Nuns’ trip brought job, marriage offers

Editor’s Note: The Yuma Sun is reprinting articles from past newspapers throughout the year as part of the Yuma Sun’s 150th anniversary, honoring Yuma’s unique history. This column is one in a series written by local historian Frank Love that appeared periodically in the newspaper.

Seven nuns belonging to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondolet arrived in Tucson on May 26, 1870. They had started their long journey from San Diego to Tucson in Arizona Territory in early May of that year. It would carry them across some of the west’s most difficult terrain and also through Yuma. A journal kept by Sister Monica described their experience.

The nuns left San Diego in a privately owned wagon. It was too small for all of them to fit inside the canvas-covered vehicle, so one was forced to ride outside with their driver. Sister Ambrosia volunteered to suffer the trip on the seat by the driver without protection from the sun, which can be punishing in May.

Leaving San Diego on May 7, the wagon traveled about 20 or more miles the first day. Sister Monica reported they camped at the base of a mountain that evening. When night came, two of the nuns, Monica and Euphrasia, slept under the wagon while the other five slept inside. Only two of them could lie down flat at one time while the other three had to sleep sitting up.

Sleeping outside as Sister Euphrasia did had its startling times. She was awakened by several wolves howling nearby.

She believed her prayers saved her. She wrote that she “recommended ourselves to Him who guides the weak.” She was able to go back to sleep again but was again awakened by one of the horses licking her face.

The nuns reached a ranch the next day where they were offered and ate a good dinner. Several of them got offers of marriage from local men who suggested marrying them would be better than death at the hands of the outlaw types they would encounter en route to Tucson. All of the marriage proposals were rejected.

By the next day, the wagon carrying the sisters started down the mountains toward the desert. Their driver felt it unsafe to carry them down the incline in his wagon, so they walked to the base, where they came to another ranch occupied by what Sister Monica described as “a drunken mob.”

She reported some of the men were swearing and annoying but didn’t molest them. Asked why the men were so aggressive, the ranch cook answered, “Ladies seldom pass this way, and when they do, the men wish to enjoy their society.”

Their wagon reached the desert the next day where they passed a rancher herding a large number of cattle. Monica believed it contained 1,000 animals. Farther along, they passed the remains of several hundred sheep which had died during a sandstorm. Later in the day, they came to a ranch where they were permitted to sleep in the owner’s stable.

The journey resumed across the desert the next day. One of the nuns was wearing low shoes that provided little protection against the ever-present cactus. She had more than 20 sores on her feet when the trip ended that day.

The nuns reached the Colorado River on May 13 where their wagon crossed on a raft also containing several horses. One of the animals fell after it started across, and their wagon almost fell into the river when the raft nearly tipped over.

Monica wrote, “I saw the danger before it happened and jumped from the carriage, escaped being drowned and ending our mission.”

Yuma, then known as Arizona City, had a small church, in charge was a Father Francisco. They remained here three days in the home of a Mexican family. Yuma had no school, and two of the nuns were offered $100 a month each if they would stay and start one. Neither accepted the job.

Sister Monica described the journey from Yuma to Tucson as “quite pleasant.” Father Francisco saw that they were provided with a covered carriage, a cook to prepare their meals, and accompanied them on the rest of the journey.

The nuns finally reached Tucson on May 26. They were met outside town by a group of citizens led by four priests who had been informed the sisters were coming.

As the nuns entered town, a large crowd was waiting to greet them. Sister Monica noted that there were about 3,000 with “some discharging firearms, others carrying lighted torches, all walking in order. The city was illuminated – fireworks in full play.”

The city’s bells rang out in greeting to the nuns as the carriage entered Tucson. Sister Monica recorded that upon reaching the convent where they would live, the local bishop and several other people were awaiting their arrival. She recalled, “The ladies ushered us into the refectory where a nice supper had been prepared for us.”