b'THE OLD STORYTELLER GARAGE DOOR REPAIRElisha M. ReavisThe Enigmatic WaifBy Hank Sheffer, The Old StorytellerI nvariably when storytellingsort of figure who just sort of appeared out of gets to going around anowhere sometime around 1872. We dont know campfire in Arizona, Jacobanything about him before that time and it is a Waltz and his Lost Dutchmanmystery why he chose to settle in the Superstitions Gold pop up sooner or later.at all. The story is often enhanced by saying that And, of course, with that, anyhe was a prospector, or perhaps a trappernumber of tales will come up about the hapless peoplenobody knows for sure. However, we do know who venture into the unforgiving wilderness of thethat he raised vegetables and apples and every Superstition Mountains. There are the ones who findonce in a while he would pack his burros and themselves fortunate to have survived with their verymake the arduous trip to Globe, Silver King, or livesand with yet another story to add to the list.other mining communities to sell his crops to buyCheck out Others wind up as nothing more than one line entriesneeded supplies and, then, turn around and head on the Superstition Mountains casualty tally sheet. right back up into the mountains. all of the areas Among the other stories retold over and over are theThe description of Reavis, by various sources, is awe service!exploits of Adolf Ruth, Ed Piper, and Celeste Jonescontorted list of contradictions. All agree that he and Don Miguel Peralta of Mexico. The list goes onwas tall and erect, with piercing blue eyes. Most and on with mysterious dead man stories. All of thesesaid he was not at all sociable and was always stories and legends seem to take place during the shortimpatient to get out of town. However, during rare period when this section of the wild and wooly westoccasions when he was with children he revealedFrom PrescottOUR SERVICES:was known as the Arizona Territory. It took little timethat he was educated and cultured as he could for it to become infamous for its lost treasure anddiscuss world affairs, books, foreign lands, and their unexplained murders. strange religions and such things. That was all in direct contrast to his unkempt appearance. It is said& Prescott Valley Ironically, one of the less-often told legends is thatthat he never had a haircut in twenty-five years, of the hermit of the Superstition MountainsElishaand his long beard was matted and filthy. And of allto WickenburgResidential Repair SpecialistMarcus Reavis, a most interesting fellow. This is howthings, when one pair of pants wore completely out,& Buckeye tothe storyteller would get his version across: he would simply pull another pair on right over the Panels & Rollers Replacedold ones! He seemed constantly watchful and hisApache Junction There is very little known about Elisha M. Reavis andheavy .45-70 rifle was never out of reach.Broken Springs & Cablesfrom the very start, he was portrayed as a mysteriousBut, then, on the other hand, Reavis becameand deadly accuracy he held off the onslaught until & Queen Creek to Garage Door Openersfamous locally as a homicidal wild man. It was duringhe ran out of ammo. Rio Verde &the Apache uprisings of the 70s and 80s when the New Garage Doors & Entry Doorsmad man handle was added to his moniker. He didThe warring party laid siege to the cabin as night fellScottsdale.not relish anyone skulking around his mountaintop homestead, least of all the Apaches. Therefore, it wasand as is true to Apache custom, the hostilities were Automatic Gate Openers & Motorsnot so surprising that he killed one and left the bodytemporarily suspended. The Indians built a fire in aTHE ENTIRE VALLEY lay where it fell. After a couple of days, several othersheltered area not far from where Reavis was hunkered Commercial & ResidentialIndians arrived looking for their comrade. Needlessdown. Time now stood still as an eerie quiet hung& ITS OUTSKIRTS!in the air under a rising full moon. The marauders to say, they had no problem finding the body after itlulled themselves into a state of complacency knowingSales, Service & Installationhad been left out in the hot sun. As they attempted to remove the remains, Reavis picked them off onethey would put this big white devil to the death comeSAVE 5% New Construction. and Much More!by one. It wasnt long before reinforcements arrived,the rising sun. Suddenly, their peaceful complacency determined to attack Reavis little cabin. However, thewas shattered by unearthly screams! To the rudelywhen you mention you saw us in big farmer was firmly entrenched, and with a keen eyeawakened Apaches, there appeared a haunting apparition as from the cabin burst the naked, scraggly- ARIZONA REAL COUNTRY!bearded giantwith large yellow teethbabbling and laughing like some ungodly mad man. He moved Most said he was not at all sociablestraight into the glowing embers of the fire, and waving928-222-DOOR (3667)a butcher knife in each hand, the wild-eyed figure and was always impatient to getkicked smoking coals into the startled Apache faces. out of town. However, during rareThe Indians disappeared into the darkness putting as much distance as possible between them and the occasions when he was with childrencrazed being that had just attacked them. 602-335-1077he revealed that he was educated andThat ended the private war between Reavis and the cultured as he could discuss worldApaches. Though he shot several others whom he affairs, books, foreign lands, and theirchanced to come across wandering through his private480-451-1931domain, never again did one raise a hand against him. Once again, the Indian superstition for which strange religions and such things. the mountain range is named had worked in a whiteMILITARY &continued on page 10 LOCALLY OWNED SENIOR DISCOUNTS8 June 2020 & OPERATED Licensed Contractor ROC 222636'