Contributed article By Edres Bryant Barney
PIMA — William Ashby Clark was born May 1, 1855 in Provo, Utah, the seventh of 10 children born to Luch Agness Ashby and Edward Watkins Clark.
He married Julia Ann Holladay on Jan. 20, 1878. She was the fourth of 10 children born to Thomas Middleton Holladay and Ann Hotton Mathews.
William worked as a cowboy in Wyoming and Montana. He also did some farming and worked in a molasses mill in Utah as a young man.
Arriving in Pima in 1880, he helped build some of the first homes. He later moved to Eden to farm. Due to flooding of the Gila River, his entire farm washed away, except where the house stood. In addition to farming, he freighted from Bowie to Globe. He prospected the Gila Valley and miles around. At one time, he sold a mine for several thousand dollars.
He moved to Los Angeles and then to Mesa, where he spent his time doing temple work, passing away Nov. 1, 1941.
William and Julia were the parents of nine children: Minnie Roseberry, Maudie Roseberry, Elora Ticman, Julia Ann Nuttall, Millie Holladay, George, Verna, William and Edward.
Information on the early settlers of Pima and those who came later and helped build up the area may be found at the Eastern Arizona Museum in Pima. The museum is open Thursday-Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
