Fermin Echeverria

Wickenburg/Buckeye - Maricopa County

Inducted in 2015

Born in Viscarret, Navarra, in 1893, Fermin Echeverria was the third son of Juan Felipe and Josepha Urrutia Leiza' Echeverria's seven children. The house where he was born dates back to the 1700s and was known as "Miguelikonea" in the Basque language and "Casa de Miguelito" in Spanish.  Although he had just six years of formal education, Fermin went on to become a successful businessman through his dedication and perseverance, but the trail could have been smoother. 

In 1910, he followed his brothers to the United States. Landing in New York, he made his way to Arizona, where he expected to be met by Miguel. Because Fermin's letter arrived late to his brother, Miguel was nowhere in sight when he disembarked from the train in Phoenix. Unknown to him, as soon as Miguel received the letter, Miguel dispatched his partner, Mike O'Haco, to pick Fermin up, but it was too late by the time he got to Phoenix.

Fermin unsuccessfully searched the faces at the railroad station; he heard a group of men speaking Spanish. He asked if they knew his brother, Miguel. Pedro Arrese, a Basque sheepman, told young Fermin that his brother was far away and that he wouldn't be able to find him. Pedro told  Fermin that he could come to work for him and that they would see his brother later. By the time Mike arrived, Fermin had already climbed into Pedro Arrese's wagon and was headed for the Mogollon Rim. The brothers were not reunited until months later.

Fermin worked for Arrese for the next few years, saving his money. He was given a flock of sheep to herd. His $30-a-month wages included a bedroll, a canvas tent, a Dutch oven, and an ax to cut wood. His rations included flour, sugar, coffee, salt, salt, pork, rice, prunes, raisins, and beans.

When his brother, Miguel, and Mike O'Haco needed money to buy provisions to run their sheep in the desert during the winter and spring, Fermin gave them $800 from the money he had saved from his wages. He was given a small percentage of their sheep operation in return. When Arrese heard about the deal, Arrese reneged on the $5 raise he had promised Fermin when it came time to settle up. At that point, Fermin went to work for Pete Espil Sr.(link to bio), maintaining his interest in his brother's operation.  In 1917, Fermin and his friends Pierre and Mike O'haco bought his brother Matias' share of the business. Later, Mike bought Pierres's shares, creating a partnership between Fermin and Mike that lasted until Mike's death 24 years later.

In 1923, four Basque immigrants formed a partnership under Mike O'Haco's name. The partnership included Mike, Fermin, Jose Manterola, and Mario Jorajuria. At one time, Fermin and his partners owned deeded land and were permitted to graze their sheep in the Munds Park area. They lost it because none of the partners were citizens at the time.

The lack of citizenship created another unforeseen problem. When Fermin first set eyes on an attractive American-born Basque girl visiting Flagstaff in 1918, it was love at first sight. She was there to help her Uncle Gregorio Erro at his Basque boarding house. He and Benancia Erro Miranda were married that October. Unbeknownst to Benancia, she lost her citizenship when she married a non-citizen and had to apply as if she, too, was an immigrant, even though she was born in Los Angeles, California. Eventually, Fermin became a U.S. citizen in 1937, and Benancia regained her citizenship in 1926.

In the 1930s, the weather changed. The winter rains no longer came to the desert. That necessitated taking the sheep to the alfalfa fields in the Casa Grande, Tonopah, and Harquahala Valley areas to lamb and fatten the lambs for market. Over the years, Fermin made several moves, living in places such as Winslow, Wickenburg, and the Valley. In 1933, the O'Haco Sheep Company was incorporated.

In 1941, Fermin, Tony Manterola, and Mario Jorajuria bought Mike O'Haco's shares. In 1945, Tony Manterola left the corporation, and in 1950, Mario Jorajuria sold his interest, so by 1950, Fermin had become the sole owner.

Longtime residents of the West Valley will remember flocks of sheep wintering in Glendale, Litchfield Park, Buckeye, Aguila, and Casa Grande. Although his first love was his sheep, Fermin also had a cow/calf operation at the Aguila Ranch, known as the Meyers Well.

In the early days, the sheep were moved from the Valley to the mountain along sheep driveways. Irene Echeverria Aja, Fermin's youngest daughter, remembers. "It took between 21 and 30 days to make the trek on foot. Each band ( of sheep) had sheep from 1800 to 2000, and they drove several bands up to the mountain pastures. The ewes would breed while they were on their summer pasture in June. In the fall, they trek back to the desert and their winter pasture, where the ewes would lamb.

For several years, Fermin and Miguel's families lived together in Wickenburg. Unfortunately, their rented house was next door to a "house of ill repute." Sometimes, the men who frequented the establishment would make a mistake and knock on the Echeverria's door, which they should have appreciated, especially with children in the house. In 1926, Fermin bought a house in Wickenburg. The house is still there, but today it is a pizza parlor. The building is on the National Historic Register.

Fermin and sheep crossing the river

Fermin packing for sheep camp

According to Fermin's nomination form, during the late 1930s and 1940s, the corporation bought and sold several ranches, mining claims, and other properties, including the Santo Domingo Ranch north of Morristown and, in 1971, the Tillman Ranch south of Winslow, where the sheep were sold. Later, the Brown Springs property north of Cordes Junction was also sold because a sheep trail was no longer needed.

The federal government condemned another piece of property in Mohave County when it dedicated the lands around Lake Mead and along the Colorado River to the Lake Mead Recreational Area. After a long, expensive legal battle, the corporation was compensated for lost property. Fermin and his wife personally bought the desert ranch known as the 9F, which bordered the south fence line of the O'Haco allotment southeast of Aguila.

Fermin's sons, Fermin O'Haco Matias and Phillip, became shareholders in the corporation in the 1950s and continued with the company until Fermin Matias moved to the state of Washington in 1964. In 1966, Phillip tragically died of a heart attack, but his wife and sons continued in the business until 1971 when they sold their interest.

Fermin was a community leader who always took the time to share his knowledge and leadership abilities with others. His service was honored by his inclusion in the Arizona edition of the American Biographical Encyclopedia, which profiles prominent personalities. Benancia was a strong woman who, indeed, was a partner with her husband. She was a dignified lady who could speak four languages and read and write in three languages. During the 1930s, she served on the local school board in Wickenburg.

They had five children: Fermin, Matias, and Ellen. Echeverria Rietz, Phillip Echeverria, Rachel Marie Echeverria and Irene Echeverria Aja.

Affiliations

Arizona Wool Growers Association — Director

Arizona Livestock Sanity — Board Member

US Bureau of Land Management Grazing District — Board Member

Arizona Cattle Grower’s Association — Member

Awards

American Biographical Encyclopedia