Bunkerville, settled January 6, 1877, was named for Edward Bunker, a
member of the Mormon Battalion. Latterly to a degree it has become
connected with Arizona through the fact that lands in its vicinity are to
be irrigated from a reservoir to be established upon the Virgin within
Arizona. January 24, 1877, there were visitors of notable sort, Capt.
Daniel W. Jones and company, on their way to a location in the Salt River
Valley of Arizona. Bunkerville had elaborate organization under the
United Order, and it is agreed that the large amount of irrigation work
accomplished hardly could have been done under any other plan. The
organization lasted until the summer of 1879, it being found that some of
the members, "through their economy and industry were gathering and,
laying up in abundance, while others, through carelessness and bad
management, were wasting the funds of the company, each year being
increasing in debt." This was very unsatisfactory to those whose ambition
was to assure at least the necessaries of life.
The Mesquite settlement, across the Virgin from Bunkerville, was
established in 1880, but was abandoned a few years later, again to be
settled in 1895, from Utah.
There was a returning of the Saints to the Muddy Valley early in 1881,
the Patterson ranch, which included the town of Overton, being purchased
by Mrs. Elizabeth Whitmore of St. George. Among the names of the settlers
was at least one of Arizona association, that of Jesse W. Crosby. In
1892, when visited by Andrew Jenson, in the locality of the main four
settlements of the older occupation were only a score of families.