Brophy Family Papers, 1882-1976
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
ARIZONA HISTORICAL SOCIETY 949 East Second Street Library & Archives Tucson, AZ 85719 (520) 617-1157 [email protected] MS 1225 Brophy Family Papers, 1882-1976 DESCRIPTION Business and personal correspondence, ledgers, financial records, photographs and scrapbooks relating to William H. Brophy, Ellen A. Goodbody Brophy and Frank Cullen Brophy documenting their personal and business affairs in Arizona (primarily Bisbee and Phoenix). Business records include the founding of the Bank of Douglas and the Bank of Bisbee. Political correspondence with Frank Brophy includes correspondence on the John Birch Society, campaigns of Barry Goldwater and other state and national politics. 132 Boxes, 73.25 linear ft. ACQUISITION Donated by Frank Cullen Brophy in 1977. ACCESS There are no restrictions on access to this collection. COPYRIGHT Requests for permission to publish material from this collection should be addressed to the Arizona Historical Society, Tucson, Archives Department. PROCESSING Riva Dean processed this collection in March 2002. ARRANGEMENT Record Group I: William H Brophy, Record Group II: Ellen Amelia Goodbody Brophy, Record Group III: Frank Cullen Brophy. BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES William Henry Brophy, 1863-1922 William H. Brophy, banker and general manager of the Copper Queen Consolidated Mercantile Company in Bisbee, was born in Ireland in 1863. His parents died young and he was raised by his grandmother. He left school after the eighth grade and at age nineteen, left for the United States. He arrived in Arizona in 1881 where he joined his brother Jim at a ranch in the Sulphur Springs Valley. He then went to Bisbee where he met Dr. James Douglas. He first operated a small mining store called the Copper Queen and eventually became the manager of the Copper Queen Consolidated Mercantile Company. In 1912, he became general manager of the Phelps-Dodge Mercantile Company. He was involved in numerous mining ventures and along with James S. Douglas (son of Dr. James Douglas), he founded the Bank of Bisbee and the Bank of Douglas. He acquired banking and land interests around Phoenix and in Southern California. As a manager with the Phelps Dodge Company, he was involved in the Bisbee Deportation and was a defendant in the trial (in which all employees were acquitted). In 1917, he resigned as general manager of the Mercantile Company and went to France to serve with the Red Cross, where he was in charge of the European Red Cross supplies section. He died while on a fishing expedition near Guaymas, Mexico. Ellen Amelia Goodbody Brophy, 1871-1934 Ellen Brophy, Arizona pioneer and philanthropist, was born in Illinois in 1871. Her parents were Francis Alexander Goodbody and Jane Delahanty Goodbody. As a child, she traveled throughout the Southwest with her father. She married William Henry Brophy in 1891 and they settled in Bisbee. They had three children, one of whom died as an infant, a daughter Ellenita who died at the age of sixteen and Frank Cullen Brophy. Ellen Brophy was known for her philanthropy with charities and educational institutions related to the Catholic Church. She built an annex to the St. Joseph’s Home for Children in Tucson, established the Loretto Convent School in Douglas and founded the Brophy College Preparatory School in Phoenix. For her charitable work, she was awarded the ‘‘Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice’’ by Pope Pius XI. She died in Los Angeles in 1934. Frank Cullen Brophy, 1894-1978 Frank C. Brophy, banker, rancher, writer and conservative political activist, was born in Bisbee in 1894. He was the only son of William Henry Brophy and Ellen Amelia Goodbody Brophy. He was educated at elite schools in the East including the Newman School, Phillips Andover Academy and Yale University. He served in France during World War I and married Sallie Ropes Blake in 1919. The couple settled in Phoenix and had eight children: William H., A. Blake, Frank, Jr., James M. Rory, Alice, Sally and Mary Kathleen and a daughter, Patricia who died as a child. Brophy engaged in numerous business activities. He introduced the area’s first pedigreed citrus and 2 pioneered the development of Sphinx dates. Upon his father’s death in 1922, he took over his father’s many business interests including a large share of many banks. Against Brophy’s wishes, J. S. Douglas liquidated the Bank of Bisbee and in 1936, Brophy took control of the Bank of Douglas. Brophy wrote the advertising copy for the Bank of Douglas. In 1955, he relinquished the presidency of the Bank of Douglas and became Chairman of the Board. In 1958, he resigned the chairmanship and spent his time with his political concerns and with his ranching. He was an amateur historian and wrote articles which appeared in various publications, including Arizona Highways. He was an inveterate writer of letters to the editor, which appeared in newspapers around the state. In 1936, Brophy purchased the Babacomari Ranch where he bred and trained race horses and raised Hereford cattle. He served as a director of the Arizona National Livestock Show, was a chairman of the Arizona Racing Commission and a member of the State Fair Commission. He was active with many charities including serving as president of the Greyhound Foundation which money to local charities. He was one of the founders and a long-time member of the John Birch Society. Brophy’s political interest was life-long but after his retirement from banking, he was extremely active in politics. He was a supporter of Wendell Wilkie and was active in his presidential campaign. He kept up correspondence with all of Arizona’s senators and governors throughout his life. He was friends with Barry Goldwater from their early business connection in Phoenix and was active in Goldwater’s political campaigns. He was also a supported of Joseph McCarthy and other national political figures. Brophy died in Phoenix in 1978 at the age of 83. 3 SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE The scope of this collection is extremely broad because of the varied careers of the Brophy family, particularly Frank Cullen Brophy. The collection will be of interest to researchers of economic, political and social history. Though the collection is focused on Arizona, Frank C. Brophy’s interest in national politics, particularly his papers of the John Birch Society have a wider audience. The papers of William H. Brophy document mining and banking history in the Southwest. Brophy’s many business interests are represented in his correspondence with businesses around the state of Arizona. Though Brophy was working from Bisbee, he worked with businesses and individuals around the state. His correspondence documents mining investments as well the development of the financial base in Arizona. His records and correspondence for the Copper Queen store in Bisbee are detailed records of goods and services. His papers also include his business dealings surrounding real estate holdings in California, Texas and New Mexico as well as Arizona. His personal correspondence illuminates his impressions of the growing state. All of the Brophys were active with Catholic Charities and William Brophy’s correspondence reflects this interest including his correspondence with Bishop Granjon concerning the restoration of Mission San Xavier del Bac, for which Brophy donated money. Some of the William Brophy papers were damaged before being donated to the Society and there are gaps in the correspondence. There is very little correspondence for the teens, so there is almost no business correspondence for 1915-1918 which might have covered the Bisbee Deportation. There are a couple of personal letters from 1919-1920 when the Deportation Trial was taking place in which he discusses the Deportation, but it appears that for the most part, any material relating to the deportation or the trial was either damaged or pulled. Some family and personal correspondence to and from William Brophy when he was in France during World War I contains some mention of the deportation also. The papers of Ellen Brophy include her personal correspondence which is largely with family members. It also reflects her work with Catholic charities and educational institutions. After her husband’s death, her son, Frank managed her estate, but she took an active interest and there is a great deal of correspondence with Frank and his secretary, Charles Orr concerning her properties and investments. The papers of Frank Brophy offer researchers a wide range of material, due to his many interests. The correspondence between Frank Brophy and James S. Douglas documents Brophy’s taking over the Bank of Douglas and the changes in the banking business, including the widening of the investment base. His ‘‘general correspondence’’ which is arranged chronologically covers banking, properties, mining, as well as including some more personal correspondence. Because he had office staff to keep his 4 records, the correspondence is always kept with both incoming and outgoing correspondence together and was arranged in a businesslike manner, even when it including correspondence with family members. Brophy’s political interests began with his anti-prohibition work in the 1920s and continued for the rest of his life. His work with the John Birch Society, Barry Goldwater and his other political files and correspondence document the growing conservative movement in the 1960s and 70s. The political correspondence is very detailed and includes Brophy’s own correspondence and advice to politicians. Because he was considered so influential in Arizona, his advice was listened to, even if it wasn’t followed, so the correspondence is often quite detailed as to political debate. The subjects are varied and include foreign policy, anti-communism in general, taxation, soil conservation and states’ rights. 5 Series Notes Record Group I: William H. Brophy Series 1: William H. Brophy --- Personal Papers, 1882-1921.