"On March 24, 1876 Mormon emigrants arrived in this locale. They established three settlements. William Coleman Allen (b. Feb. 14, 1843 d. March 17, 1926) set up Allen's Camp, which soon bore the name Cumorah (from the hill where gold plates of the Book of Mormons were found in Palmira, New York). One name suggested was Ramah City, but both this and Cumorah gave way on May 26, 1876 to Allen's Camp or Allen's City. Here the colonists constructed a cottonwood log fort. It was the start of the oldest Mormon colony in Arizona. On January 21, 1878 the name was changed to St. Joseph (for Mormon prophet Joseph Smith), but in 1923 railroad officials asked them to change the name to Joseph City to avoid confusion with Joseph City, Missouri. Determination and sheer grit kept Joseph City in existence. By 1897, seven dams had been built and washed out by the flooding Little Colorado River. A Mormon leader asaid it was the "leading community in pain, determination, and unflinching courage in dealing with the elements around them." In 1939 a dam was built which withstood the devastating torrents of the rampaging river. Joseph City Wash shares the name; its name was changed from St. Joseph Wash in 1923. PO Est as St. Joseph Feb. 21, 1878 John McLaws PM. Changed to Joseph October 31 1898; changed to Joseph City December 19, 1923."
Barnes, Will C.; Granger, Byrd (ed.) Arizona's names : X marks the place Falconer Pub. Co. : distributed by Treasure Chest Publications, c1983. P. 334-335
Websites
Arizona Department of Commerce- Joseph City, Arizona
http://www.commerce.state.az.us/pdf/commasst/comm/josphcty.pdf
Arizonan.com- Joseph City, Arizona
http://arizonan.com/JosephCity/
Story of Joseph City
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/4242/JOECITY.html
A Brief History Of Joseph City / compiled By Adele B. Westover And J. Morris Richards. F819 .J6 W4
F819 .J6 W4
Diary Of John McLaws, Junr., 1852-1895 : Principle Residence, St.Joseph, Ariz.
F817.A6 M32x
Early history of Joseph City, Arizona. by Rulon E. Porter F819 .J6 P6x
F819 .J6 P6x
Little Colorado river settlements; Brigham City, Joseph City, Obed, and Sunset. by Kenneth Earl Porter
LD179.15 1956 .P67
John Bushman Papers, 1867-1926 FILM 9379 r.1
FILM 9379 r.1
Unflinching courage / by Adele B. Westover, J. Morris Richards.
F819.J6 W43
Minutes of the United Order, Joseph City, Arizona, 1876-1887.
HX656.U54 A3x
Record books of United Order (Joseph City, Ariz.) [kept by] John Bushman.
HX656.U54 A2x
George S. Tanner collection, 1876-1897
MS FM MSS 64
John L. and Adele B. Westover : a family history / compiled by Mary W. Carroll, Ruth W. Palmer, M. Russell Westover.
F819.J6 J64x 1989
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