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- SILVER CITY INDEPENDENT, Silver City, New Mexico, Tuesday, June 1, 1920 Julius Frank Bisby, believed to be the oldest of Grant county's pioneers, and who came here in 1867, died last Friday at Mimbres Hot Springs, at the advanced age of 84 years. His death removes another respected old-timer, whose ranks are rapidly thinning with the passing of the years. The career of J. Frank Bisby, as he was better known among the old-timers, would make a thrilling novel. Born in Herkimer, Herkimer County, New York, in September, 1836, he removed with his parents seven years later to St. Charles, Ill., then a small settlement, where he attended the public schools and high school. In 1854, when 18 years old, the "western fever" lured him to California. He made the arduous trip in those days by boat down the Atlantic coast to Nicaragua, walked across the narrow strip where the original sea level canal was to have been built, and boarded another boat on the Pacific side for San Francisco. For several years he followed placer mining and prospecting in the California gold fields and in British Columbia and Alaska. Later he went to Nevada, where he operated a stage stand at Bisby Station and also rode the pony express, a most hazardous occupation in the early days, when savage Indian bands roamed over the West and bandits preyed almost at will on overland travelers. It was in 1867, that Mr. Bisby came to New Mexico. He settled first at Pinos Altos, later came to Silver City and finally located at Lone Mountain, the latter place being his home for upwards of 47 years. He had been a resident of the county 53 years. He had an active part in the county's early history and could recount numerous narrow escapes from death in Indian fights. The closest call he ever had, and which he vividly remembered, was while making a trip from Slocumb's stage station on the Rio Grande to Fort Cummings. On this trip he was ambushed by a large party of Indians. His horse was severely wounded by an arrow and bullet, but whirled with its rider and managed to dash back to Slocumb's station, this saving its rider's life. This arrow is still in the possession of Mr. Bisby's two surviving sons. He was for a time employed at Fort Bayard, then a frontier cavalry post, as a civilian carpenter and the first flag pole was erected at the military post under his direction. The now thriving mining town of Bisbee, Ariz., was named after Mr. Bisby by George Warren, who prior to going to Arizona was actively engaged in silver mining in the Lone Mountain and Georgetown districts of Grant county. The Warren mining district in Arizona was named after Mr. Warren, who was its discoverer. Mr. Bisbee was married at Elgin, Kane county, Illinois, on July 28, 1873, to Martha I. Ainsworth and with his bride came to Silver City in October of that year. It was a few months later that Mr. and Mrs. Bisby took up their residence at Lone Mountain, where he had made his home ever since on a small ranch. He lived at Lone Mountain when that settlement was a thriving mining camp. He was most hospitable and friends were always warmly welcomed at this home. When his declining years resulted in failing health and his condition became serious several weeks ago, he was taken to Mimbres Hot Springs, that he might have proper care and attention, and every comfort. One of the happiest times of his life was enjoyed 10 years ago, when, accompanied by his son, George H. Bisby, and daughter-in-law, he made a trip to his boyhood home in Herkimer, New York. He recalled and pointed out many of the places of interest of his youth. The old family homestead, a farm owned by his parents, he found very much the same as he remembered it, and he visited the streams where he went fishing and swimming. The deceased was a man intensely loyal to his friends, of strong convictions and remarkable perseverance. He saw this part of New Mexico grow from an almost barren wilderness to a rich mining, stock-raising and farming region; saw the old stage coach and pony express replaced by the speeding express train, automobile and aeroplane; and the transition from the crude things of over half a century ago to the ultra-modern things of the present age. Surviving Mr. Bisby are two sons, George H. Bisby, of Pinos Altos, and F. R. (Bob) Bisby, of Greenwood. The funeral was held Saturday afternoon from the O. C. Hinman undertaking parlors, burial being in the City cemetery. The funeral was largely attended by friends of the deceased throughout this section, who gathered to pay a last tribute to a man they had known for so long a period.
1840 US Census NY index lists: Bisby, Julius HERK 154 Winfield. 1850 US Census IL index lists: Bisbey, Horace KANE 123 St. Charles.
State of New Mexico Department of Health Certificate of Death 02785, Reg. No. 104 (abstract): Julius Frank Bisby, d. Mimbres Hot Springs, Grant Co., NM. He was male, white, widowed, (silver) miner, b. 9/14/1836 in Herkimer, New York, age 84 yrs, 8 mos, 14 das. Name and birthplace of father: don't know. Maiden name and birthplace of mother: don't know. Informant: Geo. H. Bisby. Date of death: May 28, 1920 at 6:30 am. Cause of death: Dilation of heart from interstitial nephritis (contributory: chronic interstitial nephritis). Burial: Silver City, 5/29/20. Undertaker: G. M. Holman, Silver City.
NEVADA PLACE NAMES, Helen S. Carlson, Reno, 1974, p. 52 speaks of Bisby Station: "Bisbys (Churchill). A station on the road from Virginia City to the Reese River Mines via the Twenty-six Mile Desert, eleven miles east of Old River Station on the Overland Stage route 9NHS, 1913, p. 178; JGS, I, p. 136); named for the owner of the way station.
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