Usery Regional Park is reportedly named after King Ussery a locally famous cowboy, livestock thief and stage robber. He was reportedly a handsome, well liked guy and he must have had some charm to get a mountain range and park named after him. He was born in 1869 and grew up in the Tonto Basin. According to some accounts, he may have also run a few stray cattle on the range near Usery Mountain and the Salt River Recreation Area. He was described in an 1899 newspaper as being "the most notorious, if not the most desperate criminal in Arizona." No wonder they named a park after him.
In December of 1891, according to the St. Johns Herald, the Globe-Florence (Riverside) stage was stopped by a highwayman in Pinal County who demanded the express box. He ordered the stage to proceed after being told there was no bullion aboard. The highwayman was identified as King Ussery. Ussery was a small-time cattleman in the Tonto country and according to delinquent tax notices owned a ranch 12 miles up Tonto Creek.
In January 1892, the Globe-Florence stage was again held up in Pinal County and $2,400 worth of bullion was stolen. The highwayman could not be identified but the trail of two horses was followed 50 miles to the corral of Henry Blevins (a friend of Ussery). A bar of of bullion was subsequently recovered from the nearby Salt River. Blevins was tried by jury and released.
Ussery kept ahead of the law for a long time by hiding in the Tonto country where he grew up. Eventually, Sheriff J.H. Johnson of Gila County caught Ussery by circling from Globe through Greenback Valley at night to Tonto and staking out King Ussery's mother's home. After capturing his brother, the Sheriff convinced King Ussery to give up. (Side note: In our Air Force orientation class in Lackland AFB back in 1974, the drill sergeant informed us that if we went AWOL he would know where to find us. "When in trouble all boys run back to their mother"). The Arizona Silver Belt also reported on the robbery and added references to Gila County horse theft and a federal charge of mail theft.
In January 1892, the Globe-Florence stage was again held up in Pinal County and $2,400 worth of bullion was stolen. The highwayman could not be identified but the trail of two horses was followed 50 miles to the corral of Henry Blevins (a friend of Ussery). A bar of of bullion was subsequently recovered from the nearby Salt River. Blevins was tried by jury and released.
Ussery kept ahead of the law for a long time by hiding in the Tonto country where he grew up. Eventually, Sheriff J.H. Johnson of Gila County caught Ussery by circling from Globe through Greenback Valley at night to Tonto and staking out King Ussery's mother's home. After capturing his brother, the Sheriff convinced King Ussery to give up. (Side note: In our Air Force orientation class in Lackland AFB back in 1974, the drill sergeant informed us that if we went AWOL he would know where to find us. "When in trouble all boys run back to their mother"). The Arizona Silver Belt also reported on the robbery and added references to Gila County horse theft and a federal charge of mail theft.
Sheriff Thompson and Frank Prothero brought 23 year old King Ussery to Globe for trial. He received a sentence of 7 years at Yuma Territorial Prison.
He was pardoned in 1894 after appeals from his mother and a review of new evidence that seemed to exonerate him. After his pardon, he evidently changed his ways and shifted to cattle rustling. He received a light sentence in Gila County for the theft and then left the area.
In 1898, Ussery was found not guilty by a jury in the robbery of the Gladiator Mill in Prescott.
 |
| Yuma Territorial Prison |
He was pardoned in 1894 after appeals from his mother and a review of new evidence that seemed to exonerate him. After his pardon, he evidently changed his ways and shifted to cattle rustling. He received a light sentence in Gila County for the theft and then left the area.
In 1898, Ussery was found not guilty by a jury in the robbery of the Gladiator Mill in Prescott.
In 1899, he shifted to horse stealing. He
visited his uncle, a race horse breeder in the Tonto area (John L. Cline), and succeeded in convincing him to let King take a test drive. King
then took off for California riding one race horse and leading another. Cline finally recovered one of the horses near the
Colorado River but King continued onward with the other. When
finally caught in Mammoth, AZ, Ussery was sentenced to 10 more years at
Yuma.
Also in 1899, he was arrested near Cave Creek for stealing horses from Jesus Madrial in Yavapai County.
He was also under indictment in Yavapai County for grand larceny. He was suspected of having robbed a stage several miles southwest of Prescott. Another man was arrested and jailed for the robbery but Ussery was reported to have helped in his defense and finally admitted to the crime while in prison for the Tonto area horse theft. The governor became suspicious of the circumstances after learning that the man and Ussery were close friends. Instead of pardoning him he cut several years off of the man's sentence.
Also in 1899, he was arrested near Cave Creek for stealing horses from Jesus Madrial in Yavapai County.
He was also under indictment in Yavapai County for grand larceny. He was suspected of having robbed a stage several miles southwest of Prescott. Another man was arrested and jailed for the robbery but Ussery was reported to have helped in his defense and finally admitted to the crime while in prison for the Tonto area horse theft. The governor became suspicious of the circumstances after learning that the man and Ussery were close friends. Instead of pardoning him he cut several years off of the man's sentence.
He must have
decided to look for greener pastures after his pardon because it
appears that he's buried in King Co., Washington after dying of
acute pulmonary edema in 1941. After his pardon, I couldn't find any
references to King Ussery, other than his obit. His death certificate listed his occupation as "miner". Maybe he reformed.
References:
(from Library of Congress, Chronicling America website)
Arizona Republican, Friday January 29, 1892
Arizona Silver Belt, February 27, 1892
St. Johns Herald, Thursday February 4, 1892
S. Johns Herald, Thursday December 8, 1892, pg. 1
Arizona Republican, October 20, 1894, pg. 1
Arizona Republican, Sunday November 19, 1899, pg. 3
Arizona Weekly Journal-Miner, November 22, 1899
Arizona Weekly Journal-Miner, January 31, 1900
Arizona Republican, Wednesday June 11, 1902, pg. 1
Arizona Journal-Miner, July 1, 1903
References:
(from Library of Congress, Chronicling America website)
Arizona Republican, Friday January 29, 1892
Arizona Silver Belt, February 27, 1892
St. Johns Herald, Thursday February 4, 1892
S. Johns Herald, Thursday December 8, 1892, pg. 1
Arizona Republican, October 20, 1894, pg. 1
Arizona Republican, Friday December 22, 1899, pg. 5
Arizona Republican, Monday December 25, 1899, pg. 3Arizona Republican, Sunday November 19, 1899, pg. 3
Arizona Weekly Journal-Miner, November 22, 1899
Arizona Weekly Journal-Miner, January 31, 1900
Arizona Republican, Wednesday June 11, 1902, pg. 1
Arizona Journal-Miner, July 1, 1903
