickenburg’. In 1867, George W. Dent, brother-in-law to President Grant, placed Genung in charge of the Colorado River Reservation where Indian labor built the first irrigation canal paid for with federal funds in Arizona.

In March of 1871, Genung turned to farm homesteading in Peeples Valley. Genung lived out his life as a farmer and rancher in Peeples Valley and became one of the best known citizens of Yavapai County. Genung died at his home in Peeples Valley on August 18, 1916, at age 77, and is buried in Citizens Cemetery in Prescott.

The Genung family and descendents continued ranching in Peeples Valley for many years and are still involved with social events, political events and writing, in Yavapai County, Arizona.

Scope and Content

This collection contains personal correspondence, manuscripts (published and unpublished) written by several members of the Genung Family, accounts of regional events in Yavapai County, Arizona, hand drawn maps of a regional transportation route (Wickenburg to Kirkland) and the Colorado River Indian Reservation which Genung supervised. It also includes numerous photo negatives of both the family, friends, and the Peoples Valley area in the early 1900's.

Additional related material to the Genung Family Papers can be found within the Sharlot Hall Museum Library & Archives:

System of Arrangement

The collection is arranged in the following series:

Restrictions

Conditions Governing Access

None.

Conditions Governing Use

Unpublished and published manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder. The Sharlot Hall Museum may not own copyright to all parts of this collection. It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the State of Arizona and the Sharlot Hall Museum - this includes its Board of Trustee officers, employees, outside contractors, and agents from and against all claims made by person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.

Controlled Access Terms

Administrative Information

Custodial History

Some of the materials found in this collection were donated by Bill Roberts, editor of Traveler, to the Sharlot Hall Museum on April 22, 1992, and given the accession number 92.032. The scheme used a document box number system and the materials were originally cataloged as Document Box 330, and Photograph RA 179 pac, and Vertical File – Hotels, Restaurants, Saloons. Additional materials found in this collection were donated by Bill Roberts on June 5, 1992, and given the accession number 92.049. The scheme used a document box number system and the materials were originally cataloged as Photo Box 2457. Additional materials found in this collection were donated by Helen Chapman Wilburn on November 8, 1992, and given the accession number 92.077. The materials were originally cataloged as Photo Box 152, Folders 9 & 10, and Document Box 376. Additional materials found in this collection were donated by B. Thompson on June 24, 2000, and given the accession number 2000.100. The materials were originally cataloged as Document Box 18. The final accession to this collection was donated by Francella Towne on September 26, 2006, and given the accession number 2006.098. The materials were originally cataloged as Document Box 21, Folder five and folder six. No further accruals are expected.

Preferred Citation

Genung Family Papers, SHM MS-5. Sharlot Hall Museum Library & Archives.

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