100 YEARS IN THATCHER
1883-1983
JAMES MONROE CARPENTER & THELMA CURTIS
James Monroe Carpenter and Thelma Curtis were married October 8, 1927 in the court house of Graham County, Safford, Arizona. Both are descendents of pioneer families of the Gila Valley.
Jim, was born at the home of his parents, Edmund and Mary Ann Pace Moody Carpenter in Thatcher, Arizona. Virginia Curtis was the midwife attending.
His mother inherited 20 acres of choice land from her father, John Monroe Moody. He was given the name Monroe for him and James for his mother's grandfather James Pace. They lived on this land until he was about 14 years old.
His folks sold the land in the spring of 1918 and bought 117 acres east of Solomon and north of the Gila River. He graduated from the eighth grade there and came to Thatcher for high school at the Gila Academy. They batched; his sister Thelma, and brothers Norman, Phil and himself.
Their dad brought them to school on Sunday evenings in a two seated Ford with side curtains for windbreakers. They brought with them food from home; baked bread, ham, cake or cookies, fruit, vegetables, anything that was good to eat. They bought milk from neighbors and did very well. He didn't like school and went home every chance he got. After a year and a half he stayed home and helped Dad plant the cotton.
The Curtis family moved from Safford to San Jose about the same year they left Thatcher. Their farm was across the river, south from them. Thelma was born December 27, 1908 in Safford, Arizona, to Ammon and Mary Jane Slade Curtis.
He was working on the gin in Solomonville when they were married. They lived with his folks until he took over his father's farm. His brother Phil and Uncle Mill helped them with the work and they paid off the mortgage. They had cows to milk and cream to sell. They had 500 hens, pigs and cattle. It was depression time and these commodities paid the grocery bills. Watermelons, canteloupe, and vegetables were also sold and the pecan crop helped. Their four children were born the nine years we lived across the nver.
A hail storm ruined their cotton crop in 1936. With the insurance they had on this and by selling the gin stock they were able to make payment on 50 acres in Thatcher. January 1, 1937 they moved into the farm house built by Sy Robinson in 1910. Ray Hanchette raised his family there before them.
They brought their chickens and milk cows with them. They sold milk for five cents per quart and other produce to a labor camp west of town. They farmed with horses the first two years and hired indians to pick the cotton. They came from San Carlos with their families and built teepees to live in. Their children went to school with ours. They bought farm land from neighbors, increasing their acreage to 120 acres.
In 1957, they built a new home on Church Street. They celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary October 8, 1983.
Parents
Father: Edmund CARPENTER
Mother: Mary Ann Pace MOODY
Married to Thelma Curtis
1883-1983
JAMES MONROE CARPENTER & THELMA CURTIS
James Monroe Carpenter and Thelma Curtis were married October 8, 1927 in the court house of Graham County, Safford, Arizona. Both are descendents of pioneer families of the Gila Valley.
Jim, was born at the home of his parents, Edmund and Mary Ann Pace Moody Carpenter in Thatcher, Arizona. Virginia Curtis was the midwife attending.
His mother inherited 20 acres of choice land from her father, John Monroe Moody. He was given the name Monroe for him and James for his mother's grandfather James Pace. They lived on this land until he was about 14 years old.
His folks sold the land in the spring of 1918 and bought 117 acres east of Solomon and north of the Gila River. He graduated from the eighth grade there and came to Thatcher for high school at the Gila Academy. They batched; his sister Thelma, and brothers Norman, Phil and himself.
Their dad brought them to school on Sunday evenings in a two seated Ford with side curtains for windbreakers. They brought with them food from home; baked bread, ham, cake or cookies, fruit, vegetables, anything that was good to eat. They bought milk from neighbors and did very well. He didn't like school and went home every chance he got. After a year and a half he stayed home and helped Dad plant the cotton.
The Curtis family moved from Safford to San Jose about the same year they left Thatcher. Their farm was across the river, south from them. Thelma was born December 27, 1908 in Safford, Arizona, to Ammon and Mary Jane Slade Curtis.
He was working on the gin in Solomonville when they were married. They lived with his folks until he took over his father's farm. His brother Phil and Uncle Mill helped them with the work and they paid off the mortgage. They had cows to milk and cream to sell. They had 500 hens, pigs and cattle. It was depression time and these commodities paid the grocery bills. Watermelons, canteloupe, and vegetables were also sold and the pecan crop helped. Their four children were born the nine years we lived across the nver.
A hail storm ruined their cotton crop in 1936. With the insurance they had on this and by selling the gin stock they were able to make payment on 50 acres in Thatcher. January 1, 1937 they moved into the farm house built by Sy Robinson in 1910. Ray Hanchette raised his family there before them.
They brought their chickens and milk cows with them. They sold milk for five cents per quart and other produce to a labor camp west of town. They farmed with horses the first two years and hired indians to pick the cotton. They came from San Carlos with their families and built teepees to live in. Their children went to school with ours. They bought farm land from neighbors, increasing their acreage to 120 acres.
In 1957, they built a new home on Church Street. They celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary October 8, 1983.
Parents
Father: Edmund CARPENTER
Mother: Mary Ann Pace MOODY
Married to Thelma Curtis
100 YEARS IN THATCHER
1883-1983
JAMES MONROE CARPENTER & THELMA CURTIS
James Monroe Carpenter and Thelma Curtis were married October 8, 1927 in the court house of Graham County, Safford, Arizona. Both are descendents of pioneer families of the Gila Valley.
Jim, was born at the home of his parents, Edmund and Mary Ann Pace Moody Carpenter in Thatcher, Arizona. Virginia Curtis was the midwife attending.
His mother inherited 20 acres of choice land from her father, John Monroe Moody. He was given the name Monroe for him and James for his mother's grandfather James Pace. They lived on this land until he was about 14 years old.
His folks sold the land in the spring of 1918 and bought 117 acres east of Solomon and north of the Gila River. He graduated from the eighth grade there and came to Thatcher for high school at the Gila Academy. They batched; his sister Thelma, and brothers Norman, Phil and himself.
Their dad brought them to school on Sunday evenings in a two seated Ford with side curtains for windbreakers. They brought with them food from home; baked bread, ham, cake or cookies, fruit, vegetables, anything that was good to eat. They bought milk from neighbors and did very well. He didn't like school and went home every chance he got. After a year and a half he stayed home and helped Dad plant the cotton.
The Curtis family moved from Safford to San Jose about the same year they left Thatcher. Their farm was across the river, south from them. Thelma was born December 27, 1908 in Safford, Arizona, to Ammon and Mary Jane Slade Curtis.
He was working on the gin in Solomonville when they were married. They lived with his folks until he took over his father's farm. His brother Phil and Uncle Mill helped them with the work and they paid off the mortgage. They had cows to milk and cream to sell. They had 500 hens, pigs and cattle. It was depression time and these commodities paid the grocery bills. Watermelons, canteloupe, and vegetables were also sold and the pecan crop helped. Their four children were born the nine years we lived across the nver.
A hail storm ruined their cotton crop in 1936. With the insurance they had on this and by selling the gin stock they were able to make payment on 50 acres in Thatcher. January 1, 1937 they moved into the farm house built by Sy Robinson in 1910. Ray Hanchette raised his family there before them.
They brought their chickens and milk cows with them. They sold milk for five cents per quart and other produce to a labor camp west of town. They farmed with horses the first two years and hired indians to pick the cotton. They came from San Carlos with their families and built teepees to live in. Their children went to school with ours. They bought farm land from neighbors, increasing their acreage to 120 acres.
In 1957, they built a new home on Church Street. They celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary October 8, 1983.
Parents
Father: Edmund CARPENTER
Mother: Mary Ann Pace MOODY
Married to Thelma Curtis
1883-1983
JAMES MONROE CARPENTER & THELMA CURTIS
James Monroe Carpenter and Thelma Curtis were married October 8, 1927 in the court house of Graham County, Safford, Arizona. Both are descendents of pioneer families of the Gila Valley.
Jim, was born at the home of his parents, Edmund and Mary Ann Pace Moody Carpenter in Thatcher, Arizona. Virginia Curtis was the midwife attending.
His mother inherited 20 acres of choice land from her father, John Monroe Moody. He was given the name Monroe for him and James for his mother's grandfather James Pace. They lived on this land until he was about 14 years old.
His folks sold the land in the spring of 1918 and bought 117 acres east of Solomon and north of the Gila River. He graduated from the eighth grade there and came to Thatcher for high school at the Gila Academy. They batched; his sister Thelma, and brothers Norman, Phil and himself.
Their dad brought them to school on Sunday evenings in a two seated Ford with side curtains for windbreakers. They brought with them food from home; baked bread, ham, cake or cookies, fruit, vegetables, anything that was good to eat. They bought milk from neighbors and did very well. He didn't like school and went home every chance he got. After a year and a half he stayed home and helped Dad plant the cotton.
The Curtis family moved from Safford to San Jose about the same year they left Thatcher. Their farm was across the river, south from them. Thelma was born December 27, 1908 in Safford, Arizona, to Ammon and Mary Jane Slade Curtis.
He was working on the gin in Solomonville when they were married. They lived with his folks until he took over his father's farm. His brother Phil and Uncle Mill helped them with the work and they paid off the mortgage. They had cows to milk and cream to sell. They had 500 hens, pigs and cattle. It was depression time and these commodities paid the grocery bills. Watermelons, canteloupe, and vegetables were also sold and the pecan crop helped. Their four children were born the nine years we lived across the nver.
A hail storm ruined their cotton crop in 1936. With the insurance they had on this and by selling the gin stock they were able to make payment on 50 acres in Thatcher. January 1, 1937 they moved into the farm house built by Sy Robinson in 1910. Ray Hanchette raised his family there before them.
They brought their chickens and milk cows with them. They sold milk for five cents per quart and other produce to a labor camp west of town. They farmed with horses the first two years and hired indians to pick the cotton. They came from San Carlos with their families and built teepees to live in. Their children went to school with ours. They bought farm land from neighbors, increasing their acreage to 120 acres.
In 1957, they built a new home on Church Street. They celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary October 8, 1983.
Parents
Father: Edmund CARPENTER
Mother: Mary Ann Pace MOODY
Married to Thelma Curtis
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
