Women Of The West: Refugio Barth Landavazo

By Steve Goldstein, Kaely Monahan
Published: Wednesday, April 1, 2020 - 2:48pm
Updated: Thursday, April 2, 2020 - 10:45am

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Dolly Patterson/Apache County Historical Society Museum
Refugio Barth Landavazo

Arizona boasts many women who have made history both in the state and on the national stage. We all know the impact that Sandra Day O'Connor and Rose Mofford had, but in The Show's Women of the West series, we highlight some of the lesser-known women whose stories shaped our state's history.

Refugio Barth Landavazo lived from 1855 to 1921. She was married to one of the more infamous men of that era: Solomon Barth, the disputed founder of St. Johns.

Vanessa Fonseca-Chavez, an assistant professor of English at ASU, is working on a project looking at the migrant journey from Mexico into the southwestern U.S. with a focus on women. That’s part of what led her to Barth Landavazo.

The Show spoke to Fonseca-Chavez about her work and the life of Barth Landavazo.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The story has been updated to correct the spelling of Refugio Barth Landavazo's name. Also, in the audio, the dowry should be 4,000 head of sheep. 

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