Ewing A. VanBibber

     Ewing A. VanBibber was born in 1813 at Kentucky. He was the son of Isaac Michael VanBibber and Elizabeth Hays. Ewing A. VanBibber married Sarah Courtney circa 1835. Ewing A. VanBibber died on 1 October 1867 at age 54 years.
     From Gary R. Hawpe, ed. and Charles Ross, comp., 'Ewing A. VanBibber,' Van Bibber Pioneers E-Newsletter, Vol. 5 No. 6 (April 2002), pp. 3 - 5.

EWING A. VAN BIBBER

VAN BIBBER, EWING A., born in Kentucky about 1813, enrolled in Callaway County, Missouri, and mustered in, age 32, at Ft. Leavenworth, June 24, 1846, to serve one year during the war with Mexico as Corporal, Captain Charles B. Rogers' Company H, 1st Missouri Mounted Infantry; the Regiment, under command of Colonel Alexander W. Donipan, left Fort Leavenworth, June 26, and arrived at Santa Fe, New Mexico, August 18, 1846; Company H. marched down the Rio Grande and on November 24 arrived at Valverde, the rendezvous for the invasion of Chihuahua; after a fight at Brazito, arrived with other troops at El Paso on December 27, 1846.

The expedition under Colonel Doniphan left El Paso February 8, defeated the Mexican Army at the battle of Sacramento, February 28, and arrived at the City of Chihuahua on March 1, 1847; left Chihuahua April 25 and arrived at Parras May 14; marched from there via Saltillo to Camargo on the Rio Grande where he was promoted to Commissary Sergeant on May 29; the Company muster-out roll shows him on detached services from May 30, 1847, to drive horses to Missouri, the Regiment being ordered to take water transportation to New Orleans and thence up the Mississippi to St. Louis.

Came from Colusa County, California, to Arizona, early in 1863, late in October of that year he and Theodore Green Rusk were with Henry Wickenburg when the Vulture mine was first discovered and on November 24 they and three others posted a location notice thereon but nothing further was done; on May 9, 1864, Wickenburg relocated the ledge and proceeded, with the help of four other miners, to take out ore from which gold was extracted by arastras located on the Hassayampa River; Van Bibber was not a party to a law suit in which Judge Joseph P. Allyn decided in October, 1864, that Theodore Green Rusk had acquired no interest in the property but later derived a benefit according to a communication from Prescott printed in the Sacramento Union of April 11, 1866, which reported that Wickenburg had received $25,000 in cash for 300 feet of the Vulture lode and then stated;

There were other persons beside Wickenburg who laid claim to the feet sold, and one of them, Major Van Bibber of Colusa County, received some $10,000 to quit his claim.

The following references to him where printed in the Prescott Arizona Miner:

October 20, 1866 -- Beaver Valley, on Ash creek and southwest from Woolsey's ranch about 18 miles, is likely to be well settled. Among those who have taken up ranches there, and propose to improve them at once, are Messrs. John A. Rush, Major Van Bibber, Dr. Alsap, John M. Boggs, John P. Osborn, Berry Dodson, Theodore Boggs and Wormsley. The climate is much milder than in Prescott, and the soil is very rich.

September 12, 1867 -- A few days since, 64 Indians visited Boggs and Van Bibber's ranch on the Agua Fria and seemed to be very friendly. They are the same whose chiefs were lately at Fort Whipple. On Sunday some Indians stole a mule from Mr. Dickason, at Leonora valley.

September 19, 1867 -- Major Van Bibber, who has been sick nigh unto death, is now past the crisis, and feeling much better. The Major has had a hard time of it, and we hope he soon may be all right again.

Died at Prescott, A.T., October 1, 1867, aged 55; the following is extracted from an obituary published in the Miner:

VAN BIBBER, EWING A.

He was an old resident of California and, was, likewise, a pioneer of Arizona, having come here early in '63. He was always to be found in the van of civilization, and had all the good qualities of the American pioneer. We, who knew his jovial and kind disposition, mourn his loss and will treasure his memory.

Sources of information:

1. Parish, T.E. -- History of Arizona, Phoenix, 1915, Vol. 2, pp. 212-213.
2. Barney, J. M. -- Discovery and Early Working of the Vulture Mine Manuscript, 1942.
3. Arizona Highways, Phoenix, February, 1944, pp. 28-29, 'Henry Wickenburg, Soldier of Misfortune.
4. The Probate Court of Yavapai County - Docket No. 24.
5. The Adjutant General of the Army - Military Service Records.
6. The Arizona Miner, Prescott, October 26, 1864, October 20, 1866, 2:1; September 12, 2:1, September 19, 2:2; October 1, 3:1 and October 5, 1867, 3:2 (obituary).
7. The Sacramento Union, April 11, 1866, 3:3.