Scope and Content Note
The Ryder Ridgway Collection includes correspondence, manuscripts, research files, printed matter, and family papers showing Graham County and Mormon history from 1799 to 1980. The majority of the collection consists of personal papers and government and business records that Ridgway collected documenting Graham County history from 1890 to 1960. The collection has been divided into two series.
Series I: Ridgway Papers extends from 1890 to 1976 and consists of Ridgway's personal papers. The series has been divided into two subseries. Sub-Series A: Correspondence houses primarily letters exchanged with W. Roy Pace, a fellow researcher interested in eastern Arizona history. The letters discuss details of family and regional history in Graham County. Sub-Series B: Manuscripts/Scrapbooks generally concerns historical events and individuals in Graham County.
Series II: Ridgway Collections extends from 1799 to 1980 and consists of materials that Ridgway collected or received regarding Graham County history. This series is divided into five subseries.
Sub-Series A: Personal and Family Papers houses materials that Ridgway received from individuals who were stimulated by his writings in the Eastern Arizona Courier. As a result, this series contains records of a number of Graham County families as well as genealogical and historical manuscripts and reminiscences
written by a number of Mormon residents.
Sub-Series B: Mining Records includes materials showing the Alabama Mine, Carlisle Mine, Duncan Mining and Milling Company, Phelps Dodge Corporation, and the Terreroca Mining Company of Steepler, New Mexico.
Sub-Series C: Graham County History includes histories of the towns of Hubbard and Matthewsville, maps and drawings of Fort Grant and Fort Thomas, and transcriptions of news articles and research notes on county history.
Sub-Series D: Mormon/Arizona History includes transcripts of James H. McClintock's radio program Forward, Arizona, biographical information on Mormons William Jordan Flake, Joseph Neal Haywood, and John D. Lee, and maps of the 1885 survey of the East Salt and Gila River Meridian.
Sub-Series E: Ephemera includes pamphlets and brochures on a variety of topics similar to those represented in the series above. The materials are indexed by author in the card file located in Box 11A.
Dates
- Creation: 1799-1980
Language of Materials
Material in English
Access Restrictions
To view this collection, make an appointment at least five business days prior to your visit by contacting Ask an Archivist or calling (480) 965-4932. Appointments in the Wurzburger Reading Room at Hayden Library (rm. 138) on the Tempe campus are available Monday through Friday. Check the ASU Library Hours page for current availability.
Copyright
Arizona State University does not own the copyright to this collection. We recognize that it is incumbent upon the researcher to procure permission to publish information from this collection from the owner of the copyright.
Biographical Note
William Ryder Ridgway, author and historian, was born to David Lawrence and Ella Young Ridgway in Safford, Arizona on May 11, 1909. He graduated from Safford High School in 1927 and was employed at the Young and Ridgway Store at Safford. Later he worked as an inspector at the Arizona Agricultural Inspection Station at San Jose on Arizona 70.
Ridgway was an avid historian and collector of historical records showing Graham County and Mormon history. He was a regular columnist in the Eastern Arizona Courier and contributed a number of articles to Arizona Highways Magazine, particularly the September 1968 issue. Ridgway was also a lecturer in history at Eastern Arizona College at Thatcher. He was a member of the Graham County Historical Society and the Church of Safford. Ryder Ridgway died in Safford on May 21, 1985.
Full extent
14 Box(es)
Full extent
6.75 Linear Feet
Abstract
The Ryder Ridgway Collection includes correspondence, manuscripts, research files, printed matter, and family papers showing Graham County and Mormon history from 1799 to 1980.
Arrangement
This collection consists of fourteen boxes divided into two series:
- Series I: Ridgway Papers
- Series II: Ridgway Collections
Provenance
The Ryder Ridgway Collection was received in at least thirteen accessions from 1968 to 1991. Nine accessions were received from Ryder Ridgway between 1968 and 1974 (ACC# 1968-00067, 1972-00067, and 1974-00067). Four accessions were received from Mrs. Ryder Ridgway from 1987 to 1991 (ACC# 1987-00111, 1989-00180, 1990-00381, and 1991-00468).
Separated Materials
A number of publications have been removed from the Ridgway Ephemera series. Ephemera relating to Arizona or the Southwest was removed and individually indexed. It is accessible through the ASU Special Materials Index.
Processing Note
Materials received directly from Ridgway were originally processed as MSS-68. Materials received from Mrs. Ridgway were added to the collection in 1994 and the collection was rearranged to reflect the entirety of the Ridgway papers. A conversion sheet identifying the current location of materials cited by the old box and folder numbers is available from the University Archivist.
Ephemera not related to Arizona and the Southwest has not been retained. A complete card index to the original ephemera collection is available in Box 11A of this collection.
Subject
- Park family (Family)
- Waters family (Family)
- Title
- Ryder Ridgway Collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Processed by Robert P. Spindler in September 1994; machine-readable finding guide created by Michael Lotstein in July 2004.
- Date
- 2012
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding guide encoded in English.
Repository details
Part of the Greater Arizona Collection Repository
Contact
Arizona State UniversityP.O. Box 871006
Tempe AZ 85287-1006 United States
(480) 965-4932
archives@asu.edu