Angela Hutchinson Hammer: Arizona's Pioneer Newspaperwoman [Paperback]

Betty E. Hammer Joy (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 15, 2005

In 1905, with her marriage dissolved and desperate to find a way to feed her children, Angela Hutchinson Hammer bought a handpress, some ink, and a few fonts of type, and began printing a little tabloid called the Wickenburg Miner. In her naïveté, Angela never dreamed this purchase would place her squarely in the forefront of power struggles during Arizona's early days of statehood. A true daughter of the West, Angela, born in a tiny mining hamlet in Nevada, came to the Territory of Arizona at the age of twelve. Betty Hammer Joy weaves together the lively story of her grandmother's life by drawing upon Angela's own prodigious writing and correspondence, newspaper archives, and the recollections of family members. Her book recounts the stories Angela told of growing up in mining camps, teaching in territorial schools, courtship, marriage, and a twenty-eight-year career in publishing and printing. During this time, Angela managed to raise three sons, run for public office before women in the nation had the right to vote, serve as Immigration Commissioner in Pinal County, homestead, and mature into an activist for populist agendas and water conservation. As questionable deals took place both within and outside the halls of government, the crusading Angela encountered many duplicitous characters who believed that women belonged at home darning socks, not running a newspaper. Although Angela's independent papers brought personal hardship and little if any financial reward, after her death in 1952 the newspaper industry paid tribute to this courageous woman by selecting her as the first woman to enter the Arizona Newspaper Hall of Fame. In 1983 she was honored posthumously with another award for women who contributed to Arizona's progress—induction into the Arizona Women's Hall of Fame.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This is a good, positive story . . . . Joy [provides] glimpses into the daily life of Arizona.”—Journal of the West

About the Author

Betty Hammer Joy grew up in Casa Grande, Arizona, and now lives in the foothills of the Mingus Mountain Range in Dewey-Humboldt, Arizona.

Product Details

• Paperback: 216 pages
• Publisher: University of Arizona Press (September 15, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0816523576
• ISBN-13: 978-0816523573
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,448,779 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Arizona Reads 2012 choice, January 6, 2012

By 

Joyce Massey "Joyce in the desert" (Arizona, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Angela Hutchinson Hammer: Arizona's Pioneer Newspaperwoman (Paperback)

For those who are interested in early history of the mountain west states, this is an excellent read.
It is a biography of the first Arizona female newspaper editor/owner. It very thoroughly covers how difficult life was in the 1800s and early 1900s especially for women and how Angela was able to overcome the odds-many times. It was very hard book to put down, and I can hardly wait to discuss this with my book club.