Sturges Farms Collection

TITLE: Sturges Farms Collection

DATE RANGE:  1892-1956

CALL NUMBER:   Y-MS 58

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:   12 linear feet

PROVENANCE:  Donated by the Sturges Trust, 1992  

COPYRIGHT:   The Yuma County Library District owns this copyright. 

RESTRICTIONS: This collection is unrestricted.   

CREDIT LINE: Stephen Sturges Collection Y-MS 58, Yuma County Library District

PROCESSED BY: Linda Whitaker, September 2015

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE:   Stephen H. Sturges was one of ten children born to William W. and Hattie (Black) Sturges on August 9, 1896. In 1907 the family moved from Meadville, Missouri to Yuma where his brother Charlie bought a 40-acre farm. The Sturges boys went to work early. Stephen said, “I could go to school only every other year. Farm work came first, school second.” He finished high school at age 22. He went on to become President of Sturges Farms which cultivated 2,500 acres, rented 2,000 additional acres, and also held state leases on 2,000 acres. He experimented with almost every crop and agricultural process known to the Yuma area. 

After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War I, Stephen returned to Yuma where he expanded the family farming business to include alfalfa, cattle, lettuce, cantaloupe production and shipping, cotton production and ginning, real estate, land excavation, and other ventures such as copper mining in California and oil in Ohio.   He became active in irrigation politics and was known as a tireless fighter for irrigation development. He served many years on the Board of Governors of the Yuma County Water Users Association. He is remembered for his successful efforts in freeing control of the project from the Bureau of Reclamation.  In his later years, he became interested in buying and selling art.  

During his first marriage, Stephen Sturges adopted his niece Jane Sturges Schoenherr.  In 1943, he married Rose Poos, a school teacher at Fourth Avenue Grammar. She was wellliked by her students, many of whom became lifelong friends. Like her husband, she was active in the community throughout her life.  She was known for her flower gardens and received many awards for her flowers and arrangements. In 1991, she was inducted into the Yuma County Educational Hall of Fame.  She died in 1995, at the age of 96.

Stephen Sturges, enjoyed hunting and fishing along the Colorado River with his brothers and was one of Yuma’s best known and best liked citizens.  By all reports, he was a friendly, informal and generous man who preferred the outdoors walking the fields and checking his crops. He ran “a happy office “without status symbols and where working people were always welcomed.  Stephen Sturges died in 1982 at the age of 85.

(Sources: Arizona Edition, American Biographical Encyclopedia, Profiles of Prominent Personalities by Paul W. Pollock, 1967 p. 58.  

Sturges Charitable Trust   https://sites.google.com/site/sturgescharitabletrust/home/about accessed 9-1-15)

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE: As of this date, very little remains of Stephen

Sturges’ personal and business papers. The bulk of this collection consists of checks and invoices in a narrow date range from 1954-1956. Given his contributions to Yuma agribusiness and his reputation as a generous, civic-minded man, this is a real loss to the historical record.  However, he and his wife live on through the Stephen H. Sturges and Rose P. Sturges Charitable Trust. 

This trust provides funding for scholarships through the Yuma Community Foundation to qualified Yuma high school students planning to attend college.  Since 1985, over 340 students have received scholarships from the Stephen H. and Rose P. Sturges Trusts. Each year, twelve to fifteen Higher Education Scholarships are awarded to Yuma area high school seniors.  With satisfactory grades and proper enrollment, each scholarship is renewable for three years for a total scholarship of $10,000.  (Source: https://sites.google.com/site/sturgescharitabletrust/home/about accessed 9-1-15)

Arranged in four series and chronological or alphabetical within.  Series I: General Correspondence – folders reflect original titles and the only extant correspondence to and from Stephen Sturges. Of interest is the Yuma Producers Association’s Prisoner of War Committee. Series II: Investments – real estate titles and abstracts.   Series III: Cancelled Checks – documents the principle business accounts for Sturges Farms; includes paychecks that show the scope of the Sturges Farms payroll. Series IV: Invoices – document a wide range of farming expenses and his support of Yuma businesses.  

CONTAINER LIST:   

Box Folder Title Dates
1 1 General Correspondence:  “A” 1954
  2 General Correspondence:  “B”   1954
  3 General Correspondence:  “C” 1952-1954
  4 General Correspondence:  “F” 1954
  5 General Correspondence: “G” 1954
  6 General Correspondence: “R” 1954
  7 General Correspondence:  “S” 1954
  8 General Correspondence:  “T” 1954
  9 General Correspondence:  “U” 1955-1956
  10 General Correspondence:  “W” 1954
  11 General Correspondence:  Yuma County Water Association 1948-1951
  12 General Correspondence:  Yuma County Producers Cooperative Association, Prisoner of War Committee 1945-1946
  13 Investments: Title Abstract, Lot 10, Block 4, Speese Addition 1892-1931
  14 Investments: Title Abstract, Southwest 

Quarter of Southwest Quarter of Southeast Quarter, Section 31 Township 8 (includes mining claim Lucky Rock No. 1)  

1897-1912
  15 Investments: Title Abstract, Lot 5, Block 26, Yuma Heights Subdivision 1897-1938
  16 Investments: Title Abstract, West Half of 

Southeast Quarter, Section 31 Township 8

1902-1924
  17 Investments: Title Abstract, Lot 2, 

Northwest Quarter, Section 6 Township 9 South

1904-1941
  18 Investments: Title Abstract,  South Half of 

Northeast Quarter, Lots 1 & 2, Section 6 Township 9

1905-1942
  19 Investments: Various Properties (includes valuation, photos, produce labels) n.d.
2   Cancelled Checks: Cotton Finance Account 1955
    Cancelled Checks Free Growers Picking Account  1955
    Cancelled Checks: General Account 1955-1956
    Cancelled Checks: Grain Finance Account  1955
3   Cancelled Checks: Operating Account 1958
4    Cancelled Checks: Paychecks  #1753-#2299 1954
5    Cancelled Checks: Paychecks  #2400-#2799 1954
6   Cancelled Checks: Paychecks  #2800-#3299 1954
7   Cancelled Checks: Paychecks  #3300-#3799 1954
8   Cancelled Checks: Paychecks  #3800-#4244 1954
9   Cancelled Checks: Paychecks  #742-#1399 1958
10   Cancelled Checks: Paychecks  #1402-#5599 1958
11   Cancelled Checks: Paychecks  #5600-#6199 1958
12   Cancelled Checks: Paychecks  #6200-#6799 1958
13   Cancelled Checks: Paychecks  #6800-#7391 1958
14  1 Invoices: Atmar Distributing Company 1954-1955
  2 Invoices: Arizona Public Service  1954
  3 Invoices: Arizona State Tax Commission 1953-1954
  4 Invoices: Arizona Title Guarantee & Trust  1954
  5 Invoices: Arizona Trucking Company 1954-1956
  6 Invoices: Arizona Water Company 1955-1956
  7 Invoices: “B” (various) 1954-1955
  8 Invoices:  B&H Refrigeration  1954-1955
  9 Invoices: Bard District Welding & Machine 1954-1955
  10 Invoices: Beckett’s Tacna Garage 1955
15 1 Invoices: Beeler, Clarence 1954-1955
  2 Invoices: Begley Tractor Company 1954-1955
  3 Invoices: Bell Lumber Company 1954-1955
  4 Invoices: Billingsley, HF 1954-1955
  5 Invoices: Blake, Moffitt & Towne 1954-1955
  6 Invoices: Bonanza Airlines 1954-1955
  7 Invoices: Boone, Orville 1954
  8 Invoices: Braden Machinery Company 1954-1958
  9 Invoices: Bradford Richfield Service 1955
  10 Invoices: Brandt Brothers 1954-1955
  11 Invoices: Brecht Manufacturing Company 1954 
  12  Invoices: Brown & Bigelow 1954
  13 Invoices: Burch Aircraft Repair 1954-1955
  14 Invoices: Bureau of Indian Affairs 11954-1956
  15 Invoices: Burgess Sheet Metal Company 1954-1955
  16 Invoices: Busch Tractor & Implement Company  1954-1955
  17 Invoices: Business Systems Inc.  1954
16 1 Invoices: “C” (various) 1952-1955
  2 Invoices: Capitol Engineering Company 1954-1955
  3 Invoices: Calhoun Richfield Service 1953-1955
  4 Invoices: California Department of 

Employment

1954
  5 Invoices: California-Western State Life Insurance Company 1954
  6 Invoices: Carson Enterprises 1954-1955
  7 Invoices: Conner Tire Company 1954-1955
  8 Invoices: Cash 1954-1955
  9 Invoices: Columbia Ribbon & Carbon Pacific Inc. 1954
  10 Invoices: Commodity News Services Inc. 1955-1956
  11 Invoices: Continental Gin Service Company 1 of 3 1954
  12 Invoices: Continental Gin Service Company 2 of 3 1954
  13 Invoices: Continental Gin Service Company 3 of 3  1955
17 1 Invoices:  Cotton Digest 1954-1955
  2 Invoices:  Cotton Trade Journal 1954
  3 Invoices: Credit Bureau of Yuma 1954-1955
  4 Invoices: Culligan Soft Water Service  1955-1955
  5 Invoices: “D” (various)  1954-1955
  6 Invoices: Dateland Farms 1954-1955
  7 Invoices: Davis, Henry 1954-1955
  8 Invoices: Davidson, Howard 1954
  9 Invoices: Douthitt, WH 1954-1955
  10 Invoices: Dunbar, CC 1953-1955
  11 Invoices: “E” (various) 1954-1955
  12 Invoices: El Paso National Bank 1955
  13 Invoices: Electronic Equipment Distributors 1954
18 1 Invoices: Elliot, Howard Chevron 1955
  2 Invoices: Equitable Life Assurance of the United States 1953-1954
  3 Invoices: “F” (various) 1954-1956
  4 Invoices: Farm Loan Association 1951-1954
  5 Invoices: Farmers Marketing Corporation 1954-1955
  6 Invoices: Faulds Incorporated 1954-1955
  7 Invoices: First Federal Savings & Loan Association 1954-1955
  8 Invoices: First National Bank 1954
  9 Invoices: Folly, DP 1954-1955
  10 Invoices: Fred’s Service Station 1 of 3 1954
  11 Invoices: Fred’s Service Station 2 of 3 1954
19 1 Invoices:  Fred’s Service Station 3 of 3 1955-1956
  2 Invoices:  “G” (various) 1954-1955
  3 Invoices General Petroleum   1954
  4 Invoices: Gilpin’s   1954-1955
  5 Invoices: Glover, Margaret 1954-1955
  6 Invoices Galbraith-Foxworth Lumber Company    1954-1955
  7 Invoices: Goodyear Shell Service 1 of 4 1954-
  8 Invoices: Goodyear Shell Service 2 of 4 1954
20 1 Invoices: Goodyear Shell Service 3 of 4 1954
  2 Invoices: Goodyear Shell Service 4 of 4 1955
  3 Invoices: Growers Farm Supply  1954
  4 Invoices:  “H” (various)  1954-1955
  5 Invoices: “I” (various) 1954-1955
  6 Invoices: Recorders Office 1954
  7 Invoices: “S” (various)  1956
  8 Invoices: Sabin, Kirby 1956
  9 Invoices: Snap-on Tools 1956
  10 Invoices: Somerton Rotary Club 1956
  11 Invoices: Svensson, Freight Lines  1 of 3 1953
  12 Invoices: Svensson, Freight Lines  2 of 3 1954
21 1 Invoices: Svensson, Freight Lines 3 of 3 1954
  2 Invoices:  “T” (various)   1953-1956
  3 Invoices:  Tate & Hobart Gas & Equipment Company  1 of 3 1953-1954
  4 Invoices:  Tate & Hobart Gas & Equipment Company  2 of 3 1955
  5 Invoices:  Tate & Hobart Gas & Equipment Company  3 of 3 1955-1956
  6 Invoices:  Texas-Arizona Motor Freight 1953-1955
  7 Invoices:  Texas Tag & Specialty Company 1954-1955
22 1 Invoices:  The Texas Company 1954
  2 Invoices:  Thomas, Merle 1954-1955
  3 Invoices:  Tide Water Associated Oil 

Company

1954
  4 Invoices:  Toledo Seale Company 1955-1956
  5 Invoices:  Trigg, CH 1954-1955
  6 Invoices:  Triple A Water Company 1954-1955
  7 Invoices:  “U” (various) 1954-1955
  8 Invoices:  Underwood Corporation 1953-1955
  9 Invoices:  Union Oil Company 1954-1955
  10 Invoices:  Uptown Drug 1954-1955
  11 Invoices:   “V” (various) 1954-1956
  12 Invoices:   Valley Auto Supply Company  1954-1956
  13 Invoices:  Valley Cafe 1954-1956
  14 Invoices:   Valley Commercial Company 1954-1956
  15 Invoices:   Valley Drug 1954-1956
  16 Invoices:   Valley Motor Company 1954-1956
  17 Invoices:   “W” (various) 1953-1956
  18 Invoices:   Waddell, JJ Insurance 1954-1955
  19 Invoices:   Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation & Drainage District  1 of 2  1952-1954
  20 Invoices:  Wellton-Mohawk Irrigation & Drainage District  2 of 2 1955
23 1 Invoices:  West, Kenneth 1954
  2 Invoices:  Western Brake & Wheel  1955
  3 Invoices:  Western Truck Lines Ltd.  1 of 2 1954
  4 Invoices:  Western Truck Lines Ltd.  2 of 2 1954-1955
  5 Invoices:  Western Union   1954-1955
  6 Invoices:  Westover & Mansfield Attorneys at Law 1954
  7 Invoices:  White, Matilda B.   1951-1954
  8 Invoices:  Wholesalers Credit Association of Arizona 1955
  9 Invoices:  Williams Food Market 1954-1955
  10 Invoices:  Witman, Roy 1954-1955
  11 Invoices:  Worthington, James 1 of 2 1954
  12 Invoices:  Worthington, James 2 of 2 1955
24 1 Invoices:   “X,Y, & Z” (various) 1954-1956
  2 Invoices:  “Xmas” Checks 1954
  3 Invoices:  Yuma Auto Supply  1954-1955
  4 Invoices:  Yuma Country Club 1954-1955
  5 Invoices:  Yuma County Assessor & Treasurer  1 of 3 1946-1948
  6 Invoices:  Yuma County Assessor & Treasurer  2 of 3 1949-1952
  7 Invoices:  Yuma County Assessor & Treasurer  3 of 3 1954
  8 Invoices:  Yuma County Water Users Association 1954-1955
       
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