William Henry Brophy
William Henry Brophy, 1863-1922 William H. Brophy, banker and general manager of the Copper Queen Consolidated Mercantile Company in Bisbee, was born in Ireland in 1863. His parents died young and he was raised by his grandmother. He left school after the eighth grade and at age nineteen, left for the United States. He arrived in Arizona in 1881 where he joined his brother Jim at a ranch in the Sulphur Springs Valley. He then went to Bisbee where he met Dr. James Douglas. He first operated a small mining store called the Copper Queen and eventually became the manager of the Copper Queen Consolidated Mercantile Company. In 1912, he became general manager of the Phelps-Dodge Mercantile Company. He was involved in numerous mining ventures and along with James S. Douglas (son of Dr. James Douglas), he founded the Bank of Bisbee and the Bank of Douglas. He acquired banking and land interests around Phoenix and in Southern California. As a manager with the Phelps Dodge Company, he was involved in the Bisbee Deportation and was a defendant in the trial (in which all employees were acquitted). In 1917, he resigned as general manager of the Mercantile Company and went to France to serve with the Red Cross, where he was in charge of the European Red Cross supplies section. He died while on a fishing expedition near Guaymas, Mexico.
Source: Brophy Family Collection
The Brophy Building
Description: Brophy Building
Other Names: Western Investment Building
Address: 1033-1055 G Avenue and 11th Street, Douglas, Cochise County, Arizona
Type: commercial: offices
Original Client: Western Investment Co.
Historic Inventory: On National Register, 1985, as part of Douglas Commercial Historic District.
Date: commissioned 1906; opened 1907
Condition: extant
Remarks: Built by William H. Brophy, in partnership with James Douglas, founder and president of Phelps-Dodge. It is also a historically important structure because of its association with Dr. James Douglas and Brophy, two of Douglas’ founding fathers and leading figures.
Present Owner: Location of Drawings: El Paso Public Library: (I-4): 9 sheets of plans, ink on linen, sheets 1 through 9, dated June 21, 1906, including side, front and rear elevations.
Source: Western Investment Co.
