Hadji Ali

Descriptive

AliasesHi JollyPhillip TedroAli al-HajayaBirth 1828Death1902-12-16BirthplaceIzmir, Ottoman EmpireAffiliationsUnited States ArmyOccupationsCamel DriverMinerPlace of ResidenceSyriaQuartzsite, ArizonaBiographical NoteHadji Ali was hired by the United States Army in 1856 to work as a camel driver for a trial implementing camels as livestock to transport cargo across the Southwest. The U.S. Camel Corps travelled from Indianola, Texas to California, and after the experiment failed in 1864, the camels were auctioned off. He was discharged by the Army at Fort McDowell in 1870. He used a few of the camels he purchased to start businesses that were unsuccessful, so he released the camels in the desert near Gila Bend.

In 1885, he was hired by the U.S. Army to work with pack mules under Brigadier General George Crook in the campaign against Geronimo. He moved to Quartzsite and worked as a miner and scout for the government before passing away in 1902. He is buried in Quartzsite Cemetery, where a monument to him and the Camel Corps was dedicated.

Hadji Ali was not a name many of the time were familiar with. Troubles with pronunciation and spelling led to the moniker Hi Jolly.More InformationWikipediaHi Jolly Monument

Image

Date Gardens and Zoo

Entrance to Hi Jolly

Hadji Ali (also called Hi Jolly) in Quartzsite

Hi Jolly Zoo Exhibit

Hi-Jolly Date Gardens

Mr. & Mrs. Hadji Ali (also called Hi Jolly) in Quartzsite

This Day in Arizona History, 02-10 (February 10)

Periodical

Arizona Highways, 1994-11

Arizona Highways, 2011-01

Arizona Highways, 2011-02

Cactus Blossom, 1949-02

Newspaper

Arizona Weekly Miner, 1877-02-16

Nogales International, 1936-08-01

The Arizona Post, 1957-12-13

Document

Hi Jolly Cemetery Historic Monument

Document- Handwritten|Scan

Hi-Jolly

CollectionArizona Research TopicsPlaceHi Jolly MonumentQuartzsite TopicMilitaryMining

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Hadji Ali