b'THE OLD STORYTELLERMemories of Tonto RimThe ArrivalBy Hank Sheffer, The Old Storyteller and Billy White Bird HaughtNot all that long ago I made a trip up to the old Haught Ranch. I had not been there for well over twenty years. As I walked through the rickety gate coming down from Zane Greys cabin, I stopped for a moment to reflect. Time backed up to my childhood days. As a boy, one of my favorite spots to sit and ponder was on the front steps. On this particular day, it was quiet with only the slightest breeze flowing through the pines as it always did. It was a ghostly but, never-the-less, pleasant sound. My thoughts traveled back as I sat upon my old porch. I could hear the voices and laughter of those pioneers from so many years in the past coming from the front room. After a long day of hunting, Zane Gray would sit on the floor in front of the fireplace making up stories for the amusement of both young and old. I remembered that I used to sleep in that very same room. When the fireplace offered only its early morning glow of coals, I would try to imagine what it had been like to live and share that difficult life in the wilderness. If only this old room could speakperhaps it has?Zane Grey, one of the greatest western writers of our time, composed many of his novels right in that same place. But how was I to knowI couldnt even read back then? Now, on this day, I feel his presence and that of my grandparents. It is comforting for me to know that one does not always have to be told what to look for and what to listen forit just happens, especially if one goes to the Tonto Rim. This story is about some of my memories of the Tonto Rim. They will remain in my heart as long as I live. Perhaps if you look hard enough you will find that you have a Tonto Rim of your own. White BirdT he preceding words were written by my dear friendThe following morning granddad rode about a half of a milePayson. Pretty much everything was shipped in by pack William Bill Haught, known to his friends as Whiteto the north. When he looked up, looming in front of himburros because Payson didnt have very good merchandise Bird. It has now been over 40 years since he wrotewas the beautiful Tonto Rim with its red and white cliffsto speak of. Tom Ezell, my grandfather on my mothers that forward for a book we were not able to complete dueglimmering in the sun. It was truly a breathtaking sight toside, and a Mr. Brown packed in supplies from Globe. They to White Birds untimely passing. The following narrativesee. As he topped a small rise he came upon a clearing. Partstarted their trip at the famous Old Dominion Hotel, which is taken from my personal experience when I was able toof an old cabin still stood there near a pond of clear spring- was known as the beginning of the Apache Trail. The Old spend time with Bill reminiscing thefed water. This was the place hed beenDominion Hotel was quite a place but unfortunately, it has Haughts leaving Texas through theirlooking for and dreaming about. long since been torn down.many adventures carving out a place indelibly marked down in ArizonaThe first year had passed by quickly, butFrom the hotel, the supplies were packed to Pumpkin history, as well as the great bear hunterin that time Anderson Lee had rebuiltCenter, then on to Fort Reno, over Reno Pass down the Babes influences on Zane Grey andthe cabin and built an additional livingCavalry Trail to Sunflower, and then back over Reno Pass to his writing while living room to accommodate Ella and babyPayson. As if that wasnt enough of a hassle, the infamous under the Tonto Rim. Edd. Grandfathers mother, Mary, wasApache Kid was camped around the Four Peaks area at that also due to travel from Texas. In thetime.Granddad Ezell told me that the Apache Kid stopped It all began in 1897 when Billsmeantime, he had cleared the groundhim on occasion and he (granddad) would give him some grandfather, Anderson Lee Haughtfor a garden near the pond. The pondflour and coffee. Granddad believed him to be an educated made his way to Arizona in search of awas low that year but there was stillman, after attending the Indian school on the San Carlos homestead. Anderson left his wife Ellathe spring itself, so there continuedReservation, and certainly not violent as so many people and young son Edd in Dallas, Texas,to be ample water for the garden andthought. Leastways the Kid knew not to rob the pack trains until he could get the new homesteadnewly added apple orchard. The workas they also carried U.S. mail and that could get him in a established. Anderson first arrivedwas hard. Logs had to be cut by handworld of trouble.at the railhead in Safford and thenand then dragged to their destination continued to the Rim Country onby horse or mule. The days at that timeMeanwhile, back at the Tonto Rim homestead, granddad horseback. He came upon a ledge justwere long and hard enough and becameHaught was getting the ranch ready for grandmothers before sundown where he decided toeven more so now that Anderson Leearrival. She was already on her way to the railroad, which camp for the night. From under thathad to put on a hurry because of theby this time reached Globe due to the growing mining ledge, he could see almost all of thearriving family. industry. Granddad made his way to Globe on horseback. upper Tonto Rim. There were milesThere he purchased a wagon and team to make the return and miles of virgin yellow pines, oaks, and maples and theThe ranch was taking shape. Granddad blazed out a trailtrip back home. Grandmother later related that she had cattle feed was so high you could hardly get a horse throughto Tonto Creek. In those days the trip to Payson was nearlynever been so afraid for her life as when the train stopped it. Tonto Creek was off to the east about a mile twisting and25 miles (not over the same road we know today). Thatat Cutter (just south of Globe) to take on water. She said gleaming through the pines. road went over Diamond Point to Star Valley just east ofthere were Apaches everywhere along the tracks. They rode 8 April 2021'