Hailing from the Salt River region of Arizona,we are an ornery bunch of brushtails that have been out on the range a little too long for our own good. With guns as fast as lightning,we still manage hearts of gold. We trust in the golden rule, that is, as far as lead will fly.

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Thanks Tortilla Flat for a great season!

 

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The Tale of Jonathon Many Brothers

 

I was born Jonathon Rieley in the month of February 1840, son of John and Anne Rieley, ranchers in the Great Plains region of the Mississippi River.  As a young boy, I tended to the livestock, the garden, and the other chores on our ranch.  Every now and then, people would come to our ranch to ask for food, to buy our livestock, or to rest before their journey to the southwest.  Over the years, I had heard tales of the great wilderness of the southwest through the stories the travelers told on our ranch.  These stories peaked my interest and my longing for exploration. 

 

At the age of 16, I left home and headed for the southwest with my horse, my rifle, and expectations of a great journey that lay ahead of me. It did not take long for me to perfect my hunting skills and my awareness of the dangerous and hard traveling to get to the west. The trail west was filled with murderers, thieves, and Indian raids.

 

During my journey, I had seen a lot of blood shed and decided that I would take the path of good rather than evil.  As I entered the southwest, I began to trade with and became friends with the Zuni Pueblo Indians of the New Mexico Territory.  They are a kind and generous people and had come to call me friend and brother to the Zuni.  One night I was invited to a ceremony that I found out was a great honor because that night the Zuni People named me Manybrothers, brother to all the Zuni People. 

 

 With much hesitation, I left the Zuni People to continue my journey in life.  There were many tears, as we all knew it might be the last time I saw my new brothers.  Before long, I found myself settling down in the Salt River region of the Arizona Territory.  It is rugged, untamed, and majestic.  As I made my mark in the Valley of the Sun as an honorable and just man, something had happened to me.

 

In the year 1871, I met a weary traveler.  She was smart, quick-witted, and honest.  But most of all, she was the most magnificent sight I had ever seen.  The shape of her body, the color of her hair, and the kindness in her heart had captured my affection and at that moment, I knew that she would be my wife. 

 

We married, bought a ranch, and made a home for ourselves.  Jessica Manybrothers, the strong woman that she is, tended to the ranch while  I brought the livestock to slaughter and made my name known as a Salt River Ranger, keeping the mountain passes safe and the mining camps free of dregs.

 

From time to time, we make our way to theTerritory of New Mexico to pay respect to my Zuni brothers, especially my Friend, my Brother, Medicine Bear.

 

Written by J Many Brothers

Annie, beloved daughter of Tatanka Trader, was carried up to heaven in the loving arms of waiting angels on March 6, 2009, after a brave and painful battle with bladder, lung, and bone cancer.
She was 26 years old.
The Salt River Rangers extend our deepest condolences to Tatanka Trader and Annie's family and friends.