129 [AHS 16K] Hi Wo Family
Hi Wo was a principal merchant and purveyor to San Pedro Valley homesteaders. He extended credit on food, seed, and supplies. The debts were usually paid off at harvest time.
Family legend has it that Hi Wo annoyed Antonio Campa Soza on credit arrears. In legendary Soza temper, Antonio delivered to Hi Wo a warehouse load of red chili, in complete settlement of the account. To the annoyance of Hi Wo, the shipment was far in excess of what Hi Wo could readily handle at the time.
An inquiry was made on whether the Hi Wo family had any records of transactions between Antonio and Hi Wo. Sadly, there were none, as all business records had been discarded.128
On another occasion, Levi Strauss Company, San Francisco, Ca, was queried on whether they had any records of business with Hi Wo. Again, the reply was negative.
129 [26K] Hi Wo Building, Benson
Absence of records aside, Hi Wo will be remembered in a way unimaginable to him. His building, still standing, is now included in an Arizona State Parks Historical Area project at Benson.
Nearby, the memorial stain glass window in the Catholic Church; and farther west, two granite stone markers at the High Street Cemetery, all honor the memory of Hi Wo, his wife, son Joe M. Wo.