GREENLEE COUNTY, AZ HISTORY AND LOOKUP
County History Books
The Salt River Valley, by Arizona Maricopa County Board of Supervisors; Crenshaw, J. W (1908) – 44 Pages
Source: Internet Archive
Book ID: CH.2023.12.04.2330.CD.AR
Greenlee County, Arizona: A Genealogical Overview
As Arizona’s youngest and least populous county, Greenlee county possesses a rugged history dominated by the copper mining industry. Carved from the eastern edge of the state, its story is one of Apache homelands, vast mineral wealth, and the boom-and-bust cycles of company towns like Clifton and Morenci.
I. County Formation and Evolution
For genealogists, Greenlee county’s late formation is the most critical fact; all records for ancestors living in the area before 1909 must be sought in its parent county.
- 1909: County Formed: Greenlee county was established on March 10, 1909, making it the last of Arizona’s counties to be created.
- Parent County: It was formed from the eastern portion of Graham county.
- Name Origin: The county was named for Mason (or Massin) M. Greenlee, one of the earliest and most prominent prospectors and pioneers in the Clifton area.
- County Seat History: The mining town of Clifton was chosen as the county seat upon the county’s formation and has remained the seat of government ever since.
II. Settlement and Early History
- Early Inhabitants: The rugged mountains and canyons of the area were the traditional homeland of the Apache people, particularly the Chiricahua Apache. The region was the site of intense conflict during the Apache Wars, involving leaders such as Geronimo.
- Copper Mining and Settlement: The discovery of vast copper deposits in the 1860s and 1870s was the sole driver of American and Mexican settlement. The towns of Clifton, Morenci, and Duncan were established as mining camps. The economy has been almost entirely dependent on copper ever since, dominated for over a century by the Phelps Dodge Corporation (now Freeport-McMoRan), which operates one of the largest open-pit copper mines in the world at Morenci.
- Labor History: The county has a rich and often turbulent labor history, with a diverse workforce of Mexican, Mexican-American, and European immigrant miners. Major, often violent, strikes for better wages and working conditions occurred throughout the 20th century, most notably in 1903 and 1983.
III. Genealogical Records and Resources
This section provides practical information for locating ancestral records specific to Greenlee county.
- Courthouse:
- Greenlee County Clerk of the Superior Court: Located at 223 5th Street, Clifton, AZ 85533. This office is the primary repository for court records, including probate (wills and estates) and marriage licenses, from 1909 forward.
- Greenlee County Recorder’s Office: Located at 253 5th Street, Clifton, AZ 85533. This office holds all land records (deeds, mortgages, mining claims). For all records prior to 1909, researchers must consult the records of the parent county, Graham county.
- Vital Records:
- Birth and Death Records: Statewide registration in Arizona began in July 1909. These records are held by the Arizona Department of Health Services, Bureau of Vital Records. Some delayed birth records may be found at the county level.
- Marriage Records: Marriage records from 1909 to the present are held by the Greenlee County Clerk of the Superior Court.
- Libraries with Genealogy Collections:
- Clifton Public Library: Located at 588 Turner Avenue, Clifton, AZ 85533. The libraries in Clifton and Duncan provide local history resources. The Greenlee County Historical Society, located in Duncan, is an essential resource for historical photographs, documents, and family histories related to the county’s mining past.
- Bordering Jurisdictions:
- Apache county, AZ
- Cochise county, AZ
- Graham county, AZ
- Catron county, NM
- Grant county, NM
- Hidalgo county, NM