ECHOES DOWN THE CENTURIES

About the Book

This book is a real Wild West story, told in "their way" by the people who lived in the Patagonia-Sonoita region of southeastern Arizona. Life here was hard, and the stories of how people lived and followed their instincts to survive may touch your heart, make you laugh or cry, or maybe both. Their bravery, hardships and desire for a new future developed southern Arizona. There are stories of Indians, priests, miners, ranchers, good men and bad, life and death, and much more. The author used information from various reputable publications for background but concentrated primarily on stories told by people who lived them or whose ancestors did. She tape-recorded the recollections of hundreds of local residents and also included information from newspapers, family records, diaries, memoirs, and even cemeteries. From the many people interviewed comes a clear picture of a country hard won, much loved, well remembered and treasured.

About the Author

Mary Wiley, now a widowed great-grandmother, came to Patagonia, Arizona, as a teenager to teach in the 1940s; married Howard Whetzel; and has lived most of her life since then on the ranch that Howard?s adoptive mother homesteaded. Mary taught school and wrote for newspapers, magazines, and a textbook company for years.