John Campbell Greenway

John Campbell Greenway (July 6, 1872 – January 19, 1926) was an American mining, steel and railroad executive: a man of many trades in many states. He also had a distinguished career as a soldier, both cavalry and infantry.

• In 1930 Arizona placed Greenway's statue in the U.S. Capitol's National Statuary Hall Collection. The statue of Greenway's great great grandfather, Dr. Ephraim McDowell, was placed in the National Statuary Hall in 1929 by Kentucky. John Campbell Greenway, Arizona, statue by Gutzon Borglum, 1928, 8'2" (Statuary Hall)

Biography

AN INVALUABLE OFFICER Who was John Campbell Greenway?

He was born in Alabama in 1872 and educated at Yale University where he was a football star. During the Spanish-American War, Greenway joined the Rough Riders, serving under Teddy Roosevelt as head of Troop A of the Arizona squadron.

When Roosevelt charged up San Juan Hill, Greenway was with him and received the Silver Star for gallantry in action.

Greenway’s 1889 military discharge papers include a handwritten note by Roosevelt:

“Lt. Greenway was literally an invaluable officer under all conditions and at all times. He was one of two or three men to whom I naturally turned when there was need of finding some man for a mission of peculiar hazard or peculiar responsibility. T.R.”

Greenway then started a copper company, founded Ajo, served in World War I and retired as a brigadier general.

Even after he left the military, Greenway was hailed as a hero.

One undated newspaper article said he “did spectacular work” in rescuing guests from a burning London hotel, fighting his way through flames to save the lives of women and children.

Another article reported that during a visit to Allegheny, N.Y., Greenway leapt out of a car and stopped a runaway horse that was dragging its driver and a carriage carrying two women. When asked about the incident by a reporter, he asked that nothing be written.

In 1923, he married Isabella Munro-Ferguson who became Isabella Greenway. She was the first woman from Arizona to serve in Congress and was the founder of the Arizona Inn.

John Greenway never saw the Arizona Inn. He died in 1926 at age 53 following surgery in New York City.

Sources

1. Conroy, Will. Tucson's Arizona Inn. Tucson, Ariz: Arizona Inn, 2010. Print.  Page 24.
2. http://tucsoncitizen.com/morgue/author/mark-kimble/page/8/

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Born July 6, 1882, in Huntsville, Alabama. Died January 19, 1926.

A graduate of Yale University, Greenway fought in the Spanish American War alongside Teddy Roosevelt as a Rough Rider. His lifelong friendship with Roosevelt is credited with his progressive views. He arrived in Arizona in 1910 as general manager of the Calumet and Arizona Mine, Bisbee's second largest operation. He also managed the New Cornelia Copper Company of Tucson and various railroads; was founder of the town of Ajo; and served on the board of regents of the University of Arizona.

Greenway was the only one of the three mining companies present at the deportation and the planning meeting the day before. He supervised the creation of vigilante leagues, falsely implying that the roundup had support of the federal government, which it did not. He was also present at ballpark, on horseback with a rifle across his saddle, where he pleaded with the men to go back to work.

In October, 1917, he resigned his position with the mine and accepted a commission as a major in the army, and was sent to France. He was indicted for kidnapping and conspiracy for his role in the deportation, but the charges were dropped. After the war, he returned to Arizona where he was active in business and was frequently mentioned as a candidate for governor. Tall, dashing, and handsome, his statue stands in the capitol in Washington, D.C. and a replica stands in front of the Arizona Historical Society. He died in New York City. His widow, Isabella Selmes Greenway, later became a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and built the Arizona Inn in Tucson.

[Sources: James W. Byrkit. Forging the copper collar: Arizona's labor management war of 1901-1921. Tucson, AZ: University of Arizona Press, 1982; John S. Goff, Arizona Biographical Dictionary. Cave Creek, AZ: Black Mountain Press, 1983.]

The following in a short synopsis of James Cowan Greenway’s brother, John Campbell Greenway’s biography: Beginning in 1899, John Campbell Greenway held executive positions in a number of mine, steel, and railroad companies. He supervised development of U.S. Steels open-pit Western Mesabi range in northern Minnesota, one of the first large-scale iron ore beneficiation plants in the world. In 1911 Greenway was recruited by the Calumet and Arizona Mining and developed the New Cornelia into the first large open-pit copper mine in Arizona. Greenway served for one year as a regent of the University of Arizona before the United States entered World War I, and he returned to active military service. During the war, he was especially praised for his heroic conduct in battle and was cited for bravery at Cambrai. France awarded him the Croix de Guerre, the Legion of Honor, and the Croix de l’Etoile. He also received a Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest honor awarded by the U.S. Army. Greenway’s longtime friend, Theodore Roosevelt, said Greenway was one of two or three men to whom he turned when there was a need to find a man for a duty of particular hazard or peculiar responsibility. In 1930, Arizona placed a statue of John Campbell Greenway in the U.S. Capital’s Statuary Hall where his effigy joined that of his great, great-grandfather, Dr. Ephraim McDowell of Kentucky. The only directly related inductees of 100 prominent citizens to be so recognized. Unfortunately, his statue is being replaced this year by one of Barry Goldwater and Greenway’s statue will be moved to the Arizona state capitol in Phoenix.