Born to Charles Shreeve Peterson and Ann Patten. Married Eliza Jane Hamson in 1885. Father to 5 children.

This city marshal became the first lawman in Mesa killed in the line of duty when he was shot by a pair of bicycle thieves. He was a sexton in the Mesa Cemetery, planting the first Cemetery's olive trees. He and his wife, Eliza also ran a restaurant where Jacob Waltz, of the Lost Dutchman's Mine fame, reportedly paid for meals with gold nuggets.
- Rhonda
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The History of Hyrum Smith Peterson

Written by Anjanette Stone Lofgren
May 2006

Hyrum Smith Peterson was born in Weber City (now Peterson), Morgan, Utah, on June 29th, 1860. His father was Charles Shreeve Peterson, who was born July 28, 1818, in Mt. Holly, New Jersey, and died September 26, 1889, in Mesa, Arizona. His mother was Ann Patten, who was born May 18, 1831, in White Rock Ford, Pennsylvania, and died January 28, 1909, in Mesa, Arizona.

He was the 6th of 11 children (some report 13 children) born to Charles and Ann. All but two lived to adulthood. Alma Patten Peterson was born February 17, 1850, in Origan, Missouri, Nancy Ann Peterson was born March 30, 1852, in Alpine, Utah, Charles Peterson was born January 28, 1854, in Alpine, Utah, Sarah Ann Peterson was born February 23, 1856, in Weber City (now Peterson), Utah, Joseph Smith Peterson was born June 24, 1858, in Santaquin, Utah, Julia Ann Peterson was born June 8, 1862, in Weber City (now Peterson), Utah, Brigham Young Peterson was born April 17, 1864, in Weber City (now Peterson), Utah, Annie Peterson was born April 17, 1873, in Weber City (now Peterson), Utah, Martha Ann Peterson was born May 9, 1875 in Weber City (now Peterson), Utah, and William Peterson was born July 16, 1880, in Plymouth (now Fielding), Utah.

His parents were Mormon Pioneers. His father's family were Methodists from New Jersey, and in his early adult years, Charles and his first wife joined the LDS church. They were taught the gospel by a man named Elder Joseph H. Newton. Charles was shunned by nearly everyone who knew him for joining the church. He moved his family to Nauvoo in 1843, and there fulfilled his prophecy that he would "shoulder (his) gun and stand in defense of the prophet and the saints in Nauvoo." This came to pass when he was part of the "Nauvoo Legion".

Charles' first wife died while they lived in Nauvoo and left behind four young children. Brigham Young instructed him to remarry and he did 5 more times! Hyrum's mother was the 3rd wife and was married to Charles in Iowa. His father left for Utah in 1849, but his mother stayed behind with her father and joined her husband in 1850. They first settled in Alpine, Utah, and then moved to Weber City in the Weber Valley, where he was a bishop. Weber City was later renamed to Peterson in honor of Charles Shreeve Peterson. Hyrum's father was the first postmaster in the Weber Valley. He was also a probate judge who helped organize the county court. He also held many other elective offices.

The Peterson's moved to Mesa, Arizona in August of 1883. Hyrum and his brother, Charles, had moved there prior to their family's move.

Hyrum was a scout for the Arizona Territory and Mexico for the LDS church and when he returned to his home in Brigham City, Utah, Hyrum married his sweetheart, Eliza Jane Hamson, on February 11, 1885, in Brigham City, Box Elder, Utah. Together they traveled by train through California to Gila Bend, Arizona Territory. They then transferred to a stage coach which took them to the Salt River Valley.

Eliza took one look at the dusty, hot desert scene and vowed to return to her beautiful hometown. Fortunately for this story, the thought of the stage coach ride back to Gila Bend was too much for her and she stayed.

Hyrum built an adobe home for her on the outskirts of Mesa. It was in Mesa where they raised 4 of their 5 children, one of which died in infancy. Their children were Eliza LeVon, born May 26, 1886, Sarah Mabel, born October 15, 1887, Grace Amber, born February 23, 1894, Hazel Ann, born July 20, 1895, and Georgia Lucille, born May 20, 1898. All were born in Mesa, Maricopa County, AZ.

The Petersons had a well of cold water surrounded by an arbor of grapevines in their yard, which attracted anyone traveling through the desert. People from all walks of life would stop there for water and fruit.

One night when Hyrum and his wife and two young girls were arriving home, he dropped them off at the front door to their house while he drove the horse drawn wagon to the barn. Eliza was carrying the girls into their home when she stepped into the dark house and heard a snake rattle. She could not see it and it kept striking at her heavy long skirt. Their screams brought Hyrum racing to their rescue, and this left Eliza with a life long fear of snakes that she handed down to later generations.

Hyrum didn't want his two oldest girls to go out of town for further education. He purchased a piano for the girls and Mabel became an accomplished pianist. When silent movies were popular she would play the piano during the scenes. She won many awards for contests she entered.

Hyrum had the first and only telephone and Mabel was paid to carry messages to all areas of Mesa and surrounding farming communities. She rode her bicycle to deliver these messages and was paid 10 cents for each of these services.

Hyrum was also a cattle rancher and started a business with his son-in-law, Henry Willard Davis. Hyrum then became a Marshall for Mesa City, and had to leave the business.

It was said in a tribute to Hyrum that he "does not recognize friend nor foeman when it comes to enforcement of the laws laid down for him to enforce, and he generally gets the fellow he goes after without making any noise about it."

Hyrum Smith Peterson was one of the first officers killed in the line of duty in Mesa. He had been a deputy under Carl Hayden. On November 12, 1913, after 5 years of serving in law enforcement, Hyrum, mounted on a bicycle, pursued two bicycle thieves for nearly a mile, when they suddenly turned and fired. Their bullets hit him twice in the arm, twice in the leg, and once through the heart. The men were Jack Thomlan, age 20 and A. M. Leonard, age 19. They were caught and brought to trial where they were convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to death by hanging, neither one showing any type of remorse for their crime. They ended up only serving about 7 years in prison for their cold blooded murder because the Governor had pity on them and was making many prison releases.

During the trail, it was said of Hyrum S. Peterson that he had "faced his murderers as he faced his duties." And, "there could be no more noble end than laying down one's life in the defense of his family, his people, and his city." He was 53 at the time of his death. His name is engraved into an 11 foot monument at the Arizona State Capital Building in remembrance of the fallen heroes who served their city as peace officers.

He is buried in the Mesa City Cemetery where his wife was later buried next to him in 1946.

Sources:
Life History of Henry Willard Davis
Mesa, Arizona newspaper articles of the murder trial
Charles Shreeve Peterson History
Headstone in Mesa Cemetery
Mabel Davis Story told by Betty Davis Hayward