This collection houses the personal and political papers of Morris Goldwater, an early settler in Arizona. It is arranged in eight series and alphabetically and chronologically within each series.
Identification:
FM MSS 8
Language:
Material in English
Repository:
Arizona State University Library. Greater Arizona Collection P.O. Box 871006 Tempe, AZ 85287-1006 Phone: (480) 965-4932 E-Mail: archives@asu.edu Questions? Ask An Archivist!
Biographical Note
Morris Goldwater, esteemed uncle of Senator Barry M. Goldwater, was born to Michel and Sarah Goldwater in London, England in 1852. At the age of two, along with his mother, older sister Carolyn (b. 1850), and aunt, Morris came to San Francisco, California via the Isthmus of Nicaragua. His childhood was spent with his family in California, where he studied and apprenticed to become a merchant.
In 1867, Morris Goldwater came to Arizona in the footsteps of his father, Big Mike. He aspired to become a merchant like his father and assisted in the operations of the Goldwater stores in La Paz and Ehrenberg. In 1872, the Goldwaters opened their first Phoenix store. As manager of this location, Goldwater donated part of the store to the federal government to act as the first telegraph office in Phoenix and worked as the operator without pay. It was during his stay in Phoenix that he made his first foray into politics. He ran for the territorial legislature as a Democrat but withdrew after recognizing his campaign was hindering the election of the Democratic front runner. Despite the false start, Goldwater remained active in Arizona politics all his life.
In 1876, after the closure of the Phoenix store, Morris Goldwater and his brothers Henry and Baron opened a store in Prescott, Arizona. It was here that Goldwater settled and became active in civic affairs and Masonry. Goldwater was the mayor of Prescott on and off for a total of 20 years. His political career also included roles as councilman of Prescott, member of the 12th Territorial Council of Yavapai County, Chairman of the Territorial Democratic Central Committee, Supervisor of Yavapai County, President of the 20th Territorial Legislature, and Vice President of the Arizona Constitutional Convention.
Goldwater was also very active in the Masonic community in Arizona. He organized the Order of the Eastern Star of Arizona and was elected Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Arizona and Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Arizona. In 1903, Goldwater received the Honorary 33° of the Scottish Rite Masons, one of the highest ranks available. For over 50 years, his role as a mason assisted him in business and politics.
In 1906, Goldwater married his long-time landlady Sarah (Sally) Shivers Fisher and was happily married until her death in 1934. They had no children, but Morris devoted much of his time to nurturing his nieces and nephews. He worked closely with nephews Bob and Barry Goldwater as they managed the Goldwater store in Phoenix. Goldwater stayed active in business, banking, politics, and Masonry until his death on April 11, 1939. In 1964, Senator Barry M. Goldwater honored his uncle by nominating him as "Man of the Century" during the Prescott Centennial celebration. Morris Goldwater was awarded the honor and a plaque was placed in his memory.
Chronology
1852
January 16, Morris Goldwater is born to Michel and Sarah Goldwater in London, England. Morris is the second born out of eight children, Carolyn being the first.
1854
Sarah Goldwater, her children Carolyn and Morris, her sister Esther and Esther’s son Marcus arrive in San Francisco. They settle in a small house in Sonora, CA.
1857
Sarah and children move back to San Francisco.
1858
Family moves to Los Angeles.
1859
Attends La Escuela Parrioquial de Los Angeles, a Spanish-language Catholic school.
1860s
Father sends him to work for Pincus Berwin’s Hat and Cap Company as an apprentice clerk in San Francisco.
1867
Arrives in La Paz, Arizona from San Francisco to work in the family mercantile business.
1868
Herman Ehrenberg is killed by Indians in Dos Palmos, California. Big Mike (Michel) and Morris discover his body on their way to La Paz, Arizona. Concerned for his safety, Michel orders Morris back to San Francisco.
1870
Moves to Ehrenberg, Arizona to work in the family mercantile business.
1871
Moves to Phoenix, Arizona to open a new Goldwater’s store
1872
Phoenix store opens and Morris is named manager.
1873
Donates part of the Phoenix store to the federal government to serve as a telegraph office. Offers to serve as the operator without pay. Introduces the first automatic telegraph recording instrument into the Arizona territory. Serves as the Deputy County Recorder and runs for the territorial legislature as a Democrat. Realizing he would be defeated, Morris withdraws to allow the other Democratic candidate to win.
1875
Due to low profits, the Phoenix store is closed.
1876
Morris moves to Prescott and opens M. Goldwater and Bros., a mercantile store with his brothers Henry and Baron.
1879
Elected Mayor of the City of Prescott and serves for one year. Becomes manager of the Prescott store. Along with his father Big Mike, pledges $5,000 in bonds for a railroad from Phoenix to Prescott. Morris and two partners help finance the railroad construction. Helps organize the Arizona Democratic Party.
1881
Organized the first chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star of Arizona, Golden Rule Chapter No. 1 in Prescott, Arizona.
1882
Elected as Councilman of the City of Prescott.
1883
Elected member of the 12th Territorial Council from Yavapai County. Organizes the Prescott Rifles, a local militia force.
1884
Serves on the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors and Board of School Examiners.
1884
Appointed as Clerk of the House Assembly in 13th Territorial Legislature. Organizes Dudes Hose Company No. 2, a volunteer fire department in Prescott, Arizona of which Morris and his brother Baron were members.
1885
Chairman of the Territorial Democratic Central Committee until 1890. Elected Grand Master of the Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons of Arizona.
1888
Elected Supervisor of Yavapai County.
1889
Elected as Councilman of the City of Prescott. Along with fellow businessmen Frank Murphy and Russell Woodruff, organizes the Prescott National Bank and is named Vice-President.
1893
Again elected Mayor of Prescott and serves until 1897. Appointed to the Territorial Board of Equalization and serves one year.
1894
Elected Grand High Priest of the M.E. Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of Arizona.
1896
Elected as Prescott City Councilman and serves until 1901.
1898
1899 Elected President of the 20th Territorial Legislature. Elected as Councilman of the City of Prescott.
1903
Elected to receive the Honorary 33° of the Scottish Rite Masons.
1905
Elected as Mayor of Prescott and serves until 1913. Appointed member of the Captain O’Neill Rough Rider Monument Commission. Elected secretary of the Arizona Bankers Association.
1906
Marries Sarah (Sallie) Shivers Fisher, his landlady.
1910
Serves as Vice President of the Arizona Constitutional Convention. Credited with creating the State’s fourth branch of government, the Arizona Corporation Commission.
1913
Elected Exalted Ruler of the B.P.O. Elks and serves one year.
1914
Elected President of the State Senate in the 2nd Arizona Legislature.
1915
Elected State Senator for Yavapai County and serves one year.
1919
Once more, elected Mayor of Prescott and serves until 1927. He serves a total of 20 years as Mayor.
1934
August 19, wife Sarah dies of natural causes
1939
April 11, Morris dies in his home of natural causes and is buried at the Masonic Cemetery in Prescott.
1964
Morris nominated by his nephew Barry and awarded title of "Man of the Century" during the Prescott Centennial celebration.
Scope and Content Note
This collection houses the personal and political papers of Morris Goldwater, an early settler in Arizona. It is arranged in eight series and alphabetically and chronologically within each series.
Series I: Personal includes biographies, family history records, legal documents (including material showing Goldwater's stores), and membership records.
Series II: Correspondence contains material of a personal, financial, and business nature. Included is correspondence between Morris and his extended family. The correspondence is arranged alphabetically and organized chronologically within.
Series III: Political includes certificates of election, government and legislative documents, and scrapbooks of news clippings related to Arizona Territorial political activities.
Series IV: Masonic includes records, correspondence, and memorabilia documenting many Masonic organizations. This series is organized by Masonic lodge or chapter.
Series V: Financial includes invoice books, small ledgers, financial statements, stock certificates, and tax records.
Series VI: Memorabilia includes announcements, invitations, newsclippings, scrapbooks, and a Goldwater bibliography compiled by the staff of the Arizona Historical Foundation during the 1960s in the form of a small card catalog.
Series VII: Oversized, Financial includes 50 large financial ledgers documenting 19th and 20th century Goldwater enterprises. A number of books include indexes listing prominent individuals living in Territorial Arizona. Clients range from clergy and religious orders to the U.S. Army, miners, ranchers, and tribal nations. Some ledgers were originally bound in leather and some were found without covers. Bindings were removed due to extensive water damage, dry rot, and insect infestation. Two books were copied on acid-free paper due to extensive mold damage. Some pages are illegible, torn, or missing.
Series VIII: Oversized, General includes an oversized scrapbook of newsclippings and memorabilia, Goldwater store items, a memorial scrapbook of Morris Goldwater compiled by his nephew Senator Barry M. Goldwater, photographs, certificates, and newspapers.
Arrangement
This collection consists of forty-nine boxes divided into eight series:
To view this collection, make an appointment at least five business days prior to your visit by contacting Ask an Archivist or calling (480) 965-4932. Appointments in the Wurzburger Reading Room at Hayden Library (rm. 138) on the Tempe campus are available Monday through Friday. Check the ASU Library Hours page for current availability.
Copyright
The Arizona Board of Regents retains copyright to this collection for and on behalf of the Arizona State University Library. Requests to publish, display, or redistribute information from this collection must be submitted via our online application.
Senator Barry M. Goldwater donated these papers to the Arizona Historical Foundation in the 1960s.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Morris Goldwater Collection, FM MSS 9, Arizona State University Library.
Provenance
The Arizona Historical Foundation transferred these materials to the Arizona Collection in 2012.
Processing Note
Original order of this collection is unknown. The arrangement and description of the collection is based upon an aggregation of materials found both within Senator Goldwater's personal family history files and other fragments of the AHF holdings.
Table Cloth and Peacock Fan Sold in the Goldwater's Store, Notary Public Seal of Henry Goldwater (Yavapai County, Arizona Territory), and Pen Set,
1895-1910
Includes pen used by Morris Goldwater at the Arizona Constitutional Convention in 1910.
Box
48
"Scrapbook of Morris Goldwater",
1939
Includes newsclippings, letters of condolence, and other memorabilia of his death; compiled by Senator Barry M. Goldwater upon the death of Morris Goldwater.
Box
49
Masonic Certificates, Stock Certificates, Photographs, and Newsclippings,
1880-1922
