John Ward's Ranch
Arizona Pioneer Johnny Ward established a ranch here in 1858. In 1861 Indians kidnapped his Mexican stepson Felix Ward. Army officers assumed that local eastern Chiracahua Apaches were responsible, leading to the infamous conflict between Lt. Bascom and Cochise. In fact, the Pinal Band of the Western Apaches took Felix. John Ward died in 1867. The ranch was also the site of a blacksmith and wheelwright shop, a mining headquarters, a store, finally, a produce farm before it was abandoned in 1903
Marker is on Patagonia Highway (Arizona Route 82 at milepost 16), on the left when traveling west.
Courtesy hmdb.org
