5/1/2007 Prescott Courier
History comes alive in tour of Dugas Ranch today By Jackie Mattheis
Special to the BB/CC News
The geographical center of Arizona is a small ghost town northeast of Cordes Junction called Dugas. Its founder and namesake Fred Dugas was born in 1871, and came to the area with his father Louis Dugas about 1877. Fred and his father decided to homestead the area after determining that it was a good area to pasture their herd of oxen. Fred took full responsibility for running the ranch when he was no more than 13 years old (although people's memories differ as to whether he was even that old) because his father decided to spend his time as proprietor of the Lucky 7 bar on historic Whiskey Row in Prescott. The family built the original homestead in the area they refer to as the "Indian Cabin." The family then moved farther south along the Sycamore Creek and built their second house, the remains of which are still visible. Fred was tired of being knee deep in the infamous Dugas mud. Take a drive down the road after a good rain and you will understand how he felt. A little after the turn of the century he decided on the final housing spot with a nice firm rock foundation. This house is still standing on the hill overlooking Sycamore Creek off the main road. It was from this location that Fred and his wife Emaline Gertrude Dugas decided to expand their family. The first child born to the couple was Alfred Dugas. Alfred never really took to the ranching lifestyle and spent a considerable amount of time as a prisoner of war in the Philippines during World War II. Their second child was a daughter, Evelyn Dugas, who later married Lloyd Dingman. Phoebe Dugas was their youngest daughter and became Fred's right hand "man" on the ranch. She was still riding horseback up into her late 80s. Historians credit Fred Dugas with finding the "Cradle Bough Battleground," a site on the ranch where soldiers from Fort Verde had an altercation with a tribe of natives. Fred was a very big man, close to 6 foot 5 inches, and built very broad. He certainly had the strength to go with his size. He is said to have lifted 70- to 100-pound bags of grain under one arm as he mounted his horse. He also was quite the roper and known to carry a 70-foot lariat, which ended up costing him several fingers when they got caught between an outstretched rope with a cow at one end and the other end tied to his saddle horn. Apparently it wasn't much of a match for even the meatiest of fingers. People knew Fred to be quite outspoken and there weren't many who would cross words with him. However, all who knew him commented on his generosity. He was a man of his word. Arizona Power Co. (now APS) contracted with Fred in 1909 to house the workers and care for their livestock while the company put in what is known as the Childs Power line. The power company offered to install power at the ranch for free but Fred insisted on not having it. He preferred the simpler lifestyle. The ranch did not get power until after Fred's death in 1957. At its peak leading up to 1930, the ranch had a blacksmith shop, a school, at least two boarding houses and a post office. Many of the historic buildings are still standing, and the ranch remains in the family. When Fred Dugas died, his youngest daughter Phoebe took over the ranch. Phoebe Dugas married Colonel Teskey from Pennsylvania who owned a ranch near Cordes. They also had three children, Trudy (Birkemeyer), Bert Teskey (owner of Teskey's Tumble T Restaurant in Mayer ), and Fred Teskey. Colonel Teskey developed Parkinson's disease in his early 30s and Fred Teskey stayed behind to take on management of the ranch. Fred married Lois Jones (of Chickasaw descent and great-granddaughter of Frederick Tecumseh Waite, close friend to Billy the Kid and attorney general for the Chickasaw nation). They have three children, Fred Jr., Bryan and Janina (Ward). Fred Sr. is retired now and still lives on the ranch. Fred Jr., Bryan and Janina decided that Dugas is the only place they can really be at home and now reside there as well. Chuck and Trudy Birkemeyer, and Bert's son also have forgone the city lifestyle for the laid back private living the ranch affords.