Tragic Jack: The True Story of Arizona Pioneer John William Swilling
John William “Jack” Swilling, who established and later named the city of Phoenix, led an impressive and complex life as a scout, farmer, prospector, rancher, and entrepreneur. He fought in the war with Mexico, founded the Swilling Irrigation Canal Company, owned a number of mines, and captured Indian Chief Mangas Colorados to make New Mexico a safer place.
But Jack Swilling also had a dark side. He was addicted to opiate painkillers and alcohol and was accused of killing a dozen or so men — and even blamed for scalping one. Yet despite his many transgressions, he landed in jail for one he didn’t commit.
Falsely accused of a stagecoach robbery, Swilling languished in the Yuma County jail until he died a horrible death, just three weeks before the true guilty party was captured. He was buried in an unmarked grave and largely forgotten — until now. In TRAGIC JACK, biographer and historian R. Michael Wilson tells the true story of this fascinating American pioneer.
Paperback.
112 pages.
Size: 6” x 9”
Price: $10.95
Ships Immediately.
Part # 30079
