When she was 17 years old she met John William Swilling better known as Jack Swilling, who happened to be in Tucson.
Prior to meeting Escalante, Mr. Swilling, a native of Anderson, South Carolina, was in Los Pinos where he belonged to a militia named the Arizona Guards.
The militia's primary objective was to defend the early Anglo settlers against the attacks by the members of the Apache tribes.
In 1861, the secession of Confederate Arizona from the Union was officially declared.
At that time Mr. Swilling held the rank of First Lieutenant of the militia.
The Arizona Guards were absorbed into the Confederate Army.

After the war, Mr. Swilling became involved in gold mining near and around the Prescott area.
He met and befriended King S. Woolsey and went to Tucson on a flour-buying trip as a favor to Woolsey.
However, when he reached Tucson, he found that the mill, of which he was half-owner, had run out of flour and was forced to wait for a cargo of flour from Hermosillo.

When Mr. Swilling first saw Escalante, he boasted to his friends that he was going to marry her.
Eventually, they met and fell in love.
They wanted to get married, however her mother objected, after all Mr. Swilling was 34 years old and Escalante was a young lady of 17 years of age.
They then decided to elope.
They lived together unmarried in the area of Tucson until April 11, 1864.
That day Father Aloysius M. Bosco came to Tucson's St. Augustine's Cathedral, as was his custom, to baptize Mexican children, and to confirm Catholic marriages.
Mr. Swilling and Escalante were married.
It was a time when there were few White women on the southwestern frontier.
It was not unusual for White men to marry Mexican or Native American women for companionship.
During the course of their marriage the couple had seven children: Georgia, 1865; Matilda, 1867; Leila (Lilly), 1871; Elizabeth, 1873; Berry, 1874; Matilda Adeline, 1876; and John William Jr., 1878.

The Swillings moved to Yavapai County and established a farm at Walnut Grove where he had a claim on Weaver's Mountains.
They lived there for a year and then moved to the town of Wickenburg where they established a farm close to the Hassayampa River which was next to Henry Wickenburg’s place.
Mrs. Swilling's mother, Mrs. Mejia, lived with them until her death in 1865.
On November 11, 1867, Mr. Swilling founded the Swilling Irrigating and Canal Company in Wickenburg.

In 1867, the Swillings moved once more, this time to the Salt River Valley where Black Canyon City is currently located.
Mr. Swilling built a small "Rock House" which Mrs. Swilling described as her "1st House".
According to an oral history account made by Mrs. Swilling, Mr. Swilling befriended the Lough family near the town of Gillett, by the junction of the Agua Fria and the New Rivers.
The Loughs, who had encountered problems with their wagon and livestock leaving them stranded, received a helping hand from the Swillings.
The Lough family joined the Swillings and headed to the Salt River Valley.
Mrs. Swilling recalled being the first Mexican women in the Phoenix townsite, and that her friend, "Mrs. Lough" was the first white woman in Phoenix.
When she was 17 years old she met John William Swilling better known as Jack Swilling, who happened to be in Tucson. Prior to meeting Escalante, Mr. Swilling, a native of Anderson, South Carolina, was in Los Pinos where he belonged to a militia named the Arizona Guards. The militia's primary objective was to defend the early Anglo settlers against the attacks by the members of the Apache tribes. In 1861, the secession of Confederate Arizona from the Union was officially declared. At that time Mr. Swilling held the rank of First Lieutenant of the militia. The Arizona Guards were absorbed into the Confederate Army.
After the war, Mr. Swilling became involved in gold mining near and around the Prescott area. He met and befriended King S. Woolsey and went to Tucson on a flour-buying trip as a favor to Woolsey. However, when he reached Tucson, he found that the mill, of which he was half-owner, had run out of flour and was forced to wait for a cargo of flour from Hermosillo.
When Mr. Swilling first saw Escalante, he boasted to his friends that he was going to marry her. Eventually, they met and fell in love. They wanted to get married, however her mother objected, after all Mr. Swilling was 34 years old and Escalante was a young lady of 17 years of age. They then decided to elope. They lived together unmarried in the area of Tucson until April 11, 1864. That day Father Aloysius M. Bosco came to Tucson's St. Augustine's Cathedral, as was his custom, to baptize Mexican children, and to confirm Catholic marriages. Mr. Swilling and Escalante were married. It was a time when there were few White women on the southwestern frontier. It was not unusual for White men to marry Mexican or Native American women for companionship. During the course of their marriage the couple had seven children: Georgia, 1865; Matilda, 1867; Leila (Lilly), 1871; Elizabeth, 1873; Berry, 1874; Matilda Adeline, 1876; and John William Jr., 1878.
The Swillings moved to Yavapai County and established a farm at Walnut Grove where he had a claim on Weaver's Mountains. They lived there for a year and then moved to the town of Wickenburg where they established a farm close to the Hassayampa River which was next to Henry Wickenburg’s place. Mrs. Swilling's mother, Mrs. Mejia, lived with them until her death in 1865. On November 11, 1867, Mr. Swilling founded the Swilling Irrigating and Canal Company in Wickenburg.
In 1867, the Swillings moved once more, this time to the Salt River Valley where Black Canyon City is currently located. Mr. Swilling built a small "Rock House" which Mrs. Swilling described as her "1st House". According to an oral history account made by Mrs. Swilling, Mr. Swilling befriended the Lough family near the town of Gillett, by the junction of the Agua Fria and the New Rivers. The Loughs, who had encountered problems with their wagon and livestock leaving them stranded, received a helping hand from the Swillings. The Lough family joined the Swillings and headed to the Salt River Valley. Mrs. Swilling recalled being the first Mexican women in the Phoenix townsite, and that her friend, "Mrs. Lough" was the first white woman in Phoenix.
Trinidad Swilling