Another time as the graveyard shift came to the surface the men noticed a peculiar wavering light in the sky. Their first thought was that Pinos Altos was ablaze. They hurried up the trail to where they could look down on the town. All was serene. The lights were brighter and they said long fingers of blue and green mostly reached out, threatening the town. Making the sign of the cross, clutching their amulets, and muttering prayers they ran toward their homes, pausing now and then to warn their friends and neighbors. Practically everyone in town watched and marveled at the Northern Lights that night.
A woman in black walked the streets for a time. No one knew who she was nor where she stayed. She was never known to speak a word. One Sunday after the usual evening service a young woman employed in the Thayer home and a handsome stranger were married by Rev. Van Valkenburgh. This was the first wedding in the new church. The couple appeared to be very happy as they furnished and decorated their new home, and callers received a warm welcome. A shadow seemed to fall over the home in a short time and the gossips speculated about the reason. It was rumored that the Woman in Black was seen walking at night near the place. Without a word of explanation, the couple abandoned their home and secretly left town. The Woman in Black disappeared also. The Thayers may have known the reasons but, if so, they kept the secret.
The most baffling mystery was an episode that happened at the Davidson sawmill on Cow Creek about 1915. Billy Soule was running the mill at the time and he and his wife, Jimmie, lived there. A wild looking young man walked into camp one evening and said that he had been led there. Mr. Soule was suspicious but he gave the man supper and took him to a cabin where he could spend the night. Billy cautioned him about fire, said “Good night” and left him alone, vowing to himself that he would send the young man on his way in the morning. About midnight the camp was awakened by cries and calls from the forest. The first thought was of fire and everyone dashed out, prepared to fight their greatest foe. All was calm. Then the call came again for Mr. Soule, saying “Follow me, follow me”. Jimmie would not let her husband venture off without her, so both took their guns and headed in the direction indicated by the call. When they reached the man they found him pale and trembling but he would not explain, saying only that the voices told him to go up the mountain and that a light had guided him to the spot. After climbing about a half-mile, he stopped and pointed. Both Billy and Jimmy Soule said afterwards that they saw a light—a sort of glow near the ground under a large pine. Reaching the place they found a newly dug hole and in it was a human skeleton. The man said that his mission was ended and he would be on his way. However, Soule detained him and called the authorities. The sheriff went out early next morning, looked over the scene, questioned the man but learned nothing. The sheriff said the man was too young to have murdered the man whose bones were crumbling—that he was just a “crack-pot”. The hole was filled and forgotten, the young man was taken into Silver City and sent on his way. The mystery was never solved.
Schools
Captain Tevis in his recollections of Pinos Altos as told in “Arizona in the ’50’s” tells the story of Miss Rhoda Parker, a young woman from Iowa who came with her father and her uncle, a Mr. McCulloch, who were interested in mining. She was the first American woman to visit the camp and was immediately very popular with the miners. There were seven or eight Mexican and a few half-breed children in camp. Miss Parker thought it a shame that they had no schooling and offered to teach them. The more enterprising men suggested that each miner be taxed $2.50 to pay for her services, and the miners, wanting to keep a young and attractive woman in camp, heartily agreed. The school was started and continued until the beginning of the War Between the States. However, her duties were interrupted constantly by visits from the miners whose excuses were a new rich find or mines for sale but whose real purposes were proposals of marriage. She had 300 such proposals. She could not or would not make a choice. What a merry time she must have had!
The next record of a school is in the early ’70’s. Trolius Stephens brought his bride here in 1872. She was the second white woman and the only one for a long time. They were interested in the welfare of the people and were instrumental in starting a subscription school, donating the land and putting up a building which stood opposite the present Buckhorn Bar. There are no records of the first teachers. The terms were of five or seven months, depending on the amount of money raised.
In 1886, Nellie Robbins returned to her family after spending three years at school in Sedalia, Missouri, and accepted a teaching position. Her parents were living at the Deep Down, a mine east of Cross Mountain. Since she rode horseback to and from school her first earnings were spent for a riding habit which was made for her by Mrs. Stanley (Henry Stanley’s mother) of green velvet. Fringed gauntlets and a chic bowler hat completed her outfit. She changed into school attire at the home of Judge and Mrs. English (parents of Mrs. John Moses) where she also left her horse. Mr. Homogon Cuebas is the only one of her pupils, so far as is known, still living in the area.
Mr. Stephens felt responsible for “his people” as he called the miners who worked for him and their families. When weather was bad he would have Pancho, the handy man, hitch up the mules, gather the children, and get them to school. One winter when there was an unusually heavy snow he had runners made for the delivery wagon and the youngsters had sleigh rides to and from school. Ordinarily most children walked, some a distance of three or four miles. A few had ponies or burros, on which the younger ones would ride. Families were large. One father came into the store one day and said, “The kids are all in school now, but the weather is getting cold. They can’t go with bare feet. Sell me one dozen pair of shoes.” What sizes? “Oh, just assorted.” Brogans came in barrels in those days, so a dozen pair of assorted sizes were picked out and the Schafer children came to school, proud if awkward, in the new shoes.
By 1888 a larger school was needed, and again Mr. Stephens through the Pinos Altos Mining Company, known locally as “Bell and Stephens”, donated land and built on the present site. The people of the town were very proud of the new building and in the good American tradition would not be content until the flag was flying over it. Men found a beautiful pine well over one hundred feet tall in the forest, cut, trimmed and shaped it only to find that they could not get the pole into town by oxen without cutting it. They did so and by splicing it together again, painting it, and surmounting it with a golden ball (made by W. E. Watson), erected the pole ninety-two feet high. The first flag raising and dedication on Feb. 22, 1889, was an event attended by the townspeople. Lightning over the years shortened the pole and the cost of keeping it in repair caused it to be taken down after twenty years of service. The principal of the new school was a Mr. Tilman, followed by a Mr. Miller, W. H. Decker, Miss Lela Manville, Mrs. Grace Bisby, and others.
Under P.W.A. the old building was razed and a two-room adobe erected. It was inadequate and another building was put up. There were never more than six teachers employed during a term. The extra classes were held in the Community Church and in the old office building since destroyed by fire. Outstanding teachers, as judged by pupils, co-workers, and the community were Mr. Decker, Miss Manville, and Mrs. Bisby, who contributed not only educationally to the locale but to the county, civically and socially. The last teachers were Mr. W. Westwood and Mrs. Elton Robinson.