ArizonaRealCountry.com 39 May 2018 filed a 160-acre homestead. Genung took a homestead right next to Elijah. Life Among Indians Gram used to tell of how for years the Indians tried to capture her, especially in her garden. As soon as she could, she started a garden, a vegetable garden. She’d go out in the evening after supper and work in it. Near the garden, there were clumps of grass that grew real tall. They would find Indian footprints behind some of the clumps where the Indians would hide and wait for Gram to come into her garden. Gram’s brother had given her his dog, Pete, to take to Arizona. So, when Gram was ready to go into the garden she’d say “Pete, go see if it is safe.” Off Pete would go, sniffing the tall grass all around the garden. Gram said if he came back with his tail wagging, she would go out to the garden. If he came back with his hair bristled, she would stay in the house. The Object of Yavapai Curiosity After a while, Gram began to realize the Indians didn’t want to kill her. They had plenty of chances to kill her if they wanted to. They were just curious, most likely Yavapai who knew and respected Charles. In 1874, Elijah Smith decided to sell out and leave the territory. Ida tried to get Charlie to buy Elijah’s homestead. Charlie steadfastly Pioneer Grandma continued from page 36 refused. Grandpa said: “I don’t want to leave anything for my kids to fight over.” Gram was determined to have the place next door, however, so she bought it from Elijah herself for $800 in 1874. One day, Charles Genung was surveying for a road that would connect Peeples Valley to Congress. While he was working, a young Indian girl came running towards him screaming with fear. On her heels was an Indian warrior. Charles ran into his tent, got his rifle and ran the man off. Yavapai Indian Companion The young Indian girl Charles had saved became known as Indian Mary. By saving her life, Charles launched a friendship between Mary and Ida that would outlive him by thirty years. Gram would visit Mary on the reservation and Mary would send Gram cactus fruit, prickly pears. Mary married an Indian who had been a government scout. She came to the Genung ranch and asked if she could come live with the Genungs on their land. They gave her permission to move over into the meadow. Later, other Indians came too. Mary became just like a member of the family. She was important to all our lives but particularly to Gram’s. Charles Genung died in 1916 and in later years when the boys were gone for one or two weeks gathering cattle, Mary would come up to the house. Both Gram and Mary were widows then. Mary would say “I come stay with Mama.” She called Gram “Mama” because she heard the kids call her that. Lifelong Friends Mary did not want Gram to be alone. She would put a pallet on the floor close to Gram’s bed and stay until the boys came home. Then she’d return to her own home. She would never allow Gram to live alone. Ida Genung died at the age of 85 in 1933. The doctor told my mother, Grace, that Gram’s heart just wore out. After Gram died, Mary came up to my mother and said that when she died she wanted to be buried next to Mama. Indian Mary is buried in the Genung family plot in Prescott, just a few feet from Ida. Charles, who died 17 years earlier, is buried across town at the old pioneer citizens cemetery. This Adobe house was the home of Ida and Charles Genung when they first homesteaded their land in Peeples Vally in 1870. Ida gave birth to their first child here.