Winter Gateway 2022

Sitting for the camera in early Globe
BY DAVID SOWDERS
Assistant Editor
In late 2020, this faded
picture of eight
mounted cowboys in
the streets of Globe was
discovered in the Arizona
Silver Belt offices. The
photographer’s identity is
unknown, but some of the
men pictured became prominent
Gila County ranchers.
According to Guy and
Donna Anderson’s 1976
book, “Honor the Past…
Mold the Future,” the photo
was taken at the corner of
Cedar and Broad Streets in
1883.
Among the eight cowboys
was John C. Gibson,
fourth from left in the photo.
Born in Llano County,
Texas in 1867, Gibson
came from a ranching family
who made the move to
Globe around 1878. After
cowboying for several area
ranches and working for the
Superior and Boston Mine,
he bought several spreads
including the JI Ranch east
of Superior. By 1920 his
land stretched from Pinal
Creek to below Superior,
and from Mineral Creek to
Haunted Canyon.
Marion Horrell, fifth
from left, was part of another
well-known ranching
family that included his
brothers Ed and C.W., with
outfits north of Globe and
in the Pinto Creek area.
Behind the men stands
Globe’s original Methodist
church, St. Paul’s Methodist
Episcopal (now St.
Paul’s United Methodist). It
all started in 1879 with Rev.
J.J. Wingar, who walked 35
miles from the town of Pinal
to conduct services. A
church building was dedicated
in 1880 and served
congregations until it was
torn down in 1927. The
current building was dedicated
in 1928 and still holds
the original bell, known as
“God’s Alarm Clock.” In
1883, when the cowboys
posed for their photo, the
church’s minister was Rev.
William George.
24 Gateway to the Copper Corridor 2022