Snowflake, one of the most prosperous of towns of Mormon origin, lies 28
miles almost south of Holbrook, with which it was given railroad
connection during 1919. The first settler was James Stinson who came in
1873, and who, by 1878, had taken out the waters of Silver Creek for the
irrigation of about 300 acres. In July, 1878, Stinson (later a resident
of Tempe) sold to Wm. J. Flake for $11,000, paid in livestock.
July 21, the first Mormons moved upon the Stinson place. They were Flake,
James Gale, Jesse Brady, Alexander Stewart and Thomas West, with their
families, most of them from the old Taylor settlement. Others followed
soon thereafter, including six Taylor families, headed by John Kartchner,
they taking the upper end of the valley.
Actual foundation of the town came in an incident of the most memorable
of the southwestern trips of Erastus Snow. He and his party arrived at
the Kartchner ranch September 26, 1878, the location described by L. John
Nuttall of the party as "a nice little valley." As bishop was appointed
John Hunt of Savoia, who was with the Mormon Battalion, and who remained
in the same capacity till 1910. Flake's location was considered best for
a townsite and to it was given the name it now bears, honoring the
visiting dignitary and the founder. The townsite was surveyed soon
thereafter by Samuel G. Ladd of St. Joseph, who also laid out several
ditch lines. Even before there was a town, there was a birth, that of
William Taylor Gale, son of James Gale.
[Illustration: ERASTUS SNOW. In Charge of Pioneer Arizona Colonization]
[Illustration: JOSEPH W. McMURRIN]
[Illustration: ANTHONY W. IVINS]
January 16, 1879, arrived Jesse N. Smith, president of the newly-created
Eastern Arizona Stake, appointed on recommendation of Erastus Snow. After
trying to negotiate for land at St. Johns, he returned, and he and his
company concluded to locate in Snowflake, where they took up lots not
already appropriated. The farming land went in a drawing of two parcels
each to the city lot owners, who thus became possessed of twenty acres
each. Joseph Fish headed a committee on distribution, which valued each
city lot at $30, each first-class farming plot of ten acres at $110 and
each second-class plot at $60, giving each shareholder property valued at
$200, or ten head of stock, this being at the rate that Flake paid for
the whole property. Flake took only one share.
The Mormon towns usually were of the quietest, but occasionally had
excitement brought to them. On one such occasion at Snowflake, December
8, 1892, was killed Chas. L. Flake, son of Wm. J. Flake. A message had
come from New Mexico asking detention of Will Mason, a desperado said to
have had a record of seven murders. Charles and his brother, Jas. M.,
attempted the arrest. Mason fired twice over his shoulder, the first
bullet cutting James' left ear, and then shot Charles through the neck.
Almost the same moment a bullet from James' pistol passed through the
murderer's head, followed by a second.
Of modern interest, indicative of the trend of public sentiment, is an
agreement, entered into late in 1920, by the merchants of Snowflake and
the towns to the southward, to sell no tobacco, in any form.
Snowflake was the first county-seat of Apache County, created in 1879,
the first court session held in the home of Wm. J. Flake. At the fall
election, the courthouse was moved to St. Johns. In 1880, by the vote of
Clifton, which then was within Apache County, Springerville was made the
county seat. In 1882, St. Johns finally was chosen the seat of Apache
County government.