Don Alonzo Sanford papers

Born on January 28, 1840 in Honeoye Falls, New York, Don Alonzo Sanford spent his early years working in various areas such as painting, carriage making, dentistry and law enforcement (as deputy sheriff) before deciding to move to the West to make his fortune. In about 1870 he joined his brother Denton Sanford in Texas (who had been bringing supplies in from California and driving cattle since 1862) to engage in driving cattle. During a large cattle drive from Texas to California with his brother Denton in 1872, Kiowa and Comanche warriors attacked their party and stole their livestock and horses. This put an end to Don A. Sanford’s days of driving cattle. In 1873 he traveled to Washington, D.C. to file a claim for redress by the U.S. government of the damages suffered as part of this “Indian Depredation”. While in Washington, D.C., he met Louisa Jane Bloxton, a young woman originally from Pennsylvania. After returning to Arizona, the two corresponded for two years while he was establishing a cattle ranch called the Stock Valley Ranch near Sonoita. In 1875, Louisa Bloxton and her brother Benjamin traveled from Washington, D.C. to Tucson. After arriving, Louisa Bloxton placed a claim on additional ranch land in the Sonoita Valley where she lived until she married Don Sanford on October 5, 1875 in Tucson. Sanford raised barley and beef which he sold to army outposts at Camp Crittenden and Camp Huachuca. Eventually Sanford sold his ranch to Walter Vail of the Empire Ranch and the Sanford family moved to the Patagonia ranch lands (known as the Aztec Ranch /97 Ranch) of his now deceased brother Denton. They lived on their ranch with their family which grew to include daughters Etta, Ada (who died as an infant), Amo, Mabel, and Bertha, as well as son Don, Jr.

In addition to ranching interests, Don Sanford also was involved in political matters in Tucson during the 1880s, serving as Councilman, Chairman of the Printing Committee and as acting Mayor in 1884. In addition, the Sanford’s’ purchased several properties in Tucson which they rented to various businesses and residents. After years living on their ranch in Patagonia, the family decided to move back to Washington, D.C. in about 1886. Don Sanford continued to manage ranch business from both afar and through frequent visits to Arizona. While living in Washington, D.C., he expanded his business interests to include several rental properties including the Arizona Hotel and The Patience/ The Rochester Hotel. He was an astute businessman who bought, remodeled and rented out many properties in the city. He kept meticulous records and accounts of his various business interests and recorded them in ledgers he termed the “Books of Knowledge”.

Don Sanford and his wife Louisa were also strong supporters of the Temperance Movement and assisted Carry Nation in her efforts to outlaw alcohol, including posting her bail for release from jail in 1909 and providing her with a residence in Washington, D.C. A man of varied interests, Don Alonzo Sanford also enjoyed travel, drawing and was fluent in Spanish. He died in Washington, D.C. on May 15, 1915 at the age of 75. The ranch land in Patagonia was sold by family members in 1925 to the Zinsmeister family and became known as the Circle Z Ranch.