Jake Flake

 
 

Snowflake - Navajo County

Inducted in 2010

Arizona Legislator Franklin "Jake" Flake came from pioneering Arizona stock. Frequently called the "Cowboy Legislator," Jake's great-grandfather was one of a group of settlers asked by Brigham Young and leaders of the Mormon Church to come to the Arizona Territory and help settle the area.

William J. Flake joined several families that left Utah to trek southward. One day, when they were camped along the Little Colorado River between Winslow and Holbrook, some people came by who needed help. Flake gave them some food heifer and some food. The other group members censored them for not asking permission before giving an animal away. At that point, Flake left and explored northern Arizona on his own. He rode along Silver Creek, making his way over to Show Low and beyond to St. Johns. During his travels, he found a small ranch that he liked, but when he asked owner James Stinson if he would sell it to him, Stinson refused. Flake left but came back later to talk to Stinson again. In the meantime, the rancher had given Flake's offer some thought and decided he would sell the ranch to him after all. They settled on a price of about twelve thousand dollars for the valley. Flake used cattle he had in Utah to seal the deal.

As other LDS settlers moved into the area, the property was divided among them, and a settlement began to grow. Needing a name for a post office, the church leaders decided to name the town Snowflake for Erastus Snow, the man coming to organize the Mormon Church in the area, and Jake's great-grandfather's name, "Flake."

The ranch passed to Jake's grandfather through the years, who divided it between four or five sons. When Jake's father retired, he sold it to four of his sons, who formed the F-Bar Cattle Company. With each generation, the land parcels decreased in size, but Jake and his brothers rented and leased additional range land for their cattle, increasing the size of their holdings.

Over the years, there have been frequent disagreements between ranchers and the Forest Service over the use of forest land for grazing. In 1996, Jake Flake, recognizing the need for a mediator, decided to serve the agricultural interests by getting elected to the State Legislature. His goal was to have a say in how agricultural matters were handled. He was elected to the Arizona House of Representatives in 1997 and served as its Speaker in 2003 and 2004. Due to term limits in the House, Jake ran for and was elected to the Arizona State Senate in 2005, a position he held until his passing on June 8, 2008.

Considered the Senate's most prominent voice on agricultural concerns, Jake worked tirelessly on rural issues, from state lands and lumber to private property rights and water. He was instrumental in the Prop 106 fight and later worked to pass a resolution supporting the designation of a National Day of the Cowboy.  He also passed the "Beef Bill," which allowed the Arizona Beef Council and Checkoff programs to operate for another ten years. He felt that one of his most significant accomplishments was shepherding through a university infrastructure bill during his time as Speaker.

On his death, then-Governor Janet Napolitano remembered Jake as "a leader of great strength and wisdom, who worked passionately on behalf of the people of Arizona."  Jake Logan, Jake's spokesman as House Speaker, fondly remembers Jake as 'one of a kind.' Jake had a unique ability to bridge gaps with his enemies or friends. He was a master at building coalitions, a skill that served him well in his political career.”  Logan recalled a visit that he and about ten former staffers made to Flake's F-Bar Cattle ranch outside Snowflake to learn some of the intricacies of ranch life. They learned more than they wanted to know on the trip, such as how to know whether a cow was pregnant. To Jake, it was all in a day's work. "To me, it's a great story that he was on a horse two weeks ago," Logan said at the time of Jake's death.

Throughout the years, Jake Flake served the community on the Arizona Farm Bureau board of directors, the Grand Canyon Council of the Boys Scouts of America, and the local FFA. He was also a board member and president of two school boards: an irrigation district, a hospital operating board, Farm Credit Service's board of directors, and the Arizona Rural Health Association Board.

Jake and Mary Louise raised 13 children, who have 63 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. His nephew, Jeff Flake, is a member of the U.S. Legislature.

 

Affiliations

Arizona Farm Bureau  - Board of Directors

Arizona Farm Credit Service - Board of Directors

Arizona Cattlemen's Association

County Farm Bureau-Member

Arizona Beef Council - Member

National Beef Breeders - Member

Grand Canyon Council of the Boys Scouts of America

FFA

Arizona 4-H Foundation

Two school boards - Member/President

Arizona Rural Health Association Board - Board of Director

Blue Ridge National Resources Working Group

Snowflake Heritage Council

Growing Smarter Commission - Appointed by Gov. Hull

Governor's Water Management Commission - Appointed by Gov. Hull

 

Awards

Cattleman of the Year - Arizona Cattlemen's Association, 2005

Arizona Farm Bureau Service to Agriculture, 2008, posthumously

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