John Boetto and his family are acknowledged as one of the early pioneer families of Wickenburg.  John Boetto was born in northern Italy on February 29, 1874.  His wife, Mary, was born in Italy in 1878.  The location and the date of their marriage are unknown.  He came to the United States in 1892 and spent time in Colorado and Mexico before coming to Arizona, arriving in Wickenburg in 1907.  In his early years in Wickenburg, Mr. Boetto worked in mining, hauling water from the town to the Belmont Mine, 28 miles from Wickenburg.  He purchased the Wickenburg-Boetto House and the included 17 acres for $2500 in 1913.  He and his wife had one son, Anthony (Tony), who was born in 1906.  When John Boetto retired from mining, he raised chickens and bees.  He also constructed a number of additions to the Wickenburg-Boetto House.  He held the position of the town’s first Fire Chief, with the honor of holding Badge Number One.  John Boetto died of a heart attack on February 7, 1957 at the age of 83.

Mary Boetto was also a civic leader in Wickenburg.  Both Mary and Laurel Boetto (Tony’s Wife) were members of the local “Rebeccas.”  The Rebecca Lodges grew out of the interest of women in participation in the IOOF (Independent Order of Odd Fellows) activities.  The name Rebecca is derived from the Old Testament where Rebecca draws water from the well.  She is considered to be the protectress of the indispensable water and by that symbolically of life.  She is the symbol of readiness to help and decisiveness.  The Rebeccas did civic work in the community and provided assistance to their members in need.  Mary Boetto died in 1945.

Tony Boetto grew up in Wickenburg and served four years in the Navy as a Chief Petty Officer.  He returned to Wickenburg to teach industrial arts in the local high school.  He joined the volunteer fire department in 1946 and served as Chief from 1952 until his untimely death in 1955.  Laurel Boetto, Tony’s wife, inherited the Wickenburg-Boetto House in 1957, upon John Boetto’s death.  She sold the property to the City of Wickenburg in 2000.  As long time residents of Wickenburg, they were well known in the community, very involved in civic activities, and typical of the mining families of Wickenburg.