27 Facts About Sylvester Mowry

Sylvester Mowry was an American politician, miner, and land speculator.

Sylvester Mowry is best remembered as an early advocate for the establishment of the Arizona Territory.

Sylvester Mowry was a West Point graduate and officer of the United States Army who was later arrested as a traitor during the American Civil War.

When Young learned of this, he was furious with Sylvester Mowry and threatened his life.

Steptoe hastily ordered Sylvester Mowry to leave Utah and lead a detachment of soldiers southwest through the Great Basin to Fort Tejon, California, a difficult journey across 750 miles of desert and mountains.

In 1856, Sylvester Mowry was elected as a delegate to advocate before Congress for the creation of the Arizona Territory.

Sylvester Mowry was granted leave by the Army but when he arrived in Washington in May 1857, Congress refused to recognize him.

Nevertheless, Sylvester Mowry worked unofficially with members of Congress and appealed to the public, writing articles for publication and making speeches in support of creating an Arizona Territory.

Sylvester Mowry was successfully re-elected to the position of delegate in late 1857 but Congress again failed to recognize him.

Sylvester Mowry eventually resigned his Army commission on July 31,1858, and continued to push for recognition of an Arizona Territory.

Cross fired his four shots to no effect and Sylvester Mowry spent three shots but declined to use his final shot.

Sylvester Mowry subsequently purchased the Arizonian newspaper and relocated it to Tucson where it became a voice for the Democrats in the region.

In 1860 Sylvester Mowry resigned his position as delegate and accepted an appointment to serve as a Commissioner for the United States to establish an eastern boundary for California.

In early 1861 Sylvester Mowry was crisscrossing the Territory, holding meetings to promote the Confederate cause.

Sylvester Mowry remained however, erecting a stockade in hopes of protecting his mine.

Sylvester Mowry wrote to government officials pleading for protection from the Apaches and when no help was forthcoming he wrote to Confederate officers with no better results.

Sylvester Mowry was a firm supporter of the new territory, as were many others in Arizona.

Sylvester Mowry was accused of treason for selling ammunition to rebel forces and sharing military information in letters to various Confederate officials including Jefferson Davis, Brigadier General Henry Hopkins Sibley and Captain Sherod Hunter.

Sylvester Mowry was detained at Fort Yuma while his case was considered by a military commission.

Likewise, Sylvester Mowry's case was reviewed by a Board of Officers and Sylvester Mowry was released from custody on November 8,1862.

Many of Sylvester Mowry's statements were contradictory, telling potential investors that the mine was still a lucrative ongoing venture but then complaining that government intervention had cost him dearly.

In particular, Sylvester Mowry was bitterly angry with Carleton, claiming that his arrest was result of a grudge that the general held against him for some past incident.

Finally in November 1864 Sylvester Mowry sold his mine to a group of San Francisco investors and returned to Arizona to operate it on their behalf.

Sylvester Mowry enjoyed the prosperous lifestyle of a successful businessman.

In 1870 Sylvester Mowry returned to Arizona to run again for the position of territorial delegate.

In June 1871 Sylvester Mowry became seriously ill while in Washington DC.

Sylvester Mowry's most enduring legacy is the village that grew up around his silver mine after his death.