Josefa Alvarez |
| Posted 2008-11-15 by Sharon |
| The Prescott Courier, Prescott, Arizona Wednesday, April 6, 1938 Old Goatherder Woman Is Dead Josefa the goatherder, another of the fantastic characters of the Arizona desert, has passed on. Her real name was Josefa Alvarez, and those in the Octave district who knew her placed her age at between 115 and 120 years. Legends of the wrinkled little woman had it that she once was the virtual queen of an Indian village near San Diego, Calif. She was baptized by the padres who went to California with Father Junipero Serra, was present when the first United States soldiers arrived, and witnessed the adventurous days of the 1849 gold rush. Josefa came to Arizona half a century ago and opened a boarding house for miners at Weaver creek. For the last 40 years she had herded goats over the rough hills of the Octave district. Friends found her dead Tuesday. She will be buried in Boot Hill cemetery on Weaver creek, in a coffin sent from here. Note: Josefa was born March 18, 1851, San Diego, Cal. and died April 4, 1938. She was a widow and was the daughter of Ygnacio & Nicolena (Valencia) Alvarez; came to Az. Territory about 1888. ------------------ The Wickenburg Sun, Wickenburg, AZ April 8, 1938, p. 1 OLD GOATHERDER WOMAN IS DEAD Josefa, the goatherder, another of the fantastic characters of the Arizona, desert, has passed on. Her real name was Josefa Alvarez and those in the Octave district who knew her placed her age at between 115 and 120 years. Legends of the wrinkled little woman had it that she once was the virtual queen of an Indian village near San Diego, Calif. She was baptized by the padres who went to California with Father Junipero Serra, was present when the first United States soldiers arrived, and witnessed the adventurous days of the 1849 gold rush. Josefa came to Arizona half a century ago, and opened a boarding house for miners at Weaver Creek. For the last 40 years she had herded goats over the rough hills of the Octave district. Friends found her dead Tuesday. She will be buried in Boot Hill cemetery on Weaver Creek. See Also: Arizona Death Certificates |
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