"Baron of Arizona" redirects here. For the 1950 film, see The Baron of Arizona.
For the Washington Supreme Court justice, see James Bradley Reavis.
James Reavis
Reavis in 1900
Born
James Addison Reavis
(1843-05-10)May 10, 1843
Henry County, Missouri
Died
November 27, 1914(1914-11-27) (aged 71)
Denver, Colorado
Other names
Baron of Arizona
Occupation(s)
Soldier, Real Estate agent, Street Car Conductor
Spouse(s)
Ada Pope (1874–1883) Sophia Treadway (1882?–1902)[Note 1]
Conviction(s)
Fraud and Forgery (1895)
Criminal penalty
US$5,000 fine and 2 years prison
James Addison Reavis (May 10, 1843 – November 27, 1914), later using the name James Addison Peralta-Reavis, the so-called Baron of Arizona,[Note 2] was an American forger and fraudster. He is best known in association with the Peralta land grant, also known as the Barony of Arizona, a pair of fraudulent land claims, which if certified, would have granted him ownership of over 18,600 square miles (48,200 km2) of land in central Arizona Territory and western New Mexico Territory.[2] During the course of the fraud, Reavis collected an estimated US$5.3 million in cash and promissory notes ($194 million in present-day terms[3]) through the sale of quitclaims and proposed investment plans.[4]
Under the terms of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo and the Gadsden Purchase, the United States was required to recognize and honor existing land grants made by either the Spanish or Mexican governments.[5] Reavis used this provision by manufacturing a fictional claim and then generating a collection of documents demonstrating how the claim came into his possession. The documents were then covertly inserted into various records archives. In his initial claim, Reavis claimed title to the grant via a series of conveyances. When serious challenges to this claim developed, Reavis developed a second claim by marrying the purported last surviving lineal descendant of the original claim recipient.
During the course of his deception, Reavis convinced prominent people to support his efforts. He obtained legal and political support from Roscoe Conkling, Robert G. Ingersoll, and James Broadhead. Business leaders such as Charles Crocker and John W. Mackay, in turn, provided financial support. Initial exposure of the fraud occurred when an unfavorable surveyor general report caused the claim to be summarily dismissed. In response to this action, Reavis sued the U.S. government for US$11 million in damages ($403 million in present-day terms[3]). The suit, in turn, prompted the U.S. government to perform a detailed investigation that fully exposed the forgeries Reavis had planted in a variety of locations.
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^Powell 1959, p. 164.
^Wagoner 1970, p. 274.
^ ab1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda(PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States(PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
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