He was at the time low on funds and offered to sell a half interest in the grant to livery stable owner James D. Monihon in exchange for US$250 and the amount of the bill he owed. After filing Willing's papers, the two of them could then use the Spanish claim to sell land back to the settlers currently residing in the area. Monihon refused the offer and informed Willing that he was liable to be lynched if local residents learned of his plans. Willing responded by quickly settling his affairs and joining a governmental survey party leaving town the next morning for Santa Fe. To assist in development of his land grant, in 1871 Willing sought the aid of James Reavis, a St. Louis real estate agent with forgery skills. The two began meeting with William W. Gitt, a man known as the "Old Spanish Land Title Lawyer" following a series of questionable land transactions, on a regular basis to study Willing's papers. Willing and Reavis eventually decided to form a partnership and Willing left for Arizona Territory in January 1874. He filed his deed in the Yavapai County Courthouse upon his arrival in Prescott and was found dead the next morning. No official investigation as to the cause of Willing's death was ever performed. Suggested causes include poison, "exposure and privation", or simply "strange and unwitnessed circumstances". References People from Prescott, Arizona Physicians from Philadelphia People from St. Louis Jefferson Territory officials History of Idaho 1829 births 1874 deaths