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A   HISTORY 


OF 


THE  STATE  OE  NEVADA 


Its  Resources  and  Peopee 


THE  LATE  HON.  THOMAS  WREN 

OF    RENO 

b;[)ITC)K-IN-CHlEF 


"Knoz^'lccigc  of  kindred  and  the  genealogies  of  the  aneieiil  families  de- 
senrth  highest  fraise.  Herein  eonsisteth  a  fart  of  the  Icuoiclcdge  of  a  man's 
011.11  self.    It  is  a  great  sfnr  to  look  haek  on  the  leorth  of  unr  line." 

— Lord  Bacon. 

"There  is  no  heroie  poem  in  the  world  but  is  at  the  bottom  the  life  of  a 
man." — Sir  Walter  Scott. 


ILLUSTRATED 

COMPLETE   IN  ONE   VOLUME 


THE  LEWIS  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 
NEW  YORK     :     :     CHICAGO 

11104 


stack 
Annex 


500 


PREFACE. 


"A  History  of  Nevada,"  wliicli  lias  lieeii  in  cduvsc  ni  iii-ciiaraiidii  for 
more  than  a  year,  lias,  through  tlic  careful  and  unremitting  (hhgence  on  tiie 
part  of  the  e<Htors  and  publishers,  heen  lirought  to  a  satisfactory  state  of 
completeness.  Within  the  pages  of  this  work  will  he  found,  it  is  thought, 
the  truest  expression  of  the  romantic  career  and  wonderful  greatness  of  the 
State  of  Nevada.  While  this  Commonwealth  is  redundant  with  its  wealth 
of  mineral  resources,  while  its  fertile  \-alleys  are  a  \eritahle  horn  of  plenty 
which  the  good  goddess  of  grain  and  the  harvest  h.as  uiilurned  on  the  thrifty 
agriculturist,  and  while  all  the  industries  and  arts  of  man  thrive  and  flourish 
— all  the  which  are  given  their  due  and  i)roper  estimation  and  descriittion  in 
these  pages, — yet  Nevada  history  is  most  entrancing,  as  a  narrative,  and  most 
\'alual_)le,  as  a  portion  of  the  world's  life  story,  when  it  sets  forth,  not  its 
material  ])roducts  and  wealth  and  extent  of  domain,  hut  its  I'ersonnel — the 
men  who  traveled  the  devious  ways  and  braved  the  untold  dangers  of  i)ioneer 
emigration,  who  climbed  and  explored  the  mountain  fastnesses  and  laid  bare 
to  the  world  the  long-hidden  mineral  wealth:  who  brought  water  to  the 
thirsty  desert  |)laces.  planted  a  tree  and  made  the  wastes  l)loom  rmd  blossom 
as  the  rose  and  firing  forth  of  all  the  fruits  in  their  season;  who  Iniilt  dwell- 
ings and  gave  comnnmities  a  habitation  and  a  name;  who  foundeil  institu- 
tions and  from  a  congeries  of  human  abodes  f(juuded  a  body  politic  and 
erected  a  firm  and  enduring  social  structure;  and,  finally,  those  wdio  still  dig 
and  delve  and  sow  and  reap,  who  toil  in  the  hives  of  industry,  wdio  hold  the 
marts  of  trade,  who  leach  and  ministei'  unlo  otliers,  and  who  carry  out  the 
puljlic  will  and  as  chosen  servants  guide  the  craft  of  state. 

Of  such  does  this  History  treat.  In  it  will  be  found  a  carefully  pre- 
pared and  authoritative  narrati\'e  of  the  history  of  the  State  from  the  times 
of  its  earliest  explorers  and  settlers  to  the  men  of  the  ])rescnl,  with  trust- 
worthy accounts  of  the  political,  material  and  social  gr(.iwth  and  develo].iment 
during  the  same  period,  with  the  institutions,  industries  and  varied  arts  g!\en 
due  recognition,  and,  lastly,  in  biographical  form,  the  facts  concerning  the 
men  of  the  State  whose  careers  have  made  them  conspicuous  among  their  fel- 
lows, whose  deeds  and  lives  have  lifted  them  to  the  high  plane  of  success, 
and  who  stand  as  representatives  of  the  greatness  of  Nevada. 

The  editorial  supervision  and  comiiilation  of  the  History  of  the  State  of 
Nevada  was  among  the  last  works  to  occupy  the  time  and  attention  of  the  late 
Hon   Thomas  Wren,  than  whom  the  State  could  boast  no  more  conspicuous 


50027:ia 


4  PREFACE. 

representati\e,  in  all  that  goes  to  make  up  public-spirited  citizenship  and 
noble  and  upright  manhood.  This  History  is  thereftjre  in  the  nature  of  a 
memorial  to  the  eminent  career  of  its  Editor-in-Chief,  and  is  dedicated  to  his 
memory  and  the  Commonwealth  of  which  he  was  so  truly  representative. 

In  the  preparation  of  "A  History  of  the  State  of  Nevada"  the  best ' 
printetl  authorities  ha\'e  been  consulted,  and  many  other  facts  hitherto  un- 
published iiave  been  procured  througii  local  annalists  and  custodians  of  papers 
of  historic  worth.  The  work  lias  been  appropriately  illustrated  with  por- 
traits and  historical  scenery.  (The  publishers  acknowledge  indebtechiess 
to  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  Company  for  furnishing  several  excellent 
illustrations  and  scenic  views.)  All  personal  sketches  have  been  submitted 
for  correction  or  addition  to  the  parties  concerned,  and  no  effort  has  Ijeen 
spared  to  secure  accuracy  and  to  make  the  work  a  true  and  reliable  account 
of  the  State,  its  resources  and  its  people. 


CONTENTS. 


LiiArT]':]v;  i. 

Iiilr(i(luctiir_\- II 

t  llAI''ri':K   II. 
First   TMiiii^raticiii   and    Altcndaiit    Resiills 14 

CllAr'ri'.R  III. 
I  (S46- 1 850    23 

ClI.M'Tl'.R  \V. 
1851    26 

ClIAl^Tl'R  V. 
I'^ii-.s!   Cniinl}-   Organizali(.ii    28 

CI  I A  I' r  I'.  R  VI. 

1S57-1858.     Carsoi;   County  T)ep()])ulatC(l    32 

CIIAl'TI'.R  VII. 
First  l)isc()\er\-  of  Silver 3^ 

CIIAI'TI'.R   \III. 
Settlement  of  Territory    35 

ClI.M'Tl'.R  IX. 
Territory  of  Nevada    f)  1 

CH.APTER  X. 
Organization  and  Political  I  listory  of  State 67 

CHARTFR  XL 
Po1ilic;d    [Tistory,   1880-1904    >^7 

Cn  AI'TI'.R    XII. 
Lines  in   Nevada   Established    mo 

CH.\PTFR  XI  IF 
Pioneer   Transportation    107 

CHAPTFR  XIV. 
Waters  of  Nevada    '  •  7 

CHAPT1':R  X\'. 
General  Geological   F'catures    123 

CII.XPTFR  X\'I. 
Laws   .\i¥ected   liy    Mining    ij^ 

CHAPIER  XVJI. 
Mining  and  New  Discoveries   ^4^ 


«  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
Irrigation  in  Nevada    152 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
Agriculture   and    Stock    159 

CHAPTER  XX. 
Tlie    Railroads    170 

CHAPTER  XXI. 
Religion  in  Ne\ada    1S2 

CHAPTER  XXII. 
The  Schools  of  Nevada   206 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 
State  and  Go\'ernnient   Instituti;)us    218 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 
The  Sons  of  Mars   225 

CH.\PTER  XXV. 
The  Bench  and  Bar  of  Nevada 231 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 
Secret  Orders  in  Nevada   234 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 
I.  O.  O.  F.. 248 

CHAPTER  XX\  III. 
K.  of  P.   and  Other  Orders    255 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 
Indian  .\nnals  u{  Nevada   261 

CH.VPTER  XXX. 
Nevada   Literature    311 


INDEX. 


Abbott,   G.    D 587 

Allen,    George    501 

Allen,    Lenniel    317 

Alt,    George     438 

Anderson,    }Ionry     720 

Angel,    Warren    M 487 

Anker,    Peter    630 

Argus,    The    Lovelock 481 

Atchison,   John   G 422 

Badt,   M.   and   Company    474 

Baker,    B.    F 493 

Baker,    Henry    535 

Bank    of    Austin 500 

Bank  of  California,  Agency  of   548 

Bank   of   Nevada 630 

Barrett,    Charles    H 553 

Bartine,    Horace    F 610 

Beck,   H,    H 736 

Belknap,   Charles    H 380 

Berk,    George    694 

Berruni,   Louis    674 

Bonnifield,   M.    S 344 

Bonnifield,   S.  J.,  Jr 318 

Booker,    Simeon    M 451 

Bovard,    Milton    525 

Bowler,    P.    M 408 

Boyd,    Daniel    B 729 

Boyle.    Edward    D 359 

Boynton,    John    W 419 

Bradley,   John    R 326 

Bradley,   Lewis   L 326 

Brady,    Edward    505 

Brady,    Hugh   J .'  505 

Bray,    Charles    E 461 

Bray,    John    E 746 

Brougher,    Wilson    372 

Brown,   George   S 700 

Broy,    C.    L 621 

Buckle,    Charles    580 

Burdick,   Truman    A 607 

Burke,   James    .• 463 

Burns,    William    A 663 

Caine,   Edwin   E 376 

Canavan,    Andrew    J 684 

Capell,   W.    R 582 

Carpenter,    L.    N 601 

Caughlin,    William    H 539 

Cavell,   W.   H....' 746 

Cazier    Brothers     514 

Cazier,   Jefferson    D 514 

Cazier,   John    H 514 

Charlz,    Alfred    J 509 

Cheney,    A.    E 549 

Chism,    Gardner    604 

Chronicle,    The    430 

Clark,    James     458 


Clark,    Lincoln    G 407 

Cobb,    William    A 533 

Coflin,    Trenmor    429 

Cohen,    Sidney     B 436 

Colcord,    Roswell    K 338 

Cole,    A.    M 732 

Comerford,    James    711 

Conboie,  Joseph   A 356 

Considine,   John    L 440 

Conway.    K.    J 638 

Cooke,    Herman    R 654 

Coppersmith,   William    329 

Cottrell,    G.    W.    S 561 

Cottrell,    William    D 719 

Cox,    William    L 370 

Craig.   John    S 504 

Crescenzo,    Samuel    333 

Crocker,   Alvan    W 410 

Cromer,   Lawrence   W 641 

Cronant,   C.   H 713 

Crosby,    David     565 

Curler,    Benjamin    600 

Curler,    Benjamin    F ." 342 

Daily    Evening    Report 449 

Dale,    George    W 679 

Dalton,     Peter     637 

Dalton,    Thomas    H 661 

Dangberg,    Henry    F 359 

Davis,    Herman    368 

Davit,    P.    E 513 

Davis,    Samuel    P 418 

Dawley,    A.    G 468 

Dawson,    D.    A 586 

Deal,  W.   E.   F 723 

Dewar,    James    751 

Dotta.    Fmilio    620 

Dunn,   James   T 345 

Dunn,    Herbert    C 443 

Dutertre,    Louis     478 

Dyer,    Henry    W 351 

Easton,    James    485 

Easton,    William    484 

Eckley,   J.   W 547 

Ede.    Stephen    491 

Eggers,    J 363 

Ellis.    P.    B 704 

Elmore.    George    725 

Enterprise.  Daily  Territorial 590 

Eureka    County    Bank 631 

Eureka  and   Palisade  Railway  Co 587 

Evans.    .Alvaro    354 

Evans,    John    N 488 

Farrell,    John    C 593 

Farrington.    Edv.'ard    S 707 

Fielding,    Frank    E 598 


IXDEX. 


First  Natiniial  Bank  of  W'iiineimicca 320 

Fisher.     A 512 

Fitzgerald.    Adolplnis    L 386 

Fitzgerald,    John    A 377 

FlaniCTaii.    P.    L 357 

Flaws.  T.  J.  A 375 

Fletcher.  A. '  G 692 

Fletcher.   Merrill    322 

Fogg.    William    A 530 

Frazer.    William    H 519 

French,    A 756 

French.    Greeley     697 

Freitdenlhal.    Herman    E 446 

Fulton,    John    M 699 

Fulton,    Robert    L 681 

Fuss,    Henry    W 634 

Gallagher.    Patrick    590 

Garcia.   G.   S 41G 

Garrecht.    Gertrude     442 

Gates.    Byron    384 

Genzel,    Henry    569 

Gibbs,   William    B 540 

Gibson,    Samuel    C 619 

Gignonx.   Jules    E 360 

Giroux.    David    675 

(iolconda   Hot   Springs   Hotel 478 

Gooding.    Jacob    650 

Gorham.    Harry    M 335 

Gosse,    H.    J 546 

Gray.    Enoch    745 

Green.    George    S 454 

(ireer.    Henry    H 705 

Griftln,    Thomas    562 

Griffin.    Walson    E 635 

Griswold.   Eugene    595 

Grover.    Charles    W 363 

Gulling.    Charles    404 

Gulling.   Martin    350 

Guthrie,   J.    W 328 

Hamilton.    Cyrus     603 

Hancock,    William    H 613 

Hardesty.    Edward    P 452 

Hawley.   Thomas    P 398 

Hawthorne.    William    A 709 

Haydon.    Thomas     E 646 

Hcidcnreich.    Henry    475 

Henderson.   George    S 748 

Henley,    W.    J 462 

Hcnning,    George     573 

Herman,    Thomas    G 59' 

Hesson.    Abraham    W .'?66 

Hester.    George    11 652 

Hill,   John    612 

Hodgkinson,   S.   J .326 

Hoegb,    J.    H 597 

Hoenstinc,    Frank    G 34' 

I  lofer,   T.    R 402 

Hofer,   T.    R.,   Jr 486 

Holcomb,    (irove    R 498 

Holland.   Jacob    F 567 

Honey  man,   Frank    54 1 

Hood,    Charles    J 449 


Hooper,    W.    J 324 

Horton,    Robe'rt    L 552 

Howe,    H.    H 496 

Howell,    Eugene    "42 

Huffaker.    Dan    450 

Hunken,    Henry    C 536 

H  unter,    Thomas    6g8 

Hymers,    Thomas    K 623 

Independent,    The    Elko 492 

Ingalls,    W.    A 476 

Ingham,  W.  H 685 

Isola,   J.    A 575 

Jacobs,     S 572 

Jenkins,    Edith    564 

Jenkins,    William    T 564 

Johnson,    Hiram     625 

Johnson.   J.    W 426 

Johnston.    James     577 

Jones.    Henry   J 433 

Jones,    Joseph    E 647 

Jones.    Robert    391 

Jones.    W.    D 644 

Jones.    Willis    R 735 

Josephs,   Joe    482 

Judge,   James    R 388 

Kaiser.    Charles     690 

Katz.    Frederick     544 

Kelley.    Edward    D 374 

Kind.    Henry    315 

Kinkead.   James   H 670 

Kinney.    R.    H 428 

Kinuikin.    J.    W 744 

Kleinhaus.    .-Xudrcw     649 

Kleppe.    John     435 

Knox.    Charles    L 707 

Kyle,    Alfred    C 726 

Lake,    Mary    E ,385 

Lamb,    Alvin    M 456 

L.Tuib.    J.    M 721 

1  .angan,    Francis   P 406 

Laveaga,    Paul    683 

l^cavitt,    Grandvillc    1 517 

Lee,    S.    L 348 

Leete,    R.    F 738 

Lemaire,   August   D 494 

Lemmon,     Henry    \ 443 

Levy,    1  lerman    . : 575 

Lewers.    Ross    551 

Lewis,   D.    E ,332 

Lewis,    Frank    R 741 

I .e wis.   John    A 466 

Litcli,   Andrew    425 

I.itlrell.    Charles    F *. 701 

Loftus,    Andrew   J 395 

Logan.    Hugh    R 522 

Lonkcy,    Oliver    .,2'i 

Lord.    Frederick    C 583 

I.oihrop.    Jolm    702 

Lovelock,    George    3.36 

I.vnds.   Jf)hn    B 617 

Lyon    County    Times 417 


INDEX. 


Mackey,     Will     J 453 

'  Malluy,    Thomas    C 656 

Mapes,    George    W 33° 

Marker,    H.    C 639 

Martin,    Harry    M 669 

Martin,    W.    O'H 321 

Marzen,   Joseph    632 

Massey,    W     A 346 

Mathews,    Frank    J 543 

Mathews,    Josepli    C 549 

Maiite,    Andrew     558 

Mayer,    Charles    E 447 

Mayhiigh,    John    S 424 

McBride.   J.   A 393 

McCnllongh.    James    B 657 

McDonell,     A.    J 559 

McGrath.    John    662 

McGrath,    Philip   J 477 

McKinty,    James    631 

McLeod,    Angus    580 

McMidlen,    Samuel     748 

Meacham,    Robert    S 605 

Miller,   J.    A 500 

Miller.   J.    H 420 

Moran,    W.    T 592 

Morgan,    George   A 554 

Morrill,    Enoch    633 

Morrow.    John    M 439 

Murphy,    Michael    A 440 

Murphy.    Michael    J 673 

Nash.    Richard    655 

Nelson,    Nels    618 

Nevada   Planiiig  Mill   Company 665 

Nevada    State    Herald 461 

Newlands.    Francis    G 717 

Nixon.    George    S 320 

Norcross,    Frank    H 615 

O'Connor.    Daniel    W 316 

O'Kane,    John     752 

O'Neal,    Joseph     755 

Onvon,    \v'illiam    T 696 

Oshurn.    Ralph    S .•^67 

O'Sullivan.    J.    D 472 

Overton,     T-    H 434 

Owens,    W.    C 75° 

Patey,   Henry    624 

Patterson.    Webster    .388 

Pearce,   William    628 

Peckham,    George    E 414 

Pedroli,    Stephen    47i 

Phillips,    J.    Warne     689 

Piazza,    Luigi    D 616 

Pickard,    J.    E 3,34 

Pike,   W.   H.   A 506 

Pinson,    Paul    A 685 

Pin,    W.    C 518 

Pixlev.    Myron    754 

Piatt,'  Samuel    708 

Pollard,    A.    K 740 

Pooly,    John    H 343 

Prater,    Nicholas    7ifi 


Press.   The   Free    467 

Puett,  John  W 568 

Pursell.     H.     0 5.V 

(Juirk,    James     412 

Raftice,    Robert    E 615 

Rannnelkamp,    George    •589 

Randall,     Dixie    P .v8 

Raycraf t    Brothers    470 

Raycraft,   James    470 

Raycraft.    Joseph    470 

Reid,    Robert    J 319 

Reinhart,   E.  and   Company 660 

Reno    Mill    and    Lumber    Co 405 

Report,   The   Daily   Evening 449 

Reveille,    Reese    River 528 

Reyniers.   William    A 755 

Richards.    Charles    A 665 

Rickey,   Thomas    B 364 

Riddell.    Samuel     527 

Ring,    Orvis    524 

Riter.   Henry    676 

Riverside    Mill    Co 371 

Roberts,    Dillon    534 

Robins.   F.    C 672 

Rofif,    Nate    W 714 

Rosenthal.    Benjamin     437 

Ross,    Gilbert     C 643 

Ross,   Orrin    C 626 

Ruddell,    W.    C 606 

Russell,   James    666 

Rutlcdge,  James    579 

Rvan.   Dave    M 376 

Rvan,  Joseph  R 588 

Ryan,  M.  E 652 

Sauer.   Andrew    483 

Saunders,   Wiltshire    352 

SchafFer.    George 642 

Scheel.    Robert    C 529 

Schoer.    Clans    S56 

Schneider,   F.    J 5.18 

Scott.    James    402 

Scully,    Dennis    ,341 

Segal.    Marcus   ' 602 

Sentinel.    Eureka    5' I 

Shalleidierger.    George   N 695 

Sharon.    W.    E 680 

Sheehan,   Jerry 348 

Shields,    Michael    396 

Smikv,    William    521 

Smith,    Andrew    H 337 

Smith,   George   J .361 

Smith.   George   S 465 

Smith.    Hugh    A 578 

Smith.    J.    E 485 

Smith,    Lorenzo    D 733 

Smith,    0.scar   J 555 

Snyder,   Charles    585 

Sparks,    John    3^3 

Spencer,    A •. 664 

Spencer,   John    749 

Spindel.    Stephen     6,^6 


INDEX. 


Spinner,    William    592 

State  Bank  &  Trust  Co 366 

Steele.    Robert    445 

Steele.    Robert    M 545 

Steinmetz.    Frank    J 358 

Stubbs.    Joseph    E 570 

Suniinerfield,   Alexander   431 

Summerfield,    G.    W 653 

Siinimerficld,   Sardis   608 

Sntherland,    William    608 

Sweeney.   James   G 383 

Taber,    James   H 3S1 

Talbot,    George    F .I92 

Taylor,   O.   F^ 444 

Tboma,    George    H 658 

Thomas.    William    4.32 

Thorpe.    Margaret     457 

Tonkin,    Walter    J ,325 

Torreyson,   James    D 712 

Tribune,  The   Lovelocks 503 

Triplett.   J.    F .399 

Trousdale,    .4t\vell    F (167 

Turrittin.   George    F 629 

Twaddle.    Ebenezer    5^7 

Vandcrlieth.    E.    D 7.34 

VanPatten,    Francis    P 677 

Waldo,    Gilbert    B 515 


Walker    Lake    Bulletin 397 

Ward,    Albert    M 687 

Warren,    Charles    D 581 

Washoe   County  Bank    409 

Wedekind,   George   H 576 

Westt'all.    Andrew    686 

Wheeler,    Daniel    C 594 

Whitacre,    E.    H 502 

Wild,    .Mbcrt    '. 727 

Wildes,    Frank   L 532 

Williams,    Absalom    B 380 

Williams.  Edwar<l   668 

Wilson,    David    557 

Wilson,   George   W 557 

Wilson.   Nathaniel   E 566 

Winfrey.    Edward    E 404 

Winters.    Theodore    479 

Wiseman,    Ahner    H 715 

Wood,   John    C 728 

Woodhnrn,   Williain    394 

Woodbury,   James    P 516 

Wren,    Thomas    757 

Wright,    John     459 

Wright,    John    T 415 

Wright,   William    448 

Yerington,    E.    B ". 422 

Yerington,   Henry   M 410 

Veringtrju,    James    A 411 

Young,    Stephen    R 314 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 


CHAPTER   I. 
Introductory. 

Tlie  State  of  Nevada  is  often  referred  to  as  "Tlie  Battle  Born,"  and, 
not  counting  tlie  years  which  have  elapsed  since  siie  earned  the  title  by  a 
baptism  of  blood,  many  citizens  of  the  United  States  still  regard  her  as 
one  of  the  few  remnants  of  the  frontier.  With  iier  early  history  many  are 
conversant  through  the  medium  of  the  United  States  histories;  and  that 
she  came  reluctantly  into  the  Union  just  at  the  close  of  the  Civil  war, 
forced,  almost,  to  don  the  robes  of  statehood  to  aid  in  the  reconstruction 
legislation  when  she  had  neither  the  population  nor  the  wealth  t(j  justify 
such  a  step.  Only  a  personal  visit  to  Nevada  can  prove  to  many  that 
Nevada  is  not  on  the  frontier;  that  her  railroads  and  the  march  of  civilization 
and  progress  have  placed  her  many  decades  beyond  that  period. 

Again,  Nevada  has  been  handicapped  by  the  fact  that  aliens  look  on 
her  through  the  golden  haze  of  past  glories,  back  to  the  days  of  the  famous 
Comstock,  the  lode  which  gave  her  the  soubriquet  of  "The  Silver  State." 
It  is  true  that  Nevada  has  produced  more  mineral  than  any  state  in  the 
Union,  $625,000,000  in  gold  and  silver,  more  than  one-fourteenth  of  the 
entire  stock  of  gold  and  silver  in  the  world  to-day.  It  is  only  by  her  mineral 
wealth  Nevada  is  known  to  many.  She  is  not  thought  of  as  a  land  for  the 
farmer,  and  yet  for  forty  years  at  every  great  exposition  Nevada  has  placed 
samples  of  what  the  soil  and  climate  can  produce,  carrying  away  prize  after 
prize. 

Nevada  profited  little  by  her  mineral  output,  for  the  promoters  of 
Nevada's  mines  sunk  all  profits  in  San  Francisco,  inaugurating  world-wide 
enterprises  and  erecting  magnificent  honres  and  public  buildings.  To-day 
they  stand,  not  as  a  monument  to  the  greatness  of  Nevada,  but  of  California. 
None  of  that  wealth  was  expended  in  promoting  the  development  of  Nevada, 
along  any  line.  Being  a  neighbor  to  California  has  not  proved  an  unmixed 
blessing  for  Nevada,  in  many  particulars.  Lying  so  close  together  Nevada 
invariably  suffers  from  the  comparisons  made.  She  is  not  attractive  to 
the  eye,  her  general  grayness  of  volcanic  ash  and  sagebrush,  her  low  hills 


12  A  HISTORY  OF  XKVADA. 

and  unciilli\ateil  plains  al  first  rejiel.  \\here  California's  velvet  greenswards 
and  wealth  of  blossoms  win  all  hearts.  Bnt  below  the  surface  lies  an  Alad- 
din's lamp  which,  when  used  by  Xe\ada.  will  make  California's  glories 
pale  into  insignificance,  the  wonderful  power  of  water  will  call  into  life  every 
form  of  plant  known  to  man.  from  the  tropic  to  tlie  frigid  zone. 

Much  of  Nevada  is  called  desert,  and  Nevada  is  just  learning  that 
deserts  are  the  richest  land  of  all  when  touched  by  the  life-giving  water. 
And  yet  history  states  that  "All  the  glories  of  anticpiity  sprang  from  the 
iieart  of  the  desert."  One  has  only  to  look  uixm  the  fragrant,  cool  green 
oases  of  the  beautiful  farms  of  Nevada,  where  water  has  been  abundant, 
to  foresee  what  the  future  holds  in  store  for  the  fortunate  inhabitants  i:f 
Nevada  when  irrigation  is  in  full  sway.  Tlie  general  government  has  taken 
up  the  work  and  great  progress  has  already  been  made,  and  five  million  acres 
are  to  be  reclaimed.  Nevada  will  base  much  of  its  assured  future  ])rosperity 
upon  its  agriculture. 

Again,  the  railroad  status  has  alwavs  affected  Newada  unfa\'nraMy. 
Generally  when  transcontinental  lines  are  built  through  a  new  country. 
that  country  is  I)uilt  up  by  the  railroad  promoting  settlement.  The  Central 
Pacific  was  invohed  in  a  controversy  with  the  government,  and  as  a  result, 
instead  of  trying  to  promote  the  settlement  of  Nevada,  its  owners  en- 
deavored to  divert  all  business  possible  to  the  Southern  Pacific.  The  country 
traversed  by  the  Southern  Pacific  was  advertised  and  adxanced  at  the  ex- 
pense of  Nevada,  which  was,  and  has  always  been,  jiowerless  in  the  matter. 
The  ])ublic  came  to  look  upon  Nevada  simply  as  a  means  to  get  from  Ogden, 
Utah,  to  California.  Because  it  was  not  adxertised  the  Central  Pacific 
was  regarded  as  a  worthless  railroad  running  through  a  barren  state.  But 
times  ha\'e  changed,  and  the  polic_\'  of  the  railroads  toward  Nevada  has 
changetl  also.  The  prospects  are  that  1904  will  more  than  double  Nevada's 
railroad  mileage.  Three  lines  are  in  piMcess  of  construction  which  will 
secure  to  Nevada  practicallv  a  nionopolv  of  the  great  oriental  Iraflic,  which 
must  cross  this  continent.  One  is  the  Southern  and  Western,  to  run  from 
San  b'rancisco  to  .Salt  Lake  City,  through  California,  Neva<la  and  Utah: 
another  is  the  one  w  Inch  will  connect  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah,  with  Los  Angeles, 
California,  and  will  cross  Lincoln  county,  Nevada,  opening  up  an  immense 
district  of  farm  lands  and  a  rich  mining  countrv;  the  third  is  the  one  which 
will  give  the  great  Tono])ah  .and  (ioldlield  mines  an  (}Utlet  \ia  the  Carson 
&  Colorado  and  \'irginia  &  Truckee  to  Reno,  where  it  will  connect  with  the 
overland  of  the  first  named  road. 

No  state  suffered  as  severely  as  did  Nevada  from  the  depressing  effect 
of  our  financial  legislation,  which  resulted  in  the  iall.  of  silver  from  $1.29 
an  ounce  to  60  cents.     The  demonetization  of  siher  caused  the  suspension, 


A   lllST()k\'  OF  NI'.VADA.  13 

almost  entirely,  of  siKer  ininini^-.  'The  operating  expenses  of  Nevada's  mines 
amounted  to  from  one-half  to  lliree-foiirtlis  of  tlie  gross  receipts,  and  the 
price  of  the  pmducts  of  tliose  mines  was  reduced  one  half.  'i"he  comlilions 
were  all  speculative  and  the  result  was  chaos. 

Under  all  these  unfax'orabie  conditions  Nesada  has  declined  in  jjnini- 
lation  from  si.\t_\'-ri\  e  thousand  in  i8So  to  forty-iive  thousand  in  1903.  With 
a  territory  of  nearly  seventy-one  million  acres,  the  fourth  state  in  the  Union 
in  point  of  size  has  had  to  retire  in  the  l)ackground,  a  forgotten  empire, 
while  the  other  intermountain  states  and  territories  trebled  in  population, 
^'et  no  one  can  contend  that  imc  <if  these  was  C(|ual  to  Ne\ada  in  cither  mineral 
or  agricultural  resources. 

In  the  past  four  years  cundilions  lia\e  changed  wonderfully,  for  Xevada 
has  felt  new  life  in  ex'cry  vein  and  artery,  dlic  impetus  came  with  the 
discovery  of  the  great  Tunojiali  mining  district  in  1904,  and  since  then  vein 
after  vein  has  been  opened  up,  treasure  after  treasure  uncovered,  through- 
out the  length  and  breadth  of  the  state.  The  effect  has  been  magical,  .and 
Nevada  has  attracted  not  only  the  attention  of  the  go\'ernmenl,  but  of  the 
capitalists  and  captains  of  finance.  Her  possibilities  have  been  viroN'ed  to  be 
realities,  golden,  glowing  realities,  beyond  the  dreams  nf  the  most  sanguine 
optinu'st.  The  "turn  of  the  tide"  has  arrived  and  Nevada  is  taking  advantage 
of  it,  not  in  the  speculali\e  mode  of  the  Comstock  days,  but  on  the  solid 
foundation  of  integrity  in  all  things.  The  Comstock  itself  is  rehabilitated, 
not  only  in  its  methods  of  working,  but  in  the  ways  of  legitimate  mining 
enterprise. 

Nevada  is  far  from  l:)eing  a  "new^  country"  in  fact,  but  it  is  one  entirely 
as  far  as  its  opportunities  are  concerned.  No  state  freely  offers  richer 
opportunities  in  every  line  to  man  than  does  the  glorious  state  of  Nevada. 
In  the  past,  Nevada  sat  in  her  temple  of  silver,  with  her  golden  sceptre  prone 
in  the  dust,  waiting,  like  the  .S])hinx,  for  something  that  ne\er  came.  To-day 
she  has  opene»l  the  temple  doors  and  with  her  sceptre  of  gold  waves  a  v.'el- 
come  to  all  mankind  to  come  and  share  lier  mineral  and  agricultural  wealth, 
her  comfortable  climate,  and  all  the  satisfying  gifts  with  which  Mother  Na- 
ture endowed  her  at  liirth. 


14  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

CHAPTER  n. 

First  Emigration  and  Attendant  Resi'lts. 

Discovery  of  Great  Salt  Lake — First  White  Man  in  Nevada  1825— Dis- 
covery of  Gold  in  Mono  Gnlch  1825 — The  Rival  Fur  Companies — 
Smith's  Second  Expedition — Sublette  Trapping  Exiiedition  1831  — 
\Valker  Guides  Bonnex'ille  Expedition  1833 — McCoy's  Hudson  Bay  Ex- 
pedition 1833 — First  Bona  Fide  Emigrants  1841 — Fremont's  Second 
Expedition  of  Exploration  1843 — A  Terra  Incognita — Emigrants  of 
1844 — Fremont's  1-845  Expedition — Awful  Fate  of  Donner  Party  1846 
— Increase  of  Emigration  in  1847. 

In  1825  the  first  white  man  visited  a  portion  of  the  country  which  is 
now  known  as  Nevada,  Jedediah  S.  Smith,  a  native  of  New  York.  Previous 
to  this  visit  he  had  been  in  partnership  with  William  H.  Ashley,  of  St. 
Louis,  who  discovered  the  Great  Salt  Lake  of  Utah  in  the  year  prior,  as 
well  as  the  small  lake  near  by  which  liears  his  name.  Ashley,  with  his 
partner,  Smith,  built  a  fort  at  Ashley  Lake  and  the  mountaineers  made  it 
headquarters  for  some  time.  Smith  until  his  trip  to  the  now  Nevada  and 
Ashley  for  the  entire  time  he  fdlldwed  trapping  in  the  Rocky  Mountain. 
.Ashley  was  well  known  as  a  mountaineer  and  trapi)er  when  he  set  up  his 
lares  and  penates  at  Ashley  Lake,  and  his  entire  life  was  a  series  of  ad- 
ventures while  pursuing  his  vocation.  Smith  passed  thmugh  e\'en  more 
thrilling  adventures  in  ra])id  succession,  with  hairbreadth  escapes  from  wild 
animals  and  the  still  more  to  be  dreaded  Indians.  He  was  murdered  in 
1831  by  an  Indian,  who  .shot  him  down  from  ambush,  the  arrow  killing  him 
instantly. 

Smith  left  his  rendezvous  on  Yellowstone  river  to  go  on  one  of  his 
long  tra])])ing  expeditions,  heading  a  party  of  forty  Irajjpcrs,  crossing  the 
country  to  California  and  i)assing  through  a  jiortion  of  tlie  country  now 
known  as  western  Wyoming.  He  went  down  thv  lluinholdt,  wliicli  he  n;uned 
after  his  Indian  wife,  Mary,  on  through  the  Walker  River  territory  and  out 
into  Tulare  Valley,  California,  via  Walker's  Pass.  He  reached  this  goal 
in  July,  with  but  two  tra])pers,  ;ind  three  months  later  he  went  back  over 
the  trail  he  had  followed  in,  his  companions  remaining  behind  engaged  in 
trapping  on  the  Sacramento  river.  That  he  did  not  retrace  his  steps  exactly 
is  shown  by  notes  now  in  ])ossession  of  Captain  Robert  Lyon,  of  San  Buena- 
ventura, California.  Smith  spoke  of  the  discovery  of  Mono  I^d-:e  (  Dead 
Sea)  in  the.se  notes,  taken  on  his  return  trip,  and  stated  that  the  upper 
end  was  very  rich:  that  when  Cord,  the  discoverer,  first  prospected  it  in  1859, 
gold  was  washed  up  by  rains  on  to  the  granite  rocks,  where  he  collected  it. 
Gold  was  so  easilv  oblainable  .at   lliat   lime  thai    Smith  stated   in  these  notes 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  15 

that  there  was  not  one  ])lacer  tu  Ije  found  in  the  country  between  Sacra- 
mento and  Salt  Lake  where  tlie  veriest  tyro  in  mining  coulc!  not  take  a  pan  and 
a  knife  and  with  tiie  two  simple  unplements  gatlier  a  gulden  har\est,  just 
as  was  being  done  in  Mono  Gidch,  at  least  in  the  up|)er  end  of  the  gulch. 
While  the  gold  in  Mono  was  not  at  all  coarse,  pieces  were  often  found  weigh- 
ing from  twenty-li\'e  cents  to  two  dollars.-  Captain  Lyon  says  that  both  Kocky 
Mountain  Jack  and  Jjill  Reed,  both  well  known  old  tra])pers,  spent  the  summer 
of  i860  in  Mono  and  that  Ijotli  men  declared  they  were  with  Smith  in  1825  and 
that  they  all  spent  a  week  pros])ecting  in  the  foothills,  where  they  picked 
up  gold,  in  that  year,  whicii  would  support  the  assertion  of  I'.ill  liyrncs,  well 
known  in  Carson  City,  that  jedediah  Smith  was  the  original  discoverer 
of  Mono  Gulch.  To  further  support  the  claim  is  the  fact  that  old  stumps 
of  trees  which  must  have  been  cut  many  years,  in  1859  had  grown  again 
into  large  trees. 

Soon  after  Smith  reached  the  Headquarters  of  the  firm,  Ashley  decided 
to  withdraw,  and  Smith  foriucd  a  partnershiiJ  with  Da\id  Jackson  and  M. 
Sublette  under  the  name  of  "The  Rocky  Mountain  Fur  Company."  So 
well  did  these  new  partners  think  of  the  California  expeditinn  that  no  time 
elapsed  before  Smith  was  heading  another  party  of  trappers  to  the  Golden 
West.  Although  greater  in  numerical  strength  than  the  first  party,  the 
last  one  met  with  disaster,  the  entire  party  being  massacred  by  the  Indians 
widi  three  exceptions,  the  leader  Smith  and  Tmner  and  Galbraith.  After  a 
narrow  escape  the  three  reached  eventually  the  missions  of  California. 

But  their  troubles  were  far  from  being  over.  The  government  was 
extremely  suspicious  of  strangers,  the  more  so  if  the  strangers  were  Amer- 
icans. So  the  three  trappers  were  at  once  placed  under  arrest.  An  inter- 
esting account  of  Smith's  arrest  and  detention  is  among  the  legacies  received 
from  the  old  Spanish  authorities  now  laid  away  in  tlie  archi\es  of  California, 
By  good  fortune  Captain  Smith,  as  he  was  now  called,  was  able  to  find 
reliable  men  to  voueh  for  him,  men  in  wlmm  the  authorities  felt  it  to  their 
interest  to  place  faith. 

As  soon  as  Smith  \vas  released  he  fitted  out  another  expedition  at  his 
Sacramento  headquarters  and  started  for  the  Columbia  river  in  Oregon. 
At  the  Umpaqua  river  he  was  again  attacked  by  Indians  and  again  he 
escaped  with  two  companions  to  Fort  Vancouver.  Smith  finally  recrossed 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  going  by  a  more  northern  route,  accompanied  by 
Peter  Ogden,  a  native  of  New  York,  who  was  at  the  head  of  a  trapping  party 
from  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company.  Previous  to  this  trip  the  Rocky  Mountain 
Fur  Company  and  the  Hudson's  Bay  Company  had  been  antagonistic  to 
each  other  because  the  latter  company  claimed  all  the  ground  for  trapping 
purposes  lying  between  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  Rocky  mountains.     Because 


If.  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

cjf  tlicii"  kiinlly  treatnitnt  of  liiiii  in  liis  extremity  Smith  decided  to  lea\e 
the  disputed  region  to  the  Hudson's  Bay  people. 

Pursuant  witli  tliis  idea  he  left  the  Ogden  party  in  1829  at  the  head- 
waters of  the  Lewis  river,  in  order  to  find  his  partners  and  inform  them 
of  the  change  of  feeling  on  liis  part.  Ogden  proceeding  with  his  trapping 
west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  mo\-ed  south  ti>  what  Smith  had  named  IMary's 
ri\er.  He  followed  Smiths  route  to  California  down  the  river,  and  until 
Fremont  overtopped  the  two  by  the  name  of  Humboldt,  it  was  as  often  called 
Ogden's  ri\er  as  Mary's. 

On  the  23rd  of  July.  1832.  ]\Iilton  Sublette  headed  the  next  expedition 
into  the  countr}'.  Iea\ing  Peerass  Hole  in  the  Rocky  Mountains  on  that  date, 
the  purpose  being  to  trap  the  waters  of  Mary's  river.  In  .\ugust  they 
reached  the  headwaters  of  the  ri\'er  in  safety:  Here  the  party  di\ided,  one. 
headed  by  Xathan  Wyeth,  starting  for  Oregon.  Sublette  with  thirty 
men  commenced  trapping  down  the  river  but  discovered  a  scarcity  of  wild 
game.  .M  last  they  were  forced  to  eat  the  flesh  of  the  beavers  they  captured, 
which  was  almost  fatal  tu  many  of  the  men.  The  lieavers.  owing  to  the 
famine  which  had  affected  all  animals,  had  been  compelled  to  eat  wild 
parsnips,  thereby  im[)regnating  Lheir  fl'esh  with  poison.  It  was  out  of  the 
question  to  stay  on  the  river,  so  they  struck  out  northward  across  the  country. 
The  march  was  one  of  horror  and  untold  suffering.  Four  days  were  spent 
almost  entirely  without  food  of  any  kind,  It  tock  them  several  weeks  to 
reach  Snake  river,  some  fifty  miles  above  the  fishing  falls,  and  all  that 
time  thev  partially  assuaged  their  terrible  hunger  w  ith  ants,  crickets,  parched 
moccasins  and  even  puddings,  made  of  the  blood  drawn  a  pint  at  a  time 
from  their  equally  hungry  animals. 

In  1833  the  next  expedition  set  out,  a  party  of  forty  men  fitted  out 
by  Captain  B.  L.  F.  ]->onneville  to  trap  for  bea\er  between  the  (ireat  Salt 
lake  and  the  Pacific  ocean.  I'or  a  guide  they  were  fortunate  in  p(jssessing 
the  since  widely  known  Joseph  VVrdker.  brom  (jreen  l\i\er  \allcy  this 
jiart}'  went  to  the  headquarters  of  Mary's  river,  trap])ing  <lo\\n  to  its  sink: 
hence  they  crossed  we.>t  to  I'yr.amid  lake,  from  there  to  Tiuckee  ri\er,  which 
they  followed  up  into  the  Sierra  Xe\ada.  .going  across  into  California.  Cap- 
tain Bonneville  achieved  honors  the  other  explorers  did  not,  in  that  Washington 
Irving,  by  touching  them  with  his  magic  pen.  made  his  Rocky  Mountain 
adventures  live  forever  in  the  eyes  of  all  men.  Irving  in  his  n.irralion  speaks 
of  the  thrice  named  river  as  the  Ogden  river,  lionnexille  died  on  June  12, 
1878,  having  attained  eighty-fi\e  year>.  in  I'Ort  .Smith,  Arkans.is.  Captain 
Bonneville  was  an  officer  in  tlie  I'niteil  Slates  army  and  fitted  out  the  expedi- 
tion when  on  furlough. 

In  the  same  year,    1833,  another  party  of  trappers  set  out  for  Nevada, 


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.\   JllSrom'  Ol'"   XI'.VADA.  17 

a  little  ccimpany  cif  Hudson's  Bay  men  under  'I'honias  McC'o}'.  Ihc  cele- 
brated Christoplier  (Kit)  Carson  with  five  cunipanions  joined  tliis  party. 
Owing-  to  the  reixirts  of  the  previous  visitors  that  Mary's  river  fairly  teemed 
witli  heaxers,  the  part\-  was  siirel\-  (hsappninled  when  they  met  with  such 
po(ir  success  that  tiiey  had  to  turn  l)ack  after  reaching  its  sink,  crossing  over 
north  to  Snake  river.  This  was  Kit  Carson's  fir.st  visit  to  our  now  Nevada, 
and  eleven  years  passed  hefore  he  revisited  it. 

it  was  the  summer  of  1841  before  tlie  first  ])arty  of  l)ona-tide  emigrants 
crossed  the  Great  Basin  of  Nevada  on  their  way  to  the  Land  of  r'romi.sc, 
that  California  of  wliicli  common  report  made  fairy  land.  Hitherto  all 
emigrants  had  gone  tlu'ough  the  awe-inspiring  voyage  around  Cape  Horn 
or  toiled  wearily  down  by  way  of  Oregon.  It  was  left  to  a  group  of 
ad\-enturesome  young  men,  educated  and  full  of  enthusiasm,  to  "blaze  the 
trail"  so  that  emigrants  as  well  as  traj^pers  and  Indians  might  walk  therein. 
From  all  parts  of  tlie  Cnited  States  they  met  at  Independence,  Missouri,  on 
May  8.  1841,  and  .started  on  that  long  journey.  Westward  Ho!  aufl  in 
the  fullness  of  time  tliese  hardy  pioneers  emblazoned  their  names  in  the 
history  of  the  west,  many  of  them  in  golden  letters. 

The  part\'  was  well  e(]ui])pe<I  with  h<irses  and  pack  animals.  1  hey 
made  no  deviations  from  the  well  known  trail  to  Salt  Lake  by  way  of  the 
south  pass,  from  there  to  the  Humboldt.  Walker  and  Carson  ri^'ers.  Pass- 
ing down  the  Walker  to  almost  the  source,  they  then  crossed  the  Sierra 
Nevada  Mountams  and  passed  down  its  western  slope  following  it  Ijetween 
the  Tuolumne  and  Stanislaus  rivers  to  the  San  Joaquin  valley.  When 
they  reached  the  ranch  of  Dr.  Marsh,  located  at  the  base  of  Mount  Diablo, 
on  November  4.  1841.  they  parted  company,  seeking  different  parts  of  the 
land  of  their  hopes.     It  took  them  six  months  and  f(Hir  days  to  make  the  trip. 

For  some  time  Fremont  had  been  aware  of  the  manner  in  which  the 
maps  of  the  country  tliffered  from  the  reports  of  the  trajjpers  in  regard  to  a 
number  of  geographical  features.  On  his  second  expedition  he  visited  the 
Cireat  Basin  to  ascertain  the  truth.  He  entered  it  on  December  16.  1843. 
and  in  doing  so  disco\ered  a  lake  which  he  named  Lake  Albert,  after  the 
chief  of  the  Topographical  Engineers,  to  which  he  belonged.  On  January  3rd, 
1844.  Fremont  found  that  he  had  reached  and  run  over  the  positions  where, 
if  his  best  maps  could  be  depended  on,  he  would  have  found  Mary's  river 
or  lake.  Listead  he  was  on  the  edge,  seemingly,  of  a  desert  which  had 
been  reported  to  him,  ])resumably  by  the  trappers.  The  whole  aspect  of  the 
country  was  such  that  I'rcmont  felt  afraid  to  enter  it.  and  accordingly  bore 
away  to  the  south,  but  in  hope  of  reaching  the  Buenaventura  river  kejit  close 
to  the  mountains.  WHiile  on  the  mountains  Fremont,  descrying  at  a  distance 
of   si.xteen    miles   a   column   of   steam   w'hich   showed   the   existence   of   hot 


IS  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

springs,  inimctliately  set  out  fni-  them,  liiuling-  the  most  cxtraoixUnary  of  all 
they  met  with  un  the  trip.  In  his  writings  he  went  into  details  and  also 
enthusiasm  m'er  their  many  euririus  qualities. 

After  reaching  and  naming  Pyramid  lake,  the  party,  on  the  15th  of 
January,  reached  the  point  where  the  Truckee  flows  into  Pyramitl  lake, 
and  after  camping  one  night  followed  along  up  the  ri\er.  Owing  to  the 
great  abundance  of  that  fish  Fremont  named  the  stream  "Salmon  Trout 
River."  The\-  finally  left  that  river  at  about  the  point  where  AVadswortli 
now  stands  on  the  Central  Pacific  Ixaihvav,  and  continued  the  search  for 
Buenaventura  river.  They  w'ent  to  the  southeast,  following  an  Indian  trail. 
They  reached  what  is  now  known  as  Car.son  river,  at  a  point  where  it  emerges 
from  the  foothills  near  Ragtown,  where  it  sinks  into  the  \ast  plains  in 
Churchill  county.  Down  this  ri\-er  the)-  dragged  themsches  for  three  hi.mrs 
and  went  into  camp.  By  this  time  b'remont  had  become  convinced  of  the  im- 
possibility, apparent!}',  of  reaching  the  Rocky  jMoinitains  in  this  direction. 
The  men  were  worn  out  and  in  too  exhausted  a  condition  to  tempt  fate 
further  in  that  direction,  so  it  was  decided  to  travel  across  the  Sierra  west 
into  California.  Accordingly,  the  next  day  the  march  up  Carson  river  was 
commenced,  and  in  two  days  they  came  to  where  now  stands  the  ruins  of 
Fort  Churchill.  F"remont  secured  a  vantage  point  on  a  mountain  adjacent, 
and  after  a  thorough  inspection  of  Carson  valley  and  the  Sierra  beyond  came 
to  the  conclusion  that  the  most  feasible  route  wiiuld  be  farther  to  the  south. 
On  January  21st  the  forlorn  expedition  moved  south  to  Walker  river,  and 
for  three  days  followed  the  east  fork,  leaving  it  to  struggle  to  the  west.  Jt 
took  the  Pathfinder  and  his  loyal  following  tlurty  days'  arduous  straggle 
to  win  the  tortuous  pass  through  the  Nevada  mountains,  but  his  eventual  suc- 
cess and  its  attendant  results  is  known  to  all  the  world.  To  Fremont's  bitter 
disappointment  he  had  to  gi\-e  up  the  effort  to  carrv  the  momitain  howitzer 
further,  and  he  abandoned  it  on  January  29th.  It  passed  into  the  possession  of 
William  Wright,  at  that  time  well  known  by  his  nom  de  plume  of  "Dan  de 
Ouille,"  by  right  of  discovery.  He  gave  a  description  of  its  resting  place 
and  it  was  to  b;i\e  been  taken  to  Virginia  City.  But  w.nrring  elements  were 
at  work,  for  both  the  Union  and  Secession  forces  of  Nevada  were  determined 
to  secure  its  powerful  influence  for  their  own  good.  But  the  I'nion  rose 
triuni])hant  as  Captain  A.  W.  Prey,  when  the  gun  arri\ed  in  X'ii'ginia  City 
in  June,  1861,  ]i;iid  two  hundred  dollars  to  the  part\-  who  brought  it  in.  The 
howitzer,  of  the  jiattern  used  l)y  the  l""rench  army  against  the  Algerians, 
is  now  the  i)ro])erly  of  Captain  A,  W.  Prey,  It  lies  at  Glenbrook  on  the 
shores  of  Lake  Tahoe. 

Des])ite  the  well  known  perils,  the  very  next  winter  after  Fremont  over- 
came all  diflicultics.  another  b;md  of  hardv  men  determined  to  reach  Call- 


A   IllSTOm'  Ol'    NEVADA.  19 

fornia  Ihrougli  tlie  sliininierint;-,  mocking  wliite  fastnesses  of  llie  nioiiiUains. 
slarting  from  Council  Bluffs,  May  20,  1S44.  Fortune  fav(.)re(l  them,  for 
they  came  unscathed  through  the  mountains  and  down  to  the  llumhnliU.  it 
was  there  the  Indian  guide  was  secured  wliose  name  Trucl-cee  was  given  l)y 
the  party  to  tlie  river  wlien  tlie  lower  crossing,  now  known  as  Wadsworth, 
was  reached.  From  the  same  source  is  deri\-ed  the  appellation  for  the  famous 
Truckee  trijut.  On  the  shores  of  Duuner  lake  it  was  decided  to  huild  a  cahin, 
out  of  pine  saplings,  roofed  In  hrush  and  rawhide,  with  one  o|)ening  for 
door  and  window ;  and  it  has  gone  down  in  history  as  the  fir.st  attem])t  at 
erecting  a  cabin  ever  made  by  white  men  in  the  contines  of  Nevada  county, 
California,  and  yet  it  tciok  but  two  da}'s  to  put  it  uj).  In  the  party  were 
Dr.  Tovvnsend,  Allen  Montgomery,  Moses  Schallenberger.  John  Flomboy, 
Captain  Stevens,  Joseph  Foster,  G.  Greenhood,  John  Greenwood,  Britt  Green- 
wood, James  Miller,  Mr.  Calvin,  William  and  Patrick  Martin,  Dennis  Martin. 
Martin  Murjihv  and  five  sons,  Mr.  Hitchcock  and  one  son.  Moses  Schallen- 
berger, Joseph  Foster  and  Allen  Montgomery  determined  to-  stay  in  the 
cabin  and  guard  the  stores,  as  the  cattle  had  given  out.  Leaving  one  half- 
starved  cow  and  a  meager  supply  of  pro\-isions  for  the. three  young  men,  the 
rest  of  the  party  left  about  November  15th.  It  took  them  a  wdiole  month 
of  such  toil  and  privation  as  tried  e\'en  their  robust  frames  and  heroic 
natures  to  reach  Sutter's  fort.  Snow  and  storm  impeded  e\-ery  step  of  the 
seemingly  endless  jom'ney,  but  the\'  were  on  the  wa\'  battling  forward  at 
every  step  while  the  three  left  1)ehind  were  inbedded  in  fifteen  feet  of  snow. 
The  storm  had  dri\-en  every  living  thing  before  it,  and  when  the  carcass  of 
the  cow  was  on  the  point  of  giving  out  they  determined  to  make  an  effort 
to.  overcome  the  barricade  l)efore  it  was  entirely  gone.  Successfully  they 
mounted  to  the  summit,  when  to  their  horror  Schallenberger  became  so  ill 
that  the  only  chance  for  them  was  to  take  him  back,  to  the  abandoned  cabin, 
which  he  begged  them  to  do,  and  go  on  alone.  Never  was  the  trite  old  adage, 
"where  theres  a  will  there's  a  way,"  better  exemplified  than  in  this  case. 
Alone  in  the  white  solitudes  Schallenberger  fought  bravely  for  his  life. 
Discovering  among  the  goods  se\'eral  steel  traps,  he  caught  enough  foxes  to 
keep  the  vital  spark  alive  until  the  rescuing  party  reached  him,  which  was  not 
until  three  weary  months  had  passed. 

A\'hen  Fremont  started  on  his  next  expedition  in  October  of  1845,  he 
had  both  Kit  Carson  and  Joseph  Walker  in  his  party.  The}-  left  Salt  Lake, 
and,  as  soon  as  they  had  crossed  the  desert  beyond,  the  party  dixided.  Fremont 
taking  fifteen  men,  among  them  Kit  Carson,  who  was  his  favorite  scout,  going 
west  through  the  country  to  the  south  of  Mary's  river.  The  others,  under 
the  leadership  of  Theodore  Talbot,  with  Jose])h  W'alker  for  guide,  went  direct 
to  Mary's  river  to  a  rendezvous  appointed  near  the  point  where  Ragtown,  in 


20  A  HISTORY  OF  NE\'AD.\. 

Churchill  ciiuiit}',  now  stands.  Truetn  compact  the  two  parties  came  together 
at  the  designated  point,  but  onl\-  for  one  night  in  Xovemlier.  separating  the 
next  morning.  Fremoait  followed  the  course  of  the  ri\er  he  had  named 
Carson,  in  honor  of  Kit  Carson,  up  through  the  canyon  and  \alley  of  the 
same  name  to  Lake  Tahoe.  From  this  point  he  went  into  the  Sacramento 
valley.  Talbot  went  tO'  the  south  by  way  of  Walker's  lake  and  river,  which 
had  lieen  named  b\-  I'^remont  for  the  famous  scout  then  acting  as  Talbot's 
guide. 

In  a  brief  letter  written  at  Prescott.  Arizona,  in  February.  iSXi.  Fre- 
mont states  that  he  had  named  Lake  Tahoe  on  his  first  crossing  it  in  1843-44 
Lake  Bonpland.  giving  to  the  river  basin  tiie  name  of  Humboldt,  so  placing 
them  on  his  map  of  that  expedition.  Fremont  stated  that  probably  Tahoe 
was  the  Indian  name,  and  he  had  no  doubt  it  was  the  same  lake,  though 
he  had  not  then  seen  it  since  1844.  when  he  crossed  the  Nevada.  The 
Bonpland  referred  to  by  Fremont  was  .\made  Bonpland  of  France,  who 
accompanied  Humboldt  when  that  celel)rated  traveler  and  scientist  came 
to  America.  He  was  a  native  of  Rochelle  and  was  biM-n  in  1773.  After 
becoming  a  physician  he  Uecame  a  famous  botanist,  collaborating  with  Hum- 
bt)ldt  in  several  celebrated  books  on  natural  history,  botany  and  monuments 
of  the  new  world.  .After  being  made  a  prisoner  in  Paraguay  l)y  the  Dictator 
Dr.  b'rancis.  because  he  dared  to  attempt  the  cultixation  of  the  Mate  or  Para- 
guay tea  of  that  country,  he  died  in  that  country  at  Montevideo  in  1858. 

In  A-pril  of  1846.  commenced.  wMth  the  starting  of  an  emigrant  party 
from  Springfield,  Illinois,  the  darkest  tragedy  of  the  western  trail,  the  soul- 
harrowing  fate  of  strong'  men.  devoted  women  and  iielpless  little  children. 
It  was  the  Donner  part}-,  headed  by  George  and  Jacob,  brotliers  of  that 
name,  and  their  families  numbering  sixteen.  In  the  ])art\^  at  the  start  were 
also  James  F.  Reefl  and  bis  family  of  se\en.  and  I'ranklin  W.  (iraves  with 
a  family  of  twehe.  Patrick  Breen  and  famil\'  of  nine  joined  them  at  Inde- 
pendence, Missouri,  and  beyond  I'orl  Bridgcr  a  widow.  Mrs.  La\inc  Murphy, 
and  her  family,  were  added.  Altogether  in  the  jjarty  were  ninety  persons, 
the  train  being  nicreased  tinally  to  nearl\-  three  hundred  wagons.  At  Fort 
liridger  the  first  ste])  on  the  road  to  dejith  was  taken  when  the  Donner 
brothers,  with  a  jjortion  of  the  other  emigrants,  left  the  others  to  try  the 
new  route  to  California  via  .Salt  Lake  and  the  Hastings  Cut  Off.  The  con- 
servati\e  ones  who  stayed  with  the  old  route  reached  their  goal  in  safety, 
while  the  others  were  destined  to  misfortune  after  misfortune  and  to  the 
endurance  of  almost  incredible  sufTering.  to  which  more  th.an  half  suc- 
cuml)ed.  Instead  of  seven  it  was  thirty  days  jjefore  they  reached  Salt  Lake, 
crossing  the  great  desert  with  e\er  sinking  hearts.  When  the  western  margin 
was  reached  it  was  ajiparent  th.'it  some  one  must  go  forward  in  Sutler's  i-'ort. 


A  lllSroin'  Ol'"   Xl'.VADA.  21 

seven  liiindred  miles"  journev,  and  come  liack  with  provisions.  William 
McCntclieon,  of  Missouri,  and  C  T.  Stanton,  of  Chicago,  Illinois,  volunteered 
and  left  on  horseback. 

i\v  the  time  (Iravcllv  I'ord  was  reached  all  were  on  short  rations,  cattle 
and  emigrants  alike  half  starved.  In  an  altercation  at  this  ix)int.  John 
Snvder,  a  team  dri\cr  well  liked  hut  pos.sessing  an  ungovernable  temper,  he- 
came  in\ol\ed  in  a  (piarrel  with  James  F.  Reed,  in  an  effort  to  sto])  the 
tight  Mrs.  Reed  rushed  lietween  the  combatants  and  received  a  blow  from 
a  whip  intende<l  for  her  husband,  which  .so  enraged  the  latter  that  he  stabbeil 
Snvder,  inflicting  a  fatal  wound.  Reed  was  banished  from  the  party,  to 
make  his  wav  without  gun  or  food  the  best  he  could.  .\  friend  managed  to 
convev  his  gun  to  him.  and  his  little  daughter  Virginia  went  to  him,  taking 
some  crackers  she  had  contrived  to  hide.     This  saved  his  life. 

On  October  9th  Harclcoop  and  Keseberg  fell  behind,  the  latter  coming 
up  at  night,  the  former  dying.  Indians  ran  off  twenty-eight  of  their  cattle  at 
Humboldt  sink,  antl,  actually  star\'ing,  the  jiarty  wandered  on,  only  the 
children  riding.  After  leaving  the  Humboldt  sink  Keseberg,  with  a  rich  man, 
W'oHinger,  fell  behind,  Keseberg  coming  on  alone.  When  dying  later,  Joseph 
Reinhart  confessed  to  having  a  hand  in  the  murder  of  Wolfinger.  Relief 
in  the  person  of  C.  T.  Stanton  met  them  near  where  Wadsworth  now  stands. 
Stanton  had  not  only  provisions.  l)ut  mules,  with  two  Indian  \-aqueros  to  aid 
in  transporting  them,  all  furnished  by  the  generosity  of  Captain  Sutter,  who 
refused  all  compensation. 

When  the  party  reached  Reno  they  made  another  mistake,  one  fraught 
with  dire  results,  in  tleciding  to  rest  three  or  four  days.  A  fearful  storm 
was  gathering  in  the  mountains,  and,  eagerly  as  the  emigrants  urged  their 
party  forward,  the  elements  outstrijiiied  them,  and  three  miles  below  Truckee, 
at  Prosser  creek,  on  October  28,  iS4(),  four  weeks  earlier  than  it  usually 
came,  the  snow  commenced  falling,  six  inches  at  that  point,  but  on  the 
summit  in  some  places  five  feet  in  depth.  Many  and  desperate  were  the 
futile  attempts  to  cross  that  awful  barricade  of  snow  from  the  camp  hastily 
made  at  Donner  Lake,  hut  all  in  vain;  the  pitiless  snow  descended,  bringing 
in  its  wake  agony  and  death.  It  was  impossible  to  move  in  any  direction,  so 
all,  perforce,  made  what  arrangements  they  could  to  try  to  weather  the  storm. 
All  live  stock  was  buried  alive  in  the  huge  drifts,  and  from  their  carcas.ses 
the  meat,  alreadv  frozen,  was  prepared  for  food.  The  cabin  where  young 
Schallenherger  made  his  successful  battle  for  life  was  still  standing,  but 
cabins  had  to  be  erected  for  all  who  could  not  find  shelter  in  it.  the  Breen 
family  having  been  assigned  to  that.  Little  as  they  ate,  grim  starvation  was 
.soon  lieside  them,  and  on  the  lOth  of  December,  1846,  a  party  of  seventeen 


22  A  HISTORY  OF  XKVADA, 

started  out  to  luring  relief  if  possible,  and  if  not  to  die  in  the  attempt,  a  little 
band  known  always  as  the  "Forlorn  Hope  Party." 

THE    FORLORX    HOPE    P.\RTY. 

Ere  they  went  far  two  had  to  return  to  camp,  but  the  fifteen  pressed  on. 
among  them,  Mrs.  Sarah  Fosdick.  iier  sister  Alary  Graves,  C.  T.  Stanton 
and  F.  W.  Graves.  One  by  one  death  stalking  by  their  side  snatched  first 
one.  then  another,  until  only  seven  were  left.  What  pen  could  describe  the 
revulsion  of  feeling  when  suddenly  they  came  upon  footsteps  in  the  snow, 
and  following  these  with  awakened  hoi)e  came  to  an  Indian  rancheria.  Stoical 
as  is  the  Indian  the  condition  of  the  seven  emaciated,  starving  persons  im- 
pressed them  deeply,  and  they  gave  every  assistance  they  could.  Taking  up 
the  march  with  Indian  guides,  on  they  pressed  only  to  gradually  give  out, 
and  Air.  Eddy,  leaving  one  man  and  five  women,  reached  Johnson's  ranch 
on  Bear  river,  then  the  only  ranch  on  Sierra's  western  slope.  A  relief  partv 
went  back  fifteen  miles  and  brought  in  the  six  who  had  fallen  by  the  way. 

.\  month  had  ]iassed  since  the  party  left  Donner  lake,  and  over  half  their 
number  had  literally  laid  down  their  lives  for  their  friends,  not  knowing 
whether  the  sacrifice  would  be  rewarded  or  not.  Help  from  Sutter  was 
secured  by  John  Rhodes  in  a  week,  and  six  men  under  Captain  Reasin  P. 
Tucker  provided  with  pro\-isions  and  mules,  left  for  Donner  lake  in  less 
than  two  weeks. 

A   SECOND  RESCUING  PARTY. 

At  Donner  lake  the  slow  tragedy  of  life,  sustained  in  a  few.  while  the 
many  perished,  dragged  on,  until  on  the  19th  of  February,  1847,  the  rescuers 
appeared.  Every  moment  was  precious  and  the  return  was  soon  commenced 
by  twent\-three  survivors  of  that  fearful  siege  with  their  rescuers,  and  of 
these  two  had  to  return  and  three  soon  died.  Their  trials  were  not  over,  for 
soon  provisions  were  all  gone,  and  just  as  they  had  given  up  ho])e  a  second 
rescuing  ])arty  appeared,  headed  by  John  F.  Reed,  on  the  25th  of  I'cbruary, 
1S47.  Reed  had  preceded  the  Donner  party  several  months,  and  the  joy 
of  iiis  reunion  with  liis  family  was  soon  cut  sliort.  for  i\ccd  pressed  on  to 
Donner  lake,  where  bis  two  little  daughters  were.  ba\ing  been  carried  back 
l>y  the  preceding  party.  When  Reed's  party  reached  them  prmisions  had 
gi\cn  out  and  the  party  of  seventeen  commenced  the  journey  onward.  They 
had  not  gone  far  when  a  terrible  storm  broke  and  camp  was  made,  that  camp 
known  to  history  as  "Starved  Camp,"  and  Mr.  Reed,  with  his  two  little  ones 
and  a  companion,  went  on  ahead  to  secure  aid  if  possible.  Cad)'  and  Stone 
soon  caught  up  with  the  inur.  .and  fin  the  third  night  all  reached  Wood- 
worth's  camp  at  Bear  valley  alive.  One  can  only  imagine  the  sufferings  of 
the  ones  left  at   Starved  Cam]).      \  third  relief  party.  John  Stark.   Hmvard 


A    HISTORY  OF  XKVADA.  23 

Oakley  and  Charles  Stone,  were  near,  and  W.  II.  Eddy  (saved  by  a  former 
party  and  W.  H:  Foster),  were  coming-  on  the  same  errand  of  mercy.  They, 
with  the  addition  of  Hiram  Miller,  left  Woodworth's  camp  the  next  day  after 
Reed  arrived,  hnt  when  they  reached  Starvation  Camp  only  two  of  the  eleven 
conld  stand  upright.  John  Stark  urged  and  entreated  until  a  portion  started 
out,  the  others  remaining  f(ir  another  relief  part}-  to  find  them. 

When  Foster  and  hjld\-'s  relief  party,  the  third  one,  reached  I  )nnner 
lake,  George  Doi-iner  and  his  wife  were  the  only  sur\-ivors  at  .Mder  creek. 
Knowing  he  was  dving,  George  Donner  tirged  and  entreated  his  faithful 
wife  to  lea\-e  hiiu  and  g(i  with  her  children  under  the  care  of  the  third 
relief  partv.  Steadfasllv  she  refused,  her  hc;n-t  torn  with  conflicting  emotions 
as  her  little  ones  added  their  entreaties  to  her  husband's.  \\'illingly  .she 
retraced  the  weary  way  where  at  the  end  the  devoted  couple  met  death 
together,  and  such  :i  death !  Time  can  ne\-er  efface  the  horror  of  that 
tragedy. 

While  the  third  relief  party  saved  four  of  the  five  stu-vivors  a  fourth 
partv  was  required  to  sa\-e  Lewis  Ke.seberg,  which  they  did  on  August  7, 
1847.  O^  t'l*-"  iiicmbers  of  the  Donner  party,  six  failed  to  even  reach  the 
mountains,  forty-two  died  horrible  deaths  one  by  one.  lea\-ing  only  forty- 
eight    survivors. 

From  the  Near  1847  emigration  steadilv  increased,  the  discovery  of 
gold  in  California  gixing  it  further  iiupetus,  many  following  the  trail  markefl 
by  so  many  graves,  and  as  if  safety  laid  in  numbers  the  record  of  suffering 
aud  death  seemed  ended  with  the  Donner  tragedy. 


CHAPTER  HI. 

1 846- 1 8  50. 

Ceding  of  Great  Basin  1848 — The  Change  of  Flag — Boundaries  of  State 
of  Deseret — Territory  of  Utah  Established — First  Discovery  of  Gold 
in  Nevada  1850 — First  Settlement  of  Carson  Valley. 

While  the  Donner  expedition  was  .struggling  for  life  and  death  the 
American  and  the  Mexican  authorities  were  struggling  for  sui)ren-iacy  in 
California,  the  Bear  Flag  war  haxing  been  inaugurated  in  Sononia  on  June 
14,  1846,  the  American  population  coming  out  triumphant.  While  this 
war  was  on  the  United  States  and  Mexico  were  engaged  in  active  hostilities 
terminating  in  the  usual  victory  fnr  the  .\nierican  arms.  In  the  treaty  of 
Febru;u-v  2,  1848,  Mexico  ceded  ti>  Uncle  Sam  an  immense  tract  of  land 
ami  dated  the  session   from  July  7,    1846,  the  date  when  Commodore  Sloat 


24  A  HISTORY  OF  XK\\\DA. 

raised  tlie  stars  and  stripes  at  Mnnterey.  The  territory  acquired  com- 
prised all  of  Mexico  lying  between  the  Pacific  Ocean  and  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains that  was  bounded  on  the  north  by  the  forty-second  degree  of  latitude, 
being  the  line  between  California  and  Oregon;  on  the  south  it  was  bounded 
by  the  Gila  river  and  tlie  present  south  line  of  Califurnia.  What  is  now 
known  as  Xe\-ada,  Utah  and  Arizona  was.  until  the  1846  conquest,  part  of 
Mexico  and  the  Mexican  .territory  of  Alta  California. 

ORG.'iKIZ.^TIOX     OF    ST.\TE    OF    DESERET. 

In  convention  at  Salt  Lake  on  March  18.  1849,  the  Mormons  organized 
what  they  named  the  "State  of  Deseret,"  a  territorial  government.  This 
territory-  included  within  its  boundaries  what  is  now  Nevada.  Arizona  and 
Utah,  a  portion  of  Colorado,  a  slice  of  Oregon,  and  the  part  of  Wyoming 
lying  south  of  the  \\'ind  River  mountains.  Of  what  is  now  California 
the  portion  comprising  San  Diego  and  Los  Angeles  counties  as  far  up  the 
coast  as  Santa  Monica  was  included.  The  line  ran  directly  from  there 
north  to  the  ridge  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  and  in  its  boundaries  were  half  of 
Kern  county,  a  jiart  of  Tulare  county,  all  of  Mono  and  Inyo,  part  of  Alpine, 
])art  of  Shasta,  part  ot  Siskivou  and  all  of  Lassen. 

TERRITORY  OF  UTAH    ESTABLISHED. 

The  territory  of  LUah  was  established  by  the  act  of  Congress  on  the 
gtli  day  of  September.  1830.  the  same  date  California  was  admitted  as  a 
state.  Its  lioundaries  were  laid  down  as  "Bounded  on  the  west  1)_\-  the 
State  of  California;  on  the  north  1)\'  the  TerritorN'  of  Oregon;  on  the  east 
by  the  summit  of  the  Rocky  Mountains:  and  on  the  south  by  the  thirty- 
seventh    parallel   of   north    latitude." 

'i'he  exact  date  of  the  lirst  discoverv  of  gold  in  .Nevada  is  placed  in 
1850,  as  in  the  spring  of  that  year  a  train  of  emigrants  left  Salt  Lake 
district  for  California,  and.  forced  to  wait  on  the  eastern  base  of  the  Sierras 
for  the  snow  to  melt,  made  the  time  pass  by  prospecting  for  gold,  which 
they  found  in  ;i  stream  trilnUarv  to  Carson  ri\er.  flowing  from  a  canyon 
near  where  Dayton  stands.  It  was  not  rich  enough  to  prevent  their  going 
on  to  California,  but  they  took  the  news  of  the  existence  of  placers  in  the 
Creat  Basin  with  them. 

Regarding  this  discovery  and  its  results,  lion.  C.  .X.  .Xoteware,  at  one 
time  Secretary  of  State  ot  Nevada,  stated  lh;it  in  jiassing  the  mouth  of 
(jold  canyon  on  July  3.  1830.  he  met  a  party  of  miners  from  California 
going  into  the  canyon  and  ihev  informed  him  that  a  ])arly  of  emigrants 
bad  the  year  before  found  gold  there. 

About  the  i8th  of  the  same  month  C.aplain  Robeil  Lyon  passed  over 
tiic  same  route,  an<l,  writing  from  .S;ni   l>nena\entma.   C.'difornia,  said  that 


A  HISTORY  Ol-    XICVADA.  25 

at  tliat  time  placer  miniii.t;  was  heiny  (1<iik-  in  the  canymi  and  that  same  year 
Carson,  Steamlxiat  and  Washoe  valleys  were  thoroughly  prospected  for  gold. 
He  made  cam]>  ahoui  the  20th  of  Jidy  at  the  <il(l  Mormon  station,  now 
(jenoa,  and  met  Mormon  miners  from  California  prospecting  in  Cold  can- 
\-on :  w  hile  they  had  some  gold  dust  they  said  the  placers  at  Hangtown. 
now  riacerville,  were  richer,  and  unless  they  struck  something  Isetter  they 
wiiuld   soon   return  to  California. 

To  still  further  authenticate  the  statement  that  gold  was  discovered 
in  1850  the  statement  of  Walter  Cesser,  a  resident  of  Nevada  in  1852,  is 
given.  Mr.  Cesser  said  that  he  was  mining  in  Gold  canyon  late  in  1852 
when  two  \oung  men.  Rohinson  and  Cole,  came  through  en  route  from 
California  to  Salt  Lake  to  visit  their  parents  and  they  remained  from  that 
fall  to  the  spring  of  1853.  Roliinson  during  that  time  told  Mr.  Cosser 
that  he  was  one  of  a  jiarty  from  Salt  Lake  who  in  1850  on  the  way  to 
California  stopped  in  the  Carson  \alley,  and  while  waiting  for  the  snow- 
to  melt  found  gold,  as  hefore  stated,  in  the  spring  of  1850. 

FIRST    SETTLEMENT    OF    C;\RS0N    VALLEY. 

In  185 1  the  first  settlement  of  Carson  valley  was  effected  through 
the  medium  of  John  Reese,  of  Salt  Lake  City.  In  the  spring  of  that  year 
he  left  home  with  ten  wagons  filled  with  butter,  eggs,  flour  and  other  articles 
of  commerce  with  the  ohject  of  establishing  a  trading  post  on  the  overland 
road  east  of  the  Sierras.  With  Stephen  A.  Kinsey,  teamsters  and  ])as- 
sengers,  there  were  sixteen  in  the  party.  Arriving  at  Ragtown  they  went 
on  to  Carson  valley.  Mr.  Kinsey  going  on  ahead  to  select  a  favorable 
locality;  when  he  reached  the  point  known  in  1849-50  as  "Mormon  Sta- 
tion," he  selected  it  as  a  good  vantage  point  and  camped  until  the  party 
came  up  with  him.  Xo  trace  of  former  occupancy  remained,  for  after 
the  white  men  deserted  it  the  Indian  removed  all  signs  of  the  first  settlers. 
Mr.  Kinsey  on  July  4,  1851,  took  possession  of  the  land  and  it  retained 
the  name  of  Mormon  Station  until  fnur  years  later:  then  it  was  surveyed 
and  re-named  "Genoa."  Half  a  dozen  miners  were  at  work  in  Gold  can- 
yon when  this  party  reached  there,  and  twelve  of  the  new-comers  joined 
them;  in  less  than  six  months  o\er  (ine  hundred  miners  were  delving  away 
in  the  can\-on.  The  log  house  put  up  by  the  Reese  party  was  the  first 
house  built  in  Nevada,  and  it  stands  at  Genoa,  the  sole  reminder  of  the 
pioneer  past.  After  putting  up  a  stockade  corral  covering  an  acre  they 
felt  secure  from  Indian  attacks.  A  garden  was  set  in  turnips,  showing 
soon  the  fertilitv  nf  the  soil.  Mormons,  among  them  Condie,  Lee  and 
Gil)son,    soon   arri\cd,   and   the   ixipulation   was    further   increased  by  parties 


26  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

of  emigrants  who  stopped  on  tlie  way  to  California,   fearing  tlie  mountain 
passes  in  winter. 

In  Novemlier  of  185 1  tlie  celebrated  Eagle  ranch  was  taken  up  by 
a  party  of  miners  from  Calif(M'nia,  Frank  and  \\'.  L.  Hall,  Frank  and  Joe 
Barn.  .\.  J.  Rollins  and  George  Follensbee:  they  left  Bents  Bar.  Placer 
county,  to  mine  in  western  Utah,  but  finding  little  to  reward  them  took 
up  the  ranch  where  the  State  Capitol  now  stands.  A  log  cabin  for  a  station 
was  rented  to  Dr.  Daggett  and  Mr.  Gay.  Frank  Hall  killed  an  eagle 
soaring  o\er  the  station  and  thus  the  name  was  deriyed  for  not  only 
the  station  but  the  surrounding  yalley. 


CHAPTER    IV. 
185 1. 

The  Squatter  Goyernment  of  185 1 — Citizens  Hold  First  ^Meeting — Perfecting 
S_\steiu  of  Goyernment — Proyision  for  Civil  Goyernment. 

As  the  population  increased  it  become  evident  that  some  form  of  goy- 
ernment must  be  instituted  so  that  the  rights  of  the  people  to  acquire  and 
hold  property  could  be  enforced.  To  that  end  a  meeting  of  citizens  was 
called  on  Xovember  12.  1851.  and  a  Squatter  Goyernment  organized.  Either 
they  were  not  cognizant  of  the  fact  that  in  many  things  they  were  subject 
to  the  laws  of  Utah  Territory  or  else  they  did  not  think  they  covered  the 
necessary  ground.  The  object  was  declared  to  be  the  adoption  of  a  system 
by  means  of  which  the  settlers  could  so  su1)divide  the  valley  as  to  secure 
for  each  unc  their  right  to  the  land  taken  n]i  by  them  and  imi)roved  by 
them,  and  further  to  agree  upon  a  petition  to  Congress  for  a  distinct  terri- 
tnrial  government,  the  creation  of  public  offices  for  the  valley,  the  adoption 
of  by-laws  and  regulations  to  govern  the  community.  Colonel  .\.  Wood- 
ward acted  as  chairman  and  T.  G.  Bernard  as  secretary.  lUu  six  resulu- 
tions  were  adopted  at  this  meeting. 

Tlie  survey  of  laud  claims  and  cmplnyiueiU  of  a  competent  surveyor 
were  provided  for  in  number  one.  James  H.  Haynes  acted  in  that  ca])acily 
later,  .so  he  must  have  been  selected  at  that  time. 

The  office  of  recorder  and  treasurer,  one  ])arty  to  fill  Ijotli  positions, 
was  created  in  number  two;  his  duty  was  to  record  and  issue  certificates 
ci  claims,  and  the  fee  was  to  be  twenty  live  dollars.  An  accounting  of  .all 
moneys  was  to  lie  made  to  the  committee.  The  third  resolution  limited 
claims  to  cpiartcr  sections,  while  unmlK*r  foui'  ga\e  the  comnnitlee  lull 
jurisdiction   uvef   the   recorder  and   treasurer,    it    ha\ing   powir    to    appoint 


A    IIIST()R\'  Ol"   NEVADA.  27 

and  rem()\-e;  that  official  also  had  to  account  to  the  committee  for  all 
his  acts. 

Jii  numher  live  tiie  recorder  \\as  required  to  collect  all  fees  before 
l)erforniing  duties.  Numher  six  ])rovi(led  for  the  committee  of  seven  which 
was  to  have  charge  of  all  business  regarding  claims,  in  fact  act  as  head  of 
the  organization  and  also  appoint  a  recorder,  for  whom  thev  were  responsi- 
1)le.  The  committee  elected  consisted  of  N.  R.  Haskill,  T.  .\.  Hylton,  Will- 
iam Byrnes.  John  Reese,  E.  L.  Barnard,  A.  Woodward  and  H.  H.  Jameson. 

John  Reese,  H.  H.  Jameson,  Wash  Loomis,  \\'illiam  Byrnes  and  J. 
P.  Barnard  were  appointed  to  prepare  and  present  at  the  next  meeting 
furtlier  resolutions  to  perfect  the  system  of  government.  .After  reading 
the  petition  to^  Congress  and  approving  it  the  meeting  adjourned  to  meet 
again  the  nineteenth  of  the  same  month. 

Accordingly  the  meeting  assemblcrl  in  due  form  on  November  19.  185 1, 
with  John  Reed  in  the  chair  and  T.  A.  Hylton  acting  as  secretary.  Five 
resolutions  were  adopted  and  added  to  the  first  six.  Tn  number  seven 
settlers  were  given  the  right  to  take  up  a  new  claim  when  they  had  disposed 
of  the  one  in  possession.  .\  ])re])ayment  of  twenty-five  dollars  to  the 
recorder  was  required  in  number  eight.  Number  nine  compelled  all  claim- 
ants to  put  five  dollars  in  impro\-ements  on  their  land  within  a  hundred  and 
eighty  days  after  receiving  their  certificate,  f'y  number  ten's  provisions  a 
company  was  permitted  to  take  claims  for  each  indi\-idual  of  the  company, 
and  improve  one  location  sufficiently  to  cover  expense  on  all.  Number 
eleven  jjrovided  that  all  timber  was  to  be  common  pro]3erty,  save  to  persons 
who  would  erect  sawmills  a  certain  number  of  acres  was  to  lie  allotted. 

PRONISION    FOR    CIVIL    GOVERNMENT. 

After  the  ])ctition  to  Congress  was  read  and  another  comiuittee  of 
five  .'qi])ointe(l  to  draft  bv-laws  for  the  ci\'il  giwernment  of  the  settlement, 
the  meeting  adjourned  until  the  next  e\ening.  .\t  this  adjourned  meeting 
the  same  otiicers  presided  as  at  the  last  meeting,  and  T.  A.  Elylton,  H.  Id. 
Jameson,  W.  Byrnes,  Wash  Loomis  and  J.  P.  Barnard,  the  committee  ap- 
pointed at  that  time,  reported  a  preamble  and  resolutions  which  provideil 
for  the  civil  government.  A  justice  of  the  peace,  a  clerk  of  the  court,  and 
a  sberifif  were  declared  the  necessary  officers ;  they  were  required  to  exercise 
and  enforce  the  law  according  to  the  acknowledged  rules  of  equity  govern- 
ing  all  civilized   communities. 

The  resolutions  further  provided :  "There  shall  be  four  individuals, 
associated  with  the  justice — himself  making  the  fifth — in  forming  a  court, 
and  he  shall  be  empowered  to  summon  any  four  whene\-er  occasion  shall 
require    it,    to    take    cognizance    and    adjudicate    smiiiiiarily    in    all    cases   of 


28  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

cniitroxersy.  debts  or  offenses  agrniiist  the  pulilic  weal;  and  to  enforce  fines 
or  otlier  sufficient  penalties  upon  offenders;  to  issue  warrants  and  authorize 
arrests.  But  to  provide  against  the  abuse  of  these  powers,  citizens  and 
others  shall  have  the  right  of  appeal  to  a  court  of  tiivkv  citisciis.  summoned 
prdmiscuonsly.  who  shall  constitute  a  court  of  incjuiry  from  whose  decision 
there  shall  he  no  appeal;  scrutinize  and  reverse  if  necessary  the  decrees  of 
the  magistrate's  court :  and  who  shall  have  power  to  remove  the  magistrate 
or  impose  upon  him  any  other  just  penalty,  in  the  event  of  al)usive  exercise 
of  his  authoritv.  To  strengthen  them  and  jirovide  for  the  execution  of 
their  verdicts,  etc..  there  shall  he  a  clerk  .'uid  ci instable  ajipninted  tn  aid  and 
execute  the  decrees  of  these  courts." 

The  resolutions  having  been  adopted,  the  (officials  provided  for  were 
elected  as  follows:  Magistrate.  K.  L.  Bainard ;  Sheriff'.  \\'illiam  P>yrnes; 
Clerk.   Dr.   T.  A.   Hylton. 

.\  cnmmittee  was  appointed  id  rejxirt  on  further  mallei's,  and  the  meet- 
ing adiourned  until  the  29th  instant.  Init  for  some  reason  it  was  ne\'er  held. 
The  next  record  is  of  a  meeting  of  citizens  with  J.  C.  Fain  in  the  chair  on 
Ma\-  22,  185J.  At  this  meeting  authorizatiim  lo  lake  up  a  section  of  timber 
land  was  gi\en  to  any  one  who  would  build  a  sawmill.  E.  L.  Barnjird's  name 
was  signed  as  recorder  in  this  re])(nt. 


CHAPTER  V. 

First  Coi^ntv  Ouc.an'iz.vtion. 

I'lali  Legislature  Creates  Several  Xew  Counlies — County  judges  h'lecled — 
The  Book  of  Kecord.s — Carson  River  Toll  Llridge — .VmendnuMil  of 
Land  Laws — .\ct  Creating  Carson  Counly — Mormons  Defy  All  Law 
— Buchanan   Sends  .Army. 

'Die  first  counly  organizalion  was  effected  in  iS5_'.  ITah  by  an  act  ot 
legislature  creating  on  March  3  several  new  counties  and  defining  their 
JKiundaries.  There  were  seven  in  what  is  now  Nevada.  California  forming 
their  west  line,  what  is  still  Ctah  the  eastern  limits,  and  the  norlh  and 
soulh  boundaries  iiarallel  lines  running  east  and  wesl.  The  name  ol  Weber 
county  was  chosen  for  ihe  dix'isior,  farlhesl  north;  I  )esert'l  came 
next,  and  on  the  south  lay  Tooele,  the  three  comprising  one 
liundred  and  fifty-six  miles  of  the  north  end  of  Nevada.  The 
most  of  what  is  now  Washoe  and  rdl  of  Storey  t'ouuty  was 
included  in  the  next  division,  which  w;is  about  thiity-six  miles  wide  and 
was  named  Juab.      Millard    was   the   name   given    to   the   next   strip   south. 


A   IllSroin'  Ol'    XI'.VADA.  2'.t 

which  w.L^  .'ihinil  lil'l\  miles  wide;  il  iiichuled  most  of  Walker's  Lake  and  aU 
of  whal  is  now  known  as  the  counties  of  Douglas  and  Ormshy.  Two 
counties  of  e(|ual  size  were  formed  of  tlie  halance  ol  the  tcrritoi-y.  Iron 
and  Washington,  the  latter  hounded  on  the  south  hy  the  thirty-seventh  i)arallel 
of  north  latitude,  which  was  at  that  time  the  south  line  of  Utah. 

Judges  for  these  counties  were  elected  by  the  Territorial  Legislature 
in  Fehi'uary  of  that  )-ear,  to  each  ser\e  four  years,  as  follows:  For  Weljer 
and  Deseret  counties,  Isaac  Clark;  for  Tooele  county.  y\lfred  Lee;  for 
Juab  county,  George  Bradley;  for  Millard  county,  /Vnson  Call;  for  Iron  and 
Washington   counties.   Chapman   Duncon. 

THE    BOOK    OF    RECORDS. 

In  a  little  hook  of  records  containing  onl\-  sixt)'  leaves  all  records 
were  kept,  and  fortunately  for  posterity  it  was  preserved  Ijy  Mart  Gaige,  of 
Carson  City.  In  it  was  recorded  all  meetings,  entry  of  land  claims,  and  in 
fact  all  public  transactions.  This  shows  that  the  tirst  land  claim  was  re- 
corded by  John  Reese  on  Deceml)er  i,  1S52,  a  one-fourth  section  extending 
from  Mormon  Station  south  to  a  lone  tree,  including  all  between  the  mountain 
base  and  Carson  river.  On  the  same  day  one-fourth  section  claims  were 
tiled  by  W.  Byrnes,  E.  L.  Barnard,  S.  A.  Kinsey,  James  C.  Lain,  J.  Brown, 
all  to  the  north  of  Reese;  J.  H.  Scott  on  the  same  day  recorded  a  half  section 
to  the  south  of  I\eese.     These  were  the  only  claims  recorded  in  that  year. 

The  first  toll  road  grant  was  accorded  to  John  Reese  and  Israel  Mott 
on  December  i,  1852.  It  was  to  be  a  toll  road  bridge  on  Carson  river, 
and  they  were  to  repair  the  road  up  the  mountain  also.  They  asked  for  a 
live  years"  franchise  and  secured  it,  promising  to  expend  one  thousand 
dollars  on  the   work  before  July    ist. 

Lor  the  benefit  of  the  Mormons  a  mail  route  was  established  by  the 
government  in  1852  between  Salt  Lake,  Utah,  and  San  Bernardino,  Cali- 
fornia. To  Mormons  was  awarded  the  contract  for  carrying  the  mail.  In 
order  to  jilace  a  supply  station  near  the  Potosi  lead  mine  which  they  had 
determined  to  work,  Brigham  Voung  established  a  post  at  Los  Vegas 
Spring,  in  what  is  now  the  south  end  of  Nevada,  on  the  old  Spanish  trail. 
The  post  was  not  abandoned  by  the  Mormons  until  after  the  Mountain 
Meadow  massacre  in  September,  1875. 

LAWS   ARE   AMENDED. 

The  ne.xt  meeting  of  citizens  was  called  on  March  Jist,  J.  H.  Scott 
acting  as  presiding  officer  and  F.  G.  Barnard  as  secretary.  The  laws  previ- 
ously made  were  amended  so  that  all  parties  in  order  to  hold  land  had 
to  first  file  a  n<itice  with  the  recorder  and  then  put  one  hundred  dollars  in 
improvements   on    the    land    within    sixty    da}s.      To    make    the    title   good 


30  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

either  oAvner  nr  agent  had  to  occupy  the  land  and  an  alisencc  of  thirty 
days  cancelled  all  claims.  A  single  person  could  take  up  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres,  a  man  ol"  family  six  huiulred  and  forty ;  all  land  disputes  were 
to  be  settled  l)y  arhitration  or  liy  the  jury  of  actual  settlers.  The  recording 
fee  \yas  reduced  to  live  dollars. 

On  ]May  27,  1854.  the  citizens  again  assembled,  J.  L.  Gary  officiating 
as  chairman  and  M.  G.  Lewis  as  secretary.  At  this  meeting  a  resolution 
was  adapted  wlierehv  it  was  pro\-idc(l  that  although  every  settler  should 
have  water  sufficient  for  household  purposes,  yet  it  must  not  be  diverted 
from  its  original  channels  and  when  more  than  one  livetl  on  the  banks  of 
the  same  stream  they  should  share  the  water  according  to  the  acres  culti- 
vated, each  using  it  on  alternate  days  when  water  was  not  abundant. 

ACT    CREATING    CARSON    COUNTY. 

Carson  county  was  created  by  an  act  passed  by  the  Territorial  Legis- 
lature of  Utah  on  January  17,  1S54.  reading  as  follows: 

Section  i.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  Governor  and  Legislative  Assembly 
of  the  Territory  of  Utah :  That  all  that  portion  of  country  bounded  north 
by  Deseret  county:  east  by  the  parallel  of  longitude  118:  south  by  the 
boundary  line  of  the  Territory;  and  west  by  California,  is  hereby  included 
within  the  limits  of  Carson  county,  and  until  organized  is  attached  to  Mil- 
lard county  for  election,  re\-enue,  and  judicial  purposes. 

Section  2.  The  Go\enior  is  hereby  authorized  to  appoint  a  probate 
judge  for  said  county,  when  he  shall  deem  it  expedient;  and  said  probate 
judge,  when  appointed,  shall  proceed  to  organize  said  county,  by  dividing 
the  county  into  precincts,  and  causing  an  election  to  be  held  according  to 
law,  to  fill  the  various  countv  and  ])recinct  offices,  and  locate  the  county  seat 
thereof. 

Carson  count\'  included  within  its  boundaries  all  of  what  is  now 
Ormsby,  Washoe,  Douglas,  Storey,  and  Lyon  counties,  with  half  of  Esmer- 
alda, three- fourths  of  Churchill  and  a  portion  of  southwestern  Humboldt. 
The  .second  day  after  creating  the  county,  the  legislature  divided  Utah 
into  three  judicial  districts,  Carson  being  the  third.  Hon.  George  P.  Styles, 
United  States  Judge  for  Utah  Territory,  being  selectetl  to  jjreside  over  it. 
The  fact  that  the  new  county  was  entitled  to  representation  in  the  legis- 
lature cau.sed  Weber  county  to  lose  a  meniher  of  the  legislature.  The 
Governor  having  apijointed  Orson  llyde,  a  Mormon  elder,  probate  judge 
of  Carson  county,  he  left  Salt  Lake  to  occupy  the  position  on  May  17, 
1855.  He  was  accomiuuiied  by  Judge  Styles,  United  States  Marshal  Josei)h 
L.  Haywood  and  l'".nocli  Reese,  of  the  funi  of  J.  and  E.  Reese  &  Company 
and  an  escort  of  thirty-five  men.  They  reached  Mormon  Station  on  Jime 
15th.  and  before  fall  nianv  other  Mormons  had  followed  tliem  into  Carson 
county. 


A   IIISTOKV  OF  NEVADA.  31 

The  ofiicers  elected  to  serve  first  in  Carson  county  were:  sheriff,  J;nnes 
C.  l'"ain;  sur\eynr,  Henry  W.  Niles;  prosecuting-  attorney,  Cliarlcs  D.  Uag- 
j;elt;  treasurer,  Kicliard  ]).  Sides;  assessor  and  cnllectnr,  Charles  D.  Dag- 
gett: clerk,  llenr\-  \V.  Niles  (the  latter  not  being  appointed  until  Octol)er 
2n(l):  constable,  H.  M.  Hodges;  constable,  James  A.  Willianis,  bonds  six 
hundred  dollars;  Nicholas  Ambrosia,  justice  of  the  peace,  was  not  able  to 
write  and  signed  his  name  with  his  mark.  lienry  Van  Sickle,  another 
justice  of  the  peace,  was  placed  under  one  thousand  dollar  bonds.  On 
December  3,  1855,  James  McMarlin  was  appointed  justice  of  the  peace  for 
Gold  Canyon.  Henry  D.  Sears.  William  P.  .\llen  and  James  McMarlin 
were  the  selectmen,  each  being  under  one  thdusand  dollar  bontls.  This 
organized   the  county. 

MORMONS    IN     M.NJORITV. 

The  ne.xt  mo\e  was  to  settle  uj5on  the  agricultural  [)art  of  the  country, 
and  accordingly  a  party  of  Mormons  left  Salt  Lake  for  Carson  county  on 
May  7,  1856.  Enough  others  followed  to  place  the  Mormons  in  the 
majority,  and  at  the  election  the  4th  of  .\ugu.st  following,  the  following 
Mormons  were  elected:  recorder,  Richard  Bentley ;  sheriff.  Russell  Kelley ; 
surveyor,  Richard  Bentley;  selectmen,  William  Nixon  and  Permens  Jack- 
man  ;  justice  of  the  peace,  Chester  Loveland ;  constables,  Nelson  Merkley 
and  Seth  Dustin.  On  December  ist  Charles  D.  Daggett  was  appointed 
assessor,  collector  and  treasurer. 

In  this  year  the  Mormons  had  become  so  hostile  to  the  go\'ernment 
of  the  United  States  that  an  armed  mob  of  them  had  driven  the  United 
States  district  judge  not  only  from  the  bench  but  from  the  territory.  They 
defied  all  laws,  and  murders  committed  by  them  were  frequent.  Wherever 
the  ]\h)rmons  were  ir.  the  majority  there  terror  reigned.  Carson  county 
was  the  exception.  Finally  things  reached  such  a  chaotic  stage  that  Presi- 
dent. Buchanan  was  compelled  to  send  a  small  army  under  General  A. 
Sydney  Johnston  to  Salt  Lake  in  order  to  uphold  the  government's  suprem- 
acy. Brigham  Young  termed  this  small  force  an  "armed  mob  of  Gentiles'" 
and  promptly  called  upon  his  followers  to  defend  their  stronghold,  Salt 
Lake  City,  against  the  advance  of  the  men  under  Captain  Johnston. 

To  further  the  projects  of  the  Mormons  the  legislature  of  Utah  on  Jan- 
uary   14,    1857.  enacted  the   following  law.  directed  against  Carson  county: 

'•:;:  :;=  =;:  g^j^^j  county  is  allowed  to  retain  its  present  organization  so  far 
as  county  recorder,  surveyor,  precincts,  and  precinct  officers  are  concerned, 
and  may  continue  to  elect  those  officers  in  accordance  with  the  existing 
arrangements  and  laws,  until  further  directed  by  Great  Salt  Lake  county 
court  or  legislative  enactment. 

"Section  5. — The  record  books,  papers  and  blanks,  and  seals,  both  of 


32  A  HisTom'  or  xi".\'.\n.\. 

pniljalc  and  cnunlv  courts,  shall  1)0  delivered  over  to  the  order  ot  the  pmhate 
court  of  (Ireat  Salt  Lake  couuty." 

lu  accordauce  with  this  mandate  Judge  Chester  Loveland  adjourned 
the  county  court  on  April  13th  until  the  iirst  Monday  in  the  following 
June,  hut  it  was  not  until  Septeniher  3.  i860,  that  this  hrauch  of  the  judiciary 


CHAPTER  Vl. 

1857-1858. 

Carson   County   Depopulated. 

Brigham  ^'oun,^  Orders  Mormons  .Vway  From  Western  L'lah,  1857 — Terri- 
torial (iovernment  Again  Attempted — The  Petition  to  Congress — The 
Deed  of  Blood  at  Mountain  Meadow — Hanging  of  "Lucky  I'ill"  and 
the  Effects  Politically — 1858 — Ccninty  Election  1858. 

The  first  contingent  of  Mormons  to  leave  Eagle  Valley  for  Salt  Lake 
was  one  known  as  the  P.  G.  Sessions  California  Mormon  train,  and  in 
it  were  sixty-five  men,  women  and  children,  with  a  train  of  scx'cnteen 
wagons,  forty  horses  and  thirty-two  mules.  They  departed  on  the  i6th 
of  July,  and  it  was  not  until  the  5th  of  September  that  the  order  came 
calling  every  Mormon  away  from  western  Utah.  It  was  brought  by  the 
Conover  Company  I-Lxpress  just  after  sundown,  and  twenty-one  days  after- 
ward a  train  load  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  tw^enty-three  wagons  bore 
away  four  hundred  and  fifty  of  "the  Elect,"  among  whom  were  persons  from 
both  Oregon  and  California.  It  lodk  them  until  the  2nd  day  of  November 
to  reach  their  destination. 

F(jr  a  time  the  departure  of  the  Mormons  left  Washoe  ;uiil  Truckce 
valleys  sparsely  settled,  but  people  fnmi  ("alifornia  soon  came  in.  being  able 
lo  buv  for  a  trille  the  pro])crl\-  aixl  im])io\  emcnts  of  the  Mormons,  it  was 
not  long  before  the  vacant  ])laces  were  more  than  filled  by  (ieulilcs  and 
deserters  from  the  Mormon   ranks. 

A  second  attemiit  at  territorial  government  was  made  on  .\ngust  3, 
1857,  by  the  people  living  on  the  east  base  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  a  meeting 
i)eing  called  at  (ienoa  on  that  date.  It  was  called  after  the  departure  of  (he 
Sessions  Mormon  train  on  July  lOih,  but  about  four  weeks  l)ef(ire  the  whole- 
sale exodus  of  Mormons  from  western  I 'tab.  judge  Loxeland  was  iuxited 
to  speak  at  this  meeting  but  clid  not  dn  so.  The  initiatory  step  to  i)rocure 
the  authorization  of  a  new  lerritoiy  by  Congress  was  taken  at  a  i)rimary 
meeting  on  the  evening  of  the  date  above  mentioned,      fhe  citizens  of  Carson 


A   lllSroKV  Ol'    XlvVADA.  33 

and  surrounding  valleys  assembled  in  (iilbert's  saloon  to  arrange  for  a  mass 
meeting  of  all  citizens  to  prepare  the  i)etition  to  Congress  for  a  new  territory 
to  be  organized  from  portions  of  L'tah,  California  and  New  Mexico.  C'olonel 
jnlm  Reese  was  chairman  and  Wilhani  Xixnn  acted  as  secretary.  Chairman 
Reese  briefl}'  stated  the  ol)ject  of  tiie  meeting,  and  the  following  resolutions 
were  adopted  b}'  unanimous  vote : 

Rfsolzrd:  That  a  mass  meeting  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  Territory  of 
L'tah.  lying  east  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  mountains,  west  of  the  Goose  Creek 
mountains,  and  between  the  Colorado  river  on  the  south  and  the  Oregon  line 
on  the  north,  be  held  on  Saturday,  the  eighth  day  of  .August.  1857,  to  take 
into  consideration  this  subject,  and  to  provide  ways  and  means  for  presenting 
this  whole  questi(jn  to  the  earnest  consideration  of  the  President  of  the  United 
States  and  b<:)th  Houses  of  Congress. 

Rcsoh'cd :  That  a  committee  of  nineteen  be  api)ointed  to  make  arrange- 
ments for  holding  said  mass  meeting  in  the  town  of  Geno»,  Carson  Valley,  on 
Saturday,  the  eighth  day  of  August,  1857. 

Rcsok'af:  That  Judge  Crane  and  Judge  Loveland  be  inxited,  and  are 
hereby  recjuested,  to  address  the  meeting  on  that  occasion. 

The  following  gentlemen  were  appointed  as  a  committee  of  arrangements : 

R.  D.  Sides,  Clear  Creek;  Dr.  B.  L.  King,  Eagle  Valley:  Dr.  Daggett. 
James  McMarlin,  William  B.  Thorrington,  Orin  Gray,  John  S.  Child,  Daniel 
Woodford.  INIajor  Ormsby,  D.  E.  Gilbert.  Samuel  Singleton.  H.  L.  Alexander. 
and  eight  others,  Carson  Valley. 

On  motion  adjourned  to  meet  en  masse,  on  Saturday ,  .Vugust  8.  at  one 
o'clock  P.  M.  John  Reese.  Chairman. 

William  Nixon,  Secretary. 

Genoa,  August  3,  1857. 

On  the  day  appointed  the  mass  meeting  assembled  in  due  form,  and  after 
being  called  to  order  liy  Alajor  William  M.  Ormsby,  Colonel  John  Reese  was 
elected  president,  and  Isaac  R(jop,  Captain  F.  C.  Smith,  Dr.  B.  L.  King  and 
SolouKJu  Perrin  were  elected  \'ice  ])residents.  Major  Ormslj\-  mo\ed  that  a 
committee  consisting  of  Major  Ormsby.  R.  1).  Sides,  Elijah  Knott,  Thomas 
J.  Singleton,  Dr.  B.  L.  King,  Daniel  Woodford,  S.  Stephens,  Warren  Smith 
and  John  McMarlin  l)e  appointed  to  ]ire.<ent  Inisiness  to  the  meeting.  This 
was  done  and  the  committee  retired,  and  while  the\-  were  awa\-  Judge  James 
M.  Crane  addressed  the  meeting  for  an  hour.  The  resolutions  presented  l)y 
the  committee  were  adopted  unanimoush-  by  the  citizens  assembled. 

This  move  for  a  new  territor\-  received  a  wonderful  impetus  when  the 
horrible  massacre  of  the  emigrants  at  Mountain  Meadow  by  the  Mormons 
and  Indians  became  known.  Although  it  really  occiu'red  about  four  weeks 
after  this  meeting  it  was  not  until  o\-er  two  months  that  it  began  to  Ije  sus- 
pected that  the  Mormons  were  implicated  with  the  Indians  in  the  perpetration 
of  that  deed  of  blood.     This,  added  to  the  open  defiance  of  the  government 


U  A  HISTORY  OF  .\1-;\AI)A. 

by  Brighani  Yuung.  aroused  popular  feeliug  in  --upi)ort  ot  the  proposed  new 
territory,  the  papers  of  California  rallying  to  its  support.  e\en  to  the  point 
of  exaggerating  its  importance,  l)oth  editorially  and  hv  means  of  curresjx)ncl- 
ents.  It  was  claimed  that  western'  I'tali  was  a  veritable  miners"  and  farmers' 
paradise. 

THE  TR.AGEDV   AT    MOINT.MN    ME.\l)OW. 

Just  before  tieneral  Johnston's  army  arrixed  in  L'tah  an  emigrant  train 
of  one  lumdred  and  fifty  persons  stojtped  at  Salt  Lake  to  procure  provisions, 
not  one  being  aware  that  there  was  open  hostility  between  the  Mormons  and 
the  government.  They  learned  it  only  when  they  found  that  the  Alormons 
would  neither  give  nor  sell  provisions  to  the  Gentiles.  In  the  party  were  young 
and  old,  white-haired  grandparents  and  nursing  Ijabes,  and  starxation  stared 
them  in  the  face  although  they  had  plenty  of  money.  Provisions  had  been 
taken  to  last  them  only  as  far  as  Salt  Lake,  and  after  leaving"  that  place  they 
passed  settlement  after  settlement  of  Mormons  and  in  not  one  could  they 
secure  a  pound  of  food,  h'roni  the  Indians  they  managed  to  procure  eight 
bushels  of  corn.  The  emigrants  were  far  above  the  a\erage.  not  only  farmers 
and  mechanics  and  artisans.  l)ut  ministers  and  professional  men,  all  hoping 
to  find  in  California  everything;  they  had  hitherto  lacked.  The  live  stock 
and  transportation  was  valued  at  three  hundred  thousand  dollars,  while  many 
carried  large  sums  of  money. 

Until  the\-  reached  Salt  Lake  the  expedition  had  been  regarded  as  almost 
a  picnic,  but  now  terror  o])pressed  them.  They  pushed  on  and  finally  made 
cam])  at  Ca\e  Springs,  in  the  Mountain  Meadows,  on  September  'ith.  where 
they  intended  to  rest  long  enough  to  give  the  live  stock  time  to  graze  and  gain 
strength  for  the  jfjurncy  ahead.  The  very  next  morning  they  were  attacked 
by  Mormons  disguised  as  Indians,  and  bona-fide  Indians  under  the  direction 
of  John  I).  Lee.  Fifteen  were  wounded  and  se\en  killed  outright.  In  a 
moment  the  emigrants  rallied  and  beat  the  attacking  forces  off.  killing  two 
of  the  Mormons. 

The  Mormons  being  compelled  to  withdraw  for  reinforcements.  William 
.\den  and  another  emigrant  tried  to  break  through  and  obtain  assistance, 
though  there  was  no  he!])  nearer  than  California.  They  reached  I'into  creek, 
where  Bill  Stewart  and  a  boy  com))anion  met  them:  young  Aden  was  instantlv 
killed,  and  his  c<im]);niion  though  wounded  nrmaged  to  esca])e.  Stewart 
visited  the  spot  years  later  and  boasted  <<\  killing  a  (ienlile.  kicking  the  bones 
of  young  Aden  to  show  his  contempt. 

The  emigrants  in  camp  were  ex])osed  day  and  night  to  a  merciless  rifle 
fire  all  during  Monday.  Tuesday  and  Wednesday.  They  suffered  most  from 
the   want   of   water,   and    fln.ally   a   heroic   wmnan.    thinking  perhaps   her   sex 


A   IILSIURV  Oi'    \Ji\AUA.  .'55 

wiiiild  ])rotect  her.  left  the  enclosure  lo  milk  a  cow,  hut  she  was  shot  down 
at  once.  Then  two  tin\'  children  were  dressed  in  ])ure  white  and  like  an!>els 
of  innocence  started  to  the  sprin,^;  to  try  to  till  a  small  pail  with  water.  Not 
even  they  were  spared,  and  hcfore  the  eyes  of  their  agonized  mothers  the  life 
hlood  of  the  infant  martyrs  dyed  the  path.  This  s])urred  the  hesieged  little 
hand  to  fresh  exertions;  a  manuscript  was  written,  giving  the  names  of  the 
entire  party,  the  church,  and  secret  orders  to  which  each  belonged,  the  history 
of  the  attack,  the  condition  of  the  party  and  all  details.  That  night  three 
heroes  set  out,  without  food,  water  or  guidance,  to  try  to  reach  California, 
that  California  lying  hundreds  of  miles  across  trackless  deserts  and  formidable 
mountains.  In  safety  they  ])assed  the  line  of  Abirmons  and  Indiana,  but  the 
trail  was  discovered  in  the  morning  and  a  band  of  Indians  under  Ira  Hatch 
sent  to  murder  them.  While  aslee])  on  the  Santa  Clara  mountains  the  pur- 
suers came  up  with  them:  two  were  killed  at  once,  and  one  escaped,  wounded 
in  the  wrist.  In  a  ])itiable  contlition  he  reachetl  Las  Vegas  in  northern  Cali- 
fornia, close  to  the  California  line.  Here  he  met  two  men,  one,  John 
M.  Yoimg,  and  they  off'ered  him  assistance  and  said  they  would 
get  him  to  Salt  Lake  in  safetv.  He  turned  with  them  and  at 
Cottonwood  the  pursuing  ]rdr{\  met  them  and  forced  his  new-found 
friends  to  gi\e  him  up.  By  order  of  the  white  tiend.  Hatch,  the 
Indians  sent  volley  after  volley  of  arrows  into  his  quivering  flesh  until  death 
ended  the  scene.  The  paper  to  which  the  emigrants  had  pinned  their  faith 
was  in  possession  of  the  Mormons  for  _\-ears,  John  D.  Lee  finally  rlestroying  it. 
.Vt  last  the  Mormons  decided  that  to  secure  their  victims  by  force  would 
mean  a  loss  of  life  to  them  and  s<i  decided  to  accomplish  the  desired  end 
l)y  stratagem.  A  flag  of  truce  was  carried  1)\-  messengers  to  the  emigrants, 
who  heard  their  declaration  that  the  Mormons  had  come  to  save  them  from 
the  Intlians,  and  that  if  the  emigrants  would  surrender  to  them  they  would 
simply  be  held  as  prisoners  and  jirotected  fr-om  the  Indians.  Their  tale  was 
believed  and  the  doomed  garrison  followed  instructions  and,  unarmed,  left 
their  defenses,  carrying  the  children  and  wounded  in  wagons,  the  women 
in  single  file  and  the  men  last  of  all.  Without  warning  Indians  and  Mormons 
united  to  exterminate  them,  and  in  five  minutes,  of  the  hundred  and  fifty,  only 
eighteen  tin\'  children  were  alixe.  they  being  too  young  to  talk.  Details 
of  tliat  carnival  of  blood,  the  atrocities  committed  li}'  red  and  white  man 
alike,  have  lieen  told  and  retold  until  it  is  familiar  history,  and  yet  the  fate 
of  that  ill-starred  expedition  was  (tnly  surmised  until  John  Cradelbaugh,  in 
iiS5y,  was  sent  to  Utah  as  United  States  district  judge.  Just  and  unafraid 
he  determined  to  unravel  the  mystery.  One  of  the  red-handed  Mormons  had 
committed  suicide  and  another  had  gone  insane  from  the  memory  of  that 
horrible  scene.     The  children  saved   were  located,   but  of  course  could  re- 


36  A  HIS'IOKV  OF  X1':VADA. 

member  nothing.  Finding  he  could  make  no  further  progress  Judge  Cradel- 
baugh  pubhshed  to  the  world  what  he  had  been  alile  to  unearth,  and  it  was 
twenty  years  before  justice  was  meted  out  to  e\en  one.  and  then,  on  March 
23,  1877.  John  D.  Lee,  bishop  and  murderer,  was  shot  by  order  of  the  court 
for  his  participation  in  that  crime,  of  which  he  was  one  of  the  instigators 
and  leaders.  But  he  was  the  onl_\'  one  \\ho  paid  any  penalty  for  participation 
in  that  wholesale  butchery. 

H.\NGINt;  OF  UCKY   1511.1,. 

In   the   year    1858   occurred    an    event   concerning   which    oi)inions   have 
always  differed,  and  that  was  the  hanging  of  William  B.  Thorrington,  pop- 
ularly known  as  "Lucky  Bill,"  on  June  19th.     He  was  a  native  of  Chenango 
count}'.   Xew   York,  and   remme'd   from  there  to  Michigan  in    1848   with  his 
parents.     Two  years  later  he  crossed  the  plains  to  California,  removing  to 
Carson  Valley  in   1850.     He  was  a  favorite  with  all  classes,  handsome  and 
jovial ;  he  was  of  massive  frame,  six  feet  one  inch  in  height  and  weighing 
two  hundred  ])ouncls.     While  his  hair  was  jet  black,  his  eyes  were  gray.     He 
had  become  quite  wealthy  and  had  purchased  the  Eagle  ranch  from  the  Reeses 
and  the  Carson  Valley  toll  road  from  Israel  Mott  and  possessed  other  valuable 
real  estate.     One  of  bis  characteristics  was  a  tendency  to  always  help  the 
weaker  part\-  in  any  dis|)ute.  no  matter  if  the  weaker  one  had  proxoked  it. 
He  was  generous  to  a  fault  and  noted  for  his  braver}'.     Despite  his  wealth 
he  was  a  gambler  and  a  most  lucky  one,  his  best  game  being  the  "thimble 
rig  game."     His  luck  not  only  in  gambling  but  in  every  venture,  gained-  him 
his  sobriipiet,   "Luck}    Bill."     Hundreds  of  instances  are  given  showing  his 
generosity  and  bravery.     Many  emigrants  who  stop|)ed  at  Ahirmon  Station 
had  occasion  to  bless  him  for  his  kindness.     His  surroundings  had  been  such 
that  they  implanted  in  his  breast  sentinients  at  x'ariance  with  the  ones  usually 
harbored  by  humanity.     He  had  more  respect  for  a  thief  or  murderer  than 
for  one  who  would  betray  either  criminal  to  the  authorities  if  they  had  been 
asked  for  protection  by  the  criminal.     This  little  eccentricity  was  known  to 
e\'eryone,  as  well  as  the  fact  that  it  sometimes  prexented  justice  being  meted 
out  to  criminals,  for  the  bad  citizens  also  were  aware  of  laicky  Bill's  ideas. 
In  the  end  this  one  defect  led  to  his  ignominious  death.     A  man  by  the  name 
of  Bill  Edwards  in  the  spring  of  1858  shot  and  killed  a  man  !)\    the  name 
of   Snelling,   in    Merced   county,   CaIiforiii;i,   ,'md   he  came   straight    to    Lucky 
ibil.      k'niin   him  he  went  to    Honey   i-ake  valley  and  stojjped   with  John  N. 
(iil])in,  W.  T.  C.  Elliott  and  others.     While  there,  with  a  man  called  Mullins, 
lie  murdererl  Harry  Gordier,  the  object  being  robbery.     Gordier's  l)ody  tied 
in  a  sack  was  found  iii  Susan  rixer.  ;inci  ,111  innocent  man.  .'^now,  was  hanged 
for  the  crime.     Susjiicions  finally  falling  mi  the  tine  murderers  h'.dwards  went 


A    IIISroRN'  Oh'  NEVADA.  37 

til  I.uck\-  P>ill  and  tnlil  liim  thai  lie  was  innocent  Init  must  get  away.  Tic 
wanted  to  sell  a  \aliialile  race  horse  and  go  to  South  America.  Lucky 
l)ill  agreed  to  Iielp  hiiu,  lint  Elliott  and  (iilpin  were  determined  to  bring 
Edwards  to  justice,  and,  pretending  to  he  frieiidh',  were  told  all  the  plans  for 
escape.  They  purchased  the  horse,  and  on  the  14th  of  June  all  jjarties  were 
arrested  hut  Edwards,  who  escaped,  lie  was  betrayed  by  the  son  of  Lucky 
l')ill,  Jerome  Thorrington,  who  was  told  that  if  Edwards  were  secured  his 
father  would  lie  set  free.  The  lio\  knew  the  murdererV  hiding  place  and  ili- 
vulged  it,  but  his  fatlier  was  not  set  free.  ( )n  the  17th  the  trial,  followed 
by  con\iction,  took  place;  John  L.  Car\'  was  judge  and  W.  T.  C  Elliott 
acted  as  sheriff.  Tliere  were  eighteen  jnrois,  the  evidence,  all  under  oath, 
being  taken  down  by  C.  N.  Notewai'e,  once  Secretary  of  State  for  Nevada. 
I'l'oni  these  notes,  the  only  thing  Lucky  Bill  was  implicated  in  at  all  was 
trying  to  help  the  murderer  esca])e.  Edwards  himself  swore  that  he  had 
told  Lucky  Bill  he  was  innocent  am!  tlwrc  was  not  one  zmrd  of  evidence  to 
the  contrary,  yet  Lucky  Bill  was  found  guilty  of  being  an  accessory  to  the 
nun'der  after  the  fact  and  condemned  to  death.  Edwards,  on  iiis  own  con- 
fession, was  condemned  to  hrmg.  The  others  arrested  were  discharged  save 
two,  and  they  were  fined  one  thousand  dollars  each  and  ordered  to  leave  the 
country.  Attempts  to  collect  the  line  were  unsuccessful  and  one  of  them  at 
least  remained  in  the  valley.  Samuel  Swager,  Walter  Cesser  and  Theodore 
Winters  were  a])pointcd  to  take  lulwards  to  llone\'  \'alle}'  to  be  hanged. 
This  the_\-  did,  the  execution  taking  place  on  June  -'3,   1S58. 

Lucky  Bill  was  hanged  first,  on  June  Kjth,  the  scaffold  l>eing  erected 
before  the  trial  was  finished.  The  execution  was  primitive  and  took  place 
between  three  and  four  in  the  afternoon.  The  rope  from  the  beam  was 
placed  around  the  doonied  man's  neck  as  he  stood  in  a  wagon  and  when 
the  horses  pulled  the  wagon  out  fi'om  under  him  be  slowly  strangled  to  death, 
llis  son  died  later  and  bis  wife  was  consigned  to  the  Stockton  Insane  .\sylum 
in  California. 

ELECTION    OF   COrNTV  OFFICERS. 

In  October  of  tlie  same  )ear  a  p.artially  successful  attempt  to  reorganize 
the  county  of  Carson  was  made,  an  election  for  county  of^cers  being  called 
for  Octol^er  30th  by  John  S.  Child,  who  had  been  appointed  probate  judge 
by  Goxernor  Cummings,  who  succeeded  Brigbam  Young.  There  were  two 
tickets  ])Ut  u]),  one  called  anti-iNlormon.  thnugii  in  the  whole  valley  there  was 
just  one  solitary  Mormon:  the  name  covered  really  the  vigilantes  who  bad 
])artici]iated  in  or  sympathized  with  the  act  of  banging  Lucky  Bill.  They 
referred  to  Judge  Child  and  his  part)'  as  Mormons.  There  were  six  precincts, 
but  because  of  illegal  \-oting  two  onl\-  were  counted,   which  elected  men  on 


38  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

what  was  termed  the  Mormon  ticket,  with  tlie  exception  of  Aliernathy.  Tlie 
candidates  for  representatixe  receiving;  tiie  same  nnml^er  of  votes,  the  result 
was  declared  in  favor  of  H.  B.  Clemons.  according  to  the  L'tah  Statutes. 
pages  234.  Sec.  12.  The  votes  thrown  out  would  ha\e  given  Stehhins  a 
majority  of  48.  heing  as  follows:  fiold  Canyon.  36;  Washoe  Valley.  18: 
Eagle  Vallev.  21;  Smith's  Station.  1:  total  j(i;  demon's  votes  thrown  out 
were:  Gold  Canvon.  2:  \\'ashoe  \'alle)-.  i  :  Smith's  Station.  10:  Sink  Hum- 
holdt.    15:  total  28. 

The  legal  vote  cast  ga\e  the  following  results:  h'or  representative:  H. 
B.  Clemmons,  ^j :  Alark  Stehhins.  57.  For  sheriff.  L.  Ahernathy,  38 :  George 
("hedic.  53.  For  surveyor,  C.  N.  Noteware.  58:  John  F.  Long.  54.  For 
recorder,  S.  A.  Kinsey.  56:  S.  Taylor.  53.  For  treasurer.  M.  M.  Gaige, 
56:  H.  Mott.  Sr.,  54.  For  selectmen,  W.  G.  \\'yatt,  58;  James  McMarlin, 
^j:  R.  D  Sides,  ^j :  John  L.  Gary,  55;  J.  H.  Rose,  56:  W.  Cesser,  56. 
Township  Xo.  i.  Justice  of  the  peace:  Benjamin  Sears,  2-^:  A.  G.  Ham- 
mack.  22.  Constahle:  T.  J.  Atchison,  31:  J.  M.  Hering.  13.  Township 
Xo.  2.  Justice  of  the  peace:  James  Farwell.  38;  H.  \'an  Sickle,  26. 
Constahle:     J.  A.  Smith.  26;  J.  :\I.  Howard,  18. 

So  little  attention  did  the  people  pay  to  this  election  that  the  ]iositions 
to  which  candidates  were  elected  were  nothing  hut  sinecures. 


CHAPTER  VTL 

First  Discovkrv  of  Silver. 

Death  of  the  Disco\erers — Search  for  Placers  Rewarded  1858 — Xaming  of 
Gold  Hill — The  Comstock  Lode — Located  1859 — The  Rush  I'rom  Cali- 
fornia— First  Quartz  Mill — Silver  in  Comstock  Ores — Historical  Book 
of  Records — The  Sutro  Tunnel — Difliculties  and  Opposition — Inven- 
tions at  the  Comstock. 

.\11  these  years  miners  had  l)een  prospecting  throughout  Nevada,  and 
undouhtedly  Allen  and  llosea  B.  (irosh  were  the  first  tt>  discover  silver, 
'i'hey  were  well  educated,  intelligent  men.  well  \ersc(l  in  assaying  and  min- 
eralogy, in  their  cahin.  near  \\h:it  is  now  .SiKer  City,  they  kept  a  well 
stocked  library,  volumes  of  scientific  wDrk's:  tliex'  also  had  e\tensi\e  as- 
sayer's  and  chemical  ai)])aratus. 

Mrs.  Laura  M.  Dettenrieder.  who  mo\cd  to  .Nevada  in  1833,  knew  the 
brothers.  They  returned  from  wintering  at  X'olcano  on  their  way  to  Sugar 
Loaf  in  Six-mile  Canyon  and  stopped  at  her  home  for  dinner.  They  told  her 
they  would  camj)  at  Sugar  Lo;if  .and  jircisjicct    finlher   for  sihei'  in  the  jil.ice 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  39 

wlierc  they  liad  fniind  it  the  _\ear  l)ef<)re.  They  ]M'oniised  to  stake  out  a 
claim  foi'  her  mi  the  I'ioiieer  Claim  to  lie  located  for  the  "Pioneer  Silver 
Minins;'  Company."  They  had  organized  a  company  liy  that  name  while 
in  Volcano.  In  the  IVII  Mrs.  Dettenrieder  (she  was  Mrs.  I'",lhs  then),  went 
to  California,  and  mi  her  return,  in  passino-  along  the  .\merican  hdat  Wash 
on  the  way  to  Haytmi.  came  upon  the  cahin  of  the  Crosli  hrothers.  Hosea 
was  laid  iij)  with  a  sore  foot,  which  he  had  (h'iveii  a  pick  into,  .\llen  came 
to  the  caliin.  with  their  partner,  Cai)tain  (ialpin,  hefore  she  left.  He  ga\'e 
her  a  piece  of  riK'k  and  told  her  it  was  from  her  claim,  a  little  above  the 
pioneer  location,  which  was  three  hundred  feet  in  extent.  She  was  taken  to 
some  elex'ated  ground  to  sec  its  location  and  .Mien  pi'inted  to  M(junt  l)a\'idsmi 
and  said  it  was  at  the  base  of  that  point.  She  told,  them  had  news,  the  murder 
of  Cicorge  Brown,  a  station  keeper  at  (IraxelK-  hord.  They  told  her  he 
was  a  partner  and  had  intended  coming  out  from  the  station  in  the  fall  to 
assist  them  to  open  theii  siher  mines,  lie  already  had  six  hundred  dollars 
buried.  She  told  tlicm  that  if  they  were  sure  it  would  be  safe  she  would 
sell  her  property  and  raise  one  thousand  fi\-e  hundred  dollars  toi  put  in. 
They  satisfied  her  cum]5letely  by  the  locations  they  had  entered  in  a  bonk. 
She  went  to  Jolintown.  and  three  (l;iys  later  Hosea  (jrcosh  was  dead  from 
blocxl  poisoning  in  his  foot.  Allen  started  back  to  California,  leaving  Coui- 
stock  in  charge  of  things.  He  was  overtaken  bv  snow  in  the  Sierra,  and 
w'hen  relief  reached  him  was  so  badly  frozen  his  legs  had  to  be  amputated, 
from  the  effects  of  which  he  died.  She  could  not  find  out  what  became  of  the 
record  hook  shown  her. 

GOLD   HILL   OLSCON'KRV. 

Johntown  was  the  rendezvous  for  the  miners  when  the  winter  frost 
rendered  placer  mining  impossible,  around  Mount  Davidson,  or,  as  it  was 
then  called.  Sun  Peak.  In  1S5S  an  unexpected  thaw  set  in  in  January  and 
prospecting  parties  took  ad\antage  of  the  water  in  the  gulches  to  go  to  the 
head  of  Gold  Canyon.  At  a  knoll  on  the  west  side  they  tried  for  gold  and 
found  it,  near  wdiat  is  now  the  north  end  of  Gold  Hill.  John  Bishop  told  of 
the  discovery  briefly.  He  said  he  had  noticed  indications  of  a  ledge  and 
got  a  little  color.  He  spoke  to  "Old  Virginia"  about  it  and  he  remembered 
the  place  from  hunting  game  there.  He  had  seen  quartz  there  too,  and  so 
he  joined  the  party,  Comstock  following  also.  Bishop  took  a  pan  and  had 
to  fill  it  with  his  foot  as  they  had  neither  slioxel  nor  spade.  Some  of  the 
others  followed  his  example,  some  being  supplied  with  shovels.  Bishop 
further  says : 

"I  noticed  some  willows  growing  on  the  hillside,  and  started  for  them 
with  my  ])an.     The  place  looked  like  an   Indian  spring,  which  it  proved  to 


40  A  HISTORY  OF  XE\'.\DA. 

he.  I  began  washing  out  my  jian  and  when  I  had  f:nishe<l  I  found  tliat  I 
had  in  it  about  fifteen  cents  and  none  of  tlie  others  had  less  than  eight 
cents,  hut  none  more  tlian  1  had.  It  was  \eiy  fine  gold;  just  as  fine  as 
flour;  Old  Virginia  decided  that  it  was  a  good  place  to  l<ocate  and  work. 

"The  next  difticultx'  was  to  obtain  water.  \\'e  followed  the  canyon 
along  for  some  distance,  and  found  what  ajipeared  to  be  the  same  formation 
all  the  way  along.  Presently  Old  Virginia  and  another  man  wdio  had  been 
rambling  away,  came  back  and  said  they  found  any  amount  of  water  which 
could  be  brought  right  there  to  the  ground. 

"1  and  my  partner  meantime  had  a  talk  together,  and  had  decided  to 
put  the  others  of  the  i)arty  right  in  the  middle  of  the  good  ground. 

■■.\fter  Old  Virginia  got  back  we  told  him  this,  liut  we  were  not  under- 
stood, as  he  said  if  we  had  decided  to  'hog'  it  we  cnuld  do  so,  and  he  wuuld 
look  around  furllier;  liut  he  remained  and  when  the  ground  was  measured  off 
he  took  his  share  with  the  rest. 

"After  we  had  measured  the  ground  we  had  a  consultation  as  to  what 
name  was  to  be  given  the  place.  It  w^as  decidedly  not  Gold  Canyon,  for  it 
was  a  little  hill;  so  we  concluded  to  call  it  ("mid  llill.  That  is  how  the  place 
came  by  its  present  name.  " 

It  was  only  the  discoverers  at  first  who  thought  well  nf  the  new  diggings, 
but  as  the  results  of  work  I)ecame  richer  and  richer  and  froiu  fi\e  dollars  a 
day  the  men  began  to  wash  out  twent\-  dollars,  crowds  began  to  rush  in.  At 
first  everyone  cam])ed  out,  but  log  houses  at  last  started  the  town  of  Gold 
Hill,  built  over  the  Belcher,  Crown  Point,  Yellow  Jacket,  Imperial,  Empire, 
Kentuck  and  other  mines  of  the  famous  Comstock  L<ide. 

STORY  OF  COMSTOCK   DISCOVERY, 

It  was  on  June  12  or  13,  1X39,  that  the  lode  itself  was  discovered 
The  washes  from  the  north  and  south  sides  of  Mount  Davidson  came  down 
from  the  west  and  ])assing  through  the  foothills  to  the  valley,  by  way  of 
Carson  river,  cut  their  way  through  and  over  the  Comstock  Lode;  the  water 
picked  up  the  gold  freed  by  die  deciim|)osing  (piartz  and  left  it  along  the 
way  as  far  as  the  valley  l)clow.  The.sc  washes  cut  the  hills,  forming  (lold 
Canyon  and  Six-mile  Canyon.  As  the  pay  dirt  gave  out  in  the  former 
canyon  the  miners  gradually  worked  nearer  to  the  lode.  The  fdllowing 
description  of  the  discovery  of  the  Comstock  Lode  was  given  bv  bjuanuel 
Penrod  in  October  of  1880: 

"I  left  Illinois  in  1852  bnuud  f(ir  Califoiui;i  ;iud  st<ip])ing.  mined  with 
success  for  one  mnmh  at  Gnld  Cauynn,  and  in  Xovember  continued  my 
journey  to  the  Pacific  coast.  In  .Xovember.  1S53,  I  v.ciU  back  to  thai  can- 
yon,  where   1   mined  until  June.    1831.      1    then   \isilcd    lUiuMis.  and   relumed 


A  TnS1T)in'  OF  NEVAD7\.  41 

asaiti  in   1S36  with  my  taniily  and  liave  since  resided  in  this  state,  following 
in  snnimer  tlio  (iccu]ialiiin  n\   fanniiii^-  and  that  f)f  minintj  in  winter. 

"I  was  i)n  the  jur\-  when  William  Thiirrini^tnn  (Lucky  Ijill)  was 
hanged.  It  was  not  as  I  )an  1  )c  (jiiill  has  it.  In  a  xiijilance  cnmmitit-f, 
l)ut  hy  a  ])enple's  court.  .\  \igilance  committee  was  organized  afterwards. 
''=  "  *  I  was  in  (lold  Hill  wlieu  Peter  O'Riiey  and  Patrick  McLaughlin 
were  prospecting  at  what  is  now  Ophir  mine.  They  iiad  just  found  a 
good  prospect  of  gnld  when  Comstock  came  to  them  and  said:  'N'nu  ha\c 
struck  it  hoys.'  He  then  told  them  that  Old  Virginia.  James  r"inney,  Jo 
Curhy.  James  \\'hite  and  William  Hart  claimed  this  ground,  and  that  they, 
O'iviley  and  McLaughlin,  had  hetter  huy  it  or  the  old  claimants  would  (lri\c 
tliem  off.  O'Riiey  and  McLaughlin  sent  for  me  and  wanted  me  to  huy 
the  old  claimants  out.  as  Comstock  and  mvself  owned  nine  shares  out  of 
ten  of  the  spring  that  furnished  water  for  working  the  mine.  Comstock 
was  to  huy  the  other  .share,  and  we  fnur  were  to  he  equal  owners  in  the 
claim.  We  thought  it  was  only  a  continuation  of  the  ])lacers  tliat  hcul  l)een 
worked  lower  down  on  the  flat,  where  the  0])hir  hoisting  works  now 
stand.  T  got  a  hill  of  sale  from  Finney,  White  and  Curhy  for  the  whole 
of  the  ground.  Hart  had  left  the  camp.  I  paid  $50  for  it,  I  think,  and 
Comstock  gave  an  old  l)liiKl  horse  for  the  share  of  water.  There  were 
al«)ut  six  inches  of  pay  dirt  after  stri])])ing  off  ahout  three  feet  of  surface. 
This  streak,  or  stratum,  of  pay  increased  in  thickness  as  we  workeil  up 
liill.  We  found  the  gravel  all  decomposed  cpiartz,  some  of  it  as  black  as 
soot.  When  it  became  known  that  we  had  good  pay — for  we  were  taking 
out  three  liundred  dollars  per  day  to  the  rocker  and  were  running  three  of 
them — Joseph  D.  Winters  found  that  we  had  not  FLart's  signature  to  the 
bill  of  sale.  He,  Winters,  found  Hart  and  got  a  bill  of  sale  for  his  interest, 
and  to  save  trouble  we  took  Winters  in  as  a  full  partner.  About  this  time, 
June  12  or  13,  1859,  our  pay-streak  turned  down  into  a  lead  ahout  four 
feet  wide.  I  contended  that  it  was  a  ([uartz  lead  and  the  rest  of  the  Ixiys 
laughed  at  me.  Comstock  finally  sided  in  with  me,  and  we  measured  off 
our  claim — 1,500  feet  as  the  law  allowed — 300  feet  to  the  man  and  300 
for  the  discoverer.  This  was  a  day  or  two  before  Winters  came  in.  .\fter 
Winters  came  in  the  company  we  tiiok  in  a  man  l)y  the  name  of  Orsburn, 
in  consideration  of  his  building  and  stocking  two  arastres,  making  six  men 
in  the  company,  .\fter  it  was  knfnvn  to  be  a  lead  our  company  gave  Com- 
stock and  myself  one  hundred  feet  of  it.  ji lining  our  work  on  the  north, 
for  staking  off  the  claim,  antl  sruing  it  to  the  com])au\'.  This  one  hundred 
feet   was  the  original  'Mexican.'  " 


42  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

THE  RUSH    FROM   CALIFdRNIA. 

"in  a  short  time  the  news  readied  Cahfornia  of  the  richness  of  this 
mine  and  then  followed  a  great  rush  of  excited  ]3eo])le.  'I'hreats  were  made  to 
cut  down  claims  to  two  hundred  feet,  so  we  each  six  of  our  company  selected 
his  man.  and  deeded  ofif  fifty  feet  each,  making  three  hundred  feet  in  all. 
This  three  hundred  feet  came  off  the  north  end  of  the  Ophir.  This  was 
afterwards  called  the  Atchison.  Some  of  the  company,  I  lielieve,  got  their 
part  ot  this  three  hundred  feet  hack.  1  from  the  first  considered  tliis  a 
l)ona-fide  sale,  and  still  do.  .A  majority  of  our  company  soon  sold  their 
interest  in  the  Ophir.  when  the  buyers  jjroposed  to  Iniild  a  two  hundred  thou- 
sand dollar  mill,  and  to  keep  from  being  froze  out.  1  sold  ni}-  one  sixth  for 
five  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  to  James  \\'a1sh.  I  sold  my  fifty  feet 
in  the  Mexican  to  Meldanado  for  three  thousand  dollars.  Of  the  six  original 
locators  or  companv.  Comstock  died  in  Montana,  O'Riley  was  taken  to 
Stockton.  ]\IcLauglilin,  I  heard,  dietl  in  southern  California,  Orsburn  went 
to  the  States,  I  belie\e.  Jo.  1).  Winters  was  in  California  when  last  I  heard 
from  him,  and  all  except  Orsburn,  I  believe,  cpiite  po<ir. 

"In  1858  I.  with  others,  mined  in  a  little  gulch  we  called  Cedar  Ravine, 
just  below  where  Virginia  City  stands,  then  from  the  head  of  the  ravine, 
working  the  flat,  where  the  Ophir  hoisting  works  now  are  and  to  within  three 
or  four  rods  of  the  lead  where  there  was  so  much  clay  it  could  not  be 
worked.  O'Riley  and  McLaughlin  were  running  the  cut  in  this  clay  in 
June.  1859.  when  the}-  struck  the  croppiiigs  of  the  lead  liroken  over  and 
co\ered  three  feet  deep." 

When  Dan  De  (juille  published  bis  liooL:  "Big  P)Oiianza"  he  gave  a 
full  rc])ort  of  the  disco\-ery  of  the  Comstock  Lode.  Mr.  I'eiirod  took  excej)- 
tions  to  this  account  and  in  a  letter  stated: 

"(^n  l)agc  52  of  the  'Rig  Bonanza'  Dan  1  )e  (Jnille  says:  'Comstock 
next  demanded  that  one  hundred  feet  of  the  ground  on  the  le:id  should 
i)c  segregated  and  given  to  i'enrod  and  himself  for  the  right  to  the  water 
they  were  using,'  which  is  incorrect.  The  one  hundred  feet  of  ground 
referred  to.  afterwards  called  the  Mexican,  was  gi\cn  to  Comstock  and 
myself.  .Miout  a  week  after  we  four,  /.  c.  O'Riley,  McLaughlin.  Comstock 
and  myself,  were  all  in  company  and  working,  following  the  ])av  up  the 
hill.  ;.  (•.,  the  crop|)ings  of  the  lead,  broken  over  when  it  turned  to  gn  down. 
1  was  the  first  to  claim  that  it  was  a  (pi.artz  lead:  the  rest  of  the  coinjiauy 
laughed  at  me  and  said  it  was  onlv  a  crevice  w.'isbed  out  b\-  ;i  cnircut  of 
water. 

LOCATED    l"OK   .\  OlAKTZ    \.V..\\\ 

"I  said  it  would  do  no  harm  to  locate  it  for  a  ipi;irl/  lead  and  did  so. 
I   wrote  out   the   notice  claiming   thiee   liinKlred    fi-el    lo    ilu'    uKin   .ind    ihree 


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A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  43 

Inindred  for  discnverv.  four  men,  one  thousand  five  hundred  feet  in  the 
claim,  as  was  ilie  law,  and  signed  tlie  four  names  to  it.  Comsfock  then 
sideil  in  with  me  and  lielped  measure  off  tlie  ground  ()'Kiley  and  .Mcl.angh- 
lin  laughed  at  us  all  the  time.  In  a  few  days  it  was  proxed  to  he  a  lead  and 
all  the  country  taken  up. 

"In  consideration  of  the  location  and  time  and  jnitting  their  names  in 
the  location  O'Riley  and  McLaughlin  ga\e  us  the  one  hundred  feet  to  take 
it  at  any  |)]ace  we  wished.  We  took  it  on  the  north  from  the  discover}'. 
Comstock  and  1  owned  the  water  that  su])phed  the  mine.  We  then  ga\'e 
it  to  the  company." 

Less  than  ten  davs  after  the  location  of  the  Comstock  Lode  as  a  ipiartz 
\'ein,  the  following"  notice  of  an  article  of  agreement  entered  into  \\;is  re- 
corded : 

This  indenture,  made  and  entered  into  this  twenty-second  of  June, 
1859,  hetween  Lmanuel  Penrotl.  Henry  Comstock,  Peter  O'Riley,  Pat  Mc- 
Laughlin, of  the  first  part,  and  J.  A.  Orslnu'u,  J.  1).  Winters.  Jr..  of  the 
second  part,  witnesseth : 

That  the  first  jKU'ty  aho\e  named  do  agree  to  sell  and  convey  to  the 
second  party  (J.  A.  Orshurn  and  J.  1).  Winters.  Jr.)  two-sixths  of  fourteen 
hundred  (  1400)  feet  of  a  certain  cpiartz  and  surface  claim  lying  and  heing 
located  on  Pleasant  Hill,  L'tali  Territory,  for  and  in  the  following  con- 
siderations, to  wit:  The  said  second  party  (J.  A.  Orshurn  and  J.  D.  Win- 
ters. Jr.)  do  agree  to  huild  two  arastres  and  furnish  stock  to  run  the  same, 
worth  the  sum  of  seventy-five  dollars  each,  and  the  number  of  horses  or 
mules  are  to  be  two.  It  is  further  agreed  In-  the  parties  that  after  the  com- 
pletion of  the  first  arastre,  the  proceeds  from  the  vein  and  claim  shall  be 
equally  divided  between  the  members  of  the  company  after  all  debts  settle 
(line  worn  ofif)  copartnership.  It  is  also  agreed  that  the  second  arastre 
shall  be  liuilt  as  soon  as  posible  after  the  completion  of  the  first.  It  is  also 
agreed  by  the  first  party  that  the  second  party  (J.  .\.  Orsburn  and  J.  D. 
Winters,  Jr.)  shall  have  an  equal  interest  in  all  the  water  now  on  the  claim 
for  the  use  of  working  said  claim  and  arastres.  It  is  further  agreed  by  the 
members  of  the  compan)-  that,  if  any  member  of  this  company  propose  to 
sell  he  is  to  give  the  members  of  the  company  preference  in  the  sale.  W'e 
do  further  agree  that  if  there  is  any  surplus  of  water  that  is  not  used  by 
the  above  claim  that  it  may  be  used  by  Messrs.  Comstock  and  E.   Penrod 

on  the   We  do  further  agree  that  no  member  of  this 

company  shall  sell,  convey  or  transact  an\'  business  for  the  company  unless 
he  is  authorized  to  do  so-  by  a  majority  of  the  company.  In  testimony 
whereof  we,  the  parties  herein  mentioned,  do  cause  seal  to  he  made. 

Emanuel  Penrod, 

Patrick  McLaughlin, 

T.    A.  Orsburn, 

Peter  OT^ilev. 


44  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Josepli  D.   Winteis.  Jr. 

Henry  Comstock. 
Attest.  B.  F.  Little. 
Recorded  this  day.     V.  .\.  Housewnrtli.  Reccirder. 

A    RUSH    TO   RECORD. 

C()])ies  of  mine  locations  and  other  transactions  wliicli  form  \he  first 
entries  in  bcxik  A  of  tlie  mining  records  of  Virginia  City  show  tliat  all 
locations  were  put  uix)n  record  less  than  ten  days  after  the  discovery ;  these 
copies  also  show  that  the  miners  were  in  doubt  as  to  whether  it  was  a  quartz 
vein  vet:  the  credit  of  disco\ery  was  given  to  Alessrs.  Penrod.  Comstock 
and  Contpan\'  as  shown  hv  the  first  notice  of  the  .Sierra  .\e\ada  mine  as 
follow.s : 

"We  the  undersigned  claimants  ha\'e  this  day  located  the  supposed 
(|uanz  vein,  discoi'cn'd  by  Messrs.  Penrod.  Co'instoek  uiui  Coiiipaiiy.  com- 
mencing with  the  second  ravine  north  of  Penrod.  Comstock  and  Company, 
and  running  north  through  the  hill  and  with  the  vein  three  thousand,  six 
hundred  (3,600)  feet,  with  all  its  depths,  angles  and  s])urs. 
June  22.   \Hy). 

Henrv  Miller, 

C.  C.'  Gates. 

J.  F.   Stone. 

B.  A.  Harri.son. 

F.  C.  Tng. 

R.  Robinson, 

T.  Schamps.  (abandoned) 

T.   Walsh. 

H.  M.  Tran.l, 

II.  M.  Trand, 

j.  Sturtevant.   (aliandoncd) 

M.    .\twood, 

!■".  C.   !\hui)hy. 

Jos.    Woodworth. 
Recorded  this  day. 
I'"ce  ]>aid  $3.     V.  .\.  Houseworth.  Recorder. 

The  names  of  L.  C.  Porter  and  Joseph  (iiftord  had  been  signed  to  this 
document  and  scratched  ofY. 

On  the  next  day  Peter  O'Riley  and  I'al  McLaughlin  filed  a  notictv  claim- 
ing springs  and  streams  on  this  property  as  design.iled  by  notices  and  st.ikes 
and  also  jjosted  a  notice  claiming  six  hundred  feet  of  the  (piartz  vein  com- 
mencing with  the  .south  end  of  Finny  &  Company  and  running  south  six 
Inindred  feet  "and  two  claims,"  both  claims  being  duly  recorded. 

Notice  of  the  ItKation  of  the  (iould  M  Ciury  was  recorded  on  May 
12,    1859,  by  .\.  Cm-ry,  J.  F.  Cl;irk.   11.   1'.  Cl;iik  .uid  C   W.  Cnrrv      Tn  (his 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  45 

six  liundred  feel  soutli  were  claimed  includiu};  all  leads,  dips,  angles  and  spurs 
together  with  the  ])lacer  diggings  im  the  same:  also  right  of  way  to  run 
dirt  or  metal  to  the  ra\ine.  taken  hy  them  for  water. 

( )n  Julie  25,  1859,  V.  A.  Houseworth  recorded  a  notice  of  a  hill  of  sale 
of  one-half  of  his  interest  in  a  (fuartz  vein  discovered  hy  Pem"od.  Comstock  & 
Company,  situated  on  I'leasant  Point,  U.  T.,  to  B.  F.  Little.  The  price 
was  stated  to  he  one  dollar. 

A  notice  claiming  nine  hundred  feet  including  quartz  and  surface,  com- 
mencing at  the  notice  and  running  north,  was  recorded  on  June  2"],  1839,  hy 
I''.  Belcher.  H.  Comstock  and  G.  VV.  Argin  &  Coippany. 

CALIFORNIA    MINE    I.OCATEn. 

(  )n  June  _'_'.  iS5(),  Jdhn  llishop  lile<l  a  notice  claiming  one  hundred 
and  \\\\\  feet  of  this  f|uarlz  \ein  commencing  w  itli  Messrs.  Pem'od  &  Com- 
pany's claims  on  the  south  end  and  running  south  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet 
"and  one  claim." 

The  second  notice  was  filed  l)y  H.  P).  Camp,  also  on  June  22.  and  claimed 
one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  of  this  quartz  vein  commencing  with  the  south 
end  of  the  lirst  claim  and  running  south  one  hundred  and  lift\'  "and  one 
claim." 

James  Core_\-  in  his  notice,  filed  on  the  same  day.  claimed  one  hundred 
and  lift}'  feet  of  the  (|uartz  vein  commencing  with  the  south  end  of  H.  B. 
Camp"s  claim  and  running  south  one  hundred  and  fiftv  feet  "and  one  claim." 

THE  UNION  CONSOLIDATED. 

E.  Payne  and Cook,  on  June  10,  1859,  recorded  a  notice  in  which 

they  claimed  "this  spring  for  mining  purposes,  and  also  six  hundred  feet  of 
this  quartz  vein,  commencing  at  the  Comstock  &  Company  vein  and  running 
northward" 

Book  A  is  much  worn  and  so  many  of  the  names  are  undecipherahle, 
owing  not  so  much  to  the  lapse  of  time  as  to  poor  writing,  that  a  complete 
list  of  the  names  of  the  locaters  of  the  Comstock  is  unohtainahle.  It  was  kept 
in  a  saloon  during  the  early  days,  when  V.  A.  Houseworth,  the  first  recorder, 
had  charge  of  it,  and  when  any  of  the  miners  wanted  to  look  up  their  loca- 
tions they  went  behind  the  bar  and  toijk  it  down  to  consult.  If  the  boundaries 
of  their  locations  did  not  exactly  meet  with  their  appro\-al  they  altered  the 
whole  thing  to  suit  the  latest  ideas  evolved.  When  it  was  not  being  used 
this  way  and  any  of  the  miners  indulged  in  a  friendly  scuffle,  the  book  of 
records  often  figured  as  an  implement  of  warfare.  The  changes  thus  made 
and  the  fact  that  the  notices  of  location  were  all  couched  in  the  vaguest  lan- 
guage, resulted  in  great  work  for  the  lawyers  later  on.    In  locations  for  springs 


46  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

and  streams,  notices  would  read  "l"  or  "We.  the  undersigned,  claim"  with- 
out giving-  any  location  wliatever.  In  the  same  way,  recording  location  of 
mining  claims,  locaters  would  define  hounchtries  as  "Ijeginning  at  this  stake" 
and  where  the  stake  mentioned  was  to  he  found  the  records  did  not  disclose. 
Thus  it  was  easv  when  suits  over  the  mines  commenced  to  cliange  or  alter 
locations,  which  was  done  in  many  cases.  As  a  sample,  the  notice  of  the  loca- 
tion of  the  Yellow  Jacket  mine  is  given,  exactly  as  it  ajijjcars  in  the  historical 
old  Book  of  Records  : 

Notice. 
That  we,  the  undersigned,  claim  twelve  hundred  (T.200)  feet  of  this 
Ouartz  Vain,  including  all  of  its  depths  and  spurs,  commencing  at  House- 
worth  claim,  and  running  north,  including  twenty-fi\e  feet  of  surface  on  each 
side  of  the  vain.  This  Yain  is  known  as  the  Yellow  Jacket  \'ain.  Taken 
up  on  Mav  i,   18,9,  recorded  June  27,  1859. 

H.  B.  Camp. 
John  Bishop, 
J.   F.  Rogers. 

It  owed  its  name  to  the  fact  that  when  the  owners  were  prospecting 
they  came  upon  a  nest  of  Ii\el)'  yellow-jackets. 

In  the  notice,  as  in  all  recorded,  the  word  "depths"  meant  "dips,"  indi- 
cating the  desire  to  follow  it  and  thus  establishing  their  right  to  do  so  no 
matter  where  it  led.  In  like  manner  the  word  "variations"  was  presumed  to 
give  them  a  right  to  e\ervthing  desiralile  in  that  vicinity. 

FIRST   QUARTZ    MILL. 

ll  did,  not  lake  long  for  the  hrst  ([uartz  mill's  establishment,  fcjr  e.xactl}- 
one  month  after  Fmanuel  Pennxl  had  ])ul  up  the  first  notice,  which  claimed 
the  Ophir  as  a  quartz  ledge.  Hugh  Logan  and  John  P.  Holmes  set  alxwt 
securing  a  location  for  one.  The  two  men  were  in  Nevada  comity,  Cali- 
fornia, when  the  news  of  the  great  discovery  reached  them,  and  tlie\'  at  once 
crossed  over  to  investigate.  They  first  purchased  an  interest  in  the  (lohl 
Hill  location,  south  of  the  divide,  and  Mr.  Logan  went  at  once  to  Sacra- 
mento for  the  necessary  machinery.  Of  the  L'nion  Foimdrv  he  purchased 
a  small  mill,  four  stamps  of  four  hundred  pounds  each,  with  motor  ;md 
horse  power  to  run  il.  In  three  days  it  was  shipped  to  ( iold  Hill,  trans- 
ported in  wagons  drawn  by  eight  horses  and  twenty-four  oxen.  It  reached 
its  destination  the  last  of  August,  but  the  water  by  this  time  had  all  dried 
u\>.  and  it  was  taken  to  the  mouth  of  the  canyon  on  Carson  river,  where 
Dayton  is  located.  It  was  ready  for  business  early  in  October  and  continued 
until  the  heavy  winter  storms,  when  it  closed  down,  there  being  no  luml)er 
at  band  to  cover  the  machinery.     The  castings  for  a  water  wheel  had  been 


A   IllSrom'  Ol-    NEVADA.  47 

ordered    fr<iin   (/.difdinia.  hut    were  delayed  1)\'  simw   in  transit,  and  did  nnl 
reacii  (iuld   Hill  until  the  fnlldwinsj;  summer. 

SII.X'ICK    IN    COM  STOCK    OKICS. 

,\l  first  the  locaters  ne\'er  (heamed  (jf  any  values  in  the  Lonist(jck  ore 
save  tiie  gold  extracted,  and  it  was  hy  accident  the  fact  was  discovered. 
.Among  the  curious  visitors  to  the  mines  was  a  farmer.  W.  P.  Morrison. 
Prompted  by  curiosity  lie  picked  up  some  of  the  sulphurets  thrown  away  as 
wortiiless.  He  was  on  his  way  to  Xevada  City,  California.  Wlien  in  the 
ofitice  of  the  Journal  in  that  place,  in  comijany  with  j.  F.  Stone,  lie  exhil)iteil 
the  supposedly  worthless  ores,  .\fter  inspecting  it  the  ore  was  given  to  J.  J. 
Ott  to  assay,  and  to  say  that  the  results  astonished  them  would  he  putting 
it  very  mildly,  for  the  test  showed  in  atldition  to  the  gold  \alues  of  $1,595, 
the  sum  of  $3,196  in  silver.  Scarcely  l)elieving  the  marvelous  truth,  another 
test  was  made  by  another  assayer,  Mellville  Atwood.  of  Grass  Valley.  The 
results  were  identical.  Mr.  Morrison  informed  those  in  the  secret  that 
there  were  tons  and  tons  of  the  ore  in  plain  sight  already  in  the  lead  opened 
by  the  Ophir  Company.  It  was  to  remain  a  profound  secret  until  these  men 
and  their  best  friends  could  cross  over  and  secure  claims  on  this  newly  dis- 
covered silver  lode.  This  determination  met  with  the  usual  result;  one  best 
friend  confided  in  his  liest  friend,  forming  a  chain  of  men  comprising  half 
the  population  of  Grass  Valley,  and  all  this  before  nine  o'clock  of  the  morn- 
ing following  the  last  assay  made,  which  was  done  late  at  night. 

Without  waiting  for  the  others.  Judge  Walsh  and  Joe  Woodworth  started 
out  early  that  morning  on  horseback,  leading  a  mule  packed  with  provisions. 
It  was  not  long  before  the  entire  population  of  Nevada  county  knew  this, 
and  hundreds  of  miners  left  the  scene  oi  mining  operations  in  that  location 
I'or  this  new  bonanza.  Many  had  to  walk,  with  their  provisions  and  tools 
carried  by  mules  over  the  mountains. 

News  of  this  wholesale  e.Kodus  spread  all  o\er  California  in  a  few  days, 
and  when  the  iirst  contingent  sent  back  word  that  the  first  reports  had  not 
been  exaggerated,  the  excitement  spread.  Not  only  miners  lint  professional 
men  and  men  of  wealth  followed  the  trail  over  the  Sierra  to  the  land  of  sil\-er. 
Thousands  were  soon  on  the  spot,  and  as  it  did  not  take  long  to  locate  all  of 
the  original  discovery  the  ]jrospectors  swarmed  over  all  the  adjacent  territor_\-. 
locating  every  ledge  which  could  Ije  found,  some  of  which  realized  the  air 
castles  built  on  their  discovery  and  many  of  which  did  not.  But  in  order  to 
ascertain  the  value  of  these  locations  many  had  to  remain  during  the  winter 
in  discomfort,  little  tO'  eat  and  nothing  to  do.  There  had  been  a  great  e.x-. 
change  of  property,  all  bu\ing  who  had  the  price  when  they  found  they 
could  not  secure  locations  and  could  find  someone  who  would  sell.     Those 


48  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADyV. 

will)  sold  left  before  sikiw  fell,  and  hundreds  of  miners  who  cared  for  nolhiny 
hut  placer  mining,  left  with  them,  glad  to  go  to  work  again  in  the  gulches 
of  California.  'I'hose  left  behind  had  to  pass  through  an  unusually  se\ere 
winter  during  which  much  of  the  live  stock  perislied. 

The  following  spring,  as  soon  as  the  melting  of  the  snow  permitted,  a 
vast  tlirong  of  jieople  invaded  the  mountain  solitudes.  Very  few  of  the 
])eople.  either  from  California  or  the  east,  knew-  what  silver  ore  was.  Placer 
mining  the  Californians  were  familiar  with.  Init  veins  of  quartz  were  a  deep, 
dark  secret,  and  all  knew  the  mountains  were  honeycombed  with  (juartz 
\eins  ;md  that  in  those  quartz  veins  lurked  the  wealth  they  were  after.  In 
consecpience  nearly  every  one  worked  blindl}',  locating  every  piece  of  quartz 
in  sight.  To  the  inexperienced  eye  all  the  indications  were  alike,  and  many 
and  great  were  the  disappointments  as  locati(Hi  after  location  had  to  be 
abandoneil.  Many  of  these  lodes  have  been  worked  since,  tunnels  run  and 
siiafts  sunk  and  every  effort  made  to  bring  out  the  precious  metal  if  it  exists, 
but  few  have  been  successful. 

.\t  first  the  whole  excitement  had  been  over  gold,  but  now  it  was  silver; 
the  ore  that  assayed  as  high- as  eighty  dollars  had  been  thrown  away  by  miners, 
who  regarded  it  as  utterly  worthless.  The  scramble  was  intensified  as  fresh 
discoveries  were  made.  Indications  were  found  high  up  on  the  mountains 
to  the  west,  ])articularly  on  ]\Iount  David.  East  of  the  Conistock,  near 
Carson  ri\'er,  ])roved  rich  in  metal,  and  the  territory  north  and  south  of  the 
first  find  ])romised  well,  and  every  foot  of  ground  was  sewn  taken  up. 

Trouble  over  locations  occurred  everv  day,  and  in  many  cases  claims 
were  held  sim])ly  In"  right  of  might,  and  the  fact  is  often  that  possession  is 
in  such  districts  not  nine-tenths  but  ten-tenths  of  the  law.  Sometiines  men 
re.sorted  to  "shotgun  possession."  The  fact  that  there  was  much  mineral 
on  the  surface  encouraged  e\ery  one.  all  thinking  they  had  a  second  Com- 
.stock.  The  croppings  from  the  first  discovery  looked  as  well  as  that  did, 
both  east  and  west,  especially  the  latter.  Yet  while  many  had  some  milling 
ore,  exploration  generallx'  ])ro\ed  them   worthless. 

i'his  afforded  great  opjjoiiunity  for  the  "citting"  of  all  kinds  of  mine 
frauds.  Xevada  is  said  to  l)e  the  banner  state  in  regard  to  "wild  cats." 
.Many  fortunes  were  made  and  lost  in  this  sort  of  schemes,  and  in  fact  all 
kind  of  swindling  ])rojects  flourished.  The  presence  of  the  "mountain  of 
siU'cr"  acted  as  a  magnet  to  draw  together  not  onl\-  miuei"s,  men  of  business 
and  professional  men,  but  the  gambler  and  thieves  as  well,  and  one  way  and 
another,  they,  with  the  abandoned  women,  secured  more  than  their  share  of 
ihe  money  in  circulation,  for  they  o|)enly  declared  that  they  were  entitled 
lc»  a  ])ortion  oi  tiie  vast  wealth,  \isible  and  speculative,  which  seemed  to  en- 
compass llic  whole  field   of  operations.      With   the   l;itter  class   it    was   "easy 


A  JIISJUKV  OF  NEVADA.  4'.) 

come,  easy  go"  while  many,  liitlierln  unknown,  by  good  judgment  and  energy 
ro.se  to  he  kings  of  finance.  ])ossessing,  it  seemed,  tlie  touch  of  Ising  .Mid.as, 
whereas  in  realit\'  it  was  only  the  force  of  brains  backed  by  industr_\ . 

The  inexperience  of  the  miners  in  ores  left  them  at  the  mercy  of  those 
v\ho  did  know,  and  they  were  saddled  with  all  kinds  of  expensive  machinery 
entirely  useless  to  them.  or.  which,  guaranteed  to  reduce  the  cost  of  reducing 
refractory  ores,  douliled  it.  Others  were  by  many  wiles  convinced  their 
claims  were  poor  ones  and  sold  out,  sometimes  for  high  prices  but  more 
often  for  a  small  sum.  Many  and  costly  were  the  mistakes  and  exi)eriments 
made  by  those  who  knew  they  had  wealth  in  their  possession  if  they  could 
"only  get  at  it."  But  in  time,  while  the  rest  of  the  world  was  puzzling  over 
the  deep  mining  proposition.  Nevada  miners  s(.ilved  the  problem  by  means  of 
air  compressor  drills,  ])owerful  hoisting  machines  and  diamond  drills.  So 
successful  were  they  that  even  when  Adolph  Sutro,  using  the  best  methods 
of  mining  known,  started  to  tunnel  the  mines  at  one  thousand  six  hundred 
feet  depth  these  miners  distanced  him  in  tlie  race,  and  before  he  could  m;ilse 
the  Connection  they  were  bel(i\v  the  range  of  the  tunnel. 

This  Sutro  tunnel  was  a  scheme  projected  liy  .\di.ili)h  Sutro  to  Vd[>  the 
mines  at  an  a\-erage  depth  of  one  thousand  six  hundred  feet  l)eIow  the  sur- 
face; at  first  the  mining  companies  were  decidedly  in  favor  of  it  but,  owing 
to  outside  pressure,  in  the  end  frowned  u])on  it.  Sutro.  h(nve\er.  went  right 
ahead  in  the  face  of  all  obstacles.  He  was  born  in  Germany  and  was  familiar 
with  the  s\stem  in  use  there  for  working  deep  mines  1)\-  means  of  an  adit. 
He  knew  that  the  elevation  of  the  mines  about  two  thousand  feet  above  Car- 
son ri\er,  which  was  onl}-  a  little  o\-er  five  miles  distant,  made  a  proper  loca- 
tion for  a  drainage  adit. 

Sutro  was  the  target  for  much  ridicule,  and  o])position  increased,  not  only 
the  mining  and  milling  companies  but  the  banking  and  railroad  corporations 
as  well  fighting  the  plan  bitteidy.  He  proceeded  calmly  and  without  a  dollar 
to  push  tlie  project,  and  in  the  end  his  unswcr\ing  perseserancc  and  energy 
carried  the  da}-.  Defeated  in  his  efforts  to  secure  government  aid.  he  went 
to  the  European  monev  centers  and  met  with  refusal  after  refusal  but  in  the 
end  raised  enough  to  begin  the  enterprise  anrl  then  he  knew  success  woidd 
be  his. 

His  i)ersistency  was  due  to  the  fact  that  from  the  beginning  he  had  been 
certain  that  the  Comstock  \ein  .was  a  true  fissure  one  and  believed  it  would 
be  ]jroductive  of  wealth  to  an  immense  depth.  He  began  his  plan  by  writing 
to  the  iiapers,  in  particular  in  the  .Ilia  Calif oniiaii  in  the  issue  of  .\pril  20. 
i860,  calling  attention  to  the  lack  of  any  system  in  working  the  Comstock 
mines.  He  had  been  in  Virginia  City  then  only  one  week  and  the  explora- 
tions had   extended  only  thirty   feel   in  depth.      In    1861   he  put   up  a  mill 

4 


50  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

and  reduction  works  and  took  up  liis  residence  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Com- 
stock.  In  iS6i  he  petitioned  the  legislature  of  Nevada  for  a  francliise. 
which  was  granted,  giving  Sutro  and  his  associates  the  riglit  of  way  for  a 
tunnel.  The  official  sanction  of  the  state  was  given,  and  the  amount  of 
ro\-alt_\-  to  he  paid  by  the  mine  owners  was  left  to  the  tunnel  projectors  and 
the  many  mining  companies  interested.  If  took  Sutro  and  Senator  Stewart, 
the  latter  being  president  of  the  Tunnel  Company,  eight  months  to  persuade 
the  mine  managers  to  enter  into  some  agreement  sn  the  work  could  go  on. 
It  took  considerable  money  and  much  negotiating  before  the  companies,  rep- 
resenting nine-tenths  of  the  value  of  the  lode,  agreed  that  a  royalty  of  two 
dollars  per  ton  should  be  paid  on  every  ton  of  pay  ore  extracted ;  compensa- 
tion was  provided  also  for  the  waste  rock  and  passengers  which  should  go 
through  the  tunnel.  The  royalty  was  considered  the  least  part  of  the  agree- 
ment. 

With  this  agreement  pi)]nilar  ii|iinion,  variable  as  usual,  turned,  and 
on  all  sides  Sutro  found  people  ready  t<i  help  him,  even  the  Bank  of  Cali- 
fornia. Sutro  thought  that  with  the  act  of  incorporation  and  the  agreement 
he  was  safe.  He  went  east  and  in  New  York  put  out  a  small  pamphlet  ex- 
plaining the  tunnel  and  the  benefits  which  would  accrue,  and  the  vast  amount 
of  money  -which  would  he  realized.  The\-  told  him  if  the  prospects  were  so 
glittering  he  ought  to  be  able  to  raise  money  in  California  where  the  mines 
were  located.  But  they  agreed  that  if  he  could  raise  from  three  hundred 
thousand  to  five  hundred  thousand  dollars  they  would  give  him  three  mil- 
lion dollars.  Back  he  came  and  informed  the  mining  com])anies.  By 
May,  1867.  he  had  six  hundred  thousand  dollars  subscribed,  many  private 
citizens  pledging  from  five  thousand  to  twenty  thousand  dollars.  He  began 
to  have  hopes  of  raising  the  entire  sum  on  the  Pacific  coast,  thinking  San 
Francisco  good  for  one  million  dollars. 

-\t  the  time  when  popular  opinion  veered  to  Sutro,  the  title  or  fee  to 
the  mines  was  vested  in  the  United  States  government  and  it  reqiured  an 
act  f>f  Congress  to  embody  the  general  features  of  the  act  already  passed 
l)y  the  legislature  of  Nevada,  to  grant  the  additional  privileges  thought  neces- 
sary. Sutro  visited  Washington  and  July  25,  1866,  a  bill,  known  as  the 
"Sutro  Tunnel  Act,"  was  approved.  Tn  this  the  government  entered  into 
■a  compact  with  Mr.  Sutro  direct  for  the  completion  of  the  tunnel,  and,  in 
afldition  to  the  right  of  way,  granted  l)y  the  first  act,  gave  him  power  to 
purchase  four  thousand  three  hundred  and  fifty-seven  acres  of  land  at  the 
tunnel's  mouth;  and  also  made  him  owner  of  the  mines  within  two  thousand 
feet  on  cither  side  of  the  tunnel;  Ibis  he  would  have  b;id  under  the  common 
mnnng  laws.      Ihe  royall}-  of  two  dollars  jjcr  tmi  was  confirmed  and  made 


A  lllSTUKV   OF  NEVADA.  51 

all  patents  obtained  liy  niinin.^-  cimiiianies  thereafter  subject  to  the  ennditiim 
i)f  the  royalty.      Some  minor  ci_>ncessions  were  alst)  made. 

All  was  not  clear  sailing  by  any  means.  People  generally  iboiight  that 
instead  of  two  dollars  per  tun  r(i\-alt\',  it  sIkhiM  be  si.x  or  eight  dullars.  And 
just  as  things  were  nmsl  prmnising  the  Bank  of  California  commenced  a 
bitter  opposition  to  all  his  plans,  and  as  they  controlled  the  mines  and  mills 
thev  forced  them  to  rejnidiate  their  subscriptions.  The  bank  claimed  that 
Sulro  had  failed  to  fulhl  two  conditions.  The  Tunnel  Company  had  not 
secured  $3,000,000  in  bona-tide  suljscriptions  antl  bail  not  submitted  the 
agreements  to  the  .stockholders  in  the  mines  at  their  annual  meetings.  Sutro 
plainly  showed  them  in  the  wrong,  but  it  availed  him  nothing. 

The  real  reason  for  the  change  of  base  was  that  they  feared  the  tunnel 
would  ruin  the  business  of  the  railroad  owned  by  the  bank.  The  people  of 
Virginia  Citv  were  arrayed  against  Sutro  by  the  statements  of  the  l)ank 
people,  who  told  them  that  Sutro's  erecting  immense  reduction  works  at  the 
mouth  of  the  tunnel  would  ruin  their  city.  They  claimed  that  a  city  would 
be  sure  to  grow  up  around  the  reduction  works.  Once  again  Sutro  was 
stalled.  He  could  not  raise  a  cent  either  in  California  or  New  York.  .\  visit 
to  Europe  resulted  the  same,  owing  to  the  fears  of  the  war  between  Prussia 
and  France.  He  returned  in  1867  to  .\merica  undismayed.  He  submitted 
the  memorial  of  the  Ne\ada  legislature  to  Congress  and  when  it  was  re- 
ferred to  the  committee  on  mines  and  mining,  Sutro  fairly  haunted  them, 
indi\iduall\'  and  in  bod\',  and  was  hand  .and  glcne  with  both  bouses  of  Con- 
sress,  and  as  a  result  the  committee  on  mines  and  mining  recommended  to 
the  House  a  loan  of  $5,000,000.  Just  as  the  committee  was  to  be  called  in 
the  House  the  impeachment  of  .\ndrew  Johnson  commenced  and,  lasting  for 
months  Congress  adjourned  without  reaching  his  bill.  The  session  of 
1868-69  was  so  short  he  could  not  get  a  hearing. 


CONGRESSMEN   VIEW    MINES. 

\\'hen  the  ways  and  means  committee  visited  California  in  1869  Sutro 
determined  to  induce  them  to  visit  the  scene  of  the  tunnel.  The  bank  people 
secured  them  as  guests  but  they  visited  Sutro.  went  into  the  mines  and  sub- 
jected thenvsehes  to  the  terrible  beat  and  became  satisfied  of  the  truth  of 
Sutro's  statements. 

Sutro  then  \vent  to  work  on  the  miners  themsehes,  and  by  means 
of  public  addresses  and  cartoons  roused  them  to  action.  He  a.sked  them  to 
subscribe  five  iir  ten  dollars  apiece  .so  he  could  carry  on  the  work  and  in 
the  end  the  miner's  union  sub.scribed  fifty  thousand  dollars  for  an  interest 
in  the  Tunnel  Company,  and  that  started  the  great  work,  and  on  the  19th 
of  October,    1869,  the   first   dirt   was  turned   in   the  tunnel   with   appropriate 


52  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

ceremonies.  By  tlie  end  of  tlie  year  four  hundred  and  si.xty  feet  had  been 
run.  In  tlie  spring  tlie  hank  people  sent  agents  to  Washington  to  get 
Sutro's  franchise  repealed,  hut  he  rushed  after  them  and  when  it  came  up 
in  debate,  the  \\a\s  and  means  committee,  being  able  to  speak  understand- 
inglv,  stood  by  Sutro.  The  \dte  to  repeal  the  third  section  which  gave  him 
the  royalty  was  defeated  by  a  vote  of  one  hundred  and  twenty-four  against 
forty-two. 

Mr.  Sutro  had  lieeii  promised  fifteen  million  francs  in  Paris,  but  had 
to  wait  until  Congress  adjourned  in  order  to  watch  his  enemies.  liefore  he 
could  sail  he  recei\ed  word  that  war  was  coming,  and  come  it  did.  and 
Sutro  could  not  get  a  cent.  Back  he  went  to  Xe\'ada  and  struggled  along, 
paying  miners  some  money  and  some  stock.  In  December,  iSjo,  he  went 
to  Washington  and  found  the  memliers  of  Congress  arrayed  against  him. 
Finally  Congress  agreed  to  send  out  a  commission  to  investigate.  This  com- 
mission after  examination  did  not  considei"  the  tunnel  necessary  for  drain- 
ing the  mines.  More  work  in  Congress  resulted  in  notliing.  just  when  success 
seemed  near.  Sutro  concluded  to  pin  his  faith  to  others  and  the  money  to 
complete  the  tunnel  came  from  cajiitalists.  Sutro  secured  a  cast-iron  contract 
with  the  mining  com])anies.  who  signed  it  to  get  rid  of  him.  Me  raised  very 
little  money  in  Loudon  or  Paris,  but  on  the  strength  of  his  contracts  got  most 
of  it  from  the  McColniont  lirothers  of  Scotland.  When  the  tunnel  was  com- 
pleted its  utility  was  quickly  shown:  it  wris  intended  not  onb'  to  \'cntilate 
and  drain  the  mines  and  transport  the  ores  u<  where  tiiey  could  be  treated 
cheaply,  Ijut  to  ser\e  as  a  channel  for  the  traus])ortation  of  passengers  and 
su]>plies. 

It  did  not  meet  with  tlic  expectations  of  the  ])roiector,  for  no  rich  ore 
bodies  were  uncovered  and  as  a  means  of  ventilation  it  failed.  Its  greatest 
benefit  was  the  increased  facilities  afforded  for  the  drainage  of  the  mines. 
I!ul  it  stands  a  monument  not  only  to  .\(k)lph  Sutro,  but  to  per.severance  and 
])Iuck  and  the  determination  which  docs  not  know  wheti  it  is  Tieaten.  Sutro 
resigned  in  1879  as  su])crintcndcnt  of  the  company,  disjiosing  of  bis  stock. 
at  the  same  time  a  wealthv  man, — wealth  which  no  one  begrudged  him. 

INVENTIOiX    OI''    ".Sor,\RK   .SKTS." 

It  was  reall_\-  to  the  Comstock  Lode  that  the  world  of  mining  is  in<lebted 
for  the  system  now  in  universal  use  <if  limbering  mines  containing  im- 
mense ore  Iiodies  of  great  width,  for  it  was  inxcntcd  for  the  mine  by  Philijij) 
Ueidcsheimer.  He  was  brought  there  for  the  luirpose  of  trying  to  invent 
sonic  |)lan  to  work  the  mines,  and  after  devoting  three  weeks  to  experiments 
succeeded  l)eyond  expectations.  It  was  in  the  0])liir  mine  he  achieved  succe.ss, 
and  soon  the  svslem  was  introduced  all  thmiigh  the  Comstock.     He  was  too 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  53 

liiisy  to  patent  his  iincntion,  and  thus  lust  a  great  fnrtnne  for  liimself.  tliongh 
the  mining  world  is  the  gainer. 

Numerous  improxements  were  also  introduced  at  this  mine  Ijy  W.  H. 
I'atton.  wlio  foresaw  and  o\'ercame  the  difficulty  of  placing  machinery  in 
the  lower  les'els.  The  works  and  mac!nner\-  installed  hv  him  will  conijiare 
fa\oral)ly  with  an\-  in  the  wurld. 

All  through  the  rigorous  winter  of  1S59,  one  of  the  most  severe  ever 
encountered  hy  the  people  of  Xe\ada,  the  resitlents  of  California  were  wait- 
ing for  the  snow  to  melt  in  order  to  invade  the  land  of  Comstock,  and 
the_\-  chafed  at  the  long  winter,  almost  as  much  as  the  ]jeople  who  were  ex- 
periencing its  discomforts.  .\s  S])ring  drew  near  at  last,  the  excitement 
instead  of  ahating  grew  with  delay  until  a  large  ])ercentage  of  the  popula- 
tion was  waiting  anxiously  to  ru.-^h  in.  Many  would  not  wait  for  the  snow  to 
disapi>ear  hut  holdl\-  forced  the  trails,  after  ha\ing  to  walk  their  mules  over 
blankets  laid  on  the  snow  to  prevent  their  sinking  in.  John  H.  Kinkead, 
later  governor  of  Nevada,  shi])])ed  the  first  goods  in  this  way.  The  mer- 
chants of  California  knew  they  wi»nld  obtain  high  prices  for  all  goods  they 
Could  get  in,  not  only  because  it  was  a  new  mining  camp  in  remote  regions 
but  also  because  of  the  sexere  winter  winch  had  reduced  e\'eryone's  larder 
to  the  kiwest  possible  ebb. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  larger  percentage  of  the  population  of  Cali- 
fornia was  anxious  to  reach  Nexada,  and  while  many  rode  on  horseback  and 
an  equal  number  walked,  many  came  through  in  vehicles,  sleighs  and  even 
stage  coaches.  The  snow  at  this  time  was  in  some  places  sixty  feet  in  depth. 
\\'hen  they  reached  th.eir  goal  it  was  to  find  th;it  only  the  first  influx  could 
be  housed.  Many  suffered  from  the  cold,  but  as  soon  as  the  atmosphere 
warmed  up  a  little  building  commenceil  in  e\ery  direction;  but  by  that  time 
m.any  had  become  .so  accustomed  to  cani])ing  out  that  they  continued  that 
nomadic  existence  all  summer. 

The  bona-fide  miners  were  soon  ;it  work  and  bv  dint  of  watching  them 
many  tenderfeet  were  enaliled  to  work,  too,  ;il  mining,  ;uid  soon  all  were 
as  bu.sy  as  the  beavers.  As  they  delved  into  Cold  Hill  and  came  close  to  the 
main  ledge,  the  cpiartz  became  so  firm  that  the\'  had  to  inih-erize  it  in  order 
to  ol)tain  the  gold,  and  sulphurets  required  like  treatment.  To  do  this  the 
Mexican  grinding  apjjaratus  known  as  arrastra  was  used.  This  was  not 
such  an  easy  thing  to  make,  for  after  digging  the  bole  live  to  eight  feet 
across  and  two  feet  deep  antl  setting  a  ]iost  four  to  five  inches  in  diameter 
in  the  center,  firmly  eniljedded,  the  whcile  thing  had  to  lined  with  bard  rocks 
so  as  to  be  entirely  water  tight.  The  cementing  of  the  rocks  together  had 
to  be  done  with  stiff  clay.  Just  the  right  qnantit\-  of  water  had  to  be  used, 
hir  if  too  little  the  fine  particles  of  tire  would  n(:)t  settle  to  the  Ixittom.  and 


54  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

if  too  much  thev  would  lie  washed  out.  It  was  worked  hy  horse  power,  a 
sweep  heing  attached  to  the  center  lieam.  with  an  arm  reaching  some  four 
feet,  to  which  two  or  four  horses  were  attached.  The  stones  which  did  the 
grinding  were  attached  to  the  sweep  with  chains  or  roj^ies,  and  by  Ijeing 
dragged  slowlv  around  in  a  circle  reduced  every  inch  of  quartz  to  a  pulp 
or  paste.  The  gold  and  silver.  ha\ing  amalgamated  w  ith  the  ([uicksilver  used 
for  that  purpose,  was  found  when  the  grinding  was  done  at  the  l5<ittom  or 
in  the  clay  seaius.  The  preciou.s  metals  were  then  secured  fron:  the  amalgam 
hv  retorting.  Where  it  was  difficult  to  liring  in  machinery  this  was  con- 
sidered the  chea])est  wav  to  reduce  the  ores. 

FIRST   REDUCTION    WORK. 

A  number  of  these  arrastras  were  in  use.  some  of  several  tons  capacity  per 
day.  W'oodworth  and  Hastings  had  two  of  them  running  by  horse  power  on 
the  Carson  river  in  the  fall  of  1859.  each  of  which  turned  out  three  tons 
daily.  An  arastre  was  used  at  first  on  the  Comstock  Lode  to  reduce  ore. 
and  there  was  one  near  the  spring  at  (iold  Hill  at  the  same  time.  Logan 
and  Holmes  soon  established  their  four-stamp  horse  power  battery  at  Day- 
ton and   that   constituted  the   reduction   equipment   of   Nevada   in   the   vear 

1859- 

Even  this  primitive  way  was  better  than  shipjiing  the  ore  to  San  Fran- 
cisco as  was  done  at  first  and  paying  twenty-five  and  thirty  cents  per  pound 
to  ha\c  it  carried  over  the  mountains  on  ]iack  animals.  At  first  no  one 
would  belie\e  that  the  ore  could  be  vi irked  there,  and  finally  when  it  was 
decided  it  could  be,  no  one  would  tv\  an\lhing  but  dr\'  crushing.  The  "wet 
crushing"  was  not  tried  for  some  time. 

Dr.  1'",.  1').  Harris,  of  N'irginia  Cit\',  later  one  of  the  piominent  citizens 
of  Nevada,  carefully  studied  the  situation,  and  l)ecame  convinced  of  the 
richness  of  Gold  Hill,  .\fter  making  arrangements  to  erect  a  mill  in  connec- 
tion with  Sandy  Bowers  and  wife,  on  their  mine,  the  plan  failed  because 
of  the  interference  of  the  Powers'  lawyer,  who  was  afraid  some  one  else 
might  make  money.  Harris  then  determined  to  put  up  a  custom  mill.  :uid 
was  guaranteed  all  the  rock  he  could  work  at  one  hundred  rlollars  ])er  ion. 

.\fter  looking  around  he  formed  a  ]>artnershi])  with  ( '.  II.  <  ionxcr.  of 
Sacramento,  a  wTaltlu-  business  man.  The\  located  ,1  millsite  nn  ;i  small 
stream  nuining  down  from  "Crown  I'nint  I'mind.'  lie  brought  from  .San 
hrancisco  one  of  llowland's  nine-stani])  ])nrt;iblc  rot.arv  batteries,  and  with 
engine  and  lioiler  to  run  it.  ,So  rapidly  did  he  work  that  when  the  machinery 
began  to  arrive  on  the  20th  of  juK  he  was  ready  to  install  it.  On  the  1  ith 
of  .\ugnst  he  started  the  machinery,  as  one  can  imagine,  a  great  e\ent,  hun- 
dreds of  peojile  being  present  to  watch  its  fnsl  operation.     These  witnesses 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  55 

carried  off  pieces  of  the  crushed  rock  as  souvenirs  of  the  occasion.  Sandy 
Bowers  donated  the  reck  for  tlie  first  crushing,  vakied  at  four  iiundred 
dollars  per  ton. 

Harris  worked  with  the  dry  process  until  the  following  October  and 
found  it  a  losing  business.  So  against  the  protests  of  friends  he  com- 
menced the  "wet  process"  and  increased  from  working  one  ton  to  ten  in 
t\vent)'-four  hours,  besides  saving  about  thirteen  dollars  per  ton.  Others 
soon  followed  his  example.  The  cost  of  working  the  ore  was  less  than  six 
dollars  per  ton  and  one  can  see  \\hat  a  handsome  revenue  was  derived  from 
the  work  of  the  mill.  ( )tliers  slrnted  up  mills  and  prices  drop])ed  until  in  the 
spring  of  t86i  from  one  hundred  dollars  per  ton  the  price  fell  to  fifty  dollars 
per  ton.  Even  then  the  profit  was  a  gcod  one.  The  retorted  bullion  ran 
from  ten  to  fourteen  dollars  per  ounce,  jjut  as  the  mine  increased  in  depth 
values  fell  off,  the  silver  increasing. 

A.  B.  Paul  erected  two  mills,  one  by  Devil's  Gate,  the  other  below  Gold 
Hill,  and  these  were  succeeded  by  many,  running  the  price  of  cord  wood  up 
to  fifteen  dollars  per  ton,  whereas  Harris  had  at  first  paid  four  dollars  and 
twenty-fi\e  cents  per  curd.  Engineers  were  paid  one  hundred  dollars  per 
month  and  amalgamators  sixty  dollars.  Water  was  scarce  until  the  spring 
of  1861,  when  water  was  found  in  a  tunnel  in  northern  Virginia  and  con- 
veyed to  Gold  Hill  in  sluices  and  boxes  by  Williams  &  Gashwiler  who 
sold  it  for  a  dollar  per  inch  to  the  mill  men. 


CHAPTER    Vni. 

Settlement  of  Territory. 

Third  Abortive  Attempt  to  Establish  Government — Causes  Given  for  Sep- 
aration Exaggerated — Adoption  of  Constitution — First  Legal  Court  in 
Carson  Count)- — Election  a  Fiasco — Death  of  Congressional  Delegate 
Crane — Pro\-isional    Legislature  Meets. 

Just  before  the  discovery  of  the  Conistock  Lode  the  population  of  Gold 
Hill  increased  so  rapidly  that  the  importance  of  some  kind  of  government 
became  more  apparent  than  e\er,  and  a  third  abortive  attempt  was  made  to 
organize  some  form  of  territorial  government.  The  last  attempt,  made  when 
John  S.  Child  was  appointed  probate  judge  and  called  a  special  election 
on  the  30th  of  October,  1858,' was  a  fiasco.  In  case  of  unforseen  emergencies 
the  miners  had  no  established  rules  for  acticin.  A  meeting  was  called  by  the 
miners  for  the   nth  of  June,    1859.  at  Gold  Hill,  when  a  number  of  laws 


50  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

were   approNed   and   adujited.      Tliose  bearins^-   flircctly   on   the   sul>ject   most 
inip<irtant  to  tine  cnmmunit\-  were  as  follows: 

Whereas.  The  isolated  position  we  occupy,  far  from  all  legal  tribunals, 
and  cut  off  from  those  fountains  of  justice  which  every  American  citizen 
should  enjo\',  renders  it  necessary  that  we  organize  in  liody  politic,  for  ovu" 
mutual  protection  against  the  lawless,  and  for  meting  out  justice  between 
man  and  man:  therefore,  we,  citizens  of  Gold  Hill,  do  hereby  agree  to  adopt 
the  following  rules  and  laws   for  our  government : 

Rules  and  Regulations. 

Section  i.  Any  person  who  shall  wilfully  and  with  malice  aforethought 
take  the  life  of  T^n\  person,  shall,  upon  being  dulv  con\icted  thereof,  suffer 
the  i^enalty  of  death  l)y  hanging. 

Section  2.  .\n\  person  who  shall  wilfulh'  wound  another  shall,  upon 
con\iction  thereof,  sutler  such  penalty  as  the  jury  may  determine. 

Section  3.  An)-  person  found  guilty  of  rol)bery  or  theft,  shall,  upon 
con\'iction,  be  |iunished  witli  strijies  or  banishment  as  the  iur\-  ma\'  deter- 
mine. 

Section  4.  .\nv  persrm  found  guilt\'  of  assault  and  batter\-.  or  exhibiting 
deadly  weapons,  shall,  upon  con\iction.  be  fined  or  banished  as  the  iur\-  may 
determine. 

Section  3.  No  banking  game  under  an\'  consideration  shall  be  allowed 
in  this  district,  under  the  penalty  of  final  banishnient  from  the  district. 

\Miile  the  above  rules  were  olieyed  for  a  time,  the  influx  from  California 
soon  placed  tlieiu  in  the  limbo  of  the  past.  The  only  record  of  any  attempt 
to  enforce  the  rules  was  the  i)unishment  of  two  men.  Da\-id  Reise  and 
George  Ruspas,  who  stole  a  yoke  of  oxen.  The  jury  ordered  an  ear  cropped 
off  each  offender  and  the\'  in  addition  b;uiished   fioni  the  district. 

TEKKITORI-M,    OR(;.\NIZ.\TI0N    .\c;AIN. 

The  next  well  defined  attemiJt  at  i:)ermanent  organization  was  l>rought 
about  by  men  who  had  well  defined  political  aspirations  and  knew  that  politics 
without  organization  were  imjiossible.  They  took  advantage  of  the  strong 
feeling  of  enmity  still  existing  between  the  citizens  of  the  I'niled  States 
and  the  Mormons  to  urge  the  adxantages  of  and  necessity  hir  a  separate 
government  for  the  latter  class.  With  this  as  a  lever  they  incited  the  people 
to  action.  .\  mass  meeting  on  June  d.  i85(;,  at  Carson  City,  called  an 
election  on  |ul\-  14th  following  and  a|)portioned  the  voting  precincts  for 
Carson  county.  The  election  was  for  a  delegate  to  visit  Washington :  a  con- 
vention on  July  18th  was  to  convene  at  ( lenoa  and  count  the  votes  and  give 
the  successful  candidate  his  credentials  as  well  as  tr.ans.act  all  Imsiness  neces- 
sary. Delegates  were  regularly  apjiointcd  to  meet  at  Carson  City  on  June 
20tb  to  select  candidates  for  delegates  to  the  (ienoa  convention,  to  be  elected 
the  same  time  as  the  congressional  re|)rescntative. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  57 

Tlie  miners  of  Cmlil  llill  met  on  Salunhiy,  June  i  i,  1S59.  In  t;ike  action 
(111  tins  movement.  As  cliairman.  A.  ( i.  llammack  lirielly  explained  the  ob- 
ject of  the  meeting",  V.  ,\.  Ifonseworth  acting'  a.s  secretary.  Jndge  Crane 
ga\c  a  hrief  account  of  his  labors  as  delegate  of  Ne\'ada  to  Congress,  it 
was  on  motion  (U'ci<led  ti>  endorse  the  action  taken  by  citizens  in  Carson 
Cit\-  on  Jnnc  dlh.  It  was  decidc<l  to  .-ippoinl  li\e  delegates  to  meet  at  Carson 
City,  Eagle  V'alle_\-,  on  Jnne  Jolh.  to  appoint  delegates  of  tiold  llill  district  to 
be  elected  by  the  people,  to  the  convention  to  lie  held  at  ( ienoa,  Carson 
Valle\-,  on  July  i8tb.  Chairman  Hammack  appointed:  \'.  A.  Fbinseworth, 
J.  .\.  Osburn.  James  F.  Rogers,  L.  S.  Rowers  and  Cajitain  A.  II.  Parker 
as  delegates.  Judge  Crane  was  nn;in;monsl\-  endorsed  lor  his  able  services 
as  delegate  to  Congress. 

The  proceedings  of  the  con\entiou,  elected  on  tlie  I4tb  and  meeting 
at  (ienoa  on  the  i8th,  were  i^rinted  in  the  Territorial  Ewicrprisc  of  July  13, 
1859.  A  copy  is  in  existence,  but  beiug  much  worn  and  yellow  with  age 
it  is  dilTicult  to  decipher.  Its  report  sliows  that  the  session  of  the  con\-ention 
lasted  nine  days,  adjourning  until  the  jSth.  In  it  are  the  names  of  many 
pioneers  and  the  following  declaration  (jf  the  cause  for  desiring  a  separate 
government  showing  in  its  statements  some  exaggeration : 

Cause  Gifcii  for  Separation. 

Whereas,  ^\'e  the  citizens  of  the  proposed  territory  of  Nevada,  con- 
sidering that  we  have  suiTered  from  a  series  of  internal  and  external  evils 
of  so  grave  a  nature  as  to  render  forbearance  a  virtue  no  longer,  and  be- 
lieving that  the  time  has  now  arrived  for  us  to  take  some  permanent  action 
upon  our  future  well-being  as  a  people,  and  believing  further  that  a  plain 
statement  of  the  causes  wdiich  have  impelled  us  to  take  this  course,  will  con- 
vince a  candid  and  unpreju(h'ced  public,  we  would  therefore  state: 

That  a  long  train  of  abuses  and  usurpations  on  the  part  of  the  Mormons 
of  eastern  L'tah  toward  the  people  of  western  Utah,  evinces  a  desire  on  their 
part  to  reduce  us  under  an  absolute  spiritual  despotism.  Such  has  been  our 
patient  suiTerings,  and  such  is  now  the  necessity  for  dissolving  all  political 
relations  which  may  have  connected  us  together,  and  we  deem  it  not  only 
our  right,  but  also  our  duty,  to  disown  such  a  go\-ernment,  and  such  a 
people,  and  to  form  new  guards  for  our  future  securit}-. 

We  would  charge  upon  the  Alormons  a  gross  violation  of  the  organic 
act  creating  the  territory  of  Utah. 

Tiiey  ha\'e  declared  themsel\-es  liostile  to  the  Constitution,  go\-ernment 
and  institutions  of  our  countrv. 

Idiey  have  refused  to  submit  to  its  laws,  while  they  ba\-c,  whenever  it 
suited  them,  claimed  protection  under  these  laws. 

They  ha\e  denied  to  the  judges  of  the  United  States  a  right  to  try 
in  their  court  the  \-iolators  of  the  law,  when  such  \iolations  were  numerous. 

Thcv  ha\e  S(T  managed  b\-  their  legislation,  as  to  defeat  justice,  jirotect 


58  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

criminals,  and  render  the  laws  and  the  authority  of  the  Cnited  States  in  Utah 
territory  void  and  of  no  effect. 

They  have  conferred  powers  on  their  territorial  marshals  so  extensive 
as  to  render  void  the  authority  of  the  marshals  of  the  United  States  in  all 
cases. 

Thev  have  conferred  upon  prohate  judges  the  sole' right  to  select  juries 
in  civil  and  criminal  cases,  in  violation  of  all  law  and  precedent.  Thej'  have 
also  given  to  said  judges  and  justices  of  the  peace  absolute  jurisdiction  in 
all  civil  and  criminal   cases. 

They  have  made  all  laws  existing  under  the  embryo  State  of  Deseret 
binding  upon  the  people  of  this  territory,  and  in  defiance  of  the  laws  of  the 
United  States. 

They  have,  by  an  act  of  the  legislature,  declared  all  unmarried  men  in- 
eligible as  jurymen,  unless  they  have  resided  in  the  territory  two  years. 

They  have  imbued  their  hands  in  the  blood  of  our  citizens  while  they 
were  peacefully  pursuing  their  way  across  the  continent  and  ha\e  deprived 
tiiem  of  their  property  without  due  course  of  law. 

They  have  poisoned  the  minds  of  the  Indians  against  us.  forced  us 
frequently  to  open  war  with  them. 

We  have  petitioned  them  to  redress  and  protect  us  in  our  right,  but  our 
appeals  have  ever  Ijeen  treated  with  disdain  and  neglect.  To  continue  the 
connection  with  Utah  longer  w'e  fear  would  involve  us  in  treason  and  re- 
bellion to  our  country. 

We  further  consider  that  the  danger,  difficulty  of  transit  and  expense 
of  communication  with  the  seat  of  the  territorial  government  of  eastern 
Utah  of  themselves  valid  reasons  to  induce  us  to  form  a  separate  territorial 
organization. 

We  have  appealed  for  assistance  to  California,  but  she  has  declined  to 
aid  and  ])rotect  us  because  we  were  without  the  jurisdiction  of  the  state. 

'i'hereforc.  belies'ing  in  the  rectitude  of  our  intentions  and  believing 
the  time  has  arrived,  we  make  known  and  declare  our  entire  and  uncondi- 
tion.ai  separation  from  eastern  L'tah. 

To  provide  for  and  secure  our  future  protection  we  pledge  to  each 
other  our  sacred  obligations,  to  erect  for  ourselves  a  territorial  government 
f(nmded  ui^on  the  republican  principles  of  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States,  and  that  we  will  maintain  and  defend  it  to  the  best  of  our  ability. 
And  we  look  to  the  protection  and  sup])ort  of  the  Federal  Ciovernnient  and 
our  fellow  citizens  in  e\cry  part  of  the  Union. 

CONSTITUTION    ADOI'TEn. 

'i"he  convention  also  framed  a  constitution  to  be  \oted  upon  by  the 
people  cm  September  7,  following;  an  election  was  ordered  at  the  same  time 
to  fill  the  offices  created  by  it.  Obscurity  cnvelo])s  the  result,  as  no  election 
returns  were  preserved,  but  Isaac  Roop,  for  governor;  A.  S.  Dorsey,  for 
secretary  of  state;  John  D.  Winters,  for  auditor,  and  B.  L.  King,  for  treas- 
urer,  were  probably  elected,  but,  if  so,  none  of  them  ever  served,  except 


A   HISTORY  Ol'    XKVADA.  59 

Governor  Roop.     Tlic  niajurity  for  tlie  ainstitutinn  was  about  four  hnndred 
votes. 

FIRST   LEGAL   COURT   IN    CARSON    COUNTY. 

Al  this  time  tlie  increasing  pojnilation  of  Carson  county  necessitated 
another  attempt  at  organization.  John  S.  Child  helil  the  first  legal  court 
in  Carson  countv  after  April  13,  1857,  Init  found  no  business  before  the  court 
and  adjourned  it  until  next  day.  Pursuant  to  adjournment  the  court  con- 
vened next  dav,  but  there  lieing  no  business  another  adjournment  was  taken. 
The  third  dav  when  court  convened  Judge  Child  made  business  by  appointing 
\\'.  P.  Morrison  as  coroner  and  authorizing  him  to  hold  an  inquest  upon 
the  body  of  John  Buckdey,  who  had  been  murdered  at  Virginia  City.  From 
then  until  the  19th  of  October,  when  an  application  for  divorce  was  filed  by 
Mrs.  Rebecca  A.  Bristol,  no  business  was  transacted  in  the  court.  The  case 
of  Mrs.  Bristol,  which  resulted  in  a  decision  in  her  favor,  was  the  only  case 
tried  in  1859. 

Judge  Child  was  determined  to  gi\e  a  legal  existence  to  the  functions 
of  Carson  county,  and,  after  dividing  the  county  into  ten  precincts,  called 
a  special  election  for  C)ctober  8  to  fill  the  county  oflices.  Despite  the  neces- 
sity existing  but  three  precincts  opened  polls,  and  they  were,  Carson  No.  2, 
Gold  Hill  No.  5  and  Walker  River  Xo.  8.  The  returns  showed  the  plurality 
of  C.  H.  Fountain,  candidate  for  representative,  to  be  16,  lie  receiving  a  total 
vote  of  100,  against  J.  C.  Jones  84.  and  S.  W.  Sullivan  and  R.  M.  Anderson 
I  each.  For  selectman  W.  C.  Armstrong  received  loi  votes,  L.  Drixley  85, 
E.  Lam1>e  84,  and  J.  M.  Luther  83.  For  sheriff  E.  C.  Morse  received  loi 
votes,  J.  Farwell  84,  rmd  R.  Abernathy  i.  For  treasurer  H.  Van  Sickle 
received  94  votes.  L.  A.  Smith  85,  J.  M.  Henry  i.  For  receiver  J.  F.  Long- 
received  100  votes  and  P.  C.  Rector  63.  Gliomas  Knott  was  elected  justice 
of  the  peace  for  Carson  Citv,  and  William  Justice,  justice  of  the  peace  of 
Gold  Hill.  George  Wilder  was  elected  constalile  of  Carsou  Cit)-,  and  .\lex- 
ander  \Vhite  constable  of  Gold  Hill. 

P.  H.  Lo\-el,  county  clerk,  certified  to  the  returns  September  24.  When 
A.  Cumniings,  governor  of  I  tab,  recei\ed  the  election  returns  he  forwarded 
commissions  dated  November  15,  1859,  to  Mr.  Lovel.  Li  doing  .so  he 
wrote  that  there  was  no  authority  for  calling  the  election  and  a  legal  investi- 
gation would  have  to  be  held,  but  as  he  desired  to  aid  in  organizing  the 
count}-  he  had  forwarded  the  commissions. 

Judge  Child  wrote  to  Armstrong  and  Drixley  on  the  ensuing  fourth 
of  June  urging  them  to  appear  and  take  the  oath  of  ofifice  and  urging  upon 
them  the  necessitv  of  son-ie  kind  of  law,  but  none  of  the  parties  accepted  the 
])ositions  to  which  thcv  were  elected,  and  the  only  legally  authorized  county 


60  A  HISTORY  OF  XF.V ADA. 

officials  in  wiiat  is  imw  Nevada  in  1859  and  up  to  August  6,  1S60.  were 
llie  following: 

).  S.  Child,  probate  judge:  George  McNeir,  clerk  (succeeded  in  March. 
iS(^)0.  bv  P.  H.  Lovel)  ;  S.  A.  Kinsey.  recorder:  P.  C.  Rector,  apixiinted 
surveyor  March  i.  i8f)0:  D.  G.  Glovd.  road  commissioner,  appointed  in  Feb- 
ruarv,  1S60;  A.  Kinne.  appointed  road  commissioner,  l-'ebruary.  1860:  James 
White,  a])pointed  road  commissioner  in  April,   1860. 

Once  again  the  attempt  to  oj-ganize  under  existing  laws  pro\ed  a  failure. 

DEATH    OF  JUDGE   CRANE. 

.\  blow  to  the  organization  of  a  separate  territorial  government  came 
wiih  the  death  of  Judge  Crane,  the  congressional  delegate,  who  died  sud- 
denly of  heart  disease,  at  Gold  Hill,  on  Septenil:)er  27.  The  organization 
had  been  so  far  perfected,  as  the  adoption  of  the  constitution  and  the  election 
of  officers  and  a  legislative  liody,  authorized  by  that  constitution,  could  ac- 
com])lish.  .\nother  election  was  called  for  November  u,  i85(j,  to  fill  the 
\-acancy  cau.sed  by  the  death  of  Judge  Crane.  This  election  is  also  \-eiled 
in  obscurity,  but  according  to  Sacramento  papers  of  that  date,  J.  J.  Musser 
received  935  votes  and  was  declared,  by  Governor  Roop.  unanimously  elected, 
from  which  it  is  safe  to  assume  that  he  had  no  opposition. 

.\fter  the  counting  of  the  vote  Re|)resentative  Musser  started  for  Wash- 
ington. Isaac  Roo])  ha\-ing  been  declared  elected  governor,  subscril>ed  to 
the  following  oath  of  nffice: 

Tekkito[*v  of  Ne\'.\da.  ss. 

I  do  solemnly  swear  that  I  will  support  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States,  and  the  Constitution  <>f  the  Territory  of  Nevada,  and  that  1  will,  to 
the  best  of  my  abilit}-.  jierform  ,ill  the  duties  of  Governor  of  said  Territory 
during  my  continuance  in  office. 

(Signctl)  Isaac  Roop. 

Subscribed  and  sworn  to  before  mc  this  thirteenth  d;iy  of  December, 
.\.  D.  one  thiinsruid  eight  hundred  ;uiil  hftv-ninc. 

T'.   iM.    Preston, 
U.  S.  Commissioner,  Second  Judici:il  District,  U.  T. 

1'UO\'1S10NAL    EEGISEATCUE    MEETS. 

On  the  evening  of  December  15.  1859.  the  llrst  legisl;iture  of  the  new 
territory  of  Nevada  met  and  organized  at  Genoa,  at  the  house  of  (j.  D.  P.lake. 
O.  H.  Pierson,  of  Carson  City,  was  elected  speaker;  11.  S.  Thomjison.  clerk, 
and  J.  H.   McDougal,  sergeant-at-amis. 

A  number  of  resolutions  w-ere  passed  ;md  a  committee  of  three  was 
appointed  to  draft  a  memorial  to  Congress  to  expedite  the  organization  of 
the   new   territory.      Governor   Roop  delivered   his  message  amid  great   en- 


A   lllSTum    ()!■■   NEVADA.  <il 

(liusiasin.      Tlio   lc!L;isl;i(ii:\'   llicn   ;Hliiiiirno(I   imlil   llie   first    Mniiilay    in   Jn!_\', 
1 8C.O. 

AlkT  ad  inuniiiK'iil  Mr.  I\(i<i]i  cniiiimicil  In  act  as  t;ii\cnini-,  musl  (il  his 
(iflicial  acts  l)ci'n<^'  connected  with  llie  warrint;-  Indians  and  tlie  iniuhle  they 
eansed  in  Nevada.  llie  iinl\'  dncninenlary  evidence  of  his  ever  exercising 
liis  authority  as  go\crnor  was  the  issuance  of  tlie  following  military  com- 
mission to  M.  S.  Thompson,  later  state  senator  from   lluml)oldt  county: 

Nevada  Territory, 

SusANViLLE,  Fehruary  i,  iS6o. 
1.  Isaac  Ron]),  proxisional  goxernor  of  Nevada  territory,  do  herehy 
appoint  M.  S.  Thompson  as  my  aid-de-camp  to  rank  as  colonel  of  cavalry, 
with  ])ay  and  rations  as  such;  this  appointment  to  take  effect  from  date.  In 
testimony  whereof,  I  have  this  day  and  date  affixed  my  private  seal,  there 
l)cing  no  ])uhlic  seal  ])ro\'ided. 

Isaac  Roop.  (io\ernor. 
L.  S. 

Mr.  Musser  while  in  Washington  found  that  he  could  not  olitain  iiu- 
mediate  legislation  favorable  to  his  constituents,  and  so  he  returned  to 
Carson  county.  His  work  there,  however,  bore  good  fruit,  for  there  was 
a  growing  sentiment  in  Congress  against  leaving  the  citizens  of  the  Cnited 
States  under  AJjjrmon  control.  This  feeling  in  Washington  was  intensified 
by  tlie  dcvekiimient  of  the  Comstock  and  the  subsequent  immense  increase 
in  po])ulation.  The  lireaking  out  of  the  southern  rebellion  further  i-ncreased 
that  feeling  and  on  March  2.  1861,  the  congressional  act  createfl  the  terri- 
tory of  Ne\ada,  thus  crowning  with  success  the  ofttime  foiled  attempts  to 
secure  a  separate  government. 


CHAPTER  IX. 
Territory  of  Nevada. 


Nye  Commissioned  Goxernor  of  Territory — Officers  Appointed  by  Him  in 
State  and  County — Establishment  of  Judicial  Districts — Civil  and  Crim- 
inal Codes — Division  of  Counties — The  State  Constitution — Its  First 
Defeat  and  Subsequent  Victory — Efforts  to  Remoxe  Unpopular  Judi- 
ciary— Conditions  of  i860. 

Details  have  been  gi\en  of  the  difficult}-  experienced  by  Judge  Child, 
in  his  efforts  to  both  hold  elections  and  then  prevail  upon  the  men  elected 
to  fill  the  positions  waiting  for  them.  He  tried  again  in  i860,  on  August 
6th.  Carson,  St.  Mary's  and  Humboldt  counties  were  jointly  entitled  to 
(jue  memljer  in  the  legislature.     At  this  last  election  the  offices  of  sherifif. 


62  A  HISTORY  OF  ^"l•:^^\l).\. 

selectmen,  treasurer,  surxeyur  and  nienilier  of  tlie  legislature  were  tilled  for 
Carson  county. 

Undeterred  by  the  lack  of  business  at  the  last  session  of  court,  some 
three  vears  before.  Judge  Child  convened  the  first  session  of  the  county 
court  of  Carson  on  September  3.  i860.  His  court,  with  the  three  selectmen, 
transacted  the  business  usually  done  by  a  boaril  of  supervisors  or  county 
commissioners.  The  first  transaction,  recorded  on  the  loth.  was  the  repudia- 
tion of  all  county  debts  and  the  cancelling  of  all  county  script.  Business 
.s<K>n  ])i)ured  in:  petitions  of  all  kinds,  for  franchises  of  all  kinds,  from  rail- 
roads to  toll  bridges. 

COURT  HOUSE  PROMDEP. 

The  need  for  a  court  house  being  imperative,  the  court,  in  September, 
authorized  the  building  of  one,  or  rather  the  completion  of  one  at  Genoa. 
Seven  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  was  to  l)e  expended  on  finishing  and  fur- 
nishing. It  was  not  much  of  a  building",  in  fact  an  old  building  repaired, 
thirty  by  sixty  feet  and  one  and  a  half  stories  in  height.  It  was  here  Judge 
Cradelbaugh  held  the  first  session  of  the  United  States  district  court. 
Tie  had  to  crawl  up  a  ladder  to  reach  the  court  room,  but  later  steps  were 
built. 

Up  to  the  time  of  the  creating  of  the  territory  of  Nevada  the  country 
had  l)een  enveloped  in  legal  shadows  which  soon,  under  the  pressure  of  a 
new  system  of  laws,  passed  away  forever. 

(jovernor  N\e  ajjplied  the  new  svstem  of  laws  to  the  old  subdivisions 
as  in  existence  under  Utah,  and  when  the  legislature  met  on  the  25th  of 
November,  1861,  Nevada  was  segregated  into  nine  counties,  but  there  was 
no  Carson  or  St.  Mary  county.  The  records  of  these  were  turned  over  to 
the  secretary  of  state. 

NYE  COMMISSIONED  GOVERNOR. 

On  the  22nd  of  March.  1861.  James  W.  Nye.  of  Madison  county.  New 
York,  was  commissioned  governor  of  .Nevada  territory,  and  the  legislature 
was  soon  convened.  Governor  Nye,  in  his  first  proclamation,  in  July.  1861, 
announced  the  appointment  of  various  oflicers  as  follows: 

To  All  Whom  It  May  Concern: 

Whereas,  By  an  act  of  Congress  of  the  United  States  of  .\merica.  en- 
titled, "An  Act  to  organize  the  Territory  of  xNevada,"  appro\ed  March  2. 
1861.  a  true  copy  of  which  is  hereto  annexed,  a  Ciovernment  was  created 
over  all  the  country  described  in  .said  Act,  to  be  called  the  "Territory  of  Ne- 
vada";  and,  whereas,  the  following  named  oflicers  have  been  duly  a])i)ointed 
and  commissioned  under  said  act  as  officers  of  said  Ciovernment.  viz.: 


A    IIISroKN    OF   Xl'AWDA.  Cu] 

James  W.  Nye,  Governor  of  said  'J'erritory,  Commander-in-cliicf  of  the 
Militia  thereof  and  Superintendent  of  Inchan  Affairs  therein ;  Orion  Clemens, 
Secretary  of  said  Territory;  George  Turner,  Chief  Justice,  and  Horatio  M. 
Jones  and  Gordon  N.  Mott,  Associate  Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  of 
said  Territory,  and  to  act  as  Judges  of  the  District  Court  for  said  Territory; 
Benjamin  B.  Bunker,  Attorney  of  the  United  States  for  said  Territory;  D. 
Bates,  Marshal  of  the  United  States  for  said  Territory;  and  John  W.  North, 
Surveyor  General  for  said  Territory ;  and  the  said  Governor  and  the  other 
officers  having  assumed  the  duties  of  their  said  offices  according  to  law, 
said  Territorial  government  is  hereby  declared  to  be  organized  and  estab- 
lished and  all  persons  are  enjoined  to  conform  to,  respect,  and  obey  the  laws 
thereof  accordingly. 

Given  under  my  hand  and  the  seal  of  said  Territory  this  eleventh  day 
of  Jul}',  A.  D.  1861,  and  of  the  independence  of  the  United  States  of  Amer- 
ica, the  eighty-fifth. 

James  W.  Nye, 
Governor  of  Nevada  Territory. 

The  succeeding  officers  were  appointed  as  follows :  United  States  at- 
torney, Theodore  Edwards,  \ugust  31.  1863:  judge  of  the  first  district  court. 
John  W.  North,  October  2.  1863;  assistant  justice  of  the  supreme  court. 
Powhaton  B.  Locke,  October  14,  1863. 

OFFICERS   APPOINTED   BY    NYE. 

Warden  of  prison,  Abraham  Curry,  January  i,  1862;  treasurer,  John 
H.  ICinkead,  February  i,  1862;  auditor,  Perry  G.  Child,  February  i.  1862 
(Child  resigned  and  \V.  W.  Rose  was  appointed  September  8,  1863)  ;  school 
superintendent.  William  G.  Blakely,  February  24,  1862;  superintendent  of 
puljlic  instruction  for  two  years,  A.  F.  White,  December  24,  1863. 

CARSON   COUNTY  APPOINTMENTS. 

During  the  year  1861  Governor  Nye  made  the  following  appointments 
for  Carson  county:  Probate  judge,  L.  W.  Ferris.  Virginia  City,  July  29: 
clerk,  Nelson  W.  Winton.  Virginia  City,  July  29 ;  recorder,  Samuel  D.  King. 
July  29:  district  attorney,  Marcus  D.  Larrowe,  August  12;  county  surveyor. 
S.  H.  Marlette,  August  14;  treasurer,  Alfred  Helm,  August  20;  selectmen, 
J.  Williams  and  Chauncy  N.  Noteware,  George  W.  Greer.  July  31:  John  F. 
Long,  September  2. 

JUDICIAL  DISTRICTS  ESTABLISHED. 

A  peculiar  division  was  made  of  the  judicial  districts  in  the  proclama- 
tion of  Governor  Nye  on  July  17.  Gordon  N.  Mott  was  assigned  to  Dis- 
trict No.  i;  this  included  all  of  Carson  county  King  west  of  the  ii8th  de- 
gree of  longitude;  as  it  embraced  what   is  now  Douglas,  Storey,   Washoe. 


64  vA  HISTORY  OF  XK\  ADA. 

Ornisl)v.  L\(in  and  most  of  Clunxiiill  counties,  practicall}'  ull  of  the  white 
population  of  the  territory  was  in  it. 

Chief  Judge  Turner  was  assigned  to  the  second  district;  this  embraced 
that  part  of  the  territory  lying  east  of  District  Xo.  i  and  lietween  tlie  117th 
and  iiiStli  degree  of  longitude.  This  disti'ict  was  inhaliited  hy  whites  at 
the  stage  stations,  and  Pah-Utes  antl  Shoshones  comprised  the  rest  of  the 
population. 

Judge  H.  M.  Jones  was  assigned  to  District  Xo.  3.  This  included  all 
the  territory  lying  east  of  the  i  17th  degree  of  longitude.  In  this  district 
were  a  few  stage  stations  and  a  number  of  Gosii-Ute  and  Shoshone  Indians. 

Tiie  proclamations  stated  that  the  court  of  the  first  district  would  be 
in  session  two  weeks,  commencing  at  \'irginia  Citv  on  July  23.  and  would 
alternate  Ijet'veen  Carson  and  Virginia  City.  The  times  and  places  for  hold- 
ing terms  of  the  district  coiu't  in  the  second  and  third  districts  were  to  l)e 
designated  in  a  suljsequent  proclamation.  The  idea  seems  to  have  1)een 
to  insure  the  administration  of  the  law  among  the  Indians  as  well  as  whites. 

.\nother  proclamation  was  issued,  or.  Juh"  24,  districting  the  territory 
for  election  and  census  purposes.  Dr.  Henry  De  Croot,  of  Carson  City, 
was  appointed  to  take  charge  of  the  enumeration  and  the  returns  showed 
a  total  population  of  16.374. 

CIVIL  AND  CRIMINAL  CODES. 

The  ci\il  and  criminal  codes  were  ])assed  in  complete  form  by  the  first 
legislature,  which  was  in  session  fortv-nine  davs.  The  results  of  their  work 
fillefl  a  royal  octavo  book  of  five  hundred  and  eighteen  pages,  eight  being 
devoted  to  toll  road  franchises.     Six  of  these  were  granted. 

DIVISION    INTO    COUNTIES. 

Xevada  territory  was  divided  into  nine  counties  by  an  act  ai>proved 
Xovember  25.  1861.  St.  Mary's  and  Carson  were  erased,  the  nine  being: 
Lake  (changed  to  Roop  December  5,  1862).  Washoe,  Churchill,  Douglas, 
Esmeralda.  Humboldt,  Lyon,  Ormsby,  and  Storey.  Nearly  four-fifths  of  the 
territory  were  included  within  the  boundaries  of  Churcliill.  Humboldt  and 
Ivsmeralda,  but  tlie  other  si.\  held  the  most  of  the  po|)ulation.  Soon  after 
the  division  of  counties  the  two  branches  of  the  assembl_\-  met  in  joint  con- 
vention and  nominated  three  commissioners  for  each  count}'.  It  was  the 
duty  of  these  commissioners  to  ap])ortion  their  respective  localities  into 
precincts,  and  arrange  for  the  general  election,  to  be  held  on  the  ensuing  14th 
of  August.  1862.  At  this  election  county  officers  weie  to  bo  chosen.  The 
officers  elected  at  liiis  time  were  to  serxc  only  until  Sc])lemher.  when  another 
election  of  tiic  county  orCu-ers  was  to  be  held.      In  conseijuencc  stime  of  the 


A    IIISK  )K\    (  )[••   XI'AADA.  tjr) 

CdUiilR's  were  iiKjie  than  blessed   with  dliieeis.  three  sets  in  aU — twu  elected 
and  one  appointed. 

CONDITIONS    IN     i860. 

Wages  paid  were  high.  locked  at  from  tlie  view  ixiint  of  these  later 
days,  hut  not  so  considering  the  times  and  condition  of  iSfio.  Female  help 
of  any  kind  was  ])aid  on  an  average  of  forty  dollars  ]ier  month.  '1  he  men 
were  ])ai(l,  for  farm  work,  three  dollars  per  da\-  if  hoardeil,  and  three  dollars 
and  fifty  cents  if  not.  while  carpenters  and  like  trades  commanded  seven  dollars 
per  day  without  board.  The  la1)oring  men  generally  paid  twenty  dollars  per 
week  for  board,  so  they  had  to  make  fairly  good  wages. 

.\s  can  be  seen  b\-  the  judicial  districts,  the  ])o]iulation  was  not  widely 
scattered,  all  converging  to  the  several  central  points.  In  Ruliy  \-alley  there 
was  just  one  farmer,  the  Indian  agent  at  that  time.  William  Rogers.  One 
United  States  marshal.  I.  I'.  Waters,  said  that  Humlioldt  was  the  most  barren 
of  any  land  he  had  ever  passed  through.  That  there  were  no  inhabitants 
excejit  th(jse  connected  with  the  mail  ser\-ice.  He  said  the  only  other  living 
things  were  snakes,  lizards,  crickets  ami  Indians,  the  latter  li\ing  on  the 
former  a  [xirtion  of  the  }'ear. 

THE    .ST.\T1£    CONSTITTTION. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  citizens  of  the  territory  decided  that  the 
robes  of  statehood  would  l)e  becoming  to  Nevada,  and  the  legislature  of 
1862  passed  an  act  authorizing  at  the  general  election  in  September.  1863, 
the  choice  of  delegates  to  frame  a  state  constitution.  .\  popular  \-ote  of  the 
people  as  to  whether  thev  desired  statehood  or  not  resulted  in  a  majority 
of  3,656  in  favor  of  it.  The  delegates  asseml.)leil  on  the  _'nd  of  Xovember. 
1863.  and  continued  in  session  until  December  iith,  and  in  that  period 
framed  the  constitution  under  which  Nevada  eventually  became  a  state.  Will- 
iam M.  Stewart,  delegate  from  Storey  county,  made  this  a  stepping  stone 
later  to  the  United  States  senate. 

STATE    CONSTITLTION    DEFE.\TED. 

Owing  to  political  dissension  and  the  ire  of  disappointed  candidates  when 
the  comention  assembled  in  Carson  on  December  31,  1863.  there  was  strong 
opposition  deveiojjed.  The  controversies  were  mosth'  of  a  personal  nature, 
but  the  effects  were  serious.  The  constitution  i)ro\i<]ed  that  all  the  officers 
created  by  it  should  lie  filled  at  the  time  it  was  submitted  to  the  people.  In 
consequence  the  ])olitical  aspirants  who  failed  to  recei\e  nominations  for  the 
offices  desired  by  them,  determined  to  fight  the  constitution.  And  they 
did.  Many  delegates  bolted  the  convention,  declaring  there  was  a  slate. 
The  newspapers  took   a  hand  because  some    of    the  owners  wanted   otfice. 


66  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

notably  J.  T.  Goodman,  of  tlie  Triritdnal  H.iiU-r/^ii.s\\  and  jdlni  Chnrch  nf  the 
Daily  Union,  both  desirous  of  lieconiinj;  state  printer,  (leorge  \\'.  Bloor 
landed  this  plnm.  M.  X.  Mitchell  received  the  nomination  for  Governor. 
John  B.  Winters  of  Lyon  comity  was  nominated  for  Congress.  The  fifty-one 
delegates  were  in  convention  three  days  and  a  fnll  state  ticket  was  nominated. 
There  was  but  the  one  ticket,  the  "Union  Ticket,"  and  this  was  supported 
by  all  the  nine  newspapers  of  the  territory,  excepting  four :  The  Old  Pah  Ute, 
Humboldt  Register,  th.e  Virginia  Union,  and  the  Aurora  Times.  The  fight 
was  made  ujjon  the  organic  law,  and  the  opjiosition  succeeded  in  defeating  the 
State  Ticket. 

.SECOND    EFFORT    FOR    STATEHOOD. 

The  next  efifort  to  don  statehood  rolies  was  made  wiien  Senator  Doolit- 
tle,  of  Wisconsin,  introduced  a  bill  in  the  I'nited  States  senate,  authorizing 
another  trial.  The  Doolittle  liill  was  signed  l)v  President  l.incnjn.  on  March 
Ji,  i(Sr)4,  (jovernor  Xye  issuing  a  proclamation  calling  for  an  election  on  the 
si.xth  of  June  following,  to  choose  delegates  once  more  to  frame  a  state  con- 
stitution. This  time  no  state  officers  were  to  lie  \oled  for,  by  its  provisions, 
and  the  clause  which  had  helped  to  defeat  the  Hrst  constitution,  authorizing 
the  taxing  of  "shafts,  drills  and  bedrock  tuimels,"  was  changed  so  that 
it  could  not  be  used  as  a  slogan  to  rouse  the  "jxior  miners"  to  opposition. 
The  convention  was  harmonious:  no  bolters,  no  friction  and  the  only  trouble 
was  in  Storey  county,  vxhere  the  contest  was  renewed,  this  resulting  in  the 
defeat  of  the  regular  nominees  for  county  offices. 

Till-:  rxropi'[..\R    i  ^T)TC■TAU^■. 

A  change  in  the  judiciary  was  desired  and  strongly  advocated,  both  by 
press  and  pco])le.  So  much  so  that  a  petition  asking  tiie  whole  bench  to  re- 
sign received  o\er  4.000  signatures.  This  monster  petition,  for  those  days, 
was  printed  in  full  in  the  Terrikirial  Enterprise,  and  it  occupied  six  double 
columns  of  that  paper.  Because  one  of  the  supreme  judges  was  more 
than  suspected  of  selling  decisions  for  "cash  paid  in  hand."  the  people  desired 
to  do  away  with  the  whole  bench.  To  do  this  the  adoption  of  the  constitution 
was  necessarv,  or  so  rejircscnted  to  the  voters.  The  resignation  of  the 
entire  sujireme  bench  was  brought  about  by  charges  made  by  J.  T.  Goodman, 
editor  of  tlic  linlerprise.  They  were  called  on  to  answer  charges  of  cni-rup- 
tion  and  bribe-taking  or  resign.  They  could  not  face  the  facts,  and  resigned 
as  the  attorneys  refused  to  jiractice  law  before  them. 

The  time  .set  for  the  general  territorial  election  was  September  7,  1864, 
and  the  county  officers,  a  legislative  as.sembly  and  delegates  to  the  House 
of  Representatives  were  to  be  chosen.  The  territorial  convention  a.ssembled 
in  Carson  on  the  loth  of  .\ugust  preceding,  fifty  delegates  being  in  attendance. 


A    IIISTom'  01/   XI'A'ADA.  •'-! 

Of  tliesc  twenty-six  were  proxies;  Thomas  Fitch  was  \)ul  in  noniin;ition  as 
delegate  to  the  Mouse  of  Representatives,  on  tiie  regular  Union  ticket.  A. 
C.  Bradford  was  the  clmice  of  the  Democrats  and  Hon.  John  Cradelbaugli 
the  choice  of  Storey  county  in  the  hrst  Cdiiventinn,  ran  independently,  the 
vote  at  the  general  election  being:  Thumas  Fitch,  Republican,  1,208;  .\. 
C.  Bradford.  Democrat.  3,71'^);  j"hn  ("radelbaugh.  Independent  Union. 
3,781  ;  scattering,  4;  a  total  of  8.7og.  The  constitution  polled  a  majority  vote 
of  9.131-  The  large  vote  at  Amador  was  thrown  out  because  of  fraud,  but 
Nevada,  having  adopted  the  constitution,  only  waited  for  the  proclamation  of 
the  President  to  liecome  one  of  the  glorious  galaxy  of  states. 


CHAPTER  X. 

0R(-;  A  NIDATION     AND    PoLITK  AI,     lllSTOKV    OF     StATE. 

Redistricting  of  States — Judicial  Elections  to  1878 — Many  I^lections  the 
First  Year  of  Statehood — First  Presidential  Election — Contest  for  U.  S. 
Senator  in  1864 — Ashley  Elected  Congressman,  1865 — Excitement  Over 
Attempted  Removal  of  Capital — Senators  Determine  Choice  of  Terms 
by  Lot — Election  of  Nye  to  U.  S.  Senate,  1867 — Fitch  Nominated  Con- 
gressman by  .\cclamation  and  Elected,  1868 — Senatorial  Contest  Be- 
tween Sharon,  Jones  and  Nye.  Jones  Winning.  1872 — pjattle  of  the 
■"Money  Bags" — Sharon  Elected  L'.  S.  Senator.  1875 — Dissatisfaction 
with  Sharon — Election  of  b'air  to  .Succeed   llim.    1880. 

The  great  day  for  Nevada,  when  the  parchment  making  her  a  state  was 
signed  by  the  President  of  the  United  States,  was  October  31.  1864.  This 
was  the  year  for  all  kinds  of  elections  in  Nevada;  there  had  been  three 
before  becoming  a  state,  and  a  fourth  w;is  now  necessitated,  as  the  territorial 
legislative  officers  and  congressional  delegates  could  not  of  course  serve  the 
slate.  The  members  for  the  House  of  Representatives  were  to  be  chosen  on 
(he  date  of  the  presidential  election,  November  8.  i8C)4,  A  full  state  and 
national  ticket  was  therefore  placed  in  the  field  b\'  both  Democrats  antl  Re- 
publicans. These  tickets  included  rejiresentatives,  state  senators,  state  officers, 
state  assemblymen,  nine  district  attorneys  and  eleven  district  judges.  The 
result  was  as  follows,  every  Re])ublican  being  elected; 

For  Presidential  Electors — 9.826  votes.     Total  vote  cast,  16,328. 

Member  of  Congress,  H.  C  W'orthington — 9.776.  Total  vote  cast. 
16,328. 

Governor.  H.  G.  Blasdel — 9,834.     "J'otal  vote  cast.  16.389. 

Lieutenant  Governor.  J.  G.  Grossman — 9.786.     Total  vote  cast,  16.348. 


fiS  A   lILSroRV  OF   XE\'.\1).\. 

Secretary  of  State.  C.  X.  Xoteware — c^.S^c).     Total  vote  cast.  i''>.3,?5. 

Controller.  A.  W.  Niglitingill — 9,842.     Total  vole  cast.   1^^1.309- 

Treasurer.  E.  Rlioades — 9.824.     Total  vote  cast.  16.315. 

Sui)erintendent  Public  Instruction.  A.  F.  White — 9.823.  Total  vote  cast 
10.33 1. 

Surveyor  General.  S.   11.  .Marlelle — 9,828.     Total  \ote  cast,   16,326. 

Supreme  Court  Judges.  C.  M.  Bmsnan — 9.838;  11.  ( ).  I'-catly,  9,804: 
J.  l\  Lewis.  9.826. 

.\ttorney  General.  *  ieorge  .\.  .Voinse — 9.278.      Total  \iitecasl.  16.308. 

Supreme  Court  Clerk,  .\lfred  Helm — 9.84^1.      Total  vote  cast,   i6.-3i<'- 

The  Democrats  elected  were  two  in  ninnher.  both  for  the  legislature: 
I.  .\.  St.  Clair,  assembly,  Cluuxhill  coinitx':  F'rauk  M.  Proctor,  senate,  Nye 
county. 

I'NITED  .STATE.S   .SENATORS   CHOSEN. 

The  next  thing  was  the  choosing  of  two  United  States  senators,  w  hich 
was  done  in  joint  convention  by  the  two  branches  of  the  legislature  on  De- 
cember 13.  \H<>_\..  'There  was  a  bitter  contest,  amounting  almost  to  a  dead- 
lock at  one  stage  of  the  proceedings.     The  Brst  vote  cast  resulted  as  follows: 

William  M.  Stewart,  of  Storey  county — 33. 

James  W^  Nye.  of  Onnsby  county — 2;^. 

Charles  E.  DeLoug,  of  Storey  county — 2;^. 

John  Cradelliaugh.  of  Ormsby  county — 12. 

B.  C.  Whitman,  of  Storey  county — 13. 

Necessary  for  a  cF.oice — 2/. 

Mr.  Stew.'n't  was  deckired  elected.  T'or  the  second  senator  the  vote  stood 
as  follows : 

James   W.    Xye,    of   ( )rmsl)y   county — 2^]. 

Charles  E.  DeLong.  of  Storey  comity — 17. 

John  Cradelbaugh.  of  Ormsby  county — 9. 

B.  C.  Whitman,  of  Storey  county — 3. 

After  this  result  the  convention  adjouined  until  nt'xl  da\   al    1   p.  111. 

Mr.  StewaiL  having  been  elected  himself,  turned  his  attention  to  getting 
what  he  could  out  of  the  other  seuatorships,  accorchug  to  common  rejiort. 
lie  sent  a  message  to  Judge  Cradelbaugh  assuring  him  that  if  he  would 
turn  over  to  him  all  government  i)atronage  which  wmild  accrue  to  him  if 
elected,  he  would  himself  promise  that  he  rc('»/r/  be  elected. 

Knowing  the  record  of  Judge  Cradelb.augh  one  can  imagine  how  this 
message  affected  him.  llis  reply  is  .said  to  have  been:  "Tell  Stewart  that 
I  had  rather  be  a  d(jg  and  bay  the  moon,  thrui  such  a  senator."  That  settled 
it.  and  the  ne.xt  day  it  took  but  one  vote  to  give  the  result: 

James  W.  Nye,  of  Ormsby  county — 29. 


Assemblyman  Assemblyman 

H.   H.   BECK.  R.   M.  SHACKELFORD. 

Senator  Assemblyman  Senator 

CHARLES  LAMBERT.     J.  A.  ENGRICK.     J.  S.  SLINGERLAND. 


WASHOE  COUNTY  DELEGATION 
TO 
FIRST  SESSION  STATE  LEGISLATURE 
CARSON  CITY,  NEVADA,   1864-65. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  69 

Charles  E.  DeLong-,  f)f  Stmev  counlv — 7. 
Necessary  for  a  rlinice — 27. 

|-.FI'-ORT    TO    REMOVE    CAPITAE. 

In  the  carl)'  ])art  of  iS()4  a  land  company,  with  a  large  amount  of  capital 
hack  of  it.  laid  out  a  town  in  the  flat  just  .south  from  flold  Hill  and  christened 
it  American  Cit\-.  The  next  move  to  make  the  scheme  "go"  uas  the  offer  of 
lifty  thousand  dollars  to  the  territor\',  a  donation  if  it  would  remove  the  state 
capital  to  American  City.  It  was  offered  in  extenuation  of  this  proposed  re- 
moval, or  was  the  alleged  reason,  that  Ormshy  county  had  agreed  to  furnish 
rooms  for  the  assemhl)-  and  then  turned  around  and  asked  four  thousand 
five  hundred  dollars  per  session  for  them.  Storey  county  papers,  of  course, 
advocated  its  removal  and  left  no  stone  unturned  to  hring  it  ahout.  Storey  and 
Eyon  counties  liad  heen  endeavoring  to  secure  the  removal  of  the  capital,  each 
to  its  own  locality.  They  tdok  .advantage  of  the  fact  that  when  the  legisla- 
ture first  met  in  1861.  when  the  capital  was  established  at  Carson  City, 
it  was  forced  to  meet  where  the  state  i>rison  is  located.  Storey  county 
wanted  to  locate  it  at  Virginia  City  and  Lyon  at  Dayton.  The  Onusby  people 
iiad  then  liestirred  themselves  and  by  petition  asked  the  legislature  to  ad- 
journ to  Carson  City,  stating  that  if  it  did  rooms  would  be  furnished,  free 
of  charge,  and  this  was  done.  Quite  a  sum  of  money  was  expended  in  this 
tight,  and  it  is  alleged  that  some  of  it  found  its  way  into  the  legislature,  thus 
establishing  a  had  precedent  for  future  legislatures,  or  members.  The  up- 
shot was  that  the  capital  remained  where  it  was. 

Tile  charge  that  the  Ormslvy  people  had  charged  rent  for  the  rooms  to 
be  free  <if  ;dl  charge,  resulted  in  strong  feeling,  for  the  county  could  not 
deii\'  it.  lint  the  citi.^ens  of  that  county  tried  to  create  a  di\'ersion  by  getting 
up  and  circulating  a  petition,  re(|uesting  their  count\'  comntissioners  to 
resign,  accusing  CcMumissioner  .Vdolph  \\'aitz,  in  particular,  of  ha\-ing  acted 
in  bad  faith  in  making  a  charge  for  the  room.  Thev  accused  him  of  using  his 
office  for  speculation  and  said  thev  would  not  take  "No"  from  him  in  answer 
to  this  petition.  Mr.  W'aitz  sent  back  a  strenuous  reply,  concluding  as 
follows: 

"A  proper  regard  for  tlie  ])ublic  good  and  those  who  elected  me,  as  well 
as  a  feeling  of  self-respect,  forbids  that  I  should  hasten  to  gratify  your 
malice,  if  it  be  your  pur])ose  to  intimidate  me  it  only  proves  what  I  sup- 
])osed  was  the  case,  that  you  were  not  well  acquainted  with  luy  real  char- 
acter. I  am  not  apt  to  1j€  scared  by  the  threats  of  armed  desperadoes,  much 
less  tiiose  of  peevisii  and  exciterl  citizens." 

The  Carson  Post,  in  March,  1865,  wrote  an  editorial  on  the  subject  and 
in  closing,  said;    "And  to  show  that  we  are  not  mistaken  in  these  matters 


70  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

we  will  add  that  we  individually  collected  the  money  that  was  paid  to  a  mem- 
lier  of  the  legislature,  to  vote  against  removal." 

TO    SUCCEED    WORTHINGTON. 

The  term  of  Hon.  H.  G.  Worthington  expiring  in  A[arch.  1S65.  it  he- 
came  neces.sary  to  elect  his  successor  at  the  slate  election  on  Xo\emher  7, 
1865. 

Nex'ada  had  two  I'nited  States  senators,  hut  no  niemher  in  the  House 
of  Representatives;  three  ]\epuhlicans  at  once  \olunteered  to  ser\e  in  that 
capacit}'.  Delos  R.  Ashlew  of  Lander  county:  Colonel  Charles  .\.  Sumner, 
and  Hon.  \V.  H.  Clagget.  Tlie  former  won  the  election,  as  claimed  Ijy  the 
Gold  Hill  Neii'S.  through  the  agency  of  the  Democratic  votes  cast  for  him.  He 
was  supported  in  his  campaign  l)y  the  Territorial  Enterprise  of  Virginia 
Citv ;  Sumner  was  the  choice  of  the  finld  Flill  XeiM,  and  Ashlev  hv  the 
Reese  River  Reveille. 

When  the  Re])ul)lican  con\ention  met  at  Carson  on  the  loth  of  October 
it  soon  became  apparent  that  Sumner.  Claggett  and  .\shley  were  the  real 
contestants,  but  Sumner  withdrew  when  twehe  ballots  resulted  in  no  choice. 
John  B.  Winters  then  came  on  the  scene  as  a  candidate,  but  he  could  secure 
only  forty-nine  votes.  Mr.  Ashley  received  on  every  ballot  fourteen  votes. 
At  four  in  the  afternoon  the  convention  took  a  recess,  the  vote  standing: 

John  B.  Winters — 49. 

'W.  H.  Claggett — 48. 

Delos  R.  .Ashley— 8. 

On  the  next  l)aIlot  twenty-six  of  the  Claggett's  following  \'oted  for  .\.sh- 
ley,  and,  it  becoming  apparent  he  was  the  man,  the  Winter's  delegation  in 
turn  cast  their  vote  for  him.  making  him  the  nominee  of  the  Republicans. 
Mr.  .Asliley,  in  the  customary  speech,  promised  to  endeavor  to  obtain  all  the 
aid  he  could  from  the  go\ernment  in  land  and  money,  to  build  as  soon  as 
])OSsil)le  every  railroad  which  would  connect  the  state  of  Nevada  with  the 
outside  world. 

At  this  time  the  Central  Pacific  had  not  reached  the  state,  but  two 
roads  were  seeking  subsidies,  one  known  as  the  Dutch  h'lat  road,  in  reality 
the  Central  Pacific:  tlu'  nthcr  the  Placcr\ilk'  road.  Their  ad\enl  was  eagerly 
looked  forward  to,  and  all  possil)le  concessions  were  made  to  them  both.  So 
strong  was  the  feeling  that  the  prominent  jilank  in  the  Republican  platform 
was  the  one  affirming  the  same  position  regarding  the  railroads. 

The  vote  on  November  7th  resulted  in  the  folldwing  \-ote : 

Delos    R.    .Ashley    received    3-691   votes 

II.   K.   Mitchell   received    2,213  votes 

Total    votes    .v94''> 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  71 

And  liy  this  \i)tc  tlie  Rcpulilican  randidate  was  elected. 

.STATE   ELECTION    OK    1 866. 

The  next  year  these  two  gentlemen  were  pitted  against  each  other 
again,  .\shley  heing  again  the  nominee  of  the  Repuhlican  party,  and  H.  K. 
Mitchell  (if  the  IX^mocratic  party.  This  time  there  were,  of  course,  national 
issues  hmughl  (in  Ii\  the  President,  .\ndrew  Jdhnson.  The  entire  Repuhlican 
])art\'  was  elected,  the  \(ites  being  cast  as  fdllows: 

Member  for  Congress,  1).  R.  .\shley,  5.047  votes,  tntal  vote 9>243 

(Governor,  H.  (i.  Rlasdel.  5.1^5  xdtes,  total  vote   9)-30 

Lieutenant  (Idverudr,  J.  S.  Slingerford,  5,211  votes,  tdtal  vote 9,208 

Secretary  of  State,  C.   N.  Noteware,   5.207  votes,  tdtal  vote 8,257 

Controller,   W.   R.  Parkinson,  5,203  vdtes,  total   vote 9-257 

Treasurer,  E.  Rhoades,  5,157  votes,  total  vote 9.239 

Superintendent  Public  Instruction.  A.  N.  Fisher,  5,218  votes,  t(")tal  vote  9,250 

Surveyor  General,  H.  S.  Marlette,  5,209  votes,  total  vote 9.256 

State  Printer.  J.   K.  Eckley,  5,208  votes,  total  vote 9.273 

Supreme  Judge,  James  F.  Lewis,  5,193  votes,  total  \'ote 9,266 

Attorney  (jeneral,  Robert  M.  Clark,  5,193,  total  vote 9.249 

Clerk  Supreme  Court,   .\lfred   Helm.   5.T03  votes,  total  vote 9,262 

When  the  territory  became  a  state  the  senators  were  allotted  terms  end- 
ing March,  1867.  and  March,  1(869.  This  making  them  short  terms  of  two 
and  fdur  years,  respectively,  the  senators  drew  for  it  in  the  open  Senate, 
James  W.  Nye  drawing  the  short  term.  He  came  before  the  legislature  as 
candidate  for  re-election  on  the  15th  of  January,  due  of  the  six  candidates, 
and  the  first  vote  resulted  : 

Charles    E.    DeLong    21    votes 

James   W.    Nye    18  votes 

John    B.    Winters    7  votes 

Thomas    Fitch    4  votes 

Thomas   }].    Williams    7  votes 

Total    ^y   votes 

The  contest  between  Mr.  DeLong  and  Mr.  N^ye  was  extremely  bitter,  as 
the  former  Iiad  been  for  some  time  making  attacks  ufKin  Nye's  work  as 
senator,  especiail}'  his  administration  df  affairs  appertaining  to  the  Indians 
in  Nevada.  He  alleged  fraud  in  this  connection,  all  this  by  means  of  corre- 
s|)dn(lence  in  the  Cdlmnns  (if  the  papers. 

The  day  after  the  above  combined  vote  of  both  houses,  the  papers  had 
a  good  deal  to  .say  on  the  subject,  particularly  anent  the  personal  feeling 
between  DeLong  and  Nye.  In  the  Daily  Appeal  H.  R.  Mighels  vented  his 
feeling  in  strong  editorials,  appealing  to  the  whole  L'nited  States  to  work 


72  A  HISTORY  OF  XEX'ADA. 

for  Xye.  The  population  of  Nevada  to  rise  iij)  and  elect  "The  Grey  Eagle." 
Mighels  insisted  that  not  only  Nevada,  but  all  the  Pacific  states  and  terri- 
tories, and  the  entire  L'nited  States,  desired  the  re-election  of  Mr.  Nye. 

The  San  Francisco  CaU  and  the  Humboldt  Register  were  the  only  papers 
opposing;  the  re-election  of  Nye. 

James    W.    Nye    25 

Charles    DeLong    27 

Thomas    Fitch 4 

Thomas    H.    ^^'illiams    21 

Necessar}'   to   a    choice    29 

The  day  following  Mr.  Nye  received  32  votes  and  C.  E.  DeLong  25. 
electing  the  former:  the  latter  received  the  seven  Democratic  votes  through- 
out.    Mr.  N\e"s  term  was  to  commence  on  March  4.  186^,  and  end  on  March 

DE    LONG    .\G.\IN    .\    C.\XDID.\TE. 

Mr.  DeLong.  like  Banquo's  ghost,  would  not  "down,"  but  came  to  the 
front  again  in  Se])teml)er.  when  the  Republican  conxention  met  at  Carson 
City,  on  the  i6th  of  that  month.  At  this  convention  Mr.  DeLong  made  a 
very  politic  move  in  w  ithdrawing  from  the  fight  against  William  T.  Stewart 
in  the  race  for  the  L'niteil  States  Senate.  This  was  to  secure  harmony  in 
the  ranks,  which  was  becoming  rather  attenuated.  So  great  an  imjiression 
did  this  make  that  the  con\ention  passed  resolutions  eulogizing  him  therefor. 
Later  he  was  a]ipointed  minister  to  Japan,  and  here  he  proved  his  fitness  for 
])oIitical  ])refermenl  b\   making  a  fine  record. 

Thomas  Fitch  was  1)\'  acclamation  nominated  for  congress  and  with  the 
rest  of  the  entire  Republican  ticket  elected  in  1868. 

\OTE    FOR    ST.\TE    TICKET,     1 868. 

The  Republican  ticket  elected  was  in  its  entirety: 

l-'or    Presidential    Electors.    Republican 6,476  votes 

For   Presidential   Electors.    Democratic    5-2 T 5  votes 

Meml)er  of  Congress.  Thomas  Fitch.  6,230  votes,  total  vote 1 1,379 

.Surveyor  (unexpired  term),  John  Day,  6,391  votes,  total  vote.  .  11.677 

.State  Printer,  IL  K.  Mighels.   6.425   votes,  total  vote 11,698 

Supreme  Judge  (long  term).  P..  C.  Whitman.  6.476  votes,  total 

vote    II  ,698 

.Supreme  Judge  (unexpired  term).   Xeely  Johnson.  6,398  votes, 

total   vote    II  ,632 

111  this  legislature  were  fifty  Republicans  and  nine  Democrats. 

STE\V.\RT    RE-EI.ECTi:i  i. 

William  AL  Stewart  was  in  Washington  on  the  i-Mh  d,i\-  of  J;uui;ir\-. 
1S69,  when  re-elected  by  ibe  legislature,  receiving  all  InU  one  of  fift\-  Re- 
l)nblican  votes.     The  nine  Democr.ats  \oted  for  Thomas  II    Willi.uns. 


A  JUS  Torn'  ()!•■   Xi'AAlJA.  73 

STATE   ELECTION    OF    1 8/0. 

It  was  time  fnr  the  Democrats  to  score  a  victory,  and  they  proceeded 
to  do  so  ill  the  state  election  of  November  8,  1870.  The  Re])ulilicans  liad 
met  in  Klko,  on  September  2 1st.  and  placed  a  ticket  in  the  field,  of  course, 
with  everv  lio])e  of  another  swee])iiVL;  \ictory.  The  nenmcrats  won  out  as 
follows : 

Member  of  Congress,  Charles  \\".  Kendall,  ((,821  votes,  total  vote..  13.312' 

Governor,  L.   R.   Bradley,  7,200  votes,  total   vote '  3-349 

Lieutenant   (lovernor,   Frank  Denver,  6,689   \-otes,  total   vote i3-309 

Treasiu'er,  Jerry  Schooling,  6,942  votes,  total  vote '3-333 

State  Printer,  Charles  L.  Perkins,  6),75i  votes,  total  \nte '3.302 

Supreme  Judge,  John  Carber,  6,787  votes,  total  vote    '3-349 

Attorne\'   (ieneral.   L.    A.    Ihickner,   f).65o  votes,   total   \'ote \;i^.2j'j 

The  Republicans  elected  the  following  officials : 

Secretar)-  of  State,  J.   D.  Minor.  6.689  votes,  total  vote '3-34' 

Controller,    W.    \V.   Hobart.  6.770  votes,  total   vote '3-353 

Sui)erintendent    of    Public     Instruction,     A.   N.   Fisher.   6,793    \-otes, 

total  vote    I3.3''>''' 

.Surveyor  General,   John   Day,   6,902   votes,   total    vote '3-37S 

Mineralogist,  H.  R.  Whitehill.  6.711    votes,  total  vote I3.3'^>3 

Clerk  Supreme  Court.  Alfred  Helm.  6.8ot  votes,  total  vote i3-3'^'t 

Of  those  electetl.  L.  A.  I'uckner  resigned  on  January  4,  1874.  Judge 
Garber  resigned  on  the  6th  of  November.  1872.  These  were  Democrats,  and 
of  the  Repul)licans.  Alfred  Helm  resigned  on  Januarv  2,  1875,  '''^  successor 
having  been  electeil  the  3rd  of  Noxember  previous. 

COMl'LEXION  OF  l.i:OISI.ATURE  IN    187O. 

Senate.  Assemrt.y. 

Dem.  Rep.  Dem.  Rep, 

Churchill    '. i  o  i  i 

Esmeralda    i  i  4  o 

Elko    o  I  2  o 

Humboldt    2  o  3  o 

Lander    2  o  4  o 

Lincoln     i  o  i  o 


Lvon 


0203 


o  I  I 

212 


Nye    I 

Ormsby o 

Storey    i  3  3  9 

Washoe    o  2  o  3 

White  Pine    i  i  2  3 

Totals    10  12  22  22 

An  Independent  Senator  and  two  Independent  .\ssembh-inen  were  elected 
by  Douglas  county. 


74  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

SENATORIAL     CONTEST. 

.Altlioiigh  it  was  more  than  susjiected  tliat  various  sums  of  money  had 
lieen  expended  in  tlie  fight  f<ir  tlie  remo\al  of  the  state  capital  and  in  several 
other  mo\es  of  pulitical  schemers,  the  canijiaign  of  1872  was  to  show  tlie 
])ower  of  money,  when  skilfully  used,  in  encom])assing  the  election  of  an 
untried  man  as  United  States  senator,  and  the  ele\ation  to  the  place  right- 
full  v  helonging  to  the  man  wlm  had  been  tried  and  nut  found  wauling.  It 
was  a  three-sided  fight,  two  moneyed  kings  of  finance  and  a  man  of  the 
people,  the  first  two  combatants  opposed  to  each  other  and.  of  course,  also  to 
the  man  of  the  jieople. 

W'illirmi  Sharon,  wlien  he  first  discoxcred  the  senatorial  bee  buzzing  in 
his  bonnet,  was  a  \ery  rich  man.  even  rich  enough  to  be  called  a  monopolist. 
With  his  disco\-ery  of  political  ambition  came  to  the  people  of  Nevada  the 
disco\-er\-  of  the  |Mn\er  i>f  money  in  a  great  political  fight,  ]\[oney  was 
])lentiful,  in  the  hands  of  the  few,  the  mines  of  Nevada  ba\-ing  created  the 
so-called  kings  of  bonanza,  and  with  money  came  desire  for  ])olitical  prefer- 
ment. This  was  the  case  with  a  number,  but  the  two  men  who  came  to  the 
front,  willing  to  ser\e  their  state  in  the  L'nited  States  senate,  and  who 
stayed  in  the  front,  were  William  Sharon  and  J.  P,  Jones.  Jones  was  a  nu'n- 
ing  o])erator  and  stock  dealer  and  had  many  friends. 

When  the  legislature  met  on  January  21st.  following,  thei'e  was  but  one 
ballot,  and   it   stood  : 

I.    I',    lones    23 

W  .   W.  McCoy   17 

C  liarles  K,   DeLong    i 

Robert  AlcBeth    i 

T(  ila!    42 

The  friends  of  Jones  entered  heart  and  soul  into  his  fight  and  forgot 
that  the  Repul)lican  convention  had,  when  in  session  at  Reno  in  September, 
nominated  C.  C.  (ioodwin  for  Congress,  and  that  the  noiuination  bad  been 
forced  u])i»n  him.  The  Democrats.  1)ccoming  aware  of  this  state  of  affairs, 
lost  no  time  in  working  for  the  election  of  their  nominee,  Charles  W.  Kendall, 
electing  him  trium])hantly.  The  Rejiublicans  elected  the  su]ireme  judge  and 
tlie  slate  printer,  the  only  slate  offices  to  be  filled.     The  vote  was: 

ReiHiblican    Presidential    Electors    i^^'.i  votes 

Democratic  Presidential  l"llectors ('),236  votes 

Member  of  Congress.  C.   W.    Kendall;  total   vote •4'993 

Supreme  Judge,  Thomas  P.  Havvley,  8,193  v'ote.s;  total  vote.  ,  . .  14,021 
Stale  Printer,  C.  A,  V,  Putnam,  8,  i7()  votes;  total  vote 1 5,(x>8 


A   ITIS'J'Om'  OF  NEVADA.  75 

CONTEST    FOR    U.    S.    SENATOR    IN     1 874. 

l''(ir  the  two  \'ears  l'()lli>\\iii.u'  the  senatnrial  clectiim,  in  wliieli  lie  was 
realK'  defeated  hv  Jones.  W'illiani  Shainn  had  heen  laying"  his  plans  to  secure 
the  senatorship  in  1874.  To  that  end  he  conciliated  Senator  Jones.  In  a 
puhlic  meeting,  or  reception,  to  Senator  Jones  in  Car.son,  1874.  Sharon 
eulogized  Jones  and  thanked  the  ])eo]ile  for  Jones  for  giving  him  such  a 
welcome,  alluding  in  words  of  flattery  to  Jones'  record  in  the  senate.  He 
had  something  to  work  uixm,  as  Jones  had  made  an  exceptionally  good  sen- 
ator in  the  eyes  of  his  constituents. 

.\(lol]ih  Sutro  had  succeeded  to  the  ])lace  of  contestant,  chiefly  Iiccause 
Sharon  was  head  of  the  forces  opposing  the  construction  of  the  Sutro  Tun- 
nel, and  as  United  States  senator  he  would  wield  considerahle  power  against 
its  completion.  .\  third  party,  the  lnde])endent,  took  the  field.  The  "siUer 
tongued"  Thomas  Fitcli  was  ])aid  hy  the  Sharon  powers  to  enter  the  lists 
against   Sutro,  wdiich  he  accordingly   did. 

The  Democratic  party  at  that  time  was  composed  of  two  elements,  those 
opjxised  to  the  Confederac)*  and  those  who  were  sympathizers  with  it.  The 
latter  element  was  in  control  and  made  a  fatal  mistake  in  throwing  aside 
C".  W.  Kendall,  who  had  twice  heen  elected  memher  for  congress,  and  nomin- 
ating an  ex-Confederate  officer.  Colonel  .V.  C.  Ellis.  As  will  lie  seen  from  the 
ticket  put  up,  the  Independents  selected  several  men  from  both  the  Republican 
and  Democratic  tickets,  only  putting  up  as  third  candidate.  Lieutenant  Gov- 
ernor A.  J.  Hatch,  of  \\'ashoe  county:  .Attoroney  General  A.  B.  Elliott,  of 
Storey  county:  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction  H.  H.  Howe,  of  Orms- 
by  county.  The  latter  gentleman  declined  the  nomination,  and  the  others 
went  down  to  defeat.  Of  those  they  selected  from  the  Democratic  ticket, 
Hereford,   Belnap,   Ellis  and   Stewart  were  defeated  at  the  polls. 

The  Democrats,  when  they  set  Kendall  aside,  throught  he  could  be 
pre\'ailed  upon  to  work  for  the  party,  but  they  reckoned  without  their  host, 
for  Kendall  took  the  opposite  course.  He  was  invited  to  make  a  ratification 
sjieech  at  Virginia  City,  on  Octoljer  8tli.  He  accepted  the  invitation :  when 
he  appeared  and  was  introduced  b\  the  chairman  of  the  Democratic  state 
central  committee,  he  did  not  waste  a  moment  in  prefacing,  but  started  in 
with  a  fierce  attack  upon  the  part\-  platform,  candidates  and  managers,  with 
some  inside  information  regarding  them,  and  made  a  damaging  accusation. 
He  was  ordered  from  the  ]ilatf("irm.  and.  going  outside,  followed  by  the 
crowd,  got  upon  a  bo.x  to  finish  his  denunciation.  The  Democrats  forced 
him  from  the  box  and  created  such  a  tumult  he  had  to  cease.  But  he  re- 
sorted to  the  opposition  papers  and  had  published  some  very  damaging  state- 
ments. 


76  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

The  Republicans  had  to  hold  their  meetings  in  tine  streets,  as  tlie  Demo- 
crats and  Independents  had  cliartered  the  Opera  House  at  Virginia  City  for 
tlie  entire  campaign.  Tlie  tunnel  came  to  the  front  as  an  issue  and  Sutro  had 
a  number  of  magic  lanterns  used  in  the  campaign,  all  showing  Sharon  as  the 
oppressor  of  the  people,  and  of  course  people  flocked  to  see  them.  Sharon 
worked  upon  the  people  of  Storey  and  Ormsby  counties  by  asserting  that  if 
Sutro  were  elected  it  would  mean  the  ruin  of  both  counties,  as  he  would, 
of  course,  reiuoxe  all  business  possible  to  the  town  growing  up  at.  the  mouth 
(.f  the  Sutro  tunnel  in  Lyon  county. 

The  Republicans  in  convention  at  Winnemucca  on  September  24th.  nom- 
inated the  following"  ticket : 

For  Gmgress,   William   W'oodburn.   of  Storey  county. 

For  Goxernor,  J.  C.  Hazlett,  of  Lyon  county. 

For  Lieutenant  Governor,   John   Bowman,   of   Nye  county. 

For  Secretary  of  State,  J.  D.  Minor,  of  Humlx)ldt  count)'. 

For  Controller,  W.  W.  Hobart,  of  White  Pine  county. 

For  Treasiu'er,  L.  J.  Hogle,  of  Eureka  county. 

For  Superintendent  Public  Instruction,  S.  P.  Kelly,  of  Eureka  county. 

For  Siu'veyor  (ieneral,  John  Day,  of  Lyon  county. 

I'or  State  Printer,  C.  C.  Powning,  of  Washoe  county. 

L.  J.  Hogle  withdrew  afterwards,  and  George  Tufly.  of  Orm.sby  county, 
was  substituted.  Mr.  Hogle  must  have  had  an  insight  into  the  future  and 
preferred  not  to  go  down  in  history  as  a  defeated  candidate. 

For  Mineralogist,  H.  R.  Whitehill,  of  Churchill  county. 

For  Supreme  Judge.  W.  H.   Beatty,  of  White  Pine  county. 

For  Supreme  Judge,   Warren   Earll,  of    Elko  county. 

For  Attorney  (jeneral,   Moses  Tebbs,  of   Douglas  county. 

For  Clerk  Supreme  Court,  C.  F.  Bicknell,  of  Ormsby  county. 

The  Democrats,  at  their  con\ention  two  days  1,-iter,  held  in  Carson, 
placed  the  following  ticket  in  the  field  : 

b'or  Congress,  A.  C.   l-^llis,  of  Ormsby  county. 

F'or  Governor,  L.  R.  Bradley,  of  Elko  county. 

For  Lieutenant  Governor,  Jewett  W.  Adams,  of  Storey  county. 

l'V)r  Secretary  of  State,  Charles  D.  Spires,  of  lender  county. 

I'^or  Controller,  T.  R.  Cranley,  of  White  Pine  county. 

For  Treasurer,  Jerry  Schooling,  of  Washoe  countw 

F'or  Superintendent  Public  Instruction,  E.  Spencer,  of  Lander  count  v. 

For  Surveyor  General,  George  Haist,  of  Storey  count\'. 

For  State  Printer.  J.  J.  Hill,  of  llmnboldt  county. 

For  Mineralogist,  W.  F.  Stewart,  of  .Storey  county. 

l'"or  Supreme  Judge,  .\.  M.  Hilllu)use,  of  b'-ureka  county. 


A    HISTORY  OF  NEVA13A.  77 

l"i>r  Siipre'iiic  Judi^c,  C  H.  Ijelkiiap.  of  Ormsl))-  idunly. 

I'"cir  Attiinic)-  (leneral,  J.    I\.   Kittrell,  of  White   I'inc  county. 

I'nr  Clerk  of  Supreme  Court,  U.  11.  Hereford,  of  Lincoln  county. 

Spencer  was  taken  oft'  the  ticket  kiter  and  Mr.  W'ilhs  was  the  candi- 
date fur  the  office  of  sn])erintendent  of  ])ul)lic  instruction. 

iiie  independents  met  two  days  later  in  Carson  ami  miminated  their 
ticket.  W  hen  the  election  came  off  on  Noveniher  3rd  the  following'  candidates 
w  ere  successful : 

Member  Congress.  William  Woodhniii,  <),24<)  votes;  lolal  votes,  t.wo 
candidates,   i  ~.S()/. 

( iovernor,  L.  I\.  liradle^',   10,310  votes ;  total  \ote.  two  candidates,   iS.cxj^. 

Lieutenant  (jo\ernor.  Jewetl  W.  .\danis,  (>,52<)  xoles;  total  \i.ite,  three 
candidates.    18,060. 

Secretary  of  State,  J.  [).  Minor,  io,5yj  \utes;  total  vote,  two  candidates, 
iS,(k;i. 

Controller,    W.    W.    lioli;irt.    ii,oiij    votes;    tola!    \ote,    two   candidates, 

Treasurer,   Jerry   Schooling,   votes;   total    vote,    three   candidates, 

18,079. 

Superintendent  Public  Instruction,   S.   1'.  Kelly,  votes;  total  vote, 

four  candidates,  17,865. 

Surveyor  General,  John  Day,  10,078  votes;  total  vote,  two  caiulidates, 
17,983. 

State  Printer,  J.  J.  Hill.  9,071  votes;  total  vote,  two  candidates.  18,038. 

Mineralogist.  H.  R.  Whitehill,  9,043  votes;  total  vote,  two  candidates, 
17,946. 

Supreme  Judge  (short  term).  Warren  Earll,  9.322  votes;  total  vote,  two 
candidates,  18,064. 

Supreme  Judge  (long  term),  W.  H.  Beatty,  9,932  voles;  total  vote,  two 
candidates,   18,088. 

Attorney  General.  J.  K.  Kittrell.  9.050  votes;  total  \oie.  two  candidates. 
18,006. 

Clerk  Supreme  Court,  C.  T.  Bicknell,  9,209  votes;  total  vote,  two  can- 
didates,   18,038. 

LEGISLATIVE    ASSEMBLYMEN     1875. 

The  main  fight  had  been,  of  course,  over  the  assemblvmen,  and  the 
following  gives  the  showing  made  by  each  county: 

Counties.                                                                                      Rep.  Dem. 

Storey 14  o 

Churchill    o  3 

Douglas    3  o 


78  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Elko    : o  6 

Esmeralda    2  3 

Eureka     i  1 

HumlK)l(lt    I  3 

Lander 2  i 

Lincoln    o  4 

Lyon    4  o 

Nye    o  2 

Ormsby    4  o 

AVashoe    : o  4 

White  Pine   7  o 

Hold-over    Senators    9  i 

Total    47  28 

When  the  \"i.)te  was  taken  in  Imth  branches  of  tlie  letjislature.  in  Jan- 
nary.  1S75:  the  vote  lor  senator  to  rejjlace  W.  I\L  Stewart  was:  William 
Shamn.  49;  H.  K.  Mitchell.  _m  :  Thomas  P.  Hawley.  4. 

PRESIDENTIAL    ELECTION     1 876. 

By  way  of  contrast  the  next  political  campaign  was  a  cjuiet  one.  doubt- 
less owing  to  the  fact  that  there  was  no  senatorship  to  be  fought  over.  Conse- 
quently, instead  of  relying  on  money  to  aid  them,  the  candidates  had.  one 
and  all.  l(.)  rel_\'  upon  their  own  exertions  and  .iljilitw  Both  parties  mmiin- 
ated  men  of  high  standing,  intellectually  and  morally,  the  Republicans  at 
their  convention,  August  24th  and  25th.  at  Carson  City,  and  the  Democrats, 
in  their  convention  at  X'irginia  Cit\-,  August  28th.  The  election  gave  the 
Republicans  the  victory,  for  presidential  electors  a  majority  of  1,075;  ^^'■' 
Congress,  Thomas  Wren  defeated  Colonel  A.  C.  K]\\s  liy  a  majority  of  911  ; 
for  Supreme  judge,  O.  R.  Leonard  defeated  M.  Kirkpatrick  by  a  majority  of 
of  581. 

There  was  a  demand  for  a  new  constitution.  ;uid  the  question  of  whether 
(jne  should  be  framed  or  not  was  \oted  upon  al  this  election,  being  defeated 
by -a  majority  of  3,9^  :. 

There  has  been  a  change  in  ibc  i)olitirs  of  the  Icgislaliu'c.  which  will 
be  shown  best  Iiy  comparison  with  the  table  of   1875. 

LEGISL.XTUKE     Ol-      1876. 

Counties.                                 Rep.  Dem.  Rep.  Dem. 

Senate.  y\ssEMULv. 

Churchill    o  I  o  i 

Douglas    1  o  2  o 

Elko    I  I  I  2 

b'smeralda    o  i  2  o 

Eureka    o  2  2  2 


A    lilSlom'  OF  NliVADyV.  T9 

Huinlx.ld)     o  2  o  3 

Laii(l(.T    I  o  2  I 

Lincoln   i  i  2  i 

Lyon    I  I  3  o 

Nye    o  I  o  2 

Ornishy     2  O  3  O 

Store}' " 2  2  12  2 

Washoe    i'  i  3  o 

Wliite   Pine    2  O  2  2 

Total     12  13  34  16 

Seven   Repnhlicans  and  six   Deniocrals  were  hoUl-overs. 

STATE   IlLECTION    OK    1878. 

Senator  Junes  hail  s(i  iilaccd  himself  in  puijlic  esteem  hy  his  hnlhanl 
statesmanshi])  that  exerynne  knew  it  wonld  he  lio]ieless  to  rnn  against  him. 
So  the  fig'ht  centered  this  election  uijon  the  guhernatorial  office.  The  Re- 
])nl)lican  party  had  many  would-he  candidates.  In  Storey  connty  there  were 
three,  A.  J.  Tyrrell,  (k-neral  Ratterman  and  R.  Ai.  Daggett.  Daggett  with- 
drew just  hefore  the  cnnntv  ])rimary;  this  resulted  in  an  uninslrncted  dele- 
gation from  that  countw  in  the  state  convention. 

I'oth  ])arties  put  in  a  ])lank  in  their  platforms,  regarding  the  railroads, 
demanding  reduced  prices  upon  passenger  and  freight  rates.  The  Re- 
pnhlicans knew  they  would  have  hard  work  to  defeat  the  Democratic  gover- 
nor, L.  R.  Bradley,  for  he  had  heconie  very  popular  by  reason  of  his  incor- 
ruptihility  and  devotion  t^^  duty.  The  party  was  almost  bankrupt,  and  the 
"bosses"  did  not  know  which  way  to  turn  for  funds.  What  really  helpetf, 
in  fact  did,  defeat  Bradley,  was  a  speech  made  in  Virginia  City,  by  General 
Kittrell,  candidate  on  the  Democratic  ticket  for  attorney  general.  He  handled 
his  subject,  the  "Big  Four,"  or  "Bonanza  Kings,"  in  a  way  calculatefl  to 
make  those  gentlemen  uncomfortable.  Sure  of  his  ground,  he  went  into 
personalities  which  made  the  kings  of  finance  wrathy,  especialh'  h'air  and 
Mackey.  And  the  bonanza  firm  entered  the  ranks  of  the  Republican  party 
and  furnished  the  sinews  of  war.  The  Republicans  accordingly  elected  all 
hut  two  of  their  candidates. 

The  defeat  of  Henry  R.  Afighels,  of  Ormsby,  candidate  for  lieutenant 
governor  on  the  Republican  ticket,  was  a  surprise.  He  had  no  opposition  in 
the  nominatmg.  Railroad  interests  defeated  him.  The  Virginia  &  Truckee 
Railroad  Company  wanted  to  see  S.  H.  Wright  on  the  bench,  and  when 
approached  to  support  him  Mighels  declined  to  do  so.  He  was  told  they 
would  defeat  him  if  he  persisted,  but  he  did  so,  and  was  "slain  for  his  con- 
victions."    And  one  of  the  worst  things  used  against  him  was  his  own  arti- 


80  .\  HISTORY  OF  XliX'ADA. 

cles  in  llie  Appeal,  in  which,  wlien  the  raih-oad  was  trxing  to  replace  C'rirnish- 
nieii  with  Chinamen.  Miglieis  iiad  iiplield  the  i"aih"(ia(l.  Mighels  had  always, 
in  all  elections,  led  his  ticket.  e\'en  in  the  home  counties  of  his  opponents. 
^Ir.  Mighels  has  labored  early  and  late  for  the  Republican  party,  and  with 
his  ready  pen  had  aided  greatly  in  e\ery  campaign  and  in  "times  of  peace." 

The  articles  nf  which  the  Ciirnishnien  C(ini]:)laine(l  were  written  by  a 
man  who  assumed  temporary  charge  of  the  Appeal  while  Mighels  was  on 
a  visit  to  New  York.  He  could  easily  have  shown  this,  but  held  that  such 
an  explanation  would  look  like  "crawfishing."  He  was  offered  the  solid 
Cornish  vote  of  Storey  if  he  wcudd  make  a  pulilic  apology  to  the  C<>rnish 
in  the  \'irginia  City  Opera  House  on  the  eve  of  election.  He  spoke  to  a 
l)acktd  house,  and  stated  that  wliile  he  was  alisent  from  Carson  Citv  when 
the  objectionable  articles  ajipeared  in  the  Appeal  and  did  not  write  them, 
he  was  n(.t  in  the  habit  of  repudiating  the  acts  of  any  sul)ordinate  nn  his 
paper,  and  that  he  would  not  then,  even  to  win  his  election.  He  endorsed 
the  articles  to  th.e  limit,  as  they  fully  ex])ressed  his  sentiments.  Standing 
on  the  [ilatfurm  he  flung  defiance  in  the  faces  of  his  Cornish  amlience.  Xext 
day  the  election  sealed  hi.s  doom,  but  to  this  day  Nevada  honors  the  memory 
of  a  man  who  would  not  bow  to  any  faction  to  get  votes. 
There  were  but  two  tickets  in  the  field : 

REPUBLIC.XN    TICKET. 

Congress,   Rollin   M.   Daggett,  of  Storey  county. 

Governor,  John  H.  Kinkead,  of  Humboldt  county. 

Lieutenant  Governor,   Henry  R.  Migiiels,  of  Ormsby  county. 

Secretary  of  State,  Jasper  Babcock,  of  Storey  county. 

Controller.  J.  ¥.  Hallock,  of  Lincoln  comity. 

Treasurer,  L.  L.  Crockett,  of  Washoe  count}'. 

Stiperintendent  Public  Instruction,  J.  D.  Hammond,  of  ( )rmsby  county. 

Surveyor  General.  A.  J.  Tlatch.  of  Wa.shoe  county. 

Su])reme  Judge.  Thouias  1'.   llawlex,  of  White  I'inc  county. 

.\ttorney  General,  M.  A.  Murphy,  of  Lsmerald.i  county. 

Clerk  Supreme  Court.  C.  !'".  llicknell.  of  Ormsby  county. 

nEMOCU.\TIC   TICKET. 

Congress,  W.  E.  F.  Deal,  of  Storey  county. 

Governor,  L.  R.  Bradley,  of  I'.lko  county. 

Lieutenant  Governor.  Jewett  W.  .\dams,  of  Storey  county. 

Secretary  of  Stale.  George  W .  Baker,  of  Eureka  county. 

Controller,  M.  R.  Elstner,  of  Ormsljy  county. 

Treasurer,  J.  E.  Jones,  of  Washoe  count\. 

Superintendent  of  Public  Instructiou.  I).  R.  Sessions,  of  i'"!ko  county. 


A  HISTORY   OF  NEVADA.  81 

Sur\e\iir  (leiieral,  S.  Tl.  T^av.  of  Ornisli\-  I'nuntw 

Sujireiiic  Judj^e,  I'".  W.  C'mIc,  of  luireka  countw 

Attorney  tjencral,    |.   I\.  Ixittrcll,  nf  W'liite  I'ine  county. 

Clerk  Supreme  Court,  Uicliard  Rule,  of  Store\'  county. 

The  Democrat.^  elected  two  of  these,  Jewett  W  .  Adams,  lieutenant  jn'oser- 
nor,  and  1).  R.  Sessions,  su])erintendent  puhlic  instruction,  defeating  H.  R. 
Mighels  and  J.  1).  llaniniond. 

The  vote  on  constitutional  amendment  was : 

Constitutional  Amendment.  Article  iX — Yes,  5,073  \'otes;  No,  ^t^j  votes. 

Constitutional  Amendment,  Article  11,  Section  10 — Yes,  3,357  votes; 
No,  91  votes. 

Constitutional  Amendment.  Article  9 — Yes,  J.^jij:  Xo,  _'_'  \'otes. 

JONE.S    A<;.\IX    SEN.\TOR. 

It  was  known,  there  heing  a  majority  of  Repul)licans,  that  Senator 
Jones  w(jukl  he  elected,  hut  the  \'ote  was  a  mere  formality.  His  re-election 
was  a  foregone  conclusion,  and  there  was  no  talk  at  an}'  time  of  another 
candidate.  The  Democratic  candidate  was  Hon.  .\.  M.  Millhouse,  of  Eureka. 
He  was  an  able  lawyer  and  stoo(l  well,  hut  Jones  had  hv  his  career  of  six 
years  in  the  United  States  senate  so  demonstrated  his  ahilit\-  that  e\en  if 
the  Repuhlicans  ha<l  not  hcLii  in  the  majoritx'  he  would  lia\e  heen  re-elected, 
'Jlie  perfunctory  \-ote  was:   J.  1'.  Jones.  60;  A.  AT  Millhouse.  14. 

legislattke  of    1878. 

Sex.\te.  :\ssembt.y. 

Counties.                                 Rep.           Dem.  Rep.         Dem. 

Churchill    i  o  i  o 

Douglas    I  o  I  I 

Elko   1  I  3  o 

Esmeralda    i  o  i  o 

Eureka    i  i  4  o 

Humholdt    1  i  3  o 

Lander    [  o  o  3 

Lincoln    2  o  2  i 

Lyon 2  o  3  o 

Nye    o  I  I  I 

Ormsby    2  o  2  i 

Storey    2  2  14  o 

Washoe    2  o  3  o 

White   Pine    2  o  3  I 

Totals    19  fi  41  9 

There  were  fi\e  Republican  hold-o\crs.  five  Democratic  and  one  Inde- 
pendent. 

6 


82  A  HTSTORV  (J I"  NKX'ADA. 

ELECTION     OE     lS8o. 

When  the  campaign  nf  iS<So  ci>niiiieiK-t.-(l  the  l\e|)iil)lieaiis  were  without 
money,  and  a  great  deal  nf  pohtical  ])restige  liad  departed.  The  people  of 
the  state  were  ready  for  a  change,  especially  in  the  I'nited  States  senate. 
Senator  Sharon  had  neglected  his  duties  completelx'.  not  being  in  Wash- 
ington half  the  time,  but  staying  at  home,  attending  to  iiis  own  private  afifairs. 
In  fact  his  conduct  had  turned  e\-en  the  leaders  of  his  own  party  against 
him.  thev  ])referring  the  defeat  of  the  Kei)ublicans  to  the  continuance  of 
Sharon  in  the  position.  Sharon  refused  to  provide  the  funds  to  help  enable 
the  Republicans  to  win  out.  and  this  still  more  embittered  them.  He  went 
out  on  stump,  but  his  s]jeeches  were  not  calculated  to  win  any  votes  for  the 
party. 

Then  James  G.  Fair  came  forward  fmni  the  Democratic  ranks  as  their 
choice.  Later  on  Adolph  Sutro  tried  to  gain  recognition,  hut  in  vain.  In 
place  of  Sharon.  Hon.  Thomas  Wren  was  candidate  from  the  Republican 
party.  Of  the  sixty-one  members  elected  to  the  two  branches  of  the  state 
legislature  onlv  nine  were  Republicans,  two  being  senators.  W.  W.  Holjart. 
of  Eureka,  and  J.  D.  Hammond,  of  Ormsby. 

The  sad  fate  of  the  Repul)licans  speaks  in  the  returns : 

ELECTION     RETURNS. 

For  Democratic  Electors    9,61 1 

For  Republican  Electors   ^>73~ 

Democratic  majority    879 

The  vote  against  Chinese  immigration  was  an  oxerwhelming  one.  17,259 
against,  to  183  m  favor  of. 

.V.MENDMENTS  TO   CONSTITITION. 

Elimination  of  the  woi'd  "white"'  from  .Section  1  of  .\rticle  J— Yes, 
14.215;   No.   353. 

Add  Article  18,  granting  rights  of  suffrage  and  otticediolding,  notwith- 
standing color  or  previous  condition  of  servitude — Yes,   14,215;  No,  5()0. 

To  add  Section  10  to  Article  11.  forbidding  the  use  of  public  funds  for 
sectarian  purposes — Yes,   14,848:  No.  560. 

LEGISLATl-RE  Ol'    1 88o. 

Sen.\te.  .\ssembly. 

C'oiNTiKS.                                  Re]).            DeuL  Rep.          Dem. 

Ciuirchill    I                  o  o                  i 

Douglas    I                  o  o                  2 

Elko    o                 2  o         '       3 

Esmeralda    i                 o  o                 2 


o 

3 

I 

I 

o 

3 

o 

1 

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I 

u 

3 

I 

o 

3 

I 

o 

2 

0 

3 

O 

2 

0 

H 

I 

o 

3 

I 

o 

4 

A   lllST()k^■   OF  NEVADA.  83 

luireka     2 

Huniholdt     I 

Lander    i 

Lincoln    i 

Lyon    I 

Nye    o 

Ormsby    2 

Storey    2 

Washoe    i 

Wliite  Pine   i 

Totals    15  10  ;  43 

The  DenKK-rats  spent  m<iney  freely,  as  of  course  they  could  alTnrd  to, 
and  Fair  was  elected  United  States  senator  'hy  the  following  vote; 

James  G.   Fair — Senate.   10;  Asseml>l\ ,  4_' ;  tntal 52 

Thomas   Wren — Senate,    13  ;   Assemhly,    7  :   total 20 

Kdtlin  M.  Daggett — Senate,  i 

LEGISL.\TIKK    OK      1  88  I . 

The  state  of  Nevada  was  reaiJi)()rti()ne(l  in  iS8i,  and  the  nunil)er  of  mem- 
jjers  reduced  from  seventy-five  to  si.xty.  This  was  done  to  reduce  expenses, 
the  sum  total  being  reduced  o\er  5t>io,ooo  per  session  1\v  this  drastic  means. 

LEGISLATLKE    RE-.\  l'1'OKTIONEl). 

Counties.  Senate.   Assembly. 

Churchill    i  i 

Douglas    I  2 

Elko    2  3 

Esmerakla    i  2 

Eureka    2  3 

Humboldt    1  2 

Lander    .•  1  3 

Lincoln   1  2 

Lyon I  2 

Nye r  2 

Ormsbv    2  3 

Storey'  '. 3  'o 

Washoe    2  3 

White  Pine    .  .  .  .' i  2 

Totals   20  40 

HOB.\KT's    REDICTIOX    BIT. I,. 

.\t  this  session  of  the  legislature  Senator  W.  W.  Hohart,  of  l'"urcka, 
who  had,  as  state  controller,   proved  himself  one  I'f   tlie  ablest  financiers  of 


8-t  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Nevada,  introduced  a  salar_\-  red 
Its  provisions  were  as  follows : 


Nevada,  introduced  a  salar_\-  reduction  Ijili.     This  was  to  take  effect  in    181S3. 


] 'resent  New 

Salary.  Salary. 

Supreme  Court  Justices  ( tlu'ee)   $7,000  $5,000 

Governor    6,000  5,000 

Secretary  of   State    3,600  3,000 

Controller 3,600  3,000 

Treasurer   3,600  3,000 

Surveyor  General    1,000  i  .000 

Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction 2,000  2.000 

Lieutenant  (ioxernor 3,600 

Ex-Otficio  Register 2,400  2,000 

Clerk.  Supreme  Court 3,600  2,400 

Ex-Officio  Curator  and  Sec"y  Orphans'  Home 800  400 

(iovernor's    Private    Secretary     3.300  2,000 

Deputy    Secretary    of    State 3.300  2,000 

Deputy  Controller 3.300  2,000 

Deputy    Treasurer    3.300  2,000 

Deputy  in  Surveyor  GeneraTs  Office 3,ck)o  2,000 

Warden    Prison     3,000  2,000 

Clerk  State  Library i,Roo  1,000 

Superintendent  and  Matron  Orphans'  Home 3,000  2.000 

Superintendent  Printing 2,400  2,000 

Totals    $77,600         $53,800 

The  mileage  of  the  members  of  the  legislature  was  reduced  from  40 
cents  to  25  cents,  a  reducti'on  of  about  $3,000  \ytv  session.  The  bill  passed, 
making  a  total  reduction  of  $26,400  per  annum. 

.1 1  UK  l.\K^    I'KOM  '61    TO  '78. 

When  the  office  of  probate  judge  was  created  in  i86t.  his  duties  were 
about  the  same  as  of  those  of  district  judge  now.  One  was  apjiointed  for 
each  county  l>y  the  governor,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  legislature.  The 
term  of  office  was  two  years.  There  was  no  district  attorney.  The  law  was 
amended  in  1862  making  the  office  elective  and  ;i  prosecuting  attornev  was 
pro\ideil  for  each  county,  e.xcept  in  Lyon  and  Churchill,  where  one  official 
served  both. 

In  1864  the  state  was  ai)portioned  into  districts,  to  whicb  Tstrict  judges 
were  to  be  elected.  In  1865  the  office  of  prosecuting  attorney  was  abolished, 
the  office  of  district  attorney  succeeding,  the  first  being  elected  on  November 
6,  1866. 

.Ml  these  judicial  officers  were  really  county  officers.  Often  two  and 
sometimes  more,  coiuities,  were  included  in  one  judicial  district  as  follows: 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  85. 

VOTE  FOR    DISTRICT  JIUX'.ES  OF    1864. 

First  District,  Storey  county,  C  V>.  P.ur1)ank,  3,4 if>  votes;  R,  S.  Messic, 
.^,443  votes:    l\.   Rising.  3,41!^  votes.      Six  candidates. 

Second  District,  Ormshy  county,  S.  II.  Wriglit,  687  votes;  two  candi- 
dates, total  \()tes,  1,2/6. 

Third  District,  Lyon  county.  William  ?Taydon.  t/q  votes;  two  candi- 
dates ;  total  vote,   1,232. 

lM)urtli  District,  Washoe  and  Uoop  counties,  C.  C.  (loodwin,  1  .of)^ ; 
two  candidates;  total   \'ote,    1,852. 

iMflh  District,  Nye  and  Churchill  counties,  S.  L.  Baker,  247  votes;  two 
candidates;  total  vote,  442. 

Sixth  District,  llunilioldl  countw  F.  !•'.  Dunne,  445  votes;  two  candi- 
dates; total  \ote,  816. 

Seventl)  Di.strict,  Lander  county.  W.  II.  r.eatt>-,  1.278  votes;  two  candi- 
dates; total  vote,  2,512. 

Eig-hth  District.  Douglas  county,  D.  W.  Virgin,  462  votes;  two  candi- 
dates; total  vote,   637. 

Ninth  District.  Esmeralda  countv.  S.  H.  Chase,  590  votes;  two  candi- 
dates; total  vote,  1,030. 

The  state  Avas  redistricted  two  years  later  and  gave  the  following  results: 

KEECTION    NOVEMBFR  6,    l8W). 

[•"ir.st  District,  Storey  county,  Richard  Kising,  i,Sii  \dtes ;  two  candi- 
dates; total  vote,  3,280. 

Second  District,  Orm.sby  and  Douglas  counties,  S.  H.  Wright,  683 
\-otes;  two  candidates;  total  \'ote,   1,058. 

Third  District,  Washoe  county,  C.  X.  Harris,  603  votes ;  two  candidates ; 
total  vote,  1,169. 

Fourth  District,  Lyon  county,  William  Haydon,  465  Notes;  two  candi- 
dates; total  vote,  762. 

Fifth  District,  Humboldt  county,  G.  G.  Berry,  153  votes;  two  candi- 
dates; total  vote,  305. 

Sixth  District,  Lander  county,  W.  H.  Reattv,  795  votes;  one  candidate; 
total  vote,  797. 

Seventh  District,  Nye  and  Churchill  counties,  Benjamin  Curler,  369 
votes;  two  candidates;  total  vote,  671. 

Eighth  District,  Esmeralda  county.  S.  H.  Chase,  324  votes:  one  candi- 
date; total  vote,  324. 

Of  the  winners  in  this  election,  when  the  district  of  White  Pine  county 
was  created,  W.  II.  Beatty  resigned  May  17,  1869,  to  take  charge  of  that. 


86  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

S.  H.  Chase  died  Octol)er  _'8,  iS'k;.  and  Cliarles  .\.  Leake,  who  was 
elected  in   1868,  Xinth  District.  Lincnhi  connty.  (hed  in  August.    1870. 

ELKCTIOX   OF    187O. 

First  District.  Stnrev  cmmty.  Ricliard  Ixising',  I,fig8  votes;  two  can(h- 
dates:  total  vote.  3.300. 

Second  District.  Douglas.  Ormshy  and  Washoe  counties,  C.  X.  TTarris, 
1,169  votes;  two  candidates;  total  vote,  2,266. 

Third  District.  Fsmeralda  and  I.yon  counties.  W.  ^I.  Seawell.  620 
votes:  two  candidates;  total  vote,  1,067. 

Fourth  District.  Humboldt  county,  fieorge  C  Berry.  378  votes;  two 
candidates;  total  vote.  731. 

Fifth  District,  Xye  and  Churchill  counties.  Benjamin  Curler.  300  votes; 
two  candidates;  total  vote.  733. 

Sixth  District.  Lander  county.  D.  C.  McKenney.  781  votes;  two  candi- 
dates; total  vote,  1,445. 

Seventh  District.  Lincoln  county.  M.  Iniller.  463  votes;  two  candidates; 
total  vote,  800. 

Eighth  District.  White  Pine  county.  W.  IT  Beatty,  914  votes;  two  can- 
didates; total  vote.  1,719. 

Xinth  District.  Elko  county.  J.  H.  ]'"lack.  642  votes;  two  c:mdidatcs; 
total  vote,   1.211. 

Of  these.  Judge  Berry  resigned  on  Alarch  3.  187 1.  and  the  vacancy  was 
lilled  hv  the  election  of  O.  R.  Lenard,  on  November  5.  1872.  Other  changes 
were  made  in  the  various  districts  and  the  next  election  was  as  follows; 

ELECTION   OK    1874. 

I'irst  District.  Richard  Rising.  3.738  votes;  two  candidates;  total  vote. 
3.962. 

Sec(jnd  District.  Ormsl)y.  JVniglas  and  Washoe  counties.  S.  11.  Wright, 
1,384  votes;  two  candidates;  total  vote,  2,731. 

Third  District.  Lvou  county,  Wi]li;nu  .M .  Sciwell.  7'i'i  votes;  one  can- 
didate; total  vote,  766. 

Fourth  District,  llumholdt  county.  W.  S.  Bonnitield.  303  \-otes ;  two 
candidates;  total  v<ite.  2.879  votes. 

hifth  District,  Churchill,  Lander  and  Xye  counties.  1).  C.  McKenney. 
1,063;  two  candidates;  total  vote,   1,831. 

Sixth  District,  Eureka  and  White  I'ine  counties,  I".  W  .  Cole,  1,290 
votes;  twf>  candidates;  total  \ote,  2,333. 

Seventh  District.  Lincoln  count  v.  ITenry  Rives.  633  votes;  three  candi- 
dates; total  vote,  1,334. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  87 

Eiglith  District.  l'~snier;il(la  rduntw  James  S.  Janiisnn,  248  votes;  three 
candidates;  total  vote,  555. 

Nintli  District.  Elko  countv,  J.  II.  Mack.  -j~i  votes;  one  candidate; 
tiital  \()te,  "jji. 

KLECTION    OF    I 878. 

First  District  Storey  county,  Richard  Txising-.  3.510  votes;  two  candi- 
dates; tt>tal  vote.  5.708. 

Second  District.  Ornishy,  Donglas  and  \\',-ishoe  counties,  S.  1).  Kint;-. 
1,663  votes;  two  candidates;  total  \-ote,  2.S)i2. 

Third  District,  Esmeralda  and  l^yon  comities;  William  W.  Seawell.  967 
votes;  two  candidates;  total  xote.   1,589. 

Fonrth  District,  ?himlio!dt  cmintw  W.  S.  Bonniheld,  533  \oics ;  twn 
candidates;  total  vote,  914. 

Fifth  District,  Nye  and  Lander  connties,  1).  C.  McKenney.  1.039  \'otes; 
two  candidates;  total  \-ote.  J.051. 

Sixth  District,  \\  liite  Pine,  Lincoln  and  Fnreka  connties,  Henry  Rives, 
J,  104  \otcs;  two  candidates;  total  vote,  3.862. 

Seventh  District,  Elko  county,  J.  H.  Flack,  j.oii  \'otes ;  two  candidates; 
total  vote,  1,852. 


CHAPTER  XL 

PoLiTic.\T,  History,    1880 — 1904. 

Fair's  Succes.s — Constitutional  Amendments — Land  Laws — Effort  to  Grab 
Indian  Reser\'ations — Organization  of  Silver  Party — Fusion  Party — 
Taxes  in  Annual  Installments — Prize  l^ighting  Licensed — Efforts  to 
Cut  Down  State  Expenses — Reno  Incorporated  1897 — Encouragement 
of  Mining — Senator  Jones'  Retirement — h'rancis  G.  Newlands.  Three 
Times  Congressman  and  Now  L'nited  States  Senator — Death  of  "Black 
Wallace"  and  A.  C.  Cleveland. 

To  the  delight  of  his  friends  and  the  surprise  of  his  enemies,  James 
G.  Fair  made  a  fairly  good  senator,  serving  his  six  years  from  1881  to  1887. 
But  when  his  term  of  office  had  exjjired  ex-L'nited  States  Senator  William 
M.  Stewart  had  returned  to  Nevada  and  taken  up  the  cares  of  a  political  life, 
so  there  was  no  second  term  for  Senator  Fair. 

Li  1885  a  number  of  constitutional  amendments  were  voted  upon,  one 
being  the  chang-ing  of  the  session  of  the  legislature  from  the  first  Abinday 
in  January  to  the  first  Mondav  in  l'"ebruar\-.  Another  disfranchised  any 
one  con\icted  of  selling  his  vote  at  any  general  or  siieciai  election.  The  third 
changed    the   mode  of  amending   the   constitution.      The    fourth   authorized 


88  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

the  investment  of  tlie  scliool  fund  in  the  state  himds  as  well  as  in  United 
States  bonds. 

At  this  period  there  was  great  trouble  between  the  ranchers  and  the 
cattlemen  over  the  unlawful  occupancy  of  land.  An  act  was  passed  by 
the  United  States  senate  preventing  "unlawful  occupancy  of  land."  It  was 
aimed  to  prevent  the  lan(l-.t;ra1)bers  fmni  enclosing-  any  and  all  land  to  which 
they  happened  to  take  a  fancy.  Such  persons  were  warned  to  severely  let 
alone  lands  to  which  they  had  "no  claim  or  color  of  title,  made  or  acquired 
in  good  faith,  or  an  asserted  claim  thereto  made  in  good  faith  with  a  view 
to  entering  thereof  at  the  proper  land  office  under  tlie  general  laws  of  the 
United  States  at  the  time  any  such  enclosure  was  made,  are  hereby  declared 
unlawful."  Such  enclosurre  was  prohibited.  If  i)arties  were  found  guilty 
of  enclosing  land  unlawfully  the  fences  must  be  removed  within  five  days. 
Settlers  were  to  be  protected  in  their  residence  on  any  public  land.  .\nd 
any  one  violating  the  provisions  of  the  act  or  anyone  found  advising  any  one 
to  violate  them,  "shall  be  deemed  guilt)-  of  a  misdemeanor  and  fined  not 
more  than  $i,ooo  and  iniprisoned  not  n-iore  than  one  year."  The  president 
was  authorized  to  enforce  the  land  laws,  using  civil  and  military  force  if 
necessary.  These  arbitrary  uieasures  helped  the  ranchers  greatly  in  their  fight 
against  the  encroachments  of  the  cattlemen. 

The  legislature  of  1S85  in  a  joint  meniorial  and  resolution  asked  that 
the  Walker  River  Reser\ation  be  abolished  and  the  Pyramid  Lake  Reser- 
\-ation  be  reduced  in  territory.  Since  then  siniilar  efforts  ha\'e  been  made, 
but  the  noble  red  man  still  has  the  reservations  upon  which  the  covetous 
white  nien  keep  an  anxious  eye.  It  is  rumored  that  another  effort  will  be 
made  at  the  next  session,  and  that  it  is  likely  to  l>e  crowned  with  success. 

It  was  soon  discovered  that  the  constitutional  aniendments  adopted 
1>\-  the  legislature  of  1883  were  null  and  \-oid.  because  the  laws  prescribing 
how  they  were  to  be  subniitted  to  the  people  had  not  been  complied  with. 
Manv  attempts  have  been  made  since  to  alter  the  state  constitution  without 
going  to  the  expense  of  a  constitutional  convention. 

In  the  legislature  of  1885  Senator  John  P.  Jones,  because  of  his  fine 
record,  had  a  walk-over,  (ieorge  \\'.  ("assidy,  ex-Congressman  from  Eureka, 
receiving  the  complimentary  \ote. 

Political  energy  seen-ieil  to  have  binned  itself  out,  at  least  tor  a  few 
years.  In  1882  Jewett  W.  .Vdams  was  elected  go\'ernor  by  the  Democrats, 
while  the  Republicans  elected  C.  !•".  i.aughton  lieutenant  governor,  the  elec- 
tion lieing  held  on  strictly  ])arty  lines.  Mr.  Laughton  removed  to  the  state 
of  Washington,  where  he  was  elected  lieutenant  governor. 

In  the  state  election  of  1887  (',  t'.  Steven.son  was  elected  by  the  Re- 
publicans,   who   also   elected    the    lieutenant    governor,    II.    C.    Davis.      I'.y    a 


A  IIISTOUY  OF  NEVADA.  89 

very  strange  coincidence  ^^r.  Dn\is  died  .\ug^ist  22,  1889.  and  Governor 
Stevenson  died  on  September  _•  1 ,  i8()().  S.  W.  Clinl>lAici<  was  ajipointcd 
to  fill  the  lieutenant  o(,\ei-ni>r's  oClicc;  he  resioned  on  November  30,  1889. 
and  h'rank  Bell  was  ajjpninted  Id  lill  the  vacancy  the  day  Chuhhuck  re- 
signed. When  Governor  Stevenson  died,  Mr.  Bell,  by  virtue  of  his  office  as 
lieutenant  governor,  became  acting  governor.  Mr.  Bell  was  warden  of  the 
penitentiary. 

In  1887  William  M.  Stewart  was  cheerfully  elected  to  serve  another 
term  as  United  States  senator,  Robert  T.  Keating,  a  mining  superintendent 
of  X'irginia  Citv,  receiving  the  complimentary  \ote  of  the  Democrats.  Mr. 
Keating  died  ucjt  long  afterwards. 

In  1890  R.  K.  Colcord  was  elected  governor  by  the  Republicans  and 
I.  Poujade  was  elected  lieutenant  governor  by  the  Repulilicans.  .\nd  that 
was  the  last  victory  for  either  Republicans  or  Democrats.  In  1892  the 
Silver  party  was  organized  and  waged  a  most  relentless  battle  against  both 
the  Republican  and  Democratic  ])arties  of  Nevada.  And  to  them  hence- 
forward belonged  the  spoils.  Men  deserted  both  the  old  parties  to  cast  in 
their  fortunes  with  the  triumphant  new  party.  And  to-day  silver  is  not  in 
Nevada  the  dead  issue  it  is  in  some  states. 

In  1894  the  Silver  party  elected  for  governor  and  lieutenant  governor, 
John  E.  Jones  and  Reinhold  Sadler,  and  in  1891,  before  the  party  had 
definitely  organized  in  the  state,  John  I'.  Jones  was  re-electefl  by  the  silver 
men  to  the  United  States  senate,  receiving  the  unanimous  vote. 

For  a  number  of  years  previous  both  parties  considersd  the  silver 
f|uestion  when  making  nominations ;  the  object  of  a  one-issue  party  in  Ne- 
\;ula  was  to  Ijring  together  in  one  party  all  the  independent  voters  of  the 
state  who  favored  the  remonetization  of  silver  at  the  ratio  of  t6  to  i.  Its 
members  were  pledged  to  support  no-  man  for  the  presidency  who  flid  not 
believe  in  the  free  coinage  of  siher  and  stand  u])on  a  free  coinage  platform. 
Many  of  the  old  guard  of  the  siK'er  party  remain  true  to  that  party,  although 
many  who  left  their  respective  parties  through  lnyalt\-  to  the  state  have  re- 
turned to  their  old  allegiance. 

In  1900  the  Democrats  and  Siher  men  fused  and  endorsed  Hon.  I'". 
G.   Newdands,   roasting  Senator   Stewart   in   their  platform. 

In  1897  F.  G.  Newlands  and  Hon.  A.  C.  Cleveland,  of  White  Pine 
county,  wanted  to  succeed  Stewart.  Judge  Wren  desired  to  succeed  New- 
lands.  In  lohn  P.  lones  was  the  choice  of  the  .Siher  men,  and  lie  received 
the  unanimous  vote,  35 ;  Hon.  George  S.  Nixon,  of  Humboldt  county,  re- 
cei\ing  3  votes;  7  members  did  not  vote. 

In  1896  an  attemjit  was  made  to  divide  Lincoln  county  and  con.solidate 
Store\',  Ormsbv,  Lvon  :nid   l.iiicnln  cunnties.      Both  measures  were  dcfealeil 


l«i  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

when  submitted  to  the  people,  tlie  former  hy  a  phirahty  of  419  and  tlie 
latter  by  a  plurality  of  641.  In  1893  '"^  attemjit  was  made  to  consolidate 
Storey.  Ormsby  and  Washoe  counties,  but  it  did  not  get  past  the  legis- 
lature. 

For  years  efforts  have  been  made  to  establish  a  state  lottery,  and  the 
matter  has  come  before  nearly  every  legislature  since  1880.  Nevada  has 
legalized  prize  fighting,  and  man\-  think  a  state  lutterv  wuuld  bring  in  outside 
capital  besides  keeping  in  the  state  the  thousands  of  dollars  sent  out  each 
week  for  lottery  tickets. 

Tiie  legislature  of  1897  on  March  16  provided  for  the  payment  of  taxes 
in  annual   installments,  which  jinived  a  most  beneficial   thing. 

In  1895  and  1896  the  sa\ing  in  a  reduction  of  salaries  of  state  officials 
amounted  to  $28,495.  The  effort  to  remove  the  office  of  the  surveyor  gen- 
eral Ut  Winnemucca  proved  abortive,  as  did  the  effort  to  do  awav  altogether 
with  the  office  of  lieutenant  governor.  The  consolidation  nf  the  (itfices  of 
lieutenant   governor   and    state   librarian    was   successful. 

in  1897  the  city  of  I^eno  was  incorporated  by  act  nf  legislature,  on 
March  8th.  This  year  the  state  ilebi  was  less  than  that  of  any  other  state 
in  the  Union,  and  yet  was  near  the  limit,  allowed  by  the  Constitution,  of 
$300,000,  being  $227,000.  I'a.xable  property  had  decreased  in  five  years 
$8,000,000,  at  the  state  valuation  of  90  cents  on  the  hundred.  .\  majority 
of  lutth  houses  were  engaged  in  agricultiu'al  ])ursuits.  The  state  controller 
reported  that  the  assessed  \aluation  for  1896-97,  was  less  than  any  year 
since  1S72.  Mines  which  for  twenty  years  following  the  organization  of 
the  state  had  paid  $80,000  i)er  year,  in  1897  paid  less  than  $1,000.  In 
an  effort  to  raise  money  the  legislature  licensed  jirize  fighting.  When 
b'itzsimmons  and  C'orbett  took  advantage  of  the  license  and  fought  in  Carson 
City,  ]Maich  17.  o\er  $100,000  was  spent  in  Carson  by  outsiders  and  this  in 
addition  to  the  money  paid  for  license  and  other  "legitimate"  e.xi)enses. 

In  the  years  of  1896-97  the  state  borrowed  $77,000  from  the  School 
fund.  In  endeavoring  to  cut  down  cxjjenses  an  effort  was  made  to  abolish 
the  State  Board  of  Health,  but  it  had  done  too  good  service,  es])ccially  in 
the  smallpox  ei)idemic  in  the  Indian  schools,  and  it  was  not  done.  .\  like 
effort  was  made  to  abolish  the  state  weather  bureau.  This  same  session 
the  legislature  again  indefinitely  ]xxstpoued  calling  a  constitutional  conveu- 
tif/ii.  The  legislature,  however,  ])asscd  a  bill  licensing  the  sale  of  cigarettes 
and  cigarette  paper. 

The  legislature  of  1897  also  passed  ,1  bill  i>n  Afarch  qtli,  amending  .Sec- 
tion 2,  of  ".\n  Act  to  F.ncourage  Mining."  .•i])i)n)ved  March  3,  1887.  It 
effectually  ])re\ente(l  all  controversy  regarding  title  td  mining  claims  dis- 
covered   u]iMn    Lands    selected    by    the    st.atc    and    dispnsed    of    to    settlers,    or 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  91 

speculators.  Under  this  new  law  the  discoverer  of  a  mine  <n\  such  lands 
can  secure  a  patent  fur  same  from  the  United  States  by  complying  with  the 
mining  laws.  It  gives  ijrospectors  a  show  and  prevents  the  grabbing  of  valu- 
able lands  for  $1.25  per  acre. 

In  1897  John  P.  Jones  was  re-elected  tn  the  United  States  senate 
by  a  unanimous  vote.  A  big  bancinet  was  gi\en  by  the  Senatoi-  lo  cnni- 
memorate  the  occasion. 

In  1898  the  Silver  ])arty  elected  the  lieutenant  governor,  ReinhoM 
Sadler,  governor,  and  J.  R.  Judge,  lieutenant  governor.  .Mthough  a  nom- 
ination from  the  Siher  party  was  considered  e(|ui\-alent  to  an  election,  Mc- 
Millan, the  Democratic  candidate,  came  so  close  to  Sadler  that  it  was  at 
first  thought  he  had  beaten  him.  Recourse  to  the  courts  was  had,  and  after 
nine  months  the  decision  was  given  to  Sadler,  by  a  very  close  margin,  his 
plurality  being  less  than  25.  Orvis  Ring,  superintendent  of  jjublic  instruc- 
tion, was  the  only  Re])ulilican  elected  in  NcA^ada  at  this  election. 

In  1899  \\'.  M.  Stewart  found  it  more  difticult  to  seciu'e  his  election. 
He  had  stumped  the  state  the  ])re\ious  election,  and,  on  account  of  his  many 
changes  of  attitude,  did  not  receive  his  usual  hearty  welcome.  After  the 
election  was  over  Congressman  Newlands  openly  charged  Stewart  with 
treachery,  giving  specific  details.  Stewart  also  charged  Newlands  with 
treachery,  and  at  a  meeting  of  the  State  Central  Sih-er  committee,  Sltaron,  the 
cliairman,  was  removed  from  the  chairmanship  for  having  aided  Newlands, 
his  brother-in-law.  Newlands'  treachery  was  clearly  proven.  Newlands 
had  been  in  Congress  three  terms  and  his  record  had  been  such  that  the 
]3eoi)le  had  learned  to  place  implicit  confidence  in  him.  Conseipiently,  their 
confidence  in  .Stewart  was  shaken.  One  of  the  charges  was  that  funds  had 
heen  sent  b\'  the  Repulilican  national  committee  to  l.)u\-  Stev.art's  election. 
Col.  Jack  Chinn  ha\-ing  charge  of  the  fund.  On  January  24  Stewart  was 
re-elected  to  the  United  States  senate  on  the  first  ballot,  the  vote  being  15 
for  Stewart;  6  for  Cleveland:  one  for  Williams  and  one  for  Flannigan.  In 
the  House  the  \-ote  was:  Stewart  15:  Cle\'eland  _' ;  Williams  8:  W'oodbuni 
one  and  Mason  3.  .\sseml)lyman  CJillespie  was  absent.  His  vote  would 
have  made  it  a  tie  \'ote.  Charges  of  treachery  were  preferred  against  him. 
and  at  the  investigation  Gillespie  said  that  he  was  not  in  favor  of  Newlands 
and  was  not  elected  to  support  Stewart.  Hon.  .\.  C.  Cleveland  had  licen 
regarded  as  Stewart's  most  formidable  o])j)onent.  but  with<lrew  before  the 
\-oting  c(immenced. 

Before  his  term  expired  in  1903,  I'nited  States  Senator  Jones  an- 
nounced his  retirement  after  thirty  years'  service  in  the  Senate.  In  1902 
Senator  Hanna,  of  the  national  committee,  sent  another  fund  to  help  Sen- 
ator Stewart  elect  the  holcl-o\er  state  senators:  ele\en  were  to  be  elected. 


92  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

one-fifth  of  tlie  legislature  which  will  convene  in  1905,  Senator  Stewart 
expecting  to  l)e  a  candidate  again  before  that  body.  Senator  Stewart  en- 
couraged Judge  Haw  ley  to  try  for  the  I'nited  States  senate,  hut  the  legisla- 
ture could  see  nothing  Ijut  I'rancis  G.  Newlands.  Mis  opixment  was  W.  W. 
Williams,  state  senator  from  Churchill  county. 

In  August,  1902,  the  Silver  and  Democratic  parties  fused,  John  Sjiarks. 
for  governor,  and  C.  D.  Van  Duzer,  for  congressman-at-large,  heading  tlie 
ticket.  A.  C.  Cle\elan(l  was  offered  the  gul:)ernatorial  nomination  1)\-  ihe 
l\epuhlican  convention,  hut  he  refused  to  take  it  on  a  silver  platfurui  ami 
also  liecause  he  was  ;i  warm  friend  of  Jnhn  Sparks.  In  the  interest  of  har 
mony  he  was  forced  to  take  it,  I'rank  H.  Button  being  nominated  for  lieu- 
tenant-governor and  E.  .\.  Farrigton  for  congressman-at-large.  C.  C". 
Wallace,  commonly  known  as  "Black"  Wallace,  of  Eiu'eka  countv  who 
had  bitterly  fought  \'an  Duzer  for  years,  died  January  30,  1901,  and  .Mr. 
\'an  Duzer  was  elected  with  the  rest  of  the  fusion  ticket.  Hon.  A.  C".  (Cleve- 
land died  y\ugust  23,  1903.  * 

ti:rkitoki.\i.  officers. 
Trior  to  the  admission  of  Nevada  as  a  state,  its  territorial  ofticers  were 

as  follows : 

Goi'i'nior. 

James  W.  Nye,  appointed  March  22,  icSAi, 

Secretary  of  Stufc. 
(~)rion  ("Icmens,  .-ippointed  March  2j.   nShi. 

Slate  Treasurer. 
John  II.   Kinkcad,  ai)])ointcd  Februarv   i,  1862. 

.-Iftdriieys  (,'eiieral. 
i'cnjamiu    |.    I'.unkcr.  ,ip])oiuteil  M.arch  2j.   1  SO  1 ,  and  resigned  the  same 
year. 

J.  W.  North,  ai)pointed  in  1861. 

Tlieodore  D,  Edwards,  appointed  .\ugust  31,   18O3. 

Siil^eriiiteiuteiils  of  /'iil)lle  histntelioii. 
W.  C.  Biakley.  appointed  l'"ebrnary  -'4,  i86j. 
A.  F.  White,  a])))ointed  December  24,  1863. 

Jii.stiees  of  Supreme  Court. 
(ieorge  II.  'ruruer,  ,i]ipointe(l  .March  27,  1861.* 
Horatio  N.  Jones,  appointed  March  2y.  1861.1 
Gordon  N.  Mott,  ai)pointed  March  2j,   1861. :|: 


*Was  chief  juslicc  from  March  27.   i8<)i,  In  Ndviiiihir   1,   i8(q. 
fResignecl  in   1864. 
^Resigned   in    i8<i3. 


A  lllSTURY  OF  NEVADA.  i»3 

J.  W.  Nortli,  api)()inte(l  Octo1)er  J,  1863. 
Pdwliatan  B.  Locke,  apixjinted  in  1864. 

Clerks  of  I  lie  Siilvcme  Court. 

].  McC.  KcanlDU.  appointed  in   i8()2. 
Alfred  Helm,  appointed  in  1863. 

STATE  OFFICERS. 

Tlie  fn^t  state  officers  (|u;dified  in  Jannar\%  1865.  Since  its  admission 
as  a  state.  Nevada  has  liad  tlic  following-  state  ot^cers : 

Goz'criwrs. 

Tllasdel.   H.   G.,   Rep 1865-1866 

Blasdel.   H.    G.,   Rep 1866-1870 

Bradley,    L.    R.,    Dem 1871-1874 

Bradley,   L.    R..   Dem 1875-1878 

Kinkead,    John    H.,    Rep 1879-1882 

Adams,   Tewett  W.,   Dem 1883-1886 

*Stevenson,    C.    €.,    Rep 1887-1889 

Bell,  Frank,  Rep.   (acting-  from  September  9th ) 1890 

Colcord,   R.   K.,    Rep 1891-1894 

f Jones,  John  E.,  Silver  Party 1895 

Sadler,  Reinhold,  Silver  Party   (Acting  Governor) 1895-189S 

Sadler,    Reinhold,    Silver   Party 1899-1902 

Sparks,  John,  Dem. -Silver   1903 

*Died  September  21.  1890,  and  Fr,iiik  Bell  became  Acting  Governor  by  virtue  of  his 
office  as  Lieutenant-Governor. 

fDied  April  10,  1895,  and  R.  Sadler  became  Acting  Governor  by  virtue  of  his  office 
as  Lieutenant-Governor. 

Lieutenant  Governors. 

Crosman,  J.   S.,   Rej) 1865-1866 

Slingerland,   J.   S.,   Rep 1867-1870 

Denver,   Fraiik,    Dem 1871-1874 

Adams,  J.   W.,   Dem 1875-1878 

Adams,   J-  W.,  Dem 1879-1882 

Langhton,  C.   E.,  Rep 1883-1886 

*Davis,  H.  C,   Rep 1887-1889 

fChubbuck,  S.  W..  Rep 1889 

tBell.   Frank,    Rep 1889-1890 

Poujade,    T-,   Rep 1891-1894 

Sadler,    Reinhold.    Silver 1895-1898 

Judge,  J.  R.,   Silver 1899-1902 

Allen,   Lemuel,    Silver-Dem 1903 

'•*Died  August  22,   1899,  and  S.  W,   Clnil)l)iick  appointed  September  9.   i88q.  to  I'lll   the 
vacancy. 

tResigned  November  30.  1889. 
I  Appointed   November  30,   1889. 


94  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Srcrctarii's  of  Stale. 

Noteware,  C.   N..   Rep 1865-1866 

Noteware,  C.   \.,  Rep 1867-1870 

Minor.    T-    D..    Rep 1871-1874 

Minor,  j.   D.,  Rep 1875-1878 

Bai)Coci<,   Jasper.    Rep 1879-1882 

Dormer.  John   M..    Rep 1883-1886 

Dormer,    John   M..   Rep 1887-1890 

Grey.  O.  "H..  Rep 1891-1894 

Howell.  Eugene.   Silver   Party 1895-1898 

Howell,  Eugene.  Silver   Party 1899-1902 

Douglass,   W.   G..   Rep 1903 

State   Treasurers. 

Rhoades.    El)en.    Rep. 1865-1866 

*Rlioa(les.    Ehen.    Rep 1867-1869 

•f-Batterman.   C.   C.   Rep 1869-1870 

Schooling.   Jerry,    Dem 1871-1874 

Schooling.   Jerrv.    Dem 1875-1878 

Crockett,  L.  h.'.  Rep 1879-1882 

Tufly.    George,    Rep 1883-1886 

:|:Tufly,   George,   Rep 1887-1890 

Richard.   George  W'.,   Rep 1890 

§Egan,  J.   F.,   Rep 1891-1894 

Richard,    Geo.    W.,    Reji 1894 

Westerfield,  W.  J.,  Silver  Party 1895-1898 

Ryan,  D.   M.,   Silver  Party ' 1889-1902 

Ryan,  D.   M.,   Silver-Deni 1903 

*Killed  himself  in  llie  Occidental  Hotel.  San  Francisco,   September  g.   1869. 

fAppointed  to  fill  unexpired  term.  1S69. 

tRcsigned  August  t^.  iSijo.  and  George  W.  Richard  apiiointed  to  fill  vacancy.  .-Vngnst 
I,-?,   1890. 

§Died  April   14,  1804.  and  George  W.  Richard  appointed  to  fill   nnexpired   term.   -April 
17,   1894- 

.S7(//('  Coii/nillers. 

Nightingill,   A.    W.,    Rep 1865-1866 

*Parkinson,  W.   K.,    Rq) ', 1867-1S69 

IDoron,    Lewis,    l^ej) •.  .  .  .  1869-1870 

Hobart,   W.   \V.,   Rep 1871-1874 

PTohart.  W".   \V..   Rep 1875-1878 

Hallnck.    I.    !•'..   Rep 1879-1882 

Pfallock.   T.   F..   Re]) 1883-1886 

Hallock.  J.   v..   Rep 1887-1890 

PTorton,  R.    P.,    Rcj) 1891-181)4 

LaGrave,  C.   A.,   .Silver  Party 1895-1898 

Davis,  Sam  P.,  Silver  Party 1899-1902 

Davis,  Sam   P.,   .Silver-Dem '9^3 

*Dicd   October    14,    1869. 
fAppointed  October  15,   1869. 


A   IIISIORY  OF  NEVy\DA.  '-t^ 

Jiisliccs  (if  Ihc  Stitircmc  i'miii. 

Lewis.    [.   F.,   Rep Novenil)er  8,  1864 

*Bc:ittv!    H.    O.,    Rep November  8.  1864 

fBrosiian,   C.   M.,    Rep November  8.  1864 

Lewis.  J.  F..   Rep November  6.  1866 

Johnson.    J.    Neelev.    Rep November  3,  1868 

Whitman,"  P..   C.    Rep November  3.  1S68 

:|:Garber,    lohn.    Dem N<iveml>er  8.  1870 

Hawley,   t.    P..    Rep Novemljer  5.  1872 

Earl!,  'Warner.    Rep November  3,  1874 

Beatty,   WilHam   H.,    Rep November  3,  1874 

Leonard,    O.    R.,    Rep November  7,  1876 

Hawlev,   T.    P.,    Rep Noveml^er  5,  1878 

Belknap,   C.   H..   Dem Novemlier  2,  1880 

Leonard,   Orville   R..    Rep November  7,  1882 

SHawley,   T.    P.,   Rep November  4,  1884 

Belknap.   C.    H..   Dem November  3,  1886 

Murphy,  M.  A.,   Rep November  6,  1888 

Bigelow\   R.    R.,    Rep November  4,  i8<)() 

Belknap,  C.   H.,   Dem November  8,  1892 

Bonnifield,   M.   S.,   Silver   Party November  6.  1894 

I  |Massey,  W.  A..  Silver  Party' November  3.  189^) 

Belknap,  C.  H.,  Silver  Party. November  8,  1898 

JMtzgerakl,  A.  L.,  Dem.  and  Silver  Party November  6,  1900 

Julien.   Thomas   V Sepember  15.  1902 

Talbot.  George  P.,  Silver  Party  and  Dem November  4,  1902 

*Resigned  November  g,   1868.  and  B.  C.  Whitman  apoointed  to  fill  vacancy. 

fDied  April  2i.  1867.  and  J.  Nceley  Johnson  appointed  to  fill  vacancy. 

JResigned   November  7.   1872.  and  C.   H.   Belknap   appointed. 

§Resigned   September  27.  1890,   and   R.   R.   Bigelow  appointed  to  fill   the  vacancy.   De- 
cember 2.  1890. 

llResigned  September  i.  1902.  and  Thomas  V.  Julien  appointed  cm  September  15.  1902. 
to  fill  unexpired  term. 

Districl  Judges. 

mSTRK-'B.  IN    OFFICE. 

Mesick.  R.  S First    1865-1866 

Burbank,  Richard First 1865-1866 

Rising,    Richard First    1865-1894 

Wright,  S.  H Second 1865-1870 

Wright.  S.  H Second   1875-1878 

Havdon.   Wm Third.  Fourth   1865-1870 

Goodwin,    C.    C Fourth    1865-1866 

Baker.  S.  L Fifth    1865-1866 

Dunn.  E.  F Sixth    1865-1866 

Beatty,  W.   H Seventh.  Eighth.  Sixth 1865-1874 

Virgin.    D.    W Eighth    .  .  ." 1865-1866 

Chase,  S.  H Ninth,  eighth   1865-1868 

Harris,  C.  N Third.  Second 1867-1874 


!'6  A   HISTORY  OU  XE\\\\).\. 

Berry.  G.  G Fiftli.  Fourth    ; .  .  .  1867- 

Curler,   Benj Seventh.  Fifth    .  .  . ". 1867- 

Huhbard.  Clias.  C, Xintli    1867- 

Boalt.  J.  H Sixth    1869- 

:\IcCHnton.  J.  G Eighth   1869- 

*Lake,    Chas.   A Xinth   1869- 

(Jorin,   J.   D Xiiith    

Keunev.  Geo.  D Eleventh.  Sixth 1869- 

Seaweil.  W.  M Third 1871- 

Fnller.    Mortimer Seventli    187 1- 

•fFlack.  J.  H Xinth.  Seventh   1871- 

Leonard,  O.   R Fourtli   1872- 

Bonnifield.  W.   S Fourth   1875- 

:\IcKennev.   D.   C Fifth  ' 1871- 

Cole.  F.  W Sixth    1875- 

Jameson.  J.   S Eiglith   1875- 

Rives.  Henry Seventii.  Sixth   iS/S" 

King.  S.   D Second   1879- 

IBigelow,    R.   R Seventh    1882- 

Edwards.  T.   D Second 1883- 

Murphy.    M.    A Third   1883- 

Boardnian.   W.    M Seventh    1883- 

SFitzgerald,  A.  L Third  1887- 

A\'ells,  Thomas Fourth   1889- 

Jones.  W.  D Third   1901- 

Tallx)t.   G.  F Fourth 1891- 

!|Cheney,  A.  E Second   1891- 

Mack.   C.  E First 1895- 

^fnrphy,   M.  A First 1903- 

Gurler.   B.  F Second 1898 

Breen,  Peter Third   1903 

Brown,  Geo.  S Fourth    Tgo^ 

P.onnifield,    S.  J.,  Jr Fifth    1899 


871 
874 
868 
870 
870 
870 
870 
870 
878 
874 
882 

874 
878 
884 
878 
878 
886 
882 
890 
886 
890 
886 
900 
890 
902 
902 
898 
902 
906 
906 
906 
906 
906 


♦Died   ill    1S70;    J.    D.    Gorin    appoiiUccl. 
tDied   in   1882;   R.   R.   Bigclow   appointed. 
^Appointed    to    Suprcnic    liciu-h    lX-cenil)ur    2,    iSgo. 

§Elected  Supreme  Court  Justice  in   kkx).  and  W'.   D.  Jones  .ipiiointed  to  fill  unexpired 
lenn    of   1901-1902. 

IIResigned  November  25,  1898.  and  B.  I'".  Curler  appointed  to  fill  the  uiiex])ired  term. 

Attoriicy-Gcjicrals. 

.Vounse.    G.    A..    \<e\) 1865-1866 

Clarke,   R.   M..   Rep 1867-1870 

liuckncr.    L.    .\.,    Dcm 1871-1874 

Kittreil,  John  R.,  Dem 1H75-1878 

Murphy,  M.  A.,  Rep 1879-1882 

Davcni)orl.  W.  II..  Rc]) 1883-1886 

.\lexan<ier.  j.  l-..   Rep 1887-1890 

Ti.rrtyson,   J.    I).,    Kc]) 1891-1894 


A  IILSTUKV   OF  NEVyVDA.  UT 

*Beattv,    R.   M..   Silver  Partv 1895-1.S96 

■tjudge,  J.  R..  Silver  Party.'. 1896-1898 

:j;J()nes.    \\'.    [)..   Silver   Party 1899-1901 

Woodhurn.    William.    .Siher    Party 1901-1902 

Sweeney.  J.  ( 1..  Deni.-.SiK or ' 1903 

*Died    December    ro.    ifSi/j 

tj.    R.    Judge   appointed    lo    fill    imexpired    term,    Dcccmtier    24.    iXiX) 
tResigned  January    T5.    igoi,  and    William   Woodburn   appointed    iipnn    llie    same   day 
til  fill   the  imexpired  term. 

Siin'eyor-G'rii'Crals. 

Marlette,   S.   H.,   Rep 1864-1866 

Marlette,   S,    H.,   Rep ,.  ..  1867-1868 

Day.  John,   Rep 1869-1870 

Day.    [ohn.    Rep 1871-1874 

Day.    John.    Rep 1875-1878 

Hatch,  .\.  ]..  Rep 1879-1882 

Preble,  C.   S.,   Re]) 1883-1886 

Jones,  John  E.,  Rep 1887-1890 

Jones.  John  E..  Re]) 1891-1894 

Pratt.  A.  C.  Silver  Party 1895-1898 

Kelley,   E.    D.,   Silver    Party 1899-1902 

Kelley.  E.  D..  Siher-Dein '903 

C'Irrks  af  Siipri-iiu'   Court. 

Helm.   Alfred.   Rep 1865-1866 

Helm.   Alfred.   Rep 1867-1870 

Helm.  Alfred.   Rep 1871-1874 

P.icknell,  C.  F.,  Rep 1875-1878 

Bicknell,  C.   1*..  Rep 1879-1882 

Bicknell,   C.   F..    Rep 1883-1886 

Bicknell,  C.  F.,  Rej) 1887-1890 

Josei)hs,    Joe.    Re]) 1891-1894 

*HoAvell.  Eugene.  Silver  Party 1895-1898 

*Ho\vell.  Eugene,  Silver  Party 1899-1902 

*Douglass,   W.   (;..   Rej) 1903 


*Ex-ofificio   Clerk   of   Supreme   Court   by    virtue   otfiee   Secretary   of   State. 

State  Printers. 

Church,  John.   Rep 1865-1866 

Eckley,  j.   E.,  Rej) 1867-1868 

Mighels,    FL    R..    Rep 1869-1870 

Perkins,   C.    L..   Dem 1871-1872 

Putnam,  C.  A.  V.,  Rep 1873-1874 

Hill.  John  J.,  Dem 1875-1878 

7 


98  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

*Siipi-niitcii(lriils   uf  Slate  PritUiii^. 

fMaddrill.    |(ihn    W.,    Rep 1881-1882 

Harlow.  J.  "C.  Rep 1883-1886 

Harlow.    T-   C    Rep 1887-1890 

Eckley.    ].   E.,   Rep ' 1891-1894 

McCa'rthy.  J.  G..   Silver  Party 1895- 1898 

Maute.  Andrew.  Silver  Party 1899-1902 

Maute.   Andrew.   .Silver-Dem 1903 


*TlVe  Legislature  of  1877  abulislied  the  office  of  State  Printer  ( lo  laUe  effect  Janu- 
ary I.  1879)  and  state  printing  was  done  by  contract  in  1879  and  1880.  (Stats.  1877.  p.  161.) 
The  contract  system  having  proved  unsatisfactory  and  detrimental  to  the  interests  of  tlie 
state,  the  legislature  of  1879  re-established  the  office  under  the  name  of  "Superintendent 
of  State  Printing"  (Stats.  1879.  P-  13S),  and  made  an  apiiropriation  to  purchase  neces- 
sary  material. 

fAppointed  by  Board  of  State  Printing  Cnumiissioners,  under  Slats.  1879.  p.  I,?8, 
for  the  years  1881-1882.  since  which  time,  under  tlic  law.  the  Superintendent  of  State 
Printing  has  been  elected  by  the  people  every  four  years,  as  i'i  the  case  with  all  other 
state   officers. 

Supcrintiiidcnls    uf   Public    I nsiniclid}!. 

White,  A.   I'.,    Rep 1865-1866 

Fisher,  A.  X.,  Rep 1867-1870 

Fisher,   A.    X.,    Rep 1871-1874 

Kelly.   S.   P..   Rq) 1875-1878 

Sessions,  D.  R.,  Deni 1879-1882 

Young,  C,  S.,  Rep 1883-1886 

Dovey,  W.  C,  Rep 1 8S7- 1 890 

Ring,    Orvis,    Rep 1891-1894 

Cutting.  H.  C,  Silver  Party 1895-1898 

Ring,   Orvis,    Rej) 1899-1902 

Ring,    Orvis,    Re]) 1903 

Ri'i^ciils  (if  Slalc  I'lii^'crsitx. 

l-.h'i-tcd. 

Wells,    Tiionias,   Rep Long  Term   .  .  .  .November  6,  1888 

Fi.sh.    11.    L.,    Rep Long  Term Novemljer  6,  1888 

George,    l'".    T..    Rep Short  Term    .  .  .  November  6.  1888 

Haines,  j.    W.,   Rep Eong  Term  .  .  .  .November  4,  1890 

I^isli.   1 1.  L.,  Silver  Party Eong  Term  .  .  .  ,  November  8,  1892 

Mack,  C.   I'-.,  Silver  Party Short  Term    ...November  8,  1892 

Deal,   W.  E.  F.,  Silver   Party Long  Term  .  .  .  .  Novemljer  6,  1894 

Starrett,    H.    S.,    Silver   Party Short   Term    ..  .November  6,  1894 

Evans.  J.    X..   .Silver   Party Eong  Term  ....November  3.  1896 

Starrett,    H.    S.,    Silver   Party Shf)rt  Term  .  .  .  .November  3,  1896 

Deal,  \V.  E.  F.,  Silver  Party Long  Term  ....  Noveml)er  8,  1898 

Starrett,  H,  S..  Silver  Party Short  Term November  8,  1898 

Tvvans,  J.   X.,  Silver  Party  and  Dem.  .  .Ei)ng  Term  ..  ..November  6,  1900 

Booher,  W.  W .,  Dcm.  and  Silver  Parly. SIkhI    Term  ....November  6,  1900 

Booher,  \V.  \V.,  Dem.  and  Silver  Party. Long  Term  .  .  .  .  Novem1)er  4,  1902 

Kirman.  Richard,  Silver   Party  and  Dem .  .Short  Term  ....November  4.  1902 

Long-Term   Regents  are  elected   for   four  year>:    .Shnit    Term   Regents   I'T  two  years. 


A  lUSlUKV   Ol'"  NEVADA.  99 

UiulCil  Stoics  Scihitors. 

I'cnn    I'lCifcin.  To  Scn'c. 

Janifs    \V.    Nye    March  4,    1865 Two  years 

'William    M.    Stewart    March  4.    T865 h'our  years 

James    W.    Nye    March  4,    1867 Six  years 

William    M.    Stewart    March  4,   1869 Six  years 

John    P.    Jones    March  4,    1873 Six  years 

William    Sharon    March  4,    1875 Six  years 

John    P.    Tones    March  4,    1879 Six  years 

James  (,.  Fair   March  4,    1881 Six  years 

"John    P.   Jones    March  4,    1885 Six  years 

"Wilham   M.    Stewart    March  4,    1887 Six  years 

lohn  P.  Jones   March  4,    1891 Six  years 

William  M.  Stewart   March  4.    1893 . Six  years 

John  P.  Jones   March  4.    1897 Six  years 

"William   M.   Stewart    March  4,    1899 Six  years 

iM-ancis  G.  Newlands   March  4,    1903 Six  years 

Rcpi'iWi'iilafn'cs  in   Congress. 

Thirty-seventh   Congress    John    M.    Cradlebaugh 

Thirty-eigiith    Congress    Gordon    N.    Mott 

Thirty-ninth.  Congress H.    C,.    Worthington — Delos    R.    Ashley 

Fortieth  Congress    Delos   R.   Ashley 

Forty-first  Congress    Thomas  Fitch 

Forty-second  Congress   Chas.  W.  Kendall 

Forty-third  Congress Chas.  W.  Kendall 

Forty-fourth   Congress    William    Woodlmrn 

Forty-fifth  Congress    Thos.   Wren 

Forty-sixth  Congress    ^ Rollin  M.  Daggett 

l*"orty-seventh   Congress    George  W.   Cassidy 

Forty-eighth  Congress    George  \\'.   Cassidy 

Fortv-ninth  Congress   \\'m.   \\'V«)dhurn 

Fiftieth  Congress    Wm.   Woodhurn 

l""ifty-first  Congress    Henry   V.   Bartine 

I'-ifty-second  Congress    Hemy  F.   Bartine 

Fifty-third   Congress    Francis  G.   Newlands 

Fifty-fourth  Congress Francis  (I.  Newlands 

Fifty-fifth    Congress    Francis   G.    Newlands 

Fifty-sixth    Congress    Francis    G.    Newlands 

Fifty-seventh  Congress    I'-rancis  G.   Newlands 

.  Fifty-eighth  Congress   Clarence  D.   \'an   Duzer 


luo  A  lllSTURV  Ul'    Nl':Vy\UA. 

CHAITKR  XII. 
Lines  in  Nevada  F.staisi.isiiei). 

Great  Bomidarx-  Line  War — CountN'  (.  lainied  li\'  '\'\\n  States — Ronp  (  nuiity 
the  Cause  of  Trouliie — Two  County  Llections  in  One  County — Hlootl- 
•slied  by  Califoruians  and  Nevadaus — Peace  Compromise  Effected — 
New  Boundary  Line  Surveyed — Hoop's  (iarden  of  Eden  Taken  l>y  Cali- 
fornia— Aurora  Left  to  Nevada^KeIin(|uislniient  of  l-lsmeralda  Minini; 
Territory — Boundaries  of  Ne\-ada  as  at  Last  l^^stalilislied. 

L  p  to  the  year  i86j  tlie  (piestion  of  tlie  boundaries  of  the  state  of  Ne- 
vada liad  not  trouliled  any  one.  Tlie  act  of  Congress,  March,  1861,  Iiad 
establislied  tlie  lines  of  the  state  as  follows  (with  a  proviso  excepting  from 
the  area  covered  any  portion  f)f  California  that  might  by  mistake  have  been 
included   if  that   state  ol)jected  )  : 

Beginning  at  the  point  of  intersection  of  the  fort_\-second  degree  of 
north  latitude  with  the  thirtv-ninth  degree  of  longitude  west  from  Washing- 
ton. 

Thence  running  soudi  on  the  line  of  said  tlurt\-ninth  degree  of  west 
longitude,  until  it  intersects  the  n<irthern  boundarx-  line  of  the  terrilor\- 
of  New  Mexico  (later  Arizona). 

Thence  due  west  to  the  dixiding  I'idge  separating  the  waters  of  Carson 
valley  from  those  that  l1o\\   into  the  Pacific. 

Thence  on  said  dixiding  ridge  northxxardlx .  to  the  Tiftx-Tu^t  degree  of 
north  latitude. 

Thence  due  north,  to  the  southern  bouiidarx   line  of  the  state  of  Oregon. 

'Thence  due  east  to  the  place  of  beginning. 

A   SOURCE  OF  TROUBLE. 

When  the  territory  of  Nevada  was  organized  the  lines  of  California 
iiad  not  been  established  l)y  surxex-  and  the  boundaries  of  Nex'ada  were  su])- 
])osed  to  coxer  the  l>eautiful  and  ])roliric  llonex'  Lake  xallex'.  It  xxas  the 
home  of  Hon.,  Isaac  Roop.  governor  of  the  territorx'  in  the  ]irxdiminarv  or- 
ganization of  1859.  and  was  the  ninth  council  district  \x hen  (iovernor  Nye 
called  an  election  for  members  of  the  first  legislature.  To  it  were  appor- 
tioned one  councilman  and  o?ie  representatix'e.  On  .August  _^  i ,  iSoi,  at  the 
first  election,  Isaac  Roop  was  elected  coiuuilman  and  John  C,  W'light  re])- 
resentative. 

Covernor  Xye,  on  (  )clober  J3,  iSfii.  .-[dxiscd  the  legislatui'c  to  appoint 
a  commission  to  confer  with  California  ;nid  secinx'  consent  to  the  running  of 
the  Sierra  Nevada  mountain  line  of  dixision.  between  the  two  .sections. 
Such  a  commission.  b_v  a  joint  resolution  of  both  bodies,  xxas  passed   Novcm- 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  101 

lier  (;,  ]H(>i,  and  the  commi.ssion  was  t()  l>e  appointed  by  a  joint  resolution  of 
liiitli  lidiisfs,  l)ut  for  some  reason  tlie  convention  was  ne\er  lield.  Tlie  legis- 
latinc,  however,  on  .\oveml)er  -'5,  divided  the  territory  into  nine  euunties, 
among'  wlncli  was  the  count\-  of  Lake,  the  hounchn'ies  as  follows: 

Beginnin.g  at  the  northwest  corner  of  XVashoe  county,  and  running 
easterly  along  the  northern  boundary  of  said  county  to  the  mouth  of  Truckee 
river;  thence  due  east  to  the  summit  of  the  first  range  of  mountains  east  of 
said  ri\er;  thence  in  .1  northerly  direction  along  said  range,  and  in  the  main 
granite  range  of  said  mountains,  to  the  (Oregon  line;  thence  west  along  said 
line  to  the  summit  of  the  Sierra:  thence  south  along  said  summit-  Uy  the  ])lace 
of  beginning. 

The  county  seat  was  to  be  selected  at  the  tirst  election.  Lake  and 
Waslioe  counties  in  the  same  act  were  created  the  first   judicial  district. 

l)epnt\'  L'nited  States  Sur\eyor  John  \\  Kidder  sur\'eyed  the  line  as 
designated  in  the  act  of  Congress,  from  Lake  Talme  northerly  to  Honey  Lake. 

The  legislature  of  iSCii  also  made  an  appropriation  of  one  thousand 
dollars  to  lie  expended,  under  certain  conditions,  by  the  gox'ernor.  in  run- 
ning the  west  l)oundar\-  line  from  Lake  Tahoe  southerly  to  or  lieyond  Es- 
meralda county.  .\s  Esmeralda  count\-  extended  to  the  south  line  of  Ne- 
vada territory  the  members  of  the  legislature  must  ha\e  had  a  \-ery  hazy 
idea  regarding  the  outlines  of  their  territory,  hi  1862  J.  V.  Kidder  and 
I'ntler  I\es  ran  the  line  !ea\ing  .\uror;i  in  Xe\;ida,  but  California  ne\'er  recog- 
nized the  survey. 

Honey  Lake  valley  was  the  (larden  of  Eden  of  Lake  countv.  and  Cali- 
fornia claimed  that  it  rightfully  belonged  within  the  boundaries  of  Plumas 
county.  California.  Ne\-ada  was  determined  not  to  gi\-e  it  u]).  and  to  that 
end  the  legislature,  in  an  act  of  December  _',  1862,  changed  the  county 
name  from  Lake  to  Roup.  The  gox-ernor,  on  tiie  14th  uf  December,  appointed 
officers  for  the  new  Roo|)  county,  issuing  their  commissions  the  next  day; 
the  officers  had  been  elected  the  September  ])revious.  The  governor  also 
commissioned  John  S.  Ward  to  act  as  probate  judge,  and  a  special  term  of 
the  first  district  court  was  ordered  to  be  held  in  Roop  county  in  Januarv,  1S63. 

The  legislature  of  i8()2  asked  California  to  cede  to  Nevada  the  terri- 
tory included  in  the  original  de.scription  of  boundaries  in  the  act  of  Con- 
gress. The  legislature  of  California  could  not  see  its  way  clear  to  this.  On 
July  14,  iHC)2,  a  bill  introduced  by  Judge  Cradelbaugh,  adding  to  the  east 
line  of  Nexada  one  degree,  or  sixty  miles  in  width,  of  territor\-  lying  be- 
tween longitude  thirty-eight  and  thirty-nine  degrees  west  from  ^Vashiugton. 
was  appnned  by  the  president  and  became  a  law. 

Roop  cfiunty,  without  the  di.sputed  territory,  was  nothing  Init  a  long 
Ijarren  strip  of  land,  with  nothing  to  recommend  it  as  a  place  of  residence 


102  A  HISTORY  OF  NEXADA. 

to  either  white  man  or  Indian.  Low  ranges  or  hills  ninnini;  north  and  south 
enclosed  two  chains  of  valleys.  If  the  western  houndary  line  was  run  as  the 
people  of  California  wanted  it  to  he.  the  magnificent  valleys  of  Honey  Lake 
and  Surprise  would  be  within  the  boundaries  of  the  latter  state  and  nearly 
all  the  population  supposed  to  belong  to  the  county  of  Roop  would  really 
he  residents  of  California,  a  rather  complicated  state  of  affairs. 

Matters  were  still  in  an  unsettled  condition  regarding  the  western 
boundaries  until  1863.  when  open  warfare  broke  out  along  the  border  of 
Roop  \allev.  It  was  virtually  a  conflict  of  authority,  the  officials  of  Roop 
county  resisting  the  efforts  of  the  officers  of  Plumas  county  to  exercise 
authorit\-  in  the  territory  in  disijute.  .\  Plumas  county  judge  precipitated 
the  war  when  he  enjoined  a  Roop  county  justice  of  the  peace  from  holding 
court  in  Roop  county,  and  when  the  justice  held  court,  fined  him  a  little 
matter  of  one  hundred  dollars  for  Iieing  in  contempt  of  his  court.  Following 
this  up,  the  Plumas  county  courts  ordered  the  sheriff  and  count)-  judge  of 
Roop  county  to  cease  performing  their  functions  or  exercising  any  authority 
in  any  part  of  Roop  county.  Naturally  no  attenti(^n  was  paid  to  this  com- 
mand by  the  Roop  count}'  officers,  and  the  I'lunias  county  sheriff  and  his 
deputy  came  boldly  mer  the  line  into  Rooj)  county  and  arrested  the  two 
off'ending  officials. 

.\s  one  man  the  citizens  of  Roop  county  rose  in  their  might  am.!  re- 
lieved tlic  I'kimas  county  ofliciais  of  their  prisoners  before  they  could  cross 
the  nmuntains.  Xot  to  be  outdone,  the  Plumas  sheriff.  E.  H.  Pierce,  swore 
in  a  posse  of  Plumas  county  citizens,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  eighty 
per.sons.  and  came  back  across  the  line  to  enforce  his  authorit\-  and  resent 
the  indignity  to  which  he  had  been  subjected.  The  delegation  was  backed 
by  a  piece  of  artillery.  Put  when  the  in\aders  tried  to  arrest  Probate  Judge 
jnhn  S.  Ward  and  Sheriff'  William  H.  Xaileigh  they  had  them  in  custody 
but  a  little  time,  for  the  Roo])  county  men  rescued  them  in  the  streets  of 
Susan\ille.  The  Roop  county  belligerents  made  a  fort  of  a  log  house  and 
the  IMumas  county  officials  followed  this  cxaiu])lc  and  fortified  a  large  barn 
ui  the  vicinity.  On  the  morning  of  bebruary  15.  1863,  the  Roop  count)' 
forces  fired  upon  the  opposing  forces  and  seriously  wounded  one  of  them. 
Then  the  fight  was  on  in  earnest,  for  the  Plumas  county  ranks  retaliated, 
and  the  fighting  became  general,  the  Rdnp  cdunt)  ])C(i])le  ba\itig  two  of 
their  party  seriously  wounded,  it  is  a  matter  of  conjecture  as  to  which  side 
first  came  to  a  realization  of  the  futilit)-  of  this  guerrilla  warfare,  but  at  all 
events  a  truce  was  arranged,  so  as  to  agree  u])on  some  kind  of  compromise. 
The  comproiuise  was  finally  agreed  to  as  follows: 


A  JIISTORV   OF  NEVADA.  103 

COMPROMISE  OF  COMBATANTS. 

A  State  (if  war  existing^  l)et\veen  the  autlKirities  (if  Plumas  county.  Cali- 
fnniia.  and  llie  authorities  and  citizens  of  Rodp  coinitw  Nevada  territory, 
a  committee  of  citizens  of  1  loney  Lak'C  \allcy  and  the  leaders  of  the  bellig- 
erent parties.  con\ened  at  Susan\ille  f(.r  the  ])nri)ose  of  makint;'  some  ar- 
1  an,<.;emcnts  for  the  establishment  of  peace  and  to  stoj)  the  further  shedding 
ol  blood,  brank  Drake  was  a|)])ointe'l  jiresidcnl.  and  II.  I'.  Jennings,  .-^ec- 
ret.ary.  Mr.  Tierce,  shenpf  of  Phnnas  count\.  made  the  following  propo- 
sition, to-wit:  "I'loth  parties  to  suspend  hostilities  and  disband  their  f(jrces. 
he  taking  his  men  home  with  b.im,  and  rejiort  the  case  to  the  go\'ernor  of 
Californi.a,  ie(|uesting  him  to  confer  with  the  go\-ernor  of  Nevada  territorv. 
that  the  (piestion  of  jurisdiction  ma\'  be  settled  peaceablv;  pending  such  settle- 
ment neither  party  to  claim  jurisdiction:  also  that  the  citizens  of  the  valley 
shall  draw  up  a  full  statement  of  the  case  and  forward  the  same  to  the  goA-- 
ernors  of  California  and  Xe\ada  territory,  recjuesting  them  to  settle  the 
dit'liculties  peaceal)ly  and  as  soon  as  possible." 

Air.  Elliott  thought  the  ])r( /position  a  fair  and  honorable  one,  and  that 
it  would  lead  to  a  speed)'  settlement  of  our  ])resent  difirculties.  He  was, 
therefore,  in  favor  of  Mr.  Pierce's  ])roposition. 

Mr.  Pierce  (sheriff)  moved  the  appointment  of  a  committee  of  four 
citizens  (two  of  each  part}-)  to  make  the  statement  to  each  of  the  governors; 
carried. 

Mr.  Elliott  moved  that  we  adopt  Mr.  Pierce's  proposition  for  a  settle- 
ment of  our  ditificulties ;  carried  unanimously. 

The  chairman  appointed  upon  the  committee  of  correspondence.  Messrs. 

Roo]i,  Murray,  Jones  and  Young.     On  motion  meeting  adjourned. 

Frank  Drake.  Chairman. 
11.   I'.  Jennings,  Secretar\'. 

I  he  above  proceedings  is  an  agreement  of  settlement  between  the  con- 
tending parties  of  Roop  and  Plumas  C(iunties. 

(Signed)  E.    H.    Pierce, 

William   Hill   Naileigh. 
The  alxjve  is  a  true  and  correct  copy  of  the  iiroceedings  of  the  peace 
meeting  held  in  Susanville,  February  i6,   1863. 

William  Hill  Naileigh. 
Sheriff  of  Roop  County.  Ne\'ada  Territory. 

ACTION   01--  GOVERNORS. 

When  these  difficulties  were  going  on.  Secretary  of  State  Orion  Clemens 
(brother  of  Mark  Twain)  was  acting  governor.  ,  Hostilities  had  ceased  since 
the  referring  of  the  whole  matter  to  the  two  go\-emors.  but  excitement  still 


104  A  HISTORY  OF  XFA'AD A. 

ran  liigli  and  tliere  was  no  knowing  wlien  some  overt  act  on  the  part  of  one 
side  or  tlie  other  wonld  liring  aliout  the  sacrifice  of  human  h\es.  So  inter- 
ested had  tlie  whole  state  and  territory  hecome  in  tlie  affair  tliat  tlie  conse- 
(|uences  threatened  to  lie  serious.  Governor  Stanford,  of  California,  ap- 
pointed Judge  Rohert  Rohinson.  of  Sacramento,  to  confer  with  Governor 
Clemens.  Together  the\  drew  up  an  instrument  the  first  and  second  clause 
of  which  provided : 

First,  that  the  governor  of  the  territorv  will  appoint  a  commissioner  to 
meet  a  commissioner  a]i]iointed  hv  the  state  of  California  to  nui  and  per- 
manently establish  the  hnundary  line  between  the  state  of  California  and 
the  territory  of  Nevada,  during  the  present  year.   1863. 

The  second  clause  provided  that  the  line  should  be  temporarily  regarded 
as  running  north  through  eastern  end  of  Honev  I.ake,  this  being  proposed 
b\'  Rol)inson  and  agreed  to  liv  Go\crnor  Clemens  on  the  consideration  that 
the  line  south  of  Lake  Bigler,  as  run  li\'  Kidder  and  I\es  in  i8C)2.  which 
])laced  Aurora  within  tlie  Xe\ada  lines,  should  be  regarded  temporarily  as 
the  true  line.  Judge  Roliinson  would  not  consent  to  tliis  and  the  document 
was  not  signed,  both  agreeing  that  if  the  goxernor  of  California  ajiproved 
it.  it  would  be  signed  b\-  him.  F)Ut  ( io\ernor  Stanford  did  not  approve  it 
and  it  went  to  the  legislatiu'e  of  California,  which  enacted  a  law  providing 
that  the  sur\e\or  general  of  California  sliould  run.  measure  and  mark  the 
entire  eastern  lK)undary  of  California,  a  commissioner  appointed  by  the 
governor  of  Nevada  territor\-  to  accompanv  and  act  with  the  official,  "pro- 
\'ided  that  Nevada  territorx-  sh;ill  |)av  .all  expenses  of  such  person  or  persons 
appointed."  All  tliis  ( ioxernor  Clemens  embodied  in  a  message  to  the  Ne- 
vada legislature.  There  was  no  ])rovisiiin  then  ])ro\iding  mone\'  for  the  Jiay- 
ment  of  such  a  commissioner. 

On  May  16.  1863.  Governor  Clemens  ;i])]iointed  llutlei-  l\es.  ]''.sfi..  a  \ery 
coni])etent  surxevor.  t<i  act  for  Nevada  territory.  Ibitlcr  \\;is  to  "prejiare  and 
file  in  the  office  of  the  secretary  of  the  territory  three  copies  of  the  maps 
and  field  notes  of  such  siu'vex'  within  sixtx'  days  after  the  completion  of  the 
survev,  and  make  ;;  full  .and  det.ailed  report  of  the  manner  in  which  said 
sur\'e\-  hafl  Iteen  made"  to  the  legislatuie.  i\es  was  to  be  paid  $3,000  for- 
the  work,  hiring  all  assist.ants  himself.  In  his  report  to  the  legislature  Go\- 
ernor  Clemens  said  : 

"In  conjmuiion  with  .Mr.  Kidder,  who  was  a])])ointed  Iw  the  snrvevor 
general  of  California.  Mr.  l\cs  ran  the  line  from  the  initi.il  ])oint  in  Lake 
I'iglcr.  north  to  the  southern  boundary  of  Oregon,  .-nid  south  to  within  about 
a  degree  f)f  the  southern  boundarx-  of  the  tcrriiorw  when  the  sex'ere  cold 
and  other  diflicullies  compelled  :\  suspension  of  the  labors  of  the  conimission. 
but   the   imiiorlant    jioinls   were  g.ained,  b\-   showing  the   true   location  of  the 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  n>:> 

h()iin(Iar\'  line  in  tlic  H(ine\'  Lake  rcqion.  and  tliiis  preventing  furtlier  diffi- 
culties, while,  in  the  south.  u])(in  the  running"  of  the  line  und'er  this  com- 
mission, the  state  of  C'ali  fcrnia  immediateK'  yielded  a  jurisdiction,  long  main- 
tained. n\er  the  rich  Esmeralda  mining  region,  and  the  ])osition  of  the  line 
and  respecti\'e  jm'isdiction  of  California  and  Xe\ada  are  now  clearl\-  knuwn 
\vhere\er  there  are  settlements  along  our  western  Ixirders.  ' 

ACT    APPROVING    F.INE. 

An  act  was  ajiproved  on  h'ehruary  7.  iSf)5.  making  the  line  hetween 
California  the  same  as  had  heen  decided  ujjdU  hv  C.'difnruia  in  April.  1863. 
All  that  was  necessarA'  to  finish  die  affair  was  to  ha\e  hue  surve^'ed  in  its 
entiret\'.  The  vear  hefore  an  act  had  lieen  api>r(i\ed  (irdei"ing  such  a  sur\'ey 
where  tlie  line  had  not  lieen  established. 

A  congressional  act  in  Maw  [8f)().  ceded  to  Xe\ada  a  strij)  of  terrilDry 
sixtv  miles  hi  width,  extending  frum  ()regi)n  to  the  Colorado  ri\'er.  and 
all  of  Arizona,  h-ing  hetween  Colorado  river  and  Nevada's  south  line,  and 
including  in  its  boundaries  it. 000  square  miles  of  Arizona,  and  20,850 
s(|u;u"e  miles  of  I'tah.  Januar\-  18.  1867.  the  Nevada  legislature  by  act  ac- 
cei)ted  the  gift. 

The  legislature  made  an  appro|5riation  of  four  thousand  dollars  to  pay 
for  a  survey  of  the  east  line  of  Nevada,  that  by  the  congressional  act  had 
l)een  made  on  the  tliirt\-se\enth  degree  of  longitude  west  from  Washington. 

.\s  a  consec|uence  of  the  dense  ignorance  as  to  what  really  constituted 
the  west  line  of  Nevada,  there  were  many  complications,  botli  regarding 
real  estate  and  mining  and  also  politics.  Litigation  was  rife,  and  the  town 
of  Aurora  was  not  located  in  either  California  or  Nevada  until  1863.  Of 
course  both  claimed  it.  and  it  was  the  countv  seat  of  two  counties,  Esmeralda. 
Nex'ada,  and  Mono  conut^',  California.  When  Esmeralda  countv  was  made 
one  of  nine  counties.  Novemlier  2^.  1861.  .\urora  was  made  the  county  seat. 
Aurora  was  a  new  but  rapidly  growing  town  and  jiroN'ed  a  bone  of  conten- 
tion between  California  and  Nevada  for  two  years.  In  1861  the  town  of 
Monoville  was  growing  rapidlv  also  and  California,  hv  act  of  legislature, 
organized  the  countv  of  Moun.  placing  the  count\'  seat  in  Aurora,  alread}' 
the  count)-  seat  of  Esmeralda  county.  In  1863  Thomas  N.  Machin.  of  Au- 
rora, was  by  California  elected  to  the  California  assembly,  and  Dr.  John 
\\'.  Pugh  was  elected  to  the  Nevada  assembly  at  the  same  time,  resulting 
in  a  ixilitical  ])henomeuon.  It  was  a  curious  sight  to  see  two  judges  holding 
court  concurrently  and  exercising  jurisdiction  by  virtue  of  authority  derivetl 
from  two  (lififerent  sources.  Both  were  wise  men  and  there  was  no  conflict 
of  authority.  Peoi)le  simply  took  their  choice  as  to  which  duirt  should  pass 
u])iin  their  cases. 


KiO  A  HISTORY  OF  NE\'ADA. 

One  curious  affair  happened  in  1863.  for  the  1)oim<lary  line  had  not  yet 
Ix'en  surveyed  as  tar  as  Aurora,  and  no  one  knew  on  wliich  side  they  wcmld 
land.  The  term  of  office  had  expired  for  the  officials  elected  in  1861,  and 
some  wag  hit  upon  a  plan  to  make  things  go  smooth  and  e\'enly,  namely: 
an  election  for  Mono  and  one  for  Esmeralda.  The  idea  was  seized  upon 
and  lioth  counties  had  two  tickets.  Repulilican  and  Democratic,  in  the  field. 
The  hest  of  feeling  prevailed  and  a  laughahle  state  of  affairs  prevailed  diu'- 
ing  the  voting.  The  polls  for  Mono  county  hail  heen  placed  in  the  ])o!ice 
station  and  for  Esmeralda  in  the  Arm'ory  Hall,  a  little  distance  apart.  Many 
people  seemed  undecided  as  to  which  Cdunty  they  really  helonged  and  hun- 
dreds voted  "early  and  often"  patronizing  Ixith  pmlls  indiscriminate!)-.  In 
hoth  counties  the  full  Repuhlican  ticket  was  elected. 

It  was  onl\-  ahout  twent}'  days  after  this  election  was  hcKl  th;it  the 
surveyors  reached  .\iu'ora:  they  ])assed  to  southwest.  lea\ing  the  city  in 
Xex'ada.  .Mthough  the  California  adherents  insisted  that  the  lines  were 
nui  around  .\urora  ])ur|)osely  and  that  there  was  a  jog  [u  the  state  line,  )'et 
it    was  more  good-natiu'eil   hanter  than   ill   feeling. 

Eearing  that  legal  questions  might  arise,  the  governor  of  Nevada  ap- 
])ointed  the  officers  elected  at  the  election.  All  were  sworn  into  office  on 
September  22nd. 

The  C'alifornians  helped  the  officers  elected  in  Mono  county  to  load 
u|)  a  wagon  and  take  the  records  across  the  line  tc)  Bodie,  then  a  small  town. 
In  tile  following  spring  Bridge]iort  was  declared  the  seat  of  justice  and 
thither  the  records  were  taken.  .\s  many  of  the  officers  elected  to  fill  Mono 
countv  did  U'lt  want  to  cross  the  line,  hut  remained  in  .Xuror.a.  iheii"  places 
were  filled  hv  apixiintment  ]>\'  the  governor  ol   California. 

In  J871  a  joint  resolution  was  passed  l)\-  the  \'e\ada  legislatiu'c,  asking 
Congress  to  give  to  Xexada  all  ol  Id.aho  that  la\  smUh  ol  the  ( )w  \'hce  ri\er, 
hut  il  did  nut  meet  with  a  fax'orahie  reception.  Nevada,  in  the  same  year, 
asked  the  legislature  of  California  to  ni;ike  a  line  of  division  between  Nevada 
.and  California,  following  the  lines  established  in  the  organic  act  of  Nevada. 
.and  this  also  met  witli  ;i  chilling  reception. 

The  Imundaries  of  the  state  of   .Nevada  ;is  finally  settled  ;irc  .as  fullnws: 

BOUNn.\Rii;s  Ol'   Ni':\.\i>.\. 

Commencing  in  the  center  n\  the  Colorado  ri\er  where  the  thirty  fifth 
parallel  of  north  latitude  crosses  that  stream  (near  b'ort  Moja\e):  from 
thence  in  a  direct  northwesterly  line  to  the  point  where  the  thirty-ninth  par- 
allel of  iiKilh  Latitude  intersects  the  forty  third  ikgree  of  Iciiis^ilude  west  from 
Washington  (near  the  center  of  Lake  Taboe)  ;  thence  north  'in  s.aid  degree 
to  tlie  forty-second  ])arallcl  of  latitude  (which  is  the  south  line  of  {)rogon); 


A   TTISTORY  (W  NEVADA.  107 

thence  cast  on  said  parallel  of  latitude  to  the  tiiirty-seventli  degree;  thence 
SMutli  i>n  said  de,L;rec  In  the  center  of  the  Cnhirado  river;  thence  down  said 
ri\cr  t(i  the  place  <if  heginnin.i^.     Area,    120.000  sipiare  miles. 


CHAPTER  Xlll. 

Pi()nf.i=:r  Transi'Oktation. 

Mode-s  of  Emigrant  Transportation — Through  Purgatory  to  Paradise — First 
Mail  Contract — Mail  Carriers  and  (inards  Killed  by  Indians — Dangers 
iM-nm  Snow  and  Flood — Traveling  on  Snow  Shoes — Pioneer  Stage 
Pine — The  Overland  Mail — The  Famous  Pony  Express — Overland 
Telegraph  Line — Stage  Lines  in   iSiSi. 

In  the  new  territory  of  Nevada  means  of  transportation  were  at  first 
extreniel)-  limited,  especially  for  the  mail  service.  It  was  the  year  185 1 
before  any  regular  mode  of  transporting  the  mails  was  secured,  yet  Nevada 
was  in  a  most  prosperous  condition  before  a  mile  of  railroad  was  constructed. 
Many  emigrants  had  passed  through  the  countrx'.  down  the  Humboldt  to 
the  green,  smiling  \-alleys  of  California,  and  only  shuddered  their  way  over 
the  sage-brush  which  co\'ered  the  alkali  ])lains.  Nearly  all  such  emigrants 
went  \ia  the  ox  team  train.  There  was  much  to  learn  of  the  great,  resource- 
ful state  of  Nevacfa.  as  it  was  afterwards  known.  There  was  not  a  perma- 
nent settlement  in  the  \-alley  in  1850,  and  consecjuently  no  need  for  the  trans- 
portation of  mail  into  what  all  considered  the  acme  of  horror  in  the  way 
of  a  Country  to  li\'e  in.  ^'ear  followed  year,  the  emigrants  looking  simply 
on  the  Great  P>asiii  as  a  sort  of  ])urgator\-  which  must  be  passed  through  to 
reach  ])aradise,~  California,  onh'  to  be  endured  because  it  was  a  shorter  route 
and  more  desiral.ile  than  the  stormy  \-oyage  around  Cape  Plorn  or  the  toil- 
some line  of  march  \ia  Oregon. 

When  the  hurrying  emigrant  halted  at  all  within  the  confines  of  the 
great  state  of  Nevatla,  it  was  simpl\-  to  afTord  his  li\e  stock  grazing  en(iugh 
to  carry  them  on  to  California.  The  \alleys,  which  ha\e  since  been  the 
means  of  attracting  population,  were  not  explored  at  all  until  after  the  dis- 
covery of  the  Comstock  mines.  Not  until  then  was  the  magnificent  \allcy 
of  the  Humboldt  known  to  possess  the  treasures  that  it  does. 

With  the  Commencement  of  the  settlement  of  Carson  \'alle_\-.  in  the 
spring  of  1851,  first  started  by  the  Reese  trading  post,  it  became  necessary 
to  have  .some  kind  of  mail  facilities.  .\  regular  mail  route  was  established 
by  the  government  between  Salt  Lake  and  southern  California,  the  Mormons 
securing   the  contract    for  carr}-ing  it. 


ins  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Before  this,  in  1831.  a  firm  knuwu  as  A.  NXdodanl  &  Company  had 
a  contract  to  carry  mail  from  Sacramento.  California,  U<  Salt  Lake,  l^tah 
territory.  The  men  composing  the  firm  were  Colonel  A.  W'nodard  and  a 
Mr.  Chorpening.  The  entire  ronte  coxered  over  se\en  luindred  and  fiftv 
miles,  through  man\'  dangers  and  difficulties.  The  trip  was  made  only  once 
a  month,  the  mail  going  and  cunung  on  the  hacks  of  nudes.  The  route  com- 
menced in  Sacramento  and  ran  \'ia  hdl.som.  to  Placerx'ille,  California,  over 
the  Sierra  Xe\ada  through  Hope  and  Strawherrv  vallcN's  into  Carson  vallev. 
I'^rom  there,  hy  way  of  Cenoa,  Carson  City,  Dayton,  Ragtown,  then  across 
the  Forty-mile  Desert  to  the  1  fumholdt  ri\er,  near  the  Mumholdt  Sink:  from 
there  it  followed  the  old  emigrant  road  east  along  the  Humboldt  ri\'er  to 
what  was  later  the  Stone-house  Station,  when  the  Central  Pacific  Railway 
came  along:  soon  after  lea\-ing  this  point  the  route  left  the  river  and,  going 
t<i  the  southeast,  went  into  Salt  Lake  liy  way  of  tlie  "Hastings  Cut-off."  The 
shorter  route  to  California,  which  the  ill-fated  Donner  had  tried  to  follow, 
when  it  was  first  discovered,  was  little  known. 

It  was  no  path  of  roses,  the  carrying  of  mail  o\er  this  route.  The 
wliole  country  was  infested  with  hostile  Indians,  on  the  watch  day  and  night 
to  pick  oft'  emigrants  and  mail  carriers,  sometimes  for  purposes  of  rohherv, 
.and  ofteii  for  pure  love  of  deviltry  and  hloodshed.  They  would  lie  in  the 
long  grass,  crouch  hehind  hrush  or  rocks,  and  from  there,  secure  themselves, 
shiKit  down  the  \ictmis.  So  man\-  were  killed  thus,  it  w*is  found  necessary 
to  send  guards  with  the  mail  carrier. 

When  Colonel  W'oodard  started  on  his  trip  in  the  fall  of  1851,  he  liad 
with  him  a  guard  of  twn  young  men,  ( )scar  h'itzer  and  John  Hawthorn;  they 
had  gone  in  .safety  as  far  as  ( iravel  point,  near  where  the\'  lelt  the  river, 
when  a  hrmd  of  the  hostile  Indi.ans  killed  ;ili  three.  The  partner  of  tdlonel 
W'oodard  did  not  gi\e  u\)  the  contract  after  the  kilter's  tragic  death,  hut  con- 
tinued to  carry  the  mail  himself  until  the  fall  of  185;;.  lie  formed  ;i  part- 
nershi|)  with  I'en  llollidaw  and  continued  to  c;irr\-  m:iil.  The  only  change 
was  using  four  mule  teams  and  co\ered  wagons,  which  aft'orded  hetter  se- 
curity froiu  the  Indians.  In  order  to  change  to  this  mode  (d  conveyance 
])ermission  had  to  he  ohtained  from  the  goxernment.  .M.ail  was  carried  in 
this  mimner  until  June,  1857,  when  ;i  tri-weekly  line  of  stages  was  estab- 
lished lunning  from  l'l;icer\  ille  to  ( leima,  hy  j.  I'..  Cr.andall.  This  lelt  onl)' 
the  line  l>etween  (jenoa  and  Salt  Lake  to  them.  In  that  same  year,  a  station 
agent  on  their  line,  near  Cira\ell\'  I'ord,  w.as  killed  h\-  the  Indians.  In  fact 
the  Indians  continued  warfare  until  18(13,  when  ( iener.d  t'ounor  \n\{  a  stop 
to  tlu-m  b\-   \igorous  means. 


A    HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  109 

DANCiEK    KKO.M    S.\(l\\     AND    I'l.iloH. 

TlitTc  wi'ic  jiisl  as  i^reat  dangers  to  lie  (i\erciiiiie  fmni  the  i)lay  ol  llic 
elciiiciils  as  fmin  the  Indians.  Eternal  vigilance  was  the  price  of  lile.  'i'he 
snow  laid  in  masses  nf  from  fifteen  to  twenty  feet  on  the  level  and  from 
fifty  to  sixty  feet,  in  sume  instances,  in  the  monntain  passes.  There  were 
few  hridges  and  when  the  smiws  melted  the  llnmholilt  and  Carson  valleys 
were  often  flooded  for  days  at  a  time.  The  only  way  to  get  across  was  to 
swim,  as  keeping  a  boat  anywhere  uonid  have  Ijeen  an  impossibility. 

The  use  of  snowshoes  did  awa\-  with  the  difficulties  of  getting  oser  the 
deep  snows,  at  least  iiartially.  In  the  s])ring  of  1S53  l-'red  Bi.shop  and  a 
Mr.  Dritt  carried  the  mail  in  this  manner,  their  trips  alternating.  Both  used 
the  Canadian  snowshoe.  These  two  were  succeeded  in  the  work  I)}-  George 
I'iercc  and  julni  ,\.    Thompson. 

The  latter  was  such  an  expert  tliat  his  sdhricpiet  was  "Snowshoe  Thomp- 
son." He  had  learned  this  plan  of  traveling  in  his  native  country.  Norway, 
and,  of  course,  wore  the  style  of  snowshoe  used  in  that  country :  he  was  the 
first  to  use  that  stvle.  They  were  about  ten  feet  in  length,  turning  u\)  in 
the  friMit  like  skates,  and  were  about  five  or  six  inches  in  width  and  one 
and  a  half  inches  in  thickness;  they  were  generallx'  made  from  the  fir  tree. 

Stories  of  his  fe.ats  while  carrying  the  mail  between  Genoa  and  Placer- 
\ille  remain  as  a  jjart  of  the  historv  of  earlv  times.  He  had  heard  of  the 
great  difficulty  ex])erienced  in  getting  the  mails  acrf)ss  the  mountains  in  the 
dead  of  winter:  he  remembered  the  snowshoes  of  his  boyhood  and  made  a 
pair.  After  giving  them  a  trial  he  ajjplied  for  the  jol)  and  secured  it.  He 
made  his  first  trip  in  January,  1856,  taking  only  three  days  to  go  from  Placer- 
ville  to  Carson  valley.  The  mail  weighed  from  sixty  to  eighty  pounds  and 
was  carried  in  mail  l^ags. 

Thompson  carried  mail  all  winter,  never  wearing"  an  overcoat  or  carry- 
ing blankets.  He  looked  upon  them  as  unnecessary  incumbrances,  and  when 
he  could  not  travel  at  night  cut  down  .some  spruce  limbs  and  used  them 
for  a  bed.  }ie  would  find  some  dead  ])ine  stum])  and  set  fire  to  it  and  lie 
down  by  it  on  his  spruce  bed.  .\nd  not  once  was  he  lost.  He  was  never 
diverted  by  the  swirling  snow  or  the  rainy  mists,  but  went  on  his  way  se- 
renely. ]n  fact  he  seemed  to  love  to  be  out  in  the  fiercest  storms.  So  greatly 
did  he  tax  his  enormous  strength  that  he  literally  wore  himself  out  and  died 
a  comparatively  young  man.  He  died  in  May,  1876,  twenty  years  after  his 
initial  mail  trip,  only  forty-seven  years  of  age.  He  participated  in  se\eral 
Indian  fights  in  the  '60s,  the  whites  being  victors  every  time, 

THE   PIONEER   STAGE   LINE. 

The  first  stage  line  was  established  in  the  summer  of  1857  by  Colonel 
y.    B.    Crandall.    running  between   Placerville   and   Genoa.      The\'   made   tri- 


no  A  HISTORY  OF  NF.VADA. 

weekly  lrii)>  ami  carried  ihc  "Carson  \'alley  Express."  ihe  nianai;er  beint;- 
Tlieixlore  V.  Tracy.  E.  W.  Tracy  was  the  agent  at  Placervillc.  and  at  (ienoa 
the  agents  were  Major  Ormsby  and  Mr.  Smith. 

In  Tune.  if^^J.  anotlier  line  was  established,  or  rather  stations  were 
adiled  on  this  route.  l)etween  Elacerville  and  Genoa;  at  Silver  Creek.  Cary's 
Mill.  Brockliss"  Bridge  and  Sportnian's  Hall.  This  was  known  as  the  "Pio- 
neer State  Line,"  and  was  the  one  connecting  at  Genoa  witli  the  mail  route 
established  by  Woodard  and  Chorpening. 

THE    0\"EUL.\XI)    MAIL. 

It  was  not  long  before  a  semi-weekly  line  ol  stages  was  put  into  service 
between  Sacramento  and  Cienoa.  and  to  the  new  operators.  Lewis  Brady  & 
Company,   Crandall  transferred  the  Pioneer  State  Line. 

.\  brother  of  Mr.  Chorpening.  the  mail  route  contractor,  had  secured 
the  contract  to  carry  the  mail  from  Placerville  to  Salt  Lake,  and  this  line 
was  to  connect  at  Salt  Lake  Cit}'  with  the  regular  overland  mail  to  St. 
Joseph.  This,  of  course,  changed  conditions  greatl}-  and  travel  on  this  route 
into  Carson  increased.  Lender  this  new  system  the  first  coach  left  Placer- 
ville on  June  5.  1858.  and  the  first  overland  mail  stage  arrived  in  Placerville 
on  Ah>nda_\'.  July  19.  of  that  year,  at  ten  o'clock  in  the  evening.  The  coach 
1)rought  both  ])assengers  and  mail,  and  its  arri\al  was  greetetl  by  an  outburst 
of  i)ul)lic  enthusiasm.  Bon-fires,  general  illumination  and  s]jeeches  testified 
to  the  new  liopes  aroused  by  the  Overland  Mail's  coming.  Crowds  gathered 
and  speeches  1)y  S.  W.  Sanderson.  G.  D.  Hall  and  D.  K.  Xewell  were  lis- 
tended  to.  A  fine  Ijalloon  was  sent  up  by  Dr.  Pettitt  as  a  testimonial  of  his 
joy. 

It  was  not  l)y  an\-  means  sniootii  traxeling  for  the  Oxerland  Mail,  for 
just  as  many  difficulties  beset  its  path  as  the  first  mail  carriers  had  c.k- 
])erienccrl.  Danger  from  Indian  attacks  was  just  as  much  to  be  feared  as 
ever,  and  so  dangerous  was  the  road  as  far  as  tiie  Big  Meadows,  near  the 
.Sink  of  the  Jlumboldt  consi'lered.  thai  guards  liad  to  be  engaged  as  far 
as  that  point.  .\t  that  place  the  coach  went  on  unguarded  and  the  guards 
returned  with  the  wfest-lxjund  coaches.  .Mr.  Lindsay  and  Mr.  Rightmire  were 
the  first  guards  employed.  They  otten  came  across  emigrants  in  deadly  fear 
not  only  of  the  Indians,  but  Moinions  lleeing  from  Salt  Lake,  fearing  the 
.Mormons  of  that  city  were  pursuing  them. 

On  the  5th  of  Se])tember.  183S.  Mr.  Lindsay,  one  t'i  the  lirsl  guards. 
returned  Ui  Placervillc.  with  just  a  jHirtion  of  the  Salt  Lake  m.iil  of  .\ugust 
i6lh.  and  the  mail  which  left  there  .\ugust  -'3rd.  lie  repoitcd  tliat  on  the 
night  of  .August  joth  the  Shoshone  Indians,  in  quite  a  large  liand.  ha<l  at- 
tacked the  mail  coach  and  had  stani])eded  the  stage  horses,  which  the\'  had 


A   niSTOR^'  OF  NI'LVADA.  Ill 

ilrixi'ii  'A'(.  All  tliinu,iL;b  llic  ni,L;lit  tlic  i^uarils  liail  sta\  (.■(!,  wiili  tin-  mil 
iha'lor,  anil  ,i^narik'il  tlu'  mail,  liul  when  inorniiii^'  came  tliey  saw  thai  the 
Inilians  were  in  sncli  Idrce  i1k'\'  eimlil  nut  remain  with  tlie  maeli  in  salct)', 
so  tlie_\-  tiMik  til  tile  iiKiiintains.  Afterwards  the  coach  was  found,  in  small 
pieces,  the  mail  ha.t^s  rijiped  o])en.  and  letters  scattered  in  every  direction. 
The  latter  were  gathered  up  and  taken  to  I'lacerville.  This,  coupled  with 
other  outrages,  led  the  L'nited  States  government  to  take  measures  to  pre- 
vent such   interference   with   the  mail. 

On  Septemlier  20,  185S,  the  Overland  stage,  coming  with  mail  and  pas- 
sengers from  Salt  Lake,  lirought  the  more  than  welcome  news  that  L'nited 
States  troops  liad  been  ordered  forward  from  Utah  to  protect  the  emigrants 
and  mail.  On  October  i^tli  the  Overland  mail  came  in  on  horseback  in  ad- 
vance of  the  stage,  whicli  had  been  delayed.  The  news  came  in  this  mail 
that  Dr.  b'ornev,  the  Indian  agent  for  Utah,  was  at  Gravelly  Ford  and  w-as 
working  with  the  Shoshones. 

l-'inaliy  the  Indians  were  argued  into  a  more  peaceable  state  of  mind, 
and  the  mails  came  in  on  time,  good  time  being  made.  The  Overland 
mail  brought  in  letters  ten  days  in  advance  of  the  ocean  steamers,  and  in 
consecpieuce  die  jjublic  began  to  ])atronize  the  stage  line.  'Idie  largest  amount 
of  mail  e\er  ship])e(I  by  the  mail  coach  was  on  April  23,  1859,  when  five 
hundred  pounds  were  sent  east. 

It  had  been  reported  that  a  new  and  shorter  stage  route  was  to  be  sur- 
veyed, and  in  June,  1859,  Caiitain  Simpson,  of  the  United  States  Topo- 
graphical Engineers,  surveyed  a  new  route  running  from  Camp  Floyd  to 
Cicnoa,  which  it  was  thought  would  shorten  the  route  used  then  by  about 
three  hundred  miles.  By  the  old  Humboldt  route  the  distance  from  Camp 
Floyd  to  Genoa  was  said  to  be  eight  hundred  and  fifty-four  miles:  the 
Simpson  survey,  it  was  said,  would  cut  this  down  to  fi\e  hundred  and  si.xty- 
I'lve  miles.  All  necessary  preparations  were  made  and  the  com])anv  prepared 
to  move  down  on  the  Simpson  route.      This  the\'  did  the  winter  following. 

Lewis  Brady  &  Company  secured  the  contract  to  carry  the  mails  carried 
by  the  agents  of  the  Chorpening  route,  they  having  neglected  to  call  for  the 
mail  at  Placerville  in  October,  1859.  They  carried  it  then  until  March,  i860, 
when  Chorpening  got  it  back,  agreeing  to  carry  it  with  four-horse  teams. 

A  new  stage  line  was  started  in  October,  1859,  liy  Judge  Child  and  J. 
A.  Thompson,  to  run  tri-weekly  Ijetween  Genoa  and  Placerville.  Thev  used 
coaches  as  far  as  Strawberrv-  Valley  and  from  there  on  to  Car.son  V^alley 
they  used  two  fine  sleighs  with  three  seats,  the  first  ever  used  on  this  mountain 
road.     They  commenced  to  use  them  in  December  of  1859. 

In  the  following  spring  the  "Pioneer  State  Line"  sold  out  to  Louis  I\Ic- 
Lane,  then  running  between  Placerville  and  Genoa.     JMcLane  the  next  year 


11-'  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

SI  lid  nut  III  Wells.  Fargo  &  Company,  and  this  gave  the  latter  cnnipanx-  the 
entire  route  to  Salt  Lake.  McLane  had  had  serious  opposition  in  running 
the  line.  A.  J.  Rhodes  ha\ing  started  an  opposition  line  Ijetween  Placerville 
and  Carson  Citv.  via  Genoa.  He  had  reduced  the  fare  from  forty  dollars 
to  twentx'  dollars,  rend,  using  six-horse  teams,  was  enahled  to  cut  down  the 
time  some  eight  or  ten  hours.  He  ran  this  from  i860  to  1862  and  then  sold 
to  McLane.  pledging  himself  not  to  start  another  opposition  line. 

THE    POXY    EXI'R?:SS. 

If  there  was  one  line  better  remembered  tlian  the  others  of  that  far  away 
time,  it  was  tlie  famous  Pony  Express,  started  in  the  spring  of  i860.  It 
was  organized  by  Jones.  Russel  &  Company.  It  was  put  in  operation  Iiy  ^\  . 
W.  Finney,  who  organized  the  line  between  Sacramento  and  Salt  Lake.  All 
matter  came  to  Sacramento  from  San  Franci.sco  by  steamer,  and  at  the  former 
citv  it  was  met  Iiy  a  man  on  horsel>ack.  who  followed  the  old  emigrant  route 
o\er  the  Sierras  until  Carson  \'alley  was  reached,  and  from  there  the  Simp- 
son route  was  followed.  This  mute  led  east  through  Churchill  county  desert, 
crcjssing  the  Reese  river  at  Jacobsville:  then  northeast  to  Ruby  \'alle_\-  and 
then  southeast,  passing  out  through  Deep  Creek  around  the  south  end  of 
Salt  Lake  to  Salt  Lake  City. 

Th.is  Pony  Express  took  only  three  and  one-iialf  days  to  cover  the  dis- 
tance between  Sacramento  and  Salt  Lake  City.  Relays  were  provided  every 
twenty-fi\e  miles  and  each  rider  had  to  co\-er  seventy-fi\e  miles  each  shift. 
He  was  given  onl\'  two  minutes  to  change  horses  at  each  relay  station,  and 
the  riders  generally  made  about  nine  miles  an  hour.  Thirteen  days  1)etween 
San  Francisco  and  Xew  York  was  the  schedule  time,  going  \ia  St. 
Joseph,  Missouri. 

Five  dollars  per  letter  was  charged,  and  the  first  express,  which  left 
Sacramento  April  4.  i860,  at  2:45  P-  "!••  carried  fiftv-six  letters  from  San 
P'raneisco.  thirteen  from  Sacramento  and  one  from  i'lacerxille.  The  hrst 
express,  from  the  other  end  of  the  line.  Xew  ^'ork.  reached  .*^acramento  on 
.\pril  13,  i8()0.  Eight  letters  only  were  l)rought.  Ten  da\  s'  time  was  con- 
sumed between  St.  Joseph  and  Sacramento. 

When  the  third  ex])ress  came  in  it  brought  all  kinds  of  new  ■-.  from  a 
prize  light  in  London  to  the  adjovunmcnt  of  the  Democratic  national  con- 
vention at  Charleston.  South  Carolina,  to  meet  at  P.altimore  the  next  June, 
as  there  had  been  no  decision  regarding  the  presidential  nominee.  When 
the  I'ony  Express  brought  the  lirst  message  of  President  Lincoln  tlicy  made 
tiic  record  time,  coming  from  St.  Joseph  to  Carson  City  in  li\e  days  and 
eighteen  hours,  covering  1,780  miles.  Double  sets  of  horses  were  made,  with 
fresli  horses  Ijetween  stations. 


A  lllSTOKV  OF  NEVADA.  113 

THE   OVERLAND   MAIL    STAGE. 

Ill  tlie  year  1X59  anticipated  trouljles  along  the  southern  Hue,  owing- 
to  tiie  war  of  the  rclx;llion,  caused  the  transfer  of  the  Southern  and  Daily 
Overland  Mail  to  the  Central  or  Simpson  route.  The  Southern  line  had 
been  established  that  year  to  go  through  northern  Texas  and  to  California. 
The  transcontinental  telegraph  line  was  also  built  along  the  Simpson  route. 
It  was  started  in  1851J  and  completed  in  September  of  1861. 

Before  this  telegraph  line  was  constructed  the  portion  of  telegraph  line 
between  Placerville  and  Virginia  City  had  been  built  and  operated  by  the 
"Placerville  and  Humboldt  Telegraph  Company,"  and  this  was  more  pop- 
ularly known  as  the  "Bee's  Grapevine  Line."  It  had  been  planned  and  built 
by  Colonel  F.  A.  Bee.  It  was  the  cause  oi  much  merriment  and  a  great  deal 
of  annoyance.  On  the  mountains  the  wire  was  attached  to  trees  instead  of 
to  poles  and  when  the  wind  struck  the  trees  it  would  stretch  the  wires,  and 
nearly  all  the  time  the  wire  laid  along  the  ground  in  divers  places.  Another 
thing  whkh  caused  troul)le  was  the  taking  of  wire  by  teamsters  whenever 
a  piece  was  needed  in  repair  work.  They  seemed  to  regard  it  as  their  right 
to  cut  out  a  piece  of  wire  any  place  almig  the  line. 

When  a  message  was  delayed  it  was  transferred  to  the  Pony  Express, 
wliich  thus  beat  the  telegraph  in.  The  news  of  the  first  election  of  Presi- 
dent Lincoln,  and  also  his  first  message,  was  delayed  in  this  way  and  then 
taken  m  by  the  Pony  Express  ahead  df  the  telegraphic  news.  But  things 
changed  greatly  for  the  better  with  the  transfer  of  the  Southern  0\erland 
Mail  to  the  Simpson  or  Central  route.  Mail  facilities  were  improx'ed,  new 
roads  were  built  and  old  ones  im.proved  so  that  heavy  loads  could  be  carried 
over  them  in  good  time.  Across  the  Sierra  two  toll  roads  were  built,  one 
called  the  Dutch  Flat  and  the  other  the  Placerville,  the  former  also  known 
as  the  Donner  Lake  road.  These  last  two  roads  were  built  so  that  teams 
could  pass  on  any  part  oi  the  road.  In  c(inse(|uence  the  Overland  stage  could 
run  with  perfect  regularity. 

With  the  great  discovery  of  the  CVnnstock  ami  the  increase  of  poi>ula- 
tioii  at  Virginia  City,  competing  lines  of  stages  were  started,  as  quick 
trips  had  to  be  made  from  Virginia  Cit}'  to  Sacramento.  The  Pioneer  line 
made  the  trip  on  F^ebruary  20,  1864,  in  less  than  twenty-four  hours.  The 
record  time  was  made  on  June  20,  1864.  The  Larue  line  on  that  date  made  the 
trip  from  Virginia  City  to  Sacramento  in  twelve  hours  and  twenty-three 
minutes,  carrying  not  only  the  mail  but  three  passengers,  S.  Cook,  William 
M,  Lent  and  John  Skae.  The  three  passengers  had  chartered  the  coach 
and  were  determined  to  cut  down  the  record. 

It  was  not  long  before  the  0\erland  line  had  to  add  new  stations  all 
along  the  route,  and   in  the  spring  of    1865  they   had  thirteen  stations  be- 


114  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

tween  \  irginia  Lit)-  and  Austin,  a  distance  of  one  Inindred  and  ei!.;Iit\  miles, 
using  eiglit  (lri\ers.  fifteen  coaches  and  mud  wagons  and  sevcnty-eiglit 
horses.  Froni  .Austin  to  Salt  l.ake  the  companv  used  twenty-drivers,  one 
liiuidred  and  ninety  horses  and  sixt\'  wagons,  coxering  the  thirt\'-si.\  stations. 
This  was  the  Western  division,  and  it  uas  owned  l)\  the  Overland  Mail  and 
Stage  Comjiany.  The  Eastern  di\ision  was  owned  hv  New  Yovk  men. 
Ben  Holladay  lieing  their  manager.  This  covered  the  distance  from  Salt  Lake 
to  the  eastern  terminus,  1,220  miles. 

THE     0VERL.\X1)     ST.XCK     l-AR.M. 

All  these  years  the  Mormons  had  heen  charging  the  Oserland  Stage 
Company  the  highest  prices  for  hay,  grain  and  provisions,  and  at  last  the 
company  reljelled.  They  set  about  establishing  a  farm,  selecting  Ruby  valley 
as  the  best  place  for  their  experiment.  Success  was  theirs  from  the  start,  and 
by  spring,  1865,  they  had  their  farm  so  well  dexeloped  that  one  Inuidred 
men,  thirty  plows  and  ninety  yoke  of  oxen  were  employed,  and  ninety 
thousand  pounds  of  grain  were  sowed.  Wdien  harvest  time  came  they  had 
8,575  bushels  of  barley,  8,745  Ijushels  of  oats,  1,655  bushels  of  potatoes, 
1,854  bushels  of  turnips,  1,000  bushels  of  carrots  and  78  bushels  of  beets. 
.\nd  thus  the  first  farm  was  established  in  eastern   Nevada. 

0\EKL.\M)  TELEGR.M'll    l.l.XE. 

F(jr  .some  tune  telegraphy  struggled  along  without  making  much 
progress.  The  Placerville  and  Humboldt  line  was  commenced  in  Placer- 
ville,  July  4,  1858:  tlie  line  reached  Genoa  that  fall,  and  Carson  City  in 
the  .spring  of  1859;  \'irginia  City  was  not  reached  until  i8()0,  and  Salt 
Lake  until  the  fall  ol  1861.  The  money  came  from  private  sources  and 
freqtient  appeals  had  been  made  to  secure  first  state,  then  national  aid,  so 
as  to  admit  of  extension.  Nothing  came  of  it  until  June.  i8C)0,  when  an  act 
was  i)assed  by  Congress,  directing  an  ad\ertisemcnt  by  tiic  secretary  of  the 
lreasur\-  for  sealed  i)roposals  for  "the  use  of  the  government"  of  a  line  of 
telegrai)h.  to  be  constructed  in  a  period  of  two  years,  from  JuK  _:;  1 .  i8(«),  from 
some  point  on  the  west  line  of  Missouri  to  San  Francisco,  for  ten  years' 
period,  'i'he  secretary  was  instructed  to  give  the  contract  to  the  lowest 
bidder,  the  sum  not  to  be  more  than  $40,000  per  year.  The  Pacific  coast 
companies  united  to  .secine  this  contract  ami  the  result  was  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Overland  Telegra])h  Line,  the  capital  being  $1,250,000.  James 
Gamble  was  given  supervision  over  the  entire  line.  Edward  Creighton  had 
charge  of  construction  from  Salt  Lake  to  Omaha:  James  Street  from  Salt 
Lake  to  Ruby  Valley;  J.  M.  Ilubtiaid  from  l\ul>y  \';dley  to  Carson.  Horace 
Carpentier  had  charge  from  Placerville  to  .Salt  Pake  as  general  sujicrin- 
tendcnt. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  11-') 

On  May  27,  1861,  operations  were  commenced  by  Mr.  GaniMe's  con- 
struction train  of  thirty  wagons  leaving-  Sacramento  and  so  perfectly  was 
tile  work  planned,  tnoether  witli  tlie  fact  tliat  tiiey  did  not  stop  for  any- 
thing, storms  or  !>ad  roads,  that  less  tiian  four  months  from  its  commence- 
ment the  great  enterpiise  had  reached  completion.  On  September  22nd  the 
first  message  came  over  the  wires,  the  news  of  the  Union  defeat  at  Ball's 
Bluff.  Virginia,  and  the  death  of  Colonel  E.  D.  Baker.  United  States  senator 
from  Oregon.  The  telegraph  line  was  built  along  the  central  route  through 
Nevada  and  operated  in  connection  with  the  Overland  Stage  and  Mail  line 
until  the  Overland  Railway  was  finished,  on  May  13,  1869,  when  both  were 
taken  away  and  the  route  abandoned. 

STAGE   LINES    IN    1 88 1. 

The  Overland  Mail  and  Stage  line  being  withdrawn  and  its  place  sup- 
plied by  the  Overland  Railway,  things  of  course  changed  greatly.  In  the  in- 
terior, stages,  well  equipped,  ran  between  the  mining  camps  and  towns,,  there 
l>eing  no  railroad  lines  in  operation.  In  the  year  1881  the  following  stages 
were  run  from  the  different  towns  and  camps: 

I'"rom  Reno,  two  dailv,  one  to  Susanville,  California,  and  the  other  to 
Fort  Bidwell  in  California,  ending  at  Willow  Ranch,  thirteen  miles  west. 

From  Rye  Patch  to  Vanderwater  and  to  Union villc.  tri- weekly,  carry- 
ing mail. 

From  Mill  City  to  Dun  Glen,  semi-weekly. 

From  Winnemucca  north,  two  daily  lines:  one  carrying  mail  to  Boise, 
Idaho,  and  the  other  to  Spring  City. 

From  Battle  Mountain,  a  daily  stage,  to  Mountain  City. 

From  Cornucopia,  a  tri-weekly  line. 

From  Battle  Mountain,  a  tri-weekly  line  to  Lewis. 

Form  h'.lko  to  Tuscainni,  daily,  connecting  with  the  Battle  Mountain 
line. 

J'Vom   Palisade  to    P)ullion.   ;i  triweekly  stage. 

From  P31ko  a  circuitous  route  covering  many  towns,  to  Eureka,  and  the 
stage  over  it  left  weekly. 

From  Eureka  to  Belmont,  a  daily. 

From  Morey  to  Duckwatcr,  weekly. 

Osceola  east,  connecting  with  the  Utah  Southern  at  l'"risco.  triweekly. 

From  Pioche  to  Hiko,  semi-weekly. 

From  Pioche  through  Bullionville,  Panaca  and  Clover  Valley,  daily 
east  to  connect  with  the  Utah  Southern.  From  Pioche  to  Mineral  Park, 
Arizona,  connecting  with  the  line  running  to  Yuma,  tri-weekly. 


116  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

From  Spruce  ]\h)unlaiii  Ui  Arllnir  ami  Kuby  Valley,  weekly,  carrying 
mail. 

From  .Alpha  tu  Mineral  Hill,  daily. 

Eureka  to  Pioclie.  gning  so  as  to  cover  215  miles,  tri-weekly. 

From   Hamilton   to   Elierhanlt   and  Treasure  City,   tri-weekly. 

From  Wells  to  Hamilton,  liy  a  route  covering  216  miles,  tri-weekly. 

From  Genoa  to  Monitor  and  Silver  Mountain  in  California,  a  tri-weekly 
mail,  the  mail  being  carried  by  a  special  supply  line  between  sexeral  points. 

From    Walker   River   to   Coleville,    weekly,    carrying   mail. 

I'l'om  Carson  Cil)'  there  were  man\'  lines;  one  daily  to  Glenbrook,  (jne 
daily  to  Aurora  and  to  other  smaller  points. 

From  Aurora  to  Bodie,  California,  daily;  fmm  .\urora,  also  daily,  to 
Southern  California,  -passing  through  Mono  and  Inyo  counties  and  con- 
necting with  the  .Southern  Pacific  Railroad. 

F"rom  Aurora  daily  to  Columbus. 

From  Columbus  to  Montezuma,   semi-weekly. 

From  Mason  Valley  to  Aurora,  tri-weekly. 

From  Dayton  to  Wellington,  tri-weekly. 

From  Wadsworth  to  Belmont,  co\ering  many  points  ami  making  the 
route  248  miles  in   length. 

From  Austin,  the  terminus  of  the  Xe\ada  Centi"al  Railroad,  to  Canda- 
laria,  tri-weekly. 

FTom  Austin  to  Belmont,  tri-weeklv. 

Nearly  all  these  stages  carried  mail  and  were  most  important  ad- 
juncts; in  f.'ict  the  stages  and  the  express  compruiies  ha\e  pl;i\e(l  a  luost 
im])ortant  part  in  the  development  of  the  great  state  of  Nevada.  The  stage 
naturally  followed  the  fate  of  the  mining  cainps,  for  as  soon  as  a  new  dis- 
covery was  made,  people  rushed  in  and  a  stage  must  rush  also,  to  carry  pas- 
sengers and,  above  all,  the  mail.  People  at  this  late  date  can  scarcely  imagine 
how  eagerly  the  mail  was  looked  for  by  the  prospector  and  pioneer.  The 
fir.st  thing  arranged  for,  when  a  new  settlement  started,  would  be  the  mail, 
a  pelitidu  being  sent  as  soon  as  possible  to  the  governinenl ;  ;uid  the  gov- 
ernment in  those  days  responded  quickly,  granting  subsidies  and  contracts 
for  mail  canying  at  once,  without  the  red  tape  of  these  later,  more  civilized 
days.  Sometimes,  but  not  often,  this  generosity  was  meanly  rewarded,  the 
privileges  being  abused  in  nian\  wavs.  Often  the  mining  bourn  would  col- 
lapse suddenly  at  some  puint  .and  the  stage  wnuld  be  .abandoned  or  placed 
on  some  other  route. 

So  rapid  was  the  rise  and  I'.all  i>f  some  of  the  mining  cam]>s  that  s])eedily 
as  the  government  acted,  the  a])plicatinn  Idr  :i  postoftice  would  scarcely  be 
granted  when  there  would  be  a  gener.al  cmkIus.     But  if  the  p.arenlal  go\-ern- 


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A  ITTSTORV  OF  NEVADA.  117 

ment  snniclinics  failed  Ihcni  tliey  knew  they  eould  always  fall  liack  u])on  the 
"Wells,  Fargo  &  Company  Ex]3ress,"  which  was  making  itself  a  power  in 
the  davs  of  gold.  No  matter  how  inaccessihle  the  place,  if  there  w'ere  letters 
(ir  giild  dust  or  bullion  to  be  sent,  some  emissary  of  the  company  stood  ready 
to  bear  them  to  the  outer  world.  Tn  fact  the  company  seemed  to  always 
have  a  man  ready  to  go  with  the  rush,  anywhere  and  everywhere.  And 
these  messengers  were  always  faithful  and  pmnipt;  the  company  only 
charged  from  two  to  seven  cents  more  ]ier  letter  than  the  government  and  in 
time  they  did  the  principal  carrying.  To  them  was  intrusted  nearly  all 
the  bullion  of  the  countr}-,  and  so  faithful  a  record  was  kept  of  all  trans- 
actions that   their  statistics  ha\-c  t)ect)nie  the  authoritx'  for  e\-ervone. 


CHAFTER  XIV. 

Waters  of  Nevada. 

One  of  the  greatest  dr:nvbacks  to  the  rajiid  settlement  of  Nevada  has 
been  the  scarcity  of  water,  a  scarcity  which  can  onl_\-  l)e  overcome  by  means 
of  irrigation.  The  few  rivers  are  small  in  size  and  very  few  in  numljer,  the 
largest  and  most  important  l>eing  the  Humlioldt  river.  The  Truckee  river, 
the  Walker,  Carson,  Amargosa  are  next  in  point  of  size,  while  the  Little 
Flumboldt,  llie  Reese,  the  Little  Truckee  and  similar  streams  are  simply 
tributar}-  to  the  large  rivers,  if  any  can  be  so  designated,  for  they  are  large 
only  by  comparison  in  the  state  of  Nevada. 

Of  these  rivers  only  two  are  at  all  navigable;  the  Carson  lieing  used 
principally  in  floating  cord  wood  down  to  Virginia,  Carson  and  other  points. 
The  Colorado  is  navigable  in  spots.  'J'here  is  only  one  river  which  reaches 
the  ocean,  the  Owyhee,  and  this  goes  by  way  of  Snake  river  and  the  Columbia 
river.  That  there  should  be  a  scarcity  of  water  seems  strange  when  one 
remembers  the  mighty  volumes  of  water  which  gather  upon  the  eastern 
slope  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  other  ranges  of  mountains  dividing  and 
sulxlivi.ding  the  state.  But  when  these  waters  reach  the  l)ase  of  the  various 
mountains  they  are,  for  the  greater  jiart.  absorbed  bv  the  soil,  the  balance 
discharging   into   the   lakes   and   rivers. 

Many  of  the  rivers  are  formed  from  .springs,  and.  man v  from  the  melted 
snow  of  the  mountains.  Many  of  the  creeks  are  curious,  in  that  they  sud- 
denly appear  on  the  surface,  coming  ap])arently  from  nowhere,  but  none  the 
less  eagerly  welcomed.  They  will  go  merrily  on  their  way,  singing  and 
dancing,  with  the  waters  as  cold  and  refreshing  as  ice  water,  then  suddenly, 
apparently  gone  forever,  the  waters  disappear.     For  long  distances  the  bed 


118  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

of  the  creek  will  be  entirel}-  ilrv,  and  then  there  comes  the  glint  of  the 
water  and  on  it  flows  sereneh',  until  it  takes  a  n(ilion  to  again  disapjiear. 
Very  few  of  the  smaller  rivers  and  creeks  ha\e  a  continuous  course. 

At  first  when  the  water  leaves  the  hase  of  the  mountains  it  moves 
rapidly,  and  lieing  large  in  volume  has  great  strength  and  rapid  currents. 
But  this  is  only  for  the  moment,  for  soon  they  dwindle  down,  then  all  at 
once  are  gone  forever.  Yet  small  as  thc\-  are,  they  are  of  inestimable  value 
to  the  farmer,  for  every  drop  p<issil)le  is  used  for  irrigation. 

nf.vaha's  large.st  kuer. 

The  Humlinldt  river  is  the  only  one  flowing  from  east  to  west  through 
the  Great  Basin  and  the  Central  Pacific  Railway  that  follows  its  course  for 
many  miles,  nearly  its  entire  course.  The  emigrants  followed  through  the 
valley  made  by  the  Humboldt,  the  old  route  to  California.  The  Humlx)ldt 
rises  in  the  Goose  Creek  Range,  about  7.000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea, 
and  from  the  northeast  of  the  state  runs  in  a  southwesterly  direction  somt 
three  hundred  miles.  It  finally  emjities  into  Humboldt  lake,  Avhich  is  on  the 
lx)rder  of  Humboldt  and  Churchill  counties.  Here  it  is  about  4,100  feet 
aJjove  sea  level. 

The  path  over  which  the  Humboldt  wends  its  way  is  dreary  enough  to 
discourage  it  completely,  for  it  goes  over  desert  land,  sandy  plains,  with  not 
a  trace  of  vegetation  save  where  the  river  has  gently  touched  the  sandy 
plains  into  life,  resembling  a  green  ribbon  winding  through  a  land  of  desola- 
tion. In  summer  the  banks  are  beautiful  to  look  at,  but  the  mosquitoes,  gnats 
and  flies  make  lingering  undesiralilc  when  it  can  be  avoided. 

The  Little  Humboldt  rises  in  the  Cotton  Range,  about  one  hundred  miles 
north  of  the  Humboldt;  it  flows  south  as  far  .is  Paradise  valley,  striving  with 
might  and  main  to  reach  the  Humboldt,  but  it  loses  the  way  and  disajjpears 
from  view  in  the  hot  sand.  The  Reese,  a])parently  starts  on  the  same  errand; 
after  it  rises  from  its  source  in  the  Toixabe  Range,  some  two  hundred  miles 
south  of  the  Humboldt,  it  is  a  m.agnitlcent  river  for  alxnit  one  hundred 
miles.  It  has  a  current  of  great  rapidity  and  strength,  until  just  l>efore 
it  reaches  Jacobsville  in  Lander  count}',  and  when  it  passes  there  it  is  a 
feeble  stream,  vanishing  entirely  some  forty  miles  beyond  that  city.  There 
is  a  legend  e.xtant  to  the  effect  that  several  times,  when  there  had  l)een  a 
great  fall  of  both  snow  and,  later,  rain,  the  Reese  did  manage  to  reach  the 
Humboldt,  but  no  one  can  state  that  thc\  themselves  ever  saw  the  phenom- 
enon. Where  the  Reese  disappears  at  the  lower  end  of  the  valley  it  certainly 
had  cause  to  try  to  get  away,  even  if  bv  means  of  total  annihilation,  for 
the  land  is  almrvst  utterl)-  barren,  .ind  for  ;ni\  ])urpose  useless.  The  timber 
is  nolbiiig  le.'dK    but   biiish,  .and   the  \eget;ilion   is  "conspicuous  onl\-   hv   its 


A   TTTSTORY  OF  NEVADA.  119 

absence."  "\'ct  wliou  fanners  jettled  in  tlie  ujjper  part  of  wliat  are  now 
Lander  and  Nye  counties  in  early  days,  the  desert  truly  blossomed  like  the 
rose;  the  valley  of  the  Reese  was  changed  utterly  and  made  rich  and  very 
pro(lucti\e  by  making  irrigation  ditches  and  bringing  the  water  from  the 
l^eese  and   its  manv   tributaries. 

THE     RAPID    TRl'CKEE. 

The  Truckee  ranks  next  in  point  of  size  to  the  Humboldt,  but  is  a  much 
more  rapid  stream.  It  rises  in  Lake  Tahoe.  some  6,167  ^^^^  above  the  sea 
level,  and  then  Hows  to  the  north  about  twelve  miles.  ,\t  this  ix>int  it 
Hows  into  the  Little  Truckee,  on  its  way  from  Donner  lake,  then  running 
for  sixty-nine  miles  to  the  east,  il  makes  another  turn  and  going  to  the 
north  runs  about  sixteen  miles  before  reaching  the  Pyyramid  lake  at  the 
southern  extremity  of  Roop  county.  At  the  lake  it  is  about  4,890  feet  above 
the  sea  le\el,  thus  making  a  descent  of  over  1,277  ^^^^  ''i  ninety-seven  miles. 
The  Truckee's  waters  are  the  best  in  any  stream  in  Nevada,  cold  and  very 
pure  and  clean. 

The  ui)])er  ])ortioii  of  the  Truckee  \'allcy  makes  excellent  farming  land, 
for  the  river  affords  much  moisture,  its  l)anks  are  for  man}'  miles  thickly 
covered  with  a  heavy  growth  f)f  spruce  and  pine.  These  make  excellent  shin- 
gles and  lumber.  As  mentioned  in  the  chapter  devoted  to  earl\-  emigration, 
the  Truckee  river  is  stocked  with  the  tinest  trout,  named  as  was  the  river, 
Truckee,  from  the  Indian  guide  of  1844.  There  is  one  variety,  called 
the  "Lake  Bigler  trout,"  which  delights  every  palate  and  may  be  the  one 
variety  named  Truckee  by  the  emigrants.  Fremont  called  the  Truckee  the 
"Salmon  Trout  Kixer"  from  the  fact  of  the  great  prevalence  of  that  fish 
in  the  river.  In  time  the  Truckee,  to  call  it  by  its  best  known  name,  became 
])retty  well  fished  out.  and  the  legislature  passed  a  resolution  calling  for 
the  stocking  of  the  ri\er  afresh.  This  was  done  in  1879,  McCloud  ri\er 
s;dmon  being  used  for  the  ])urpose.  Later  on,  the  Carson,  Walker.  Hum- 
boldt and  a  number  of  the  other  ri\ers  of  Newada  were  stocked  in  a  similar 
manner. 

THE   WALKER   KIVKR. 

Next  to  the  Truckee,  in  ]ioint  of  size,  is  the  Walker  river.  It  is  really 
a  zigzag  river,  for  it  runs  in  a  ver\'  roundalx)Ut  way  over  one  hundred  miles. 
It  is  formed  by  the  union  of  two  forks  which  have  their  .source  in  the  Sierra 
Nevada  Mountains.  .Mone  they  traverse  thirty  miles,  and  then  unite.  First 
they  go  to  the  north  tliirtv  miles,  then  to  the  east,  then  to  the  south  another 
thirty  miles,  finally  finding  a  resting  place  in  the  bosom  of  Walker  lake, 
fortv  miles  south  of  Carson  lake.  .Ml  through  Mason's  valley,  in  fact  along 
its  entire  course,  is  some  of  the  best  farming  land  in  the  state  of  Nevada, 


120  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

a  fact  soon  known  to  ranchers  wlio  settled  on  it.  The  Walker  was  named 
for  Joseph  Walker,  well  known  in  early  days  as  a  trapper  and  guide,  and 
who  accompanied  Fremont  in  Octolier.  1845.  on  an  expedition,  the  Path- 
finder naming-  both  lake  and  river.  Walker.  Walker  accompanied  the  Bon- 
neville expedition  in   1S33.  also. 

THE    C.\RSON    RIVER. 

This  river  was  named  Carson  by  Fremont,  in  honor  of  his  favorite  scout. 
Kit  Carson.  There  are  two  liranches.  the  East  and  West  Carson.  The  former 
is  the  main  stream,  and  rises  in  California,  in  the  Blue  lakes  in  Alpine 
count\-.  right  on  top  of  the  summit  of  the  Sierra  Nevada.  Following  a  vari- 
able course  it  wends  its  way  through  canyons  and  dense  pine  forests  down  the 
eastern  slope,  into  Carson  \-alley,  whence  it  flows  to  the  north,  and  a  few 
miles  south  of  Genoa,  in  Douglas  county,  it  is  joined  by  the  smaller  branch. 
United  they  go  to  the  northeast,  passing  through  Ormshy,  Lyon  and  Storey 
counties,  discharging  into  Carson  lake.  Both  branches  have  a  course  alto- 
gether of  less  than  two  hundred  miles.  In  some  places  it  is  wide,  but  the 
average  width  is  sixty  feet,  and  the  depth  three  to  four  feet.  This  is  taken 
as  an  average,  for  when  there  is  a  great  fall  of  snow  or  rain  it  attains 
great  depth  and  width.  It  is  fed  entirely  by  the  snow  which  melts  on 
the  Sierra  Nevada.  In  some  parts  the  land  the  river  flows  through  is  very 
fertile.  Genoa,  the  county  seat  of  Douglas  county,  is  built  in  the  valley 
of  the  Carson,  and  many  farms  create  oases  in  the  land.  Tiiere  was  at 
one  time  trouble  lietween  the  mill  men  and  the  ranchers,  the  latter  resent- 
ing the  mill  men  using  the  waters  to  run  their  mills;  for  when  the  river 
was  low  and  the  mills  in  ojjeratinn.  irrigation  was  almost  impossible,  which 
meant  great  loss  to  the  ranchers. 

A    SINGUL.\R    RTVKR. 

One  of  the  queerest  of  the  queer  rivers  of  Nevada  is  tlie  .\margosa. 
This  river  rises  in  the  Amargosa  mountains,  from  which  it  derives  its  name, 
in  the  Mountain  Spring  range.  These  mountains  are  in  the  southwest  corner 
of  Nye  county,  and  the  .\iuargosa  runs  first  in  a  southea.sterly  direction 
one  hundred  and  fifty  miles,  often  entirely  disappearing  under  ground,  to  come 
up  again  in  some  unexpected  i)lace.  It  turns  the  southern  end  of  the  range 
and  scurries  to  the  northwest,  disapiicaring  in  Dcrith  \:dk'y,  on  the  borders 
of  California.  This  is  one  hundred  .and  seventy-five  feet  below  the  sea 
level.  The  waters  are  pure  af  first,  but  it  received  its  name  Amargosa  from 
the  Spaniards,  from  the  un|)leasant  taste  its  waters  accpiire  before  disap- 
pearing. In  its  course  it  runs  o\cr  salt  ]>I;iins,  rdkali  plains  and  other  dis- 
agrecalilc  soils  until  it  i^  iiii]iossil)k'  to  drink  it. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  121 

THE    SMALLER    RIVERS. 

The  only  rivers  in  addition  to  tlie  above,  wortliy  of  Ijeing  named,  and 
they  are  not  really,  are  the  Vegas,  Rio  Virgen  and  Ouinn  rivers. 

The  first  rises  in  the  southeast  corner  of  Nevada,  somewhere  in  the 
broken  mountains  of  that  locality ;  it  loses  no  time  in  flowing  into  the  Colorado 
river.  The  Rio  Virgen  is,  as  its  name  implies,  a  pure,  cool  stream. 
When  the  Spanish  explorers  first  found  it,  on  the  Old  Spanish  Trail,  they 
were  so  delighted  to  find  it  in  that  dreary  spot  they  named  it  Rio  Virgen. 

The  Ouinn  river  transforms  a  large  area  of  land  into  rich  grazing  ground 
along  its  entire  course.  It  rises  in  the  Santa  Rosa  hills,  in  the  northwestern 
part  of  the  state,  near  the  Owyhee  mountains.  It  runs  south  for  eighty  miles 
and  then  turns  west  towards  Mud  Sink,  sometimes  into  the  Sink.  The 
\allev  it  tra\erses  is  called  Ouinn  valley. 

THE   DECEPTIVE    L.\KES. 

According  to  the  showing  on  the  maps  western  Nevada  can  boast  of 
more  water  than  land.  This  is  on  the  maps,  though.  In  reality  the  vast 
sheets  of  water  so  faithfully  depicted  are  mud  flats,  which  sometimes  are 
under  water,  if  there  are  unusual  freshets.  There  are  just  two  which  are 
navigable,  the  Pyramid  and  \Va!kcr.  The  Carson  and  Humboldt  are  large 
todies  of  water,  but  very  shallow.  These  four  lakes  are  the  goal  for  many 
rivers  and  creeks,  and  in  consequence  are  liigh  or  low,  as  the  waters  flowing 
in  them  are  small  or  rushing  torrents.  All  this  is  determined,  of  course,  by 
the  quantity  of  snow  which  has  fallen  and  melted,  or  to  the  rainfall,  though 
that  is  an  indifYerent  factor.  While  there  are  so  many  inlets,  there  is  not  one 
outlet.  The  waters  have  no  way  of  escaping  save  through  absorption,  and 
consequently  all  the  waters  of  these  lakes  become  bracki.sh  and  bitter,  salty 
and  disagreeable.  There  was  for  some  time  a  theory  which  received  cre- 
dence, to  the  effect  that  these  lakes  had  a  subterranean  outlet  or  else  i^ercolated 
through  the  rocks  to  the  ocean,  the  process  being  necessarily  very  slow. 

W.\LKER    LAKE. 

^^'^alker  lake  is  about  forty  miles  in  length,  from  north  to  south,  and 
lies  in  Esmeralda  county;  it  is  from  fi\'e  to  fifteen  miles  in  width,  and  is  fed 
by  Walker  river,  principally.  It  lies  between  great  rugged  mountains  and 
hills,  the  highest  being  Mount  Corey.  These  shield  the  lake  from  the  sudden 
and  fierce  winds  which  blow  along  the  eastern  base  of  the  Sierras.  These 
mountains  and  hills  are  almost  destitute  of  both  wood  and  water.  Where 
the  Walker  river  reaches  the  lake  there  is  a  large  area  of  fine  land.  The 
Carson  &  Colorado  Railroad  runs  along  the  eastern  shores;  there  are  many 
indentations  of  bay  and  inlets,  the  outline  of  the  lake  being  very  irregular. 
The  lake  is  navigable,  small  steamers  dotting  its  surface. 


122  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

HUMBOLDT      LAKE. 

On  tlie  line  l)et\veen  Iliiniixildt  county  and  Churcliill  county  lies  Hum- 
lioldt  lake,  into  which  the  water  of  the  river  of  the  same  name  flows.  It  is 
about  ihirtv  miles  long  and  ten  miles  wide,  ar.d  lies  4,100  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  .sea.  It  is  a  lake  l)y  courtesy,  for  it  is  merely  nothing  Init  a 
great  widening  of  the  Plnmholdt  ri\cr  at  tliis  noint ;  this  is  shown  by  tlie 
fact  that  when  there  is  extreme  iiigh  w.'iter,  the  ri\er  continues  on  through 
the  lake  liasin  anil  on  to  the  L^wer  Carson  Sink,  in  the  south. 

THE    CAR.SON     T..\KES. 

The  Lower  Carson  Sink,  into  wiiich  the  llumboldt  ri\er  flows  under 
conditions  noted  alx)vc.  is  directl\-  south  of  the  llumboldt.  ami  is  ten  miles 
in  width,  and  o\'er  twenty-live  miles  long.  The  Carson  lake  proper  receives  the 
water  from  Carson  ri\er;  when  there  is  an  extremely  wet  sea.son,  the  streams 
from  east  and  west  overflow  the  lowlands  aboul  these  lakes  and  they  go  on 
towards  each  other,  and  form  what  is  known  as  the  Low'er  Carson  Sink  or 
lake;  an  inland  sea  is  thus  created,  which  finally  covers  the  intervening  land 
until  the  two  Carson  lakes  become  one,  stretching  so  far  north  as  to  be  within 
a  few  miles  of  llumboldt.  As  stated  before,  these  lakes  have  no  outlet,  but 
so  powerfully  do  the  sun's  rays  beat  down  0,1  the  waters  that  the  lakes 
gradualh'  dr\'  out,  unlil  (fuite  small,  thus  leaving  a  large  area  of  country 
dry  and  bare. 

KRiaiONT's    I'VI^AMID    LAKIC. 

Pyramid  lake  is  justly  celebrated.  It  was  discovered  by  John  (\.  Fre- 
mont on  January  to,  1^144.  'i'hey  cam])cd  on  its  banks  for  a  day  or  so  after 
the  discovery.  It  is  the  largest  lake  lying  wholly  within  the  boundaries  of 
Nevada.  an<l  is  situated  in  the  southern  extremitx'  of  Koop  count\.  It  is 
thirtyli\e  miles  long  and  tweKe  miles  wide.  It  is  nruned  l'\ranud  because 
of  a  rock  in  the  shape  of  a  ])yr;unid  which  rises  from  the  center  of  the 
lake  some  doo  feet  abiive  llie  suri'.ice.  It  lies  amidst  the  most  picturcscjue 
scenery,  walled  in  by  sheer.  ]ireci])il(ius  niounlains.  rising  in  height  from 
2,000  to  3.000  feet,  walling  in  the  emerald  gem,  foi'  the  waters  are  of  a  green 
tinge.  The  waters  of  the  Truckee  How  into  it,  the  w.ater  being'  \crv  cold 
an<l  pure,  mostly  melted  snow.  When  the  Truckee  is  swollen  with  the  melted 
snow,  it  overflows  its  banks,  the  waters  ruiniing  ;dong  thiougli  a  cli;uinel 
to  the  northeast,  forming  another  lake,  which  has  been  given  the  name 
of  Winnemucca  lake.  When  sawmills  were  established  along  the  Truckee 
river  the  sawdust  from  them  w;is  cariicd  to  the  lake,  creating  a  shoal  which 
dams  the  outlet  of  the  river,  causing  a  larger  ;unonnt  of  \\;iter  to  lldw  into 
Winnemucca  lake,  increasing  its  depth  some  feet,  and  also  the  area. 


A  TTTSTOR^-  OF  NEVADA.  12:5 

Tlie  lake  niaile  a  great  improssicjii  (in  I'reniniit,  accustomed  as  lie  was  to 
fine  scenery.     His  account  of  his  di.scovcry  is  as  follows: 

"Beyond,  a  defile  between  the  mountains  descended  rapidly  about  2,000 
feet,  and  filling  u])  all  the  lower  space  was  a  sheet  of  green  water  some 
20  miles  broad.  It  broke  u]ion  our  eyes  like  the  ocean.  The  neigbl:Mjring 
peaks  rose  high  above  us,  and  we  ascended  one  of  them  to  obtain  a  better 
view,  and  their  dark  green  color  showed  it  to  1)€  a  deep  JMidy  of  water.  For 
a  long"  time  we  sat  enjoying  the  view,  for  we  had  become  fatigued  with 
mountains,  and  the  free  expanse  of  moving  waves  was  \ery  grateful.  It  was 
set  like  a  gem  in  the  mountains,  which,  from  our  position,  seemed  to  enclose 
it  almost  entirely.  Its  |xisition  at  first  inclined  us  to  believe  it  Mary's 
lake  (Humboldt),  but  the  rugged  mountains  were  so  entirely  discordant 
with  descriptions  of  its  low  rushy  shores  and  open  country,  that  we  con- 
cluded it  some  unknown  body  of  water,  which  it  afterwards  proved  to  be. 

"We  encamped  on  the  shore,  o])posite  a  very  remarkable  rock  in  the  lake 
which  attracted  our  attention  for  many  miles.  It  rose,  according  to  our 
estimate,  600  feet  alxjve  the  water,  and,  from  the  jxjint  we  viewe<l  it,  pre- 
sented a  pretty  exact  outline  of  the  great  pyramid  of  Cheops.  This  striking 
feature  suggested  a  name  for  the  lake,  and  I  called  it  Pyramid  lake;  and 
though  it  may  be  deemed  by  some  a  fanciful  resemblance,  I  can  undertake 
to  say  that  the  future  traveler  will  find  much  more  striking  resemblance 
between  this  rock  and  the  pyramids  of  Egypt  than  there  is  between  them 
and  the  object  from  which  they  take  their  name." 

NEVADA'.S     most     NOTKn    I..\KF.. 

Nevada  claims  one-third  of  the  most  noted  lake  i>n  the  Pacific  coast, 
and  one  now  famous  throughout  the  country.  It  lies  on  the  Sierra  Nevada, 
6,000  feet  alx^ve  the  sea  level.  It  is  about  fourteen  miles  west  from  Carson 
City,  occupying  the  westerly  ])ortions  of  Douglas,  Washoe  and  Ormsby 
counties.  California  is  fortunate  in  possessing  two-thirds  of  the  Ijeautiful 
sheet  of  water.  The  boundary  line  of  Nevada  and  California  passes  from 
the  north  to  the  center  of  the  lake,  to  the  intersection  of  the  thirty-ninth 
parallel  of  north  latitude,  and  then  di\erges  to  the  .southeast.  At  its  north 
end  are  the  celebrated  hot  springs,  lying  near  the  Ne\ada  line.  Not  far  from 
the  hot  springs  is  a  fine  spring  of  clear,  cold  water,  which  is  free  from  any 
mineral  taste.  The  lake  is  twenty-two  miles  long  and  ten  miles  wide,  the 
waters  as  clear  as  crystal  and  very  cold.  There  is  no  buoyancy  to  the 
waters,  and  as  the  depth  is  over  1,700  feet  bodies  never  rise  to  the  surface. 
In  the  summer  the  waters  at  the  edge  of  the  lake  become  very  warm,  making 
bathing  a  delight.  In  the  winter  the  edges  freeze  slightly.  The  lake  is  also 
noted  for  its  fine  trout,  large  in  size  and  df  fine  flavor. 


12i  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

The  shore  line  is  indented  witli  l)eantiful  bays  and  inlets,  and  all  along 
the  shore  villages  have  grown  up  and  summer  homes  have  been  built.  The 
lake  is  alive  with  all  kinds  of  pleasure  craft  and  steamboats  which  ply 
Ijetween  the  shores.  All  around  the  lake  and  vicinity  there  are  good  hotels, 
and  they  are  filled  to  overflowing  during  the  summer  months.  Tourists 
Tome  from  all  o\er,  it  being  the  Mecca  for  Californians. 

Six  miles  from  Tahoe  City,  on  the  west  side,  is  a  spur  of  mountains, 
and  on  each  side  of  this  spur  streams  of  water  run  into  the  lake.  To  the 
south  is  Emerald  bay,  an  inlet  four  hundred  yards  wide  at  the  mouth  and 
widening  as  it  goes  inland  until  it  forms  one  of  the  most  exquisitely  beauti- 
ful inland  harbors  in  the  whole  world.  Lake  creek  enters  Lake  Tahoe  at  the 
south  end  and  is  fed  by  the  snows  of  the  hills  to  the  south.  The  valley 
along  which  Lake  creek  wends  its  way  is  a  beautiful  valley,  green,  smiling 
meadows  and  agricultural  lands,  from  the  mountain  slope  to  tlie  lake.  To 
the  north  of  Lake  creek's  entrance,  peaks  of  the  Sierras  rise  either  side 
of  the  lake  three  to  four  thousand  feet,  and  are  covered  with  snow  two- 
thirds  of  the  year.  Lake  Tahoe  is  fed  entirely  from  the  springs  and  snows 
of  its  encompassing  nuiuntains;  its  outlet  is  the  Truckee  river  on  the  north- 
west. The  lake  is  onl\-  tweh'e  miles  from  Truckee  ;uid  fourteen  from  Car- 
son City. 

By  many  Lake  Tahoe  is  thought  to  be  a  crater  of  some  extinct  \olcano, 
the  surrounding  mountains  ])resenting  evidences  of  vulcanic  formation.  Mar- 
lette  lake  lies  to  the  northeast  of  the  rim  of  Lake  Tahoe,  and  Vir- 
ginia City  is  supplied  with  water  from  this  lake.  It  is  said  to  l>e  one  of  the 
highest  lakes  in  the  wmlil,  being  at  an  .altitude  of  1,500  feet  alxive  C  street, 
Virginia  City,  which  would  make  it  100  feet  alxJve  Lake  Tahoe  or  7,700 
feet  above  sea  level.  It  is  without  doubt  the  highest  lake  in  the  world  whose 
waters  have  been  used  to  supply  the  inhaliitants  of  city  will:  water  for 
domestic  use. 

SM.\I.L    L.\KES. 

Washoe  lake  is  ni  the  eastern  pari  of  Wa.shoe  \alley  and  covers  al)out 
six  square  miles.  Its  waters  are  very  shallow  and  taste  of  the  rdkali.  It 
is  fed  by  several  small  streams  which  come  from  the  Sierras  and  inti>  the 
valley;  here  they  sink  out  of  sight,  but  underground  find  their  way  to 
the  lake, 

Franklin  and  Ruby  l;d<es  are  on  the  east  base  oT  (be  Tlumboldt  range 
of  mountains,  in  Elko  county.  'J'hey  lie  in  the  valley  and  ,ire  reservoirs  for 
the  surplus  waters  of  the  surrounding  mountains.  .\t  high  water  they 
unite,  and  then  are  about  seven  miles  wide  .'lud  liftren  miles  long.  The 
waters  are  brackish  and  in  suiumer  are  ne,'ul\-  ;dl  e\.q>or;iti'cl.     To  (he  east 


O 
03 
C/i 

> 

7s 


A  JII.SL'OUY  OF  NEVADA.  126 

is  tlic  Gnsh-L'tc  lak-f,  nv  rather  pnnd,  and  iinrtlieasl  ui  thai   Siunv   lake,  all 
a  reproduction  of  Rul)y  and  Franklin. 

ACROSS   TilK    ],INE. 

()\er  acniss  in  Calil'i  irni;i  lie  sever.al  lakes  wliieli  fiirm  a  part  of  the 
.'ieries  of  reservoirs  on  the  rim  of  the  Great  Basin  near  the  line  of  Nevada, 
and  should,  many  think,  he  included  in  the  honndaries  of  Nevada.  Several 
were  before  the  last  survey. 

The  one  farthest  across  the  line  is  Owens  lake  in  Inyo  C(junty,  less 
than  ten  miles  from  the  state  line  of  Nevada.  It  is  very  deep  and  navigable 
for  steamers.  It  is  eighteen  miles  long  and  twelve  in  width.  It  is  slightly 
alkaline  and  has  no  outlet,  being  fed  by  the  Owens  river,  which  is  150  miles 
long.  Mono  lake  is  ten  miles  fmni  the  Nevada  line  and  is  a  peculiar,  and  in 
many  resj)ects,  unpleasant  lake.  It  has  been  sounded  to  the  depth  of  three 
hundred  feet  and  no  bottom  yet  found.  The  waters  are  acrid,  and  fish, 
frogs  nor  any  living  thing  can  exist  long  in  its  waters.  At  this  lake  the 
peaks  of  the  Sierras  leach  their  highest  altitude,  and  the  scenery  is  mag- 
nificent, almost  awe-ins])iring.     It  is  in  Mono  county. 

Honey  lake  is  ten  miles  across  the  line  and  is  a  sheet  of  water  supplied 
by  Susan.  W'illnw  and  Line  Valley  creeks;  its  waters  are  alkaline  and  very 
shallow,  so  shallow  that  in  \ery  dry  summers  they  disappear.  The  famous 
Uonner  lake,  often  mentioned  in  emigrant  days,  is  two  miles  northwest  of 
Truckee,  is  three  miles  in  length  and  one  mile  wide.  It  is  200  feet  deep, 
the  water  as  cool  and  clear  as  that  of  Lake  Tahoe.  It  is  surrounded  on 
three  sides  by  mountains  covered  with  lir,  spruce  and  pine;  its  waters  are 
discharged    into   the   Truckee  river. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

General  Geological  Features. 

Complex  Deposit  of  Minerals — Longitudinal  and  Cross  Elevations — Rich- 
thofen's  Description  of  Comstock — General  Structure  of  Comstock — 
Character  of  Quartz — Varieties  of  Ore — Peculiar  Formations  in  Each 
County — Diverse  Mineral  Features — Precious  Gems — Future  Bonanzas 
— The  Wonderful  Mountain  Ranges. 

The  geology  of  Nevada  is  interesting,  especially  so  to  those  interested 
in  her  mines  and  topography  of  the  country,  the  basins  which  for  the  most 
part  hold  the  state  presenting  a  varied  and  complex  deposit  of  minerals. 
The  topography  of  the  country  was  undoubtedl}-  fixed   in  the  time  of  the 


126  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

great  ice  age.  whicli.  while  it  did  not  funn  the  deposits  of  ores,  exjxised  tlie 
mineral  deix)sits. 

Tn  the  l>asiiis  are  vast  beds  of  Ixjrax.  .salt,  soda,  and  sulpluir.  with  the 
main-  residting  cdiiipoiinds,  remains  of  the  great  sea  once  held  in  the  embrace 
of  the  great  nmuntains  U])heaved  by  \i)lcanic  actiun.  In  southern  and  north- 
ern Xevada  this  great  sea  found  an  outlet  through  the  Colorado  and  Colum- 
bia rivers,  but  in  the  great  Utah  Basin  they  were  land-locked,  the  vast  de- 
posits of  minerals,  as  the  waters  evaporated,  gradually,  through  the  many 
geological  epochs,  changing  the  character  of  the  land.  Luckily  for  the 
human  race  of  to-day,  the  forces  of  nature  did  not  stop  at  the  elevation  of 
the  Rocky  mountains  and  the  Sierras.  1>ut  sent  up  parallel  and  shorter 
ridges  of  mountains  between  the  two,  rising  in  some  instances  over  10,000 
feet  above  sea  le\'el.  It  was  no  sudden  upheaval.  l)ut  the  slow  processes  of 
nature,  taking  century  ui«>n  century  to  do  her  work.  In  this  way  was  the 
Great  Basin  formed  and  the  Sierras  lifted  from  the  vast  sea  depths. 

It  is  due  to  the  interior  longitudinal  and  cross  elevations  l)etween  the 
Rockies  and  Sierras  that  Nevada  has  mines  far  away  from  both  the  Com- 
stock  and  Colorado  bodies  of  ore.  These  elevations  are  from  twenty  to  one 
hundred  feet  apart,  some  rising  thousands  of  feet  and  others  only  hundreds; 
the  mining  experts  dififer  as  to  the  plane  of  elevation  at  the  time  of  the  de- 
posits. Clarence  King,  Baron  Richthofen,  and  others  give  an  inclination 
to  the  slopes  at  the  time  of  the  outpour  of  propylite  ami  trachyte:  while  later 
authorities  fix  the  plane  nearer  to  horizontal.  Taking  Mount  Davidson  for 
the  axis  of  ele\'ation.  it  is  reasonable  to  suijjiose  that  elevation  and  eruption 
took  place  at  alx)Ut  the  same  time.  At  any  rate  sufficient  time  elapsed  be- 
tween the  deposit  of  propylite  and  the  trachyte  overBow  for  the  surface  of 
propylite  to  liecome  covered  with  soil ;  the  remains  of  charred  and  silicified 
timber  and  impressions  of  vegetation  are  often  to  be  met  with  in  the  up- 
turned strata. 

Clarence  King  statc^  Ih.il  Ihe  ni)hcaval  caused  numerous  fissures  and 
renis  throug'i  the  rock,  even  the  solid  syenitic  mck.  and  es])ecially  along  the 
line  of  the  junction  of  different  rocks.  'Ihiough  these  fissures  jKuired  a 
third  kind  of  lava,  dark  color,  and  known  io  miners  by  many  different 
names.  It  is  certain  it  was  erupted  after  the  elevation  of  the  mountains,  as 
it  spread  out  in  horizontal  strata  over  the  inclined  ])ropylite  ;nid  trachytes 
which  formed  the  luountains  themselves.  These  rocks  arc  often  termed 
jjorjjhyry,  meaning  a  kind  of  rock  altered  by  heat,  pressure,  or  exchange  of 
mineral  bases  so  as  to  have  crystals  of  feldspar  scattered  through  them, 
these  crystals  having  different  names.  When  ;i  ])ortion  of  the  overhanging 
wall  breaks  off  it  is  called  by  the  miners  a  p(>rpliyry  horse.  The  term  "jxir- 
l)livrv  horse"  is  only  used  to  designate  porphyry  lying  inside  ;i  ledge  between 


A  lIlSTOin    OV  NEVADA.  127 

the  iKiiis^iiiL;  aiiil  liml  \\;ill.  Il  was  diiriiiL;'  lliis  disUirhaiu-i'  the  ,i;ix'al  Cdin- 
stork  LdiIc  was  fornu'cl,  ihc  cniptimi  nf  tlic  \eiiis  hoiiii;  inlimalcly  conncc-teil 
with  the-  ilc|iiisits  nf  mincial.  Really,  a  descriplion  nf  the  ("onistock  l.ddc 
alTnrds  a  kc\-  In  the  gcnl(_>i>y  (if  Nc\'ada.  This  is  dctaik'd  at  Icns^tli  in  the 
wcii'ks  (if  C  larence  King',  Rossilcr  W.  Ra\iniiiid,  and  liarmi  l\ichlhi  ileii. 
'Ilii'ii'  acc<iuiils  will  he  interesting;  tn  thnse  wlm  ha\e  nut  read  the  liooks  or 
ha\e  not  peiscmalK'  exanunecl  the  geology  of  Nevada.  The  description  ot 
the  C'ninsliick-  will  also  _qi\-e  the  key  tn  most  of  the  Great  Basin. 

kichtiiofen's  description  of  comstock. 

"The  rans^e  of  the  Washoe  mountains  on  which  the  Comstock  vein  is 
situated  is  se])arated  from  the  steep  eastern  slope  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  by 
a  continuous  meridiaual  deijression.  marked  li\'  the  deej)  hasins  of  'i'ruckee. 
Washoe  and  Carson  \alle}S.  Its  shape  is  irregular,  though  in  general  a 
direction  from  south  to  north  m:\\'  he  traced  in  the  Summit  range.  South, 
it  slopes  gradualU-  ilowu  to  a  snuMith  tableland,  traversal  from  west  to  east 
b_\'  the  Carson  ri\er  tlowing  in  a  narrow  crevice,  beyond  which  the  Washoe 
range  continues  in  the  more  elevated  Pine  Nut  mountains.  Some  peaks  in 
the  latter  have  an  altitude  of  probably  more  than  9.000  feet.  To  the  west 
the  Washoe  mountains  sink  rapidly  beneath  the  detrital  beds  of  Washoe  and 
Truckee  valle\s,  but  are  connected  with  the  Sierra  Nevadas  by  two  low 
granite  ridges,  stretching  at  right  angles  with  its  general  course  across  the 
northern  and  southern  ends  of  Washoe  \'alley,  and  thus  isolating  the  basin. 
To  the  north  and  east  the  WaslKje  range  passes  into  a  very  extensive  moun- 
tainous region  which  has  been  but  little  explored;  while  to  the  southeast  it 
disappears  abruptly  below  one  of  the  middle  basins  of  Carson  river.  The 
width  of  the  entire  range  is  not  more  than  14  miles,  while  its  length  from 
north  to  South  is  not  determinable  on  account  of  the  scanty  knowledge  we 
]>os.sess  about  the  northern  part  of  the  country. 

"The  culiuinating  point  of  the  range  is  Mount  Davidson,  the  ele\ation 
of  which  w.as  detenuined  li\  j.  1).  Whitney,  /.H2/  feet.  The  altitude  of  the 
other  places  are:  Virginia  City,  6,205  ft'et ;  Devil's  Ciate,  5,105  feet;  while 
the  basins  to  the  west  and  south  have  the  following  ele\ations :  W'ashoe 
Lake,  5,006  feet;  Carson  City,  4,615  feet;  Dayton,  4,490  feet;  all  according 
to  barometrical  measurement  by  Professor  Whitne}'. 

"Mount  Davidson,  a  prominent  central  point,  consists  of  syenite,  a 
granitic  rock,  which  is  here  composed  of  two  kinds  of  feldspar  (orthoclase 
and  oligoclase),  hornblend  in  laminated  prisms  of  greenish  black  color,  some 
mica  and  occasionally  epidate.  but  no  quartz.  It  is  probably  a  continuation 
of  the  granitic  axis  of  the  Pine  Nut  mountriins,  and  forms,  with  the  nieta- 
morphic  rocks  which  accompany  it,  the  backbone  of  the  Washoe  mountains. 


128  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

The  latter  r()cks  join  the  syenite  to  tlie  north  and  south  and  are  intercepted 
by  dykes  of  that  rock,  thereby  proving  its  later  origin.  Lithologically,  they 
exhibit  a  great  variety:  but  they  may  be  subdivided  into  three  distinct 
groups,  one  of  which  is  of  triassic  age,  and  was  discovered  by  Professor  J. 
D.  Whitney  in  El  Dorado  canyon  near  Dayton:  this  is  the  most  recent  group 
and  its  rocks  are  ordinarily  but  little  metamorphosed.  They  are  imme- 
diately preceded  in  age  by  a  series  of  micaceous  and  quartzose  slates,  which 
usually  contain  some  beds  of  limestone.  Both  these  groups  occur  only  at 
some  distance  from  the  Comstock  vein.  Of  more  importance  for  the  latter 
is  a  third  series  of  h(jrnblendic  Turalitic)  rocks  with  inter-stratified  layers  of 
quartzite,  gray  slate  and  crystalline  layers  of  limestone,  which  is  often  accom- 
panied by  extensive  deposits  of  ciystalline  limestone,  with  extensive  deposits 
of  pure  specular  iron.  These  rocks  form  the  hills  which  flank  the  American 
Flat  to  the  west,  as  well  as  those  between  Silver  City  and  Carson.  They 
are  capped  by  an  overflow  of  quartzose  proph\ry,  and  erupti\e  rock,  which. 
howe\er,  is  of  no  importance,  e.xcept  as  forming  a  foot  wall  of  the  Justice 
vein, 

"These  rocks  form  the  ancient  series.  They  partly  preceded  and  partly 
were  contemporaneous  with  the  emergence  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  the 
Great  Basin,  and  the  entire  range  of  the  Cordilleras,  from  the  ancient  sea, 
whose  traces  are  left  in  the  saline  incrustations  and  salt  pools  at  the  bottom 
of  the  numerous  basins  between  the  Sierra  and  Rocky  mountains  which  had 
formerly  remained  filled  with  the  water  of  the  retiring  sea.  The  Washoe 
mountains  undoubtedly  formed  an  elevated  range  during  the  long  period 
which  elapsed  till  the  commencement  of  the  formation  of  the  recent 
series  of  rocks,  which  bear  still  closer  relations  to  the  Comstock  vein  than 
the  former.  These  rocks  are  eruptive  and  volcanic,  and  belong  to  the  latter 
part  of  the  Tertiary  and  to  the  post-Tertiary  periods. 

"To  the  first  of  them  in  age  we  apply  the  recently  introduced  term, 
projjylite  period.  In  Washoe  the  n.'imes  'feldspathic  porjjhyry'  and  'horn- 
blended  porphyry'  are  commoifly  used  to  designate  two  prominent  varieties 
of  it.  They  are  \cry  appropriate  miners'  terms;  ijut  scientifically  ai)plied, 
will  be  capable  of  very  differing  interpretations.  In  other  countries  the  terms 
'diorite,'  'dioritic  porphyry,'  'greenstone,'  'jjorphyritic  greenstone'  have  been 
ap])lied,  which  confusion  of  names  best  shows  the  indistinctness  of  the  ex- 
ternal characters  of  the  rock.  Propylite  has  this  remarkable  peculiarity, 
namely,  that  it  resembles  many  ancient  rocks  exactly  in  appearance  and  yet 
is  among  the  most  recent  in  origin.  It  is  prominent  among  the  inclosing 
rocks  of  the  Comstock  vein,  and  besides  incloses  several,  perhaps  most,  of 
the  largest  ami  most  i)roducti\c  siKer  \eins  in  the  world,  as  those  in  the 
Carpathian  mountains,  of  Zacatecas  and  other  places  in  Mexico,  and  prob- 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  129 

al)ly  several  \'eins  in  Ilcilixia.  Alineralogically,  it  consists  of  a  fine-grained 
paste  of  ordinarily  greenish,  lint  sometimes  gray,  red  and  hruwn  color,  with 
imbedded  crystals  of  feldspar  (oligoclase)  and  columns  dark  green  and 
fibrous,  seldom  of  black,  hornblende,  which  is  also  the  coloring  matter  of  the 
base.  A  peculiarity  of  the  rock  is  its  ferruginous  character  when  decom- 
posed. Probably  it  contains  other  metals  besides  iron.  Geologically  it  is 
an  eruptive  rock ;  but  it  is  accompanied  by  vast  accumulations  of  breccia, 
which  is  sometimes  regularly  stratified.  The  flats  of  Virginia  City,  Gold 
Hill,  American  Citv  and  Silver  City,  consist  of  propylite ;  it  lies,  in  general, 
east  of  the  mountains  consisting  of  the  ancient  formations,  and  contains 
several  mineral  veins  besides  the  Comstock  Lode.  Its  distrilnUion  in  other 
countries  of  the  world  is  not  very  general. 

"Several  different  kinds  of  eruptive  and  volcanic  rocks  followed  the 
outbreaks  of  propylite;  but  only  to  one  of  them  have  we  to  direct  the  atten- 
tion in  reference  to  the  Comstock  vein,  as  it  probably  caused  its  formation, 
besides  taking  a  prominent  part  in  the  structure  of  the  country.  It  is  known 
in  Petrology  by  the  name  of  Saniilin-trachytc:  for  convenience  sake  we  sim- 
ply use  the  name  Trachyte.  Its  essential  character  is  'a  predominance  of  a 
species  of  feldsjiar,  called  glass  felds])ar  or  sanidin.  which,  along  with  horn- 
blende and  mica,  is  imbedded  in  a  base  or  paste  of  peculiarly  rough  texture, 
caused  by  microscopical  vesicles  which  fill  the  rock.  It  has  a  l^eautiful 
appearance  and  presents  very  different  colors.'     *     *     * 

"There  is  no  doubt  about  the  eruptive  character  of  the  lava,  and  this 
term  has  been  applied  to  it  in  Washoe.  The  mode  of  occurrence  shows  that 
it  has  been  ejected  through  long  fissures  in  a  \iscous  or  liciuid  state  and  at 
a  high  temperature.  In  some  places  the  eruptions  were  subaqueous,  as  at 
Dayton.  The  entire  tableland  around  that  place  is  built  up  of  trachytic  tufa. 
The  solid  trachyte  rises  from  it  in  rugged  mountains,  which  form  an  ele- 
vated and  very  conspicuous  range,  passing  east  of  the  Gould  and  Curry  mill, 
across  Seven  Mile  canyon  (where,  for  instance,  the  Sugar  Loaf  Peak  con- 
sists of  it),  and  bending  in  a  semicircle  around  to  Washoe  Lake.  Pleasant 
valley  is  entirely  surmnnded  by  trachytic  hills:  and  farther  north  this  rock 
covers  the  country  to  a  great  extent.  Sanidin-trachyte  has  ne\'er  been  found 
to  contain  silver-bearing  veins,  and  in  W^ashoe  none  occur  in  it,  and  yet  it 
has  evidently  been  mainly  instrumental  in  the  formation  of  the  Comstock 
lode  and  other  veins  in  that  region.  *  *  *  Volcanic  and  eruptive  ac- 
tivity gradually  died  away,  and  we  now  behold  their  last  states  in  the  action 
of  the  thermal  springs,  such  as  Steamboat  Springs.  The  surface  underwent 
but  slow  and  gradual  denudation,  and  the  events  of  the  volcanic  period  are 
recorded  so  perfectly  and  distinctly  in  the  nature  of  the  association  of  the 

9 


130  -A  illSTORV  OF  NEVAIXX. 

rucks  as  to  aid  us  greatly  in  explaining  the  niude  of  furniatioii  nf  the  Corn- 
stock  vein." 

GENERAL    STRTCTURE    OF    fOMSTOCK    \'EIN. 

"The  Comstock  runs  nearly  in  the  direction  of  a  magnetic  meridian 
(the  \-ariation  being  i6l4  degrees  east)  along  the  slope  of  the  Mt.  David- 
son range,  which  descends  at  a  steep  grade  until  it  abuts  against  the  gentle 
slope  of  the  three  flats,  on  whicli.  at  an  altitude  of  from  5,800  to  6.200  feet, 
are  situated  the  towns  of  Virginia,  Gold  Hill  and  .\merican  City.  The  out- 
croppings  of  the  vein  extend  in  a  broad  belt  along  tlie  foot  of  the  steep  grade 
and  immerliately  above  the  three  towns.  The  course  of  the  vein  as  far  as 
}'et  explored  is  somewhat  dependent  on  the  shape  of  the  slope,  as  it  partakes 
of  all  its  irregularities,  passing  the  ravines  in  concave  liends  .and  inclosing 
the  foot  of  the  different  ridges  in  concave  cur\'es ;  the  greatest  convexity 
lieing  around  the  broad  uninterruptetl  base  of  Mt.  Davidson  itself.  These 
irregularities  are  important  as  they  influence  the  ore  bearing  character  of 
the  \ein.     *     *     * 

"The  Comstock  vein,  at  a  depth  of  from  400  to  600  feet  l>eneath  its 
lowest  out-crops,  fills  a  fissure  of  from  100  to  130,  and  even  200  feet  in 
width,  but  contracting  in  places,  so  as  to  allow  both  walls  to  come  in  close 
contact.  Roth  of  the  latter,  at  that  depth,  descend  easterly  at  an  angle  vary- 
ing from  forty-two  to  sixty  degrees.  Upwards  from  the  average  depth  of 
500  feet,  the  western  wall  rises  to  the  surface  with  the  same  inclination, 
which,  however,  occasionally  diminishes  at  the  upper  levels  to  fortw  and 
forty-eight  degrees,  while  the  eastern  wall  soon  bends  to  the  vertical,  and 
gradually  turns  to  a  western  dip.  which,  at  |)laces,  is  forty-five  degrees.  Its 
general  position  to  the  depth  menticjued,  therefore,  is  about  vertical,  with 
an  inflation  to  the  west.  The  vein,  consequently,  contracts  toward  the  sur- 
face, in  the  sha])e  of  a  funnel,  'idie  increase  in  \olume  is  especially  pro- 
duced l)y  the  intervention,  between  the  vein  matter,  of  large  fragments  of 
country  rock,  broken  from  the  walls,  but  usually  moved  only  a  little  way 
downward,  by  sliding  from  their  original  place.  The  bulk  and  number  of 
these  fragments,  or  'horses.'  increase  towards  the  surface,  where  some  of 
them  have  a  length  of  1,000  feet,  and  a  width  of  50  to  100  feet. 

"Vein  matter  branching  off  from  below,  fills  the  spaces  between  the 
fragments,  but  is  generally  near  the  surface,  far  inferior  in  bulk,  as  com- 
pared with  the  countr\-  rock.  The  width  of  the  belt  in  which  these  branches 
come  to  the  surface,  and  thci'e  form  scallcrcd  i)ulcro]ii)ings,  is  gcnerallv  more 
than  500  feet. 

"On  the  western  side  (west  of  the  Virginia  and  l'".l  Dorado  cropi)ings) 
the  Comstock  \cin  is  accompanied  b\-  a  number  of  smaller  veins,  the  out- 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  131 

croppings  of  wliiili  arc  \  isihlc  nn  Cedar  Jlill,  Central  Hill,  Ophir  Hill,  and 
Mount  Davidsnii,  and  are,  in  some  places,  of  considerable  size.  They  are 
nearly  parallel  td  the  main  \ein,  and  dip  to  the  east.  Probably  they  will 
unite  in  depth  with  the  ('(imstdck  \ein,  which  by  its  relation  to  them  may  be 
considered  as  the  main  \ein  nf  what  CJerman  miners  call  'a  gangzug.'  The 
western  boundary  of  this  main  \ein  is  exceedingly  well  defined  by  a  continu- 
ous clay  selvage  (gouge)  lying  on  the  smooth  foot  wall,  and  separating  the 
vein  matter  very  distinctly  from  the  countrv  rock:  but  it  is  different  on  the 
eastern  side,  where  the  adjoining  country  rock,  as  is  often  the  case  with 
true  fissure  veins,  is  impregnated  with  matter  similar  to  that  which  fills  the 
fissure.  It  is  frequently  concentrated  in  channels  running  parallel  to  or 
descending  from  the  \ein  but.  in  faet.  forming  parts  of  it.  The  well-defined 
east  wall  of  its  main  body  has,  therefore,  not  often  the  same  jjosition  rela- 
tively to  the  entire  vein,  and  with  the  growing  depth  gained  by  successive 
explorations  the  development  of  vein  matter,  east  of  what  was  formerly  con- 
sidered the  east  wall,  increases. 

INCLOSING   ROCK. 

"The  rocks  which  accompany  the  Comstock  vein  change  in  its  course. 
They  are  different  varieties  of  propylite  on  the  eastern  side,  throughout  its 
whole  extent.  In  some  places  the  fretiuent  and  large  crystals  of  feldspar 
give  it  a  porphyritic  character,  which  in  certain  \arieties  is  rendered  more 
striking  by  green  columns  of  hornblende :  at  others  the  rock  has  a  very  fine 
grain,  and  the  inclosed  crystals  are  of  very  minute  size ;  again,  the  rock  is 
either  compact  and  homogeneous,  or  it  has  a  brecciated  appearance  from  the 
inclosure  of  numerous  angular  fragments.  Also,  the  color  changes,  though 
it  is  predominantly  green,  and  the  different  varieties  of  decomposition  create 
finally  an  endless  variety.  \\'c  will  presently  have  occasion  to  consider  the 
causes  to  which  it  is  due. 

"The  western  country  offers  nioic  differences.  .Mong  the  slope  of 
Mount  Davidson  and  Mount  Butler,  from  the  Tlest  &  Belcher  mine  to  Gold 
Hill,  it  is  formed  by  syenite,  which,  at  some  places,  is  separated  from  the 
vein  by  a  crystalline  rock  of  black  color,  having  the  nature  of  aphanite,  but 
altogether  obscure  as  to  the  mode  of  its  occiu-rence.  It  is  from  three  to  fifty 
feet  thick,  and  the  elucidation  of  its  real  nature  may  be  expected  from  fur- 
ther developments. 

(This  report  by  Richthofen  was  written  in  1866.  The  rock  was  after- 
wards termed  "andesite,"  and  is  thought  to  be  of  volcanic  origin,  subse- 
quent to  the  upheaval  or  elevation  of  the  strata  accompanying  it.  It  was 
also  decided  to  he  contemporaneous  with,  and  instrumental  in  the  deposit 
of  the  mineral  matter  forming  the  Comstock  Lode.) 


132  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

"As  syenite  to  tlie  west  and  propylite  to  the  east,  occur  in  that  jiortion 
of  the  Comstock  \ein  which  has  been  most  explored,  and  where  wurks,  more 
tlian  an\\vhere  else,  extend  in  l;oth  directions  into  the  country,  it  has  laeen 
generally  assumed  in  Virginia,  that  the  lode  follows  the  plane  of  contact  be- 
tween two  different  kind  of  rocks,  and  is  therefore  a  contact  deposit.  But 
I'mmediately  north  of  Mount  Davidson,  where  propylite  extends  liigh  up  on 
the  western  hills,  this  rock  forms  the  western  country  as  well  as  the  eastern — 
as  at  the  California  and  Ophir  mines — though  at  the  latter  metamorphic 
rocks  and  syenite  are  associated  with  prop_\-lite  on  the  western  side. 

"On  Cedar  Hill  syenite  again  predominates;  hut  further  north  propy- 
lite forms  the  country  rock  on  both  sides.  South  of  Ciolden  Hill  the  syenite 
disappears  from  the  western  wall,  and  its  place  is  taken,  to  some  extent,  by 
propylite,  but  in  greater  part  by  metamorphic  rocks  of  the  before-mentioned 
classes,  ])rinci])al]v  quartzite  and  uraHtic  rocks.  *  *  *  Nowhere  have 
s\-enite  and  metamor])hic  rocks  been  found  on  the  eastern  side. 

OUTCROPPINGS. 

"The  ontcroppings  of  the  Comstock  Lode  do  not  form  a  continuous 
line,  l)ut  ccjusist  rather  of  small  and  detached  fragments  of  (juartz,  ordi- 
narily protruding  from  the  surrounding  ground,  and  sometimes  forming 
broad  ci'ests,  which,  in  the  aggregate,  form  a  broad,  uninterrupted  belt.  The 
horizontal  distance  across  the  vein  of  the  outcrops  of  the  different  branches, 
amounts  to  upwards  of  600  feet.  Those  of  the  western  branches  which 
retain  the  eastern  dip  of  the  western  wall  of  the  \'ein,  carry  principally  crys- 
tallized quartz  of  a  very  glassy  a])pearaiice,  ordinarily  of  white,  or  at  least 
of  light  color,  and  comparatively  of  pure  quality.  .Angular  fragments  of 
the  country  rock  are  imbedded  in  the  quartz,  and  form  the  center  of  its 
crystallization:  they  usually  occur  in  large  pieces  and  in  finely  disseminated 
particles. 

"Metalliferous  minerals  are  scrux-e,  though  not  entirely  wanting.  Noth- 
ing indicates  underground  wealth,  nor,  indeed,  has  such  liccn  found  by  su1> 
sequent  mining.  The  onl}'  excc])tion  is  Cedai'  llill.  where  nati\e  gold  was 
found  abundantly  in  places;  but  its  scarce  dispersion  never  justified  great 
expectations.  Of  this  nature  are  the  Sacnmicnto,  Virginia  and  Kl  Dorado 
outcrops,  and  others  on  Mounts  Davidson  and  lluller.  They  have,  in  several 
places,  a  width  of  120  feet,  liesides  other  branches  which  form  ])art  of  them. 

'Tn  the  eastern  outcrops,  particles  oi  the  country  rock,  together  with 
(ilhers  of  clayey  matter  and  metallic  substances,  occur,  finely  disseminated 
througii  the  (|uartz,  causing  thereby  a  marked  difference  from  the  character 
of  the  western  oulcro])s.  .\  certain  jjorons  structure  <if  the  (|uartz,  e\'i- 
dently  originating   from  the  remo\;il  of  line  particles  of  ore,  and  the  brown 


A  TIISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  133 

and  red  coloring,  caused  I)y  metallic  oxides,  indicate  the  ore-hearing  char- 
acter of  large  portions  in  dci)th :  and  the  dissemination  of  native  gold  and 
siKer  in  small  pores  and  larger  cavities,  gives  evidence  of  the  presence  of 
ores  of  the  precious  metals.  Also  the  chloride  and  simple  sulphuret  of  silver 
occur  in  the  eastern  outcrops.  These  different  characters  of  the  'Pacos'  and 
'Colorado'  of  the  Mexican,  and  the  'iron  hat'  of  the  German  miner,  continue 
downward  to  a  varying  depth.      *      *      * 

XEIN    M.VTTER. 

"The  \ein  matter  of  the  Conistock  Lode  is  of  a  highly  \-aried  character, 
if  we  consider  e\ery  suhstance  which  enters  into  the  composition  of  the  Ijody 
of  the  vein  between  its  two  walls  as  belonging  to  it.  Its  chief  component 
l)arts  are  fragments  of  country  rock,  clay  and  clajey  matter,  quartz  and 
ores. 

FRAGMENTS    OF    COUNTRY    ROCK. 

"Near  the  surface,  about  five-si.\ths  of  the  mass  of  the  Comstock  vein 
consists  of  country  rock — 'horses'  as  the  Cornish  miner  calls  them.  They 
are  often  of  large  size,  and  then  terminate  below  in  a  sharp  edge.  Their 
shape  and  size  vary  somewhat  with  the  nature  of  the  rock  of  which  they 
consist.  Those  of  propylite,  which  ;dong  the  whole  range  occur  on  the 
eastern  side,  and  only  occasionallv  extend  throughout  the  whole  vein  where 
the  country  is  of  the  same  character  on  both  sides,  are  ordinarily  very  much 
elongated  in  the  direction  of  the  vein,  frequently  to  i,ooo  feet  or  more, 
while  their  ijreadth  is  far  inferior,  and  their  height  is  intermediate  between 
lx)th.  At  their  ends  they  thin  out  graduallv'.  Those  of  syenite  terminate 
more  abruptlv,  and  their  dimensions  are  more  equal,  though  they  are  always 
in  the  direction  of  the  strike  of  the  vein.  From  the  large  'horses'  every 
variety  of  size  occurs  down  to  the  smallest  frag'uients.  The  quartz  is  often 
so  thickh'  tilled  with  angular  pieces  as  to  have  a  brecciated  appearance.  Pro- 
pylite is  more  common  among  them  than  syenite,  and  brecciated  vein  matter 
is  therefore  prevalent  in  those  parts  of  the  lode  where  propylite  incloses 
the  same  on  both  sides,  or  where,  at  least,  it  furnishes  the  larger  part  of  the 
material  for  'horses.'  It  is  for  this  reason  abundant  in  the  California,  Cen- 
tral and  ( )i>hir  mines,  and  m  the  southern  jiart  of  the  Gold  Hill  mines. 

CL.W  AND  CLAYEY  MATTERS. 

"Few  large  veins  are  so  abundant  in  these  substances  as  the  Comstock 
vein.  Clay  forms  the  eastern  selvage  from  north  to  south  in  continuous 
sheets,  sometimes  of  ten  to  twenty  feet  in  thickness.  Otlier  sheets  of  clay 
divide  'horses'  from  quartz,  or  diil'erent  bodies  of  the  latter:  and  where  two 
walls  come  in  close  contact  ihev  have  in  places  a   united  width  of  twenty 


134  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

to  sixty  feet.  This  cla\'  is  or(lin;iiil\-  tnuqli  and  putty-like,  and  contains 
rounded  pebbles  of  the  adjoining  rock;  (inly  where  quartz  is  on  Ixith  sides  it 
partakes  of  its  nature,  and  is  more  earthy  and  dry.  But,  besides,  clayey 
matter  occurs  in  the  Ijody  of  the  vein  to  a  great  extent,  and  in  places  takes 
a  prominent  part  in  filling  the  fissure.  Most  'horses'  terminate  at  their 
lower  end  in  a  clayey  substance,  and  continue  downward  as  well  as  in  the 
direction  of  the  vein  as  sheets  of  clay.  Out  of  the  vein  the  same  matter 
occurs  to  a  great  extent  in  the  eastern  country,  but  scarcely,  if  ever,  in  the 
western,  thereby  giving  another  evidence  of  the  indistinctness  of  the  eastern 
boundarv  of  the  \'ein. 

CHAR.\CTF.R    OF   OU.\RTZ. 

"The  differences  mentioned  before  as  prevailing  in  the  quartz  of  the 
outcrop  continue  downward,  but  are  not  so  conspicuous  in  depth  on  account 
of  the  general  white  color  of  the  quartz.  But  even  then  the  finely  dissem- 
inated particles  of  the  wall  rock  are  more  peculiar  to  the  eastern  than  the 
western  portion,  and  are  always  abundant  where  the  quartz  contains  ore. 
At  the  upper  le\'els,  some  bodies  of  quartz  are  of  a  reddish  color;  this  is 
where  the  'Colorados'  continue  downward.  Frequently.  howe\er,  this  color 
is  only  due  to  the  red  clay  filling  the  fissures  of  the  fractured  quartz.  In  this 
case  it  is  probably  produced  l)y  the  percolation  of  the  \ein  matter  by  water, 
while  in  the  former  it  is  likely  that  it  is  connected  with  the  original  forma- 
tion of  the  vein,  as  are  all  the  ])henomcna  presented  by  the  coated  iron  hat. 
The  quartz  in  the  Comstock  vein  is  rarely  solid,  and  blasting  is  applied  for 
its  removal  in  but  few  instances,  (lencrrdly  it  is  fractured,  and  in  numerous 
places  the  effects  of  the  dynamical  action  on  it  .'ire  such  as  to  give  it  the 
appearance  of  cru.shed  sugar.  It  occurs  in  this  condition  when  inclosed  in 
clay  matter,  and  then  frefpiently  reminds  one  of  the  waving  lines  of  damask. 
But  then,  also  large  and  continuous  bodies  consisting  entirely  of  'crushed 
quartz,"  as  we  m;iy  call  it,  arc  occasionally  met  with.  Such  was  the  case 
throughout  the  larger  ]iart  of  the  gro;it  bonanza  of  the  0])hir  nn'ne. 

\  AKIirrV    OF    ORK.S. 

"The  principal  ores  of  the  Comstock  Lo<lc  arc  slephanite,  \itreous  silver 
ore,  native  siher  and  very  rich  galena;  also  small  ([uantities  of  pyrargyrite 
or  ruby  silver,  horn  siKer  and  jmlybasite.  Besides  these  are  found  native 
gold,  iron  jjyrites,  ziiicblcnde.  copjjcr  ])yritcs,  cnbonalc  of  lead  and  ])yror- 
pliite,  the  last  two  being  \ery  scarce." 

KING    ON    C.FNF.RAI,    GEOLOGY. 

A  better  idea  will  l)e  gained  of  the  general  geology  of  Nevada  by  read- 
ing an  extract  from  Clarence  King's  exha.ustivc  and  authoritati\e  reiwiit : 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  135 

"I'oth  tlie  Siena  and  Desert  ranges  arc  coiiiposed  first  of  cruniplcd 
and  nplifted  strata,  IVdin  tlie  Aznic  ])erind  to  the  Jurassic;  secondly,  of 
ancient  eni])ti\e  rocks  which  accompany  the  Jurassic  uplieaxal :  and  thircUv, 
of  modern  eruptive  rocks  l^elonging  to  the  volcanic  family,  ranging-  in  date 
proha])ly  from  as  early  as  the  late  Miocene  to  the  glacial  i)eriod.  Folds  of 
moic  nr  less  complexity,  twisted  and  \\ar])e(l  liy  longitudinal  forces,  often 
compressed  intu  a  series  of  zigzags,  sometimes  massed  hy  outhursts  of 
granite,  syenitic  granite,  or  syenite,  and,  lastly,  huilt  upon  by  or  frequently 
buried  beneath  immense  accunuilations  of  volcanic  material:  these  are  the 
characteristic  features  of  the  mountain  chain.  Thev  are  usualK-  nieridianal 
and  parallel  ami  scjiaiated  h\'  \alle\s  wJiich  art'  hllcd  to  a  general  level  1>v 
quarternary  detritus,  the  result  of  erosion  from  the  early  Cretaceous  jjcriod 
down  to  the  present  time.  The  east  slope  of  the  Sierra,  directly  facing  the 
Washoe  region,  is,  in  brief,  a  relic  of  metamorphic  schists  and  slates,  skirt- 
ing the  foothills  and  resting  at  high  east  and  west  angles  against  the  great 
granite  lj<idy,  which,  for  many  miles  to  the  southward,  forms  not  only  the 
summit  but  the  main  mass  of  the  range.  Rising  through  the  granite  and 
forming  the  eastern  summit  is  a  loft\'  mass  of  sanidin-trachyte,  of  a  (.lull 
chocolate  color,  and  onl\'  remarkable  for  the  beautifullv  regular  prisms  of 
black  mica  which  intersect.  The  ridge  known  as  the  Washoe  mountains 
is  of  this  trachyte.  Its  cuhninating  height,  W'ashoe  Peak,  lies  directly  east 
and  west  across  the  valley  from  Mt.  Davidson,  the  center  and  summit  of  the 
Virginia  mining  region. 

"Little  can  be  learned  of  the  ancient  structure  rif  the  N'irginia  range, 
for  eight-tenths  of  its  mass  are  made  up  of  \'olcanic  rocks.  Only  at  rare 
intervals,  where  deep  erosions  lay  bare  the  original  range  or  where  its  hard 
summits  have  been  lifted  abo\e  the  \olcanic  flows,  is  there  any  clue  to  the 
materials  or  position  of  the  ancient  chain.  Mt.  Davidson  is  one  of  these 
relics,  being  composed  of  syenite.  Inclined  against  the  l>ase  of  this  mass, 
and  in  the  bottoms  of  ra\ines  eroded  in  the  volcanic  materials  occur  consid- 
erable hills  of  metaphoric  rocks,  schists,  limest(^nes,  graphitic  shales  and 
slates.  _  Southward  in  the  canyon  of  the  Carson,  and  in  the  ravines  of  the 
Pine  Nut  hills,  are  uplifted  slates  and  carbonaceous  shales,  ass(xiated  with 
irregular  limestone  beds,  the  whole  surrounded  and  limited  by  volcanfc 
(andesite)  rocks.  Still  further  southward  the  crest  ridge  of  the  Pine  Nut 
region,  which  is  a  continuation  of  the  Virginia  range,  is  syenitic  granite, 
forming  high,  rugged  crags,  of  an  extremely  picturesque  aspect.  E\-ery 
analogy  would  point  to  the  belief  that  these  aqueous  rocks  and  the  granitic 
masses  accompanying  them,  are  identical  with  the  similar  rocks  which  pre- 
dominate in  the  majority  of  Cordillera  ranges;  but  we  have  positive  proof 


136  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

of  this  in  the  fact  that  in  El  Doradn  canvdii.  one  of  tlie  ravines  of  the  Pine 
Xut  hills.  Professor  Whitney  has  fonntl  triassic  fossils. 

"In  resume,  it  may  he  said  that  this  range  is  one  of  the  old  Jurassic 
folds  of  stratified  rocks,  and  through  fissures  granite  and  syenite  have 
obtruded :  tliat  after  a  very  long  periotl  of  comparative  repose  from  the  early 
Cretaceous  to  the  late  Tertiary  the  old  range  was  riven  in  innumerable  crev- 
ices, and  deluged  by  floods  of  volcanic  rocks  which  have  buried  nearly  all  of 
its  older  mass,  and  entirely  changed  its  topography.  During  this  period  of 
\'ulcanism  the  present  \alleys  were  in  great  part  filled  with  fresh  water  lakes; 
and  near  the  base  of  the  Virginia  range  we  had  evidence,  in  the  tufa  de- 
posits, that  a  considerable  cpiantity  of  volcanic  material  was  lx3th  ejected 
under  water  and  flowed  down  into  it.  Water  penetrating"  the  fissured  range 
and  meeting  melted  rock  ga\'e  rise  to  the  solfataras  and  hot  springs,  whose 
traces  are  everywhere  apparent.  I~ollowing  this  age  of  lava  and  steam 
eruptions  came  the  glacial  epoch  with  its  sequel  of  torrents  and  floods,  and 
finally  a  great  desiccating  period,  introducing  our  present  condition." 

OTHER    PORTIONS   OF   ST.\TE. 

While  the  extracts  form  the  works  of  King  and  Richthofen,  particularly 
that  of  the  Comstock  Eode.  will  give  a  key  to  the  general  geologj'  of  the 
state,  yet  an  idea  of  local  characteristics  would  be  necessary  to  thoroughly 
gain  an  idea  of  the  geological  conditions  of  Nevada  in  their  entirety.  Each 
county  has  some  peculiar  formation  or  deposit  not  contained  even  by  its 
sister  counties.  For  instance,  se\eral  counties  pc)ssess  indications  of  the 
e.xistence  of  precious  gems;  in  Xye  coimty  manv  beautiful  turquoise  have 
been  found,  handsome  enough  to  shine  on  any  fair  hand,  and  many  of  them 
have  been  mined. 

Bodies  of  low-grade  ores  have  Ix'en  located  in  nearly  e\cry  county  in 
the  state  of  Nevada,  and  when  these  can  be  worked  liy  some  cheaj)  process, 
a  fortune  will  be  within  the  grasp  of  hundreds  of  men.  It  is  more  than 
proliable  that  among  these  prospects  are  some  which  will  in  the  coiirse  of 
time  develop  into  "Jjonanzas."  In  addition  to  mines,  Nevada  has  immense 
beds  of  salt,  sulphur,  antimony,  borax,  alum  and  .soda. 

Esmeralda,  Churchill  and  Humboldt  counties  jiossess  the  largest  num- 
l)er  of  these  saliniferous  minerals.  .\s  they  are  situated  in  the  lowest  por- 
tion of  the  Great  Basin,  they  are  of  course  near  the  sinks  of  the  four  largest 
rivers,  the  Munilxildt,  Truckec.  Walker  and  Car.son.  The  counties  of  Nye, 
White,  Elko  and  Eureka  jx^ssess  great  beds  of  limestone,  remains  of  pre- 
historic coral  beds.  Lava  seems  to  overlie  the  northwestern  p;irl  of  .\e\;ida, 
from  tlie  great  overflow  which  formed  the  Abidoc  lava  beds. 

Fossils   of   various   periods   arc   found;    in   the   limestone  of    the    Pilot 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  137 

Rock  mountains  are  fossils  of  recent  origin;  tlie  ones  first  found  were  dis- 
covered in  1866  l)y  Professor  Jusliua  E.  Clayton,  at  Silver  Peak,  I'^snieralda 
county,  and  belonged  to  the  Iciwer  Sihn-ian  ])eri(id.  lie  fdund  lliem  in  a 
large  valley  incrusted  with  saline  de])osits,  .and  the  valley  has  alwa\s  been 
known  as  Clayton  valley  from  the  discoverer.  Large  thermal  s])rings  are 
numerous  in  the  \icinity  and  the  adjacent  hills  contain  ledges  of  gold,  iron, 
lead,  siKer  and  copper.  These  fossils  are  also  found  on  the  ranges  of  Dia- 
mond Peak,  and  erosiim  in  all  the  ])laces  mentioned  has  so  loosened  their 
environment  that  the  fossils  can  be  easily  procured.  They  are  found  in  a 
1>ed  of  thinly  laminated  yellow  sandstone,  the  trilobites,  the  earliest  living 
creatures  on  the  earth,  having  their  im])ressions  clearly  defined  on  each  sep- 
arate layer  of  rock,  as  the  layers  are  seiiarated. 

Limestone  is  predominant,  the  most  prominent  mines  lying  in  it,  the 
limestone  seeming  to  be  associated  with  the  gold  and  silver  veins,  and  to 
have  1>een  active  in  producing  the  ])recipitation.  This  is  the  case  in  Elko, 
White  Pine,  Eureka  and  Nye  counties,  while  in  Lander,  ICsmeralda,  Ormsby, 
Washoe  and  the  mines  of  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  the  deix)sits 
are  in  granite,  in  narrow  fissures,  with  small  indications  of  deep  or  e.xtensive 
fissures. 

In  Nevada  can  be  found  fine  specimens  of  petrified,  <ir  silicified  wo<id, 
and  e.xcpiisitely  lieautiful  crystals  and  agates. 

NEVAD.\'S    WONDERFUL    MOUNT.MNS. 

The  mountains  of  Nevada  are  \aried  in  e\'ery  respect;  some  of  them 
affording  magnificent  scenery,  pictures(|ue,  weird,  awe-inspiring  and  won- 
derfully beautiful.  Clear,  cool  lakes  nestle  in  their  eml)race,  wonderful 
springs  of  every  nature,  deep,  dense  woods,  beautiful  flowers,  birds  of  song, 
everything  which  the  lover  of  nature  worships.  And  then  again,  bare, 
bleak,  precipitous  mountains,  destitute  of  foliage,  grass,  or  any  vegetation 
which  could  charm  the  eye,  lakes  filled  with  brackish  water,  utter  absence  of 
song  birds  and  flowers.  Yet  all  were  created  for  some  purpose,  for  under 
the  most  forbidding  aspect  ma\-  lurk  the  precious  metal  or  gems. 

Nevada  can  1x)ast  of  over  one  hundred  mountain  ranges,  and  all  seem 
to  possess  some  feature  making  them  worthy  of  attention.  Some  of  them 
are  of  immen.se  height,  and  on  the  highest  elevations  have  been  found  some 
of  the  richest  mines,  and  in  a  horizontal  position  beds  of  limestone  have 
captured  and  held  them  for  future  generations.  The  LTnited  States  geolog- 
ical exploration  of  the  fortieth  parallel  gives  the  following  altitudes  of  the 
elevations  ri\alling  the  parent  Rocky  mountains  in  height:  Pogonip  Peak, 
in  White  Pine  countv,   10,792  feet  above  sea  level;  Treasure  Hill  and  Tele- 


138  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

graph  Peak.  9,228:  Treasure  Citv,  8,q8o,  ami  nian_\-  ntliers  of  aljout  tlie 
same  height. 

There  is  a  general  regularity  in  the  api^arance  of  the  mountains,  the 
trend  of  all  heing  southerly  and  northerly,  )'et  there  is  great  irregularity  in 
the  lithological  formation;  this  is  what  makes  Nevada  such  an  interestmg 
field  for  -the  mineralogist  and  geologist.  The  general  trend  of  the  interior 
elevations  is  generally  parallel  to  that  of  the  Kock}-  mountains  and  the  Sier- 
ras, though  there  are  transverse  elevations,  and  sometimes  mineral  veins 
corresponding.  The  'parallelism  of  their  trend  and  the  regular  recurrence 
are  indicative  of  lateral  pressure  as  the  cause. 

In  the  northwest  the  principal  ranges  are  the  Antelope,  Pine  I-'orest, 
P>lack  Rock,  Trinity,  Cottonwood,  Hot  Spring,  Independence  and  Goose 
Creek;  these,  with  a  myriatl  of  smaller  mountains  lie  north  of  the  Humljoldt 
river;  south  of  the  river  and  north  of  the  central  parallel  are  East  Humlxildt, 
West  Humholdt,  Toano,  Pecpiop,  I'inon.  luist  Range.  Sonoma,  Battle  Moun- 
tain, Fish  Creek;  Cortez.  In  the  central  belt  are  the  White  Pine,  Schell 
Creek,  Snake,  Carson  Sink  Range,  j\ugusta,  New  [*ass,  Desatoia,  Sho- 
shone, Toiyahe.  Tocjuima,  Monitor,  Hot  Creek,  Diamond,  l^ancake,  Egan, 
and  Long  Valley  Range.  To  the  smitli  and  southwest  lie  the  Red  I\h)un- 
tain,  Monte  Christo,  Pilot,  I'^xcelsior,  W.'issuch,  or  Walker  river.  Kawitch, 
]\e\ei!le,  Pahranagat,  Mount  Irish,  Hiko,  FAy.  Highland,  Spring  Mountain, 
Cedar,  Mormon,  \'irgin,  (jrapevine.  Belted,  Desert,  \'egas.  Muddy  and 
Buckskin.  Many  of  the  ranges,  notably  the  l^asl  Humholdt,  Diamond, 
'{'(Myahe,  Schell  Creek  and  i'^.gan,  e.xtend  for  ux)  miles  or  more  nnhroken; 
the  highest  ])eaks  are  fmm   1  o.ooo  to   12,000  feet. 


CHAl'il'.K    \\  I. 

L.wvs  .\kkixtki)  liv  Mining. 

Efforts  to  Adopt  a  State  Constitution — Taxation  of  Mines  and  Results — 
Tlie  Revenue  Law — Why  It  was  Changed  I^ter — Bullion  Increase  in 
1871 — Pledges  Made  by  Legislators  and  Ignored — Effects  of  the  Veto 
— A  Political  .Anomaly — Schemes  of  the  I'onanza  Firm — Compromise 
Arranged — Sharp  Practice  to  Avoid  Paying  Penalties. 

Nevada  became  first  known  as  a  mining  st.alc  .and  is  so  regarded  to-(lay, 
and  from  the  first  mining  has  been  ]);namounl.  The  mineral  de\elo])meiil 
of  the  country  was  the  first  thing  to  be  considered.  Consc(iuentl\'  wlieii 
an  cfifort  was  made  to  frame  a  st.ite  constitution  the  (piestion  of  taxing  (he 
mines  becames   one   of   paramount    interest. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  139 

The  framers  inserted  a  section  autlioriziiig  taxation  of  property,  which 
placed  all  mines,  whether  productive  or  not,  upon  the  same  basis.  In  the 
convention  tliere  was  strong;'  opposition  to  this.  It  was  regarded  as  ta.xing 
futurity  altogether  too  much.  William  AI.  Stewart,  afterwards  Uhite<l 
States  senator,  led  the  o]iposition,  and  finally  [iroposed  an  amendment.  This 
authorized  a  levy  onl\-  u])on  the  net  i>roceeds  of  that  class  of  ])roperty;  it 
was  defeated.  In  his  speeches  he  went  on  record  as  "Opposed  to  taxing 
the  hopes  of  poor  miners;  his  shafts,  and  drifts,  and  bed  rock  tunnels." 

This  sentence  formed  one  of  the  warcries  of  the  campaign  later,  and 
the  principal  reason  the  constitutinn  was  rejected  by  a  large  majorit)'  on 
the  19th  of  January,  was  the  fact  that  the  Stewart  amendment  had  not  been 
adopted.  Knowing  this,  the  next  convention,  in  1864,  took  the  constitu- 
tion which  had  been  defeated,  made  slight  changes  and  added  the  Stewart 
amendment  and  it  was  adopted  by  an  overwhelming  vote — 10,373  to  1,284. 

A  tax  of  $1.50  was  authorized  by  this  act,  for  the  county;  and  for  the 
state,  $1.25  on  each  one  lumdred  dollars  of  valuation.  But  section  99  lim- 
ited the  levy  on  proceeds  of  mines  to  one  dollar  on  the  $100,  one-half  for 
county  and  the  other  half  for  state  i)urposes.  This  was  a  discrimination 
of  $1.75  on  the  $100  in  favor  of  mining  property.  The  law  also  provided 
that  $20  should  be  deducted  for  working  the  ores,  and  only  three-fourths 
of  the  remainder  should  be  taxed.  On  a  ton  oi  ore  worth  $100  the  tax 
would   be  sixty  cents. 

CII.XNGING    OF    THE    I..\W. 

The  question  of  the  constitutionality  of  the  99th  section  was  often  dis- 
cussed, and  the  first  case  to  settle  it  was  brought  before  Judge  Wright 
on  January  8,  1877.  The  question  was  most  important.  If  the  99th  section 
was  found  to  be  antagonistic  to  the  state  constitution,  the  decision  would 
increase  greatly  the  ta.x  that  producers  would  lie  required  to  pay  on  bullion. 

For  example: — The  asses.sor  of  Storey  county  had  reported  $11,951,876 
as  the  gross  amount  of  bullion  produced  in  that  county.  A  tax  of  $17,772.54 
had  been  paid  on  it.  If  the  revenue  |>aid  had  been  in  accordance  with  that 
portion  of  the  law  which  the  suiireme  court  finally  decided  to  be  constitu- 
tional, the  amount  would  have  been  increased  to  $123,776.29  in  Storey 
county  alone.  When  the  Comstock  was  yielding  from  $15,000,000  to  $17,- 
000,000  in  bullion  every  year  the  income  wimld  have  lieen  an  enormous. one 
for  the  state. 

A  special  session  of  the  legislature  met  on  the  15th  of  ■March  follow- 
ing the  commencement  of  the  suit  ;uid  two  revenue  bills  were  introduced, 
materially  changing  the  provisions  of  the  law  in  question.  One  provided 
a    further   exemption    on    the   amount    of   bullion    to  be  assessed;    this   one 


140  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

allowed  $i8  per  ton  on  free  ores  and  $40  per  ton  on  such  as  had  to  be 
roasted.  The  nther.  introduced  hv  D.  W.  Welty.  of  Lander  county,  looked 
to  the  relief  of  the  ta.x-oppressed  bullion.  The  latter  r.ne  passed  the  senate 
bv  a  vote  of  ten  to  five  and  the  assembl}-  by  a  \ote  of  twenty-three  to  five. 
It  became,  b\-  approx'al.  a  law  on  .\])ril  jnd.  The  991)1  section  was  finally 
declared  unconstitutional  nn  the  sixth  nf  June  following,  because  it  made 
"ta.xation  uncciual."  If  it  did.  the  new  law  did  not  equalize  things,  but  made 
them   still    more  unequal. 

In  Storey  county  the  bullion  tax  was  then  2^  cents  on  $too  for  comity 
purposes,  and  a  tax  on  other  properties  was  Si. 50  on  $100  for  any  other 
property.  If  the  owner  of  land  paid  $1.50  in  taxes  on  $100,  the  owner 
of  a  mine  paid,  if  the  ore  yielded  $100,  and  was  free  milling,  twenty  and 
a  half  cents  on  what  remained  after  taking  out  the  $iS  allowed  by  the  law, 
and  if  it  had  to  be  roasted,  fifteen  cents,  taking  out  the  $40  allowed  by  law. 
It  was  no  wonder  that  the  citizens,  especially  those  of  Store}'  county, 
rebelled. 

BULLION    INCRE.\SE    IN     187I. 

In  187 1  the  bullion  increase  over  the  previous  }-ear  was  as  follows, 
shown  l)y  the  reports  of  the  county  assessors: 

Esnier.alda  county,  bullion  assessed  in  1871,  $137,079:  in  1870,  $92,910; 
increase,  $44,169. 

In  Storey  county,  bullion  assessed  in  1871,  $10,644,702:  in  1870, 
$6,053,949;  increase,  $4,590,753. 

Elko  county,  bullion  assessed  in  1871,  $614, ()46:  in  1870,  .$219,169: 
increase,  $395 -/Z/- 

Humboldt  count}-,  bullion  assessed  in  1871,  $499,458:  in  1870,  ,$378,840; 
increase,  $120,618. 

Lyon  county,  bullion  assessed  in  1871,  $579,279:  increase,  $579,279. 

Lander  county,  bullion  assessed  in  1871,  .$2,099,013;  in  1870,  $1,104.- 
590;  increase.  $994,423. 

Lincoln  county,  bullion  assessed  in  1871,  $3,604,802:  in  1870,  $1,662,- 
916;  increase,  $1,941,886. 

Nye  county,  bullion  assessed  in  1871,  $474,108:  in  1870.  ,$191,061: 
increase,  .$283,047. 

White  Pine  Cf)nnty,  bullion  assessed  in  1871,  $1,347,528:  in  1870. 
$1,177,679;   increase,   $169,849. 

Total  increased  bullion  as.sessment  of   1871  over   i'87o.  $8,119,801. 

KICU    MEN    ENAOEl)   T.\XE.S. 

Another  thing  which  made  the  miners  restive  was  the  fact  that  the 
richer  men,  the  owners  of  the  bonanzas,  were  di.sposed  I0  c\ade  ihc  ])avment 


A  IIlSTOin'  OF  NEVADA.  141 

(if  tlie  l)ulli(in  tax.  'l"hc  ones  less  al)le  to  l)e;vr  it  were,  of  course,  not  willing 
to  pay  the  tax  and  let  the  millionaires  escajje  paying  it.  The  latter  were 
determined  to  bring  influence  to  bear  u])on  the  legislature  .so  as  to  secure 
exemption    from    the    tax   on    mining'   ])ni(lurts. 

Another  fact  that  weighed  heavily  in  fa\or  of  exempting  mining 
products  was  the  fact,  that  in  1S69  the  legislature  had  authorized  Storey 
county  to  issue  $300,000  in  bouds,  to  be  given  to  the  Virginia  &  Truckee 
Kailroad  Coni])an\'.  .\  yearly  levy  of  one-half  of  one  per  cent  was  to  be  made 
upon  the  iiropcrty  of  the  county  to  pay  interest  upon  the  bonds,  and  also 
to  create  a  sinking  fund  for  the  accumulation  of  moneys  in  order  to  pay 
them  eventually. 

The  men  who  owned  the  best  ])aying  mines,  also  owned  the  stock  of 
the  raiiroatl,  all  being  under  the  control  of  the  California  Bank  stockholders, 
composed  of  these  same  men.  The  ])ower  wielded  by  these  men  was  enor- 
mous. As  a  result,  the  legislature,  on  l-'ebruary  28,  187 1.  again  changed 
the  taxation  law.  It  allowed  a  reduction  from  the  product  of  the  mines,  of  just 
the  amount  ])er  ton  it  cost  to  extract  the  ore  and  convert  it  into  bullion. 
The  amount  allowed  for  such  expense  was  limited;  the  deduction  on  ores 
going  $12,  or  less,  per  ton,  could  not  exceed  90  ])er  cent  of  their  value.  A 
yield  of  anywhere  between  $12  and  $30  could  be  deducted  80  per  cent. 
If  between  $30  and  $100.  a  60  per  cent  deduction  might  be  made.  Fifty 
])er  cent  deduction  was  allowed  for  o\'er  $100  yield,  but  the  owner  had  to 
prove  that  was  the  actual  expense.  An  additional  deduction  O'f  $15  per 
ton  was  allowed  on  ores  wliicli  had  to  be  roasted.  Owners  could,  under  this 
law,  figure  expenses  so  high  on  the  ores  which  had  to  be  roasted  as  to 
leave  but  $1  per  ton,  lialjle  to  assessment;  while  on  the  free  ores  that  were 
assessed  $22  per  ton,  assessment  might  lie  reduced  to  $16. 

THE     PIPER     BILL. 


In  1874  the  people  of  Storey  county  sent  John  Piper,  of  Virginia  City, 
to  the  legislature.  He  introduced  a  bill  which  became  a  law,  the  vote  in 
the  senate  being  unanimous,  and  in  the  assembly  only  one  vote  was  opposed 
to  it.  This  bill  repealed  the  p(jrtion  of  the  law  of  1867  which  limited  the 
tax  on  bullion  in  Storey  county  to  25  cents  on  $100,  the  limit  $1.50  and  on 
other  kinds  of  property   the   limit  was  placed  at  $1.50. 

This  went  through  easily  because  William  Sharon  and  his  associates 
had  almost  exhausted  the  ore  bodies  in  their  mines  and  wanted  a  change. 
A  heavier  tax  on  mines  would  draw  little  from  them,  but  it  would  increase 
the  sinking  fund  out  of  which  Storey  county  was  to  pay  their  railway 
bonds. 

This  Avas  all  right   for   Sharon,   but   when,   immediately  after,   the  big 


H2  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

lK>n;inza  finii,  J(jlin  W.  Mackey,  James  G.  Fair.  Fkiod  antl  O'Brien,  had 
opened  np  their  big  bonanza,  the  Coiisohdated  \'irginia  and  the  California 
mines,  it  was  different.  Tiiis  tlirew  the  burden  of  taxation  upon  them, 
forcing  tliem  to  pav  a  large  projiortion  of  the  Storey  county  railway  bonds, 
and  that  was  what  made  them  make  a  determined  effort  to  change  the  com- 
plexion of  affairs.  War  was  inaugurated  against  William  Sharon  and  his 
associates,  for  thev  held  him  responsible  for  this  state  of  affairs.  To  this 
end  they  refused  to  \rdy  the  ta.xes.  countv  or  state;  they  declared  the  law  un- 
constitutional. The  case  was  decided  against  them  in  the  United  States 
circuit  court.  1"hey  appealed  it  to  the  supreme  court,  and  it  lay  unde- 
cided during  the  contest  which  followed  closely.  This  refusal  to  pa\'  taxes 
was  made  on  the  eve  of  an  election :  it  made  a  new  political  issue.  Both 
parties  were  opposed  to  any  change  in  the  taxation  of  the  net  proceeds  of  the 
mines;  property  owners  would  ha\e  to  |)ay  themselves  any  deficiencies  in 
county  or  state.  All  candidates  for  the  legislature  pledged  themselves  as 
opposed  to  any  change  in  the  law  taxing  bullion.  All  did  so — but  as  to 
keeping  them — that  was  a  different  question.  White  Pine  county  did  not 
exact  such  a  pledge. 

When  the  legislature  met,  the  report  of  the  state  controller  showed  that 
the  state  had  to  pay,  within  the  next  two  years,  $968,929.38,  by  l>orrowing, 
taxation,  or  both.  Exclusive  of  the  tax  on  mines,  the  revenues  of  the  state 
for  that  period  would  be  $711,210:  add  to  this  $64,464  as  the  income  from 
mines,  not  including  the  big  boiian"as,  and  the  state  would  have  a  sum  of 
$775,774,  leaving  a  deficiency  of  $193,255  to  meet,  if  the  lx)nanza  kings 
did  not  ])ay  the  tax  on  their  mines. 

The  above  were  the  figures  of  the  state  controller,  but  they  were  in 
error.  His  estimate  for  running  the  state  government  was  $12,643.47  more 
than  was  spent.  The  mines  of  the  state  also  paid  in  to  the  treasury,  $93,626.20 
more  than  was  estimated. 

STORKY    county's    CONDITION. 

Storey  county  had,  at  the  close  of  1866,  re[)oitcd  110  lloating  debt. 
its  only  obligation  being  the  Virginia  &  Truckee  Railway  Ijonds.  Of  these 
$218,000  remained  unpaid,  bearing  interest  at  7  per  cent.  When  the  Bo- 
nanza firm  refused  to  ])ay  taxes,  there  was  a  deficiency  in  the  revenues,  and 
$100,000  was  iKjrrowcd  to  ni.iintain  schools  and  pay  for  the  new  court 
house. 

The  Bonanza  lirm  owed  to  the  county  of  Storey  and  tiie  state, 
$290,275.72.  They  owed  penalties  for  not  paying  the  sum  when  due, 
$77,578.22,  a  total  of  $367,853.94. 

The   question    was    whether   to    borrow    $200,000    for   the   state,    force 


A   TllSTOm'  Ol'-   Nl'.VADA.  143 

Storey  ciiiiiil)-  111  liiiiTiiw  $I()(),(K)(j  tn  maintain  lier  credit,  nr  s^u  hack  nu 
tlicir  sacred  pledge  and  coni])n>niisc  with  tlie  "Hoiianza  I'irni."  it  was  ])rac- 
licaUy  decided  to  do  tlie  hitter,  as  a  clmice  of  e\'ils. 

•rill''.   coMrKoM  ish:    i;ii.i„ 

A  hill  was  inlroilnccd  on  l'\-huiar\-  i~,  1S77.  which  was  a  compromise, 
the  i)arties  to  it  heing  the  I'lonanza  lirm,  the  county  officials  of  Storey  county, 
and  the  stale  controller  and  treasurer.  ( io\ernor  llradlev  acquiescing.  These 
officials  were  elected  hefore  the  question  of  a  comjiromise  liad  heen  raisefl 
and  were  not  pledged  in  the  matter.  This  hill  differed  from  the  existing  law 
in  that  where  the  former  said:  Assess  the  \alue  of  what  hullion  remains, 
after  deducting  the  actual  cost,  and  no  nmre.  of  iirochicing  it.  placing  a 
limit  to  the  amount  per  ton,  heyond  which  owners  were  not  allowed  to 
liring  in  hills  of  expense.  The  latter  allowed  a  deduction  I'or  expenses 
e(]ual  to  the  limits  named,  regardless  of  whether  the  actual  cost  had  reached 
those  figures  or  not.  It  made  a  reduction  in  the  ta.x  on  hullion  product  in 
the  state  of  thirty-f)ne  and  a  half  per  cent,  or  ecpial  to  twenty  per  cent  of  the 
entire  taxable  property  of  the  state.  This  was  admitted  hy  the  ones  in 
favor  of  the  hill;  those  op])iised  to  it  claimed  that  it  relieved  fmni  taxation 
nearly  fifty  per  cent  of  the  entire  taxable  mining  products  of  the  state.  Nar- 
rowed down  it  meant  that  if  the  state  would  cut  ofif  thirty-one  and  a  half 
per  cent  of  the  tax  on  their  bullion  product,  the  Bonanza  firm  would  pay 
all  they  owed  in  county  and  state. 

The  bill  passed  the  senate  on  February  24,  1877,  with  11  opposing 
votes  and  14  in  favor.  It  passed  the  assembly  on  the  27th  of  February,  by 
a  vote  of  27  to  23.  On  March  i.  Governor  L.  R.  Bradley  vetoed  the  bill, 
the  veto  message  being  a  strong  one.  in  fact  an  arraignment  of  the  legisla- 
ture; in  one  passage  he  said: 

'A\  e  are  sent  here,  as  the  serv.ants  of  the  ]ieijple,  to  execute  and  carry 
out  their  will.  There  is  no  ]>ower  on  eaiih  to  release  tis  from  the  pledges 
exacted  of  us  by  our  constituents,  excq>t  themselves.  The  success  or  failure 
of  our  government  depends  u])on  the  honesty  of  the  representati\e  in  car- 
rying out  his  instructions.  The  whole  ])eoplc.  in  their  state  conventions, 
and  in  their  count}-  con\-entions.  have  instructed  us  as  to  our  duty  in  relation 
to  the  assessment  of  the  proceeds  of  the  mines.  On  no  other  subject  were 
the  people  of  this  state  ever  so  outspoken,  so  unanimous.  No  member  of 
this  legislature  came  here  in  doubt  as  to  the  wishes  of  those  who  sent  him. 
We  all  will  ha\e  an  accounting  with  our  respective  constituencies  upon  our 
return  home,  for  the  proper  execution  of  the  trust  confided  in  us.  While 
some  may  return,  covered  with  the  wreck  of  broken  pledges,  others,  I  am 
ha^jpy  to  say,  will  meet  their  people,  and  recei.e  the  reward  of  'well  done, 


144  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

good  and  faitliful  serxants."  Many  will  go  forth  from  this  feast  of  the 
vultures  with  pledges  kept  sacred,  with  manhood  unsullied,  and  the  people 
Avill  learn  whom  to  trust  in  future." 

\\'hat  the  people  did  learn  was  not  to  reward  the  eleven  senators  who 
remained  faithful  to  their  pledge.  Few  received  any  further  office,  from 
the  hands  of  their  supposedly  grateful  constituency.  Others  who  betrayed 
the  peoi)le  were  rewarded  generously  for  breaking  faith.  But  the  worst 
form  of  appreciation  shown  by  the  people  was  the  defeating  of  Governor 
Bradley  at  the  next  election  and  in  sending  to  the  United  States  senate  one 
of  the  Bonanza  firm.  James  G.  Fair.  And  if  Fair  did  make  a  senator  to 
be  proud  of.  it  does  not  overcome  the  treachery  of  the  ones  who  sent  him 
to  the  senate  and  Governor  Bradley  to  retirement.  For  while  at  the  time 
there  was  a  fine  displav  of  enthusiasm,  congratulations  galore  and  pledges 
to  stand  1)\-  him  until  death,  yet  he  was  defeated  the  first  time  afterwards 
that  he  claimed  their  suffrage. 

Sometimes  the  minority  wins  out  in  the  long  run,  and  the  small  minor- 
ity which  Condemned  the  vetf)ing  of  the  bill,  proved  a  powe-  in  the  future. 
Every  newspaper  in  Storey  countv  came  out  in  a  flood  of  in\ective  and 
\ituperation.  "Ass,"  "imbecile,"  "old  fool"  were  among  the  choice  terms 
ajjplied  to  that  brave  and  courteous  gentleman.  Yet  on  the  other  hand 
papers  opposed  to  him,  notably  the  Eureka  Republican,  said,  editorially : 
"Governor  Bradley  deserves  well  of  the  people  of  this  state.  We  are  always 
glad  to  do  justice  to  a  political  opponent,  and  on  this  occasion  we  tender 
the  governor  our  hearty  thanks  for  his  action.  He  has,  we  believe,  saved 
the  already  overburdened  ta.x-payers  of  the  state  from  the  imposition  of 
additional  and  unjust  Inu'dens." 

ANOTHER  COMPROMISE  PROPOSED. 

But  little  time  elapsed  after  the  vetoing  of  the  bill  on  March  ist,  before 
the  Bonanza  firm  luade  another  attempt  at  a  compromise.  On  March  17 
they  made  an  offer  to  Storey  county,  through  its  commissioners,  to  loan 
Storey  county  $80,000  and  later  advance  quarterly  for  one  year  ;in  amount 
equal  to  half  of  one  per  cent  on  their  bullion  _\icld,  atlcr  deducting  the  cost 
of  production. 

Attached  were  three  c<indilions;  the  nioiic}'  was  to  be  used  only  for 
the  general  and  school  funds,  which  left  the  railroad  bonds  ;uid  other  debts 
unprovided  for;  when  the  suit  then  before  the  supreme  court  was  settled, 
no  more  money  would  be  advanced.  All  money  advanced  was  to  be  credited 
against  the  amount  of  taxes  due  county  and  .state,  if  the  result  of  suit  was 
adverse  to  the  I'onanza  firm:  otherwise  not.  If  the  latter,  the  commis- 
sioners were  to  remit  and  release  as  far  as  possible,  all  percentages  and  pen- 


> 

D 

o 

H 

I 


r  A  HISTORY  Ol'"  NEVADA.  145 

alties  f'lr  which  the  C(>m]);mic's  wduld  lie  li.ihle.   for  having  failed  to  pay  llie 
assessments  at  tlie  time  they  hecame  due. 

This  attempt  was  turned  down  and  finally  withdrawn.  But  the  great 
men  would  not  give  up  trying  to  avoid  paying  the  penalties.  They  tried 
to  effect  another  compromise. 

THE    FINAL   COMrROMISIi. 

On  May  3rd  they  offered  to  pay  all  they  owed  Storey  county  and  the 
state  f)f  Nevada,  including  costs  of  suit,  less  /^ciiallics  and  per  cents  that  had 
accrued  by  reason  of  nonpayment.  That  if  tlic  pending  case  in  the  United 
States  supreme  court  was  terminated  adxcrsely  to  them,  then  the  district 
court  of  Storey  county  was  to  issue  a  inandauuis  staying  execution  for  sat- 
isfaction of  so  much  of  judgment  as  included  penalties  and  per  cents,  until 
April  I,  1879.  By  so  doing  the  matter  would  be  carried  beyond  the  next 
session  of  the  legislature  giving  an  opportunity  to  avoid  paying  them  by  an 
act  of  the  legislature.  The  proposition  was  accepted  and  the  money, 
$290,275.72,  was  paid  on  May  5th.  Two  days  later  the  supreme  court 
decided  the  case  in  favor  of  the  people,  so  some  one  must  have  sent  inside 
information  to  tlie  Bonanza  firm,  enabling  them  to  make  the  deal  just  in 
time. 

THE   PENALTIES   COME    UP   AGAIN. 

At  the  next  session  of  the  legislature,  February,  1879,  a  bill  was  intro- 
duced, which  had  it  been  constitutional,  would  have  allowed  the  Bonanza 
firm  to  avoid  paying  the  amount  due  state  and  county.  It  passed  the  legis- 
lature, was  approved  by  the  goxernor,  Init  when  the  legislature  adjourned, 
Attorney  General  Mur])h\-  askerl  the  supreme  court  to  place  the  cases  again 
on  the  calendar  (the  California  and  Consolidated  Virginia)  that  they  might 
be  re-argued:  in  order  to  te.st  the  constitutionality  of  the  hill  just  passed. 
This  was  done  and  the  law  found  to  be  unconstitutional.  The  reasons  given 
were : 

First — That  the  district  attorney  had  no  right,  or  jiower,  to  consent  to 
the  entry  of  a  judgment,  or  to  receive  less  than  the  full  amoiuit  of  taxes 
flue  and  penalties  accrued,  to  the  state  and  county. 

Second — That  the  act  was  in  plain  violation  of  sections  20  and  21,  of 
Article  4,  of  the  constitution  of  this  state,  in  this,  that  it  was  a  sj^ecial  act. 
It  was  therefore  ordered  that  the  judgment  of  the  district  court  be  reversed, 
the  demurrers  ox-erruled,  and  the  defendants  be  permitted  to  answer. 

J.  H.  Harris,  district  attorney  of  Storey  county,  filed  an  amended  com- 
plaint on  July  9,  1880:  the  6th  of  November,  the  court  rendered  judgment 
in  favor  of  the  state,  against  each  company,  for  the  sum  prayed  for  in  the 


14fi  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

complaints  and  the  ])enaltics.  in  all  $jj.^ji<.J2..  TIk-  companies  iniineiliatel\- 
filed  an  apjjcal. 

.Xiiother  effort  was  made  thrciuyli  the  legislature  tn  a\<iid  lea\ing'  the 
issue  for  the  courts  to  settle.  On  the  2~th  of  January,  i88j,  senate  bill 
No.  68.  was  introduced  hv  Senator  Haines,  of  Douglas  county;  in  it  an 
eft'ort  was  nade  to  a\did  if  possible  by  phraseology  of  a  general  form,  the 
objection  found  in  Section  20,  Article  4  of  the  constitution,  which  had  j)roved 
so  disastrous  to  the  former  act  on  the  same  subject. 

It  jjassed,  at  the  final  passage  the  senate  standing:  Republicans,  aye,  8; 
no,  5:  Denvicrats,  aye,  5:  no.  4:  one  Democrat  who  faxorcd  its  passage 
lieing  alisent.     In  the  assembly,  aye.  2i>:  no.   18. 

Once  again  a  go\'ernor  took  a  hand  in  the  matter,  ( iovernor  Kinkead 
\etoing  the  bill  on  March  3rd.  This  veto  to  th.c  "hullion  tax  ])enalties  1)111" 
was  almost  entireh'  unexpected.  Or  so  it  was  claimed,  although  the  plat- 
form on  whiich  Governor  Kinkead  was  elected  contained  clauses  pledging 
can<lidates  to  oppose  any  anil  all  such  bills.  So  (".o\ernor  Kinkead  by  this 
veto  justified  the  man  he  supplanted.  Governor  liradley,  in  his  veto  of  just 
such  an  act. 


CM.\l"'ri':R    Wll. 

AlixiX(;  .\.\i)  X]-;\v  1  )isco\  ia<iKS. 

Nevada  a  Star  of  the  l"'irst  Magnitude  in  Mining  l'"irmament — l^une  of  the 
Comstock — Comstock  Pumping  Association — Rehabilitation  of  Corn- 
stock — Repairing  Sutro  Tunnel — Bullion  Tax  Bill,  Signed — Carson 
River  Placers — Nevada's  Mint — Discovery  of  Tonopah — J.  L.  Butler. 
]*"ather  of  Tonopah — Mines  Being  Worked  and  Future  Prospects — Great 
Camp  of  Goldfield — The  Wedekind  Mine  and  Its  Di.scoverer — Purchase 
by  (iovernor  Spark.s — Other  Sections  of  Stale — Ne\a<l;i  Objective  Min- 
ing Region  of  United  States. 

L'ndoubtedly  Nevada  shines  today  as  a  star  of  the  lirst  magnitude  in  the 
mining  firmament  of  the  world,  chielly  because  within  her  honndaries  lies 
the  Comstock's  four-nnle  deposit  of  riches  untold — the  story  of  whose  rise 
and  fall  is  the  mining  romance  ])ar  excellence  of  the  world.  Of  her  past  his- 
tory everyone  knows,  but  the  jjast  is  ])a.st,  the  past  when  .stockholders  and 
superintendents  carried  on  the  boldest  mining  operations  known  in  the  world 
of  mining,  and  the  Comstock  has  awakened  from  her  long  years  of  industrial 
lethargy-,  to  a  rejuvenation  along  the  lines  of  legitimate  mining  enterprise. 

Six  years  ago.  Septemliei-  ist.  the  controlling  interests  of  the  leading 
properties  after  months  of  delihei-ation,  decided  that  it  would  l)e  a  paying  en- 


A  lllSTOkV  OF  NEVADA.  147 

teri)n'se  to  exploit  tiie  immense  low-grade  ore  reserves,  scornfully  passed  by 
the  bonanza  hunters  of  early  Comstock  days.  It  was  well  known,  when 
the  mines  were  allowed  to  till  with  water  to  the  level  of  the  Sutro  tunnel,  that 
great  bodies  of  these  ores  awaiting  cxplnration,  lay  in  liic  lower  levels,  as  well 
as  those  discovered  and  passed  Ijy. 

The  cost  would  be  great,  but  that  did  nut  deter  the  owners.  The  Com- 
stock Pumping  Association  was  formed,  composed  only  of  the  comjwnies 
interested  in  the  lode,  and  jilans  laid  t<i  rid  the  lower  levels  of  the  waters 
in  which  they  had  been  so  long  submerged.  In  September,  1899,  contracts 
were  let  to  supply  the  Com.stock  with  cheap  power,  electricity,  the  ma.ximum 
cost  of  which  per  horsepower  was  to  he  $7,  the  minimum,  $4,  as  against  past 
cost  of  $20  to  $30  per  horsepower.  The  plan  was  to  unwater  to  a  depth  of 
3,000  feet  with  the  increased  ])l;uit.  'Hie  assessments  were  levied  and  in  Oc- 
tober, 1899,  the  Evans  hy<lraulic  elevator  began  the  work.  I'or  over  three 
years  the  water  level  was  kept  450  feet  below  the  level  of  the  Sutro  tunnel, 
and  the  work  of  exploration  and  mim'ng  has  been  carried  on  quietly,  chiefly 
by  the  Consolidated  California  and  Virginia  Company,  over  a  million  dollars 
being  produced  the  first  three  years.  Not  much  as  compared  to  the  $400,- 
000,000  produced  in  the  great  i)ast.  but  simply  a  starter  for  the  new  and  great 
productive  era  of  the  Comstock,  one  which  will  cast  even  the  vaunted  past 
into  the  shade.  The  new  conditions,  new  policies,  and  new  economics  guar- 
antee all  this. 

There  is  abundant  power,  the  one  thing  needful,  generated  in  the  Truckee 
river  in  California,  and  transmitted  T^y  miles  for  the  operation  of  mills  and 
machinery.  It  is  o'.ie  of  the  most  notable  installations  of  electric  power  for 
mining  purposes  in  the  world. 

The  owners  are  determined  to  leave  nothing  undone,  and  last  year  and 
this  they  are  working  to  still  further  unwater  the  very  lowest  depths  of  the 
oldest  workings  by  the  use  of  the  Riedler  pumps,  driven  by  electric  power. 

BULLION    TAX    L.\W. 

In  1885  after  duly  passing  the  Legislature,  the  Governor  signed  the 
"Bullion  Tax  Bill,"  over  which  there  was  great  feeling  aroused.  It  relieved 
the  mines  of  the  tax  on  the  gross  \ield  and  was  as  follows: 

"Section  i. — .Ml  ores,  tailings  and  mineral  bearing  material,  of  what- 
ever character,  shall  be  assessed  for  State  and  County  purposes  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner : 

"From  the  gross  yield,  return,  or  value  of  all  ores,  tailings  or  mineral- 
bearing  material  of  whatever  character,  there  shall  be  deducted  the  actual 
cost  of  extracting  said  ores  or  minerals  from  the  mine,  the  actual  cost  of  sav- 
ing said  tailings,  the  actual  cost  of  transportation  of  said  ores,  mineral  or 


148  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

tailings,  to  the  place  of  reduction  or  sale,  and  the  remainder  shall  be  deemed 
the  net  proceeds  and  shall  be  assessed,  and  taxed  as  provided  in  this  Act." 

C.iiRSON  RI\'ER   PL.^CERS. 

\\"hile  in  the  i)ast  the  river  bed  of  the  Carson  river  was  worked  with 
more  or  less  .success  during  the  summers,  no  great  successes  were  ever  re- 
ported until  the  past  two  or  three  years. 

Dredges  were  not  ^■ery  successful.  Finally  a  company  known  as  the 
"Nevada  Mining  Company"  jnit  in  a  hue  plant  on  Uie  river.  For  some  reason 
or  other  work  was  not  what  was  e.xpected.  This  year  hydraulic  mining  en- 
gineers from  San  Francisco  are  superintending  the  reconstruction  of  the  en- 
tire plant  and  great  results  are  looked  for  ne.xt  summer. 

Throughout  Nevada  are  fine  jilaccrs  which  can  lie  worked  after  the 
irrigation  plant  is  finished.  There  is  no  water  now  and  owners  are  simply 
waiting  for  the  water  to  come.  In  these  jilacers  gold  nuggets  weighing  some- 
times several  hundred  dollars  are  found.  The  Nevada  Company  intends 
to  work  the  Carson  ri\cr  bed  thoroughly. 

Nevada's  mint. 

The  Nevada  Mint  at  Carson  City  has  had  an  eventful  career,  since  the 
days  of  political  pulls.  It  was  a  magnificently  equipped  plant,  but  all  that 
is  left  is  the  fine  building  and  the  assaying  plant.  The  machinery  has  been 
distributed  to  the  other  mints  in  the  United  States. 

In  1885  politics  closed  the  Mint.  It  was  reopened,  again  on  April  9th 
of  that  year,  with  Democrats  in  control.  It  was  a  political  seesaw  all  its  years 
of  existence.  It  closed  and  reopened.  When  it  reopened  on  A])ril  u,  1889, 
it  had  $1,600,000  in  gold  in  shoe  bars.  In  Jul}',  1S91,  salaries  were  all  cut 
down  as  appropriation  did  not  cover  them. 

In  1895  came  the  uncovering  of  the  stealings  which  had  been  going  on, 
according  to  common  belief,  for  years.  The  flight  and  return  of  one  of  the 
guilty  ones,  the  trials  and  the  results,  John  Heeney,  8  years  at  hard  labor 
and  $5,000  fine,  first,  and  then  John  T.  Jones  a  similar  sentence,  with  lighter 
punishment  for  Brule  and  minor  offenders,  ga\e  materia!  for  the  Associated 
Press  for  monllis.  It  was  ne\cr  known  to  the  outside  wdrld,  if  it  was  to  the 
Government,  just  how  much  was  taken;  one  bar  stolen  from  the  Standard 
mine  was  worth  $40,000,  and  stealing,  it  was  proved,  had  been  going  on 
for  ten  years,  and  ;nnonnted  to  at  least  $100,000. 

In  July,  1898,  the  Mint  was  partially  dismantled,  and  it  was  decided  to 
run  it  as  an  assay  office  only.  There  was  a  long  and  loud  wail  and  the  later 
develoi)ments  have  justified  the  i)Cople  of  Nevada  in  making  it,  but  the  Go\'- 
ernmenl  was  unrelenting.  In  .'^eplember,  1886,  the  Director  called  attention 
to  the  fact  that  deposits  had  ceased  because  depositors  were  paid  in  drafts; 


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A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  141» 

and  also  because  transportation  was  higlier  than  ]irivate  shippers.  When  the 
Wasliington  Mint  ordered  ail  bullion  in  Carson  shipped  to  Washington  $200- 
000  per  day  went  for  some  tnne.  Wiien  the  Mint  closed  the  people  sent  an 
address  to  the  president,  and  the  courts  were  appealed  to,  the  people  claiming 
that  the  law  was  \-ioIated  in  closing  the  Mint  after  it  liad  been  in  existence 
15  years. 

Ex-Governor  R.  K.  Colcord  is  in  charge  of  the  assay  office  and  W.  M. 
David  is  chief  clerk.  For  the  year  ending  June  30,  1903,  there  were  246 
deposits  of  bullion  containing  gold  and  silver;  value,  $282,475.25,  a  decrease 
of  $37,614.33  against  last  year's  recei])ts.  There  were  266  assays,  includ- 
ing melts,  consolidations,  Ijullinn  and  (jre  assavs  of  gold,  silver,  copper  and 
lead.  Deposits  were  $271,622.06,  silver,  $10,853.19.  The  earnings  were 
$967.70  and  expenditures  $12,196.44,  with  a  percentage  of  net  expenses  to 
deposits  of  $3,875.12. 

GREAT    CAMP   OF   TONOPAII. 

The  famous  Tonopah  Mining  District  lies  on  the  western  slope  of  the 
.southern  portion  of  the  San  Antonio  mountains  and  lies  partly  in  Esmeralda 
County  and  partly  in  Nye  county.  For  years  the  whole  area  was  unknown 
as  far  as  mineral  possiliilities  are  concerned,  being  used  for  a  cattle  range. 
Many  accounts  have  been  published  regarding  the  discovery  of  Tonopah  but 
the  following  letter,  written  November  19,  1902,  by  the  discoverer,  J.  L. 
Butler,  is  an  authentic  account : 

"Dear  Sir:  In  compliance  with  your  request  I  suljmit  the  follnuing: 
"Tonopah  is  an  Indian  name  which.  I  learned  when  a  boy,  signifies 
'a  small  stream.'  The  Indians  on  their  periodical  trips  from  the  Cowich 
mountains  and  other  places  to  Rhodes'  Salt  Marsh,  camped  at  this  spring. 
Rich  mines  have  been  discovered  in  the  San  Antonio  range,  and,  the  country 
being  highly  mineralized,  I  long  considered  the  mountains  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  spring  a  good  field  for  the  prospector,  .-\ttention  to  other  matters  kei^t 
me  away  from  the  range  until  May,  1900,  when  I  left  Belmont,  the  countv 
seat  of  Nye  cmmty,  on  a  prospecting  expedition  to  the  south.  I  passed  over 
the  Manhattan  mountains,  left  Rye  Patch,  and  traveled  all  day  to  the  springs 
known  by  the  Indians  as  Tonopah,  near  which  I  found  quartz.  I  followed 
up  the  float  and  found  leads.  There  were  bold,  black  croppings  of  fine-grained 
quartz  showing  a  great  quantity  of  mineral,  so  much  in  fact  that  I  consid- 
ered it  of  very  little  or  no  value.  Howe\'er,  I  took  several  samples,  passed 
over  a  great  numlier  of  ledges,  went  on  alxiut  four  nnles  antl  camped  on 
May  19,  near  what  is  now  known  as  the  Gold  Mountain  mines,  and  saw  those 
leads  also  but  as  they  were  small,  compared  with  the  large  ledges  I  had  dis- 
covered earlier  in  the  day,  I  did  not  think  much  of  them,  though  I  took 
samples  with  me  which  1  afterwards  had  assayed. 


150  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

"The  first  sample  from  Toiiopah  which  I  had  assayed  contained  395 
onnces  in  silver  and  i^y^  ounces  in  gold  to  the  ton.  I  spent  some  time 
in  waiting  for  an  assay  to  he  made  at  Southern  Klondike  hy  Mr.  H.  B.  Higgs, 
and  on  May  26  I  returned  to  Tonopah.  made  a  dry  camp,  and  next  day  took 
about  75  pounds  of  ore  from  se\eral  ledges  wliich  1  sul;)se(iuently  had  assayed 
by  Mr.  \V.  C.  Gayhart.  at  Austin,  the  result  being  640  ounces  in  silver  and 
$206  in  gold  to  the  ton.  I  was  absent  from  Belmont  when  the  returns  from 
the  assay  reached  there,  and  when  I  did  return  to  Belmont  I  had  office  duties 
to  attend  to,  and  also  to  harve^-t  hay  on  my  ranch,  so  I  ilid  not  return  to 
Tonopah  to  locate  the  mines  until  .\ugust  23,  1900.  Mrs.  Butler  accompanied 
me  and  assisted  materially  in  UKating.the  claims.  My  first  location  was  the 
Desert  Oueen,  next  the  Burro,  and  then  1  told  my  wife  to  name  one,  which 
she  did,  naming  it  the  Mizpah.  which  at  that  time  did  not  lock  any  better  than 
the  others,  but  since  has  pnned  to  he  the  richest  on  record.  I  also  located 
the  Valley  View,  Silver  Top  and  Buckhoard,  and  the  group  as  a  whole  proves 
to  lie  among  the  richest  opened  up  to  date  in  any  country. 

"The  mines  are  in  porphyry  nr  rhydlitc  and  crup  ai  the  base  of  Mt. 
Oddie  and  radiate  like  a  fan.  The  whole  country  is  porphyritic ;  no  lime 
stone.  The  quartz  contains  gold,  silver  and  manganese.  The  leads  have 
talc  casings,  the  formation  being  the  same  on  the  foot  and  hanging  walls. 
The  country  is  a  mineral  zone  intersected  with  fissures  filled  with  c|uartz 
containing  rich  sulphides  carrying  gold  and  silver.  The  width  of  the  min- 
eral zone  is  as  yet  unknown,  but  there  are  20  or  30  shafts  being  sunk  in  an 
area  of  five  or  six  miles,  so  that  later  on  the  secret  will  be  divulged  and  the 
extent  of  the  mineral  belt  known." 

In  the  past  two  years  since  the  letter  was  written,  prospecting  has  been 
actively  carried  on  for  a  few  miles  around  Tonopah.  I'rosi)ectors  are  out 
in  all  directions  and  new  discoveries  and  new  fields  are  being  found  fre(|uently. 
A  large  numl>er  of  companies  have  been  organized  and  are  in  active  opera- 
tion. In  the  cami)s  of  Ciold  l-'ield,  Ray.  Lil)erty,  Lone  Mountain,  Gold 
Mountain,  Silver  Peak,  Montezuma,  Klondike  and  Grand  I'a  district  ex- 
tensive developments  have  taken  place.  The  fnst  named.  Cold  h'ield,  bids 
fair  to  be  even  a  richer  camp  than  Tonopah.  There  ,ire  fnur  pmdncers  at 
present,  the  Diamond  I'^ield,  Combination.  January  and  Jumbn.  Tjie  first 
named  has  been  bonded  to  eastern  parties. 

J.  L.  Butler,  now  known  as  the  "i'alhcr  of  Tdndp.ah.'"  with  his  asso- 
ciates, T.  L.  Oddie  and  W.  Ibougher.  completed  their  locations  by  Xovem- 
l)€r.  Others  soon  heard  of  it  and  miners  from  .SiKer  Teak  were  gi\en  leases 
on  portions  of  the  ground.  Mr.  Butler  started  .1  shaft  on  the  .Miz])ah  ledge. 
An  examination  of  the  projjcrty  was  made  by  Captain  J.  K.  Delamar's  ex- 
perts in   b'mtiary.  and  he  aci|uirc(l  a  bund  mi  the  pro])erty  to  permit  cxamina- 


A  ITJSTORY  OF  NEVADA.  Ul 

tion  and  sampling-,  for  $joo,ooo.  Wliat  lie  considered  a  lack  of  water,  pre- 
vented   tile    purchase    of    tlie    property    liy    Ca])tain    Delaniar.       ]*)y    January, 

1902,  tlie  leasers  liad  extracted  $3,000,000  worth  of  ore,  paying  the  owners 
25  per  cent  of  the  amount.  1  )elaniar  discharged  his  e\])erts  for  not  realizing 
the  value  of  the  propert)-. 

June  I  a  bond  for  $360,000  was  secured  on  the  prnpt-rtv  hv  O.  A.  Tur- 
ner, of  Grass  \'alley,  for  I'hiladelphia  cajtitalists.  The  hond  was  taken 
up  and  the  new  owners  organized  as  the  ronopah  Mining  Company.  The 
transfer  was  made  on  January  1.  i()02.  and  active  developments  were  com- 
menced without  delay.  Only  the  highest  grade  of  ore  is  extracted  as  a  heavy 
loss  is  entailed  for  team  freight,  railroad  freight,  smelting^  charges  and 
percentages.  The  ore  averages  ahout  $150  per  ton  net,  the  cost  of  mining, 
shipment  and  production  heing  $50  per  ton.  The  company  decided  to  build 
immense  reduction  works,  and  it  is  building  a  railroad  from  ivhodes"  .Marsh, 
on  the  Carson  &  Colorado,  to  I'onopah.  a  di^stance  of  60  miles. 

The  Tonopali  Mining  Company  has  three  hoists  installed,  two  gasolirre 
and  one  steam.  Twenty-one  companies  have  one  or  two  hoists  each.  A 
stamp  mill  ol  50  tons  capacil}-  with  amalgating  pans  is  in  ojieration.  i'"ine 
water  works  have  also  been  established. 

The  Western  Ore  Purchasing-  Company,  at  Reno,  receives  maiiy  cars 
of  ore  from  the  Tonopah  district  e\-ery  day;  the  Gold  I-"ield  is  also  a  shipper. 

The  Tonopah  Mining  Comiiany,   for  the  (juarter  ending  December  31, 

1903,  paid  the  county  a  bullion  tax  of  $1,544,  which  means  that  the  mines 
produced  during  that  time  $42,000  above  operating  expenses.  When  the 
reduction  works  are  huished  the  hoUlers  of  pro])ert\-  in  the  Tonopah  district 
figure  on  the  out])ut  being  at  least  $5,000,000  per  month. 

The  first  of  the  _\-ear  Tonopah  had  a  population  of  more  than  5,000  and 
nearly  100  buildings  were  in  course  of  construction.  The  place  is  lighted 
by  electricit\'  and  \n\ve  water  is  sup])lied  in  abundance.  There  is  an  efficient 
fire  department,  two  cliurches,  good  hotels,  a  first-class  graded  school  with 
o\er  100  pupils  and  two  good  ne\vsi)ai)ers.  .\  railroarl  now  connects  Tmio- 
])ah  with  So(ia\illc  on  the  C.  &.  C.  I\.  l\. 

THE    WEDEKINU    MINE. 

The  famous  W'cdekind  mine  was  disco\-ered  in  iS9()  l)y  (j.  II.  Wede- 
kind.  a  piano  tuner  (if  Reno,  who  used  to  spend  all  of  his  spare  time  in 
prospecting.  Prospectors  and  mining  men  told  him  he  was  wasting  his  tirne, 
that  there  was  no  niineral  there.  When  he  made  the  discovery  these  same 
wise  men  said  that  the  mine  was  not  justified  in  being  there,  but  was  there 
simply  because  Wedekind  determined  there  should  be  one  there.  The  sam- 
ples lie  had  assayed  in  I'ebruary,  1900,  showed  a  value  of  $1,400  in  gold  to 


152  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

the  ton.  Wedekind  immediately  sumiiKjiied  his  sons  and  son-in-law,  and  the 
entire  district  was  located  hy  them.  As  soon  as  news  of  the  strike  was  known 
Charles  Bell  disputed  the  title  and  the  case  was  fought  through  the  courts, 
Mr.  Wedekind  gaining  the  decision  although  Mr.  Bell  secured  property 
adjacent. 

Offers  for  the  property  poured  in  to  Mr.  Wedekind,  hut  at  the  hegin- 
ning  Governor  Sparks  told  Mr.  Wedekind  that  he  would  give  se\eral  thou- 
sand dollars  more  than  the  highest  Ijitlder.  One  of  the  unsuccessful  bidders 
was  Senator  W.  A.  Clark,  of  Montana.  Governor  Sparks  acquired  title  to 
the  property  in   1901. 

A  town  has  grown  up  around  the  mines,  and  on  September  10,  1902, 
the  people  of  Reno  and  vicinity  were  guests  of  Governor  Sparks  at  a  grand 
barbecue.     Over  4,000  people  attended. 

From  every  source  and  from  every  corner  of  the  state  news  is  received 
almost  daily  of  mineral  strikes  and  the  discovery  of  new  districts.  .\s  a 
mining  state  Nevada  is  coming  into  her  own  again. 


CHAPTER  XVni. 

Irrig.vtion  in   Nevada. 


The  Early  Efforts  of  Pioneers  to  Irrigate  their  Lands — \Miat  the  Irriga- 
tion Laws  Will  Accomplish  for  Nevada — The  Richest  Soil  in  the  United 
States — Trouble  Over  Water  Rights — Resort  to  Courts — Artesian  Well 
Bounty  Proposed — First  Artesian  Wells  in  Nevada — The  J.and  To  Be 
Irrigated  and  the  Terms  of  Allotment — Secretary  of  the  Interior  To 
Fix  Prices  and  Terms — Many  Filings  Already  Made — The  (heat 
Water  Power  To  Be  Created  and  the  Benefits  To  Be  Derived  There- 
from— Progress  of  Work — No  Rush  .\nticipated  But  Steady  Inlhix. 

It  is  related  in  stories  of  the  "days  of  nld,  the  da_\'s  of  gold,  the  days 
of  '49,"  that  a  little  child,  coming  with  a  party  of  emigrants  through  Nevada, 
en  route  to  California,  asked  earnestly  as  she  saw  vista  after  vista  of  sage 
brush,  "Did  Ciod  forget  this  country?'"  A  riuestion  that  if  the  child  is  alive 
to-day  she  will  find  answered  in  the  negative.  It  is  well  known  that  of  all 
lands  arid  lands  are  the  richest,  once  they  feel  the  touch  of  the  life-giving 
water.  Where  in  other  states  the  soil  has  to  he  enriched,  here  in  Xe\ada  the 
soil  is  filled  with  lime,  ])otash,  magnesia  and  sul|)huric  acid,  w  ilh  all  the 
essentials  necessar\-  to  make  Nevada,  "after  the  desert,  the  rose."  Within  the 
borders  of  Nevada  is  some  of  the  richest  soil  known  to  man,  largely  volcanic, 
with  its  richness  ini<lissi])atc<l  by  the  showers  of  ages.     Where  there  has  been 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  153 

an  adequate  water  supply  tlie  crops  of  Nevada  have  been  unfailing,  tlie  yield 
greater  a  lunulredfold  than  in  the  so-called  rainy  states. 

Water,  only  water,  that  is  all  Nevada  needed  to  make  her  the  richest, 
most  populous  state  in  the  Union,  h'nr  Nature  dealt  kindly  with  her  desert 
child,  giving  her  everything  at  hirth  necessary  for  the  uphuilding  of  a  great 
state;  the  measure  of  gifts  was  filled  to  overflowing,  but  so  cunninglv  did 
Mother  Nature  hide  her  rich  gifts  that  it  has  taken  years  to  make  men  see 
it;  to  make  the  necessary  human  endeavor  to  bring  forth  the  jewels  from 
Nature's  casket,  the  soils  of  Nevada. 

The  first  settlers  flocked  to  the  waters  which  meant  life,  and  as  these 
were  few  in  comparison  with  the  settlers,  trouble  has  always  been  rising  to  the 
surface.  The  farmers  near  certain  canyons  would  agree  to  each  take  so  much 
water,  on  a  pro  rata  basis.  Then  some  one  would  be  found  taking  more 
water  than  was  necessary.  Recourse  was  had  in  suits,  dragging  on  intermin- 
ably. Sometimes  death  was  the  harvest,  for  a  number  of  men  have  been 
killed  in  different  portions  over  the  state,  in  disputing  the  title  to  water. 
In  1883  there  was  a  great  water  famine  and  the  farmers  of  King's  Canyon 
and  Gregory's  Creek,  near  Carson,  became  entangled  over  the  (|uestion.  In 
1872  they  had  agreed  as  to  water  rights.  A  farmer  named  Phillips  sued 
Sweeney,  the  latter  claiming  and  using  not  only  his  16  one-hunclredths 
allotted  but  an  additional  eight  inches  for  sale  and  distribution  through 
pipes  to  the  city  of  Carson.  The  court  allowed  him  the  first  but  denied  the 
right  to  the  eight  inches.  Another  dry  year  was  1875  and  the  farmers  found 
Sweeney  was  again  using  the  eight  inches.  He  was  arrested  and  fined  $100, 
which  he  did  not  pay.  He  was  again  arrested  and  fined  $500  for  contempt 
in  not  paying.  He  appealed  to  the  Supreme  Court,  which  affirmed  the  de- 
cision of  the  lower  court,  but  he  did  not  pay  the  fine.  In  1876,  when  another 
dry  year  came  and  Phillips  lost  quite  a  sum  of  money  through  crop  failures, 
he  had  Sweeney  arrested.  He  was  again  fined  $500,  which  he  did  not  pay. 
Things  dragged  along  until  the  summer  of  1883,  when  Sweeney  was  again 
arrested.  He  said  he  had  leased  his  80  acres  and  water  rights.  But  it  was 
pro\'ed  that  in  addition  to  this  he  was  using  one-fourth  of  the  water  in  King's 
Canyon  for  distribution  in  Carson.  lie  was  arrested,  and  ordered  to  remain 
in  jail  until  the  fine  of  $500  was  paid,  for  he  had  been  fined  $500  for  the 
third  time.  He  appealed  to  the  Board  of  Pardons,  which  declined  to  inter- 
fere. He  was  finally  given  30  days'  parole  to  raise  money  for  the  fine. 
While  he  was  in  jail  a  hole  was  bored  in  his  reservoir,  the  water  all  escaped 
and  that  settled  the  fight  of  years. 

In  1886  a  boy,  William  Crow,  killed  Curly  Hogan  in  revenge  for  water 
troubles.  Mary  Jane  Walsh  had  a  water  suit  in  court  several  years,  finally 
winning  her  suit  against    15   men,   securing  the  water   she  asked   for   from 


154:  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

King's  Canyon  and  Gregor\-".s  Creek.  Tlie  (loxernment  in  1885  had  men 
looking  for  reservoirs,  and  in  1888  the  United  States  Geological  Snrxeyor 
had  men  looking  for  water  sttjrage  reser\-oirs,  and  to  say  that  they  failed  to 
find  many  becanse  they  did  not  know  where  to  look  for  them,  is  bnt  to  voice 
the  opinion  of  all  Nevadans  of  that  time.  In  .\ugust.  1889.  the  Unitefl 
States  Irrigation  Commissinn  met  in  Carsim,  and  the  same  year  Newlands 
made  his  great  irrigation  sjieecli  in  Reno.  The  legislatnre  of  this  year  took 
$100,000  from  the  school  fnnd  to  huild  a  dam  to  store  water  on  the  Carson 
river,  Init  used  onlv  a  ])ortion  of  the  sum.  An  effort  was  also  made  in  tliis 
year  to  revive  the  bill  Powell  introduced  in  1887.  to  make  an  appropriation 
of  at  least  $t 0,000  to  offer  bounties  for  artesian  wells.  In  1886  the  W'illiiw 
Creek  dam  of  the  Nevada  Land  &  Cattle  Company's  ranch  was  finished. 
It  was  50  feet  high,  a  reservoir  of  500  acres,  depth  J3  feet.  The  same  \'car 
a  compan\-  in  eastern  Nevada  built  a  rock  dam  in  a  narrow  defile  surround- 
ing Squaw  Valley  in  Klko  county.  It  filled  a  basin  of  2,000  acres  to  a  depth 
averaging  13  feet  and  c<intaining  8.500.000,000  gallons.  The  com])any  also 
built  j8  miles  of  irrigating  (hlclies,  the  main  canal  ha\ing  ;i  capacit\'  of 
25,000,000  gallons  in  24  hours.  It  put  12  inches  of  water  o\er  26.000  acres 
of  land.  The  company  had  1.000  acres  in  alfalfa  and  manv  acres  of  grain 
and  vegetables.  So  that  many  Nevadans  were  ali\e  to  the  water  cpiestion. 
In  1886  many  artesian  wells  were  bored  in  Carson;  Otto  Schultz  had  five 
wells  of  2.500  gallons'  cai)acitv  each  daily.  Rllsworth  had  one  at  70  feet 
which  gave  2,000  daily.  Al  a  depth  i^\  135  feet  S.  V.  Davis,  on  the  llol- 
slone  r;mch.  struck  .a  llow  of  40  gallons  a  minute.  In  !8()4  a  desperate  at- 
lemi)t  was  made  to  ha\e  the  National  Irrigation  Ccmgress  meet  in  Nevada, 
but  Denver  coidd  offer  more  and  swnred  the  meeting.  The  well  at  Cr.adle- 
baugii's  ranch  near  Cenoa  Hows  a  million  .and  ;i  h.ilf  g.allons  dailw  The  well 
on  the  lUossom  ranch,  llunibdidi  countw  llows  o\ci'  a  million  g.allons  dailw 
The  well  at  (iovernor  Sparks'  ranch  llows  125  gallons  per  miinile  of  boiling 
water.     It  is  700  feet  deep. 

In  T902  .A.  K.  Chandler  spent  ihe  season  in  Carson  N'alley  and  on  the 
Carson  ri\er,  measuring  streams  and  collecting  data  foi"  irrigation,  lie  ga\e 
lectiu'es  the  winter  following  in  the  l'ni\-ersity  and  before  the  i'armcr'^' 
Institutes.  Mr.  Chandler  accejited  service  with  the  I  lydrograiihic  Hure.au. 
but  was  soon  State  JMigineer  of  Ne\.'id;i  under  the  iiro\isions  of  the  irriga- 
tion law  i)assed  by  the  legisi.atnre  of  Nevada  and  ap]>ro\-ed  b'cbruary  iT), 
1903. 

Then  came  the  bghl.  after  years  of  struggle,  on  ihe  iiarl  of  members 
of  Congress  from  Ihe  arid  states,  chief  among  wlinui  w.as  lln'  then  repre- 
sentative from  Nevada,  I'",  G.  Newlands.  It  simjily  bad  to  Cdme.  for  the 
whole   Nation   knew   that    Nevada   wauled   ,an    irrig.alion    ^vstem    badiv,   and 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  155 

results  in  Arizona  and  Colorado  justified  tlie  act  whicli  was  passed  appro- 
priating the  receipts  from  the  sale  and  disposal  of  public  lands  in  arid  states 
and  territories  to  the  construction  of  irrigation  works  for  the  reclainalion 
of  arid  lands.  The  benefit  whicli  will  result  in  Nevada  is  incalculable,  and  il 
was  fitting  that  to  Nevada  should  be  given  the  initiatory  work.  The  \u])(\ 
is  already  consideraljly  over  $10,000,000  and  growing  steadily.  The  wurk 
here  has  so  far  advanced  that  almost  certain  calculation  can  be  made  as  to  its 
grand  results.  One  thing  is  sure,  the  populatiim  of  this  stale,  estimated  Jan- 
uary I,  1904,  at  from  40,000  to  r)o,ooo  according  as  to  wliether  the  estimator 
was  an  optinu'st  or  pessimist,  will  increase  a  hundredfold  before  the  water 
is  turned  on,  which  will  be,  a  small  portion,  in  the  summer  of  1905.  lu 
1905  the  amount  will  be  small,  the  foll(]\\  ing  year  larger,  and  so  on  indefinitely. 
About  70,000  acres  of  the  land  to  be  irrigated  belongs  to  private  ])ar- 
ties  and  the  railroads;  20,000  belongs  at  ])reseut  to  the  Pyramid  Pake  Reser- 
vation and  the  remaining  125,000  to  l_Tncle  Sam.  Of  this  85,000  acres  are 
now  open  to  the  right  of  entry  under  the  Homestead  law,  subject  to  the 
"National  Irrigation  Law"  of  June  17,  1902.  By  this  kuv  the  Secretary  of 
the  Interior  can  limit  the  area  of  land  not  less  than  40  or  more  than  160 
acres,  giving  to  a  family  what  he  thinks  it  will  take,  if  carefully  cultivated, 
to  supi^ort  said  family,  when  it  is  under  irrigation.  He  also  fixes  the  price, 
terms  and  conditions,  'flie  lands  immediately  commanded  by  and  which 
will  be  irrigated  from  the  canal  under  construction  in  Nevada,  lie  in  the 
vicinity  of  \\'ads\\ortli  and  Carson  Sink  Valley.  Parts  of  Lyon,  Storey  and 
Washoe  and  Churchill  counties  are  included  in  this,  the  larger  portion  in 
Churchill.  Anyone  can  file  on  these  lands  in  the  LTnited  States  Land  Office 
in  Carson  at  any  time,  jiayiug  the  homestead  fee.  There  is  ikj  charge  for  the 
land,  and  the  limit  of  homestead  entry  had  not  been  determined  in  March, 
1904.  No  price  has  been  fixed  for  water  or  f(jr  the  payment  or  conditions 
upon  which  it  will  be  furnished,  as  the  lands  have  not  been  classified  as  yet. 
As  soon  as  practicable  the  lands  will  be  subili\ided  into  homesteads.  The 
character  of  the  soil  and  the  topography  will  be  points  of  consideration. 
Many  filings  have  been  made,  subject  to  the  conditions  noted.  The  land 
first  divided  will  be  the  160  acre  tracts,  80  irrigated  and  80  pasture.  Only 
the  heads  of  families  can  file,  and  one  distinct  cpiarter  section  is  allowed, 
picking  land  from  two  or  more  quarters  is  not  allowable.  The  cjuarter  must 
be  filed  on  as  a  whole.  .\nd  while  no  one  can  make  a  living  on  these  lands 
until  the  water  arri\'es,  yet  all  who  file  must  prove  actual  and  continuous 
residence.  And  title  will  be  given  only  when  the  water  is  all  paid  for,  though 
the  water  right  can  be  paid  in  in  annual  installments  without  interest.  Set- 
tlers should  have  a  cash  capital  of  $1,000  at  least  to  pay  for  water  right, 
buildings  and  stock.     The  authorities  state  that  no  building  a  shack  and  living 


156  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

there  twenty-four  hours  twice  a  year  be  tolerated.  Bona  fule  residence  is  the 
thing,  for  the  Government  has  been  deceived  tiiousands  of  times  In-  fraudulent 
residences. 

There  will  be  no  delay,  things  are  moving  with  machine-like  rapidity, 
but  too  mucli  pulilicity  was  gi\en  the  Truckee-Carson  system  from  the  start. 
\\'()uld-l:)e  settlers  wanted  to  file  and  receive  water  at  once.  All  great  bodies 
move  slowly,  and  this  is  a  stupendous  scheme.  The  rate  of  progress  must 
be  fi.xed  by  the  space  available  for  workmen,  in  tunnels,  foundation  dams 
and  kindred  work.  Many  inexperienced  engineers  ha\e  been  given  work  at 
$2,000  per  year ;  some  only  $50  per  month,  the  consulting  engineers  only 
,$3,500  yearly.  Instead  of  $10,000,000  many  state  the  fund  now  available  is 
$18,000,000.  The  Truckee  river  will  supply  the  water  power  principalh'. 
Coming  as  it  does  from  g''eat  snc^wfalls  on  the  summit  of  tlie  Sierra  Xevadas 
and  flowing  and  draining  i.ioo  square  miles  of  land,  water  power  will  lie 
created  all  along  tlie  irrigating  ditches  by  the  dams,  some  200  feet  high. 
Power  plants  will  spring  u]j  like  magic  in  many  localities.  And  this  means 
nianufactnries,  for  power  will  Ije  supplied  cheap.  And  it  means  cheaper 
power  for  the  luiners.  ]\[any  and  diversified  are  the  channels  through 
which  population  and  resultant  wealth  will  come  via  the  great  irrigation 
canal.  It  will  not  be  much  longer  that  tourists  coming  from  California  will 
sit  in  the  cars  and  make  invidious  comparisons  for  the  benefit  of  the  Nevadans 
within  range.  The  stock-breeders  will  be  alile  to  fatten  their  own  stock  for 
the  market,  because  they  can  water  them  all,  and  this  will  soon  increase  the 
industry.  Those  who  have  seen  llie  heavy  timber  of  Washington,  Oregon, 
and  eastern  states  where  bca\y  timber  grov>s,  know  that  it  will  cost  far  less 
to  irrigate  than  to  fell  timber.  Irrigation  means  a  new  and  glorious  Nevada, 
and  her  future  agricultural  glory  will  make' the  glory  of  Comstock  jiale  into 
insignificance.  It  means  increased  opportunities  for  e\cry  line,  whether  it 
be  mining  or  dairying,  for  every  man  and  woman  in  the  state  or  yet  to  come. 
It  means  relief  for  the  congested  and  effete  east ;  it  means  independence  for 
thousands.  Nevada  has  71,000.000  acres,  and  over  80  per  cent  can  be  irri- 
gated. The  'iruckee,  Carson  and  Walker  ri\ers  will  furnish  a  tremendous 
water  power,  second  to  none  in  the  I'nited  States.  .\nd  all  the  waters  of  these 
rivers  and  of  the  Humboldt  and  numerous  others  which  now  e\aporate  on 
the  desert  air.  will  be  sa\ed,  e\ery  drnp,  to  enrich  Nevada,  "Tlie  Battle 
Born." 

If  only  one  acre  in  ten  can  be  irrigated,  Nevada  will  ha\e  as  many 
farms  as  there  are  in  one-half  the  states.  .\nd  the  balance  can  be  used  as 
grazing  lands.  .\11  this  could  b,'i\c  been  ihuw  long  ago,  InU  the  pcopk'  were 
not  alive  to  its  need.  Irrigation  did  not  appeal  to  ibc  masses  at  large  in  the 
early  days  of   Nevada.      If   the   land    w;is   worth    anything  they   thongbl    it 


A  IlISTOUV  OF  NF.V.UJA.  157 

oui^Iit  to  have  timber  im  it  which  would  h;ne  to  be  removed  to  give  place  to 
farms.  But  each  geucratiou  becomes  wiser,  aud  now  tliat  the  project  is  under 
way,  the  people  of  Nevada  chafe  and  fret  because  time  is  required  for  the 
perfection  of  the  plan. 

HOW    TIIF.    WORK    PROGRESSES. 

The  work  on  the  big-  canal  is  forging  ahead.  Contractors  must  have 
the  work  done  on  time,  for  the  Go\'ernment  has  announced  that  no  excuse 
will  be  accepted.  No\ember  ist  is  the  time  set  for  the  two  sections  in 
Churchill  county;  750  men  are  working  on  them.  This  includes  14  miles 
from  the  intake  (if  the  Truck'ce  ri\-er  in  W'adsworth.  Se\'eral  tunnels  are 
over  half  completed,  and  some,  900  feet  long,  have  over  400  feet  done.  One 
problem  is  the  disposition  of  the  drainage  from  the  irrigated  lands,  .\bijut 
May  I  the  Government  will  issue  maps  showing  the  location  of  the  lands  to 
Ije  reached  by  water.  iM'audulcnt  land  agents  are  claiming  to  know  just  what 
land  is  to  be  reached  and  have  imposed  uiion  many  persons  who  have  pur- 
chased land  on  their  misrepresentation.  There  will  be  no  g'reat  rush,  but  a 
gradual,  steady  inllux.  reaching  to,  no  one  can  estimate,  what  number. 

Nevadans  have  heard  that  the  Salvation  Army  is  making  an  effort  to 
secure  the  land  to  be  reclaimed  by  the  Government  at  Carson  Sink,  and  one 
and  all  are  opposed  to  the  Army  having  the  land  for  colonization  schemes 
and  to  the  making  of  Nevada  a  dumping  ground  for  "assisted"  or  pauper 
emigrants. 

It  is  not  thought  that  the  Indians  will  have  any  particular  yearning 
for  any  farms  under  the  irrigation  scheme,  and  it  is  more  than  probable  that 
the  lands  allotted  to  the  Indians  in  Churchill  county  will  be  opened  for  entry 
by  the  whites. 

A  peculiar  feature  of  the  work  being  done  is  tliat  over  half  of  the 
laborers  employed  in  the  work  ha^•e  decided  to  remain  and  take  up  land. 
By  being  brought  in  contact  with  the  work  they  appreciate  its  scope  and  the 
result  to  be  attained  therefrom.  E\-ery  laborer  who  applies  is  given  work, 
and  Warren  &  Company,  who  ha\e  only  three  sections  of  the  irrigation  canal 
to  complete,  employ  over  eight  hundred  men.  paying  over  $1,700  per  day. 

No  one  realizes  what  is  l)eing  done  until  a  visit  is  paid  to  the  works, 
and  an  effort  is  being  made  at  this  time  to  secure  a  special  train  to  run 
between  Reno  and  the  irrigatinn  works,  which  will  probably  be  successful. 

Without  doubt  the  federal  irrigation  law  means  much  more  to  Nevada 
and  her  citizens  than  to  any  other  state  possessing  arid  lands.  Nex'ada  has 
never  tried,  seemingly,  to  secure  settlers.  It  has  been,  rather,  seeking  to 
secure  capital  for  the  development  of  mines.  The  consequence  has  been,  as 
often  explained  by  her  public  speakers,  that   Nevada,  as  far  as  population 


168  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

goes,  has  been  at  a  standstill  for  years.  She  will  continue  to  so  stand  until 
farm  lands  are  opened  for  settlement  in  small  tracts  through  this  govern- 
ment irrigation.  It  is  always  spoken  of  as  the  government  or  irrigation 
"scheme."  when  if  there  ever  was  a  legitimate  enter]>rise  this  is  one.  When 
worked  out  in  their  entirety  Xe\ada  will  have  reclaimd  about  3,000,000 
acres. 

Just  why  Nevada  has  this  land  is  not  generally  understood.  When  slie 
was  admitted  to  the  Union  instead  of  receiving  the  usual  donation  of  alter- 
nate sections  16  and  26  in  every  townshi]).  to  be  used  or  sold  for  educational 
purposes,  the  government  gave  her  a  Hat  grant  of  2.000,000  acres  of  pulilic 
land,  to  I)e  located  anywhere  the  legislature  saw  lit.  As  told  elsewhere  in  this 
history,  one  legislature  gave  over  to  the  stockmen  the  bulk  of  this  land,  with- 
out the  state  realizing  anything  worth  mentioning  therefor.  For  the  stock- 
men, as  contended  li\-  the  ranchers,  located  the  lands  surnmnding  the  springs, 
water  holes,  rivers  and  creeks.  The  result  has  l)een  that  while  Nevada  has 
to-day  60,000,000  acres  of  pulilic  land,  there  is  not  a  quarter  section  of  it 
on  which  a  rancher  can  make  a  living,  without  irrigation.  riius  it  is  that 
the  lanrl  granted  to  the  '^tate  fur  educatidual  purposes  only,  by  the  manner 
it  was  flis])osed  oi.  practically  ruined  the  state  for  homesteaders.  It  is  no 
wonder  the  state  liecomes  indebted  to  the  school  fund.  In  1884  Surveyor 
fieneral  Preljle  reported  that  in  two  years  over  200,000  acres  had  been  sold 
and  that  $15,000  per  month  was  being  paid  thereon.  The  receipts  at  the 
land  office  for  1901  were  $138,524.34  and  for  1902,  $137,528.85,  aggregat- 
over  a  quarter  of  a  million  dollars  and  in  excess  of  any  two  former  years  by 
a  large  sum.  Daily  frum  fifty  dollars  to  several  thousands  was  received.  Not 
a  day  but  money  is  paid  into  the  Land  Oflfice.  And  this  all  goes  into  the 
School  Fund,  which,  in  proportion  to  "population,  is  the  largest  of  any  state 
in  the  Union,  with  the  ]iossible  exception  of  Texas. 

On  the  other  h;ni(l,  few  ;ind  far  between  are  the  contests  o\er  land  en- 
tries. .And  the  homesteaders  who  filed  and  then  disdained  to  take  the  land, 
after  making  jiayments,  were  legion,  ijj-^./^y.yj  acres  (^f  land  having  reverted 
lo  the  government  after  $226,781.01  had  been  jiaid :  110,000  acres  of  the 
forfeited  lands  have  l)een  rea])plied  for,  ami  with  the  ho])c  of  irrigation  in  a 
way  to  be  realized,  probably  the  filers  will  cnm])k'te  t)ayment,  thus  providing 
new  life  blood  for  Nevada  and  hundreds  of  ranches  in  the  land  of  great  nat- 
ural agricultural  possibilities. 


A  J1JSIX)KV   UF  NI'lVADA.  159 

(11  AI'I'l'.R   XIX. 

Ac.KICl'l/rUKIi   AND    SlOCK. 

C'ulti\atiijii  of  Crops  in  luuiy  Days — l""ruit  Culture — Coniniciiccineiil  of 
Stock  Raising — Average  Rainfall — Disastrous  Cloud  Bursts — Uncer- 
tainties of  Cattle  Raising — Climatic  Conditions. 

When  the  a\'erage  Nevadan  discourses  u])on  the  agriculture  of  Nevada 
he  sa_\s  always,  with  truth,  'that  all  Nevada  needs  is  "plenty  of  water"  to 
enable  her  to  r.aise  any  of  the  cereals,  fnn'ts  or  vegetables  of  the  temperate 
zone,  which  is  perfectK-  true,  and  where  the  great  benefits  of  the  New  land 
Irrigation  ih'll  come  in.  In  the  pioneer  days  the  emigrant  suffered  from 
this  lack  of  water,  later  on  the  pioneer  farmers  suffered,  and  so  it  has  con- 
tinued imtil  the  |)resent  day. 

The  Indians  knew  the  \rduc  of  irrigation,  for  when  the  lirst  j)ioneers 
settled  in  Walker  \alley  they  found  the  Indians  were  using  irrigating  ditches 
to  culti\-ate  an  edible  root,  which,  like  the  taro  root  of  the  Kankas,  formed 
the  larger  portion  of  their  living.  In  addition  to  the  work  <.if  the  Indians 
was  added  the  work  of  the  Mormons  in  Carson   valley,  prior  to   1850. 

Idierc  is  jiractically  no  record  of  the  early,  spasmodic  attempts  at  farm- 
ing, though  in  December,  iSAj,  a  .societ\'  was  incorporated,  called  the 
"Washoe  .Agricultural,  Mining  and  Mechanical  Society";  at  the  fairs  which 
were  held  under  its  ausi)ices.  tlie  first  on  October  u,  1862,  the  great  [xissi- 
bilities  of  the  state  of  Nevada  were  shown. 

One  has  to  look  at  the  natural  growths  of  the  state  to  understand  how 
diversified  farming  may  be  so  successful  in  the  state.  There  are  many 
varieties  of  edible  roots,  used  first  1)y  the  Indians  and  trappers :  ground  nuts 
or  ainolc,  wild  leeks,  and  onion,  foreshadow  the  success  of  potatoes  and 
all  root  vegetables.  Wild  sage  is  plentiful,  wdiile  perennial  bunch  grass  is 
the  mainstay  of  the  stockman.  The  cajiacity  for  small  fruits  is  shown  by 
the  lu.xuriant  growth  of  wild  currants,  esjiecially  on  the  u])i)er  HumboliU, 
the  service  berry,  and  the  buffalo  and  manzanita  berry. 

That  the  cultivation  of  sugar  cane  would  be  most  profitable  is  again 
shown  by  Mother  Nature.  .Ml  along  the  banks  of  the  lower  HumlK)ldl,  and 
in  other  ]«rtions  of  the  state,  grows  a  dwarf  sugar  cane,  generally  from 
three  to  twelve  feet  in  height,  and  one-quarter  to  half  an  inch  in  diameter. 
So  full  is  it  of  saccharine  matter  that  wdierever  insects  bore  a  hole  the  sap 
exudes  and  crystallizes  into  sugar.  The  Indians  simply  detach  the  minute 
crystals,  mainly  by  threshing  out  the  stalks.  They  make  a  sort  of  harvest 
festival  when  they  go  for  sugar. 

The  state  of  Nevada  lies  at  an  elevation  of  more  than  three  thousand 


160  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

fi\e  iniiidred  feet  for  the  greater  portion,  although  the  elevation  in  some 
valleys  is  over  six  thousand  and  the  mountains  from  ten  thousand  to  four- 
teen thousand  feet.  As  the  rainfall  is  very  small,  reliance  must  be  placed 
upon  the  melted  snow  from  the  mountains.  The  rainfall,  sometimes  for  an 
entire  year,  will  be  only  four  inches,  but  the  immense  snow  drifts  when 
the}'  melt  and  run  down,  overcharge  the  rivers  antl  creeks  so  that  they  over- 
flow. The  most  fertile  of  land  lies  along  every  one  of  these  streams  of 
water,  illustrating,  so  that  all  may  see,  what  irrigation  will  do  for  the  greater 
part  of  Nevada.  The  only  ground  which  cannot  be  made  a  veritable  Para- 
dise is,  of  course,  the  alkaline  and  salt  plains,  and  they  constitute  less  than 
one-fourth  of  the  \allev  lands  of  the  state. 

THE   CLIMATE   GENERALLY. 

If  there  is  anything  more  puzzling  than  the  climate  of  Nevada  it  is 
not  to  be  found  within  the  confines  of  that  state.  The  high  mountains  in 
most  localities  shut  off  high  winds,  l)ut  in  Nevada  they  seem  to  accentuate 
their  fierceness.  The  gales  come  roaring  down  the  deep  defiles  of  the  ravines 
anfl  canyons,  at  the  rate  of  fifty  miles  an  hour,  sweeping  everything  before 
it.  The  clouds  of  dust  in  summer  are  stifling  and  penetrate  to  every  crevice 
and  corner,  through  the  tiniest  of  cracks. 

Then  the  cloudbursts  are  sources  of  destruction  and  trouble.  Science 
says  a  cloudburst  "is  a  point  of  condensation  of  or  between  two  opix)sing 
currents  of  air,  both  saturated  with  moisture,  suspended  for  some  con- 
siderable time  over  a  small  space."  Cloudbursts  destroyed  Eureka,  for  their 
force  is  irresistible,  and  acres  of  forests  may  Ije  leveled,  farms  buried  and 
lives  lost,  and  Eureka  has  sufi'ered  from  this  cause  several  times :  the  most 
disastrous  one  occurred  in  1874,  when  the  town  was  unprepared  for  it,  and 
many  buildings  were  washed  away  and  lives  lost.  The  region  lying  between 
the  Sierra  Nevada  and  Rocky  mountains  is  subject  to  visits  from  cloud- 
bursts, whereas  in  many  places  \isitc(l  by  cloudbursts,  it  is  one  \isit  and  no 
more,  .\uslin  has  been  a  sufYercr  a  number  of  times,  and  both  Austin  and 
b'.urcka  are  located  in  ravines  with  the  incline  about  ten  feet  to  the  one 
hundred,  and  when  the  water  rushes  down  the  ravines  no  human  power 
can  withstand  its  onslaughts.  Sometimes  the  flood  will  last  an  hour  oi- 
more.  Miners  and  prospectors  have  been  caught  in  mountain  ravines  and 
swept  away  like  ants  before  its  awful  force.  With  the  felling  of  the  tiiuber 
for  commercial  uses,  the  number  of  cloudbiu'sts  increases,  Nevada  wants 
water,  but  not  bv  means  of  a  cloudburst. 


A  lllSTURV   Ul'   NEVADA.  161 

The  climate  of  Nevada  is,  as  stated,  puzzling.  The  thermometer  may 
register  thirty-one  degrees  in  the  morning  and  at  noon  ninety-seven  de- 
grees, a  condition  often  compared  to  the  Great  Desert  of  Sahara.  All 
along  the  foot  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  this  condition  prevails,  hut  as  one 
travels  east  it  is  modified  hy  differences  of  latitude  and  altitude.  An  alti- 
tude of  six  thousand  five  hundred  is  attained  at  the  head  of  the  upper 
Humlx)ldt,  with  frosts  nightly.  In  consequence,  in  Elko  county  only  the 
hardiest  grain  and  vegetahles  can  lie  raised.  Yet  Humholdt  valley  itself  is 
considered  to  have  a  most  desirahle  climate,  no  frosty  nights,  and  yet  near 
enough  to  the  mountains  to  henefit  hy  the  rainfalls.  In  Carson  valley  the 
farmer  has  to  keep  an  eye  out  for  frosts  sometimes  as  late  as  June,  frosts 
so  late  in  the  year  being  most  destructive  to  the  fruit,  as  they  are  almost  in- 
variably preceded  by  warm  spring  days ;  the  fruit  buds  are  encouraged  to 
peep  out  and  the  result  is  annihilation  to  the  fruit  crop.  Another  bad  feature 
of  these  late  frosts  are  the  heavy  winds  from  the  southeast  which  act  as 
heralds  of  warm  weather.  The  force  of  these  winds  cut  up  the  ground, 
sand  and  gravel  flying  in  great  clouds,  while  the  early  spring  grain  is  often 
injured  so  that  it  easily  falls  a  victim  to  the  following  frosts. 

Go  to  the  south  of  the  state,  around  Colorado  Canon,  and  almost  trop- 
ical conditions  prevail.  Warm  nights  and  warm  days  bring  the  semi-tropical 
fruits  to  perfection. 

AVERAGE    RAINFALL. 

While,  as  stated,  in  some  portions  of  Nevada  the  average  rainfall  is 
sometimes  four  inches,  in  others  (in  some  of  the  valleys)  it  may  reach  fifty 
inches  a  year;  it  has  reached  sixty,  but  rarely.  On  the  desert  lands  the 
rainfall  is  often  less  than  three  inches.  At  Carson  valley  the  rainfall  in  1880 
was  thirteen  and  one-tench  inches,  and  this  can  be  taken  as  about  the  aver- 
age rainfall  for  the  northern  and  west  portions  of  Ne\-ada.  Many  advocate 
the  planting  of  trees  to  bring  about  more  rain,  others  the  inauguration  of 
a  chain  of  immense  reservoirs,  hut  the  majority  favor  irrigation.  If  the 
waste  waters  each  winter  could  he  cached  in  some  practical  manner,  it  would 
be  a  wise  mcne — the  questiim  is  just  Imw  to  do  this.  Irrigation  is  what 
people  ])lace  most  reliance  on  when  building  on  the  future  of  the  state.  If 
the  water  which  goes  to  waste  could  be  .saved,  every  square  inch  of  the  erst- 
while barren  state  would  be  transformed  into  a  living  green  loveliness,  charm- 
ing alike  the  eye  of  the  tourist  and  the  resident.  Writing  on  this  subject 
the  assessor  of  Ormsliy  county,  H.  H.  Bence,  covered  the  whole  question, 
in  detailing  the  condition  of  his  county  and  efforts  which  had  been  made 
to  use  the  waste  water,  as  follows,  under  date  of  November  30,  1880: 

"The  approximate   area   of   agricultural    land    in    this   county   is    eight 


lfi-2  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

llinusaiid  acres,  hut  uwinp;  tn  a  scarcity  <it  natural  supiily  of  water  for  irri- 
gati(.iu  only  a.bout  one  tliousand  one  luindred  and  sixty-four  acres  are  ac- 
tually under  culti\ation.  and  the  (|uestion  arises,  liow  water  is  to  he  olitained 
for  irrigating  purposes. 

"Xunierous  attempts  have  been  made  to  supply  it  h\'  means  of  artesian 
wells,  hut  all  efforts  in  that  direction  ha\e  failed;  and,  in  my  opinion,  the 
only  solution  of  this  question  is  that  carried  out  hy  Charles  M.  Schultz,  on 
his  ranch  near  the  mouth  of  Clear  creek. 

"Some  three  years  ago,  Mr.  Schultz  constructed  a  reser\-oir  co\-ering 
a  surface  area  of  about  tweut}-  acres,  about  ten  feet  deei^  at  the  deeiiest 
jxiint  and  an  average  depth  of  three  feet.  This  reserxoir  is  tilled  from  Clear 
creek  in  the  sjjring  of  the  year,  wdien  there  is  an  abundance  of  water  run- 
ning to  waste,  and  the  water  is  thus  stored  up  for  use  when  most  needed. 
When  tapped  for  use,  it  furnishes  a  nice,  clear  stream  of  water  for  irrigation 
from  four  to  six  weeks  at  a  time. 

"B_\'  means  of  tliis  reservoir  Air.  Schultz  has  been  enabled  to  culti\'ato 
about  sixty  acres  more  of  land  than  could  haxe  Itecn  successfully  culti\'ated 
with  the  natural  sujjplies  of  water  at  hand,  and  his  success  in  this  particular 
lias  been  such  that  he  contemplates  not  onK-  increasing  the  capacity  of  the 
present 'reser\oir,  Ijut  the  construction  of  others, immediately  1)elo\\  it,  thus 
ciimpleting  a  s}stem  of  reser\'(_)irs,  one  Ijelow  the  other,  that  will  un<loubtedly 
reward  his  enterprise  with  a  large  increase  in  agricultural  products. 

"There  are  man\'  other  suitable  sites  for  rescr\'oirs,  and  by  a  reasonable 
outlax'  in  their  construction,  the  agricultural  resources  of  the  coiuitry  might 
be  more  than  doubled. 

Statistics  have  shown  that  the  rainfall  along  the  western  border  of 
the  state,  also  in  the  mountains  of  the  west  and  east,  is  about  thirteen  inches 
per  aniuini,  which  if  gathered  into  reservoirs,  would  be  suflicient  to  irrigate 
all,  or  nearly  all,  the  land  of  the  valleys,  redceiiiing  the  stale  f r.  uu  its  present 
liarrenness." 

In  iH5(j.  when  the  Mormons  came  into  Ca.rson  valkw,  they  brought 
with  them  butter,  eggs,  fat  cattle  and  many  otlier  things.  looking  to  a  per- 
manent settlement.  'I'hey  planned  to  make  use  of  the  great  fertility  of  the 
\aliey  to  farm,  and  sell  at  gtjod  figures  all  produce  raised,  to  the  emigrants. 
A  reputation  was  soon  established,  and  man\-  emigrants  made  Carson  \alley 
a  supply  point.  Some  grain  was  used,  the  Reeses,  so  often  mentioned  in  the 
chronicles  of  early  days  in  that  \allcy.  using  a  threshing  machine  as  carl\- 
as  1854.  While  the  emigrants  bought  in  c|uanlities.  still  emigrants  were 
not  everyday  visitors,  and  California  received  the  hulk  of  everything  raised. 

All  this  was  clianged  with  the  discovery  of  tlie  Comstock,  f(ir  when 
the  |)opu]ation  increased  by  le;ii)s  and  bounds,  some  one  had   to   feed  the  in 


A  JIIS'IOKN'  OF  NEVADA.  1«3 

haliilants  i>f  the  many  towns  which  grew,  nnishnioni-Hke,  in  a  single  niii;ht. 
CaHfoniia  chd  her  best,  and  this  was  su])|)leniente(l  hy  the  efforts  of  tlic 
Carson  valley  farmers.  Prices  were  in  the  clouds,  for  these  men  of  the 
days  of  gold  wanted  not  only  necessities  but  luxuries.  Poultry,  fruit,  eggs, 
much  of  the  goods  wanted  was  perishable,  so  that  strive  as  they  might,  keep- 
ing on  the  move  day  and  night,  many  things  would  not  arrive  in  good  con- 
dition. Yet  all  fruit  was  high,  one  dollar  per  pound  the  usual  price.  Freight 
was  an  item  of  great  expense,  so  in  sheer  desperation  an  effort  was  made  to 
find  out  if  the  state  could  not  supply  the  needs  of  those  within  her  borders. 
Grain  went  u])  to  almost  prohibitive  prices.  Hay  was  from  the  first  raised 
in  Nevada,  Init  barley  was  imported  from  California,  sixty  dollars  per  ton 
for  freight  being  paid,  which  added  to  the  original  price  was  outrageous. 
It  came  to  about  one  hundred  dollars  per  ton. 

It  was  the  high  prices  charged  Ity  the  Mormons  which  made  the  Over- 
land Stage  C(jmpany  start  their  highly  successful  farm  in  Ruby  valley  in 
1864,  and  the  high  prices  of  the  Californians  which  drove  the  Nevadans  to 
agricultural  work  as  a  means  of  self-preservation.  Tlie  Humlxildt  rix'er 
land  was  found  to  be  adapted  to  the  raising  of  grain  and  vegetables,  and  the 
same  was  learned  of  the  valleys  north  and  south.  It  did  not  take  long  to 
demonstrate  that  Nevada  could  supply  her  citizens  with  everything  needed. 
The  desirability  of  the  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  acres  of  land  in 
Paradise  valley  was  known  in  the  T)o"s,  but,  owing  to  the  hostile  Indians, 
it  was  some  years  before  settlers  could  locate  in  safety.  Knowing  that  they 
had  passed  many  fine  valleys  on  the  way  to  California  in  earlier  days,  settlers 
commenced  to  hunt  them  up,  among  these  being  Thousand  Spring  and  other 
valleys  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  state.  They  soon  filled  them  up :  the  valley 
of  the  Humboldt  and  all  its  branches  was  soon  occupied,  .and  Humboldt 
county  was  considered  to  be  a  great  county  when  it  came  to  the  raising  of 
grains,  vegetables  and  ha}-,  while  .sorghum  grew  luxuriantlx'. 

As  soon  as  agricultural  pursuits  began  to  be  followed,  more  attention 
was  paid  to  climatic  conditions.  They  were  soon  found  to  be  equal  to  many 
of  the  northern  states,  even  ahead  of  some.  In  1864.  when  first  watched 
closely,  there  were  seventy-eight  days  without  frost,  and  the  next  year 
eighty-seven,  consecutively.  In  1867  the  barley  crop  w-as  one  million  pounds 
in  Humboldt  county.  The  estimated  value  of  the  barley,  wheat  and  potato 
crops  was  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  and  less  than  half  the 
arable  land  was  under  cultivation.  Ruby  \alley.  in  portion  to  area  of  land 
cultivated,  had  as  fine  a  crop.  Carson  valley,  being  nearer  to  the  big  mining 
center,  grew  more  rapidly.  Flour  mills  were  soon  established  to  take  care 
of  the  grain  grown,  the  first  one  at  Kingsbury  Grade  in  1859,  a  larger  one 
following  in   1865. 


164  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

LARGE  CROPS  IN    1868. 

Hunibiildt  Ciiunty — 2.300  acres  of  barley,  averaging  40  busliels.  worth 
$2.50;  i.joo  acres  of  wheat,  averaging  40  bushels  per  acre,  worth  $3.00; 
3.000  tons  of  hay.  worth  $20  per  ton. 

Lincoln  County — 150  bushels  of  barley,  $4.00  per  bushel:  130  bushels 
of  oats.  $2.80  per  bushel;  600  bushels  of  corn.  $3.50  per  bushel;  10  tons 
of  beets,  at  6  cents  per  pound;  2  tons  of  parsnips.  7  cents  per  pound;  10  tons 
of  squashes.  4  cents  per  pound;  15  tons  of  cabbages.  123/  cents  per  pound; 
40  tons  of  potatoes.  5^  cents  per  pound;  and  8.000  melons,  no  price  given. 
The  foregoing  were  raised  on  three  ranches,  of  a  conil)ined  extent  of  ninety- 
five  acres. 

Douglas  County — 20,000  tons  of  hay.  2.000  bushels  of  wlieat.  40.000 
bushels  of  barley,  15,000  Inishels  of  oats,  1,000  bushels  of  corn  and  5,000 
bushels  of  potatoes. 

In  Ornisby  county  the  hay.  grain  .-ind  vegetable  crop  was  valued  at 
one  hundred  and  six  thousand  five  hundred  dollars.  It  was  hard  work  to 
gather  any  idea  of  crops  from  the  Mormons,  for  they  would  not  gi\'e  them, 
at  least  until  late  in  the  '60s,  even  running  the  assessor  off  with  guns  when 
he  came  to  ins])ect  their  farms. 

AGRICULTURAL  REPORT  OE  1874. 

By  the  year  1874  the  farmers  had  begun  to  reaj)  the  [jrofits  from  their 
farms,  the  figures  for  that  year  being ; 

Acres  Sown.     Yield  Per  Acre,     Total  Yield 
Kind.  in  Bushels.         in  Bushels. 

Wlieat    , 4.34f)  17  76,300 

liarley    26,651  20  506,790 

Oats      5,372  14  74,695 

Rye       1 00  10  1 ,000 

Corn      493  28  1 3,690 

IJuckwheat       12  17  200 

Peas    326  io>4  3-450 

Beans    53  11  593 

Potatoes    4, 1 36  70  290,458 

Sweet  potatoes    ^  96  24 

Onions    76  55I/2  4,210 

Tons. 

Hay    72.101  I    1/12       72,101 

Hops  I  125  lbs. 

Beets    (tons)  314 

Turnips    "  320 

Pum])kins  and  squashes   "  5.350 


A  TTTSTOKY  OF  NEVADA.  1G5 

Butter   (11'^)  227,240 

Cheese    "  22,200 

Wool    "  668,738 

Honey    "  7,400 

FRUIT  CULTURE. 

A?  far  liack  in  tlic  past  as  1871,  success  with  fruit  trees  is  recorded. 
Sliade  and  oruamental  trees  were  also  imported  mid  ])Ianted.  C,.  W.  C. 
Ferris  planted  hard  and  soft  maples,  hickory,  black  walnut,  butter-nut, 
chestnut,  and  other  varieties  of  trees.  In  1872  there  were  in  Ormsby  county 
o\-er  one  thousand  Ihc  luuidred  imported  trees,  fruit  and  shade,  nearly  twice 
as  much  of  the  former  as  of  the  ornamental  trees.  Many  of  the  fruit  trees 
had  Iwrne  fruit,  but  the  ravages  of  the  frost  made  the  fruit  returns  uncertain. 
But  no  matter  how  unfavoralile  were  the  climatic  conditions,  every  farmer 
tried  to  raise  soiue  variety  of  fruit.  In  the  earlv  da\'s  it  was  found  that 
Lincoln  county  was  admiralily  suited  for  the  culture  of  graj^es,  and  tliat  in 
Humboldt  nearly  every  kind  of  fruit  could  be  grown.  As  time  went  on, 
different  localities,  as  will  be  seen  were  found  adapted  to  every  kind  of  fruit 
grown  in  any  climate,  even  to  the  semi-tropical  fruits.  To  show  by  counties 
the  fruit  grown  in   1874  the  following  table  is  gi\'en  : 


County  *- 

< 
Churchill    ....      40 

Douglas    3000 

Elko    100 

Esmeralda    .  .  .3500 

Eureka    20 

Huml>ol(It    .  .  .  3000 

Lander    430 

Lincoln 1 18 

Lyon 45 

Nye 300 

Ormsby     5000 

Storey     240 

Washoe    6000 

White  Pine  ...      50 


OJ 

^ 

D.^ 

u 

a 

< 

1- 

0 

2 

4 

4 

2 

.... 

300 

200 

400 

200 

10 

150 

.... 

200 

100 

1000 

1050 

250 

500 

20 

20 

20 

.... 

.... 

3000 

400 

400 
120 

200 

250 

230 

100 

500 

482 

4 

18 

6 

.... 

20 

-'.S 

31000 

23 

8 

7 

.... 

18 

.SO 

20 

10 

10 

10 

.... 

100 

550 

400 

400 

20 

70 

10 

40 

88 

35 

3H 

I 

6 

3 

8 

700 

600 

goo 

400 

5 

10 

10 

300 

100 


CATTLE  RAI.SING. 


As  one  may  readily  understand  after  reading  of  the  climatic  condition 
and  the  lack  of  grass,  it  was  difficult  in  early  days  to  solve  the  cattle  prob- 
lem.    At  first  ambitious  settlers  brought   in  fine,  thoroughbred  stock.     In 


166  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

the  sheltered  farms,  kept  under  Ixninds,  this  was  all  right,  Imt  to  put  nn  the 
rang-e,  the  American  cattle  were  not  desirahle.  As  one  early  writer  put  it, 
■'cattle  were  wanted  that  could  fight  nr  run  away,"  and  this  the  Texas  variety 
could  do.  By  1880  there  were  immense  herds  of  the  latter  hreed,  long  horned, 
fleet  of  foot,  wandering  contentedly  through  the  sage  and  the  bunch  grass. 
;\bout  two  hundred  thousand  were  apportioned  in  that  year  as  follows :  Lux 
&  Wilier,  ten  thousand;  Glenn  &  Company,  thirty  thousand;  Todhunter, 
twenty-fi\e  thousand;  and  N.  H.  A.  Mason,  number  unknown.  It  was  diffi- 
cult in  those  days  to  get  anywhere  near  a  correct  idea  of  the  number  of  cattle 
belonging  to  any  of  the  so-called  cattle  kings,  for  the  reason  that  the  "kings" 
only  rode  the  range  once  a  year,  at  the  rodeo,  and  literally  did  not  know  how 
many  cattle  they  possessed. 

These  ro<leos  are  held  once  a  year  and  the  cattle  owner  goes  from  one  to 
another,  branding  all  the  cahes  he  finds  with  his  mark,  that  are  seen  follow- 
ing cows  tearing  bis  brand.  That  is  the  only  way  to  determine  the  owner- 
ship of  calves  when  on  the  range.  For  the  cattle  stray  miles  away  from  home, 
sometimes  fifty  miles.  When  the  cattleman  wants  U>  ha\-e  a  drive,  there  is 
joy  among  the  cowboys.  In  a  "drive"  all  the  fat  cattle  are  singled  out  and 
separated  from  the  rest  of  the  herd  and  eventually  reach  the  open  market. 
E\en  in  those  pioneer  da}-s  thou.sands  (if  animals  were  sent  in  one  dri\e,  ten 
to  fifteen  thousand. 

The  friend  of  the  cattleman  was  tlie  bunch  grass,  for  the  range  cattle 
like  it,  and  it  is  nutritious  and  hardy;  nothing  seems  to  kill  it  and  the  cattle 
know  bow  to  get  at  it  even  in  winter;  they  will  paw  the  snow  away  ;md  get 
fat  on  it  in  winter.  This  worked  very  well  at  first,  but  the  cattle  owners 
f(»und  out  that  after  the  grass  was  once  eaten  off  it  took  several  years  for  it 
to  grow  into  condition  for  eating;  true,  there  was  wild  sage,  but  as  the  herb 
impregnated  the  flesh  it  was  not  the  most  desirable  thing  for  [>coi)lc  who 
like  sage  only  in  dressing,  .\gain  the  bunch  grass  does  not  seem  to  be 
evenly  distributed,  sometimes  miles  .apart.  So  cattle  bad  to  kce]>  (^n  the 
nifne  to  keep  in  good  condition. 

In  uiuisually  cold  winters,  or  in  dr\-  wcither,  when  the  grass  is  literally 
dried  out,  herds  suffer  great  loss.  The  summer  ;niil  winter  ranges  were 
kept  far  apart,  .sometimes  over  one  hundred  miles;  if  kept  on  summer  ranges 
during  winter,  the  cattle  knew  instinctively  that  no  amount  of  p;iwing  would 
find  uncropjied  grass  and  they  would  iMit  try  to  find  it.  .\uotber  f.-ict  learned 
by  the  cattlemen  was  that  cattle  must  not  be  ivi]  during  winter;  once  started 
in  this  direction  and  the  cattle  would  not  try  to  hunt  food  but  would  jvist 
stay  around  the  ])lace  where  they  liad  been  fed,  waiting  for  food. 

In    i8;r(j  ;nid    18S0.   one-third   of   ibe  e.ittle   in    .\e\;ida    died   during  the 


A  HISTORY  Ol'   NEVADA.  1(;7 

wintci'.      In    iSri(;  the  calllcnicn   had  sitlVci-fil  ahout   the  same  Inss.     'I'lie  loss 
i^eiierally  was  aniiin<^-  the  heids  unaccustDnied  to  the  ran,^e. 

DISEASKS    AND   STAM  TEDES. 

Many  diseases  were  kiKnvii  and  feared  on  the  ranj^e.  The  "h\'^  jaw." 
the  "hi<^-  nieh"  and  "l)lack  leg-,"  as  tliey  are  unscientifically  known,  killed  off 
hundreds,  no  cure  hcing  known  fnr  the  "hlack  leg."  It  usually  made  its  ap- 
pearance in  July  and  August,  and  from  the  first  symptnius  to  the  last  hreath, 
only  three  or  four  hours  would  elapse. 

The  stampede  was  a  thing  to  he  dreaded  and  feared,  the  more  so  that 
no  one  could  or  can  explain  its  cause,  and  once  started  no  human  power  can 
sto])  one,  though  the  cowhovs,  knowing"  the  signs,  avert  them  often.  .\t 
night  when  the  cattle  were  resting,  the  cowhoys  by  singing  sometimes  kept 
off  the  mysterious  foe.  1die  greatest  loss  is  not  caused  by  the  cattle  falling 
into  rax'ines  and  gullies  and  o\-er  ]irecipices,  hut  from  the  nervous  e.xhaustiou 
following,  which  takes  months  for  the  cattle  to  recover  from.  One  herd 
of  fat  cattle  in  a  corral  in  Paradise  valley  stampeded  and  breaking  down 
all  fences  ran  for  miles.  The  loss  was  exactly  $10,000,  so  it  is  no  wonder 
the  cattlemen  dread  stnmpeiles.  If  a  cowboy  hap])ens  to  be  near  the  leader 
in  a  stampede,  or  can  reach  it,  he  can  run  with  the  herd,  and  gradually  turn 
it  and  bring  it  under  control,  but  it  was  not  often  done. 

Xot  i)nly  cattle,  but  horses,  sedate  family  horses,  and  stolid  mules,  will 
become  imbuetl  with  the  wild,  unreasoning  horror,  and  stampede  with  as 
much  reckless  aljandon  as  the  range  cattle.  Cattle  yoked  together  sometimes 
join  in  a  stampede,  in  fact  nothing  in  the  way  of  stock  seems  to  be  exempt 
from  it. 

PESTS   OF   EARLY   DAYS. 

One  of  the  most  destructive  pests  of  early  days  in  Ne\-ada  was  the  grass- 
hopper, and  as  late  as  1881  they  devastated  the  entire  valleys  along  the  eastern 
l)ase  of  the  Sierra  Nex'ada.  The_\'  were  regarded  as  a  deadly  menace  by 
the  pioneer  farmers,  for  a  field  of  grain  or  vegetaliles  would  be  cut  off  close 
to  the  ground  and  eaten,  'i'hey  were  fought  Ijy  many  devices,  but  nothing 
was  entirely  successful.  Smoke  and  smudging  sometimes  turned  them  away 
from  threatened  territory. 

Another  pest,  but  one  which  could  l)€  destroyed,  was  the  cricket,  a  wild, 
untamed  cousin  of  the  gentle  hearth  \-ariety.  At  first  they  attacked  only  the 
grain  and  vegetaljles  when  their  natural  food  was  cut  short  by  drouth  or 
excessi\-e  mcjisture.  But  it  was  a  habit  soon  accpiired,  and,  like  tiie  taste 
for  olives,  an  appetite  for  life  was  formed.  The  farmers  caught  them  in 
ditches,  or  placed  rows  of  tin  next  to  the  ground  around  the  gardens  and 
fields.     In   1868  and   1871   they  created  great  havoc.     The  cricket  not  being 


168  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

able  to  fly  much,  was  forced  to  remain  near  the  place  where  he  was  hatcliecl, 
while  nothing  could  stop  the  flight  of  the  agile  grasshopper. 

\\'ild  animals  were  extremely  trouMesome  in  pioneer  days,  skunks,  wild 
cats,  coyotes,  all  varieties  of  "small  varmints,"  as  the  trappers  termerl  them, 
kept  the  farmers  busy  watching  poultry  and  slieep. 

LIVE    STOCK. 

The  live-stock  industry  has  grown  to  be  of  the  greatest  importance 
and  one  of  the  most  profitable.  There  are  large  areas  of  the  public  domain 
which  afiford  pasturage  for  herds  and  flocks  the  greater  part  of  the  year. 
Stockmen,  however,  have  to  devote  more  attention  to  winter  feed  than  they 
ilid  twenty  years  ago  when  herds  and  flocks  subsisted  the  year  round  upon 
the  feed  afYorded  on  the  range. 

At  the  second  meeting  of  the  X'evada  Live  Stock  Association,  at  W'in- 
nemucca,  March  4,  1887,  the  177  members  owned  350,000  cattle,  21,000 
horses  and  49,000  sheep.  Governor  Sparks  has  for  many  years  been  in- 
terested in  live  stock,  importing  from  England  and  other  countries.  In 
1900  he  purchased  the  Royal  Hereford,  Lemester,  in  Lemester.  England, 
wliich  had  won  all  royal  prizes  in  the  yearling  class  the  season  previous. 
Governor  Sparks  has  taken  first  prizes  with  his  blooded  stock  all  over  the 
United  States.  As  early  as  1884  Governor  Sparks  was  known  as  the  cat- 
tle king  of  Nevada.  In  that  year  he  branded  14.000  calves.  In  the  Cham- 
ber of  Commerce  at  Reno  is  a  case  filled  with  thirty  gold  and  silver  medals 
awarded  his  live  stock,  and  he  has  several  similar  cases  at  his  home  near 
Reno.  In  August,  1901,  he  considered  that  the  asscs.snr  had  placed  too 
low  a  valuation,  $50  on  his  cows  and  $70  on  his  Imlls,  and  volunt.nrily  raised 
it  to  $100  on  his  cows  and  $500  on  his  bulls. 

In  1884  the  cattlemen  suffered  severe  losses,  but  in  1890  the  herds 
were  decimated  by  the  thousands,  the  loss  being  95  per  cent.  The  drouth 
of  the  previous  summer  had  left  the  cattle  in  jxjor  condition  to  face  the 
cold  and  blizzards  of  that  winter.  In  the  si)ring  the  ravines  and  gorges  were 
filled  with  their  dead  Ixxlics.  In  1896  the  firm  of  Miller  Brothers  secured 
600,000  cattle  for  shipment  east,  showing  that  the  recovery  was  rajiid.  In 
1898,  31,000  cattle  were  sent  to  Denver  in  one  shipment. 

In  1903  many  Nevada  cattle  were  found  infected  with  "black  leg,"  and 
it  was  learned  that  the  disease  was  cimtraclcd  from  California  cattle.  Since 
then  there  has  been  a  running  fight  between  the  cattle  and  sheep  men  of 
Nevada  and  those  of  California,  a  (|uarantine  having  been  established  against 
a  portion  of  California. 

Nevada's  alfalfa-fed  bed  and  muUon  comm;nid  the  liighcsl  ])rices  in 
tlte  markets  east   and   west   and   are  considered  eipril   if  n<]l   superior  to  the 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  169 

corn-fed  meats  of  the  states  east  of  tlie  Rocky  Mountains.  After  50  years 
of  support  given  tO'  llocks  and  lierds,  of  immense  numlicrs,  tlie  earlier  range 
conditions  are  rapidly  ceasing  to  exist.  Winter  feeding  has  to  l>e  done 
in  order  to  continue  the  magnificent  record  as  meat  and  wool  producers. 

In  1902  a  total  was  reported,  with  no  report  from  Nye  county,  of  7,688 
horses  and  mules;  216,679  cattle;  731,075  sheep;  3,445  goats;  and  7,995 
hogs.  This  shows  a  decrease  of  cattle  in  Churchill,  Humboldt  and  White 
Pine  counties  and  a  material  increase  in  Washoe  and  Lyon  counties.  It 
is  estimated  that  175,000  sheep  will  be  herded  near  Golconda  this  summer, 
and  stockmen  admit  that  the  actual  number  of  cattle  and  sheep  in  the  state 
is  greatly  in  excess  of  what  the  assessors  rejxjrt. 

AGRICULTURE. 

Agriculture,  owing  to  the  lack  of  water,  has  not  advanced  as  rapidly 
as  other  industries.  Nevada's  hay  is  in  great  demand  in  the  markets  of  the 
east.  As  early  as  July  30,  1885,  275  tons  of  hay  were  shipped  to  J.  B. 
Haggin  for  the  use  of  bis  thoroughbreds,  and  it  cost  $200  per  ton  to  land  it 
in  New  York. 

Nevada  potatoes  have  won  a  great  reputation.  In  May,  1891,  the  first 
carload  of  potatoes  was  shipped  to  Kentucky  by  Mr.  Dangberg,  of  Carson, 
and  was  followed  by  several  others,  and  after  all  charges  were  paid  Mr. 
Dangberg  received  a  cpiarter  of  a  cent  more  than  he  would  have  received  in 
tlie  home  market. 

In  1 89 1  Nevada  received  a  first  prize  for  wheat,  at  the  New  Orleans 
exposition.  The  same  year  Truckee  ranchers  shipped  hay  to  South  America 
and  the  Hawaiian  Islands,  while  Paradise  and  Humboldt  ranchers  shipped 
grain  to  Liverix)ol. 

In  1889,  after  eight  years  devoted  to  sugar  beet  culture  in  Nevada,  the 
government  returns  showed  Nevada  beets  to  be  at  the  head.  They  contained 
2.12  per  cent  sucrose.     The  largest  beets  stood  39  inches  high. 

In  1903  the  wheat  crop  at  Lovelocks  a\eraged  67  bushels  to  the  acre, 
ranchers  making  from  900  acres  $35,000  net. 

That  improved  ranches  have  increased  in  value  in  Nevada  is  evi- 
denced by  the  fact  that  on  April  30,  1903,  Senator  W.  A.  Clark  paid  $55,000 
for  the  Las  Vegas  ranch,  in  Lincoln  county,  while  Robert  L.  Douglas,  in 
January,  1904,  sold  his  ranch  at  the  Carson  Sink  for  $100,000  to  H.  R. 
Kline,  of  South  Dakota. 


170  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

CHAPTER  XX. 

The  R.mlro.^ds. 

Organization  nf  First  Road  and  Its  Ojjeration — Railroad  a  Plank  in  Every 
Political  Platform — The  $3,000,000  Subsidy — The  Competing  Line — 
Completion  of  Central  Pacific — Discrimination  Against  Nevada — Reno 
Pays  Freight  to  San  Francisco  from  East  and  Local  Rate  Back  Again 
— Virginia  and  Truckee  Road — Nevada  Central — Eureka  and  Pal- 
isade— Early  Days  of  Other  Roads  in  Nevada — Two  Roads  for  To- 
nopah.  Carson  &  Colorado  and  P>road  Gauge  from  Daggett — Sierra 
\'alley  To  Be  Extended  to  San  Francisco — Reno  a  Railroad  Center — 
The  New  Shops  at  FLarriman — New  Life  for  Nevada. 

Nevada  is  one  state  in  the  L'nion  of  which  it  can  he  li'ulhfully  said 
that  railroads  did  not  "make  her."  Long  before  bands  of  steel  connected  lier 
with  the  outside  world,  hustling,  prosperous  cities  dotted  the  state:  farms 
were  under  cultivation,  vast  territories  were  e.xplored,  and  mining  thrived 
apace.  Stages  and  freight  wagons  coming  and  going  brought  e\ervthing 
necessar\'  for  the  welfare  of  the  citizens  and  afforded  them  a  means  of 
transjiortation.  The  magnificent  products  of  Nevada's  mines  reached  the 
n.arkets  of  the  world,  without  a  helping  hand  from  any  railroad.  .Vnd  still 
l>eople  were  not  content.  The  thing  they  did  not  h;i\e  was  the  one  thing 
longed  for  ardently. 

A  railroad  was  to  he  the  panacea  for  ex'cry  earthly  ill,  in  Nevada.  Pic- 
lures  were  drawn  of  the  great  benefits  to  be  deri\-ed.  Nevada  wanted  her 
Old  Man  of  the  Sea  and  she  got  him.  and,  true  to  histor\-.  has  never  lieen 
able  to  gel  rid  of  him.  A  st<iry  comes  from  the  mists  of  1S31  to  the  effect 
that  at  that  time  (jeneral  Lea\'enworth  planned  a  road  through  Nevada;  and 
a  year  or  two  later  a  missionary  by  the  name  of  \Miitne\-  introduced  in  his 
sermons  a  plan  for  a  railroad,  a  go\ernmenl  road.  In  Ihe  succeeding  vears 
the  (|ueslion  of  railroads  was  the  (|uestion  of  the  hour;  politicians  used  it  to 
furlhcr  their  own  ends,  and  e\ery  platform  had  to  have  a  railroad  plank  in 
it  before  it  went  before  the  people.  Of  course,  for  the  sake  of  argument, 
there  had  to  be  two  sides  to  the  question,  ruid  in  ibis  case  it  was  which  was 
the  more  feasible,  a  southern  or  northern  route.  Then  came  the  w.ar  and 
effectually  settled  the  cpiestion  in  favor  of  the  northern  route.  T.  D.  Judah. 
who  had  been  engineer  for  the  California  ro.'ids,  had  explored  the  routes 
and  ]>asses  and  had  decided  upon  the  Lake  Donner  route.  In  1860  he  went 
Ixifore  Congress  and  showed  the  practicability  of  the  route  and  wh_\-  it  could 
not  be  l)uilt  without  government  aid.     He  finally  triumphed  in  1862. 

Then  came  the  organization  of  a"  company.  He  finally  interested  C.  P. 
llnnlinglon,    Mark    llo])k"iiis   ;Liid    Leland    .'>tanf(  rd    with    other   wealthy   ,-md 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  IT] 

inllucntial  nicii.  The  r.-iilr(ia<I  ciiinj)aiiy  received  from  the  state  th..  $3,000,000 
it  asi<e(I  for.  Tlie  constitnlion  of  the  United  States  forbade  the  creation  of 
a  debt  save  for  war  purposes,  and  it  was  decided  that  tlie  Inn'ldin.sr  <'f  t'le 
road  was  a  war  measure.  Tlie  idea  was  to  build  the  road  from  Sacramento 
to  Nevada,  there  to  connect  with  any  road  from  the  cast.  The  firsi  earth 
was  tiirown  for  the  construction  of  the  Pacific  road  on  Januarv  8,  1863.  at 
Sacramento. 

Progress  was  slow,  however,  and  Congress  allowed  the  issuance  of 
first-mortgage  bonds  by  the  compan_\-,  equaling  the  amount  of  the  national 
guarantee.  As  the  work  progressed  the  company  began  to  undcrstaml  the 
great  scoi>e  of  the  work,  and  where  they  bad  doubted  the  ability  to  biu'ld 
e\'en  to  Nevada,  the  right  was  secured  from  Congress  to  extend  the  road 
to  meet  the  Union  Pacific  coming  from  the  east.  The  members  of  the  com- 
pany found  that  every  mile  of  road  gave  them  not  only  land  but  much  coin 
as  well.  In  October,  1863,  T.  D.  Judah,  the  great  engineer,  died  \erv  sud- 
denly while  in  New  York  on  business  for  the  company. 

The  first  charter  gave  the  company  right  to  build  only  to  the  state  line 
of  California,  1>ut  when  they  sought  to  extend  the  line  through  Nevada,  the 
very  first  legislature  gave  them  the  right  of  way,  Leiand  Stanford  being 
president  of  the  company.  At  the  same  session  the  legislature  gave  franchises 
to  the  Esmeralda  and  Walker  to  nur  from  Aurora  to  Walker  river,  the  \'ir- 
ginia  and  Washoe  to  run  from  Gold  Hill  to  Washoe  city,  the  Virginia, 
Carson  and  Truckee,  to  run  from  Virginia  City  to  the  Truckee  river  by  way 
of  Carson ;  the  latter  road  was  given  the  right  to  extend  to  the  California  line, 
and  to  build  a  branch. to  Dayton.  Not  one  of  the  three  railroads  were  built 
under  the  franchises  granted  at  this  session.  But  the  Central  Pacific  took 
every  advantage  under  the  franchise  gi\en  them. 

In  December,  1863,  a  clause  was  introduced  in  the  Constitution,  per- 
mitting tlie  legislature  to  give  any  company  connecting  Nevada  by  a  railroad, 
with  navigable  waters,  $3,000,000  in  bonds.  The  people  were  wise  enough  to 
overwhelmingly  defeat  the  Constitution.  An  efYort  was  made  to  insert  a 
similar  clause  in  the  Constitution  in  1864.  in  order  to  urge  the  railroads  to 
the  state  line.  It  was  finally  made  a  part  of  Article  VIII,  Section  9,  giving 
aid  to  the  road  after  it  reached  the  territory  and  then  only  to  the  first  road 
so  doing.  Leiand  Stanford  appeared  liefore  the  con\ention,  under  a  suspen- 
sion of  the  rules,  and  objected  strongly  to  the  clause,  aiid  ileclared  the  com- 
l>any  would  rather  "be  left  alone  than  that  the  state  shall  grant  assistance 
to  the  Hist  road  that  comes  to  the  state."  By  a  unanimous  vote  the  clause 
was  stricken  out. 

In  December  the  legislature  p;issed  a  resolution  which  was  forwarded  to 
Washington,  as  follows : 


172  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

"Resolved,  by  tlie  Asseniljly.  tlie  Senate  concurring,  tliat  our  Senators 
be  and  hereby  are  instructed,  and  our  Representatives  in  Congress  requested, 
to  use  their  utmost  endeavors  to  secure  the  passing  of  a  law  by  Congress, 
fixing  the  sum  of  $10,000,000  in  U.  S.  bonds,  at  dates  of  thirty  years  or 
less,  to  such  corporation  as  shall  first  complete  a  line  of  railwa}-,  and  estab- 
lish the  same  in  perfect  running  order,  without  break  or  interval  of  stage 
transportation,  between  the  navigable  waters  of  the  Sacramento  River  and 
the  base  of  the  eastern  slope  of  the  Sierra  Nevadas." 

At  this  time  the  Central  Pacific  had  a  possible  rival  in  the  San  Francisco 
&  \\'ashoe,  running  from  Freeport  to  Latrobe,  and  wliich  had  surveyed  a 
line  from  Placerville  to  Nevada  by  way  of  Carson  Valley.  The  estimated 
cost  of  the  road  was  $7,015,568,  or  $76,256  per  mile,  a  total  cost  to  connect 
the  road  with  Carson  City,  the  capital,  of  $8,726,568,  to  navigable  waters. 
The  only  eft'ect  the  resolution  had  was  to  force  the  Central  Pacific  to  use 
its  influence  at  Washington  to  jirevent  it  becoming  a  law,  which  it  \ery 
promptly   did. 

Engineer  Judah  had  estimated  that  it  would  cost  the  Central  Pacific 
$12,000,000  to  reach  the  summit  of  the  mountains;  Stanford  calculated  it 
would  cost  $13,000,000  to  make  connection  between  the  state  line,  eleven 
miles  west  of  where  Reno  is  now  located,  and  the  navigable  waters  of  the 
Sacramento.  This  ga\e  the  competing  line  an  advantage  of  $5,000,000  over 
the  Central  Pacific  at  that  time,  but  as  since  ascertained  $9,000,000,  on 
which  sum  the  people  of  Nevada  have  been  compelled  to  contribute  toward 
pajing  dixidends  e\er  since,  a  needless  expenditure. 

TTTE    RO.\D     COMPLETKD. 

December  13,  1867,  the  first  locomotive  ran  into  Nevada,  and  on  May 
4,  1868,  the  track  and  telegraph  were  completed  to  Reno.  The  19th  of 
June  the  last  rail  was  laid  between  Sacramento  and  Reno,  and  on  the  13th 
of  May,  1869,  the  two  oceans  were  united  at  last.  lUil  the  people  of  Nevada 
found  that  their  joy  was  not  to  be  unmixed,  for  from  the  first  a  system  of 
freight  and  passenger  tariffs  worked  harm  to  Nc\ada.  They  were  low 
enough  to  cut  out  competition  from  freight  teams  and  stages,  for  freight 
the  railr<iad  had  to  ha\e;  but  things  were  so  managed  tli.nt  manufactories 
were  practically  impossible. 

'J"he  peoijlc  rebelled,  and  in  1874  the  Kepublicaii  con\ention  introduced 
a  plank  in  their  platform  demanding  that  the  national  Congress  and  the 
Nevada  legislature  pass  laws  establishing  fares  and  rates  at  a  reasonable 
figure;  also  laws  ])rohil)iting  discrimination  in  charges  and  comi)elling  the 
railroads  to  pay  a  fair  and  equal  amount  of  taxes  on  all  property  owned  by 


A  HISTORY  OU  NEVADA.  173 

tlieni  in  the  state.  Tliis  accnniplishcd  iintliini;  ami  matters  rested  i|nietly  for 
some  time. 

Nevada  seemed  lieli)less  in  the  i^rasp  of  the  Central  Paeific.  I  ler  mer- 
chants paid  through  rates  from  ocean  to  ocean,  and  from  $200  to  $50(j  per 
carload  for  the  privilege  of  paying  freight,  h'or  instance,  if  an  I'.lko  mer- 
chant asked  to  have  a  carload  of  merchandise  left  there  as  the  train  ])assed 
tlirough  en  route  to  San  Francisco  they  would  charge  $500  more  than  if 
the  car  was  taken  the  619  miles  to  .San  l*"rancisco  and  return.  When  W'ashoe 
county  compelled  the  Central  Pacific  to  ])ay  $45,000  ta.xes,  freight  was 
doubled,  and  the  people  paid  $2,500,000  for  that  $45,000.  When  people 
agitated  the  question  of  cheaper  rates  the  road  immediately  threatened  to 
impose  greater  exactions. 

Nevada's  rich  and  rebellious  ores  could  not  be  sent  over  the  road  to 
where  they  could  be  reduced  with  chea]i  fuel.  Limestone  was  a  necessity, 
and  when  a  cpiarry  was  opened  ten  miles  from  Virginia  City  the  rejoicing 
was  great,  for  California  lime  was  not  needed.  The  railroad  at  once  put  the 
rate  on  limestone  so  low  that  California  lime  was  sold  cheaper  than  the 
Nevada  product.  The  result  was  the  quarry  closed  down,  the  men  were 
thrown  out  of  employment;  and  in  no  time  the  railroad  put  the  price  (jf  lime 
back  to  where  it  was  formerly. 

In  1865  a  law  was  passed  requiring  all  railroads  wholly  or  in  part  within 
Nevada  to  report  each  year  to  the  Secretary  of  State  the  amount  of  cash 
expended  in  ])urchasing  land,  for  the  construction  of  roads,  the  cost  of  such 
construction,  cost  of  buildings,  engines  and  cars  used  in  the  state.  The 
roads  paid  no  attention  to  this  until  1878,  when  the  law  was  amended 
fixing  the  penalty  for  non-comi)liance  with  the  law  at  $500  per  day.  Even  the 
Central  Pacific  refused  to  comply.  The  claim  was  made  that  it  was  im- 
possible as  they  had  no  data  to  give  the  facts.  The  attempt  to  raise  the  \'alu- 
ation  of  any  of  the  road's  property  met  with  extensive  litigation. 

On  April  5,  1885,  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad  and  all  its  iiranches 
north  of  Go.shen  were  leased  to  the  Southern  Pacific  for  a  period  of  99 
years,  including  all  the  Central  Pacific's  leased  roads  in  California.  The 
minimum  rental  was  to  be  $1,200,000,  and  from  that  as  much  more  as 
the  surplus  earnings  justified,  up  to  $3,600,000.  On  September  5th  the 
Central  Pacific  began  to  advertise  its  grazing  lands,  ofifering  to  lease  or  sell 
them  on  easy  terms;  4,000,000  acres  (28  ranges)  were  thus  advertised. 

VALUATION   IN    I9O3. 

Total  value  of  main  track.  $6,900,150;  total  value  of  side  track.  $668,- 
110;  total  value  of  telegraph,  $23,818;  value  of  rolling  stock,  $1,286,665; 
value  of  other  property,  $226,090;  number  of  acres  of  land,  3,050,609,  valued 


174  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

at  $1,347,679:  a  grand  total  of  $10,452,512.  On  this  there  was  a  tax  for 
state  purposes  of  $78,393.84,  and  for  county  purposes  of  $107,041.37;  a  grand 
total  ta.x  of  $185,435.21. 

VIRGINIA    AND   TKUCKEE. 

While  the  lirst  franchise  for  this  road  was  never  operative  save  in 
theory,  the  successor  to  it  came  into  being  under  a  special  law  approved 
December  20.  1862;  the  general  direction  of  the  main  line  was  so  changed 
that  it  would  pass  through  Carson  City.  It  had  to  be  completed  under 
four  years  or  forfeit  the  franchise.  This  road  also  existed  only  on  i>aper. 
But  before  the  charter  expired  a  new  company  was  organized  to  build  a 
narrow  gauge  road  over  the  route:  a  special  act  of  incorporation  was  ap- 
pro\x'd  by  the  governor,  No\eml)er  2.  1865.  This  also  failed  to  materialize. 
May  8,  1867,  papers  were  filed  by  Williams  Sharon  proposing  to  build  a 
railroad  from  Gold  Hill  to  a  point  on  the  Truckee  river  six  miles  east  of  the 
Stone  and  Gates  crossing.  The  road  was  surveyed  and  that  was  as  far  as 
it  went. 

It  had  the  effect  of  frightening  the  people  of  Eagle  and  Washoe  val- 
le\s,  as  the  route  would  Iea\e  them  out.  The  proposition  was  made  by 
the  officers  of  the  proposed  road,  that  if  the  people  of  Ormsby  county  would 
take  $200,000  of  the  company  stock  at  $1  per  share  and  the  Washoe  county 
people  the  same  the  route  would  be  changed  to  include  them.  The  com- 
missioners of  these  counties  signed  articles  of  agreement,  but  it  was  found 
necessary  to  jjetition  the  legislature  to  pass  an  enabling  act.  Incorporation 
paj^ers  for  the  road  were  duly  filed,  and  on  June  20th  the  completion  of  the 
survey  of  the  road  was  announced.  Later  it  developed  that  the  road  was 
not  to  be  built  as  agreed.  The  people  would  have  to  put  up  more  money. 
In  the  cufl  the  pco])Ie  were  infoinied  that  if  Ormsby  county  would  donate 
$200,000,  Sharon  would  build  a  road  from  Virginia  City  to  Carson  City. 
The  legislature  passed  bills  authorizing  the  issuance  of  bonds  for  $200,000 
in  Ormsby  and  $300,000  in  Storey  county. 

(iround  was  broken  on  I'ebruary  18.  1869,  and  the  first  passenger 
coach  went  o\er  the  road  November  29,  1869.  On  the  7th  of  November 
of  the  following  year  the  road  was  comi)lcted  to  Stcrunboat  Springs,  from 
Reno,  and  in  .\ugust.  1872,  the  road  between  Carsoii  and  Virgini;i  was  com- 
]>lcted.  In  1872  the  company  commenced  the  construction  of  the  car  and 
machine  sho])S  at  Carson  City.  The  .same  month  the  telegraph  line  from 
Reno  to  Virginia  City  was  finished.  It  cost  the  comi)any  $52,107  per  mile 
for  construction.  The  total  \alue  of  its  assets  on  completion  was  $3,379,500, 
rf)lling  stock  included.  The  road  reported  in  1880  that  the  net  earnings  for 
the  year  were  $4,856,042.25.     In  1869,  when  the  assessor  placed  the  railroad 


A  HISTORY  OF  NF.VADA.  175 

assessment  at  $_'<), odo  per  mile.  (Hie  halt  ni  what  the  eiim])aii_\-  had  asserted 
it  should  he  when  they  were  induein^  the  people  to  gi\-e  them  assistanee, 
Ormsby  county,  $200,000,  Store)-  county  $300,000,  and  the  Comstock  com- 
panies $387,383.53, — -there  was  instant  remonstrance  on  the  ]iarl  of  tlie 
company.  'Jdie  assessor  reduced  it  to  $14,000:  later  the  county  commis- 
sioners reduced  it  to  $11,333  P*^''  'ti''c.  in  1879  11.  11.  Hence  was  assessor 
of  Ormsby  county,  and  he  visited  the  assessors  of  Storey,  Lyon  and  Washoe 
counties  and  urged  them  to  raise  the  assessment.  This  was  done,  the  raise 
being  $500,496.  The  ne.xt  year  it  droi)|)ed  to  $195,027.  for  Mr.  Bencc  was 
not  elected,  the  railroad  bringing"  all  its  influence  to  hear  to  pre\ent  it.  In  1880 
the  road  reported  amount  of  capital  stock,  $6,000,000;  net  traffic  earnings, 
$449,746.94;  total  amount  expended  constructions,  rolling  stock,  etc.,  $4,- 
856,042.25:  amount  of  indebtedness,  $992,600.08. 

For  years  the  roail  made  immense  amounts  of  money  and  in  return  gave 
as  little  as  possible  to  the  people.  It.  in  company  with  everything  con- 
nected with  Virginia  City  or  the  state,  suffered  considerably  when  silver  was 
demonetized.  With  the  rich  discoveries  in  Tonopah  and  (inldlield  there  has 
been  an  immense  rush  of  business  for  the  road,  for  e\ery thing  has  to  go 
by  that  road  to  Mound  City. 

For  the  year  ending  December,  1904.  the  road  made  the  following  state- 
ment as  to  its  valuation :  Total  of  property  in  Lyon,  Ormsby,  Storey  and 
Washoe  counties,  $663,109:  average  value  of  all  property,  per  mile  of  main 
track.  $12,040.75:  tax  for  .state  purposes,  $4,973.31 ;  tax  for  county  purposes, 
.$7,715.52;  total  tax,  $12,688.83. 

NEV.\DA    CENTRAL    R.MLKOAD. 

Lander  county  in  1874  was  without  a  railroad,  and  the  .slow  freight 
facilities  were  very  exfjensive.  It  seemed  only  a  cjuestion  of  time  when  its 
residents  would  have  to  leave  it  in  order  to  live.  M.  J.  Farrell,  of  .\ustin. 
foreseeing  this,  commenced  agitating  the  railroad  question,  in  the  press  and 
at  meetings  called  for  the  ])urpose.  A  bill  was  drawn  u\i.  to  be  pre.sented  to 
the  legislature,  granting  a  franchise  and  ,$200,000  to  anyone  who  would 
build  a  road.  Mr.  Farrell  was  elected  to  the  state  senate,  and  after  hard 
work  got  the  liill  passed.  Clovernor  Br.idley,  who  was  bitterly  o])posed  to 
railroad  subsidies,  vetoed  it,  but  Mr,  Farrell  got  it  passed  again  over  the 
veto.  Farrell  went  to  California  and  consulted  with  Stanford,  for  he  in- 
tended the  road  to  meet  at  Battle  Mountain,  with  the  Central  Pacific.  He 
commenced  studying  narrow  gauges:  then  he  took  charge  of  the  petition 
made  necessary  by  the  bill,  and  brought  it  through  in  triumph.  Other  citi- 
zens gave  it  up.  and  it  was  laughed  at  as  "Farrell's  Folly."  From  1875  to 
1879  he  wrote  volumes  on  it,  corresponding  with  hundreds  of  people. 


176  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

He  called  a  meeting  detailing  the  information  he  liad  received;  he  tlien 
proposed  a  suhscription  to  pay  for  surveying'  the  route.  Ready  response 
was  made  and  a  survey  was  made  with  maps  and  specifications  as  to  cost. 
He  sulmiitted  these  to  se\era]  parties  and  finally  Colonel  Lyman  B.  Bridges, 
of  Chicago,  came  out  and  formed  a  company,  Nevada  and  New  "N'ork  men 
being  the  organizers.  Work  was  commenced  at  once,  and  on  Feljruary  9, 
1880,  "Farrell's  Folly"  was  a  tangible  thing,  for  the  road  was  completed. 
It  is  a  three-foot  gauge,  the  steepest  grade  115  feet  to  the  mile.  At  one 
place  there  is  25  miles  of  continuous  air  line,  at  another  27  continuous  miles 
of  air  line.  The  road  when  completed  was  nearly  95  miles  in  length.  The 
intention  at  the  time  was  to  extend  the  road  to  Grantsvilie,  the  extension  to 
be  the  "Nevada  Southern  Road"  and  eventually  to  connect  with  the  Califor- 
nia Central  road. 

It  cost  $944,590.58  to  construct.  Lander  county  paying  the  $620,000. 
The  profits  the  first  year  were  a  little  over  $2,000.  Their  report  for  1903 
shows  that  the  valuation  of  their  property  is  as  follows:  Total  value  of 
main  track,  $146,940.00:  total  \alue  of  side  track,  $1,000:  total  value  of 
rolling  stock,  $15,475.00:  number  of  acres.  $92.00;  value  of  other  property, 
$3,950.00;  total,  $167,388.00. 

EUREKA    .\ND   P.\LIS.\DE. 

Tlie  Eureka  and  Palisade  road  was  constructed  to  run  between  the  two 
ti)\vns  from  which  it  derived  its  name.  The  company  was  organized  on  No- 
vember 19,  1873,  by  E.  Woodruff,  W.  H.  Ennor,  M.  Salisbury,  J.  T.  Gilmer. 
J.  R.  Witliington  and  C.  H.  Hempstead.  The  capital  stock  was  $r,ooo,ooo, 
but  was  (l(nibled  in  September,  1876.  The  road  was  not  built  by  them,  but  in 
1874  the  franchise  was  secured  by  William  Sharon  and  others  and  the  road 
was  constructed  at  a  cost  of  $1,355,346.78:  right  of  way.  equipment  and 
other  expenditures  l)rought  the  total  up  to  ,$1,556,616.73. 

The  company  purchased  the  Ruby  Hill  road  in  1875,  paying  $75,000, 
and  $75,000  was  .spent  in  building  six  and  one-half  miles  of  branches.  The 
com|)any's  shops  at  Palisade  were  erected  at  once. 

In  1880  the  capital  stock  was  $2.ooo,fx)o.oo ;  ca])ital  paid  up,  $1,090,- 
375.00;  amount  of  indebtedness  (outstanding  bonds)  $928,289.52:  amou.nt 
due  the  company,  $388,297.79;  total  profits  for  1880,  $248,232.94.  In  1904 
the  total  value  of  the  main  track  was  $159,600.00,  and  of  the  side  track, 
$2,500.00;  the  rolling  stock  was  valued  at  $16,040.00;  value  of  other  property, 
$'f>/^55'Oo;  total  value  of  land,  $4,575.00:  total  value,  $199,370.00.  The 
tax  for  .state  purposes  was  $5,133.08  and  for  county,  $14,070.89;  total  tax, 
$19,203.97. 


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A  HISTORY  Oi'  NEVADA.  177 


CARSON  AND  COLORADO  ROAD, 


On  May  lo,  iS8o,  a  company  was  formed  In  huild  a  road  fr(jm  llic 
Mound  HfJiise  to  Candelaria,  to  supply  the  freight  and  passeny;cr  transporta- 
tion to  and  from  tlic  mines  of  the  soutliwcst.  Work  started  at  the  Munnd 
House  and  tlie  road  was  com])lcted  as  far  as  Hawthorne,  a  (Hstance  of  one 
hundred  miles  on  April  i8,  1881.  The  road  is  a  three-foot  narrow  gauge, 
steel  rails  and  redwood  lies,  and  was  well  ecpiipped  from  the  start.  On 
May  31,  1881,  the  capital  stock  was  $r),ooo,ooo. 

In  1904  the  total  value  of  main  track  was  $360,750.00  and  of  the  side 
track.  $11,350.00;  value  of  rolling  stock,  $26,557.58  and  of  other  property, 
$8,635.00:  total  value  of  land  was  $152.00,  and  the  total  values,  $649,199.58. 
The  state  tax  was  .$4,869.00  and  county,  $12,603.65:  total,  $17,472.00. 

OTHER    ROADS    PROJECTED. 

In  1880  a  numlicr  of  roads  were  planned  and  incorporation  pajjcrs  filed. 
The  Nevada  Northern  was  to  run  from  Battle  Mountain  to  the  Idaho  line 
and  connect  with  the  Nevada  Central  railroad.  The  capital  stock  ])aid  in  was 
$150,000.  The  Eureka  and  Colorado  was  Iniill  from  Eureka  to  the  Colorado 
river  and  was  an  extension  of  the  Eureka  and  Palisade.  It  was  commenced 
in  i88r.  Arrangements  were  made  also  to  huild  a  road  from  Ouincy.  Cali- 
fornia, to  Reno,  Nevada,  in  18S1.  It  was  tf)  he  called  the  Reno  and  Ouincy. 
The  Humboldt  and  Colorado  road  was  ])rojected  in  1868  in  .Vustin,  the  road 
to  run  from  the  Humboldt  river  to  the  Colorado.  It  was  fully  organized 
and  incorporated,  but  the  project  finally  collapsed.  The  Eastern  Nevada 
Railroad  was  incorporated  in  1871.  and  White  Pine  county  granted  a  subsidy 
of  $250,000,  but  the  road  was  never  constructed.  The  Nevada  Southern  was 
to  extend  the  line  of  the  Nevada  Central  road  from  Ledlie  Station  to  Clover- 
dale.  It  is  a  three-foot  gauge:  the  company  was  formed  on  I-'ebruary  25. 
1880.  The  capital  stock  paid  in  was  $80,000  in  1880.  The  Salt  Lake  and 
Western  company  was  organized  in  June,  1881,  and  the  papers  of  incorpora- 
tion duly  filed.  The  project  was  the  outgrowth  of  trouble  between  the  Union 
I'acific  and  the  Central  Pacific.  The  Pioche  and  Buillionville  road  was 
commenced  in  the  summer  of  1872  and  completed  in  b'ehruary  of  the  next 
year.  The  road  was  a  failure  and  was  abandoned  practically  when  th.e  mines 
at  Pioche  gave  out.  The  Lake  Tahoe  narrow-gauge  was  built  in  1875.  by 
H.  M.  Yerrington  and  D.  L.  Bliss,  to  freight  luml)er  and  w-ood  from  Lake 
Tahoe  to  the  summit  of  the  Sierras.  It  cost  $30,000  per  mile  to  constnict 
and  was  a  paying  institution  from  the  start.  The  Nevada  and  Oregon  was 
chartered  to  run  from  .\urora.  via  Bodie,  California,  Carson  City  and  Reno, 
etc.,  to  Oregon  Line.  The  company  was  organized  in  June,  1880.  The 
bonded  tlebt  was  $10,000  per  mile. 


178  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

KOADS    OF    NK\A1)A     IN      I9O4. 

In  addition  tn  the  roads  £!;i\en.  tlic  following  Xevada  roails  filed  a  state- 
ment with  the  State  Controller,  Jannarv  i,  i(;o4.  The  (ilasgow  and  Western 
of  Humboldt  county  had  a  total  \alue  of  luain  track  of  $10,000.00  and  of 
side  track,  none;  the  value  nf  its  rolling  stock  was  $2,200.00,  and  tliere  were 
no  land  or  other  values.  The  Nevada,  California  and  Oregon,  of  Washoe 
county,  had  a  total  \alue  of  main  track  of  $73,160.00  and  of  side  track, 
$2,040.00:  the  rolling  stock  was  valued  at  $4,680.00  and  other  property  at 
$14,360.00,  a  total  of  $94,240.00.  The  Verdi  Lumber  Company  of  Wash- 
ington constructed  se\eral  .vears  ago  a  road  to  carrv  lumber  of  the  great 
lumber  camp  of  \'erdi.  Tlie  luain  track  is  sumclhing  over  two  miles  in 
length  and  the  side  tracks  less  than  half  that  length.  The  total  \alue  of  the 
main  track  is  $6,000.00  and  of  the  side  tracks,  $1,500.00.  The  rolling  stock 
is  valued  at  $4,830.00,  and  other  i)ro])erty  at  $600.00,  a  total  of  $12,930.00. 
The  San  Pedro,  Los  Angeles  and  .Salt  Lake  road  of  Lincoln  county  ranks 
ne.xt  to  the  Eureka  and  Palisade  in  value  and  amount  of  business.  The  total 
value  of  main  track  is  $182,160.00  and  of  the  side  track,  $4,425.00:  its  roll- 
ing stock  is  placed  at  $4,048.00,  and  other  property,  $5,025.00,  while  its  land 
is  placed  at  $1,625.00,  a  total  of  $198,283.00. 

The  Xevada  railroads  pay  for  state  purposes,  all  told,  on  total  valuation 
of  all  railroad  properties  in  the  state,  $93,369.23:  for  county  inirposes  they 
pay  a  total  tax  on  total  valuation  of  all  railroad  jiroperty,  $146,564.51;  total 
ta.\.  $239,933.74.  The  total  \aInation  of  all  riiilroad  jjroperty  in  Xewida  is 
$12,449,231.58. 

The  Quartette  Railroad  of  Lincoln  county,  and  the  Pioche  and  I'acific 
Transportation  filed  no  report,  the  valuation  being  left  to  the  assessors  of  each 
county  to  fix.  The  former  is  a  sixteen-mile  narrow-gauge,  and  the  latter 
carries  ores  from  Jackrabbit. 

Tin-:  KAH. KOADS  .AMI  TIM';  I'lCOl'LE. 

In  the  state  of  Xevada  it  has  always  been  apparent  that  there  was  an 
antagonistic  feeling  between  the  i)cople  and  the  railroads,  the  aftermath  of 
the  unjust  treatment  of  the  peo])le  by  the  Central  Pacific.  .And  each  road  as 
it  was  built  seemed  to  try  t'l  pl.ace  itself  on  a  similar  footing.  bX-erj'  efifort 
has  been  made  to  evade  ta.xation.  In  1887  the  legislature  passed  an  act  re- 
quiring the  .Surveyor  Cicneral  of  (he  state  to  make  an  accurate  survey  of  all 
railroads  from  boundary  line  to  boundary  line:  $2,500  was  taken  from  the 
General  l'"nn<l  for  the  ])nrpose.  And  then  when  it  was  linisbed  Ihimbolilt 
county  was  deprived  of  2  miles  of  Central  Pacific  road  and  a  strip  of  territory 
north  rif  the  railroad  to  the  lilko  line.     Humboldt  county  sued  Lander,  and 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA,  179 

the  court  so  ruled  tliat  e\fiilii,illy  llic  state  lust  t'mir  miles  ot'  r.'iilruad.  assessed 
at  $45,000  per  year. 

In  1897  tlie  people  of  Stoi-cy  cnuiit)'  won  a  suit  ■•.gainst  the  Virginia 
and  Truckee  road  fur  $7,298.73,  which  the  road  had  to  be  forced  to  ]xiy. 
Almost  every  road  has  been  sued  for  ta.xes  and  forced  to  pay  the  full  sum 
and  costs,  as  a  rule.  On  the  other  hand  the  roads  have  just  as  often  forced 
a  reduction  of  taxes. 

In  1900  the  Carson  and  Colorado  was  purchased  by  the  Southern  Pacific 
on  March  ist.  The  Virginia  and  'i'ruckcc  was  negotiated  for  then  and  the 
deal  is  still  hanging  fire. 

On  February  5,  1900,  the  California  and  Northern  Railroad  liled  incor- 
poration papers.  The  plan  was  to  build  a  broad  gauge  90  miles  in  length, 
from  Eureka,  Humlxildt  count\\  to  Crescent  City,  Del  Norte  county,  Cali- 
fornia. 

In  April,  1902,  the  Virginia  and  Truckee  road  made  an  elaborate  sur\ey 
for  a  road  to  southern  points,  going  out  through  Carson  Valley. 

In  1903,  July  2.  the  railroad  west  of  Osino,  Elko  county,  comi)letcd  a 
3,000  foot  tunnel  in  the  mountains. 

In  1903  a  proposition  was  being  considered  to  move  the  Mound  House 
freight  sheds  to  Carson  and  transfer  all  C.  and  C.  freight.  Since  the  Tonopah 
discoveries  the  C.  and  C.  has  l)een  doing  a  tremendous  amount  of  business. 
This  is  the  road  of  which  Arthur  McEwen  once  said,  after  completing  a  trip 
over  it,  that  it  started  from  nowhere  and  ended  in  the  same  place. 

Another  matter  under  discussion  is  the  terminal  of  the  C.  and  C. ;  rail- 
road officials  have  gone  over  the  road  to  determine  whether  to  establish  a 
terminal  where  the  new  Rhodes-Tonopah  road  will  meet  the  C.  &  C.  If  it 
is  not  established  it  will  be  because  of  lack  of  water,  and  early  in  7904  the 
country  was  being  thoroughly  prospected  with  a  view  to  establishing  adequate 
water  facilities. 

On  the  Tonopah  road  things  are  moving  rapidly.  Grading  cainps  are 
established  along  the  line  of  the  road:  several  car  loads  of  material  were  on 
the  ground  early  in  1904.  Track  laying  is  proceeding  as  fast  as  the  road  bed 
can  be  made. 

The  first  of  the  year  the  State  Board  of  Assessors  raised  the  assessment 
on  all  roads:  the  Southern  Pacific  recei\ed  the  highest  rating.  The  main 
line  was  assessed  at  $15,500  per  mile  and  the  side  tracks  at  $5,500  per  mile. 
The  others  were  raised  in  proportion.  The  Southern  Pacific  has  inaugurated 
the  automatic  block  system  from  Truckee  to  Reno,  at  a  cost  of  $1,000  per 
mile.  In  1903  184  miles  had  been  equipped  and  the  entire  line  will  be 
changed  as  fast  as  possible. 

Great  interest  is  centered  on  the  new  transcontinental  road,  the  Western 


180  A  HISTORY  OF  NE\ADA. 

Pacific.  Its  authorized  Ixjiid  issue  of  $50,000,000  has  liceu  finauced  ruid  tlie 
nioi'tgage  fecc^rded  in  e\erv  county  in  C  ahfurnia,  Xe\ada  and  Itali  thmugli 
whicli  tlie  road  will  pass.  It  has  ami)lc  l)acking-  and  has  made  immense  in- 
\estments  in  rights  of  way,  terminals  and  other  expensive  matters,  preliminary 
to  con&truction.  .\t  great  ex])ense  six  artesian  wells  ha\e  heen  hored  in  Utah 
and  Nevada,  antl  enough  others  will  lie  hured  so  as  to  have  one  every  twenty 
miles  or  less,  apart,  and  will  supply  first  the  construction  gangs  and  then 
the  engine  tanks.  The  southern  arm  of  Salt  Lake  will  he  l)ridged,  saving 
many  miles  of  distance  antl  a  numher  of  hours.  It  has  heen  so  surveved  as 
to  take  in  the  new  town  of  Harriman.  The  line  passes  alx)ut  15  miles  north 
of  the  Humboldt  House  and  last  Deceml^er  several  car  loads  of  pipe  to  lie 
used  in  sinking  wells  were  unloaded  at  the  Humboldt  House.  The  o1)jective 
p(jint  from  there  is  the  famous  Beckwith  Pass,  35  miles  from  Reno  and  which 
is  conceded  to  be  the  only  natural  pass  over  the  Sierras.  Nevada  people  are 
lioping  much  from  the  advent  of  this  new  road 

HARRIMAX    AXD   TlIK   R.\II.RO.\n   .SHOPS. 

While  in  tlie  past  no  denunciation  of  the  unjust  railroad  discrimination 
again.st  Nevada  could  be  too  severe,  yet  in  the  past  two  years,  1902-03.  many 
alntses  ha\'e  been  greatl}-  modified;  a  little  licttcr  spirit  toward  Nevada  antl  h<;r 
people  has  been  manifested  Ijv  the  present  management.  Centralization  is 
the  point  now  in  railroad  circles.  Rumors  of  great  changes  in  Nex'ada  com- 
menced to  circulate  more  persistently  than  e\-er  in  1903.  The  straightening 
out  of  tlie  road  of  the  Central  Pacific  in  1902  was  thought  to  lie  just  a  pre- 
liminary to  some  great  cliange.  By  the  straightening  out,  which  cost  o\-er 
$2,000,000,  the  road  was  shortened  by  six  miles,  but  the  surveys  showed  that 
sooner  or  later  Wadsworth  would  be  cut  off  the  main  line  and  the  railroad 
shops  would  be  removed — somewhere,  and  the  heavy  grade  to  the  Sierras 
commenced  at  Reno.  The  motive  jjower  should  be  changed  there,  where  t!ie 
grade  for  switching  was  jierfcct.  .\nd  early  in  i<;()3  it  dexelojied  that  Reno 
was  to  be  tlie  |)oint  of  centralization;  that  the  new  works  would  be  located  on 
Marlin  ranch  east  of  Reno;  the  filling  in  commenced  in  May,  1903,  and  .soon 
a  town  sprang  up  like  magic:  on  October  13,  1903,  Mr.  Harriman  directed 
that  patents  be  obtained  for  all  Central  Pacific  unpatented  lands  in  Nevada, 
and  there  were  2,500,000  acres. 

There  was  some  comiietition  over  the  nann'ng  of  the  new  railroad  town, 
for  Reno  people  thought  it  should  be  called  luist  Keno.  On  September  11, 
1903,  it  was  settled  by  a  postoffice  being  instituted  mulcr  the  name  of  Harri- 
man. Reno  was  ahea<ly  doing  a  business  oi  $2,000,000  per  aniuim,  competi- 
tion being  keen  in  all  but  railway  trafiic.  And  since  the  induction  of  the 
new  town,  liusiness  has  heen  greatly  augmented.      I  kit    Reno's   suffering  in 


A  IITSTORV  OF  NEVADA.  181 

not  being  a  terminal  jioint  it  was  lioped  would  soon  be  over  witb.  Even  in 
ic)04  mercbants  bad  to  pay  tbe  freigbt  on  mercbandise  from  tbe- east  to  San 
Francisco  and  tben  tbe  local  freigbt  liack  from  San  Francisco.  If  tbe  mer- 
cbrnit  desires  a  carlnad  nf  g()f)ds  in  a  burry  and  wants  it  detacbcd  at  Reno 
be  bas  to  pay  tbe  full  rate  clnwn  and  back,  and  often  (|uite  a  sum  in  addition. 
Reno  was  already  a  railroad  center,  tbe  Central  Racific,  first  of  course,  and 
tbe  Nevada-California-Oregon,  running  norlb  nearly  tn  Oregon,  tbe  Vir- 
ginia &  Truckee,  running  tn  A'irginia  City  and  connecting  witb  tbe  Carson 
&  Colorado,  wbicb  in  a  \'ery  sbort  time  will  lie  connected  directly  witb  tbe 
Tonopab  mines  and  .\rizona,  and  tbe  Sierra  Valley,  wbicb  is  being  extended 
to  San  Francisco  \'ia  Beckwitb  l\ass  and  Featber  Ri\cr,  all  baving  ternn'nals 
in  Reno. 

Tbe  official  time  for  tbe  removal  of  tbe  sbops  from  W'adswortb  to  Har- 
riman  bas  been  fixed  for  August  t.  1904.  Tt  is  tbougbt  tbe  new  sbops  v>ili 
be  practicalh'  comjileted  at  tbat  time:  at  tbe  same  date  tbe  di\-ision  point  will 
lie  cbanged  froui  W'inuemucca  to  Humboldt,  jirmidcd  tbat  a  sutTicicnt  water 
snpplv  can  lie  found  in  tbe  latter  jilace. 

In  Harrimau  an  arm\'  of  workmen  are  emjiloyed.  First  of  all  tbe  ya.rd 
site  was  filled  in,  a  solid  foundation  of  clay  and  gravel  being  used,  wbile  tbe 
old  river  wasb  was  used  for  tbe  fill.  Nearly  1,000  men  were  kept  busy  and 
gravel  trains  came  and  went  e\ery  moment  of  tbe  day  and  often  at  nigbt. 
Immediately  after  tbe  grading  tbe  building  of  tbe  sbops  commenced,  and  tbe 
laying  of  tbe  jS  miles  of  track  in  tbe  yards.  Tbe  sbops  are  on  tbe  regidar 
S.  P.,  C.  P.  and  U.  P.  system,  and  tbe  round  bouse  is  only  second  to  the 
largest  in  tbe  world.  It  is  a  quarter  of  a  mile  around.  It  will  contain  44 
stalls  and  measures  1340  feet  around.  It  is  apple  sbaped,  and  tbe  cur\-ature 
is  315  degrees.  Tbe  stalls  will  accommodate  88  engines.  It  exceeds  tbe 
capacity  of  tbe  Los  Angeles  roundbouse  liy  7  stalls.  Tbe  turntable  is  larger 
liy  TO  feet  tban  any  turntable  on  tbe  system.  Tbe  transfer  table  upon  wbicb 
engines  designed  for  repair  ,are  conveyed  to  tbe  repair  sbops  is  tbe  best  and 
largest  skill  can  design. 

Tbe  repair  sbops  proper  exceed  by  two  stalls  tbose  at  Sacramento.  The 
car  shops  are  all  t.ooo  feet  long  and  150  feet  wide:  tbat  is  a  sixth  of  a  mile 
long:  there  are  over  a  dozen  of  these:  tbe  machine  shop  was  erected  for  the 
temporary  repair  work,  first  thing:  it  is  of  lirick  and  stone,  465  feet  long 
and  185  feet  wide.  The  boiler  .shop  is  of  similar  size.  Tbe  steel  water  tank 
wbicb  will  he  used  to  sn]>ply  tbe  engines  lea\ing  aiul  entering  tbe  roundhouse 
holds  50,000  gallons.  It  is  of  steel,  built  on  a  solid  cement  foundation.  Elec- 
tric power  will  be  used  to  convey  the  ponderous  machinery  from  one  depart- 
ment to  another,  as  necessity  arises. 

The  plant  covers  over  200  acres  of  ground  and  there  are  ^J  long  side 


182  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

tracks.  The  company  has  donated  to  the  men  who  have  tlieir  homes  in  Wads- 
worth,  a  lot  for  a  home,  and  all  the  houses  which  can  be  transferred  from 
W^adsworth  will  be  transported  by  the  company.  When  asked  how  many 
men  will  be  employed,  answers  are  vague,  but  it  is  certain  from  1,500  to 
2,000  will  have  to  be  employed  from  the  start,  in  the  shops ;  this  is  the  .skilled 
workmen:  four  in  a  family  are  figured  on.  though  five  is  the  usual  number, 
and  that  will  give  8.000  persons  for  the  shops  alone.  In  the  division  terminal 
there  will  be.  both  freight  and  passenger,  about  one  hundred  crews  employed, 
which  with  the  general  officers,  dispatchers  and  other  officers,  will  make 
alxiut  10,000  inhabitants  living  on  tlie  wages  paid  by  the  Southern  Pacific. 
It  is  estimated  that  7,500  more  will  come  to  minister  to  the  needs  of  the 
railroad  people,  and  that  means  "a  city  in  a  night."  The  new  division  ter- 
minal will  change  the  map  of  Nevada  in  the  vicinity  of  Reno,  and  elsewhere. 
It  is  true  Wadsworth  and  \\'innemucca  will  he  the  sufferers,  but  it  is  a  case 
of  the  greatest  good  to  the  greatest  number. 

When  the  terminals  of  all  the  roads  are  established,  every  railroad  in 
Nevada  will  converge  at  Reno  and  Ilarriman.  (The  town  has  since  Ijeen 
called  Sparks,  after  Governor  Sparks.)  And  these  will  tap  the  great  farming 
and  mining  legions.  readiing  even  into  California  and  Oregon. 

On  January  i,  1904,  there  were  over  1,200  inhabitants  in  Harrinian. 
A  small  army  of  mechanics  were  kept  busy  erecting  structures  for  homes 
and  stores.  Graded  streets  soon  took  the  place  of  the  alfalfa  and  meadow 
lands  of  the  Marlin  ranch.  The  franchise  for  an  electric  road  between  Har- 
rinian and  Reno  was  immediately  secured  by  J.  B.  0"Sulli\an.  He  sold  it 
to  H.  E.  Huntington,  of  Los  Angeles,  and  it  is  probable  that  the  road  will 
be  in  operation  this  summer. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

Religion  in  NKV.\n.\. 

Mormons  the  Pioneers — Their  Peculiar  Doctrines — lurst  Missionary  Work — 
]'>rothers  at  the  Faro  Table — California  Bible  Society — First  Episcopal 
Service  in  Virginia  City — Trying  to  Convert  Chinamen — Diocesan 
School  for  Girls  at  Keno — Pioneer  Church  in  Nevada — Silver  City 
Episcopalians — Pioneer  Priest  in  Genoa — M.  E.  Church  in  1859 — First 
Pre.sb>'terian  Church  in  1861  —  First  Baptist  Church  in  Virginia  City 
i85^ — First  Congregational  Church  in  Nevada  in  1873 — Churches  of 
Nevada  To-Day. 

Tlie  first  religion  in  Nevada  was,  of  course,  the  peculiar  religion  known 
as  Mormonism,  introduced  when  Nevada  was  not  Nevada,  but  Carson  county, 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  183 

Utah  territory.  Tlie  first  of  tliat  sect  were  ti:e  .settlers  in  Carson  valley  and 
in  Washoe  valley,  hut  they  were  recalled  hy  Brigiiam  Yoiin<^-  when  he  first 
came  in  Cdiillict  with  the  I'nited  States  g-overnnient,  in  1<S57.  Their  ])laces 
were  filled  hy  apostate  Mormons,  who  honght  their  ahandoncd  farms. 

In  Clover  and  Meadow  \alley  the  original  settlers  were  all  from  Utah, 
ahnut  thirty-five  families  in  all.  in  charge  of  Bi.shop  Samuel  Lee.  By  1872 
the}'  had  increased  to  over  se\-enty  families,  then  decreased  again  until  in 
1881  u.hiut  the  original  nuniher  were  there;  of  these  Bislni])  Luke  Syplius  was 
in  charge,  as  he  was  also  of  the  Eagle  Valley  settlement. 

There  are  t()-fla\  few  Mormons  in  Ne\-ada,  and  they  do  not  call  them- 
selves Mormons,  hut  memliers  of  the  Reorganized  Church  of  Jesus  Christ  of 
Latter  Day  Saints.  The  Murmuns  did  n^t  lung  remain  pioneers  alone  in 
religion. 

Man\'  and  \aricd  are  the  stories  told  of  the  efforts  of  ministers  and 
missionaries  to  establish  good  works  in  Nevada  in  earl\-  times.  Some  are 
pathetic,  Imt  they  are  for  the  most  part  humorous  in  the  extreme.  Manifold 
were  the  disappo'intments  and  discouragements  experienced.  No  results 
or  ver\-  meagre  ones.  The  shifting  pojinlalion,  now  a  hustling  town,  then 
a  deserted  cami),  together  with  a  total  disregard  for  the  Salihath  on  the  part 
of  the  citizens,  whether  in  camp  or  city,  made  a  hard  combination  for  the 
ones  seeking"  to  bring  spiritual  influences  to  hear.  Little  progress  was  made 
at  first,  and  late  as  1880,  in  his  eleventh  report.  Right  Reverend  O.  W. 
W'hitaker,  Ejiiscopal  Missionary  Bishop  of  Nevada,  said  among  other  things: 

*  =i=  ••■■  "They  have  been  years  of  almost  unremitting  labor,  much  of 
which  has  been  attended  with  discouragement  and  apparently  meagre  results. 

*  *  *  If  they  could  be  persuaded  to  relax  their  labors  for  one  day  of  a 
week,  a  much  larger  attendance  upon  Sunday  services  could  be  easily  secured. 
Whether  this  will  ever  lie  in  this  generation  is  \-ery  doubtful.  It  is  certain 
that  hut  little  progress  has  been  made  in  this  direction  in  the  last  ten 
years.     *     *     *  " 

One  can  imagine  the  feelings  of  a  cultivated  minister,  fresh  from  his 
university,  full  of  enthusiasm  and  eager  to  be  .saving  souls,  when  he  first 
arrived  in  some  of  the  mining  camps  of  Nevada.  When  seeking  brothers  to 
aid  them  in  organizing  the  church,  they  often  had  to  seek  them  in  faro 
rooms,  or  around  the  roulette  wheel.  And  some  of  the  sisters  were  not  as 
strong  morallv  as  thev  should  have  been,  according  to  earlier  records. 

One  thing  the  early  settlers  demanded — a  funeral  service  for  everyone. 
No  bad  woman  or  man  was  buried  without  one  if  there  was  a  minister  at 
hand.  It  must  have  puzzled  a  clergyman  often  to  know  what  to  say,  with- 
out offending  friends  or  relatives,  how  to  lind  some  good  jxiint  to  eulogize 
in  the  deceased,  who  might  perhaps  have  been  shot  over  a  gambling  game, 


184  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

or  for  some  crime  lielped  into  eternity.  Some  qneer  stories  are  related  anent 
religious  services  in  early  times,  especially  regarding  marriages. 

The  Rev.  John  Brown  married  man}-  people  while  in  Elko,  and  the  only 
couple  he  married  in  church  lived  together  just  twenty-four  hours.  At 
many  marriages  and  many  funerals,  shooting  would  commence  outside,  or 
some  excitement,  and  the  entire  crowd,  including  the  bridal  cou])le  if  it  was 
a  marriage,  would  melt  away.  If  a  funeral  the  cor])se  would  often  he  the  onlv 
one  left  with  the  minister. 

Yet  it  is  to  the  pioneer  workers  tiiat  X'e\-ada  owes  a  great  debt,  for 
truly  they  blazed  a  trail  for  others  to  walk  therein,  although  few  saw  any 
great  results  of  their  work,  while  in  the  field.  They  were  self-denying  workers 
in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord,  and  many  and  great  were  their  sacrifices,  both 
of  the  spirit  and  the  t^esh.  Luxury  there  was  not,  barely  necessities,  often  a 
shanty  for  a  home  and  a  tent  or  the  open  air  for  a  church.  Yet  "in  His 
name"  they  worked,  long  and  earnestly,  founding  churches,  doing  His  work 
in  pioneering  the  gospel  through  dangerous  shoals.  Everywhere  they  sought 
not  their  own  welfare  but  that  of  the  community  with  which  thev  h;id  cast 
in  their  lot. 

THE    M.    E.    CHURCH. 

Early  in  1859  Jesse  L.  Bennett  came  to  work  in  the  cause  of  Methodism 
in  Carson  valley,  then  a  part  of  L'tab  territory.  Several  others  had  been 
before  him  in  the  valley,  one  being  Rev.  Tra  P.  Hale,  in  1857.  But  there  is 
no  record  of  his  work  or  any  one's,  until  Mr.  Bennett  came.  He  was  allowed 
by  the  conference  four  hundred  dollars  per  year  for  the  work  in  Carson 
valley.  He  preached  sometimes  in  Genoa  and  Eagle  Ranch.  Rev.  A.  L. 
Bataiian  came  In  (lenoa  in  1859.  organized  a  society  and  stayed  six  months. 
The  society  dissolved.  Mr.  Bennett  also  organized  a  society  in  Carson,  first 
known  as  Eagle  Ranch.  When  he  left  in  i860  it  also  ceased  to  exist.  Many 
members  went  to  other  c:imp>.  others  left  for  the  Presbyterian  church  and 
onl_\'  two  members  were  left. 

Mr.  Bennett  preached  in  Virginia  Cit\-  after  the  discovery  of  the  Corn- 
stock,  the  first  sermon  ever  heard  there,  lie  had  for  a  church  the  street, 
C  street,  and  when  finished  he  passed  his  h.it,  .uul  was  astonished  to  find 
it  filled  with  gold  and  banknotes.  se\era1  hundred  dollars.  It  was  the  gay 
liappy  times,  the  days  of  gold,  the  days  of  old.  and  everyone  was  "well 
heeled"  with  gold  as  with  wca])ons.  In  September.  1861.  Bennett  was  ap- 
pointed to  take  charge  of  the  church  at  Washoe,  then  next  in  imixirlance  to 
Virginia  City. 

In  the  same  month  and  year  Re\ .  Samuel  B.  Rooney  was  also  ap- 
pointed to  a  Nevada  charge  l)y  the  conference.     He  was  sent  to  take  Bennett's 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADy\.  185 

])lace  in  Virginia.  He  was  an  earnest  worker,  preaching;  any  place  lie  could 
get  to  speak  in,  from  a  tent  to  a  lodging  house.  He  built  the  very  first 
church  in  Virginia,  a  tiny  wooden  frame  house,  at  the  corner  of  1)  and 
Taylor,  on  which  a  real  church  was  erected  afterwards.  It  cost  ahdut  $2,000 
and  was  built  in  1861.  fie  had  fifty-one  members  of  the  church  and  fiftv 
Sunday-school  scholars.  However,  Mr.  Roouey  did  not  remain  long;  in 
186-'  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  C.  V.  .\ntlinny,  who,  after  being  there  one 
year  erected  a  fine  brick  church,  costing  $45,000.  .\  parsonage  was  built 
on  a  lot  adjoining  which  cost  another  $2,000.  The  church  was  dedicated  in 
1864.  Mr.  Rooney  came  from  Stocktou,  Calfornia,  and  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  T.  S.  Dunn.  The  California  Annual  Conference,  at  the  same  meeting 
Rev.  Mr.  Rooney  was  sent  to  Virginia  City,  created  a  new  district,  the 
Nevada  Territory  District,  Rev.  N.  E.  Peck  lieing  presiding  elder.  In  1864 
the  General  Conference  created  a  di.strict,  with  an  independent  conference, 
embracing  Nevada  and  that  part  of  Califdrnia  lying  east  of  the  western  slope 
of  the  Sierra  Nevada.  The  \e\ada  Ci inference  held  its  first  annual  session 
in  September,  1865. 

Mr.  Dunn  was  relie\ed  in  1866  by  Rev.  James  E.  \Vicks,  the  church 
having  attained  a  membership  of  100,  and  the  same  number  in  the  Suntlay- 
school.  Mr.  Wicks  stayed  two  years,  being  succeeded  by  Rev.  A.  F.  Hitch- 
cock; this  gentleman  fell  from  grace,  in  that  his  relations  with  one  of  his  fair 
parishioners  created  a  scandal,  and  he  was  removed  in  fifteen  months.  Rev. 
T.  H.  McGrath  followed  him,  the  same  McCirath  who  years  later  was  sexton 
of  the  Odd  Fellow's  cemetery  in  Virginia  Cit\-. 

He  had  not  been  ministering  in  Virginia  but  a  year  when  a  high  wiml 
demolished  the  clnu'ch,  taking  the  roof  in,  instead  of  off.  and  wrecking  one 
wall.  He  was  n(it  at  all  discouraged:  he  went  to  work  with  indomitable  will, 
and  in  a  month  the  wreck  was  cleared  awa_\-  ready  for  the  rebuilding,  when 
a  disastrous  fire  to<5k  what  was  left ;  lie  then  sold  the  bricks  and  built  a  frame 
church,  costing  in  the  neighborhood  of  $8,000.  Two  years  later,  on  Christ- 
mas eve,  another  wind  visited  the  church,  and  doors  were  blown  in  and 
windows  out.  To  repair  the  plastering  and  other  damage  cost  another  $3,000. 
McGrath  remained  another  year,  and  then  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  George  W. 
Fitch.  He  stayed  two  years,  and  his  successor.  Rev.  C.  McKelvey,  of  Canada, 
had  been  installed  only  a  few  weeks  when  Virginia  City  was  visited  by  the 
destructive  fire  of  1875,  and  the  church  building  burned  with  the  rest  of  the 
town. 

The  old  site  was  used  in  1875  to  erect  a  fine  frame  building,  costing 
$20,000:  it  was  named  the  "Centennial  ■Methodist  Church"  because  it  was 
dedicated  the  year  of  the  Centennial  celebration.  In  1878  Mr.  AfcKelvey 
was  relieved  b\-  Re\-.  \V.  C.  Grav. 


186  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

The  i)€ople  of  Virginia  City  were  always  generous  in  giving  to  tlie 
cliinch. 

SECOND  M.    E.   CHURCH. 

An  ill  fate  was  that  of  the  second  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  It  was 
erected  in  Dayton,  in  1863.  J.  Kilpatrick,  the  first  minister,  did  not  In.ve  a 
regular  church  to  officiate  in;  Rev.  J.  II.  Aladdijx  was  the  first  regular  min- 
ister sent  to  Dayton.  Kilpatrick  heing  a  local  preacher;  under  Maddox  the 
first  church,  costing  $3,000.  was  erected.  Maddox  stayed  only  a  year.  Rev. 
A.  F.  Hitchcock  succeeding  liim.  the  same  gentleman  who  was  removed  from 
Virginia  City  later  on.  Mr.  Flitchcock  was  succeeded  l)v  numerous  others. 
Rev.  Warren  Nims,  \\'.  C.  Gra\'.  .\.  .\".  Fisher,  but  only  ten  years  elapsed 
when  it  was  not  necessary  to  send  any  ministers,  for  the  town  was  so  run 
down  the  church  had  to  be  abandoned.  In  1876  a  tramp  burned  the  churdi 
to  the  ground,  in  the  thirteenth  year  of  its  existence. 

THIRD    M.    E.    CHURCH. 

As  stated  before.  Rev.  J.  L.  Bennett  was  the  first  Metliodist  minister 
in  Waslioe.  He  was  afterw  ards  elected  justice  of  the  peace  of  that  city.  He 
was  succeeded  in  1862  by  Rev.  \\'.  G.  Blakely,  one  year  later  and  Rev.  T. 
H.  McGrath  replaced  him,  building  a  frame  church  at  a  cost  of  $4,500,  with 
a  neat  Httle  parsonage.  In  two  years  Rev.  A.  F.  Hitchcock  took  his  position 
and  also  remained  tw'O  years.  Rev.  Warren  Nims  was  the  last  minister,  as 
the  charge  had  to  be  abandoned  in  1873.  It  was  finally  given  to  the  scliool 
trustees  to  use  as  a  school  house,  and  it  made  a  good  one. 

FOURTH    ^t.    E.    CHI'RCH    .\T   GOLD    HILL. 

The  Methodists  placed  their  fourth  church  in  fiold  Hill,  in  i8r)5,  the 
first  minister  being  Rev.  A.  F.  Hitchcock;  it  was  a  frame  eilifice  and  cost 
nearly  $5,000.  After  Mr.  Hitchcock  came  a  succession  of  ministers.  Revs. 
A.  L.  Shaw,  L.  Case.  R.  A.  Ricker.  Colin  .Anderson,  A.  Taylor,  George  Jen- 
nings, T.  S.  L'rcn.  and  George  W.  h'ilch.  V.  Rightmycr,  one  of  the  ministers, 
literally  starved  to  death.  He  had  a  very  large  family,  and  a  small  salary. 
To  give  his  familx'  the  necessaries  of  life,  he  went  \\ithout;  when  he  died  it 
somewhat  shocked  the  people  of  his  church  and  the  community  at  large  to 
know  that  while  it  w^as  said  i)neumonia  was  the  cause,  the  doctors  .said  it 
was  inanition,  a  i)leasanter  word  than  starvation.  He  was  very  sensitive, 
retiring  and  gentle,  and  nc\er  complained,  but  died  in  harness,  in  .\pril,  1873, 
a  Christian  martyr.  If  bis  wants  ha<l  been  known  hundreds  of  peo])le,  irre- 
spective of  creeds  or  dogmas,  would  have  come  to  his  rescue.  1  lis  widow 
was  given  a  small  ]icnsion  by  the  Nevada  Conference. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  187 

A    BUSINESS    MINISTER. 

All  the  citizens  of  Austin  agreed  tiiat  wiien  Rev.  J.  L.  Trefren  entered 
the  ministry,  tiie  business  world  lost  an  able  linancier.  The  first  church  work 
was  done  by  Rev.  C.  A.  E.  Hertel,  who  was  there  in  1864-65.  Mr.  Trefren 
found,  when  he  succeeded  him.  that  the  people  wanted  a  church,  were  will- 
ing to  help  build  and  support  one,  but  while  there  were  many  rich  mining 
claims  to  be  developed,  few  people  had  ready  cash.  Whereupon  Mr.  Trefren 
did  some  very  hard  thinking.  He  had  been  offered  interests  in  claims  in 
lieu  of  cash ;  he  decided  to  accept  all  those  interests  and  some  way  convert  all 
into  cash.  He  did  so,  by  pooling  the  claims  and  organizing  the  Methodist 
Mining  Company.     But  how  to  sell  the  stock  ? 

Back  east  he  went  with  his  stock  ;  he  boomed  it  according  to  his  best 
ideas,  and  how  the  brethren  did  buy  that  Nevada  mining  stock;  he  secured 
over  $250,000  and  returned  in  triumph.  He  built  the  finest  brick  church  in 
the  state  of  Nevada,  next  to  the  Roman  Catholic  church  in  Virginia  City. 
A  brick  parsonage  was  also  added  and  a  magnificent  organ.  This  cost  i>\er 
$35,000  and  then  became  apparent  a  nu'stake  Trefren  had  made  in  selling  his 
stock  on  installments.  The  boom  collapsed,  and  there  was  $6,000  due  on  the 
church.  The  county  bought  it  for  a  court  house,  but  the  Church  Extension 
Society  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  redeemed  it,  paying  the  debt. 
Trefren  was  a  disappointed  man,  and  in  1868  he  retjuested  to  be  transferred 
to  the  California  Conference.  This  was  done.  He  was  followed  by  Revs. 
W.  A.  Cheney,  Warren  Nims,  John  D.  Hammond  and  W.  C.  Gray.  Mr. 
Gray  was  followed  by  Rev.  C.  W.  Crall,  who  resigned  in  1881.  The  fifth 
church  was  the  finest  one  built. 

C\RS0N    CHURCH    IN    1 867. 

A  sixth  church  was  established  by  the  Methodists  in  Carson  City  in  1867. 
Rev.  Jesse  L.  Bennett,  the  pioneer  minister,  had  for  eight  years  been  look- 
ing after  the  spiritual  needs  of  the  city,  but  he  had  no  church  to  discourse  in. 
Really  Carson  City  was  where  the  Methodists  first  commenced  their  work, 
but  they  were  poor,  and  the  church  was  built  by  subscription.  Rev.  G. 
Blakely  was  pastor  in  charge  of  the  station  and  at  the  Quarterly  Conference 
meeting",  on  November  4,  1861,  an  effort  was  made  to  raise  funds.  In  at- 
tendance were  such  men  as  Governor  J.  W.  Nye,  and  $500  was  raised.  The 
first  trustees  were:  William  P.  Harrington,  Hugh  \'.  Hudson,  Judge  Tur- 
ner, Dr.  H.  H.  Herrick,  W.  D.  Chillson  and  Mr.  McLane.  A  year  after 
Rev.  T.  H.  McGrath  reported  that  he  had  four  church  members,  including 
his  wife,  two  other  women  and  one  man.  Soon  a  Sunday  school  was  or- 
ganized, and  that  did  much  better,  six  officers  and  thirty  pupils.  Rev.  War- 
ren Nims  was  in  charge  of  the  station  in  1863  and  in  a  year  had  a  parsonage 


1S8  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

costing  $800.  In  Deceml)er  of  tlie  next  year  Governor  Blasdel  and  R.  L. 
Higgins  were  chosen  as  trustees:  a  l^Iock  of  land  costing  $1,000  was  purchased 
for  a  churcli  site.  And  to  this  day  it  is  remembered  how  hard  Mr.  Nims 
worked  to  build  that  stone  church,  hauling  stone,  raising  money,  encouraged 
by  everyone,  and  he  himself  hauled  all  the  stnne  in  a  lumber  wagon,  usually 
drawn  by  mules.  By  June,  1866,  $5,000  had  been  spent  and  the  Iniilding  was 
not  complete.  In  November,  Rev.  J.  W'.  Stump  succeeded  Nims,  and  the  Iniild- 
ing slowlv  struggled  on.  .\  marked  increase  in  membership  and  enthusiasm 
was  noticed  in  1867,  when  I\e\'.  .\.  V>.  Karle.  an  evangelist  of  the  Baptist 
ciuu'ch,  arrived.  Untler  this  imjietus  the  church,  costing  $io,noo  was  dedi- 
cated by  Bishop  Tbompsun,  in  1867,  September  8. 

But  next  year  and  succeeding  years  (he  membership  fell  off.  Kew  J.  T). 
Hammond  succeeded  ]\!r.  Stump:  (luxernor  I'lasdel,  in  i8r)().  ])aid  oft  the 
church  debt  of  $1,500.  Rev.  .\.  X.  i-'isber  succeeded  Hammond  in  187 1,  the 
ministry  not  Ijeing  a  success  under  Mr.  Hammond,  ^[r.  Fisher  stayed  three 
years.  The  church  was  renovated  in  May,  1874.  Then  came  Rev.  .\.  11. 
Tevis,  and  there  was  constant  friction,  he  and  his  flock  falling  far  apart. 
The  Rev.  J.  D.  Hammond  came  back  in  1876,  and  liis  attempt  to  heal  wounds 
was  not  successful.  He  left  in  1878  and  i)reached  occasionally  that  winter. 
Rev.  J.  T.  Ladd  came  from  Chicago  in  1871J  and  stayed  until  fall,  when  Rev. 
E.  C.  Willis  came  to  take  charge. 

O'IMIER    iMirniODlST    c  11  r  lU' 1 1  E.S. 

When  Hamilton  \\;is  bo<imiiig,  Rew  T.  H.  McCrath,  so  often  mentioned 
in  this  cliajjler,  was  the  only  preacher  in  the  camp,  in  1868.  Re\'.  \\  .  j. 
White  and  Re\-.  W.  C.  Gray  came  after  Mr.  McClratb,  and  a  hall  used  b\-  the 
mining  brokers  was  the  cliiirch.     The  charge  was  soon  abandoned. 

In  Winncnnuca  the  first  preacher  was  Rev.  1..  F\\  ing,  a  reformed  gambler 
who,  after  being  comerted,  studied  for  the  ministry.  He  was  considered 
an  able  man.  Mr.  Ewing  and  his  successor.  Rev.  T.  S.  I'ren,  jireaclied  in 
the  school  house.  When  (leorge  \'>.  Ilinkle  came  he  built  ;i  church  costing 
$4,000,  and  when  I^cv.  W.  Carver  followed  him  he  Iniilt  a  parsonage,  costirg 
$800.  Rev.  (ieorge  W.  Fitch  and  Rev.  V.  M.  W.arrington  were  the  two 
next,  and  Rev.  John  15.  Willis  todk  charge  in  1881. 

In  L'nioiuille  a  wooden  clunch  \\a>  built  in  1872,  Rev.  L.  lowing  acting 
there  as  well  as  in  \Vinnemiicca.  John  C.  h.ill,  in  Virginia,  had  given  largely 
to  the  fund  for  tlie  first  brick  church,  and  in  Cniomille  he  ofifered  to  gi\-e 
$1  for  every  $1  given  by  others  to  licl])  build  the  church.  So  Mr.  I'\-ill  ])ai(l 
lialf  the  cost,  $2,800.  Before  L^nionville  went  down  to  decay  Ewing  was 
followed  by  Rc\'S.  .'\.  P.  White,  Colin  .\nderson.  ( icorge  Jennings  and  John 
\V.  W.   I'endelton,  before  it  was  abandoned. 


A   IIISKJIU'  UJ'    NI'AADA.  189 

METHODISM    AT    KKNO. 

In  iSri_:>  rclii^iiius  scr\  ii'cs  wcro  lield  liy  llic  Mi-tlidilists  in  Kciio.  Revs. 
(;.  M.  Ilinklc  and  I'".  M.  Willis  ])rcacliini;-,  Iml  in  Washoe  Valley  there  was 
no  re,^-nlar  service  nntil  iveno  eMninience<l  .<;ii  iw  ini;-.  Services  were  then  held 
for  se\eral  }ears  in  a  schiiollKnisi'.  Rex.  .\.  R.  Richer,  in  iS/o,  cdnmicnced 
hnihh'ng-  a  chnrch  which  was  dedicated  nn  July  30th  of  the  next  year.  It 
Cdst  ahnut  $4,000.  l\e\.  ,\.  J.  Wells  came  out  from  l<"nrt  Wayne.  Indiana,  in 
1873.  and  soiin  had  a  parsonaiLje  on  West  street,  lie  remained  mdy  a  year 
and  then  was  succeeded  hy  Rev.  Mr.  Arnold.  In  a  vear  came  Rev.  Ci.  W. 
Fitch;  he  was  followed  in  a  year  hy  Rev.  Thomas  S.  Uren,  and  when  a  year 
elapsed  he  followed  the  e.xamjile  of  the  others,  and  his  succe.s.sor  was  Rev. 
W.  C.  Gray,  in  1877. 

Rev.  C.  Mclselvey  came  to  Reno  in  1878.  lie  found  the  chnrch  in  neei! 
of  repairs,  and  much  i)erseveriug'  effort  resulted  in  raising  $1,000,  the  society 
being  small.  This  was  exixiided  in  papering,  painting  and  refitting,  even 
carpeting  the  church.  An  addition  was  also  huilt  on  for  the  use  of  the  choir 
and  the  lot  fenced.  'Jdie  huilding  did  not  hum  in  the  great  fire  of  1879.  Mr. 
McKelvey,  when  ]:)astor  as  stated  in  Virginia  City,  lost  his  lihrarx-  in  the 
second  fire,  and  all  his  ])ersonal  effects. 

Eureka's  first  three  ministers.  Re\s.  Arnold.  L.  Case  and  |o]iii  |  )c  La 
Matyr,  preached  in  the  court  house.  Rev.  John  Gray  built  a  church  and  a 
parsonage  in  1875  which  cost  over  $4,000,  and  both  were  burned  in  the 
first  fire  in  1879.  Rev.  R.  A.  Richer  partially  rebuilt  it,  hut  in  the  second 
fire  of  1880  it  was  liurned  to  the  ground. 

In  September  of  that  same  year  Rev.  J.  T.  Ladd  took  charge,  and  he 
succeeded  in  building  a  church  costing  $2,000.  He  assumed  the  debt  of 
$250  and  the  church  started  free  of  debt,  the  third  one  built  in  two  years. 

Ruljy  Hill  stands  unique  in  church  annals  because  its  first  church  was 
built  without  anv  pastor  being  concerned  in  il.  The  Methodists  of  that  city 
bm'lt  it,  and  paid  for  it  in  1876,  anil  Re\.  R.  .\.  Richer  was  assigned  to  it  first, 
in  September.  1880. 

Tuscarora  did  not  have  any  minister  until  in  the  eighties,  and  then 
when  Re\'.  T.  W.  Pendleton  arrived  he  could  not  be  paid  a  salary;  but  that 
did  not  deter  him  in  the  good  work,  for  he  went  into  the  mines  and  worked 
on  week  days  and  preached  on  Sundays.  He  was  given  a  ])arsonage  to  live 
in,  which  cost  v$5oo. 

Pine  Grove  and  Mason's  Valley  are  one  charge,  and  the  first  minister 
was  Rev.  R.  Carberrv,  in  1866.  •  Re\-.  Orn  came  next  and  then  Rev.  Thomas 
Bartlett.  ]\lr.  Bartlett  started  a  church  society  with  two  or  three  members 
in  1874,  which  steadily  increased  in  membership.     Rev.  J.  T.  Ladd  erected 


190  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

a  cliuixli  in  1880,  costing  $1,700.  Dr.  Ricliardson.  C.  Henilahin,  J.  J.  I'^ox, 
B.  F.  Ryniers  helped  active!}'  in  tlie  work.  Rev.  G.  B.  Hinkle  took  charge  in 
1880.  and  since  his  coming  a  parsonage  costing  $600  had  been  erected. 

Elko  in  1881  was  a  Metliodist  station,  with  twenty  cliurch  members. 
Rev.  Mr.  Ewing  came  first  and  then  Re\".  George  Jennings,  preaching  as 
supply. 

The  negroes  of  Virginia  City  in  1873  organized  a  church  society  and 
built  a  small  church  on  E  between  Center  and  Union,  but  it  was  destroyed  by 
fire  in  October,  1875,  and  after  Rev.  Weir  left  it  died  down. 

An  effort  was  made  to  organize  a  Methodist  Church  South  in  Virginia 
City  in  1862,  but  failed,  although  ministers  of  that  denomination  came  to 
Virginia  to  look  o\er  the  field  several  times. 

Rev.  T.  H.  McGrath,  so  often  mentioned  in  church  history  of  Methodism 
in  Nevada,  was  an  earnest,  active  and  faithful  lalx>rer.  He  grew  more  liberal 
in  his  views,  and  finally  resigned  his  church  work  in.  Virginia  in  1873  and 
organized  a  lilieral  society  of  Unitarians.  His  successor,  George  W'.  Fitch, 
followed  his  e.xam])le,  in  1878,  and  was  confirmed  by  Bishop  Whitaker,  of 
the  Protestant  Episcopal  church  in  Reno,  July  7,  1878.  He  became  a  postulant 
the  next  day,  and  July  23rd  was  admitted  as  a  candidate  for  deacon's  orders. 
In  two  years  he  recanted  and  rejoined  the  Methodist  church,  in  1881  serving 
as  minister  in  Auburn.  California. 

WORK    OF    METHODISTS. 

In  Nevada  the'  Methodists  have  heen  active  from  the  first.  Wherever 
possible  the  influence  of  the  church  has  been  extended.  In  1881  they  owned 
$64,700  worth  of  ]5roperty,  and  had  lost  l)y  fire  $59,600,  and  by  abandon- 
ment from  Ixjom  failures  $6,500. 

The  Conference  has  been  helped  by  the  Board  of  Church  Extension  very 
greatly:  it  has  given  practical  aid.  erecting  new  churches  and  helping  re- 
build those  destroyed.  E\ery  new  mining  camp  was  visited,  no  territory,  no 
matter  how  isolated,  was  neglected,  for  their  tra\eling  ministers  were  always 
ready  to  visit  them. 

l'ROTK.STANT    EPISCOPALIANS. 

Episcopalians  received  the  visits  of  a  rector  as  early  as  1861.  a  visiti!ig 
minister  preaching.  In  the  spring  of  1862.  Rev.  Franklin  S.  Rising  was  sent 
from  New  York  by  the  .\merican  Church  Missionary  Society,  and  he  com- 
menced the  church  organization.  Missionary  Bishop  Tallxit  held  services 
in  Aurora,  Esmeralda  county,  on  Octolier  4,  1863.  The  Bishop  held  services 
also  in  Austin  and  other  camps,  and  consecrate<l  the  F,piscoi)al  clnu'ch  in 
Virginia  City,  the  first  church  built  by  them  in  Nevada. 

A  parish  was  organized  in  .Aurora  and  Rev.  William  Stoy  came  there  on 


A  HlSTOU\'  OK  NI'LVADA.  191 

Doccnilicr  jj,  \^(\^.  as  regular  rector,  at  a  salary  of  $150  montlily.  TIio 
l)arisli  dill  ikiI  last,  however.  Risht  Rev.  O/.i  William  Wliitaker,  later 
Missionary  llislKi]),  did  nnu'l!  Id  pidiiKite  the  .t^niwlh  nf  ihe  chnrch.  in  Nevada, 
lie  was  beloved  nut  only  hy  his  own  people,  hut  hy  those  of  everv  faith.  He 
was  horn  in  1830,  in  New  Salem,  Massachusetts,  and  was  ordained  a  Ijishop 
at  Grace  church,  Boston,  in  1863.  After  being-  ordained  in  the  fall  of  that 
year  he  was  detailed  for  work  in  Nevada.  In  1868  he  was  elected  Missionary 
Bishop  of  the  diocese.  In  18C9  he  received  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity 
from  Kenyon  College,  Ohio.  He  was  consecrated  a  bishop  in  New  York, 
the  same  year. 

Rev.  \\nn'taker,  when  he  became  Missionary  Bishop,  had  one  clerg)ni;ni 
in  the  jurisdiction,  and  in  1880  he  had  seven.  There  were  two  rectories  at 
first  and  in  1880  eight.  The  membership  was  increased  from  100  to  340  in 
ten  years.  From  320  Sunday  scholars  to  1,242,  and  from  30  Sunday  school 
teachers  to  93,  w^as  the  record  for  the  ten  years.  The  value  of  the  church 
])roperty  was  increased  in  the  ten  years  from  $36,400  to  $166,529;  of  tliis 
$33,071  was  given  from  persons  outside  the  state. 

Bishop  Wliitaker  held  services  not  only  in  Virginia  hut  many  small 
places  as  well,  in  many  camps  that  to-day  are  unknown.  Bishop  Whitaker 
established  work  among  the  Chinese,  and  Ah  For,  a  convert,  collected  $500 
for  a  mission  in  Carson,  $300  from  Chinamen  and  $200  from  white  men. 
Bishop  Whitaker  opened  it,  "the  Chapel  of  the  Good  Shepherd,"  on  Septem- 
ber 23,  1874.  It  seated  fifty  persons.  Ah  For  built  another  chapel  in  Vir- 
ginia City  in  1875.  He  used  to  preach  to  bis  fellows  on  Sundays  and  teach 
them  evenings.  Ah  For  translated  the  Order  for  Evening  Prayer  into 
Chinese,  witli  the  hel])  of  Bishop  Whitaker,  and  used  it  in  his  services.  He 
was  earnest  and  intelligent,  hut  his  mission  in  Carson  did  not  flourish.  In 
a  year  fire  destroyed  the  one  in  Virginia  City,  and  there  was  no  insurance. 
Ah  F"or  became  discouraged  and  went  as  a  missionary  for  the  Established 
Church  in  luigland  to  China. 

DIOCESAN    SCHOOL    AT    RENO. 

Bishop  Whitaker  cijmmenced  in  1870  to  jilan  the  erection  of  a  Girls' 
School  at  Reno.  In  1873  an  appeal  was  answered  with  $300  from  abroad. 
In  1875  Miss  C.  L.  Wolfe,  of  New  Y(irk,  told  the  Bishop  that  if  he  would 
raise  $10,000  she  would  donate  a  like  amount.  Then  Bishop  Whitaker 
"girded  up  his  loins"  and  secured  $4,000  from  the  people  of  Reno;  from  a 
friend,  in  Nevada,  $2,500;  and  of  Mrs.  M.  A.  Grosvenor,  of  New  York. 
$1,000;  the  balance  was  paid  in  small  amounts.  The  Central  Pacific  Rail- 
road donated  half  a  lilock  of  land,  and  another  half  block  was  purchased  on 
condition  that  the  school  would  Ije  located  in  Reno,  by  the  citizens  of  that 


102  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

city.  It  was  coninienccil  in  June.  iSjC).  tlie  ist  day.  and  tlic  tnllciwing 
October  12th  it  was  opened. 

It  was  from  tlie  first  possessed  of  every  modern  improvement.  It  was 
40.X88.  three  stories,  heated  liy  steam,  hot  and  cold  water,  and  cost  $28,000, 
leaving  $8,000  debt.  JNIiss  Kate  Hill  was  the  first  principal:  there  was  ample 
room  for  55  day  scholars  and  45  boarders.  In  1880  the  debt  was  paid.  Miss 
NV^olfe  giving  $2,500,  Mrs.  M.  A.  Grosvenor  $r,ooo,  Daniel  Cook,  of  San 
Francisco,  $1,000,  the  rest  being  donated  in  small  sums.  Two  thousand 
dollars  more  was  spent  after  the  school  opened,  nearly  half  in  securing  perma- 
nent and  abundant  water  supplies  for  the  school  and  for  irrigation. 

The  beneficial  effect  of  the  school  was  soon  felt  all  through  the  state 
of  Nex'ada.  In  no  place  was  sucli  a  school  more  needed,  placing  the  op- 
portunity for  Christian  education  within  the  reach  of  those  who  would  not 
otherwise  have  been  able  to  secure  one.  The  regular  course  of  study  was 
four  years. 

FIKST     CHURCH     BUILT. 

The  first  church  of  the  Episcopalians  cost  $30,000  and  was  opened  in 
December,  1863,  for  temporary  use,  Init  was  formally  dedicated  February 
22,  1863.  Its  cost  was  paid  by  members  of  the  parish.  The  first  Sunday 
school  was  organized  May  it,  1862,  with  [4  pupils  and  5  teachers.  When 
Bishop  Talbot  visited  the  city  in  1863  he  consecrated  the  church  and  held  a 
confirmation  service,  conferring  the  apostolic  rite  on  13.  As  stated  Rev.  F.  S. 
Rising  was  the  first  rector,  coming  in  1862  and  remaining  until  1866,  when 
his  health  failed  and  he  returned  east,  losing  his  life  in  a  steamboat  collision 
on  the  Ohio  rixer  in  7868.  He  was  a  brother  of  Judge  Rising  and  was  very 
popular,  his  death  a  sonrce  of  great  regret. 

Rev.  H.  D.  Lathro]),  D.  D.,  of  Gold  Hill,  held  .afternoon  services  until 
Ajjril  21st,  wlien  Uev.  Whitaker  succeeded  him.  That  same  year  Bishop 
Talbot  was  elected  Bishop  of  Indiana,  and  tiiat  left  Nevada's  missionary 
di'^lricl  without  a  head.  liisho])  W.  Ingrrdiam  Kip,  of  the  diocese  of  Cali- 
forni,!.  looked  after  tilings,  lie  \  isited  St.  Paul's  church,  X'irginia  City,  in 
Octtiber,  1867,  confirming  24  ])ersons.  The  next  year  fire  damaged  the 
church  to  the  amomit  of  $2,700,  covered  by  insurance.  In  1872  the  church  was 
enlarged,  six  pews  being  added.  Two  years  afterwards  $9,000  was  exi)cnded 
in  mi  extension  of  twenty  feet  on  the  east,  a  gallery  l)eing  built  at  the  west 
end.  .\  ])i])e  organ,  costing  $3,000,  was  ]iut  in  the  gallery.  There  was  a 
large  congregation,  a  Sunday  school  of  350  pupils  and  24  teachers;  in  the 
fire  of  1875  both  church  and  rectory  were  destroyed;  the  rectory  was  rebuilt 
,'it  once  and  the  church  in  the  summer  of  1876.  It  was  larger  than  the  old 
church,  seating  400,  and  was  rmished  in  December.  In  that  month  it  was 
dclir.iicd.     Its  total  cost  was  $25,000. 


A   HISTOID'  OF  NF.VAUA.  193 

Since  lie  In-st  Innk  tliaij^i.'  \\c\ .  W'hilakcr  lias  rcniaincd,  Imt  since  he  was 
appointed  liisliop  he  lias  had  many  a.ssistaiit  ministers.  Among  them  were 
Revs.  J.  \V.  Lee,  William  Henderson,  Rush  S.  iCastman,  W.  R.  Jciivcy.  and 
George  N.  F,astnian.  The  assistant  ministers  also  had  to  hold  regular  serv- 
ices in  Dayton  and  Silver  City  on  alternate  Sundays.  After  the  great  fire, 
Sunday  school  was  held  in  the  basement  of  Beardsley's  building,  op]K)site  the 
Presbyterian  church.  Morning  services  were  held  in  the  Presbyterian  church 
also  until  the  Odd  F'ellows'  Hall  was  rebuilt,  when  that  was  u-sed. 

The  first  services  in  Cold  Hill  were  held  in  May.  1862,  and  a  .Sunday 
school  of  five  persons  organized.  On  July  Stli  a  second  service  was  held 
and  the  parish  of  St.  John's  organized,  with  Rev.  Rising  as  rector.  At  first 
church  services  were  held  in  Gold  Hill  Theatre,  but  as  gambling  was  carried 
on  all  night,  the  schoolhouse  was  soon  utilized  for  services.  l\ev.  O.  \V. 
Whitakcr  succeeded  Mr.  {■{ising  on  Octolicr  18,  1863.  and  in  July  of  the  next 
year  a  handsome  brick  church  was  commenced  an<l  finished  in  the  fall,  at  a 
cost  of  $13,000.  Rev.  H.  IX  Lathrop  took  charge  in  June,  1865,  leaving  on 
September  i,  1867.  Bisho])  Kij)  consecrated  St.  John's  church  on  October  13, 
1867.  Rev.  Whitaker  again  took  charge  of  the  church  in  Gold  Hill,  and  with 
Virginia  and  Carson,  he  had  three  churches  in  charge.  He  held  as  many 
services  as  possible,  until  in  1870  Rev.  J.  McCormac  took  charge.  He  re- 
mained one  year.  Bishop  \\'liitaker  then  officiating,  alternating  with  Rev.  G. 
B.  Allen,  of  Carson,  until  July  2,  1872,  when  Bishop  \\'hitaker  took  full 
charge  again.  With  Revs.  R.  S.  Eastman  and  W.  R.  Jenvey  regular  services 
were  held  in  Virginia  City,  Gold  Hill,  Silver  City,  and  Dayton.  In  1876 
Rev.  R.  S.  Eastman  was  elected  rector  of  Gold  Hill,  serving  until  1879,  and 
after  his  dei)arture  occasional  services  were  held,  although  the  Sunday  school 
continued  to  meet  regularly.  Hon.  N.  A.  H.  Ball  was  senior  warden  and 
superintendent,  and  his  death  was  a  great  loss  to  school  and  church. 

SKRVICES     IN     HALL. 

Rev.  Rising  was  also  the  lirst  rector  in  SiKer  City,  holding  his  services 
in  Chrysopolis  Hall,  on  June  C),  1862,  nearly  100  persons  attending.  Services 
were  held  regularly  until  December,  1873.  when  they  were  discontinued 
until  1874,  when  Rev.  Jenvey  commenced  holding  serx'ices,  and  in  Septem- 
ber of  1875  the  erection  of  a  church  was  commenced,  but  a  fearful  storm 
razed  it  to  the  ground,  on  November  13th.  Mr.  Jenvey,  undaunted,  com- 
menced the  rebuilding,  and  it  was  ready  for  occupancy  December  25,  1875. 
Mr.  Jenvey  remained  until  .\ugust.  1878.  After  that  Rev.  George  N.  East- 
man held  bi-weekly  services  until  the  eighties. 


19i  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  ; 

CARSON     CITY    SERVICES. 

Rev.  Mr.  Rising  was  again  the  ])ioncer  recti t.  ni  l"arM>n  L'ity.  holding 
services  on  September  25.  i86j.  in  the  county  court  house.  'l"he  lirsl  regular 
rector  appointed  was  Rev.  W.  M.  Riley,  who  assumed  cliarge  of  St.  Peter's 
parish  on  October  29,  1863,  remaining  until  .\pril.  1866.  He  resigned  be- 
cause his  pro-southern  views  were  not  liked  by  his  parishioners,  his  sympa- 
thies 1)eing  with  the  south.  Rev.  D.  H.  Lathrop  then  held  services  every 
Friday  evening  from  August,  1866,  to  September,  tSOj.  A  church  was 
commenced  in  the  latter  year,  being  finished  in  one  year:  but  from  1867 
until  the  church  was  finished  in  July,  1868,  Rev.  Whitaker  held  a  weekly 
ser\ice  in  the  state  capitol.  Bishop  Kip  visited  Carson  in  1867  and  confirmed 
twelve  candidates  in  the  Methodist  church.  Rev.  (jeorge  B.  Allen  assumed 
charge  as  rector  on  August  9.  1868:  the  church  being  consecrated  on  June 
19,  1870,  by  Right  Rev.  O.  \V.  \\'hitaker,  then  Missionary  Bisho])  of  the 
diocese  of  Nevada,  as  Trinity  church.  It  cost  $5,500,  a  plain  but  substantial 
Iniilding.  It  was  enlarged  24  feet  in  December,  1873,  making  an  auditory  70 
feet  in  length ;  in  it  were  59  pews  in  three  rows.  At  the  same  time  two  wings 
58x21  feet  were  added;  the  stained  glass  windows  were  all  donated  by  mem- 
bers of  the  congregation.  The  entire  cost  was  $12,000,  only  half  of  which 
could  be  paid. 

On  Easter  Sunday,  1874,  the  first  service  in  the  church  after  it  was 
enlarged,  was  held  by  the  Rev.  .Mien.  On  the  following  Sunday,  Bishoj) 
Whitaker  formally  reopened  it.  ]\Ir.  Allen  remained  until  December  31, 
when  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  S.  P.  Kelly,  who  remained  until  Octoljer  11, 
1876;  he  was  followed  by  Rev.  H.  L.  Foote,  who  remained  imtil  May  ti. 
1878.  George  R.  Davis  took  charge  of  the  parish  on  October  13,  1878,  and 
proved  a  very  po])ular  rector.  \\'hcn  he  came  the  church  was  $3,000  in  debt 
and  he  went  to  work  at  once  to  i)ay  it.  \Mth  the  aid  of  the  ladies  of  St. 
]\'ter's  parish,  in  eighteen  months  after  Mr.  Davis  arri\ed  the  entire  debt  was 
cancelled.  In  1881  the  church  had  si.xty  communicants  and  one  hundred 
Sunday-scho(]l  children. 

THE  CHURCH  IN   RENO. 

The  first  service  of  the  Episcopal  church  was  held  in  the  school-Iiousc 
in  Reno  by  Bishop  Whitaker  on  October  16.  1870,  and  the  second  service 
was  held  in  the  same  place  on  .April  12,  1872.  Services  were  held  on  al- 
ternate Sundays  in  the  court  house  from  Janu.iry,  1873.  until  Kew  W'illiaiu 
Lucas  took  charge  on  May  5.  1873. 

The  parish  had  been  organized  in  February,  1873.  undci'  the  name  of 
Trinity  church;  J.  C.  Lewis  was  elected  senior  warden:  A.  J.  Hatch,   iunior 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  195 

warden;  B.  F.  Leete,  secictaiy ;  1^.  A.  Bender,  treasurer;  [.  S.  Slmeniaker, 
Josq)h  De  Bell  and  C.  M.  Eastman,  vestrymen. 

In  July,  1H73,  $400  was  i)ai(l  fur  a  lot.  ami  a  rectnry  was  l)uilt  wJiicli 
was  ocenpied  in  Oclnlier.  On  Septeniher  6,  1874.  the  lirst  confirniatidn 
serviee  was  held  in  the  court  hdu.se,  six  candidates  being  confirmed.  The 
corner-stone  of  the  church  huilding-  was  laid  on  May  24,  1875,  and  on  De- 
cember 12,  of  the  same  year,  the  church  was  formally  o|)ened  by  Bisho]) 
Whitaker.  It  was  constructed  of  wood,  ^2  by  70  feet,  but  was  not  quite 
completed  at  that  time.  When  Rev.  \\'.  R.  Jenvey  sub.stituted  for  Mr. 
Lucas  on  September  3,  1878,  he  undertook  the  completion  of  the  church 
building.  While  this  was  being  done  Mr.  |en\ey  held  services  in  Smith's 
Opera  House. 

When,  on  December  17,  1878,  the  church  was  formally  reopened  by 
Bishop  Whitaker,  there  was  not  a  dollar  indebtedness  on  it,  and  it  was  con- 
secrated on  June  8,  1871;.  h'inding  that  Mr.  Lucas  could  not  return.  Mi'. 
Jenvey  was  appointed  rector.     The  total  cost  of  the  church  was  about  $6,000. 

CHUKCII    01^    THE    ASCENSION. 

The  pioneer  rector.  Rev.  Kising,  held  services  in  Dayton,  in  December. 
1862,  and  a  year  later  a  ])arish  was  organized  by  Rev.  O.  W.  Whitaker, 
under  the  name  Church  of  the  Ascension.  From  then  until  June,  1865, 
regular  services  were  held.  In  November,  1865,  Rev.  W.  H.  Dyer  was  in 
charge,  remaining  until  April,  1866.  In  1867  Rev.  Whitaker  held  regular 
Wednesday  evening  services  during  the  summer,  but  after  that,  until  1874, 
services  were  held  only  occasionally.  From  1874  until  1878,  Rev.  W.  R. 
Jenvey  officiated  at  the  court  house  regularly.  I'rom  that  time  until  July, 
1879,  services  were  only  occasionally.  On  that  date  Rev.  G.  N.  Eastman 
commenced  a  bi-weekly  service. 

CHURCH    IN    .\USTIN. 

The  first  ser\ices  of  the  church  were  held  in  1863  by  Bishop  Talbot, 
and  it  was  not  until  1866  that  regular  services  were  established.  .\t  that 
time  Mr.  D.  M.  Godwin  began  a  lay  service  in  the  court  house. 

Two  years  afterwards,  Rew  Marcus  Lane  held  services  in  .\uslin  for 
one  year;  a  regular  parish  was  organized  under  the  name  of  St.  George  in 
1873.  The  first  rector  was  Rev.  C.  S.  Stevenson,  who  remained  until 
1874;  he  was  succeeded  by  Re\'.  S.  C.  Blackiston,  who  remained  five  years, 
He  was  succeeded  in  May,  1879,  Ijy  Rev.  Sanniel  P.  Kelly,  who  remained 
only  a  few  months.  In  18S0  Re\'.  R.  S.  Eastman  took  charge  of  the  parish 
on  Easter  Day,  1880. 

On  Easter  Sunday.  1877,  Mr.  Blackiston  spoke  of  the  great  need  of 
a  church,  the  ser\'ices  then  being  held  in  the  court  house.    He  would  applv. 


196  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

he  said,  the  Easter  offerings  td  such  a  puriiose.  I  he  [larisli  ah\'aily  possessed 
a  lot,  which  the  memljers  liad  themselves  graded  and  on  which,  they  had 
huilt  a  foundation.  He  asked  all  to  write  on  a  card  what  amount  they  wt)uld 
give.  When  the  contrihution  plates  were  returned,  Mr.  Blackiston  was 
pleasantlv  surjjrised  hy  their  contents.  The  Easter  offering  of  Mr.  Allen 
.\.  Curtis,  the  superintendent  of  the  Manhattan  mine.  i)ledged  himself  to 
huild  a  church  and  pay  for  it,  if  the  others  woukl  furnish  it.  \V.  S.  Gage 
and  John  A.  Paxton  united  in  the  gift  of  a  fine  hell  for  the  steeple,  while 
James  S.  Ptirteous  presented  a  $1,000  pipe  organ.  When  linislied  the  clnu'ch 
cost  $15,500,  all  of  which  hut  $500  was  given  hy  residents  of  Austin.  The 
hank  at  Austin  loaned  the  society  $750  to  huild  a  wall  around  the  church, 
to  maintain  the  grade.  The  total  \-alue  of  the  church  property  was  ahout 
$17,000. 

THE    CHURCH    IN    OTHER    PLACES. 

Bishop  Whitaker  held  the  first  Episcopal  services  in  Wliite  Pine  county, 
in  the  town  of  Treasure  City,  on  June  20.  1869;  the  evening  of  the  same 
day  he  held  the  first  ser\ices  at  Hamiltun,  in  a  court  room.  The  next 
service  was  held  on  August  7,  1870,  in  the  cit}-  hall  of  Hamilton  and  serv- 
ices were  continued  for  two  months.  St.  Luke's  parish,  of  Hamilton,  was 
organized  on  Septemher  24,  and  Rev.  S.  P.  Kelly  was  chosen  as  rector. 
.\fter  his  arrival  a  house  Avas  purchased  and  fitted  u\)  for  a  rectory,  '{"lie 
next  year  a  frame  church  was  erected,  which  was  consecrated  July  14,  1872. 
Mr.  Kelly  remained  a  month  after  the  consecration  and  was  succeeded  hy 
Rev.  John  Cornell,  who  remained  one  year,  when  he  resigned.  Since  that 
time  there  has  heen  no  regular  rector  in  Plamilton. 

One  of  tiie  most  notorious  camps  in  Nevada  was  Pioche,  in  1870.  The 
first  services  there  were  held  in  a  saloon  hy  Bishop  Whitaker  on  Septem- 
her 13,  of  that  }'ear.  0\'er  150  rough  miners  crowded  in  the  saloon  and 
as  large  a  numl>er  were  unahle  to  gain  admittance.  The  next  year  services 
were  held  twice  hy  Bishop  Whitaker:  then  (he  Rev.  J.  \V.  Lee  officiated  three 
or  four  months,  followed  hy  the  l\e\'.  II.  I,,  liadger.  When  Mr.  Iladger 
arrived,  Septemher,  1871,  he  found  the  town  had  huriu'd  lo  ashes  three  days 
hcfore;.  he  held  services  in  i)rivate  houses  until  July  21,  1872,  when  a  frame 
churcii  and  rectory  were  completed.  Mr.  Badger  remained  four  years  and 
was  succeeded  hy  Rev.  H.  H.  Kline,  who  left  in  January,  1877;  after  a 
year's  ahsence  Mr.  Kline  returned  and  remained  one  year,  preaching  on 
Sundays  and  teaching  on  week  da_\s.  lie  was  the  last  Episcopal  minister  in 
Pioche. 

A  canvas  tent  was 'used  for  the  fust  ser\  i-es  in  luireka,  on  Septemher 
28,  1870;  the  tent  heing  used  as  a  restaurant.  Services  were  announced 
for  7  o'clf)ck.  hut  it  was  nearly  i)  when  Bishop  Whitaker  arrived,  owing  to 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  197 

a  l)rcak<lii\\ii.  The  iJCnplc  liad  (lisi)crscil,  Imt  messengers  were  sent  out  and 
lil'tv  returned.  The  next  winter  l\ev.  S.  I*.  Kelly  officiated  several  times 
and  the  corner  stone  of  the  church  was  not  laid  until  May,  1871  ;  Bislio]) 
Whitaker  officiated  at  this  ceremony  and  sjienl  a  nmnth  in  h'ureka,  during 
which  time  a  conifortaMe  rectory  was  liuilt.  I'nlil  Xovcmher,  1S71,  the 
services  were  conducted  in  a  tent,  which  also  sened  as  a  sch(jolrooni.  l\e\-. 
W".  Henderson  took  charge  of  the  parish  in  August,  1S71.  He  remained 
until  .\ugust,  1872,  and  the  next  month  was  succeeded  hy  I\ev.  S.  P.  Kelly, 
in  March,  1872,  Rev.  C.  II.  Marshall  hccune  assistant  minister  .and  cm 
April  5,  when  Mr.  Kelly  was  elected  state  su])erintendent  of  public  in.struc- 
lion,  Mr.  Marshall  1)ecame  rector.  lie  served  tnitil  February.  1877,  and 
in   August   Re\-.   C.   B.  Crawfnrd  ;issumeil  charge. 

.\  i)arish  was  organized  in  Belmont  im  b'ebruary  lA,  1874,  Rev.  S.  P>. 
Moore  being  tlie  first  rector.  ?Tc  remained  four  years,  building  a  church 
at  a  cost  of  $3,790.  I\ev.  Daniel  bl.-ick  succeeded  Mr.  Moore  in  1876,  re- 
m.aining  a  year,  .\ftcr  Mr.  Mack  resigned,  in  1878,  the  cliurch  was  closed 
until  December.  Rev.  S.  B.  Kelly  served  until  June  i,  1879,  being  the 
fast  I ■'.])!. scopal  rector  in  Belmont.  Mrs.  R.  M.  King,  who  was  superintendent 
of  tlic  Sunday  school,  reorganized  it  in  1888. 

TIIK    ROM.\N   C.XTIIOI.ir  CIirKCII. 

The  first  church  of  this  faith  was  built  in  \'irginia  City,  in  the  summer 
of  i860,  bv  Rev.  Father  l\.  V.  Ciallagber.  It  was  wrecked  by  a  storm. 
F'ather  Gallagher  at  the  .same  time  built  another  church  in  Carson,  which 
shared  the  same  fate  as  the  first,  but  in  this  instance  the  lumber  was  taken 
away  by  unpaid  laborers.  Father  (iallagber  also  built  a  church  in  (ienoa 
.about  the  same  time,  which  was  nnt  jiaid  for,  and  by  \irtuc  of  the  liens 
was  afterwards  turned  into  a  court  house.  A  $12,000  church  was  erected 
in  1872  by  the  Rev.  Patrick  Manogue  and  it  was  consecrated  under  the  name 
of  "St.  Mary's  of  the  Mountains."  A  frame  church,  built  nn  the  divide 
between  Virginia  City  and  (jold  Hill,  was  removed  to  Cold  Hill.  It  was 
built  by  the  Passionist  Fathers.  In  1864  Rev.  Feather  P.  O'Reilley  built 
a  more  commodious  church,  which  was  dedicated  July  26,  1864.  St.  .Vu- 
gustin's  church  was  established  in  .\ustin  in  i8r)4.  by  Rev.  Father  Monte- 
verde,  who  al.so  Iniilt  a  church  at  Hamilton.  A  church  was  commenced  at 
Aurora,  but  abandoned.  In  1868  a  brick  church,  costing  $65,000,  was 
erected  in  \irginia  Citv.  by  Rev.  Father  Manogue.  who  was  soon  after- 
wards appointed  vicar  general  of  tlie  diocese  of  Crass  Valley. 

St.  Theresa's  church,  in  Car.son  City,  was  built  in  1870  by  the  Rev. 
Feather  Thomas  Crace  at  a  cost  of  $5,000.  Father  Scanlan  organized  a 
Catholic  societv  at  Pioche,  in   1871.  and  that  year  a  frame  churcli  and  par- 


198  A  HISTORY  OF  NE\'ADA. 

sonage,  costing  $4,000,  were  completed.  In  1874,  a  $3,000  church  was  built 
in  Behnont,  but  no  regular  services  were  ever  held.  St.  Brendan's  church 
was  built  in  Eureka  in  187 1,  liut  was  replaced  in  1874  by  a  brick  church, 
costing  $5,000,    Father   Hyne.s   being    in   charge. 

Reno's  first  Catholic  church  was  built  in  1871  by  Rev.  Father  Merrill. 
In  1868  a  fine  church  was  built  by  Father  Manogue  and  destroyed  by  the 
great  fire  in  1875.  Father  Manogue,  in  1877,  erected  a  magnificent  edifice 
at  a  cost  of  $60,000  on  the  same  lot,  on  E  street.  The  first  church  was  burned 
down  in  the  fire  of  1879.  A  church  was  built  at  Cherry  Creek,  by  Rev. 
William  Maloney  in  1881,  and  it  is  one  of  the  prettiest  churches  in  eastern 
Nevada. 

Rev.  Father  Patrick  ]\Ianogue  was  one  of  the  most  prominent  priests 
in  Nevada  from  his  first  advent,  in  1862.  In  November,  1880,  he  was  ap- 
pointed as  coadjutor  to  Bishop  O'Connell,  of  Grass  Valley.  To  give  the 
complete  history  of  Bishop  Manogue  would  fill  several  volumes  and  form  an 
exciting  and  interesting  history.  Other  prominent  priests  were:  Reverend 
Fathers  Mevel,  Daniel  O'Sullivan,  Jnhn  Xulty,  Patrick  O'Kane,  James  J. 
Calian,  Luke  Tormey,  Andrew  O'Dnnnell.  Joseph  Phclan.  W'illiam  Maloney 
and  D.  Montel^erde. 

THE    PRESBYTERIAN    CIllKCII. 

The  New  School  branch  of  the  Presbyterian  church  organized  a  society 
May  19,  1861,  Rev.  W.  W.  P.ricr  officiating.  The  Presbyterian  church  was 
the  least  successful  of  any  of  the  <lenoniinatii)US  in  planting  the  standard 
of  their  religion  in  Nevada  soil.  The  firsl  meeting  was  successful,  $5,000 
being  raised  by  subscription.  Judge  blenitinkan  was  chairman  and  the 
trustees  were  W.  M.  Stewart,  11.  1'..  I'Dnitrny,  S.  Eraser,  J.  (iasharie  and 
G.  A.  Sears,  the  l;ittcr  being  elected  cliainn.nu  of  the  Inijird.  June  2,  1861,  a 
letter  was  written  to  Mr.  Brier,  asking  that  he  organize  "a  church  of  Jesus 
Christ  to  be  known  by  the  name  of  the  b'irst  Presbyterian  church,  in  Carson 
City,  and  to  be  placetl  by  you  under  the  care  of  the  Presbytery  of  Sierra 
Nevada,  and  of  the  Synod  of  Alta  California." 

September  12,  .\.  F.  White  arrived  in  Carson  City  as  a  temporary 
supply.  Another  $5,000  was  soon  raised,  a  church  site  was  purchased  and 
building  commenced.  In  May,  1864,  the  brick  church  was  dedicated  by 
Rev.  White,  assisted  by  Kev.  \V.  C.  Pond  and  Re\.  Warren  Nims.  In 
1868  Rev.  Mr.  Alexander  replaced  Mr.  White.  Then  came  .t  succession 
of  ministers,  Re\-.  H.  V.  Rice  taking  charge  in  January.   1881. 

On  Seiileiubcr  21,  1862,  Rev.  W.  W.  I'.rier  organized  ;i  cliurcli  in 
Virginia  City.  h'..  Caldwell  and  X.  W.  Wilson  were  elected  ruling  elders; 
Rev.  D.  II.  Palmer  was  in  charge  until  1864,  when  he  was  re])laced  b\-  Rev. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  109 

W.  W.  Martin.  There  were  variDUs  elianges  until  A|)ril,  i<S8i.  when  Rev. 
E.  F.  Walker  assumed  cliaroj. 

A  curious  methcxl  was  followed  to  raise  funds  to  pay  for  the  cluirch. 
The  trustees  received  a  sure  tip  on  the  stock  market  and,  taking  the  treasury 
;noney,  they  liought  stock  which  rose  several  hundred  dollars  in  v.'due  and 
they  were  wise  enough  to  sell  out  liefore  the  crash.  They  hought  four 
lots  on  C  street,  where  they  erected  huildings,  from  the  rent  of  which  they 
are  ena1>led  to  pay  all  expenses.     The  church  escaped  the  fire  of  1875. 

The  Presbyterians  organized  a  society  in  ( iold  If  ill  in  1863,  hut  the  or- 
ganization soon  died  out. 

The  Presbyterian  organization  of  Austin  lasted  from  1864  to  1868. 
Efforts  were  made  to  build  a  church  hut  ne\'er  succeeded. 

I'.lko  was  more  fortunate  than  Austin,  for  Rev.  John  Pirown,  in  March. 
1870,  was  given  four  lots  by  the  railroad  C(impany,  on  wdiich  to  build  and 
the  members  built  a  church  costing  $3,500.  .An  organ  was  presented  to 
them  by  the  Ivev.  Henry  Ward  lieecher.  Mr.  l>rown  was  succeeded  liy  a 
number  of  ministers,  and  a  ])arsonage  was  built.  Four  of  the  meml^ers 
became  conserts  to  the  ]\b)rmon  faith.  The  depopulation  of  the  town  so 
idTected  the  church  that  Rev.  A.  J.  Compton,  who  was  appointed  in  April 
j88o,  and  resigned  in  September,  was  the  last  to  hll  that  position. 

In  August,  1873,  six  persons  organized  a  ciinrch  at  Eureka,  Rev.  W.  C. 
McDougal  being  the  first  pastor.  Rev.  Josiah  McClain  succeeded  him, 
remaining  until  1876;  Rev.  Samuel  M.  Crotbers  took  charge  until  May. 
1879,  and  in  1880  he  was  replaced  by  Rev.  George  W.  Gallagher.  On 
March  26,  1881,  Mr.  Gallagher  renounced  orthodo.xy  and  resigned  his 
charge.  Mr.  Gallagher  was  a  very  popular  man,  not  only  with  his  own 
congregation  but  with  e\eryone.  He  was  a  very  eloquent  and  forceful 
speaker,  and  a  petition  bearing  hundreds  of  names  was  sent  to  him,  asking 
him  to  g'ive  publicly  the  reason  he  renounced  the  tenets  of  bis  church.  On 
March  30,  Mr.  Gallagher  delivered  an  address  setting  forth  his  point  of 
view. 

Pioche  was  unfortunate,  for  her  society,  .started  in  1873.  died  out  alto- 
gether in  1870  and  was  taken  off  the  roll  of  churches. 

THE    BAPTIST    CIIUKCII. 

The  first  acti\'e  step  taken  by  the  white  Baptists  towards  organizing 
a  church,  was  made  on  Deceml>er  J4,  1873,  when  the  First  Baptist  church 
of  Virginia  City  w'as  organized.  Rev.  C.  L.  Fisher  I>eing  the  first  pastor. 
.\  church  costing  $2,100  was  ready  for  occupancy  on  July  :2.  It  was  located 
on  C  street  and  afterwards  a  lodging  house  was  con\erted  out  of  the  l)ase- 
ment  of  the  churcli  at  an  expense  of  $1,200.     Wiien  Mr.  Fisher  resigned  in 


200  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Octol:)er,  1875,  he  was  folUnved  by  several  regular  ministers  until  March, 
1878,  when  the  church  closed  until  November  of  that  year.  Rev.  T.  J. 
Arnold  then  assumed  charge,  leaving  in  May  of  the  next  year.  Rev.  H.  W. 
Read  assumed  charge  on  January  i,   1880. 

An  attempt  was  made  in  1874  to  hold  ser\ices  in  Carson  City,  and  on 
November  i.  Rev.  C.  A.  Bateman  organized  the  first  Baptist  church  of 
that  town  with  16  members.  In  1876  Re\-.  J.  G.  Burchett  acted  as  pastor 
for  a  few  weeks,  but  the  church  soon  died  from  want  of  support. 

^\'hen  Rev.  C.  L.  Fisher  left  for  Virginia  City,  he  went  to  Reno,  where 
on  November  28.  1873,  he  organized  a  Baptist  church  in  the  opera  house 
with  a  membership  of  15.  The  next  year  a  $2,800  church  was  erected,  and 
shortly  afterwards  Mr.  Fisher  resigned.  In  1877  Rev.  T.  J.  .Vrnold  served 
for  14  months,  but  on  March  2,  1879,  the  church  was  burned.  On  July  12. 
following,  the  Baptists  built  a  church  costing  $4,000,  assuming  an  indebt- 
edness of  $2,500.  In  1880,  D.  B.  McKenzie  assumed  charge,  but  remained 
onlv  a  few  days.  In  1881  Rev.  Mr.  Scott  was  installed  as  pastor.  Shortly 
afterwards,  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  W'infield  Scott,  who  proved  to  lie  an 
energetic  pastor,  building  up  a  large  congregation. 

THE    CONGREGATION.VLISTS. 

On  June  7,  1870,  a  call  was  issued  for  a  council  of  Congregational 
churches,  and  a  meeting  was  hekl  at  the  schoolhouse  in  Reno,  on  February 
18,  1871,  and  on  the  following  day  the  h'ir.st  Congregational  church  of  Reno 
was  organized,  with  Rev.  .\.  V.  Hitchcock  as  pastor.  A  church  was  built 
at  once  and  owned  jointl\-  with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  l'"ellows  and 
was  entirely  free  from  debt.  .\  number  nf  ministers  succeeded  Mr.  Hitch- 
cock, and  in  1881   C.  1'".  G.  Morgan  assumed  charge. 

CHURCHKS    OF    NEV.MW    TO-U.W. 

Instead  of  gaining  with  the  iFglil  nf  lime,  the  congregations  of  the 
various  churches  of  Nevada  gradually  decreased  until  in  man)-  instances 
churclies  were  altogether  abandoned  and  stand  to-dav  a  monument  of  the 
past. 

The  Methodists  are  decidedly  in  the  ni.ijority  in  i(>04.  Wherever  an 
o])i)<irtunity  is  af¥(;rded  for  a  church,  tiiere  a  church  will  be  found.  If  not 
large  enough  for  a  clnnch,  then  a  mission  will  be  instituted;  if  not  a  niissitMi, 
then  a  Sunday-school  will  be  organized,  'iliere  have  been  no  dissensions, 
nothing  to  mar  the  h.armony  of  the  church  workers.  In  1889  the  Rev. 
F.  W.  Vandevanter  aroused  great  indignation  a1  the  .Methodist  Fi>iscoi)al 
conference  in  Carson  by  his  p.imphlet  referring  to  the  nn-(iodIy  temi)er;i- 
nient  of  the  \e\'adans.  It  was  a  tcnible  deininciation  of  ;dl  classes  .-uid 
faiths. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  201 

For  a  number  of  conferences,  18R4.  '(85,  etc.,  tliere  were  no  presiding 
elders  at  tlie  conferences  or  at  the  mission  conference  held  at  Owens  River, 
1885.  By  far  tlie  largest  and  most  influential  Methodist  congregation  is 
that  of  Reno.  In  August,  1900,  the  Gothic  brick  cliurch  was  finislied  in 
that  city  costing  $7,000.  It  is  100  feet  long  and  there  is  seating  capacity  for 
300  in  the  church  and  200  in  the  Sunday-school  room. 

In  1897  the  Methodists  built  a  fine  church  in  (iardnerville,  dedicating 
it  on  November  28,  1897.  ^he  church  deivt  was  paid  at  the  time,  h'red  Dan- 
Ijerg  assisting  greatly. 

Rev.  A.  C.  Welch  was  apjxiinted  tn  the  church  in  Reno,  September, 
1903.  Since  then  the  church  debt  has  been  paid.  Mr.  Welch  is  a  native 
of  Ohio,  served  charges  in  Niles  (the  birthplace  of  President  McKiniey) 
Youngstown,  Cleveland,  .\lbuquerque.  New  Mexico,  Omaha,  Chico,  and 
from  the  latter  place  went  to  Nevada.  He  is  the  author  of  "Character 
Photography"  and  other  works.  He  is  working  to  increase  the  mem1)ership. 
Private  mailing  cards  are  sent  to  strangers  and  others  every  week  inviting 
them  to  the  services.  The  church  was  built  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev. 
G.  H.  Jones,  and  was,  as  stated  above,  dedicated  in  1900,  but  the  debt  was 
not  paid  until  Dr.  Welch  took  charge.  The  note  was  burned  on  January 
23,   1904,  amid  great  rejoicings. 

In  1904  the  Methodist  churches  in  Nevada  were  Uxrated, — in  Austin, 
of  which  church  S.  W.  Albone  had  been  pastor  for  two  years,  membership 
20;  Battle  Mountain,  Allen  Bartlett,  pastor  for  one  year,  membership  6; 
Winnemucca,  H.  O.  Edson,  pastor  for  one  year,  memljership,  41  ;  Paradise 
Valley,  E.  J.  Bradner,  pastor  six  months,  menil>ership,  16;  Carson  City, 
E.  E.  Dodge,  pastor  three  years,  membership,  60;  Gardnerville,  W.  P.  Ran- 
kin, pastor  two  years,  membership,  18 ;  Lo\elocks,  D.  S.  Wigstead,  pastor 
one  year,  membership,  11;  Ruby  Hill,  Rev.  Joseph  Arthur  died  in  harness, 
and  no  pastor  appointed  to  fill  his  place,  there  is  a  Sunday-school  maintained 
but  no  church ;  Virginia  City,  F.  R.  Winsor,  pastor,  one  year,  meml>ership, 
31;  Wellington,  G.  M.  Bigelow,  pastor  two  years,  membership  21;  Yering- 
ton,  T.  H.  Nicholas,  pastor  one  year,  membership  44;  Tonopah,  Hawthorne, 
Davis  Creek  and  Tuscarora  remain  on  the  list  as  prospective. 

The  cry  of  the  Methodists  is  "Educate."  The  Epworth  League  is  doing 
a  good  work.  Winnemucca,  Carson,  Reno  and  all  the  larger  towns  have 
Leagues  and  prosperous  Sunday-schools.  There  are  2,000  children  in  the 
Methodist  Sunday-schools  of  Nevada.  The  missionary  work  among  the 
5,000  Indians  in  Nevada  is  progressing  favorably  under  Robert  G.  Pike. 

THE    BAPTI.ST    CHURCH. 

The  Baptists  of  Nevada  are  working  hard  to  create  interest  in  the 
church  in  Nevada.      Rev.  Driver,  who  has  been  pastor  in  Reno  for  nearly 


202  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

eleven  years,  is  especially  acti\e.  With  Rev.  .\(lanis  and  other  traveling 
ministers  he  \"isits  the  rural  districts  holding  ser\'ices  and  haptising  C(_)nverts. 
Many  missions  ^\•ill  be  established  in  Nevada  through  their  efforts.  In 
1903  a  new  church  was  l)uilt  in  Loyalton,  California,  and  a  numl>er  of  mem- 
liers  of  Ne\ada  churches  were  dismissed  to  join  that  one.  The  corner  stone 
wrus  laid  September  13.  Re\-.  Riiliert  Whittaker  being  pastor.  In  \'erdi.  a 
church  was  built  in  1899  and  dedicated  in  June  Ijy  B.  I".  Hnddelson.  The 
latter  pastor  was  greatly  loved  in  Nevada ;  he  died  on  a  train  coming  from 
California  on  January  17,  1903.  Rev.  Boyd  is  pastor  of  the  church  in  Loyal- 
ton.  \'erdi  is  simply  a  mission  as  yet.  .\t  Wadsworth  there  has  been  no 
minister  for  some  time  and  when  the  town  is  abandoned  by  the  railroad 
l>eople  the  church  will  be  al:>andoned  and  a  mission  kept  up.  A  church  will 
l)e  awaiting  them  in  Harriman. 

A  temporary  church  has  been  erected  in  H.arriman  to  serve  for  three 
or  four  months.  Then  a  handsome  churcii  to  cost  $4,000  will  be  erected. 
First  services  were  held  in  the  temporary  church  on  Easter  morning,   1904. 

The  church  in  Reno  has  a  hne  choir,  with  a  salaried  soprano;  the  Nevada 
Quartette  also  sings  every  Sunday.  The  church  has  a  grxxl  financial  record, 
no  debts  and  a  menihcrship  of  over  200.  The  Simday-school  is  also  flourish- 
ing. 

.\t  the  Christian  Endeavor  convention  of  two  years  ago,  Mrs.  C.  Cutts. 
of  Carson,  presiding,  twelve  .societies  were  represented.  The  annual  ci in- 
vention meets  in  Reno  in  June,  1904. 

THE    CONGRKC.M'IONAT.ISTS. 

The  First  Congregational  church  of  Reno,  and  the  only  one  in  Nevada, 
was  organized  in  1871,  February  iS,  (iccu))ving  first  a  wooden  clnn'ch.  The 
handsome  brick  church  was  erected  on  the  corner  nf  I'^ilth  .-ind  X'irginia 
in  1903,  quite  a  debt  being  assumed.  Tliere  are  now  alx^ut  120  meml>ers. 
In  1903,  despite  the  fact  that  the  church  was  without  a  ])astor,  the  entire 
debt  of  $2,500  was  paid  up,  through  the  etforls  of  nienilters  and  friends. 
'i"he  regular  services  and  work  of  the  church  were  also  ke])t  u\). 

The  auxiliary  organizations  of  the  church  are  the  Ladies"  .\i(l  Society, 
which  earned  $500  last  }ear.  the  St.  Margaret  Society,  dedicated  to  the 
social  life  of  the  church,  the  clmir  and  the  Christian  Endeavor  Society. 
There  are  i  19  in  the  Smulay-schodl,  ;uid  a  boy's  brigade.  The  latter  is  given 
regular  military  traim'ng.  The  clmir  .ind  orchestr.i  nn<kr  I'li  ifo'^sor  .\.  b". 
yVtkinson  is  doing  well. 

The  chinch  is  f()rtunate  in  having  ;i  new  minister  in  Rev.  C,  L.  Me.ars, 
who  first  officiated  on  b'aster  morning,  1904.  Rev.  Mears  is  mily  thirty- 
four  vears  of  age  and  is  a  native  nf  Kent  connlv.  Michigrni.     llis  first  ex- 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADy\.  203 

perience  was  five  years  in  Minneapolis  and  three  years  in  Snohomish,  Wash- 
ington. To  come  to  Reno  he  refused  an  enthusiastic  call  to  remain  in  Sno- 
homish a  fourth  year,  and  also  a  flattering  call  from  Portland,  Oregon. 

The  vacancy  in  the  church  in  Reno  was  caused  li\-  the  death  of  a  most 
ahle  jxistor.  Rev.  M.  Burkett. 

A  church  will  he  organized  in  Harrinian  early  in  the  summer.  A 
Sunday  school  was  organized  in  March  of  1904,  with  a  meml>ership  of  25. 
A  school  was  organized  in  the  North  Truckee  schoolhouse  near  the  Wede- 
kind  mine  in  T90T,  and  the  chapel  has  made  good  progress. 

THE    PRESBYTKRTANS. 

In  1903  the  Presbyterian  churches  of  Nevada  were  all  doing  excellent 
work.  The  church  at  Carson  City,  organized  on  June  2,  1861,  still  holds 
its  own  and  owns  its  building.  The  pastor  is  Rev.  H.  H.  McCreey,  and 
the  membership  is  89.  The  church  at  Virginia  City,  organized  in  i860  owns 
its  building.  The  pastor  of  1902  having  left  the  field  there,  no  one  has 
been  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy.  At  Elko,  organized  in  1870,  the  con- 
gregation owns  the  church  buildings  and  parsonage.  The  pasttjr  is  Rev. 
George  H.  Greenfield,  and  the  membership,  1 10.  The  latter  minister  also 
officiates  at  Lemoville  Valley ;  the  church  there  having  been  organized  in 
1890,  October  26tli,  membership  9.  Rev.  W.  P.  I-'riedrich  officiates  in  the 
church  at  Star  Valley,  organized  June  i,  1890,  which  has  a  membership 
of  38  and  owns  its  church  and  parsonage.  He  also  officiates  at  Wells,  where 
a  church  was  organized  in  1892,  and  it  has  a  membership  of  29  and  owns 
its  church  building.  The  church  was  organized  in  Eureka,  March  2,  1892; 
the  membership  is  20  and  the  congregation  owns  the  church  building.  Rev. 
J.  Erwin  Johnston  is  pastor.  The  church  in  Reno  was  organized  ^August 
31,  1902;  the  church  building  is  owned  Ijy  the  congregation  and  the  mem- 
bership is  30.  The  first  minister  was  G.  R.  Bird,  of  Bakersfield.  He  was 
succeeded  by  Rev.  S.  H.  Jones.  A  church  was  organized  at  Tonopah  (But- 
ler) September  21,  1902.  There  is  no  regular  minister,  but  the  congrega- 
tion of  24  own  the  church  property. 

EPISCOPALIANS. 

It  is  impossible  to  secure  correct  data  of  the  Episcopal  churches  of 
Nevada.  The  churches  in  the  larger  cities  have  l>eai  maintained,  but  have 
all  decreased  in  membership,  save  in  Reno,  which  has  a  membership  of  over 
two  hundred.  The  pastor  is  Rev.  Samuel  Unsworth,  and  he  has  been  in 
charge  over  twelve  years.  They  have  a  vested  choir  of  twenty-eight  young- 
ladies  and  eight  men.  They  have  the  usual  auxiliaries  of  guilds.  The 
clnux'h  is  the  one  built  in  earlv  davs  hut  large  enough  as  yet. 


204  A  HISTORY  OF  XE\ADA. 

In  Carson  City  Rev.  B.  J.  Darneille  is  rector.  Tlie  chnrcli  is  the  one 
of  early  days  and  there  is  a  vested  choir  of  yoinig  ladies  and  six  men.  Nearly 
everv  rector,  inclndiiig  Revs.  Unsworth,  Darneille  and  Ballamy  serve  a 
numljer  of  chnrches,  going  to  and  fro.  The  removal  of  the  dearly  lo\'ed 
Bishop  \\'hittaker  to  Pennsylvania,  the  death  of  Bishop  Kip,  in  1893.  and 
the  death  of  Bishop  Leonard  in  1903  ha\e  all  heen  great  hlows  to  the  chnrch 
in  Nevada. 

A  new  church  was  erected  in  Dayton  in  1903  and  dedicated  in  Decem- 
her  of  that  year.  Rev.  Ramsey,  of  Virginia  City,  also  serves  this  charge. 
Rev.  Unsworth  has  heen  working  fur  two  years  in  X'erdi  and  has  estah- 
lished  quite  a  membership,  hut  as  yet  there  is  no  regular  service  and  no 
cliurch.  In  Nevada  all  told  there  are  about  700  communicants  of  the  church. 
Statistical  information  is  hard  to  get  as  the  death  of  Bishop  Letinard  left 
them  with  no  bishop  for  eastern  Ne\ada,  and  reports  are  not  a\ailal)le. 

THE    CATHOLICS. 

Of  all  the  religions  the  Catholics  ha\e  lost  ground  fastest  in  .Vevada 
the  past  twenty  years.  In  Reno  they  h^ive  about  as  many  communicants 
as  the  Methodists;  in  Virginia  there  are  quite  a  number,  and  Carson  City 
and  Winnemucca  have  ])arishes.  In  many  i)]aces  the  people  are  visited 
occasionally  by  priests. 

The  priest  at  Reno,  Rev.  Father  Reynolds,  has  l^een  there  a  great 
many  years.  The  ])arochial  school  has  dwindled  down  to  a  small  affair,  in 
charge  of  the  Dominican  Sisters,  and  with  small  attendance.  It  is  the  only 
school  the  Catholics  ha\e  in  Xc\ada.  The  church  in  Reno  has  an  anxiiiarv 
in  the  Society  of  St.  Agnes. 

The  priests,  it  seems,  do  not  collect  statistics,  nor  are  anv  obtainable 
1)\-  which  a  satisfactory  account  can  be  gi\en  of  the  growth  of  the  church 
and  its  present  status.  Only  surface  accounts  can  be  given.  The  number 
of  churches  abandoned,  the  number  of  ]iriests  who  have  left,  and  such  things 
as  can  Ije  seen  by  the  outsider,  are  the  only  data  to  be  obtained.  And  these 
only  by  a  town  to  town  canvass. 

The  death  of  Bishop  Manogue,  .so  closely  identified  with  the  early  his- 
tory of  Nevada,  in  b'ebruary,  1895,  wa.s  a  great  loss  to  the  Catholics.     Rev. 
Father  ITenneberry,  who  conducted  a  mission  in  Virginia  City,  died  in  .Sq) 
teml)er,   1897. 

TTTE    .\DVKNTIST.=;. 

Nevad.'i  is  under  the  California  Conference  of    \d\enlisls  .and  embr.iccs 

all  that  jKjrtion  of  California  lying  east  of  the  mountains  and   on   thinngh 

Nevada.      Ministers  are   .sent    from  California    to   Inbor   in    the   field,    there 

l)eing  only  two  located  ministers  in  Nevada,  of  ii:e  Se\intli   |);i\     \d\c'nlist 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  205 

failli,  l'.l(li.'i-  A.  J.  ()sli(irnf,  Hislidp.  Iiind  i-innity,  ( 'alifi  inii;i,  aiiil  I'lldcr 
(.'.  1'..  Lclaiid.  iif  Ixeno,  Nevada.  In  this  diocese  lliere  are  four  cliurcli 
lniildinj;s,  at  Su.s.anville,  California,  Jiisliop,  California,  Reno,  Nevada,  and 
Si.  L'lair.  There  are  four  small  companies,  one  at  Virginia  City.  The  nieni- 
hershi])  of  the  Reno  church,  of  which  Rev.  C.  E.  Leland  is  pastor,  is  about 
50  and  the  others  in  i)roportion. 

OTHER    CHURCHES. 

The  other  religions  are  all  represented  in  different  |)arts  of  Nevada. 
The  ( iernian  I,utherans  have  a  small  congregation  in  Reno,  under  M.  M. 
Kussncr,  the  only  one  in  the  state. 

.Ml   the  churches   have  au.xiliaries  and   Sunda\'-schools. 

THE    SALVATION    ARMY. 

In  May,  ^903,  the  Salvation  Army  sent  officers  to  Reno,  and  the  noble 
work  of  the  army  is  being  pushed  ahead,  with  the  usual  services  by  night 
■and  day.  They  have  no  barracks  as  yet.  being  in  temporar_\'  quarters  on 
Walnut  street.  Covernor  SjMrks,  who  is  in  sympathy  with  the  Arm}',  has 
offered  to  head  the  subscription  list  when  the  officers  decide  to  build,  which 
they  will  do  as  soon  as  possible. 

Whites  and  Indians,  or,  as  the  Army  calls  them,  natives,  know  the 
Army  is  cjn  a  mission  of  love,  and  they  are  welcomed  everywhere.  7'hey 
go  direct  to  the  gaming  tables  where  contributions  are  made  regularly  to 
the  Army.  They  stoop  to  the  vilest  and  lowest,  outcasts  and  prisoners,  and 
the  best  of  their  efforts  in  Reno  are  l>eing  devoted  to  the  fallen. 

One  brave  Canadian  girl  laid  down  her  life  in  the  service  of  the  Army. 
She  rests  in  the  cemetery  at  Reno,  a  tombstone  over  her  reading:  "Pro- 
moted to  Glory.  Hallelujah !  Captain  Dora  Hamilton,  aged  26  years.  Died 
Dec.  14th.   1903.     Erected  by  her'  friends." 

Reno  is  headquarters  for  the  Salvation  Army  in  Nex'ada. 

VOLUNTEER    ARMY    OE    AMERICA. 

Reno  is  headcpiarters  for  the  Volunteer  Army  of  .\merica :  meetings 
are  held  on  a  similar  [ilan  to  those  of  the  Salvation  i\rmv.  Sundax'  morn- 
ings the  members  preach  and  sing  in  the  county  jail.  They  also  work  among 
the  unchurched  people  and  the  hospitals.  A  free  reading  room  has  been 
established  in  Reno.  Carson  City,  Virginia  City,  Winnemucca,  Lovelocks, 
Wadsworth  and  Verdi  are  held  as  outposts  by  the  Volunteers  as  well  as  the 
SaKation  Arm)'.  The  places  are  visited  at  intervals.  Regimental  officers. 
Colonel  and  Mrs.  Walter  Duncan,  of  San  Francisco,  will  visit  all  the  out- 
posts in  the  summer  and  establish  permanent  jxjsts.  President  Ballington 
Booth  will  visit  Reno  April  i^j,  1904.  Captain  E.  E.  Jones  is  in  charge  at 
Reno. 


2(tfi  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

CHAPTER    XXn. 

The  Schools  of  Nevada. 

Early  History  Wrapped  in  Obscurity — Pul>lic  School  System  Under  State 
Organization — Growth  of  Schools — Diversity  in  Text  Books — The 
State  University  at  Elktj — Sectarianism  in  Schools — Private  Schools — 
The  Schools  of  Nevada  To-day. 

The  early  school  history  of  Nevada  is  shrouded  in  mystery;  it  is  known 
that  there  were  schools,  Init  where  located  and  liy  whom  carried  on,  is 
a  matter  for  cimjecture  (mly.  The  first  two  annual  reports  made  hy  the 
superintendent  of  public  instruction  to  the  legislature  were  lost.  The  third 
report  and  the  first  one  on  record,  is  that  of  A.  F.  White,  Decem1>er  12, 
1864.  In  this  report  Mr.  White  states  that  when  the  state  was  organized 
there  were  but  twelve  school  districts,  eight  schoolhouses  and  eighteen 
schools,  and  the  number  itf  pupils  in   1864  was  nearly   1,000. 

Two  counties  only  furnished  financial  reports,  and  the  cost  given  for 
maintaining  schools  was  placed  at  $7i,739-79.  There  was  not  a  school  in 
the  state  thoroughly  graded,  and  in  1862,  in  the  whole  territory,  there  were 
but  five  primary  classes.  There  were  no  fixed  sources  for  school  revenue, 
and  there  w^ere  but  few  free  schools  maintained.  People  were  lilieral,  when 
appealed  to,  and  always  contributed  cheerfully,  but  the  school  system  in  the 
early  days  of  Nevada  was  not  of  a  public  but  private  character. 

Many  curious  methods  of  adding  to  the  school  funds  are  related.  In 
1863  steps  were  taken  to  start  a  school  in  Austin,  then  the  county  seat  of 
Lander  county,  and  trustees  were  elected  and  a  committee  apix)inted  to  raise 
funds.  Only  $930  was  raised.  To  add  to  this  fund,  it  was  decided  to  auc- 
tion off  a  pair  of  Colonel  "Dave"  Buel's  shoes.  He  was  a  very  large  man 
and  his  feet,  of  course,  corresponded  with  the  rest  of  his  lx)dy,  and  he 
always  wore  his  shoes  very  loose.  On  May  2fi.  1864.  they  were  auctioned 
off  by  Tom  Wade,  and  $106.05  was  re^dized  from  the  sale. 

Carson  City  contributed  largely  to  the  school  fund  in  1862.  Two  men, 
prominent  afterwards,  while  under  the  influence  of  licpior  entered  a  theatre, 
while  a  play  was  in  progress,  and  ordered  the  curtain  dropped  as  they 
walked  down  the  main  aisle.  They  were  both  armed  with  six-shooters  and 
Ixiwie-knives,  and  when  their  command  was  not  obeyed  they  rushed  on  the 
stage.  The  actors  fled  in  terror  and  the  two  men  used  their  knives  to  carve 
the  ol)jectionable  curtain.  I'or  this  pleasure  they  paid  $1,000  into  the  school 
fund  of  Carson. 

Great  difficulty  w;is  encountered  in  securing  school  buildings.  In  some 
of  the  more  sparsely  settled  counties  adobe  houses  were  used,  with   floors 


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A  HISTOID'  OF  NEVADy\.  207 

(if  dill  anil   llialilu'il   Vdul's,  and   in   Ir'ii  oI   (k'sks  nr  iliairs,   wdodeii   Imxc'S  of 
c\  cry  size  were  used. 

AiiotluT  tjrcal  dlistaclc  was  llie  lai'k  nl  niiili  irniily  in  lext  I.xioks,  and 
(.'(iiilnsiiin  prevailed.  In  a  wlmlc  scIkhiI  there  wmild  sonictinies  he  Init  two 
(ir  three  Imoks  alike.  All  siieli  nhstacles  were  gradualh'  ()\ercnme  dwint,'' 
til  the  ]iiiiiieers  and  imt  U>  the  ]iiililie  fund. 

I'UI'.T.IC     SCIIOdI-     FUND. 

After  tlie  organ izatimi  uf  the  state  a  complete  and  rigid  system  was  in 
force.  The  law  ])rovifled  "the  princi])al  of  all  mnnevs  accruing  to  this  state 
from  the  sale  of  lands  heretofore  gi\en  or  l)e(|ueathed,  or  that  may  hereafter 
lie  gi\'en  or  liequeathed,  for  pulilic  school  purposes;  all  fines  collected  under 
the  penal  laws  of  the  state;  two  per  cent  of  the  gross  proceeds  of  all  toll  roads 
and  Ijridges ;  and  all  estates  that  may  escheat  to  the  state,  shall  he  and  the 
same  are  herehy  solemnly  pledged  for  educational  i)ur])0ses,  and  shall  not  he 
transferred  to  any  other  fund  for  other  uses.  Init  shall  constitute  an  irre- 
ducihle  and  indivisihle  fund,  to  he  known  as  the  State  School  Fund,  the 
interest  accruing  from  which  shall  he  divided  semi-annually  among  the 
counties  in  this  state,  entitled  hy  the  provisions  of  this  act,  tO'  receive  the 
same,  in  proportion  to  the  ascertained  numlier  of  persons  hetween  the  ages 
of  six  and  eighteen  years,  in  said  counties,  for  the  su]i])ort  of  puldic  schools." 

A  state  ad  valorem  ta.K  of  one-half  mill  on  the  dollar  was  levied  on  all 
taxahle  ])roperty,  to  which  fi\e  per  cent  of  all  state  tax  collected  is  added. 
Semi-annually  this  money  was  apportioned  among  the  counties  by  the  state 
su])erintendent,  each  county  levying  the  necessary  supplementary  tax. 

The  donation  of  land  by  the  United  States  government  for  school  pur- 
poses has  hecn  more  than  generous.  The  first  grant  was  of  the  sixteenth  and 
thirty-sixth  sections,  but  so  much  of  it  was  barren  that  Congress  later  gave 
Nevada  2,000,000  acres  to  he  selected  anywhere  in  the  state.  These  dona- 
tions, with  the  indemnity  grant  of  12,708  acres,  given  in  lieu  of  land  under 
the  sixteenth  and  thirty-sixth  section  grant,  amount  to  2.^/4/)f)^  .acres.  It 
would  1)6  an  endless  task  to  find  out  how  much  land  has  been  sold  and  im- 
possible to  prophesy  how  much  more  will  be  sold. 

SECTARIANISM. 

In  1865  the  school  law  became  operative  which  provided  that  no  lx)oks, 
pajiers  nor  tracts  of  a  sectarian  character  should  be  used  in  any  school  estab- 
lished under  the  provisions  of  the  act,  nor  any  sectarian  or  denominational 
doctrines  be  taught  therein,  nor  any  school  whatever  receive  any  of  the  public 
school  funds,  which  has  not  been  taught  in  accordance  with  the  provisions 
of  this  act.     The  uniformity  of  text  books  is  complete  and  rigidly  kept  so, 


20S  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

the  statute  for  the  violation  of  this  provision  of  law  requiring  that  the  school 
district  violating  it  shall  lie  deprived  of  its  apportionment  of  state  scIkhjI 
money. 

STATE   OFFICERS. 

The  educatiiiiial  otlicers  of  the  state  of  Nevada  are  superintendent  of 
public  instruction,  county  superintendents,  school  trustees  and  state  board  of 
education,  the  latter  being  composed  of  the  governor,  surveyor  general  and 
superintendent  of  public  instruction. 

In  order  that  the  provisions  made  for  free  education  in  Nevada  nn'ght 
attain  their  fullest  scope,  an  act  was  passed  by  the  legislature  in  1873  com- 
])elling  children  to  attend  school,  but  the  compulsory  law  has  proved  a  dead 
letter. 

When  Nevada  was  admitted  into  the  Union,  her  statutes  drew  the  color 
line,  provision  being  made  only  for  the  education  of  white  children.  All 
colors  are  now  educated  in  the  free  school ;  several  schools  for  negro  children 
w'ere  started  but  died  out. 

PRIVATE    SCHOOLS. 

In  December,  icSGi,  the  territorial  legislature  passed  a  law  authorizing 
the  incorporation  oi  the  Sierra  Senu'nary,  at  Carson  City,  but  the  incor- 
poration was  never  made.  About  that  time  Miss  H.  K.  Clapp,  one  of  the 
pioneer  educators,  started  a  private  school  for  boys  and  girls,  under  that 
name.     Associated  with  her  was  Mrs.  E.  G.  Cutler  and  Miss  E.  C.  Babcock. 

The  Sisters  of  the  Catholic  church  established  a  school  for  girls  at 
Reno,  and  they  also  established  an  orphanage  and  school  at  Virginia  City. 
At  Reno  was  also  established  the  Diocesan  school  for  girls,  described  in  a 
previous  chapter. 

STATE    UNIVERSITY. 

When  the  state  constitution  was  adopted,  its  provisions  made  it  obliga- 
tory upon  the  legislature  to  provide  for  the  establishment  of  a  state  uni- 
versity, embracing  departments  for  mining,  mechanic  arts  and  agriculture. 
The  board  of  regents,  for  the  first  foiu'  years,  was  com|)osed  of  the  goxcrnor. 
secretary  of  state  and  superintendent  of  public  instruction.  The  regents 
were  ordered  to  immediately  organize  and  maintain  a  mining  department. 
The  United  States  government  donated  42,080  acres  of  land  to  aid  in  the 
establishment  of  the  university.  The  same  grant  was  made  to  Nevada  as  to 
the  other  states  of  30,000  acres  for  each  representative  in  Congress  (90,000 
acres)  for  the  maintenance  of  a  School  of  Agriculture  and  Mechanic  Arts. 
Mining  being  the  chief  industry  of  Nevada,  this  fund  was  afterwards  made 
available  for  the  support  of  the  Mining  College  instead.  The  site  was  selected 
at  Elko,  in  Elko  county,  the  citizens  themselves  building  and  furnishing  the 


A   HIS"rC)RY  OF  NEVADA.  209 

brick   edifice.      Tliis   was  Cdiiiplctcd   in   tlic   winter  of    1S74  and   accepted   I)y 
tlie  regents. 

THE    PRErAUATORY    DICPARTMENT. 

In  1874  the  "Preparatory  Department  of  the  University  of  Nevada" 
was  opened  hy  D.  R.  Sessions,  A.  j\I.  and  II  P.,  of  Princeton  College.  His 
first  class  consisted  of  eight  boys  and  girls,  all  residents  of  Elko.  In  1S76  a 
dormitory  was  erected  and  great  effort  made  to  induce  pupils  to  attend  the 
university  from  the  other  counties  of  the  state.  No  charge  was  made  for 
tuition  or  lodging,  and  board  was  reduced  to  the  lowest  possible  minimum 
($30  per  month).  There  were  never  more  than  three  pujiils  at  a  time  from 
outside  points.  Elko  won  the  state  university  Iw  offering  the  greatest  induce- 
ments, and  her  citizens  paid  $20,000  in  building  and  fiu'iiisbing  the  uni- 
versity. 

The  placing  of  tlie  university  at  Elko  was  always  felt  to  be  a  great  mis- 
take as  the  town  had  less  than  i.ooo  population.  Elko,  however,  did  not 
want  to  lose  the  money  siie  had  put  into  the  university.  Reno  was  in  first 
place  when  the  transfer  of  the  university  to  some  more  favorable  point  was 
discussed.  She  agreed  to  pay  Elko  $20,000  for  her  title  and  also  to  give 
$5,000  with  which  to  erect  buildings.  The  legislature  of  1885  passed  two 
bills,  which  conflicted  with  each  other,  one  authorizing  the  transfer  to  Reno 
if  $20.00  is  paid;  the  second  authorizing  Washoe  county  to  pay  $20,000  to 
Elko  county  after  Elko  transferred  title  to  unix-ersity  site  to  Washoe.  Hap- 
pily all  difficulties  were  smoothed  o\er  and  the  university  removed  to  Reno. 
From  the  time  it  ojiened  in  Elko  to  the  time  of  its  closing,  in  1885,  the  uni- 
versity was  such  only  by  courtesy,  for  it  was  only  a  preparatory  school  at 
Elko.  It  is  now  as  it  should  always  have  been,  the  head  of  the  educational 
system  of  Nevada.  It  is  in  fact  the  only  institution  of  university  or  college 
grade  and  equiimient  within  the  state  boundaries,  beginning  its  life  as  such 
with  the  academic  year  1886-87,  when  it  formally  ojiened  in  Reno. 

The  Constitution  of  Nevada  provides  that  the  legislature  shall  encourage 
by  all  suitable  means  the  promotion  of  intellectual,  literary,  scientific,  mining 
and  mechanical  improvements,  as  well  as  agricultural  and  moral  improve- 
ment, and  shall  ])ro\'ide  for  the  "establishment  of  a  State  University  which 
shall  embrace  departments  for  agriculture,  mechanic  arts  and  mining."  The 
support  of  the  university  is  proyided  for  under  the  provisions  of  the  general 
government,  which  says:  "Each  state  and  territory  to  maintain  at  least 
one  college,  where  the  leading  object  shall  be,  without  excluding  other  sci- 
entific and  classical  studies  and  including  military  tactics,  to  teach  such 
branches  of  learning  as  are  related  to  agricidture  and  mechanic  arts."  It 
is  further  aided  by  means  of  biennial  appropriations  from  the  legislature  of 
the  state.     From  the  general  government  the  university  receives  $25,000  an- 

14 


210  A  HISTORY  OF  XE\ADA. 

nually,  and  the  sum  from  the  state  varies  each  year.  The  legislature  of  1891 
appropriated  $12,000  for  the  constructipn  and  equipment  of  a  stone  and 
brick  building  to  be  known  as  the  "Chemical  and  Physical  Laboratory."  It 
has  been  conii)leted  and  is  used  for  instruction  and  research  in  chemi.stry. 
The  same  year  the  legislature  appropriated  $3,500  for  a  hospital  for  sick  stu- 
dents. The  two  buildings  are  a  handsome  addition  to  the  university.  The 
hospital  is  well  equipped  with  a  competent  nurse  always  in  charge.  Since 
it  was  finished,  September  22.  1902,  to  March.  1904,  forty-four  students 
have  been  cared  for.  The  president's  house  has  proved  quite  a  bone  of  con- 
tention. It  is  always  desirable  that  the  president's  house  .should  be  upon  the 
giounds  proper,  person.al  supervision  otherwise  lieing  an  impossibility.  Un- 
able to  secure  an  appropriation  for  one,  the  public-spirited  citizens  of  Reno 
erected  a  building  costing  $9,000  \\hich  will  be  repaid  so  that  the  state  may 
ow'n  the  Iniilding. 

The  president  sadly  needs  a  library  building,  the  present  quarters,  in 
the  basement  of  Morrill  hall,  being  badly  cramped:  $25,000  will  build  one 
and  the  only  hope  seems  to  be  outside  of  the  state  legislature.  Some  friend 
of  education  may  donate  one.  Another  building  badly  needed  is  a  Metal- 
lurgical building.  Appropriations  have  been  asked  for  and  not  granted. 
The  present  Mining  Laboratory  contains  the  metallurgical  laboratory  and 
one  class  room,  the  chemical  laboratory  of  the  School  of  Mines  and  the 
mineralogical  laboratory.  The  assay  office  has  accommodations  for  only 
twelve  students  and  the  (piantitative  chemical  laboratory  for  but  sixteen. 
The  students  ha\-e  built  a  small  mill  in  connection  with  the  concentrators, 
amalgamating  and  leaching  plant. 

The  state  legislature  of  1895  P^'ssed  an  act  authorizing  citizens  of  Ne- 
vada to  send  ores  and  minerals  to  the  university  for  assay,  without  cost  to 
themselves.  The  value  of  the  analytical  and  assaying  wi)rk  has  been  very 
great  to  the  citizens  of  Nevada.  Now  that  the  mining  industry  is 
advancing  so  rapidly  in  every  part  of  the  state,  much  more  interest  is  being 
manifested  in  the  School  of  Mines.  An  annex  will  be  added  to  the  present 
School  of  Mines,  containing  a  metallurgical  laboratory  and  an  assaying 
laboratory  under  one  roof.  The  School  of  Mines  of  Xexada,  handicapped  as 
it  has  been  always,  has  established  an  enviable  record.  Graduates  have  taken 
the  highest  of  positions,  notably  in  South  .\merica. 

BriI.DINGS     OF     L'XIVr.KSITV. 

The  Univei-sity  of  Nevada  now  has  eleven  buildings  on  a  campus  of 
thirty-five  acres.  The  oldest  of  these  is  Morrill  Hall,  named  in  honor  of 
Senator  Morrill.  It  contains  the  college  administration  offices,  the  presi- 
dent's office,  the   faculty  room,   tlic  departments  of   Latin,   physics,   history. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  211 

drawing,  tlie  commercial  school  and  the  library  in  the  basement.  Northeast 
of  Morrill  Hall  is  the  United  States  Agricultural  Experiment  Station.  It 
is  devoted  to  the  research  work  in  agriculture.  In  the  basement  is  one  of  the 
recitation  rooms  and  a  lalmratory;  on  the  first  floor  there  are  two  recitation 
rooms  and  the  third  floor  is  devoted  to  the  botany  recitation  room  and  the 
second  to  a  laboratory.  The  ch.emical  laboratory  is  used  also  by  the  station. 
The  station  laboratory,  the  dairy  laboratory,  and  the  nitrogen  laboratory, 
used  exclusively  for  station  purposes,  are  on  the  second  floor  of  the  building. 
It  is  often  called  the  Hatch  Experiment  Station,  confounding  it  with  the 
Agricultural  Station  proper  in  which  are  taught  not  only  botany  l)ut  zoology 
and  entomology.  Stewart  Hall,  named  for  United  States  Senator  W.  M. 
Stewart,  is  west  of  Morrill  Hall.  It  contains  the  normal  school,  departments 
of  French,  mathematics,  English,  domestic  arts  and  science.  The  base- 
ment contains  the  dining  room  for  dormitory  students.  The  Y.  M.  C.  A. 
rooms  are  also  in  the  Stewart  !)uilding.  The  Chemistry  building  is  devoted 
entirely  to  chemistry  for  university  courses  and  for  experiment  station  as 
detailed  above.  The  Mining  building  is  occupied  by  departments  of  mining, 
geology  and  civil  engineering.  The  Mechanical  building  contains  the  me- 
chanical .shops  and  the  draughting  room.  On  the  ground  floor  are  the  ma- 
chine and  blacksmith  shops,  boiler  room,  etc.  The  wood  shop  is  on  the  second 
floor  and  contains  jig  saws,  band  saws,  wood-working  machines,  wood  lathes, 
trimmers  and  grindstones.  There  are  twenty-four  benches  for  the  students 
and  twenty-four  lockers,  fully  equipped.  Every  departiuent  is  finely  equipped 
for  practical  work. 

The  gymnasium  is  de\-oted  to  physical  training  and  indoor  sports.  It 
is  also  used  as  an  assemlily  hall  for  the  faculty  and  students.  It  is  modern 
in  construction,  60  feet  wide  and  120  feet  long.  The  equipment  is  modern 
and  ample  for  all  college  purposes.  Lincoln  Hall  is  the  dormitory  for  young 
men,  the  legislature  appropriating  .$35,000  for  this  and  the  "Cottage,"  the 
dormitory  for  young  women.  It  is  a  delightfully  modern  college  hall,  antl 
a  well  furnished  home  for  the  young  men. 

"The  Cottage"  is  the  hall  for  young  women  and  is  also  modern  and 
well  furnished.  It  is  located  upon  the  ])laza  in  the  southwest  part  of  the 
campus  and  overlooks  both  Reno  and  the  whole  \'alley.  There  are  single 
and  double  rooms  to  accommodate  forty  young  women,  and  there  is  a  reatling 
room  and  parlor  for  the  students  as  also  for  the  lady  in  charge,  best  known 
l)y  the  title  "Mistress  of  the  Cottage."  The  rightful  title  of  "The  Cottage" 
is  "Manzanita  Hall,"  but  it  is  seldom  spoken  of  by  the  latter  name,  as  its 
name  was  changed  from  the  former  to  the  latter  as  late  as  1903. 

If  only  the  library  had  pleasant  cpiarters  it  would  be  a  great  addition 
to  the  university.     It  has  over  10,000  bound  volumes,  and  about  8,000  pam- 


212  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

phlets.  Daily  and  weekly  newspapers  are  supplied,  many  by  courtesy  <if  the 
publishers.  The  books  of  reference  are  especially  fine.  The  lil)rary  is  classi- 
fied according"  to  the  Dewey  Decinial  Classification  System. 

EXPERIMENT    .ST.XTION     FAKM. 

Five  minutes'  walk  from  the  university  campus  is  the  Experiment  Sta- 
tion Farm.  It  contains  o\er  sixty  acres  of  land,  with  ninety  inches  of  water 
for  irrigation.  Not  only  ordinary  experiments  but  special  irrigation  experi- 
ments ha\'e  been  carried  out.  It  is  finely  located,  and  since  its  purchase  the 
land  has  nearly  doubled  in  A-alue.  This  land  has  not  all  been  made  available 
for  the  production  of  farm  crops,  there  Ijeing  about  three  acres  on  a  rise  of 
ground  in  the  northwest  corner  of  the  farm,  for  which  water  is  hard  to  secure. 
The  buildings  for  live  stock  will  be  placetl  here  and  also  supply  an  area  for 
testing  range  grasses  without  irrigation,  eighteen  acres  havingf  been  ]ilowed 
and  mapped  into  acre  jilats  and  fractions  of  acres.  There  are  several  low 
[ilaces  which  are  being  gradually  leveled.  The  balance  of  the  farm  is  seeded 
to  alfalfa  and  Kentucky  blue  grass.  Five  acres  of  the  hay  land  was  used 
for  crops  the  past  two  years  and  more  mone}'  realized  than  from  the  hay. 
The  station  staff  in  igoi  held  the  first  farmers"  institute  ever  gi\-en  in  Ne- 
vada, and  in  1903  three  institutes  were  held,  one  in  Elko,  one  in  Loxelocks 
and  one  in  (jardnerville.  The  \ice  director  was  in  charge  and  highly  pleased 
with  results.  The  recent  fire  caused  great  loss  to  the  station,  plants,  insects 
and  birds  being  destroyed,  but  the  loss  has  l)een  nearly  rejjlaced  already. 
The  station  is  sui)])orted  entirely  by  the  United  States  Hatch  Fund,  and 
what  is  realized  from  the  sale  of  farm  products.  The  slate  of  Nevada  has 
not  given  a  dollar  to  the  station,  ranches  and  stockmen  recei\ing  all  benefits 
without  cost  to  themselves.  The  board  of  regents  of  the  university  constitute 
a  "board  of  control"  for  the  station,  having  charge  of  all  moneys. 

THE    MTLTTAIO-    DEPARTMENT. 

All  male  students,  unless  physicall_\-  unable,  are  rc(|uired  to  belong  to 
liie  company  of  cadets.  The  course  includes  instruction  in  military  tactics. 
with  comi)any  and  battalion  drill  e\ery  day.  A  commissioned  army  officer 
is  always  in  charge,  detailed  liy  the  War  l)e])artment.  A  number  gave  un- 
satisfactory results,  being  totally  unfit  to  have  charge  of  yoimg  men.  ;md 
Captain  H.  C.  Clark,  by  reason  of  his  wounds,  was  incajjable.  The  cadets 
are  known  as  "The  Battalion  of  Cadets  of  the  Nevada  .Stale  L'nivcrsity." 
There  are  two  companies  and  a  fine  band.  The  cadet  officers  receive  commis- 
sions from  the  governor,  who  is  entitled  to  their  services  in  case  of  insur- 
rection or  rebellion. 

There  are  litcrarv  societies  and  .social   clubs,    which    with   the  informal 


A  HISTORY  OF  NF.VADA.  213 

dance  once  a  inontli  ser\-c  lo  make  social  life  pleasing'.  The  \-arious  classes 
also  gi\e  dances.  Fo<itball,  Ijaseliall.  tennis  and  basket  hall  ha\e  many  fol- 
lowers. The  athletic  field  consists  of  six  acres,  loaned  to  the  university  Ijy 
Regent  J.  N.  Evans.  The  tennis  courts  and  Iwsehall  and  military  drill  fields 
are  located  here.  The  .Athletic  .Association  comjirises  every  student.  Semi- 
annual assessments  pay  expenses.  The  track  team,  the  l)asel)all  team,  the 
football  team,  and  the  basket  ball  team  for  1904  are  all  doing  good  work  and 
indidging  in  C(.m]>ctition  with  other  'varsity  teams.  In  the  way  of  music,  in 
addition  t<i  the  cadet  band,  there  is  also  an  excellent  orcheslni  and  an  C(|ually 
fine  S\ni]ihony  Club. 

THE    UNIVER.SITY    PAPER. 

In  September,  1893,  the  upper  classmen  agitated  the  matter  of  pul)li«h- 
ing  a  college  paper.  .\t  first  the  regents  agreed,  then  forbade  its  issuance. 
The  Adelphi,  then  the  literary  society,  had  the  matter  in  charge,  but  upon 
the  action  of  the  regents  severed  all  connection  with  the  idea.  Twenty  stu- 
dents of  the  senior,  junior  and  sophomore  classes,  decided  to  issue  a  paper 
in  defiance  of  the  regents.  It  was  call  "^dle  Student  Record"  and  in  secrecy 
printed  1)_\'  the  Ne\ada  State  Journal.  It  has  grown  in  size  every  year  and 
is  a  credit  lo  the  students.  The  students  who  publish  it  form  an  independent 
association  and  ha\'e  made  money,  donating  $joo  to  the  gymnasium  fund. 
The  college  annual  is  also  ]niblished  by  the  association.  It  is  beautifully 
bound  in  blue  and  sil\-er,  handsomelv  illnstraterl,  with  full  records  of  all 
■\-arsity  societies  and  ])roceedings.  The  literar_\-  work,  fiction  especially,  is 
entitled  to  high  praise. 

In  addition  to  the  social  and  literary  societies  there  is  a  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association  and  a  A'oung  Women's  (.'hristiati  .\>sociation  of  the 
University  of  Nevada. 

The  dramas  and  farces  played  are  sometimes  written  liy  the  students  and 
sometimes  culled   from  the  outer  world. 

From  the  beginning  the  uni\'crsit\^  has  had  much  to  contend  with.  It 
started  off  in  Reno  with  SiJ,700  for  the  first  fioor  and  exterior,  Rurke 
Brothers  receiving  the  contract  in  Jnly,  1886,  and  it  was  gradually  added  to. 
Fler  first  presidents  accomplished  all  that  was  possible,  excepting  Professor 
Le  Roy  Brown,  wIkt  was  asked  to  resign  in  November,  1889.  The  present 
•president,  Joseph  Fdward  Stubhs,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  was  appointeil  in  1894, 
and  has  gi\'en  great  satisfaction  to  students,  regents  and  the  state.  The  de- 
\elopment  of  the  institution  has  been  remarkable  in  his  nine  years  of  admin- 
istration. The  course  of  study  has  been  raised,  the  enrollment  of  students 
increased  from  189  to  t,^C^:  a  number  of  fine  buildings  have  been  erected, 
the  campus   enlarged,    and   his   eft'orts   in   organizing   University    Extension 


2U  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

classes  lias  made  the  university  influence  widely  felt.  He  has  shown  great 
tact,  energy,  enthusiasm,  and  sound  business  judgment,  and  his  influence 
is  felt  not  only  in  the  university  but  by  the  community  at  large. 

Dr.  Stubbs  was  born  in  Ashland,  Ohio,  March  19,  1830,  receiving  his 
early  education  in  the  Ashland  high  school,  later  entering  the  Ohio  W'eslevan 
University  at  Delaware.  He  has  held  many  responsible  positions.  W'lien 
president  of  the  Baldwin  Uni\ersity  at  Rerea.  he  was  given  two  years'  leave 
of  absence,  which  he  spent  in  the  University  of  Berlin  and  in  travel.  Dr. 
Stubbs  is  assisted  by  a  faculty  of  24.  The  standard  of  admission  to  the 
University  of  Nevada  is  reasonably  high,  and  is  equal  to  the  colleges  of 
second  rank  throughout  the  United  States.  The  faculty  is  made  up  of  young 
men  and  women  of  approved  learning  and  ability,  antl  thev  are  pushing"  the 
work  of  the  university  in  all  its  departments  as  fast  as  possible  to  a  ]:)ractical 
but  yet  scholastic  standard. 

COLLEGES    AND    SCHOOLS.  ' 

The  universit}'  has  three  colleges,  College  of  Arts  and  Science,  College 
of  Applied  Science,  and  College  of  Agriculture  and  Domestic  Arts.  The  first 
has  two  schools,  the  School  of  Liberal  Arts  and  the  School  of  General 
Science;  the  second  has  three  schools,  the  School  of  Mining  Engineering, 
School  of  Mechanical  Engineering,  and  School  of  Civil  Engineering.  The 
third  has  two  schools,  the  School  of  Agriculture  and  School  of  Domestic 
Arts  and  Science. 

The  State  Normal  School  is  a  co-ordinate  part  (it  ihe  universit\-  aiid 
has  two  departments — one  for  schools  of  the  grammar  grade,  the  other 
preparing  teachers  for  high  schools. 

The  university  also  maintains  a  high  school  designed  for  students  from 
sections  of  the  state  whicli  ha\e  no  high  schools.  Tiie  lhii\-ersity  high 
school  ofifers  a  three  years'  course,  cither  Latin,  German  or  commercial.  The 
high  school  is  organized  separately  from  the  university.  In  the  high  school 
are  146  students. 

The  degrees  gi\cn  are:  i.achclor  of  Arts,  Bachelor  of  Science,  Master 
of  Arts,  and  Master  of  Science.  In  addition  are  the  engineering  degrees. 
Mining  Engineer,  Mechanical  Engineer  and  Civil  Enj^ineer. 

The  university  is  delightfully  situated  on  the  nortJiern  bench  of  tiie 
Truckee  Valley,  with  a  beautififl  \iew  of  the  mountains  sweeiiing  in  a  semi- 
circle around  it.  Mt.  K(jse  and  Mt.  Slide  of  the  Sierra  X'evada  range  arc 
on  the  west,  and  a  lower  but  not  less  beautiful  range  of  mountains  to  the 
south  and  east.  The  surroundings  all  make  for  health  and  beauty.  The 
university  is  at  the  junction  of  three  railroads,  another  fact  in  its  fa\'or.  The 
town  of  Reno  is  growing  so  rapidly  that  the  enrollment  .at  the  uni\'crsity  is 
certain  to  keep  pace. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  215 

Nevada's  puislic  school  system. 

Tlie  pulilic  school  system  lias  not  greatly  improxcd  in  Ncwula.  It  is 
not  from  lack  of  money,  for  in  December,  1901,  there  was  a  net  balance  in 
the  State  Educational  b\in(l  of  ,$1,596,958.62,  the  total  amount  of  bonds, 
with  accrued  interest,  and  cash  held  l)y  the  State  of  Nevada  in  trust  for  the 
State  Educational  Fund.  In  December.  1902,  there  was  $1,631,002.63  and 
relatively  the  same  amount  in   1903. 

One  great  drawback  is  the  inequalit_\-  in  the  length  of  the  school  terms. 
There  are  four  schools  whose  terms  are  less  than  three  months;  there  are 
nineteen  maintained  three  months;  there  are  thirty  maintained  over  three 
and  less  than  si.x  months ;  83  are  in  session  more  than  si.x  and  less  than  9 
months,  while  i  ?2  are  maintained  nine  months  and  over.  Of  these  fortv- 
four  are  primary,  211  unclassified,  forty-eight  grammar  and  fourteen  high 
schools,  a  total  of  j^t,  in  239  school  districts.  In  consequence  the  teachers 
of  the  short  term  schools  are  often  poorly  paid  and  inefficient.  When  the 
cliildren  of  these  schools  come  in  to  the  graded  woi^k  of  towns  and  cities,  the 
showing  is  pitiful.  If  the  population  were  not  so  scattered,  districts  could 
be  consolidated  but  the  state  is  so  sparsely  populated,  and  the  60,000  people 
so  widely  scattered,  it  is  almost  impossible.  A  great  mistake  was  made 
when  the  ofiice  of  county  superintendent  was  aliolished  and  district  attorneys 
compelled  to  act  as  ex-officio  superintendents  without  additional  pay.  The 
office  should  be  re-created  and  salaries  commensurate  allowed.  Another 
false  economy,  or  so  regarded  by  the  teachers,  is  the  non-allowance  of  help 
for  the  state  superintendent.  He  has  to  do  clerical  \\-ork  and  cannot  visit  the 
schools.  The  sum  allo\\-ed  him  for  expenses  has  been  nearly  all  turned 
back  to  the  state  treasury.  Yet  with  all  this  lack  of  supervision  the  schools 
are  impro\-ing,  noticeably  so  the  past  few  years.  When  one  stops  to  think 
that  these  rural  schools  are  scattered  over  1 10,000  square  miles  of  mountains, 
valleys,  plains  and  deserts  from  thirty  to  fifty  miles  apart,  the  teacher  often 
a  graduate  of  Nevada's  high  schools  or  university,  it  seems  wonderful  that 
so  many  find  their  way  from  them  to  the  .State  University.  Although,  as 
stated,  many  of  the  teachers  are  inefficient,  many  more  are  wide-awake,  pro- 
gressive and  earnest  \yorkers  in  the  cause  of  education,  but  you  do  not  often 
find  them  in  poorly  paid,  short-termed  schools.  The  educational  achievements 
of  Nevada  have  made  her  an  en\'ial:ile  name  in  the  older  and  more  populous 
states.  It  rests  with  the  j^eople  of  Ne\ada  whether  the  school  system  shall 
be  improved  and  placed  where  it  should  be.  Many  forget  that  conditions 
change  with  the  flight  of  time,  rendering  new  modes  of  education,  new  school 
law'S,  imperative.  What  was  all  that  was  required  in  1863  is  totally  inadequate 
in  1904.  One  thing  was  done  which  was  commendable,  and  that  was  the 
adoption  of  a  new  series  of  text  books  in  1901,  the  same  year  the  legislature 


216  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

appropriated  $200  to  pay  the  expenses  of  a  state  institute,  tlie  first  one  Ijeing 
held  in  Carson  the  April  following.  The  State  Board  authorized  in  1902 
the  purchasing  of  United  States  bonds,  4  per  cent,  of  the  par  value  of  $1 1 5,000, 
which  cost  $158,766.07.  or  a  premium  of  $43,766.07,  greatly  reducing  the 
income. 

HIGH    .SCHOOLS. 

In  March,  1S95,  a  bill  was  passed  by  the  legislature,  allowing  the  estab- 
lishment of  County  High  Schools.  Elko  county  took  advantage  of  this  at 
once,  locating  one  in  Elko,  the  county  seat,  bunds  were  raised  by  taxation 
and  a  fine  brick  buiUling  erected.  Considerable  apparatus,  chemical,  physical 
and  physiological,  was  purchased  and  three  teachers  employed.  Elko  was 
the  only  county  taking  advantage  of  this  opportimity  of  educating  children 
at  home  after  tliey  passed  out  of  the  grammar  grades. 

Nearlv  all  the  principal  schools  have  high  school  departments.  Carson, 
Gold  Hill,  \'irginia  City,  Reno,  W'adsworth,  Gardnerville,  Winnemucca, 
Austin  and  Eureka  gi\'e  three-year  cnurses  in  high  school  work.  .\  nunil)er 
of  other  schools  give  instruction  in  high  school  branches. 

The  number  of  children  in  Nevada  is  constantly  changing.  From  2,601 
in  1865  it  jumped  to  10,592  in  1880,  then  down  a  thousand  or  so  until  1890, 
when  it  reached  10.022.  and  in  T004  it  has  increased  sex'eral  thousand,  no 
census  having  been  taken  since  ic)02,  when  it  was  9,277.  That  is  the  num- 
ber of  school  children  between  the  ages  of  6  and  18.  Only  6.952  were  en- 
rolled on  the  ])ublic  scIkkiI  register.  .\  ct)mpulsory  school  law  is  needed  and 
will  probably  be  framed  and  approved.  The  present  one  is,  as  stated  before, 
a  dead  letter,  and  is  not  effective,  and  when  put  into  execution  is  unable  to 
stand  the  test  of  legality.  The  salary  paid  tn  teachers  is  high,  averaging 
$100  per  miintli  fur  men  and  $61.58  for  women,  which  means  that  good  ones 
are  very  well  paid  and  i)oor  ones  very  badlv,  and  yet  in  accordance  with 
their  deserts.     There  are  281  women  and  38  men  teachers  in  Nevada. 

In  January,  1902,  $69,918.43  was  apportioned  to  the  different  counties, 
and  in  July,  $61,524.44. 

The  school  census  marshal,  one  in  each  district,  has  to  take  an  annual 
census  every  May,  and  his  report  is  embodied  in  the  report  of  the  state  super- 
intendent. 

Although  the  legislature  of  1903  authorized  school  trustees  to  unite 
school  districts  on  the  plan  outlined  above,  so  far  little  has  been  done.  Under 
the  act  school  children  can  be  transferred  from  one  district  to  another,  with 
all  school  moneys  a])])ortioned  to  it.  I'lider  the  old  law  children  could  not 
lie  transferred,  and  if  there  were  not  ten  in  ;i  district,  that  district  C(]nld  not 
draw  any  money. 

The  text  lxx>ks  ba\'e  not  always  been  accurate  and  the  teachers  experi- 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  217 

enced  great  trouble  with  tlieni.  I'or  instance,  wlien  Harper's  Geograpliy 
appeared  in  1883,  it  was  found  to  be  full  of  inaccuracies.  High  schools  and 
even  towns  were  wrongly  located,  po])ulations  either  far  alx)ve  or  far  below 
census  reports.  It  was  soon  superseded  by  reliable  geographies.  The  legis- 
lature of  1901  made  many  radical  changes  in  the  fish  and  game  laws,  and 
all  teachers  are  ikjw  re(|uired  to  read  them  to  the  pupils. 

In  July,  18S7,  the  industrial  sciiool  at  the  Orphan's  Home,  the  gift  of 
Senator  Sharon,  was  di.scontinued,  owing  to  the  small  numlier  of  ])U])ils  who 
could  take  advantage  of  the  opportunities  afforded. 

In  1887  the  Land  Office  at  Washington  appnned  the  selection  of  ■/■/2,.~2 
acres  of  agricultural  land  made  by  the  state  of  Nevada  for  nni\'ersity  i)ur- 
poses. 

Carson  City  has  tried  repeatedly  to  secure  an  appropriation  for  a  new 
school  building,  but  the  best  that  could  be  secured  was  the  addition  to  the 
old  buildings.  The  matter  was  submitted  several  times  to  the  vote  of  the 
])eople,  the  last  time  April  30,  1889,  but  was  always  defeated.  The  school 
bond  election,  $40,000,  was  again  defeated  in  Carson  in  May,  1892.  In 
1884  the  regents  of  the  State  University  raised  the  price  of  school  lands 
from  $1.25  to  $2.50  per  acre.  There  was  troul)le  over  this,  for  it  was  when 
the  cattlemen  were  at  war  with  the  farmers,  the  latter  contending  that  the 
cattlemen  would  secure  land  near  water  and  then  use  all  land  adjacent  for 
grazing  purposes,  for  the  farmers  could  not  use  the  land  without  having 
access  to  the  water.  In  1886,  about  the  time  the  uni\ersity  was  accepted 
by  them,  the  regents  reduced  the  price  of  land  to  the  old  price,  $1.25  per 
acre.  In  1885  the  state  was  deeply  indebted  to  the  school  fund,  and  also  bor- 
rowed $20,000  from  the  University  Fund.  And  the  state  has  gone  on  bor- 
rowing intermittently  from  the   School   T<"und   whenever  necessary. 

At  Reno  a  $40,000  schoolhouse  was  finished  in  1904,  and  small  school- 
houses  erected  in  the  new  mining  districts.  A  small  schoolhouse  was  also 
built  in  Harriman  (now  Sparks).  But  the  majority  of  the  school  children 
of  Harriman  go  over  to  Reno  to  attend  school. 

Private  schools  are  an  unknown  quantity  in  Nevada.  The  university 
has  removed  all  necessity  for  such  a  fine  school  even  as  Bishop  W'hitaker's 
Girl  School  in  Reno,  which  closed  its  doors  fore\-er  in  June,  1894.  having 
been  in  existence  for  over  eighteen  years.  So  popular  was  the  school  that  an 
addition  of  50  by  24  was  made  in  1886.  In  1884  there  were  forty  day 
scholars  and  forty-four  boarders,  eight  teachers  being  employed.  In  1886  a 
friend  of  the  school  and  of  the  Bishop  left  $10,000  to  the  school.  The  will 
was  contested  but  the  school  won  the  suit.  Senator  Sharon  also  left  the 
school  $5,000.     The  Bishop  worked  hard  to  make  the  place  attracti\-e.  and 


218  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

his  garden  was  a  marvel  of  beiiitv.  Tlie  scluiol  luiilding  was  sold  in  1903 
for  a  prixate  liospital.  it  being-  admirably  adapted  to  such  an  institution. 

The  children  of  Xe\ada  celebrate  every  holiday.  Arbor  day  is  a  day 
special  stress  is  laid  upon.  The  first  Arlx>r  day  was  celebrated  April  13. 
1887.  Adolph  Sutro  gave  i.ooo  trees  to  the  children  to  plant,  evergreens, 
maples  and  locusts.  Governor  Stevenson  sent  east  for  another  1,000  and  it 
was  estimated  that  10,000  trees  were  planted  in  all  that  first  Arbor  day. 
The  day  is  set  by  the  governor  and  is  a  legal  holiday. 

Admission  day  is  also  celebrated  by  the  schools,  and  the  chilch-en  are  well 
drilled  in  patriotic  exercises,  flag-raising  and  kindred  exercises. 

Reno  has  a  fine  kindergarten,  the  corner  stone  of  which  was  laid  by  the 
Masons,  the  Grand  Lodge,  on  May  29,  1901.  It  is  known  as  the  Babcock 
Memorial  Building,  its  erection  as  a  free  kindergarten  being  the  labor  of 
love  of  Miss  Clapp  and  Miss  Babcock. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

St.\te  a.\d  Government  Institutions. 

The  Orphans'  Home  at  Carson  City — Loss  by  Fire — Nevada  Hospital  for 
Mental  Diseases  at  Reno — New  Hospital  Building — The  State  Prison 
at  Carson  City — Work  of  Prisoners — Improvements  Instituted  by  New 
Warden,  John  Lyons  Considine — The  State  Library — The  State  Print- 
ing Office  at  Carson  City— New  Government  Building  in  Reno — Car- 
son's Public  Building — The  Indian   Reservations  and  Indian  Schools. 

Nevada  has  not  as  many  state  and  government  institutions  as  manv  other 
states,  but  those  she  has  are  kcjit  up  in  perfect  condition,  whether  state  or 
government  is  in  control. 

The  Orphans'  Home  in  Carson  is  a  most  worthy  institution.  It  has 
been  under  the  management  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  Josephs  for  a  number  of 
years.  On  the  morning  of  July  4,  1902,  the  main  building  of  tb.e  Home  was 
found  on  fire.  It  was  a  wooden  fire  trap,  and  it  did  not  take  long  for  it  to 
burn  to  the  ground.  The  fire  originated  in  a  defective  flue.  Occurring  in 
the  daytime  not  a  life  was  lost.  Had  it  occurred  at  night  the  lf)ss  of  life 
would  have  been  heavy. 

The  children  are  in  temjiorary  (|uartcrs  while  the  new  home  is  in  process 
of  construction.  The  remaining  buildings  are  used  for  the  juirpose.  The 
new  Home  will  cost  about  $35,000  and  will  be  bnilt  of  stone  from  the  prison 
quarries.  It  costs  about  $15,000  to  niainl;iin  the  liume  yearly,  exclusive  of 
teachers'  salaries. 


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A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  219 

In  1901  there  were  eiglity  chiltlren  in  tlie  Home  and  ahnnt  the  same 
average  each  suhsequent  year.  It  costs  30  cents  net  eacli  cliild  per  day.  .\n 
e.xtraonhnary  number  of  cliildren  have  left  the  liome  during  the  ])ast  year, 
going  to  relatives  or  to  homes  which  have  been  procured  for  them.  In  the 
whole  number  of  children  less  than  a  dozen  are  full  orphans.  A  profit  of 
nearly  $2,000  yearly  is  made  off  the  live-stock.  Chickens,  cows,  hogs,  two 
horses  are  kept  and  all  kinds  of  vegetaljles  raised  in  addition  to  wheat,  grass 
aivl  alfalfa  hay. 

March  3,  1869,  the  act  providing  for  a  State  Orphans'  Home  was  ]>asse(l, 
and  on  the  27th  day  of  September,  1870,  the  directors  of  the  Nevada  Orphan 
Asylum  at  Virginia  City  were  notified  that  all  or])hans  in  their  charge  would 
be  received  at  the  State  Home.  On  the  28th  day  of  the  following  October 
the  first  children  were  received.  Since  the  opening  to  1903  nearly  700  chil- 
dren have  been  admitted.  In  the  thirty-two  years  but  four  deaths  have 
occurred  in  the  Home. 

NF.V.^DA    HCSPITAL    FOR    MENTAL   DISEASES. 

On  March  5,  1880,  the  board  of  commissioners  formally  accepted  the 
State  Hospital  for  Mental  Diseases,  or  as  it  was  known  then,  the  State  In- 
sane Asylum,  from  the  contractors.  On  the  2nd  of  the  following  July,  148 
insane  patients  were  removed  to  the  new  hospital  from  the  Insane  Asylum 
at  Stockton.  On  July  22nd  of  the  same  year  tiie  widow  of  Jerome  Thornton 
(Lucky  Bill)  died  in  the  hospital.  Her  husband's  horrible  death  unseated 
her  reason,  and  when  her  son  died  she  gradually  faded  away. 

The  hospital  officials  are:  W.  H.  Patterson,  M.  D.,  superintendent; 
J.  G.  McCarthy,  supervisor  and  clerk ;  Mrs.  Ida  Sheehy,  matron ;  F.  G. 
Folsom,  engineer.  F.  L.  Wildes  is  secretary  of  the  board  of  commissioners 
for  care  of  indigent  insane. 

The  1st  of  January,  1903,  there  were  142  males  and  57  females  in  the 
hospital.  During  the  term  just  passed  there  were  25  deaths,  and  16  patients 
were  restored  to  reason. 

From  the  pay  patients  the  sum  of  $1,591.25  was  collected  during  the 
term.  The  total  e.xpense  was  $71,000,  leaving  an  actual  cost  to  the  .state  of 
$69,408.75,  a  per  capita  per  diem  of  50.79  cents.  The  farm  is  a  source  of 
profit,  as  well  as  a  healthful  em]iIoyment  for  patients.  Each  year  24  acres 
of  run-out  land  is  broken  up,  used  as  farm  land  for  two  years  and  tlien 
seeded  to  alfalfa.  The  past  term,  two  years,  a  net  profit  of  $14,047.18  was 
made. 

At  the  meeting  of  the  last  legislature  $6,000  was  appropriated  for  a  new 
hospital  building  and  improvement  of  heating  appliances  in  main  building; 
$1,500  was  expended  for  the  latter  and  another  appropriation  of  $2,500  had 


i.'20  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

to  he  secured  to  erect  tlie  new  Iniilding,  which   is  made  nf  stone  fmm   tlie 
old  ])rison  walls. 

In  the  tailoring  dejiartment,  under  Th(inias  Speck,  q88  articles  were 
made  during  the  term. 

THE   ST.VTE   PRISON. 

The  State  Prison  is  located  ahout  three  miles  from  the  city  of  Carson. 
There  are  altogether  eight  huildings,  made  of  the  stone  from  the  prison 
quarries,  which  is  \ery  fine.  In  n^oi  tliere  were  sixty-seven  prisoners  and 
forty-fi\e  added  <luring  the  year,  a  total  of  112.  Thirty-six  were  discharged, 
sentence  ha\ing  expired.  Thirteen  were  ])ardiined  and  one  died,  and  one  was 
sent  to  the  State  Insane  .\s)-lum.  In  1902  sixty-i)nc  were  in  ])risi)n  at  com- 
mencement of  year  and  thirty-se\en  were  received,  a  total  of  ninety-eight. 
The  sentences  of  thirty-three  expired  and  six  were  pardoned.  Two  were 
sent  to  the  insane  asylum.  December  31,  1902.  there  were  fifty-seven  ]3ris- 
oners.     March  21.    1904.  there  were  se\'enty-nine  prisoners. 

On  January  23,  1903,  John  Lyons  Considine  succeeded  L.  O.  Hender- 
son as  warden,  and  he  has  alreadv  made  a  record.  He  has  instituted  .1  num- 
1)er  of  ref<jrnis  in  the  prison.  The  two  arc  lights  in  front  of  the  main  huild- 
ing  have  been  removed  and  incandescent  lights  have  l)een  scattered  around 
the  groiuids  in  a  complete  circle  of  an  eighth  of  a  mile  on  e\-ery  side  of  the 
main  building.  'i"he  safety  of  the  prison  at  night,  and  from  an  attack  from 
the  outside,  has  been  greatly  augmented.  .\  complete  electrical  alarm  svstem 
has  been  introduced,  and  at  the  touch  of  a  button  the  entire  guard,  the  ca])tain 
of  the  guards  and  warden  are  summoned.  These  precautions  make  a  prison 
delivery  almost  an  impossibilitx-.  Warden  Considine  has  also  replaced  the 
steam  ]>umping  \>VauI  with  ;in  electrical  one  which  is  cheaper  to  snppoil  and 
instantl}'  available  in  case  i>f  lire.  Judging  from  the  jirogress  made  in  such 
a  short  time  Mr.  Considine's  four  years"  term  will  be  extended  over  man_\' 
subserjucnl  ones.  He  rccei\ed  word  several  times  that  arms  anil  ammunition 
would  lie  i)lanled  in  the  vicinity  of  the  prison  1)\-  ci'iinin;ds  from  California: 
consequently  e\erv  night  tlie  bloodhounds  of  the  ]irison  ,'ire  released  and  roam 
the  grounds  until  daylight. 

Ml".  Considine  has  also  been  utilizing  the  prisoners  b\'  gi"ading  and 
filling  in  the  boulevard  from  the  prison  to  Carson,  i-'or  <|uite  a  distance  lead- 
ing from  the  ])rison,  shade  trees  have  been  ])lanted.  and  these  will  be  added 
to  until  there  will  be  a  shaded  boukward  clear  to  Carson. 

The  prison  is  not  self-su])porting.  the  onl\-  rcxenne  being  ;m  insignificant 
amount  from  the  sale  of  stone,  dressed  and  undressed,  from  the  (piarry.  The 
cost  of  running  the  prison  per  year  averages  $33,500.  The  prisoners  make 
jewelry,  hair  i)ridlcs.  rawhide  riatas,  headstalls,  (jiu'rts,  miniature   furnilme, 


A  HISTUKV  Ol'"  NEVADA.  221 

liaudkcrcliicl'  sacliets,  pin  i-iisliii)iis.  satcliels,  etc.  W'liat  (licy  make  is  solely 
idr  tlieir  persfjiial  profit. 

The  jjrisDii  relig'ious  exercises  are  coinluctcd  alternately  each  Siimlay 
afternoon  by  four  clergymen  of  different  denominations,  comprising  all  the 
churches  represented  in  Carson.  The  services  consist  of  a  sermon,  prayers 
and  hymn-singing. 

A  large  part  of  the  \'egetal)Ies  consumed,  chiefly  ])otato€S,  onions,  cab- 
bages and  garden  vegetables,  are  raised  in  the  i)rison  gardens.  The  prison 
surroundings  arc  thoroughly  hygienic  in  every  respect.  A  cosy  office  has  been 
fitted  up  for  the  physician  for  his  inter\'ie\vs  with  the  prisoners.  It  is  safer 
than  the  former  [ijan  of  seeing  jjatients  in  the  room  just  off  the  entrance  to 
the  cell  room. 

The  prisoners  are  em])lo_\ed  in  the  (|uarry,  baker}',  shoe  shop,  tailor  shop, 
laundry,  carpenter  sho]),  dining  room  and  in  general  work. 

THE    ST.\TE    LIBRARY. 

The  act  consolidating  the  offices  of  secretary  of  state  and  state  li!)rarian 
took  effect  January  8,  1895.  There  is  much  detail  and  routine  work  in  the 
lil)rary,  for  all  volumes  that  come  in  have  to  be  stamped,  recorded  and  cata- 
logued with  the  title.  ]irice,  date  and  character.  .All  books  going  out  are  re- 
corded in  full  ;md  charged  to  the  individual  and  credited  when  returned. 
Correspondence  is  also  kept  up  with  other  state  institutions  relati\-e  to  ex- 
changes. 

In  early  da}-s  attorneys  were  the  ])rincii)al  patrons,  but  now  all  tax- 
payers are  entitled  to  its  privileges.  All  the  standard  literature  of  the  day,  in 
the  way  of  magazines  and  j:)eriodicals,  may  be  found  there.  All  the  news- 
pa])ers,  daily  and  weekly,  printed  in  the  state,  can  be  found  at  the  librarv' 
and  at  the  end  of  the  year  the  papers  are  bound,  in  yearly  volumes,  for  future 
use.  All  the  dilTerent  law  volumes,  required  by  the  supreme  court,  all  the 
latest  editions  of  text  books  published,  court  reports  from  the  different  .states, 
federal  reports  and  digests,  are  to  be  found  on  the  library  shelves.  Standard 
works  of  fiction  have  been  added  to  the  lilirar}-. 

The  catalogue  is  graded  in  two  separate  anrl  distinct  forms,  one  known 
as  the  law  catalogue  and  the  other  known  as  the  miscellaneous  catalogue. 
In  1899  more  room  was  necessary  and  this  was  obtained  by  adding  the  former 
office  of  clerk  of  the  supreme  court.  It  is  now  known  as  the  north  room 
of  the  liljrary.  and  it  accommodates  7,000  additional  volumes.  On  the  library 
exchange  list  are  all  the  states  in  the  Union,  the  territories,  federal  govern- 
ment and  all  uni\-ersities  and  efhicational  institutions.  In  the  dome  are  sev- 
eral thousand  volumes,  and  the  accumulation  of  many  years  of  valuable  docu- 
ments and  reports.     The  immense  weight  is  causing  the  dome  to  settle.    Over 


222  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

$i,ooo  per  Aear  is  expended  for  buoks  and  sometimes  double  that  amount. 
Tlie  monev  for  tlie  purchase  of  books  comes  from  the  hbrary  fund,  which 
is  kept  up  from  fees  from  the  office  of  secretary  of  state  and  the  office  of 
clerk  of  the  supreme  court,  no  legislative  appropriation  being  made  for  that 
purpose. 

The  State  Library  is  located  on  the  second  floor  of  the  capitol  building, 
in  Carson  City. 

STATE    PRINTING    OFFICE. 

The  State  Printing  Office  is  kxated  at  Carson  City,  in  the  rear  of  the 
capitol,  but  across  the  street.  It  is  built  of  stone  from  the  prison  quarry  and 
cost  $5,000  to  construct.  The  first  floor  is  devoted  to  the  machinery  and 
mechanical  work,  while  the  binders  are  upstairs.  State  Superintendent  of 
Public  Instruction  Ring  also  has  his  offices  on  the  second  floor.  Next  to 
his  rooms  is  located  the  museum,  donated  to  the  state  by  the  disbanded 
Society  of  Pioneers.  E.  D.  Chandler,  in  charge  of  the  government  irriga- 
tion work  at  Carson,  also  has  rooms  on  this  floor. 

.Andrew  Maute  is  superintendent  of  state  printing  and  has  offices  on 
the  ground  floor.  By  him  the  state  printing  office  and  binding  department 
has  been  conducted  in  a  most  thorough,  excellent  and  systematic  manner. 
Will  U.  Mackey  is  his  foreman.  The  class  of  work  annually  turned  out  by 
this  department  cannot  be  excelled  by  any  government  or  state  printing. estab- 
lishment in  the  United  States.  Work  is  increasing  constantly.  In  1901-2 
the  total  number  of  copies  turned  out  was  138,133,  a  total  nunilier  of  im- 
pressions of  1,144.924. 

GOVERNMENT    BUILDINGS. 

On  January  5.  1885.  in  Washington,  D.  C,  on  motion  of  Cassidy,  rules 
were  susi^ended,  and  the  senate  bill  was  passed,  appropriating  $100,000  for 
a  public  building  in  Carson.  .\  commission  was  apjx^inted  to  select  land  in 
Carson  for  a  site.  C.  M.  Noteware,  Judge  W.  M.  Cary,  S.  C.  Wright,  M. 
Cohn  and  Jacob  Kline  w-ere  appointed  as  a  commission.  Judge  Cary  was 
elected  as  chairman,  and  tlicn  ensued  a  long  and  bitter  fight  o\cr  the  loca- 
tion. It  was  a  number  of  years  before  the  building  was  completed.  While 
the  fight  was  going  on,  Reno  offered  a  $30,000  block  in  the  center  of  that  city, 
which  quelled  the  fighting  in  Carson.  It  is  a  handsome  block,  and  in  it  arc 
If^ated  the  postoffice  and  a  number  of  federal  offices. 

Three  blocks  down  the  street  from  the  postoffice  building  is  located  the 
state  capitol,  a  massive  block  constructed  of  stone  from  the  prison  quarries. 
It  is  surrounded  by  handsome  grounds,  in  which  is  stationed  the  band  stand 
used  by  the  celebrated  Carson  City  Band,  fn  the  cajiilol  arc  located  all  of 
the  state  offices  and  the  state  library. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  223 

Sliortly  after  the  granting  of  tlic  aiiiiropriatitm  fur  the  puhhc  hnikhng 
at  Carson,  a  similar  api)ropriation  was  made  for  a  ])u1ihc  huilcHng  in  Reno. 
The  affair  lias  dragged  along  for  a  number  of  years.  Last  year  a  magnificent 
site  was  purchased  on  the  l>anks  of  Uie  Truckee  ri\cr,  just  lielou  the  inm 
bridge  and  across  the  stream  from  the  Carnegie  lilirary.  Work  nu  the  build- 
ing will  be  commenced  early  this  summer. 

INDI.\N    RESERVATION    AND    SCHOOLS. 

There  are  nearly  6.000  Indians  in  Nevada,  belonging  to  the  Pah-Ute 
(vulgarized  by  the  whites  into  Piute),  Shoshones  and  Washoe  tribes,  the 
Pah-Utes  being  in  the  majurity.  The  Shoshones  li\-e  in  the  northeastern 
part  of  the  state,  the  Washoe  in  the  western  part,  near  Carson  City  and 
Reno,  and  the  Pah-Utes  scattered  throughout  the  state,  some  living  in  nearly 
every  valle\-  and  settlement. 

There  are  four  Indian  reservations  in  Nevada  :  The  Western  Shoshone 
reser\-ation  in  the  northern  jiart  of  Elko  county,  lying  partly  in  Idaho;  it  is 
the  home  of  some  500  Indians  about  equally  di\'ided  between  Shoshones  and 
Pah-Utes.  This  reservation  is  in  charge  of  Superintendent  H.  H.  Miller 
and  a  corps  of  employes.  A  boarding  school  is  maintained  with  an  attend- 
ance of  from  sixty  to  seventy  pupils. 

The  Pyramid  Lake  reser\'ation,  near  Wadsworth,  is  occupied  by  some 
600  Pah-L'tes  and  is  in  charge  of  Superintendent  F.  B.  Spriggs.  .\  board- 
ing school  is  maintained  with  an  attendance  of  about  sixty. 

The  Walker  River  reservation,  south  of  Virginia  City,  is  the  home  of 
nearly  500  Pah-Utes  and  is  in  charge  of  the  superintendent  of  the  Carson 
training  school.  There  is  a  day  school  there  with  an  attendance  of  atout 
thirty.  The  work  of  the  agency  is  in  immediate  charge  of  a  neighboring 
farm. 

The  Moopa  reservation  in  the  southeastern  part  of  the  state  is  a  very 
small  reserve  and  occupied  by  but  very  few  peojjle.  Steps  are  being  takai 
to  establish  a  small  school  there.  The  work  is  in  charge  of  \\Mlliam  Sharp. 
The  Indians  of  Nevada  are  almost  wholly  self-supporting.  The  only  ones 
getting  any  help  are  a  few  old  people  on  each  reservation  who  are  unable  to 
work,  but  the  whole  number  so  helped  will  hardly  aggregate  250  people. 
Man}-  (ju  the  reservations  have  their  own  land  on  which  they  produce  hay, 
grain  and  fruit  and  make  a  good  lix'ing.  'I'he  men  are  in  detnand  as  ranch 
hands,  slice])  shearers  antl  \-aqueros,  and  they  do  such  good  work  that  em- 
ployers express  their  preference  for  Indians  over  transient  labor.  The  women 
do  domestic  work,  for  which  they  are  the  main  dependence  throughout  the 
state.  The  poorest  class  of  Indians  li\e  about  the  town,  along  the  railroads 
and  create  a  most  erroneous  impression  of  the  race. 


224  A  HISTORY  OF  NE\'ADA. 

Tlie  principal  Indian  school  of  Xevada  is  three  miles  from  Carson  City, 
and  has  an  attendance  of  some  220  pupils.  This  is  a  training  school  with 
departments  for  instruction  in  carjientry,  blacksmithing;,  tailoring,  shoemaking, 
sewing,  cooking,  farming  and  all  useful  trades.  Pupils  attend  school  half  of 
each  day  and  are  engaged  in  some  industrial  department  the  other  half,  this 
being  necessary  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  work  as  well  as  for  instruction. 
The  clothing  for  girls,  and  a  large  part  of  that  for  the  boys  is  all  made  in 
the  school.  The  laundry  work,  cooking,  sewing  and  general  work  for  such 
a  number  is  no  small  task. 

The  pupils  print  a  little  nmnthly  \n\]Kr  which  is  sent  to  regular  sub- 
scril>ers  as  second-class  matter.  .Ml  the  mechanical  work  is  done  by  the 
pupils  and  much  of  the  literary  wnrk.  The  pupils  of  the  school  are  skilful 
in  all  mechanical  work,  excelling  all  white  children  in  matters  of  art  or  hand 
work.  The  girls  go  out  into  families  and  give  great  satisfaction  in  w-ork  and 
general  conduct.  The  supply  is  not  equal  to  the  demand  for  servants  from 
the  school. 

The  Carson  school  has  twenty-two  employes,  including  teachers,  matrons, 
clerks  and  industrial  instructors.  The  efficient  superintendent  is  C.  H.  As- 
bury,  who  has  been  in  charge  since  1903,  and  has  been  in  the  Indian  school 
service  over  twelve  years  in  various  schools  as  teacher  and  sujierintendent. 
The  great  trouble,  in  point  of  education,  has  been  the  failure  to  keep  pupils 
to  fixed  habits  of  industry  and  temperance.  They  lea\e  in  a  short  time  to  be 
classed  by  the  whites,  in  derision,  as  "educated  Indians."  The  time  is  too 
short  to  educate  anyone,  especially  when  the  starting  point  is  so  low.  The 
prejudice  against  Indians  is  strong  and  the  average  white  refuses  to  see  any 
good  in  them,  thinking  they  should  do  their  drudgery  eternally  and  cheer- 
fully and  any  manifestation  (;f  independence  is  classed  as  shiftlessness  and 
bad  faith  to  the  whiles.  The  Indians  are  becoming  used  to  such  treatment 
and  are  able  to  look  after  their  own  interests.  The  Indi.-uis  do  some  basket 
and  Jjead  work. 

A  band  has  been  maint;imc<l  at  the  Carson  Tr.-iining  School  for  ;i  Inng 
time,  and  several  members  of  last  year  are  to  ])lay  in  an  Indian  band,  selected 
from  throughout  the  country,  at  the  St.  Louis  fair.  The  Indians  are  good 
at  football  and  baseball  and  wherever  organized  have  held  their  own  against 
all  comers. 

A  point  in  their  fav<ir  is  the  fact  that  Indian  agents  and  sui)erintendciits 
are  devoted  to  their  charges.  C.  H.  .\sbury,  of  the  Carson  Training  Sch(x>l, 
is  especially  enthusiastic,  and  says  that  considering  the  few  years  the  Indians 
have  been  removed  fmni  utter  savagry  be  thinks  they  .are  doing  well  to  dress 
as  citizens,  make  a  livelilmod  at  lalmr  ;ind  cnini)ete  with  white  people. 


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A  HISTORY  01-   NEVADA.  '^25 

CfiAPTER    XXIV. 

The  Sons  of  M.ars. 

Early  Military  Affairs — The  Secehsion  Conspiracy — First  Call  to  Arms — 
Action  of  the  Democrats — Raising  and  Forced  Lowering  of  Confederate 
Flag— The  First  Nevada  Volunteers — The  Sanitary  Commission  and 
Sack  of  Flour — Paying  the  Wager — Only  Militia  in  State  At  Present — 
All  Forts  Have  Been  Abandoned — National  and  State  Appropriations 
For  Militia — Roster  of  Officers — Nevada's  Militia  in  Late  War. 

Nearly  the  entire  hi^tury  of  the  Militia  is  told  in  the  chapters  on  In- 
dians and  the  warfare  carried  on  by  them.  The  history  of  the  regular  army 
lies  largely  in  that  epoch,  also.  F>ut  the  unwritten  history  of  both  State 
Militia  and  the  regularly  enlisted  rank  and  file  would  make  more  interesting 
reading  than  that  of  the  Indian  wars.  even.  The  great  Civil  war  came  at  a 
time  when  Nevada  was  striving  to  emerge  from  the  condition  of  a  territory 
to  the  dignity  of  a  state,  starting  when  she  was  not  even  a  territory  and  not 
ended  wdien  she  was  admitted  as  a  state. 

In  wdiat  was  then  truly  the  outposts  of  civilization,  Nevada,  only  rumors 
of  the  war  were  heard  at  first.  Nothing  was  known  save  what  came  through 
the  mails  and  over  the  wires.  Y'et  there  were  patriots  and  to  spare.  The 
population  was  composed  of  both  northern  and  southern  men,  and  while  the 
former  were  in  the  majority  the  foreign  element  sympathized  with  the  .south. 
The  southerners  were  emboldened  to  the  extent  of  desiring  a  ci\-il  war  in 
Nevada.  This  led  lo  many  <lemonstrations  of  xiolence.  The  southerners 
were  still  further  encouraged  by  the  fact  that  the  military  department  was  in 
charge  of  General  A.  S.  Johnston,  a  native  of  the  soutli  and  understood  to 
l)e  ready  to  co-operate  with  the  Confederate  government.  General  Edwin 
Vose  Sumner  suddenly  arri\ed  in  San  b'rancisco  and  took  command,  ending 
the  hopes  of  the  southerners  on  the  Pacific  coast. 

It  was  believed  that  there  was  a  secession  conspiracy,  of  from  20,000 
to  30,000  men,  having  for  its  object  the  establishment  of  state  and  territorial 
governments  under  Confederate  authority.  Commissions  of  governors  and 
military  officers,  signed  by  Jefferson  Da\'is,  were  sent  to  the  leaders  of  the 
conspiracy.     But  all  were  under  the  watchful  eye  of  the  Federal  government. 

At  this  time  Genera!  \\\  C.  Kibbe  was  adjutant  general  of  California. 
He  applied  to  the  United  States  military  authorities,  asking  for  10,000  stand 
of  arms.  The  conspirators,  it  was  .said,  had  promised  David  S.  Terry  that 
he  should  be  governor  of  Nevada.  Many  thought  the  Democrats  were  con- 
cerned in  this  plan,  but  many  were  o\)qu  in  expressing  their  lo}'alty  to  the 
Union  and  others  as  open  in  disavowing  such,  loyalty.  So  many  were  there  of 
the  latter  class  that  the  military  authorities  took  a  hand  and  Arrested  them. 


2-26  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

imprisoning  tliem  in  Fort  Cliurcliili  and  piniishing  them  1)_\  n.iaking  them 
carry  sacks  of  sand  nnder  guard  of  Federal  soldiers.  At  that  time  the  gov- 
ernment took  the  stand  that  every  man  who  was  not  for  the  government  was 
against  it.  Many  .southerners  declared  that  whichever  wa\'  their  nati\e  state 
went  they  would  go.  Many  were  Kentuckians.  hut  wlien  their  native  state 
failed  to  go  the  way  tlic\'  w  anteil  her  to  they  still  were  rahid  secessionists. 
The  Democracy  was  helpless  on  the  Pacific  coast,  and  especially  so  in  Nevada. 
They  had  no  part  in  the  organization  of  the  territorial  government. 

Naturally  they  wanted  a  party.  On  I'eliruary  14.  1863.  a  call  for  a 
meeting  was  issued,  signed  by  64  leading  Democrats,  in  Virginia  City.  The 
results  were  doubtful.  Rebellious  as  they  were  there  was  only  one  occasion 
when  the  Confederate  flag  was  hoisted.  .\  man  by  tlie  name  of  John-L. 
Newman  hoisted  it  in  X'irginia  City,  over  his  store,  corner  of  Sutton  a\enue 
and  A  street.  He,  with  a  crowd  of  southerners,  stood  around  to  protect  it. 
Immediately,  R.  M.  Waterhouse,  the  partner  of  Newman,  hoisted  the  Union 
flag  at  the  other  end  of  the  building  and,  pistol  in  haml,  defied  the  whole 
southern  Confederacy  and  said  he  would  kill  anyone  who  made  a  mo\e  to 
take  it  down.  Feeling  ran  high,  but  the  southerners  had  to  }ield  and  run 
down  their  flag.  The  secessionists  were  told  that  death  would  be  the  portion 
of  anyone  attempting  to  again  raise  the  flag  of  the  Confederacy.  .\nt\  they 
heeded  the  warning.  Later,  they  organized  the  "Golden  Circle"  to  further 
the  Confederate  cause.  To  counteract  this  the  Unionists  organized  the 
"Union  League."     Bt)th  orders  were  liranches  of  those  orders  in  the  east. 

TTIE    VOLUXTEERS. 

While  California  commenced  the  organization  of  four  regiments  in 
1801.  it  was  the  spring  of  1862  before  a  recruiting  olfice  was  opened  in  Ne- 
vada, the  flrst  one  being  in  \'irginia  City.  Lieutenant  S(i;q)cr,  the  officer  in 
charge,  as  was  the  custom  then,  secured  two  drummer  boys  and  a  flag  bearer 
and  started  througli  the  streets  to  announce  the  oi)ening  of  the  office.  A 
southerner  rushed  towards  them  and  destroyed  one  drum.  ;uid  had  started  on 
the  other  when  he  was  knocked  down  b\'  the  flag  bcircr.  Lieutenant  J.  H. 
Matthewson.  I'nionists  came  to  his  aid.  Jack  Williams  acting  as  drummer, 
a  great  procession  of  L'nion  men  was  formed.  'I'he  comp;niy  marched  to  the 
city  hall,  where  an  enthusiastic  Union  meeting  was  held.  Xe\ada  gave  J^ 
volunteers  to  California  before  she  received  jjermission  to  raise  companies  of 
her  own.  In  1862  the  Third  Regiment  of  California  Volunteers  under  com- 
mand of  Colonel  P.  E.  Connor  took  possession  of  the  L'nited  States  posts 
in  Nevada. 

In  the  spring  of  1863  Ne\ada  received  permission  to  raise  a  battalion 
of  cavalry.     J.   II.  Matthewson,  afterwards  lieutenant,   opened  a   recruiting 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  227 

office  at  Gold  Hill,  he  being  the  first  officer  mustered  into  service,  with  the 
rank  of  first  lieutenant  of  Company  B,  Nevada  Territory  Cavalry  Volun- 
teers, N.  Baldwin  being  captain.  At  this  time  a  company  was  recruited  at 
Silver  City,  Company  A,  Cajitain  E.  B.  Zabriskie. 

The  two  companies  were  mustered  into  service  and  marched  to  Salt 
Lake,  in  1864.  Zabriskie  declined  jjromotion  and  Baldwin  was  promoted 
to  major  of  the  battalion  and  placed  in  command  of  Fort  Bridger.  Four 
more  companies  were  added  to  this  battalion:  Company  C,  recruited  through- 
out the  state,  H.  Dalton,  captain:  Company  D,  recruited  in  Gold  Hill,  Milo 
George,  captain:  Company  E,  recruited  in  Genoa,  Carson  and  Silver  City, 
Robert  Lyon,  captain :  Company  F,  recruited  in  Aurora.  J.  W.  Calder,  cap- 
tain. There  were  also  1,000  men  in  six  infantry  companies,  under  captains 
A.  J.  Close,  M.  R.  Hasset,  G.  .\.  Thurston,  Wallace,  A.  B.  Kelly  and  Lieu- 
tenant W.  G.  Seamonds.  They  were  stationed  at  various  places  in  Nex'ada 
territory  and  Utah. 

SANITARY    COMMISSION    AND    FLOUR. 

When  the  members  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  came  to  the  Pacific 
coast  to  collect  money  and  secure  assistance  wliere\er  possible,  they  were 
surprised  at  the  amount  subscribed.  Many  who  could  not  go  to  the  front- 
sent  their  fortunes.  Of  the  $4,800,000  raised  by  the  Commission  over 
one-fourth  came  from  the  Pacific  coast.  Douglas  county  gave  $2,975  •  Es- 
meralda, $10,080:  Lander,  $10,650:  Lyon,  $13,830:  Ormsby,  $13,600: 
Storey,  $109,760.07:  Washoe,  §2,686:  a  total  of  $163,581.07.  Churchill, 
Humboldt  and  Nye  counties  gave  largely,  but  no  record  was  kept  of  their 
contributions. 

At  Austin,  in  April,  1864,  there  was  a  city  election.  The  candidates  for 
mayor  were :  Charles  Holbrook.  a  Republican  and  a  hardware  merchant,  and 
Colonel  David  E.  Buel,  one  of  tlie  proprietors  of  the  towmsite,  and  a  Demo- 
crat. Excitement  ran  high  over  these  two :  Dr.  H.  S.  Herrick,  an  ardent 
Republican,  then  in  the  Internal  Revenue  service,  discussed  the  status  of 
affairs  heatedly  with  R.  G.  Gridley,  a  grocer.  Gridley  urged  Herrick  to  bet 
on  the  election.  A  wager  was  finally  made,  the  stake  a  sack  of  flour,  fifty 
pounds;  if  Buel  was  elected  Herrick  should  purchase  it  and  carry  it  from 
w^estern  Austin  to  Gridley's  store,  about  a  mile.  If  Mr.  Holbrook  was  elected 
Gridley  was  to  carry  a  sack  of  flour  from  his  store  to  Herrick  in  western 
Austin.  A  band  was  to  accompany  the  carrier  of  the  flour,  if  Herrick,  play- 
ing "Dixie,"  and  if  Gridley,  "John  Brown's  Body  Lies  Mouldering."  The 
Republican  candidate  was  elected  the  next  day,  and  Dr.  Herrick  appeared  at 
Gridley's  store  demanding  the  wager.  Dr.  Herrick  decorated  the  sack  with 
small  Union  flags  and  the  procession  set  forth.  Herrick  carrying  Gridlev's 
coat. 


228  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Tlie  procession  was  lieaded  1)\'  the  Austin  Brass  Band,  the  ne\\l_\'  elected 
city  officers,  on  horsehack.  Dr.  Herrick,  then  Gridley :  Gridley's  son  marched 
by  him,  carrying  a  tlag,  and  a  man  followed  them  carrying  a  broom,  the 
insignia  of  Democracy,  draped  in  mourning.  .V  large  throng  of  citizens, 
carrying  lianners,  etc.,  followed,  among  them  a  man  with  a  sponge.  Wiien 
the  place  of  destination  was  reached,  the  sack  was  delivered,  the  sponge 
was  tossed  up  in  token  of  surrender,  and  the  broom  placed  away  in  token 
of  submission.  Appropriate  s])eeches  were  made,  and  the  hilarity  and  joy 
was  great.  Dr.  Herrick  donated  the  tlonr  to  the  Sanitary  Commission.  It 
was  to  be  sold  at  auction.     Then  ensued  a  scene  n<it  soon  forgotten. 

A  stand  was  erected  in  front  of  Mayor  Hollirook's  store,  and  T.  B.  Wade, 
former  mayor  of  Placer\ille,  California,  announced  as  the  auctioneer.  Music 
l)y  the  band  and  a  few  speeches  warmed  the  hiilders  up.  Republicans  ;nid 
Democrats  strove  to  outbid  e:ich  other,  all  anxious  to  show  their  sympathy 
for  the  boys  at  the  front.  Buel,  the  defeated  candidate,  offered  a  certificate 
of  indebtedness  of  81,115  from  the  Indian  Department,  but  ready  cash  was 
demanded.  Mining  stocks,  mines,  town  lots,  were  all  offered.  .\  L'nionist 
bid  $350  and  asked  to  go  to  his  home  to  get  the  coin,  but  was  refused  and  the 
sack  given  to  M.  J,  Xoyes  for  the  same  amount.  He  presented  it  to  the 
Commission  to  be  auctioned  again.  Everyone  enjoved  the  bidding,  and  the 
ni)ur  was  sold  and  resold,  indi\iduals  i>urchasing  it  ruid  later  joining  with 
others  of  their  party  to  buy  it  again,  (iridley's  firm  liid  $200,  and  the  mer- 
chants united  and  bid  $300;  lodges  bid,  the  Masons  bidding  $1 13.50,  and  the 
attaches  of  the  Reese  River  Reveille,  $100,  until  .$4,549  in  gold,  or  $6,000  in 
currency  was  realized.  Accounts  of  the  affair  w^cre  widely  published,  and 
then  copied  throughout  the  United  States.  Photograplis  of  Gridley  and  the 
sack  found  an  immense  sale,  and  the  city  of  Austin  adopted  as  a  seal  and 
coat  of  arms  a  representation  of  the  sack. 

Mr.  Gridley  then  determined  to  travel  with  the  precious  .sack  of  Hour, 
rejieating  the  sales.  ])aying  his  own  e.\'|)enses.  He  left  his  store  and  sLuIimI 
out  in  May.  When  the  ])rocession  started  in  Virginia  City.  Mark  Twain 
accompanied  it  and  Tom  hitch  made  a  s]iecch.  .\t  ;i  ])re\ious  g;ilhci'ing 
there  he  realized  $580.  But  this  second  sale  was  held  in  (if)ld  Hill  ;md 
$6,062.50  realized.  The  procession  went  to  SiK'er  City  where  .'*^f^o5  was 
bid;  then  to  Dayton,  where  $1,200  was  hid;  tlun  hack  to  Gold  11:11,  where 
$1,200  more  was  bid:  then  to  Virginia  City,  Here  $12,025  ^^''^  '''''•  '"  ■'"• 
$25,042  in  gold,  or  $40,000  in  United  States  currency. 

I'rom  Nevada  (iridley  went  through  the  princii);d  citic,>  f)f  California 
realizing  about  $174,000  for  the  Sanitary  fund.  1  h'  went  cast  then,  realizing 
large  sums.  A  peculiar  thing  was  that  the  sack  of  Hour  changed  Gri<lley  from 
a  rabid  secessionist  to  an  ardent  Unionist.     In  a  \ear  he  returned  to  Austin, 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  221* 

ill  and  liadly  in  dehl.  TTis  business  had  gone  to  pieces  in  liis  absence.  Tie 
went  to  Stocktiin.  CalilDrnia,  where  lie  died  in  iSSi,  and  where  he  rests  with- 
out even  a  wooden  headstone  to  mark  his  gra\e.  .\  ])oor  recompense  for 
loyalty. 

The  sack  of   Hour  had   brought   about   a   change   of  feeling  in    Nevada 
Men  realized  that  they  could  feel  ditTerently  about  the  war  and  still  be  friends 

DEATH    OF    LINCOLN. 

The  feeling  n\er  tlie  death  of  Lincoln  was  intense,  every  town  and 
city,  every  worthy  residence  in  Ne\'ada,  was  draped  in  deep  mourning.  On 
the  day  of  his  interment,  .\pril  19,  1^63.  public  services  followed  those  in  the 
east  as  closelv  as  possible.  .Ml  places  of  business  closed  for  the  dav.  And 
it  seemed  that  with  tlie  burial  of  the  martyr  were  buried  all  partisan  animosi- 
ties in  Ne\'ada. 

I'Vw  but  sorrowed  for  the  great  dead.  One  man,  who  remarked  at  (jold 
Hill  that;  "It's  a  pity  he  was  not  killed  years  ago,"  was  arrested  and  sen- 
tenced to  recei\'e  thirty  lashes  on  the  bare  back;  when  ten  had  l)een  given  the 
sentence  was  commuted  to  carrying  the  Union  flag  from  Gold  Hill  to  Vir- 
ginia Citv,  a  card  on  his  back  re;iding;  "A  traitor  to  his  country."  (3n  the 
way  he  was  arrested  b\-  the  provost  guard  and  imprisoned. 

MEXICAN    WAR    VETERANS. 

On  January  12,  1877,  the  Mexican  War  Veteran  Association  was  organ- 
ized for  the  state  of  Nevada  in  Carson  City.  It  flourished  for  years,  but 
few  of  the  old  guard  are  left.  W.  F.  Stewart  was  its  first  president  and 
A.  D.  Treadway  first  vice  jiresident ;  \\'.  (iarrard  was  corresjionding  secre- 
tary, and  E.  B.  Zabriskie,  recording  secretary.  The  Association  started  with 
fifty-two  members,  many  prominent  men. 

THE    SPANISH    WAR. 

Nowhere  in  the  United  States  was  there  more  intense  feeling  o\'er  the 
Maine  incident  than  in  Nex'ada.  It  seemed  as  if  the  whole  state  w'anted  to 
march  to  the  scene  of  action  cii  masse.  There  were  meetings  and  parades 
and  enthusiasm  ran  high.  Delay  after  delay  did  not  dampen  the  patriotic 
ardor.  Men  enlisted,  and  while  manv  did  not  get  to  the  front,  only  as  far 
as  Jackson\-ille,  Florida,  and  some  went  only  as  far  as  Carson,  it  was  their 
great  misfortune,  not  their  fault. 

The  bravery  of  the  Nevada  patriots  is  on  record  and  is  an  enviable  one. 
Nevada  furnished  600  men  to  the  United  States  War  Department,  as  follows ; 

Troop  A,  Cavalry,  U.  S.  V.,  Captain  F.  Linscott  commanding. 

Troop  M,  Second  Regimental  Cavalry,  U.  S.  \'.,  Cajitain  W.  L.  Cox 
commanding. 


230  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Colonel  Torrey's  Rough  Riders. 

First  Nevada  Battalion  Infantry.  U.  S.  X'olunteers,  426  mai  commanded 
as  follows : 

Company  A,  Captain  Charles  H.  Colburn ;  Company  B,  Captain  W.  G. 
Sanders ;  Company  C,  Captain  C.  H.  Stoddard ;  Company  D,  Captain  W.  C. 
Carney. 

Troop  A  succeeded  in  reaching  the  seat  of  war  and  served  one  year  in 
the  Philippines. 

Troop  M  reached  Jacksonville.  Florida,  enroute  to  Cul)a  with  the  Rough 
Riders. 

The  First  Battalion  of  Infantry  remained  at  Carson  City,  in  camp,  alxiut 
four  months.  It  was  mustered  out,  to  the  deep  disappointment  of  the  boys 
at  tliat  time,  not  having  lieen  calleil  into  active  serxice. 

THE  STATE    MILITI.\. 

Tlie  present  strength  of  the  National  Guard  of  Nevada  is  140,  llie  com- 
mander-in-chief and  staff  numbering  5:  Company  A.  Infantry,  stationed  at 
Virginia  City,  70:  Company  B,  Infantry,  stationed  at  Virgiin'a  City,  6t  ;  both 
companies  having  eight  commissioned  officers. 

ROSTER  OF   OFFICERS,    I9O4. 

Commander-in-Chief — Governor  John  Sparks,  Carson  City. 

Brigadier-General — Lieutenant-Governor  Lem  .Mien,  .Adjutant-General, 
Ex-Officio  Quartermaster,  etc.,  Carson  City. 

Paymaster-General — Colonel  J.  .\.  Conboie,  Virginia  City. 

Surgeon-General — Colonel  S.  L.  Lee,  Carson  City. 

Chief-Engineer — Colonel  Joseph   Marzen,   Lovelocks. 

Advocate-General — Colonel  James  H.  Kinkead,  Virginia  City. 

A.  D.  C.'s — Lieutenant-Colonel  F.  L.  Wildes,  Virginia  City;  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  Frank  Golden,  Reno:  and  Lieutenant-Colonel  W.  L.  Co.x,  Reno. 

Colonel  and  .Assistant  .\djutant-Gcncral — .S.  II.  Day,  Carson  City. 

Company  A. 


Captain — D.  M.  Ryan,  Virginia  City. 

Mrst   Lieutenant — Henry  Conrad,  Virginia  City. 

.Second  Lieutenant — Melville  E.  Lamb,  Virginia  City. 

Company  B. 

Captain — George  D.  Pyne,  Virginia  City. 

First  Lieutenant — James  Malioney,  Virginia  City. 

Second  Lieutenant — (icorge  M.  Wren,  Virginia  City. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  231 

APPROrRIATIONS. 

As  there  lias  never  been  made  any  requisition  on  eitlier  government  or 
state  for  any  property  for  use  of  the  National  Guard,  since  early  in  1898. 
there  is  left  of  the  national  apprnpriation  over  $18,000.  The  legislature  of 
1901  apprnpriated  $600  for  the  (iuard,  all  of  wliich  was  spent. 

L,\ST  OF   INDIAN    FIGHTERS. 

In  1880  the  bodies  of  the  soldiers  buried  at  Fort  Churchill  were  re- 
moved to  Carson  City.  Only  two  could  be  identified.  Major  Ormsby  and 
Major  McDermit :  the  little  son  of  the  latter  was  buried  with  him. 
The  headstones  of  all  other  graves  had  rotted  away.  The  l^odies  were  in- 
terred with  great  ceremony,  on  February  18th:  public  services  and  military 
ceremonies  were  used.  There  were  fifty  bodies.  In  1885  the  1)ody  of  the 
hero.  Major  Ormsby.  and  his  wife  were  taken  from  Carson  to  Oakland  bv  his 
son-in-law,  A.  Donnell. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

The  Bench  and  Bar  of  Nevada. 

The  Lawyers  Came  With  First  Emigrants — Early  Litigation — First  Case  in 
Utah  Territory,  Now  Nevada — First  Session  of  Probate  Court  in  Car- 
son County — First  Criminal  Case — First  Admission  to  Bar — U.  S.  Dis- 
trict Court — Admission  of  Attorneys — First  Grand  Jur_v — First  In- 
dictment— Nevada  Territory  Judiciary. 

It  is  often  asserted  by  Nevadans  that  they  were  never  without  lawyers, 
for  they  came  with  the  first  emigrants.  For  a  year  or  two  there  was  nothing 
for  them  U<  do.  In  1853,  when  E.  L.  Barnard  was  acting  as  justice  of 
the  peace,  the  first  ca.se  was  brought  before  him  on  March  14th,  John  Reese 
suing  Woodward  and  Company  for  $675. 

Two  days  later  the  first  probate  court  in  and  f(ir  Carson  county,  L'tah 
territory,  was  held  by  Orson  Hyde,  probate  judge,  where  Genoa  now  stands. 
The  county  had  been  organized,  and  the  territory  was  an  immense  one  for  one 
judge  to  cover.  It  was  really  little  more  than  a  court  of  a  justice  of  the 
peace.  In  October,  1855,  the  first  case  was  heard,  J.  Mclntyre'  vs.  A.  A. 
Knouse,  an  action  to  recover  $187.75.  The  court  found  for  the  defendant, 
taxing  him  with  costs  of  suit. 

The  first  criminal  case  was  that  of  a  negro,  Thacker,  who  had  openly 
threatened  A.  B.  Wyckoff  and  Mrs.  Jacob  Rose.  He  was  arrested,  fined 
the  costs  of  the  suit,  $50,  and  advised  to  go  over  the  mountains. 


232  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Dr.  Charles  D.  Daggett  and  Solomon  C.  Perren  were  tlie  first  attorneys 
admitted  to  tlie  bar,  on  November  2,  1855. 

UNITED  STATES   DISTRICT   COURT. 

In  1856  Judge  Driimmond  came  from  Salt  Lake  to  Carson  X'^alley  with 
one  hundred  families.  His  first  grand  jmy  had  no  Mormons,  but  at  the  ex- 
piration of  nine  days  he  expelled  seven,  replacing  them  with  Mormons.  The 
court  met  in  ]\Iott's  barn  at  Muttsville  antl  the  grand  jury  met  in  IVIott's 
house  in  the  cool  mornings  and  in  a  blacksmith's  shop  in  the  afternoon.  The 
jury  found  one  true  bill  against  two  parties,  one  E.  Lamb,  for  stealing  two 
horses.  Lamb  immediately  made  his  escape.  Later  Judge  Drummond  threat- 
ened to  "iron"  the  jur)-.  InU  failed  to  do  so.  In  six  weeks  the  judge  left 
Mottsville  forever,  going  to  California.  Judge  Cradelbaugh  succeeded  him, 
convening  court  at  Genoa  on  September  5,  1859.  On  the  loth  of  October 
following,  C.  H.  Bryan,  R.  Anderson,  G.  D.  Hall,  J.  J.  Musser,  W.  H.  Brum- 
field  and  \\'.  Stewart  were  admitted  to  the  bar  of  the  territory. 

FIRST   INDICTMENT   FOR    MURDER. 

On  the  2ist  of  the  same  month  the  first  indictment  for  murder,  against 
William  Sides  for  homicide,  committed  at  Gold  Hill,  was  found.  Two  in- 
dictments were  found  for  lewdness,  one  for  adultery,  and  one  for  robl^ery. 
Altogether  that  vear  five  bills  for  lewdness,  one  for  adultery,  one  for  rob- 
bery, six  for  assault  with  intent  to  kill,  three  for  murder,  and  one  for  felony, 
were  found  by  the  grand  jury.  In  i860  three  indictments  for  murder  are 
recorded,  but  these  indictments  must  have  been  without  merit  as  none  were 
prosecuted.  In  October.  1860,  Judge  Cradelbaugh  was  succeeded  by  Judge 
R.  B.  Elanikcn.  The  latter  was  accompanied  by  L^nitcd  States  Marshal 
Henry  Grice.     Judge  Maniken  held  court  in  Car.son  City  until  its  close. 

JUDICI.\RY  OF   NEVADA    TERRITORY. 

When  the  new  terrilnry  of  Ne\ada  was  organized  in  1861.  (iox-ernor 
James  W.  Nye,  on  July  17th,  divided  the  territory  into  three  judicial  dis- 
tricts as  follows : 

First  Judicial  Di.strict — The  comity  of  Carson,  including  all  that  por- 
tion of  Nevada  lying  west  of  the  1  i8tb  degree  of  longitude,  west  from 
Greenwich ;   Gordon  N.  Mott,  judge. 

Second  Judicial  District — All  that  portion  of  the  territory  lying  be- 
tween the  117th  and  ii8lh  degrees  of  longitude;  George  Turner,  judge. 

Third  Judicial  District — All  tliiil  portion  of  the  Icrriiiiry  lying  cast  of 
the  117th  degree  of  longitude;  Horatio  .M.  Jouts,  judge. 

This  was  the  beginning  of  Nevada  judici.d  history,  entirely  discon- 
nected froiu  the  inlluence  of  the  Mormon  church,  in  Ltah.     However,  Judge 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  233 

Cradell>aiigli  establislicd  a  national  reputation  hy  fu-mly  opposing  tlie  Mormon 
powers  during  liis  administration. 

MINING  LITIGATION. 

Tlie  first  district  court  was  held  princii)ally  in  Virginia  City,  and  the 
litigation  was  nearly  all  over  mining  properties.  A  sort  of  common  law. 
customary  in  mining  districts,  largely  determined  the  questions  involved. 
The  best  lawyers  of  the  California  bar  participated  in  these  cases.  The  trials 
were  always  marked  by  great  excitement,  and  the  stock  lists  of  San  Fran- 
cisco and  Virginia  City  rose  and  fell  with  judicial  rulings.  Perjury  and 
bribery  were  rampant,  and  even  the  judges  did  not  escape  suspicion  but 
were  openly  charged  witli  being  corrupt.  The  peculiar  conformation  of  the 
Coni.stock  gave  rise  to  two  theories  "the  one  ledge"  and  "two  ledge." 

In  1863  Judge  Mott  resigned,  and  Hon.  J.  \V.  North,  first  surveyor- 
general  of  Nevada,  was  appointed  by  President  Lincoln  to  fill  the  vacancy. 
He  was  an  honorable  man  of  unexceptional  character,  but  the  attacks  on  him 
by  attorneys  and  litigants  were  as  fierce  as  they  had  lieen-  upon  his  prede- 
cessor. Hon.  W.  M.  Stewart  was  especially  savage  in  his  charges  of  corrupt 
conduct  on  the  part  of  Judge  North.  The  result  was  a  lawsuit  for  libel, 
which  was  tried  in  1865,  and  Judge  North  was  exonerated  and  all  accusations 
against  him  declared  to  be  without  basis  of  fact.  Judge  North  resigned  in 
October,  1864.  The  appointment  of  North's  successor  was  never  made  by 
the  president,  as  the  constitution  of  Nevada  was  adopted  in  September  of 
that  year.  At  the  general  election  of  the  November  following,  the  following 
judges  of  the  supreme  court  were  elected :  Hon.  James  F.  Lewis,  of  Washoe 
county;  Hon.  H.  O.  Beatty,  of  Virginia  City;  Hon.  C.  M.  Brosman,  of  Vir- 
ginia City.  Lots  were  drawn  according  to  the  state  constitutional  provision, 
and  Judge  Lewis  became  first  chief  justice,  having  drawn  the  short  term  of 
two  years ;  Judge  Beatty  drew  the  term  of  four  years,  and  Judge  Brosman 
drew  the  term  of  six  years.  Judge  Brosman  died  April  21,  1867,  and  Hon. 
J.  N.  Johnson  was  appointed  to  fill  the  vacancy,  remaining  upon  the  bench 
until  January,  1871. 

JUDICIAL    DISTRICTS    OF    NEVAD.\. 

In  1864  there  were  nine  judicial  districts  :  First  district — Storey  county; 
second  district — Ormsby  county;  third  district — Lyon  county;  fourth  district 
— Washoe  county ;  fifth  district — Nye  and  Churchill  counties ;  si.xth  district 
— Humlioldt  county;  se\-enth  district — Lander  county;  eighth  district — 
Douglas  county ;  ninth  district — Esmeralda  county.  The  first  district  was  or- 
ganized to  allow  for  the  election  of  three  judges  with  ecjual  powers  and 
jurisdiction  so  that  the  accumulated,  unfinished  business  might  be  rapidly 
finished.     Hon.  R.  S.  Mesick,  Hon.  Richard  Rising  and  Hon.  Caleb  Burbank 


23i  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

were  elected  tii  fill  those  three  positions.  The  next  legislature  provided  that 
but  one  judge  should  be  elected  in  1866.  and  Judge  Rising  was  re-elected. 
The  other  district  judges  elected  at  the  first  election  were:  S.  H.  Wright, 
W.  Haydon,  S.  M.  Baker,  E.  F.  Dunn.  W.  H.  Beatty,  D.  Virgin  and  S.  H. 
Chase.  Some  of  them  had  not  been  trained  to  the  law  and  the  district  courts 
had  almost  entirely  original  jurisdiction. 

Since  the  first   organization   many   changes   ha\e   been    made   until    in 
1881  the  state  had  init  seven  judicial  districts,  and  in  1904  but  five. 


CHAPTER   XXVI. 

Secret  Orders  In  Nev.vd.v. 

Masons  First  To  Institute  Lodge  In  Nevada — The  Order  Very  Strong  In 
Nevada  To-day — First  Lodge  Under  Nevada  Jurisdiction — Losses  by 
Fires — Subordinate  Lodges — Commanderies — General  Grand  Chapter — 
Grand  Lodge  F.  and  A.  M. — The  Order  Strongest  in  Nevada  in  1903 — 
Location  of  Lodges  and  Officer.s — The  Grand  Lodge — Grand  Lodge 
Royal  Arch  Masons — Other  Masonic  Bodies — The  Eastern  Star. 

.\s  the  Ancient  Order  of  Free  and  .Accepted  IMasons  is  the  oldest  secret 
organization  in  the  world,  it  was  fitting  that  it  should  be  the  first  secret  organ- 
ization instituted  in  Nevada.  It  was  to  Carson  City  the  honor  was  given, 
and  the  lodge  was  named  for  that  city.  Previous  to  the  organizing  of  tliis 
lodge  Masons  had  gone  to  California  to  attend  lodge  whenever  possiljle. 

Many  Masons,  banded  in  companies  before  leaving  the  east,  had  applied 
for  dispensations  to  open  lodges  in  the  west,  wherever  they  might  make 
their  homes.  The  first  funeral  ever  held  in  the  west  took  place  in  California 
in  1849.  The  body  of  a  man  was  found  floating  in  the  San  Francisco  bay. 
On  his  lx)dy  was  only  one  mark — the  silver  mark  of  a  Mark  Master,  bearing 
the  initials  of  his  name.  No  other  clue  was  there,  but  the  Masons  took  the 
body  to  prepare  for  the  grave,  and  soon  found  other  tattooing  besides  the  silver 
mark.  His  Ix^dy  was  covered  with  Masonic  emiilems,  beautifully  executed, 
in  all  the  appropriate  colors.  It  must  have  taken  years  to  do  the  work  and  a 
vast  expenditure  of  money  have  been  required.  Over  his  heart  was  the  Pot 
of  Incense  and  on  his  breast  the  Lights  of  Masonry.  On  his  right  arm  were 
the  plumb,  the  level  and  the  scpiarc  of  the  Fellow  Craft,  and  on  his  left  the 
emblems  of  Entered  Ajiprentice — the  Holy  Bible,  the  square,  the  compass, 
twenty-four  gauge  and  the  common  gavel.  In  addition  to  these  were  the 
Mosaic  pavement.  King  Solomon's  Temple,  the  tassel  which  surrounds  it 
and  the  blazing  star  in  the  center.    On  the  right  arm  was  also  the  Fi\c  Orders 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  235 

of  Architecture,  Tuscan,  Doric,  Ionic,  Corintliian,  and  Composite.  On  the 
other  parts  of  his  body  were  the  trowel,  all  the  tools  of  Operative  Masonry 
and  the  emblems  of  the  Master  Mason  Degree,  the  bee  hive,  tlie  Tyler's  sword, 
guarding  the  book  of  constitutions,  the  sword  pointing  to  the  naked  heart, 
the  all-seeing  eye,  the  ark  and  anchor;  the  hour-glass  and  the  forty-seventh 
problem  of  Euclid  were  there,  with  the  sun,  moon  and  stars  and  comet;  on 
one  portion  of  his  body  were  the  three  steps,  emblematical  of  youth,  man- 
hood and  old  age.  The  work  was  something  marvelous.  The  broken  column 
upon  which  rests  the  book  of  constitutions  was  a  masterpiece.  Reclining 
against  it  was  the  weeping  virgin,  holding  in  her  left  hand  the  Pot  of  In- 
cense, in  the  right  the  sprig  of  acacia,  emblems  of  a  pure  heart  and  the  im- 
mortality of  the  soul.  Winged  Time  stood  beneath  her,  his  scythe  by  I'.is 
side,  his  hand  resting  on  the  maiden's  head. 

Masons  came  from  far  and  near  to  see  the  liody.  Never  before  nor  since 
has  such  a  work  of  Masonry  been  seen.  The  identity  of  the  man  was  never 
known,  but  every  Mason  in  the  vicinity,  and  among  them  many  Nevadans  of 
to-day,  attended  tlie  funeral,  and  the  Grand  Honors  were  given  to  the  stranger 
unknown. 

Thirteen  years  after  this  the  first  lodge  between  the  Rocky  Mountains 
and  the  Sierras  was  established,  Carson  Lodge  No.  151.  In  February,  1862. 
a  dispensation  was  granted  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  California,  the  petitioners 
being  Henry  Grice,  Abraham  Curry,  Phillip  Stoner,  R.  B.  Ellis,  F.  A.  Tritle, 
F.  W.  Peters,  J-  W.  Wayman,  \V.  C.  Phillips,  Seymour  Pixley,  D.  L.  Britton, 
Herman  Armer,  Wellington  Stewart,  W.  B.  King,  and  H.  F.  Rice. 

Until  May  15  the  lodge  worked  under  this  dispensation,  when  a  charter 
was  granted,  and  tli^y  had  legal  Masonic  existence,  under  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  California.  The  first  officers  were  Marcus  D.  Lar- 
rowe,  Worshipful  Master ;  Etlward  J.  Smith,  Senior  Warden,  and  Henry 
Rice,  Junior  Wartlen.  At  the  second  meeting  ten  were  initiated,  and  the  order 
grew  wonderfully,  until  in  January,  1865,  when  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the 
State  of  Nevada  was  created,  new  charters  were  ordered  with  new  numbers 
for  the  lodges  within  its  jurisdiction,  and  Carson  Lodge  No.  i.  replaced 
Carson  City  Lodge  No.  154,  of  California.  Its  membership  then  was  50,  and 
in  1877  it  was  138,  but  from  that  time  it  gradually  decreased.  ■  Its  earliest 
Past  Masters  were:  Marcus  D.  Larrowe,  Henry  G.  Blasdel,  Charles  Mar- 
tin, Jacob  Tobriner,  B.  F.  Foster,  H.  A.  Mason,  Benjamin  Edson,  R.  W. 
Bollen,  H.  I.  Bickner. 

The  second  Masonic  Lodge  was  organized  on  July  26,  1862,  under  dis- 
pensation from  California,  receiving  its  charter  on  May  of  the  following  year. 
It  was  given  the  name  of  Washoe  Lodge,  George  W.  Brown  l^eing  Worship- 
ful Master,  R.  R.  Johnson,  Senior  \\'arden,  and  T.  B.  Prince.  Junior  Warden, 


236  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

under  the  cliarter;  under  dispensation  tlie  oflicers  were:  D.  J.  Glo_\-d.  Worship- 
ful Master,  P.  E.  Shannon,  Senior  \\'arden,  and  R.  R.  Jolmson.  Junior 
Warden.  When  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Xevada  was  organized.  Washoe  Lodge 
severed,  of  course,  its  connection  with  the  California  Grand  Lodge.  It  started 
with  nineteen  meml)ers  as  Washoe  City  was  just  commencing;  it  had  58  mem- 
bers in  1868.  Init  gra(hiall_v  members  left,  until  \ery  few  remained.  The 
Washoe  lodge  was  better  off  than  the  Carson  lodge,  for  it  owned  its  own 
hall,  furniture  and  regalia,  while  the  former  had  no  temple,  .\mong  the  Past 
Worshipful  Masters  were:  W.  I'Dote,  C.  X.  Harris,  Cj.  Robinson,  C.  F. 
Wooten, 

In  1863  a  numlier  of  lodges  received  dispensations  from  California.  On 
January  15,  \'irginia  Lodge  Xo.  162  was  organized,  receiving  its  charter  in 
May,  1863.  The  officers  were:  A\'.  H.  Howard,  Worshipful  Master:  J.  De- 
Bell,  Senior  Warden;  J.  S.  Kelley,  juninr  Warden:  when  it  came  midcr  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  Xevada  Grand  L;)dge  it  hatl  o\er  100  meml>ers,  and  in 
1878,  when  \'n-ginia  City  was  in  its  glory,  it  had  213  members.  Soon  after  it 
commencet!  to  decline,  going  down  by  degrees.  It  was  known  under  Xevada 
jurisdiction  as  Virginia  Lodge  Xo.  3.  In  charitx'  this  lodge  spent  over 
$12,000.  In  the  great  hre  which  swept  Virginia  City  in  1875  every  thing 
the  lodge  possessed  was  lost;  a  few  things  were  saved,  among  them  the 
jewels;  when  the  second  fire  came,  the  lodge  was  meeting  in  Odd  l-'ellows' 
Hall ;  after  tliis  fire  the  jewels  were  dug  out  of  the  ruins,  only  one  jewel  be- 
ing missing.  They  were  made  of  Ophir  gold  and  presented  to  the  lodge  b\' 
Colonel  W.  H.  Howard.  Their  cost  was  over  $500.  Past  ]Masters  were 
W.  H.  Howard,  .When  Hires.  J.  C.  Currie,  M.  j.  Henley,  J.  H.  Dyer,  W. 
McMillian. 

Silver  City  had  the  fourth  lodge,  organized  under  California.  March 
20,  1863.  Its  charter  was  received  the  following  IMay.  its  oflicers  were 
J.  C.  Currie,  Worshipful  Master;  M.  J.  Henley.  Senior  Warden;  W.  P.. 
Hickok,  Junior  Warden.  It  started  with  34  members,  had  76  in  1878,  and 
then  commenced  like  all  the  secret  orders  to  decline.  .\t  first  it  was  Silver  City 
Lodge  No.  163,  changing  under  Xevada  to  .\mity  Lodge  Xo.  4.  Its  Past 
Masters  had  among  them:  Charles  D.  McDuflie,  James  McGinnis.  fiarvey 
Randall,  Isaac  Haas,  W.  F.  Frame. 

Gold  Hill  was  the  home  of  the  fifth  lodge,  organized  under  dispensa- 
tion, receiving  its  charter  October  13,  1864,  working  under  dispen.sation 
from  July  i  ith  of  the  previous  year.  It  was  first  Silver  Star  Lodge  Xo.  165, 
changing  under  Xevada  in  1865  to  Silver  Star  Lodge  .\o.  5.  It  commenced 
with  13  memliers,  and  in  1880  bad  177.  Then  with  the  dlhers  it  started 
lo.sing  ground.     Among  its  Past  Masters  were:     S.   W.   Cliublnick.  J.    .Mc- 


A  HIS  rum  oi-  xe\.\d.\.  237 

Allistcr,  L.  C.  Wiggans,  A.  Cillispie.  \V.  D.  SullKTiiii,  \\'.  R,  Wlurlcr,  A, 
Ii'.gruncl,  D.  'l'liiil)uni,  J.  II.   llubl)s. 

Esmeralda  Lodge  No.  170  wa.s  organized  under  dispensation  in  Septeni- 
lier.  1863,  reeeiving  its  charter  October  I3tli  following.  Its  first  oflicers  were 
J.  H.  Richardson,  Worshipful  Master:  J.  I..  Carter,  Senior  Warden:  .\.  A. 
Green,  Junior  \\'ar(Ien.  In  1864  it  had  (14  nienihers.  changing  its  name  in 
1865  to  Esmeralda  Lodge  No.  6.  It  went  down  until  in  1S81  it  had  less  than 
_^o  members.  Among  the  Past  Masters  were:  M.  A.  Mnr])hy,  J.  Neidy. 
F.  Neab  D.  J.  Lewis. 

Escurial  Lfxlge  No.  171  worked  under  dispen.sation  from  janna.ry, 
i8r)4,  luitil  October  i_:;,  following,  when  it  received  its  charter:  its  first  officers 
were:  (i.  W.  Hopkins,  Worshipful  Master:  W.  A.  M.  Van  Bokkelen,  Senior 
Warden :  C.  W'alker,  Junior  Warden.  When  it  came  under  the  jurisdiction 
of  Nevada  it  was  known  as  Escurial  Lodge  No.  7.  and  had  42  members.  In 
1869  it  had  154  members,  declining  with  all  secret  orders  from  th;it  year. 
Past  Masters  were:  S.  Owen.  R.  II.  Taylor.  G.  W.  Hopkins.  LI.  A.  Gaston, 
Henry  Rolfe. 

Lander  Lodge  No.  172  was  the  hist  lodge  in  Ne\ada  organized  under 
dispensation  from  the  Grand  Lodge  of  California.  It  received  its  dispensa- 
tion March  25.  1864,  with  a  full  set  of  officers,  L  A.  Titus,  W.  M. :  A.  D. 
Rock,  S.  W. :  G.  W'.  Terrill,  J.  W. :  T.  A.  Waterman,  treasurer:  J.  W.  Jones, 
secretary:  R.  C.  Gridley,  S.  D. :  E.  X.  Willard,  J.  D. :  D.  A.  Metz,  Tyler.  It 
received  its  charter  October  14.  1854,  and  had  20  members.  It  was  known 
as  Lander  Lodge  No.  8  when  it  came  under  Nevada  jurisdiction.  Its  Past 
Masters  were:  D.  M.  Goodwin,  I.  S.  Titus,  W.  A.  Rankin,  A.  Nichols,  H. 
Mayenbaum,  De  Witt  C.  McKenny,  W.  W.  Wixom,  M.  A.  Sawtelle. 

FIRST    LODGE    UNDER    NEVAD.\. 

The  first  lodge  to  lie  organized  under  the  (irand  Lodge  of  X^evada 
was  Valley  Lodge  No.  9  at  Dayton.  Its  dispensation  was  gix-en  March  7. 
1865,  its  first  officers  being:  C.  F.  Brandt,  W.  M. :  H.  Sweetapple,  S.  W. ; 
A.  Gallatin.  J.  W.  In  1865,  October  15,  when  it  received  its  charter,  it  had 
19  members,  in  1879  it  had  39  members,  then  began  declining.  Its  Past 
Masters  were:    J.  Crawford,  C.  E.  Brandt,  G.  W.  Keith.  J.  L.  Campbell. 

Austin  Lodge  No.  10  was  granted  a  dispensation  on  April  12,  1865. 
and  on  the  following  October  was  gi\en  a  charter.  Its  first  officers  were: 
Thomas  \\'ren,  \\'.  M. :  W.  S.  Thomas,  S.  W. ;  M.  A.  Sawtelle,  J.  W.  In 
1868  it  had  57  members,  and  then  declining,  in  1871.  by  vote  of  the  members 
its  charter  was  surrendered,  its  property  turned  over  to  Lander  Lodge  No. 
8,  and  its  life  ceased. 

Seventeen   Masons   in   Belmont  applied   for  a   dispensation,   wdiich  was 


23S  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

granted  to  tliem  on  January  7,  1868,  organizing  Oasis  Lodge  Xo.  11.  The 
charter  was  given  them  on  September  of  the  same  year.  The  first  W.  M. 
was  James  :\I.  Kennedy;  first  S.  W.,  D.  W.  Cutts:  first  J.  W'.,  S.  Goldstein. 

In  1880  tlie  membership  was  only  43,  while  in  1877  ^^  "^^'^^  53-  It  also 
suffered  the  declination  with  other  Nevada  lodges,  .\mong  Past  Masters 
were:    Samuel  P.  Kelly,  F.  McX'eal,  Woodson  Garrard. 

Douglas  Lodge,  of  Genoa,  was  organized  by  twelve  Masons  in  1868.  the 
dispensation  being  given  them  in  Feliruary,  1868,  the  charter  September  17 
following.  The  first  officers  were:  R.  \\'.  Bollem.  W.  M. ;  S.  E.  Tuttle. 
S.  W. ;  H.  Do\'le,  J.  W.  Its  highest  numljer  was  56,  and  it  went  down  hill 
with  the  others. 

Reno  Lodge  Xo.  13  was  from  its  organization  a  successful  Masonic 
body.  It  secured  a  dispensation  January  14.  1869,  and  its  charter,  Septem- 
ber 23  following.  Its  first  officers  were:  James  Z.  Kelley,  W.  M. ;  Barent 
Springsted,  S.  W. ;  George  Gisin,  J.  W.  The  first  year  its  membership  was 
34,  in  1880  it  was  90.  It  has  gone  on  increasing  with  the  years.  The  lodge 
first  met  in  a  frame  building,  but  in  1872  the  lodge  incorporated,  a  lot  was 
purchased,  corner  of  Commercial  Row  and  Sierra  street,  Reno,  on  .Septem- 
ber I  and  on  October  15,  1872,  the  corner  stone  was  laid  with  impressive 
ceremonies.  In  1880  the  lodge  owned  property  worth  $10,000.  Its  first 
officers  were:  H.  L.  Fish.  W.  M. ;  George  H.  Fogg,  S.  W. :  F.  J.  Windrell, 
J.  W. ;  T.  K.  Hymers,  treasurer;  B.  E.  Hunter,  secretary;  \\'.  L.  Bechtel, 
S.  D. ;  B.  S.  James.  J.  D. ;  Martin  Sanders  and  L.  B.  Batchelder,  stewards; 
N.  C.  Haslund,  Tyler ;  W.  A.  \\'alker,  marshal.  Past  Masters  are :  Joseph 
DeBeii.  L.  L.  Crockett,  H.  L.  Fish,  J.  H.  Kinkead.  F.  J.  Winchell,  J.  C. 
Hagerman.  Charles  Knust. 

White  Pine  Lodge  No.  14  was  the  outgrowth  of  the  Masons  of  Hamil- 
ton, Treasure  City  and  Shermaiitown  comljining  for  mutual  assistance. 
They  secured  a  dispensation  in  1870,  March.  The  charter  was  received  Sep- 
tember 22  ff)llowing.  'I'hc  first  members  numbered  52,  increasing  to  84  in 
1872,  then  graduajlv  declining.  In  that  year  a  fire  deprived  them  of  their 
original  charter,  which  was  (hi])licatcd  by  the  Grand  Lodge.  T!io  lodge 
built  a  stone  temple  in  1869.  The  Past  Masters  were:  T.  X".  Bnnvii.  (1  P. 
McConkey,  E.  Harris,  J.  L.  Robertson,  E.  H.  Morton. 

In  January,  1869,  the  Masons  of  Elko  organized,  and  received  a  charter 
Sejjtember  21,  1871,  working  under  dispensation  frnm  January,  1871,  mitil 
then.  Tiie  first  memi)erslnp  was  20,  and  in  1874,  75,  in  1880,  65.  It  suffered 
from  depression  as  did  tlie  others.  In  1880  the  lodge  owned  a  half  interest 
in  a  brick  block,  furniture,  regalia,  etc.  Its  first  officers  were:  J.  D.  Treat, 
\V.  M.;  H.  .\rmer,  S.  W. ;  E.  S.  Yeates,  J.  W. ;  R.  Oliver,  trea.surer;  T,  N. 
Stone,  secretary;  J.  J.  Hoffman,  S.  D. ;  J.  C.  ICchnancr,  J.  D.     Past  Masters, 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  2.39 

M.  1'.  iM-eenian,  C.  P,.  Al.k-,  T.  N.  Stone,  J.  D,  Treat.     Tlie  name  is  Elko  No. 

15- 

Eureka   Lod^^'e   No.    lO   was   organized    in    1871,    receixiny   dispcnsatinn 

April   3,    1872:  tlieir  eliarter  was  granted  in   September  following.      It  had 

42  members,  and  its  first  officers  were:     D.  P>.  Tmmel,  W.  M.;  D.  E.  Bailey, 

S.  \V. :  J.  Rilley.  J.  W. :  its  Past  ^Masters  are:     1).  E.   Bailey.  A.   D.  Rock. 

J.  (iillispie,  R.  (jillisi)ie.  Hiram  Johnson,  C.  J.  R.  Buttlar.  Reinhold  Sadler. 

In   1S97  .'1  fire  destroyed  tem])le.  jewels,  regalia  and  furniture,  the  loss  being 

$20,000  witli  $5,000  insurance.     Humlioldt,  Eureka  count\\  was  the  liome  of 

this  lodge. 

Humboldt  Lodge  No.  17,  of  Unicjiiville.  came  into  existence  by  dis]jensa- 
tion  November  6,  1S71.  The  charter  was  given  November.  1873.  Its  first 
officers  were:  W.  L.  French.  \V.  M.:  G.  E.  Muller.  S.  W. ;  O.  R.  Stampley, 
J.  W.  Its  Past  Masters  were:  \\'.  L.  b'rench.  George  E.  Miller.  Its  member- 
ship was  never  over  25,  oftener  18. 

Pioche  was  the  scene  of  operation  for  Masons  some  time  before  the 
dispensation  was  gi\en  them.  August,  1872;  the  charter  following  in  No\-em- 
ber,  1873.  Its  f^rst  officers  were:  J.  F.  Gray,  W.  M. ;  D.  R.  Mitchell,  S.  W. : 
D.  K.  Dickinson,  J.  W.  Past  Masters :  R.  H.  Elam.  J.  F.  Halleck,  C.  E. 
Myers.  J.  M.  Hanford.  Its  highest  memljership  was  84  in  1874,  gradually 
falling  away.     Its  name  was  St.  John  Lodge  No.  18. 

\\'innemucca  was  the  home  of  W'innemucca  Lodge  No.  19.  The  dispen- 
sation was  given  on  June  17,  1874,  the  charter  November  18  following.  It 
.started  with  16  members,  its  first  officers  being:  P.  \V.  Johnson.  W.  M. : 
A.  J.  Shepard,  S.  \\\  ;  Thomas  Shone,  J.  W.  Its  highest  membership  was 
in  1877,  when  it  had  47.  It  dwindled  away  with  the  rest.  Its  Past  blasters 
were:    A.  J.  Shepard,  P.  W.  Johnson,  T.  Shone. 

Palisade  Lodge  No.  20.  of  Palisade,  had  a  hard  time  getting  established. 
Elko  Lodge  against  it  and  Eureka  Lodge  for  it.  It  had  a  very  small  mem- 
bersliip.  ne\'er  more  than  20.  It  secured  a  dispen.sation  on  June  20.  1876. 
and  a  charter  June  13,  1877.  T.  F.  Lawler,  W.  M. ;  G.  Rogul,  S.  W. :  J.  E. 
Marshall.  J.  W..  were  the  first  officers.  Past  Masters  were:  T.  E.  Lawler; 
W.  S.  McLellan. 

A  dispensation  was  given  to  Tuscarora  Lodge  No.  21.  of  Tuscarora. 
in  February,  1878.  Its  charter  was  given  in  June  of  the  following  year.  It 
had  36  members  when  the  charter  was  given.  Its  first  officers  were :  J.  Z. 
Kelly,  \\\  :\I. :  ^^^  T.  Smith.  S.  \y.;  W.  J.  Hamilton.  J.  W.  Past  ^.[asters: 
J.  Z.  Kelly.  E.  S.  Yeates. 

Hope  Lodge  with  ten  members  was  given  a  dispensation  in  1880,  but 
even  next  vear  no  charter  was  secured.     Its  first  officers  were :     .S.  B.  Hinds. 


240  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

W.  M.:  J.  E.  Hart.  S.  \V. :  B.  M.  Hague,  J.  W.     lt>  liome  was  in  Mason 
Valley. 

A  Masonic  Association  was  formed  by  Masons  in  the  vicinity  of  Ward 
in  1876,  and  it  was  in  force  for  years.  Its  membership  was  40,  tlien  52,  at 
last  20.  It  dispensed  nearly  $2,000  in  charity.  It  was  known  as  the  Ward 
Masonic  Association. 

SUBORDINATE    CHAPTERS.  ' 

In  May.  1863.  a  dispensation  was  given  to  Carscjn  City  Masons  to  or- 
ganize Lewis  Chapter  No.  i  :  its  first  officers  were:  G.  \V.  Hopkins,  High 
Priest ;  J.  H.  Wayman,  King ;  J.  Stewart.  Scrilje.  Its  cliarter  was  given  Sep- 
tember 8.  1865,  by  the  General  Grand  Chapter  of  Columbus.  Ohio.  Sixty-six 
Royal  Arch  Masons  were  on  the  roll  in  1874.    It  also  suffered  loss  of  members. 

V'irginia  Chapter  No.  2  secured  dispensation  in  Septemlier.  1865,  and  a 
charter,  September  18.  1868.  It  had  at  one  time  113  members.  Its  first 
officers  were:  G.  W.  Hopkins,  High  Priest;  S.  W.  Chubbuck,  King;  .S. 
Owen,  Scribe. 

Royal  Arch  Chapter  Masons  of  .Vustin,  seciuTd  dispensation  for  Austin 
Chapter  No.  3,  in  October,  1866,  and  charter  in  September,  1868.  Its  mem- 
bership decreased  from  47  to  a  small  number,  then  built  up  to  51  in  1S80. 
Its  first  officers  were:  DeWitt  C.  McKenney,  High  Priest;  W.  W.  Wixom, 
King;  H.  Mayenbaum,  Scribe.  White  Pine  Chapter  No.  4  secured  dispensa- 
tion in  January.  1871.  charter  the  September  following.  It  started  with  14 
members,  gradually  increasing  in  1880  to  27.  Its  first  officers  were:  T.  P. 
Hawley,  High  Priest:  W.  Timson,  King:  J.  Tyson,  Scribe. 

The  Royal  Arch  Masons  of  Eureka,  secured  a  dispensation  for  St. 
John's  Chapter  No.  5,  April  26,  1873,  and  a  charter  November  21  of  the 
same  year.  The  first  officers  were:  Samuel  P.  Kelly,  High  Priest;  G.  C. 
I^obinson.  King;  F.  A.  P>elkna]),  Scribe.  In  1874  there  was  a  membershi]i 
of  36  and  in  1880,  55.  The  chajjler  lost  all  its  property  in  the  great  Eureka 
fire  of  April  19,  1879.     Past  High  Priests  were;     P.  Kelley,  Hiram  Johnson. 

Keystone  Chapter  No.  6,  Pioche,  worked  under  dispensation  from  June 
12,  1873,  initil  a  charter  was  received  November  Ji  of  same  year.  Its  first 
officers  were;  E.  D.  L.  Cutts.  High  Priest;  G.  R.  Alexander,  King;  'I".  W. 
Abranis,  Scribe.  Starting  with  14  members,  it  reached  50.  and  then  in  1880 
had  23. 

A  di.s|)cnsation  was  given  Reno  Chapter  No,  7,  of  Reno,  on  March  i, 
1875,  ''  charter  being  granted  on  November  23,  of  the  next  year.  The  first 
officers  were:  i'Tank  IJcll.  High  Priest:  C.  Knust,  King;  A,  H.  Manning, 
Scril)c;  L.  W.  Lee,  C.  of  H.;  J.  P.oyd.  ]\  S. ;  C.  Courtois.  R.  A.  Captain  It 
increased  its  memljership  of  29   ten  niemljers  in  ten  years. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  211 

The  Grand  Chapter  granted  a  (Hs]3en.sation  to  Gold  Hill  Chajiler  No. 
8,  of  Gold  Hill,  in  November,  1876,  and  a  charter  in  the  following  year.  Its 
first  officers  were:  S.  W.  Chubbuck,  High  Priest;  G.  Robinson,  King;  B. 
H.  Carrick,  Scribe:  \V.  C.  Davis,  C.  of  H. ;  J.  McAllister,  P.  S. :  A.  Ingrund, 
R.  A.  Captain.     This  chapter  increased  from  39  members  to  70  in  1880. 

COMMANDERIES. 

DeWitt  Clinton  Commandery  was  organized  by  Sir  Knights  at  Masonic 
Hall,  in  Virginia  City.  Decenilier  16,  1866.  and  a  petition  was  answered  by 
a  dispensation  February  4,  1867.  At  the  first  assembly  Jacob  L.  Van  P>ok- 
kelen  was  Eminent  Commander.  He  also  served  in  1867  and  1868.  Sixteen 
members  increased  to  92.  and  in  1880  there  were  86.  The  Commandery 
lost  everything  in  the  fire  of  1875  save  the  charter  and  officers'  jewels,  and  a 
committee  report  on  preparation  of  bylaws.     This  Commandery  was  No.   i. 

In  July,  1880,  Eureka  Commandery  No.  2,  of  Eureka,  received  a  dispen- 
sation, working  under  it  until  August  19  following,  when  the  charter  was 
granted.     H.  H.  Conklin  was  its  First  Eminent  Commander. 

Silver  Lodge  of  Perfection.  Scottish  Rite  No.  i.  was  organized  in  Vir- 
ginia. City,  April  23.  1874,  Henry  St.  George  Hopkins  being  T.  P.  G.  W.. 
and  its  meniberslii]i  in  1880  was   100. 

GENERAL  GRAND   CHAPTER   OF   NEVADA. 

On  November  18,  1873,  ^  convention  of  the  High  Priests.  Kings  and 
Scribes  of  the  four  chartered  chapters  of  Nevada,  acting  under  a  warrant 
from  J.  H.  Drummond.  Gen.  G.  H.  P.,  in  1873,  November  i,  formed  the 
First  Grand  Chapter  for  the  State  of  Nevada.  George  Robinson  was  G.  H. 
P.,  and  when  the  Chapter  convened  for  the  first  time  three  days  later.  Sam- 
uel C.  Wright  of  Lewis  Chapter  No.  i,  was  chosen  G.  H.  P.:  John  C.  Currie 
of  Virginia  City  was  G.  H.  P.  in  1875  ;  DeWitt  McKenney,  of  Austin,  in  1876 
and  in  1877:  Phillip  Seldner,  of  Virginia,  in  1878.  and  David  E.  Bailey,  of 
Eureka,  in  1879;  Frank  Bell  in  1880. 

GRAND  LODGE   F.   AND   A.    M.   OF   NEVADA. 

A  Convocation  of  Delegates  from  the  six  Masonic  lodges  of  Nevada 
organized  a  Grand  Lodge  for  Nevada,  in  Virginia  City,  January  16,  1865, 
and  adjourned,  the  Grand  Lodge  convening  the  following  day.  Joseph  De- 
Bell  was  Grand  Master,  and  George  W.  Bailey,  Deputy  Grand  Master.  New 
charters  were  ordered  for  all  state  lodges  and  other  important  business  trans- 
acted. Three  times  in  1875  did  the  Order  sutler  from  fire:  May  19,  the 
Masonic  building  in  Virginia  City  was  burned  and  with  it  most  of  the  Grand 
Lodge  Library.  The  Masons  then  met  in  I.  O.  O.  F.  hall,  and  when  tliat  was 
burned  September  3,  it  took  nearly  all  that  was  left.     When  the  third  fire 


242  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

came  on  October  26.  nothing  was  left  the  ]\Iasons  hut  the  funds  they  liad  in 
a  fireproof  bank  \-ault. 

For  a  time  there  was  no  l)uil(hng  in  whicli  a  secret  (•)r(ler  could  meet. 
and  then  to<jk  place  the  famous  lodge  meeting  on  Mount  Davidson.  Tliis 
mountain  is  7,927  feet  above  sea  level.  In  early  days  of  the  craft  high  hills 
were  used  for  lodge  rooms  and  similar  meetings  were  held  in  California, 
in  Eureka  and  .Auburn.  1851,  Ijut  this  was  on  greater  heights,  a  meeting  far 
from  human  habitation.  It  was  held  l)y  Virginia  Lodge  No.  3.  but  Masons 
were  present  from  all  portions  of  the  globe,  the  following  being  represented : 
Nevada,  California.  New  York,  Kansas.  Michigan,  West  Virginia,  Utah,  Mis- 
souri. Iowa.  \\'isconsin.  Maine.  Colorado,  New  Jersey.  \\'ashington  (District 
of  Columl)ia).  England.  Scotland,  ^Minnesota,  [Massachusetts.  Washingt(jn 
Territory,  Oregon,  Virginia,  Nova  Scotia,  North  Carolina,  Nebraska,  Penn- 
s\lvania.  Illinois,  Canada  West.  Idaho.  New  Zealand,  and  Kentucky. 

A  row  of  pickets,  designated  l)y  white  Iiadges  around  their  left  arms, 
were  stationed  around  the  summit  so  none  could  pass  without  permission. 
An  altar  of  rough  Ashlar  supported  the  three  great  lights  of  ^Nfasonry. 
rough  granite  chairs  were  used  by  the  Worshipful  blaster.  Senior  and 
Junior  Wardens.  After  the  opening  ceremonies  the  Masonic  flag  unwrapped 
its  folds,  showing  the  square,  compass  and  Letter  G,  and  it  was  greeted  with 
three  cheers  and  a  tiger.  Grand  officers.  Past  Grand  officers  and  members 
and  dignitaries,  enjoyed  the  l)anf|uet  w  hich  was  served  before  opening  lodge. 
The  regular  order  of  business  was  followed,  and  afterwards  speeches  were 
made,  Col.  R.  H.  Taylor  read  a  ]H)em.  the  evening  closing  with  the  singing 
of  "Auld  Lang  Syne." 

MASONS    IN    NEVADA    I.V     I9O3. 

The  Masonic  Lodges  of  Nevada  are  to-day  in  a  fairly  prosperous  con- 
dition. They  have  performed  more  work,  and  although  their  losses  b\'  death 
and  flimissions  ha\e  been  (|uite  large,  still  the  net  gains  are  much  larger 
for  1903-4  than  for  many  years  ])rior.  Erstwhile  dormant  lodges  have 
awakened  to  new  acti\it\". 

There  are  on  the  rolls  944  Master  Ma.sons. 

Of  the  older  lodges,  Carson  Lodge  No.  i  has  for  Past  Masters:  G.  C. 
Bryson,  Trenmor  Coffin,  P.  A.  Doyle.  P.  G.  M..  G.  Gillson,  M.  A.  Murphy, 
P.  G.  IVL,  C.  N.  Notewarc.  C;.  W.  Kirhard.  C.  j.  Rulisoii.  1).  ( i.  Kitzmeyer, 
G.  W.  Keith.  It  has  over  100  members.  The  present  officers  are:  Samuel 
Piatt,  W.  M. :  T.  G.  Farrer.  S.  W. ;  W.  H.  Cavell.  J.  W. ;  C.  W.  iM-iend. 
treasurer:  E.  D.  Vanderlieth.  .secretary:  W.  M.  David,  S.  D. :  G.  B.  Russell. 
J.  I).;  S.  S.  Robinson,  steward:  11.  Ileidenrich.  steward:  W.  l".  M:ickcv, 
M. ;  B.  J.  Darnielle.  chaplain:  A.  Jacnbs,    Tvier. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  243 

Virginia  Lodge  No.  3  of  Virginia  City.  Storey  county,  lias  for  Fast 
Masters:  William  Dunn,  H.  Patey,  William  McMillian,  P.  G.  M. ;  R.  M. 
Jackson,  M.  C.  McMillian,  A.  O.  Percy,  E.  Strother.  P.  G.  M.,  J.  Steffan. 
There  are  54  members.  The  present  officers  are  :  J.  F.  Steffan,  W.  M. ;  S.  A. 
Chapman.  S.  Warden:  J.  D.  R.  Corhett,  J.  W. :  R.  S.  Meacheam,  T. ;  William 
Dunn,  secretary:  J.  H.  Sutherland,  S.  D. :  R.  Bravin.  J.  D. :  J.  W.  Richards, 
S. :  J.  Gentz,  M. :  A.  O.  Percy,  Chaplain  ;  L.  Lohenstein,  Tyler. 

Escurial  Lodge  No.  7,  of  Virginia  City,  has  for  Past  Masters:  C.  E. 
Mack,  J.  W.  Eckley,  P.  G.  M..  H.  M.  Clemmons,  G.  Henning,  G.  A.  Morgan. 
P.  G.  M.,  H.  Levy,  R.  A.  Buhner,  H.  R.  Shade.  It  has  80  members  and  the 
present  officers  are :  H.  Levy,  W^  M. :  R.  A.  Buhner.  S.  W. ;  J.  W.  Locklin, 
J.  W. ;  G.  A.  Morgan,  T. :  G.  Henning,  S. :  M.  C.  Pacheco,  S.  D. :  D.  P. 
Morgan,  J.  D. :  W.  II.  Trathen,  Steward:  W\  H.  Hancock,  Steward:  J.  A. 
Conboie,  Chaplain ;  L.  Lohenstein,  Tyler. 

Valley  Lodge  No.  9,  of  Dayton,  Lyon  county,  for  Past  Masters:  J.  L. 
Campbell,  W.  W.  Stephens.  W".  J.  Harris.  L.  Vincent,  B.  Gates,  M.  L.  John- 
son, M.  J.  King,  J.  E.  Gignoux.  There  are  30  members  and  the  present 
officers  are:    C.  E.  King.  W.  M. :  A.  J.  Loftus.  S.  W. :  A.  M.  Smith,  J.  W. : 

B.  Gates.  T.:  M.  J.  King,  Sec:  H.  Davis,  S.  D. :  F.  P.  Shirley,  J.  D. :  J.  M. 
Tailleur,  Tyler. 

Douglas  Lodge  No.  12  has  for  Past  Masters.  C.  W.  Dake,  F.  Fettie,  W. 
D.  Gray.  D.  W.  Virgin.  H.  H.  Springmeyer.  T.  Tillman,  L.  Springmeyer. 

C.  L.  Fulstone.  It  has  36  memliers  and  the  present  officers  are:  D.  W. 
Virgin,  W.  M. :  W.  H.  Plelberg.  S.  W. :  L.  E.  Jones,  J.  \\\  :  J.  R.  Johnson, 
T. ;  C.  W.  Dake,  Sec. :  F.  Fettie.  S.  D. :  J.  Raycraft,  J.  D. :  S.  Rice,  Steward : 
A.  Lentz,  Steward:  T.  Tillman,  Tyler. 

Reno  Lodge  No.  13,  of  Reno,  Washoe  county,  has  for  Past  Masters: 
L.  L.  Crockett,  F.  Bell,  P.  G.  M.,  R.  H.  Kinney,  F.  D.  King,  W.  H.  Patter- 
son, S.  Logan,  R.  Lewers.  W.  L.  Bechtel,  A.  D.  Bird.  S.  Summerfield.  C.  .\. 
Richardson,  T.  Wren,  J.  M.  McConnack,  P.  G.  M.,  J.  A.  Christie.  There  are 
164  members  and  the  jiresent  officers  are:  I'".  H.  Norcross,  W.  M.:  T.  J. 
Steinmitz,  S.  W. :  E.  Barber,  J.  W. ;  T.  K.  Hymers.  T. :  S.  M.  Januson. 
Sec;  F.  Grob,  S.  D. :  A.  W.  Holmes.  J.  D. ;  Stewards.  H.  G.  Wedekind. 
T.  W.  Clarke;  L.  L.  Crockett,  Tyler. 

Elko  Lodge  No.  15,  of  Elko,  Elko  county,  has  for  Past  Masters,  T. 
Hunter,  S.  S.  Sears,  J.  M.  Morrow,  W.  T.  Smith,  J.  A.  McBride,  J.  Hender- 
son, J.  L.  Keyser,  C.  H.  Hale.  Its  present  officers  are :  C.  B.  Henderson, 
W.  M. ;  G.  Hunter.  S.  W. :  P.  S.  Greely.  J.  \\'. :  J.  Henderson,  T. :  J.  F.  Trip- 
lett,  Sec:  R.  H.  Mallit,  S.  D. ;  M.  H.  Wallace.  J.  D. :  Stewards.  J.  Ackland, 
J.  Clark:  James  Russell.  Tyler.     There  are  80  members. 

Eureka  Lodge  No.  16,  of  Eureka,  Eureka  county,  has  for  Past  Masters, 


2U  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

A.  L.  Fitzgerald.  P.  G.  U..  D.  Falconer.  J.  X.  Hill.  R.  Sadler.  A.  Fraser, 
J.  S.  Burlingame,  C.  S.  Batchelder.  R.  J.  Reid.  J.  H.  Shoemaker.  J.  H.  Hoegh. 
J.  H.  Jury.  J.  Hancock.  M.  G.  Foster.  R.  A.  Laird.  It  has  47  memhers.  Its 
present  officers  are:  J.  Hancock.  Jr..  W.  ]M. :  B.  L.  Smoth.  S.  W. ;  H.  C. 
McTerney.  J.  W. :  R.  INIcCharles,  Sec. :  A.  AlcCharles.  S.  D. :  F.  J.  Brossa- 
mer.  J.  D. ;  A.  Hintze.  Steward :  T.  Dixon.  Steward. 

W'innennicca  Lodge  Xo.  19.  of  \\'innemucca.  Humboldt  county,  has  for 
Past  Masters.  T.  Shone.  E.  D.  Kelley.  S.  J.  Anderson.  A.  Brown.  M.  Rein- 
hart.  G.  F.  Muller.  R.  Battels.  It  has  55  members.  Its  present  officers  are: 
W.  A.  Brown.  W.  ^I. :  F.  Poulin.  S.  W. :  A.  Ruckteschler.  J.  W. :  T.  Shone, 
T. ;  C.  Wolf.  Sec. :  C.  \^'.  :\Inller.  S.  D. :  T.  D.  Brown.  J.  D. :  Stewards.  J.  A. 
Hill.  A.  L.   Bracketl;  James  Hurst.  Tyler. 

Tiiscarora  Lodge  Xo.  21,  of  Tuscarora.  Elko  county,  has  for  Past  Mas- 
ters. E.  L.  McMahon.  A.  H.  Smith.  F.  Barnaba.  W.  McI.  McMasters.  J.  C. 
Dought}'.  W.  S.  Hillman.  O.  Graham.  A.  ^^'.  Sewall.  It  has  26  memliers. 
Its  present  officers  are:  C.  C.  \'ach.  W.  ]M. :  A.  L.  Anderson.  S.  \\'. :  L.  H. 
McMahon.  J.  \\'. :  E.  L.  McMahon.  T. ;  J.  C.  Doughty.  Sec. :  O.  Graham.  S. 
D. :  A.  A.  Primeaux.  J.  D. :  Stewards.  \\\  S.  Hillman,  A.  W.  Sewell:  J.  P. 
Burkett.  Tyler. 

Hope  Lodge  X'o.  22.  of  Yerington.  Lyon  county,  has  for  Past  Masters, 
C.  T.  Martin.  H.  H.  Reymers.  G.  I.  Leavitt.  G.  W.  Kneirim,  \\'.  G.  Larue. 
It  has  25  members.  Its  i)resent  officers  are:  W.  H.  Metscher.  \\".  M.;  ^V. 
N.  Aiken,  S.  W. :  H.  A.  Meissner.  J.  W  . ;  W.  A.  Reymers.  T. ;  G.  L.  Leavitt. 
Sec:  J.  S.  Craig.  S.  D. :  G.  W.  Kneirim,  S.  D. :  Stewards.  J.  Walters.  G  W. 
Wel)ster. 

Steptoe  Lodge  Xo.  24.  of  Cherry  Creek.  \\'hitc  Pine  county,  has  for 
Past  Masters.  H.  A.  Comins.  D.  R.  Collins,  W.  1).  Cami)bell.  G.  1'..  Parker. 
A.  T.  Stearns,  B.  I'.  Bird.  J.  B.  \\'illiamson.  E.  Harris.  It  has  30  members. 
Its  present  officers  are:  W.  L).  Campbell.  W.  M. :  W.  C.  Gallagher.  S.  W. : 
C.  F.  Pahlan.  J.  W. :  D.  R.  Collins,  T. :  J.  Wearne,  Sec. :  J.  P.  McOmie.  S.  D. : 
H.  Bress.  J.  I). :  Stewards.  M.  Mc.\uley.  H.  Olson ;  A.  Huesser.  Tyler. 

Wadsworth  Lodge  Xo.  25.  of  \\'adsworth,  Wa.shoe  county,  has  for  Past 
:\lasters.  T.  L.  Bellam.  L.  S.  Bridges.  M.  Kline.  G.  A.  McPherson.  C.  .\. 
Beemer,  E.  Shepley.  It  has  26  members.  Its  ])resent  officers  are:  V..  II. 
Bcemer,  W.  M. :  C.  W.  Lipe.  S.  W. :  J.  B.  Woods.  J.  W. :  T.  L.  Bellam, 
Sec;  L.  S.  Bridges.  T. :  C.  A.  Beemer,  S.  D. :  .\.  W.  McR.ickcn,  J.  I).:  Stew- 
ards, E.  Shepley.  G.  W.  Davis;  C.  Griffin,  Tyler. 

Amity  Lodge  No.  4.  of  Silver  City.  Lyon  county,  is  among  ih.c  lalcr 
lodges.  Its  Past  Masters  arc  Harvey  Randall,  j.  Ilcnnctt.  it  h;is  19  mem- 
bers and  its  jircsent  officers  are :     H.  Randall.  W.  .M.:  A.  N.  Ilcnnctt.  S.  W. : 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  245 

C.  F.  Stock.  J.  W.:  A.  R.  Pollard,  T. ;  l^  Trimble,  Sec;  C.  G.  Hamilton, 
S.  D, ;  V.  W'uuWsh.  J.  D. ;  \V.  Stock,  Tyler. 

Silver  Lodge  No.  5,  of  Gold  Hill,  Storey  county,  has  for  Past  Masters, 

F.  L.  Clarke,  A.  W".  Perkins.  It  has  36  members.  The  present  officers  are: 
W.  D.  Bray,  W.  M.:  W.  H.  Schweis,  S.  W. ;  A.  Washburne,  J.  \V. ;  W.  S. 
James,  T. ;  L.  A.  Lichtenberger.  Sec. :  F.  L.  Clark,  S.  D. ;  \V.  L.  Bray,  J.  D. ; 
Stewards,  C.  G.  Butler,  B.  F.  Hazeltine;  I'".  Marohn,  Tyler. 

Lander  Lo<lge  No.  8,  of  Austin,  Lander  county,  has  for  Past  Masters, 
A.  Dren,  W.  D.  Jones,  E.  Craine,  W.  C.  Gayhart,  J.  A.  iMiller,  P.  G.  M. 
It  has  36  members.  Its  present  officers  are:  G.  J.  Polkinghouse,  W.  M. ; 
J.  Tallack.  S.  W. :  W.  Eastou,  J.  W. ;  J.  A.  Miller,  T. ;  W.  D.  Jones,  Sec.; 
P.  Terwillger.  S.  D. ;  E.  Williams,  J.  D. ;  Stewards.  T.  Tlmmas,  L.  Steiner: 
E.  Crane,  Tyler. 

St.  John  Lodgp  No.  18,  of  De  Lamar,  Lincoln  county,  has  for  Past  Mas- 
ters, F.  D.  Turner,  T.  J.  Osbourne,  J.  D.  Campbell,  H.  \V.  Miles,  G.  Nesbitt. 
It  has  28  members.  The  present  officers  are :  George  Ne.sbitt.  W.  M. ;  H. 
\V.  Miles,  S.  W.;  E.  D.  Turner.  J.  \\-. ;  J,  Roeder,  T. ;  J.  Shier,  Sec:  M. 
Churich,  S.  D. :  J.  Fugle,  J.  D. 

Battle  Mountain  I^odge  Xo.  27i.  of  Battle  Mountain,  Lander  county, 
has  for  Past  Masters,  T.  Nelson,  E.  T.  George.  It  has  20  members.  The 
present  officers  are :  F.  A.  Limbaugh,  W.  M. ;  L.  A.  Lemaire.  S.  W. ;  J.  C. 
Moore,  J.  W. :  M.  McGregor,  T. :  A.  D.  Lemaire,  Sec;  E.  T.  George,  S. 
D.:  L.  EgofT,  J.  D.;  Stewards,  B.  F.  Wilson,  W.  C.  I^ancock ;  M.  M.  Yirt, 
Tyler. 

Churchill  Lodge  No.  26,  of  Fallon,  Churchill  county,  has  for  Past  Mas- 
ters, W^illiam  H.  Sifford.  It  has  13  meml)ers.  Its  present  officers  are:  W. 
H.  SifYord,  W.  M. ;  I.  H.  Kent.  S.  W. ;  G.  W.  Webb,  T. :  J.  W^  Richards, 
Sec;  T,  Dolph.  S.  D. ;  F.  Snnll.  J.  D. ;  W.  W.  Williams  and  W.  R.  Lee, 
Stewards ;  L.  Allen,  Tyler. 

Humlx)ldt  Lodge  No.  27,  of  Lo\elocks,  Humboldt  county,  has  for  Past 
Masters,  J.  Marzeu.  J.  ;\.  Ascher,  R.  Fulstone.  it  has  19  members.  Its 
present  officers  are:  J.  A.  Asch.cr.  W.  ]\r. ;  J.  M.  Foltz,  S.  W. ;  H.  B.  Mc- 
Donald, J.  W.;  H.  C.  Marker,  T. :  .\.  R.  Edmoudsou,  Sec;  A.  W.  Edmond- 
son,  S.  D. ;  E.  Stiff,  J.  D. ;  Stewards,  B.  C.  Maris,  F".  Anker;  A.  Borland. 
Tyler. 

Tonopah  Lodge  No.  28,  of  Butler,  Nye  county,  has  for  Past  Masters, 

G.  T.  Holmes,  A.  L.  Smith.  It  has  25  members.  Its  present  officers  are : 
A.  L.  Smith,  W^  M. ;  H.  N.  Stevens,  S.  W. ;  J.  Lazorovich.  J.  W. :  G.  David- 
ovich,  T.;  J.  R.  Duffield,  Sec;  A.  L.  Hudgens,  S.  D. ;  M.  Sheridan,  J.  D. : 
Stewards,  G.  A.  Bartlett,  G.  P.  Holmes ;  J.  F.  McCambridge,  Tyler. 


240  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

THE   GRAND    LODGE. 

The  Grand  Lodge  held  its  thirty-ninth  annual  Grand  Communication  in 
Masonic  Hall.  Virginia  City,  June  9  and  10,  1903.  The  Grand  Lodge  officers 
elected  for  the  year  were:  M.  \\'.,  Trennior  Coffin,  (i)  Grand  Master;  R. 
W.,  George  Gillson,  (i)  Deputy  Grand  Master;  R.  W'.,  Chas.  A.  Beemer, 
(25)  Senior  Grand  Warden;  R.  W.,  William  H.  Sifford,  (26)  Junior  Grand 
Warden;  R.  W..  George  A.  Morgan,  (2)  Grand  Treasurer;  R.  W.,  C.  N. 
Noteware.  (i)  Grand  Secretary;  V.,  Rev.  Thomas  L.  Bellam.  (25)  Grand 
Chaplain;  W..  Samuel  Piatt,  (i)  Grand  Orator;  W.,  B.  H.  Reymers.  (22) 
Grand  Marshal;  W..  J.  D.  Camphell,  (18)  Grand  Standard  Bearer;  W., 
George  F.  Parker,  (24)  (irand  Sword  Bearer;  W.,  E.  D.  Kelley,  (19)  Grand 
Bible  Bearer;  W.,  J.  C.  Doughty,  (21)  Senior  Grand  Deacon;  W.,  C.  L. 
Fulstone,  (12)  Junior  Grand  Deacon;  W.,  F.  H.  Norcross,  (13)  Grand 
Steward;  W.,  E.  H.  Beemer,  (25)  Grand  Steward;  W.,  Thomas  L.  Cara, 
(7)  Grand  Organist;  W.,  B.  C.  Maris.  (27)  Grand  Pursuivant:  W..  Adolph 
Jacobs,  ( I )  Grand  Tyler. 

ROYAL  ARCH    MASONS. 

The  subordinate  chapters  of  Nevada,  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Grand 
Chapter  of  Nevada  are:  Lewis  Chapter  No.  i,  of  Carson  City.  Ormsby 
county.  It  has  72  members.  Past  High  Priests,  T.  Coffin,  P.  G.  H.  P. ;  P. 
A.  Doyle,  P.  G.  H.  P. ;  C.  N.  Noteware,  P.  G.  H.  P. ;  T.  J.  Edwards,  T.  P. 
Hawley,  D.  W.  Cutts,  E.  D.  L.  Cutts,  M.  A.  Murphy,  p"  G.  H.  P.;  G.  C. 
Bryson,  Jr. ;  C.  J.  Rulison.  G.  Gillson.  C.  L.  Fulstone.  Its  present  officers  are : 
C.  L.  Fulstone,  H.  P.:  J.  Piatt,  King;  E.  D.  Vanderlieth,  Scril^e;  C.  J.  Ruli- 
son, C.  of  H. ;  Trennior  Coffin,  P.  S. ;  S.  S.  Robinson,  R.  A.  Capt. ;  D.  G. 
Kitzmeyer,  M.  3(1  Vail;  W.  H.  Cavell.  M.  2nd  Vail;  F.  J.  Stcinmitz.  Master 
1st  Vail;  C.  W.  Friend,  T. ;  G.  W.  Keith,  Sec. ;  A.  Jacobs,  Guard. 

Virginia  Chapter  No.  2,  of  Virginia  City,  Storey  county.  It  has  62 
members;  its  Past  High  Priests  are:  W.  Sutherland,  P.  G.  H.  i*. ;  E. 
Strother,  P.  G.  H.  P.;  Harvey  Randall:  J.  W.  Eckley,  P.  G.  H.  P.;  A.  O. 
Percy,  P.  G.  II.  I'.;  II.  Levy,  S.  (krrans.  W".  J.  Harris,  William  McMillian, 
William  Southwell,  S.  Dowling,  W.  S.  James,  G.  A.  Morgan,  William  Dunn. 
Its  present  officers  are:  William  Dunn,  H.  P.:  R.  S.  Meacham,  K. ;  S.  A. 
Chapman,  S. ;  William  Sutherland,  C.  of  11.:  .\.  ().  Percy,  P.  S. ;  II.  R. 
Shade,  R.  A.  C. ;  J.  F.  Steffan,  M.  3d  V.;  J.  W.  Locklin.  M.  2nd  V.;  H. 
Levy,  M.  ist  V. ;  J.  W.  Eckley,  T. ;  William  Southwell,  Sec. :  L.  L()l)en.stein,  G. 

Austin  Cha])ter  No.  3,  of  ,\ustin.  Lander  county.  It  has  17  members. 
Its  Past  High  I'riests  are:  T.  II.  (Jeorge,  L.  Steiner,  W.  C.  Gayhart.  Its 
present  officers  are:  \\'.  C.  Gayhart,  H.  P.:  h'.  Williams,  K. ;  Charles  Pol- 
kinghorne,  S. ;  W.  1  >.  Jnnes,  C.  of  IT.:  L.   .Sieincr.   K.   A.  C'lptain  :  William 


A  HISTORY  OF  NF.VADA.  247 

Easton,  M.  3d  V.;  J.  A.  Miller,  T. :  J.  A.  Miller.  Acting  Secretary:  four 
offices  were  not  tilled. 

St.  John  Chapter  No.  3,  of  Eureka,  Eureka  county,  ha.s  for  Past  High 
Priest.s.  J.  S.  Burlingame,  P.  G.  II.  P. ;  A.  L.  Fitzgerald.  P.  G.  H.  P. ;  A. 
Fraser.  R.  Sadler,  R.  J.  Reicl,  J.  H.  Hoegh,  J.  H.  Shoemaker,  John  Hancock, 
Sr.  It  has  31  members.  Its  present  officers  are:  M.  G.  h'oster.  High  Priest: 
H.  C.  McTerney,  K. :  C.  Krauss,  S. :  R.  J.  Reid,  C.  of  H. ;  J.  H.  Hoegh,  P.  S. : 

B.  L.  Smith,  R.  A.  C. :  T.  Dixon,  M.  3d  V. :  A.  Fraser,"  M.  2nd  V. ;  J.  H. 
Shoemaker,  M.  1st  V.;  H.  Kind,  T. ;  J.  H.  Jury,  Sec. :  J.  Hancock,  Sr.,  Guard. 

Keystone  Ch.apter  No.  6,  of  De  Lamar,  Lincoln  county,  has  17  members. 
Its  Past  High  Priests  are:  S.  D.  Edwards,  H.  W.  Miles.  Its  present  officers 
are:    H.  W.  Miles,  H.  P.:  G.  Nesbitt,  K. :  William  Oxman.  S. ;  P.  Salxivich, 

C.  of  H.:  J.  Knight,  P.  S. :  J.  E.  Jennison,  R.  A.  C. :  B.  F.  Hill,  M.  3d  V.; 
M.  Churich,  M.  2nd  V. :  T.  J.  Osborne,  M.  ist  V. :  John  Roeder,  T. :  J.  Shier, 
Sec. ;  E.  D.  Turner,  Guard. 

Reno  Chapter  No.  7,  of  Reno,  Washoe  county,  has  "jj  members.  Its 
Past  High  Priests  are:  A.  D.  Bird,  F.  P.  Bell,  P.  G.  H.  P.,  R.  L.  Fulton,  P.  G. 
H.  P.,  G.  H.  Thoma,  Matthew  Kyle,  P.  G.  H.  P.,  R  H.  Kinney,  P.  G.  H.  P.: 

F.  J.  Winchel.  W.  L.  Bechtel,  J.  M.  McCormack,  P.  G.  H.  P. ;  F.  D.  King. 

G.  H.  Fogg,  L.  L.  Crockett.  S.  Logan.  Its  present  officers  are:  H.  \^^erner, 
H.  P. :  G.  H.  Cunningham.  K. :  F.  Grob,  S. ;  G.  R.  Oliver,  C.  of  H. :  J.  M. 
McCormack,  P.  S. ;  T.  J.  Steinmitz,  R.  A.  C. ;  B.  J.  Gensey,  M.  3d  Y. ;  W. 
H.  Noyes,  M.  2nd  Y. ;  F.  M.  Schadler.  M.  1st  Y. :  F.  D.  King.  T. ;  W.  L. 
Bechtel,  Sec. ;  G.  H.  Fogg,  G. 

Humboldt  Lodge  No.  9,  of  W'innemucca,  Humboldt  county,  has  for 
Past  High  Priest,  Charles  D.  Duncan.  It  has  45  members.  Its  present  officers 
are  T.  Shone,  H.  P. :  W.  A.  Brown,  K. :  C.  D.  Duncan,  S. :  F.  Paulin,  C.  of 
H. :  A.  L.  Brackett,  P.  S. ;  A.  Ruckteschler,  R.  A.  C. :  G.  H.  Nease.  M.  3(1  \. ; 
J.  A.  Rogers.  M.  2nd  Y. :  A.  C.  Webb,  M.  1st  Y. :  G.  Berk.  T. :  C.  Wolf, 
Sec. :  W.  S.  Porter,  G. 

There  are  in  all  321   Royal  Arch  Masters. 

GRAND  LODGE  ROY.VL  .VRCH   M.V.SONS. 

The  Grand  Royal  Arch  Chapter  of  the  state  of  Nevada  met  in  its  30th 
annual  Grand  Convocation,  in  Masonic  Hall.  \'irginia  Citv.  June  8  and  g, 
1903.     A.  I.  2433. 

The  Grand  Lodge  officers  for  the  ensuing  year  w  ere  elected  as  follows : 
M.  E.,  J.  A.  Miller,  Grand  High  Priest:  R.  E.,  H.  Levy.  Deputy  Grand 
Priest;  R.  E.,  George  Gillson,  Grand  King:  R.  E.,  Charles  L.  FuLstone,  Grand 
Scribe:  R.  E.,  George  Morgan.  Grand  Treasurer:  R.  E..  C.  N.  Noteware. 
Grand  Secretary;  E.,  ^\'illiam  Dunn,  Grand  Captain  of  the  Host;  E.,  H.  C. 


348  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

WcTerney,  Grand  Principal  Sojourner;  E.,  William  A.  Brown,  Grand  Royal 
Arch  Captain;  E.,  E.  D.  Vanderlieth,  Grand  Master  y\  Vail;  E..  Herman 
Werner,  Grand  Master  2nd  Vail;  C.  B.  Pohl,  Grand  Master  First  Vail;  E., 
William  Southwell,  Grand  Chaplain;  E..  S.  A.  Chapman,  Grand  Organist; 
E..  Adolph  Jacobs,  Grand  Guard. 

OTHER  MASONIC  BODIES. 

No  reports  were  available  of  Ancient  antl  Accepted  Scottish  Rites.  Reno 
Consistory  Pyramid  Council  of  Kadosh,  Washoe  Chapter  Rose  Croix,  Nevada 
Lodge  of  Perfection.  Neither  could  data  be  obtained  of  De  W^itt  Command- 
ery  No.  i.  Knights  Templar,  or  Eureka  Commaudery  No.  2,  of  Eureka. 
.Silver  Lodge  of  Perfection.  Scottish  Rite,  of  V^irginia,  has  nothing  available. 

EASTERN  STAR  IN   I9O4. 

The  Eastern  Star  has  no  Grand  Chapter  in  Nevada,  but  works  under 
dispensation.  There  are  lo  chapters,  located  at  Carson,  Esther;  Virginia, 
Agatha ;  Wadsworth,  Martha ;  Reno,  Adah ;  Tonopah,  Austin,  De  La  Mar, 
Elko,  W^innemucca,  Eureka. 

Adah  Chapter,  O.  E.  S.,  of  Reno,  has  the  following  officers:  Ella 
James,  W.  M. ;  W.  L.  Butler,  W.  P. ;  Anna  Schadler.  A.  M. ;  Nellie  Hughes, 
Sec. ;  Emily  Luke,  T. ;  Echo  Loder,  Cond. ;  Marion  Caplan,  Asst.  Cond. ; 
Adah,  Miss  E.  Webster ;  Ruth,  Miss  L.  Shirley ;  Esther.  Edith  Krall ;  ]\Lartha, 
Mrs.  L.  Sadler;  Electa,  Felicie  Grummon ;  Warden,  Kate  Robinson;  Sentinel, 
C.  Keinast ;  Organist,  Emma  Butler. 

Esther  Chapter  No.  3,  of  Carson,  celebrated  its  ist  anniversary  March 
28,  1887. 

NEW    LODGE   AT   HARRIMAN. 

A  fine  brick  block  has  been  erected  in  Harriman,  the  upper  floor  of 
which  will  be  fitted  up  as  a  Masonic  Temple.  A  Blue  Lodge  is  to  be  instituted 
in  the  early  sjjring. 


CHAPTER  XXVn. 
I.  O.  O.  F. 


Wilfley  Lodge  No.  1 — Lodges  Instituted  in  I'.arly  Days — Odd  Fellows  Asso- 
ciations— Subordinate  Fncam])mcnts — Grand  I'jicampmcnl  nf  Nevada — 
Grand  Lodge  I.  O.  O.  1". — Rebekah  Lodges  l'"rom  Institution — l\ebekahs 
in  1904 — L  O.  O.  F.  in  Nevada  in  1904. 

"Friendship,  Love  and  Truth,"  is  the  watchword  of  tlio  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  l'"ellows,  and  their  work  in  Nevada  has  always  been  along  those 
lines.     It  is  a  strong  order,  running  a  race  in  Nevada  with  the  Knights  of 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  249 

Pythias,  to  liokl  second  place  in  the  world  of  secret  orders,  the  Masons  being 
first.     Gold  Hill  was  the  home  of  the  first  lodge,  which  was  organized  April 

1,  1862.  It  was  given  the  name  of  the  founder  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F  in  America, 
and  was  known  as  Wildey  Lodge  No.  i.  The  charter  members  were  L.  Hite, 
P.  Meyer,  W.  W.  Shelly,  J.  Pfoiitz,  M.  Schwartz,  O.  Eastman,  J.  W.  Phil- 
lips, W.  H.  Beegan.  H.  C.  Jacobson,  A.  D.  Elder,  J.  Lambert  and  D.  Van 
Vranken.  J.  W.  Phillips  was  elected  N.  G. :  J.  Pfoutz,  V.  G. :  and  W.  H. 
Beegan,  Secretary. 

On  April  14,  1862,  Silver  City  Lodge  No.  62  was  instituted  in  Silver 
City  with  P.  J.  H.  Smith,  Casper  Naupt,  W.  G.  Blakely,  R.  C.  O'Neill  and 
F.  McMahan  as  charter  members. 

Mount  Davidson  Lodge  No.  3  was  instituted  at  Virginia  City,  April  22, 
1862,  with  E.  Bond,  A.  Phillipson,  J.  Steele,  M.  Holmes,  J.  W.  Noyes,  W.  B. 
Hall  and  H.  J.  Witte  as  charter  members  and  first  officers. 

On  April  25,  1862,  Carson  Lodge  No.  4  was  instituted  in  Carson  City. 
D.  B.  Woolf.  E.  B.  Rail,  J.  H.  Wayman,  E.  Barkely,  J.  W.  West,  B.  F. 
Clark,  M.  Bick,  J.  Mandlel)aum,  W.  D.  Noland,  F.  W.  Blake,  J.  Wagner  and 
F.  A.  Tritle  were  the  charter  members. 

Dayton  was  the  home  of  Dayton  Lodge  No.  5,  which  was  instituted  June 

2,  1863.  The  charter  members  were  R.  E.  McConnell,  L.  Lamb,  I.  G.  l^Iar- 
lan,  J.  B.  Brazelton,  D.  J.  McQuilty,  T.  Madden,  W.  Haydon  and  J.  E. 
Sabine. 

Esmeralda  Lodge  No.  6  was  instituted  in  Aurora.  September  16,  1863, 
with  J.  Fisher,  W.  Eichelrath,  M.  Schwartz,  G.  O.  Kies,  J.  VV.  Riens,  J.  W. 
Simpson,  C.  Cardinell,  E.  P.  Davis  and  F.  Lambert  as  charter  members. 

A  second  lodge  was  instituted  in  Virginia  City  on  January  15,  1864, 
and  given  the  title  of  Nevada  Lodge  No.  7.  The  charter  members  were 
D.  B.  Woolf,  D.  M.  Love.  T.  Heffron.  M.  White,  J.  A.  McQuaid,  I.  Pfor- 
shiener,  J.  Feldberg,  F.  Denver,  R.  M.  Black  and  C.  M.  Cornell. 

Washoe  Lodge  No.  8  was  instituted  in  Washoe,  January  18,  1864.  with 
J.  Stark,  H.  Barton,  L.  Wertheimer,  W.  M.  Bradley,  T.  H.  McGrath,  and 
C.  A.  Gibson  as  charter  members. 

On  January  23,  1864,  Austin  Lodge  No.  9  was  instituted  in  Austin,  the 
successor  to  an  Odd  Fellows  association  which  had  been  organized  September 
12.  the  year  previous.  The  charter  members  were  A.  D.  Rock.  N.  R.  Davis, 
J.  H.  Crane,  F.  V.  Drake  and  E.  X.  Willard. 

A  third  lodge  was  instituted  in  Virginia  City  on  May  18,  1865,  and  was 
entitled  Virginia  Lodge  No.  10.  The  charter  members  were  E.  Bond.  F.  B. 
Smith,  W.  L.  Von  Allen.  D.  N.  Love.  J.  S.  Kaneen,  E.  W.  Hines.  W.  Doolin, 
C.  M.  Brown.  J.  Steele,  C.  Finley,  G.  C.  Burnett,  G.  Downey,  J.  Earle.  J.  B. 
Rennie  and  J.  B.  Farrington. 


250  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

A  second  lodge  was  instituted  in  Austin  on  Marcli  14.  1867.  It  lived 
only  three  years,  surrendering  its  cliarter  in  1871. 

Virginia  City  secured  a  fourth  lodge  on  April  4,  1867,  in  Olive  Branch 
Lodge  No.  12.  The  charter  members  were  C.  M.  Cornell,  H.  S.  Winn,  W".  H. 
Virden,  A.  Williams,  J.  B.  Safford.  H.  Somers,  J.  Estep.  R.  M.  Black,  B. 
Callaghan,  J.  L.  Durant,  AI.  Collins,  T.  Cowin  and  J.  Cowin. 

Gold  Hill  received  its  second  lodge  October  8,  1868,  it  being  given  the 
name  of  Parker  Lodge  No.  13.  The  charter  members  were  H.  H.  Motze, 
J.  Nelson.  S.  E.  H.  Spurling,  W.  H.  Dolman,  G.  Stockle,  D.  Young,  J.  F. 
Parks  and  E.  Schaefer. 

Reno  received  her  first  lodge,  Trtickee  Lodge  No.  14.  on  October  28, 
1 868.  Its  charter  members  were  G.  W.  Cunningham,  W.  L.  Hudnall,  T.  P. 
Sikes,  B.  F.  Ingram,  J.  Borland,  D.  Lachman  and  T.  F.  Lewis. 

Genoa  Lodge  No.  13  was  instituted  in  (ien(\a,  December  23.  1868,  with 
L.  S.  Greenlaw,  J.  Kilpatrick,  J.  Martin,  and  I.  W.  Duncan  as  the  first  officers, 
there  being  no  record  of  the  charter  members. 

J.  E.  Sabine,  T.  W.  McGren,  T.  V.  Julien,  J.  Barnes,  C.  F.  Moeller,  C. 
Haupt.  J.  Hunkins.  were  the  cliarter  members  of  Humboldt  Lodge  No.  16. 
which  was  instituted  in  Winnemucca  on  August  29,   1869. 

On  April  26,  1870,  the  seventeenth  lodge,  Hamilton  Lodge,  was  insti- 
tuted in  Hamilton  by  the  following  charter  members:  J.  P.  Dayton,  J.  T. 
Matthewson,  J.  O.  Darrow,  J.  ]\Iarchant.  J.  W.  Simpsiin  and  R.  Sadler. 

Elko  Lodge  No.  18  was  instituted  in  Elko  on  October  19,  1889,  with 
these  charter  members:  .\.  J.  Clark,  J.  B.  Fitch,  T.  C.  Kenyon.  F.  A.  Rogers, 
E.  S.  Yeates,  J.  Ainly,  C.  B.  Johns  and  W.  A.  Harvc\-. 

Reno  Lodge  No.  19  was  instituted  in  Reno  on  May  18,  187 1.  with  D.  H. 
Pine.  J.  S.  Sellers,  D.  McKay,  \V.  T.  Frank,  P.  B.  Comstock,  J.  Harwood, 
N.  J.  Roff,  T.  Forbes,  D.  C.  Martin,  H.  P.  Cowels,  N.  C.  Kenney,  and  R. 
Harrison  as  charter  meml)ers. 

Carson  City  was  the  Imnie  of  Capitol  Lodge  No.  20,  which  was  instituted 
July  28,  1871.  The  charter  members  were :  W.  D.  Torreyson,  J.  11.  Connor, 
G.  H.  Maish.  J.  D.  Minor.  J.  Trap,  D.  G.  Kitzmcycr.  J.  .\.  Risdon,  G.  W. 
Chedic,  J.  W.  Waters,  J.  W.  Robinson,  G.  W.  White,  and  N.  McD.  Kennedy. 

Buena  Vista  Lodge  No.  21  was  instituted  in  L'nionvilic  on  October  26, 
1871,  with  S.  S.  Grass,  E.  D.  Kelly,  F.  X.  Banks,  H.  A.  Waldo,  James  Mc- 
Cormick,  O.  R.  Leonard  and  J.  W.  Tyler  as  charter  members. 

Eureka  Lodge  No.  22  was  instituted  in  Eureka  on  March  14,  1872,  the 
charter  members  being:  M.  Borowsky,  M.  Levy,  W.  Head.  E.  L.  Willard, 
A.  Charson,  O.  Peterson,  P.  Keyser,  C.  G.  Tlybbard,  Q.  Waidhass.  C.  Goll. 
N.  Raffaelovich,  W.  Emery,  S.  Aschiem,  S.  Ridge,  M.  Frcdenlnug,  W.  A. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  251 

Seaton,  S.  Goldstoiie,  E.  E.  Pliillips,  E.  Schaefer,  J.  H.  Haslam,  and  James 
Stewart. 

Pioche  was  selected  for  Nn.  23,  Pioclie  Lodge  being  institntcd  in  that 
city  on  September  10,  1872.  witli  the  foUowing  for  the  charter  meml>ers : 
J.  W.  Wright,  E.  M.  Crane.  PI.  M.  Barnes,  H.  Boone,  E.  Willett.  A.  Brown, 
and  J.  R.  James. 

Behnont  Lodge  No.  24  was  instituted  in  Behnont  on  Marcii  5,  1873, 
tlie  following  being  the  charter  meml)ers :  W.  S.  McCornick,  J.  Cornelius, 
R.  N.  Oliver,  S.  Black,  J.  H.  Hatch,  T.  Wharburton,  J.  Burnett, 

Paradise  Valley  received  the  25th  lodge.  Paradise  Lodge,  which  was 
instituted  on  October  17,  1873.  Its  charter  members  were:  R.  H.  Scott, 
T.  Shirley,  R.  F.  James,  B.  F.  Riley,  T.  Mullineau.x,  and  F.  Bauman. 

Palisade  Lodge  No.  26  was  instituted  in  Palisade  on  April  2t,,  1874,  the 
charter  members  being:  J.  B.  Tolley,  J.  Marchant,  J.  Talbott,  J.  C.  Wil- 
kinson, J.  B.  Rosburg,  C.  Zimmerman,  W.  S.  Evans,  D.  L.  Davis  and  W.  N. 
Rabbits. 

Mountain  Lodge  No.  27  was  instituted  in  Eureka  on  May  11,  1875.  Its 
charter  members  were :  C.  G.  Hubbard,  N.  Simonson,  J.  Beese,  P.  Wagner, 
T.  J.  White,  R.  A.  Doak,  and  James  Hunkins. 

Tybo  Lodge  No.  28  was  instituted  in  Tybo  on  April  17,  1877.  S.  Rosen- 
thal, J.  Gregovich,  J.  Wheatly,  J.  D.  Page,  D.  O'Niel,  R.  Wheatly,  \\'. 
\Mieatiy,  J.  S.  Hammond,  D.  B.  Austin,  R.  N.  Oliver  and  J.  T.  Walker  were 
the  charter  members.  This  lodge  was  the  successor  to  an  Odd  Fellows'  Asso- 
ciation which  had  been  organized  on  December  18  of  the  year  previous.  A 
hall  of  brick  had  been  built  by  the  Association  costing  over  $3,000,  which 
the  lodge  paid  the  association  for,  the  latter  disbanding  when  the  lodge  was 
instituted. 

Cornucopia  instituted  Lodge  No.  29,  named  for  the  town,  on  May  31, 
1S77,  D.  Meacham,  M.  Tobias,  A.  S.  Eisenberg,  W.  W.  Rogers,  S.  L.  Stark, 
and  W.  T.  Early  being  the  charter  members. 

Tuscarora  Lodge  No.  30  was  instituted  in  Tuscarora  on  June  7,  1878, 
by  the  following  charter  members :  E.  S.  Yeates,  G.  W.  Phillips,  A.  D. 
Ayers,  A.  P.  Adams,  D.  B.  Higgins,  L.  Curry,  M.  Tiffany,  and  A.  D.  Walsh. 
This  lodge  succeeded  an  Association  formed  the  year  previous. 

Battle  Mountain  Lodge  No.  31,  of  Battle  Mountain,  was  instituted  on 
March  19,  1879.  Its  charter  members  were:  R.  McBeth,  J.  McWilliams, 
J.  Bachedler,  E.  Northway,  P.  T.  Mackrow  and  A.  D.  Lemaire. 

Gardnerville  Lodge  No.  36  was  instituted  in  Gardnerville,  Douglas  county. 
February  2j,  1897,  with  11  charter  members,  and  added  17  new  members 
same  date. 

An  Association  was  formed  in  Grantsville  on  November   17,    1878,  as 


252  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

there  was  no  lodge  nearer  than  Austin.  It  liad  15  meniljers.  Ijut  soon  was 
reduced  to  10.  Its  object  was  to  care  for  the  sick  and  helpless  members  of 
the  Order  in  that  vicinity.  J.  Ir\ine  was  president,  R.  L.  Thomas,  secretary, 
and  A.  J.  Franklin,  treasurer.  A  similar  .\ssociation  was  organized  in 
Cherry  Creek  in  JNIarch,  1880.  the  following  being  officers:  Dr.  J-  H.  Tof- 
ford.  president ;  E.  K.  Phipps.  secretary,  and  Jacob  Weber,  treasurer.  The 
nearest  lodge  was  at  Hamilton.  This  Association  purchased  a  cemetery  for 
deceased  members.     It  started  with  22  members,  gradually  declining. 

SUBORDINATE    ENCAMPMENTS,    I.    O.    O.     F. 

The  Grand  Encampment  of  California  ga\'e  authority  fi>r  the  first  six 
Encampments  in  Nevada.  No.  7  was  authorized  by  the  So\-ereign  Grand 
Lodge  and  the  last  three  by  the  Grand  Encampment  of  Nevada. 

Pioneer  Encampment  No.  i  was  instituted  in  \'irginia  City  on  July  17, 
1864,  its  charter  members  being:  D.  B.  W'oolf,  I.  Pforzheimer,  E.  Bond,  W. 
Heaton.  F.  Seely,  J.  L.  Durant,  J.  S.  Kaneen. 

Carson  Encampment  No.  2  was  instituted  on  November  18,  1867.  in 
Carson  City,  by  the  following  charter  members :  A.  Waitz,  J.  S.  Vandyke, 
VV.  D.  Torreyson,  A.  Curry,  G.  Tufly,  D.  B.  Boyd.  A.  ]\I.  Clark. 

Piute  Encampment  No.  3  was  instituted  in  Virginia  City  on  February 
20,  1867.  D.  M.  Love,  C.  Sutterly,  C.  Finly,  S.  Rosener,  G.  T.  Finn,  J.  A. 
Moch,  G.  Downey,  C.  J.  Collins,  were  the  charter  members. 

Reese  River  Encampment  was  instituted  at  Austin,  on  November  19. 
1869,  by  the  following  charter  members:  I*".  V.  Drake.  W.  A.  Rankin,  II. 
Sarter,  H.  Van  Winkle,  L.  Steiner  and  T.  Obcnfelder. 

Reno  Encampment  No.  5  was  instituted  on  January  S.  1872,  its  charter 
memljers  being:  A.  Prescott.  .\.  Trant,  M.  A.sh,  J.  V.  l''erguson,  R.  A. 
Frazier,  A.  F.  Hitchcock,  and  J.  P.  Richardson. 

Garden  Valley  Encampment  No.  6  was  instituted  with  the  following 
charter  members  at  Dayton  on  December  13,  1873  :  W.  H.  Hill.  H.  Kennedy, 
L.  L.  Crockett,  L.  Lamb,  L.  Stoner,  J.  Newman.  T.  P.  Mack,  T.  Shedden, 
L.  A.  Guild,  J.  D.  Sims,  P.  Barnes,  J.  Gates,  J.  S.  Dallas  and  S.  Allen. 

Silver  State  Encampment  was  instituted  on  I'"cbruary  17,  1874.  in  Vir- 
ginia City,  being  No.  7.  The  charter  members  were:  V.  V.  Drake,  H.  Black, 
L.  Schoenfeldt,  J.  E.  Guild.  J.   Russ.  W.  James,   1\  Schmadeke. 

Mount  Vernon  Encampment  No.  8  was  instituted  in  Piochc  on  June  17. 
1875.  Its  charter  nicmbcrs  were:  R.  II.  Elam,  II.  S.  Lublnick,  J.  .\. 
Spraker,  J.  N.  Curtis,  D.  A.  Fulks,  S.  W.  Steele,  and  C.  I-".  Bowen. 

Elko  Encampment  No.  9,  of  Elko,  was  instituted  on  September  3,  1877, 
with  fifteen  charter  members,  the  following  being  selected   fnr  officers:     M. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  253 

P.   Freeman,   R.   R.  Bigclmv.   H.   W.  Brown,   P.   A.   Rowe,   G.   Russell,   W. 
Chase. 

Bullion  Encampment  No.  lo  was  instituted  in  Eureka,  Septemlier  6, 
1877,  witli  21  charter  memliers.  and  from  tliem  were  selected  the  following 
for  first  officers:  \V.  H.  Davenport,  W.  Doolin,  B.  C.  Levy,  A.  T.  Stearns, 
W.  J.  Smith,  R.  Sadler. 

GRAND    LODGE    AND    GRAND    ENCAMPMENT. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  Nexada,  1.  O.  O.  F.,  was  formed  in  1867,  the  first 
ten  lodges  having  heen  formed  under  the  jurisdiction  of  California.  The 
convention  organizing  it  was  held  in  Virginia  City  January  21,  1867,  the 
Grand  Master  heing  J.  S.  Van  Dyke:  the  Deputy  Grand  Master,  J.  W.  Tyler; 
Grand  Warden,  P.  J.  H.  Smith:  Grand  Secretary,  R.  H.  Taylor;  Grand 
Treasurer,  R.  M.  Black;  Grand  Representative,  J.  E.  Sabine:  Grand  Chap- 
lain, J.  A.  Collins:  Grand  Marshal,  J.  B.  Brazelton :  Grand  Conductor,  C. 
Finley ;  Grand  Guardian,  D.  L.  Beam ;  Grand  Herald,  C.  C.  Wright. 

The  Grand  Encampment  of  Nevada,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  was  organized  in  Carson 
City,  December  28,  1874.  the  dispensation  heing  granted  the  February  fol- 
lowing. At  that  time  the  encampments  of  the  state  had  321  members,  and 
a  revenue  of  $3,500.  The  first  officers  were:  J.  C.  Smith,  G.  P.;  W.  H. 
Hill,  G.  H.  P. :  g'  W.  Chedic,  G.  S.  W. :  C.  W.  Jones,  G.  J.  W. :  F.  V.  Drake. 
G.  S. ;  G.  Tufly,  G.  T. ;  H.  O.  Douchy,  G.  M.";  C.  H.  Maish,  G.  S. ;  J.  V. 
Peers.  Dep't  G.  S. 

REBEKAH   DEGREE  LODGES. 

Colfa.x  Lodge  No.  i  was  organized  in  Virginia  City  some  time  in  the 
seventies,  but  no  record  could  be  oijtained  of  organization  or  first  officers. 
The  Noble  Grand  in  1881  was  Mrs.  C.  A.  Hancock;  Mrs.  M.  Lochlin,  V.  G. ; 
Mrs.  J.  M.  Lamb,  R.  S. ;  Mrs.  L  Goodfriend,  T. ;  Mrs.  A.  A.  Goe,  P.  S.  In 
1903  the  officers  were:  N.  G..  Minnie  Mudd ;  V.  G.,  Lillian  Richards;  S., 
Mrs.  H.  V.  Lawson;  T.,  A.  Greenhalgh ;  P.  S.,  Julia  Murphy:  D.  D.  P., 
Fredrica  Shade. 

Esther  Lodge  No.  4  was  the  only  other  lodge  making  any  reports  to 
the  Grand  Lodge.  It  was  organized  May  13,  1880,  and  the  fate  of  the  lodge 
was  unlucky  as  the  date  of  its  organization.  It  went  into  obli\-ion  with  Lodges 
2,  3,  and  II,  and  the  lodges  of  Rebekahs  and  officers  in  e.xistence  in  1903  were 
in  addition  to  No.  i  : 

Harmony  No.  5,  of  Dayton.  N.  G.,  Daisy  Lothrop;  V.  G.,  Emile  Tail- 
leur;  R.  S.,  Mrs.  L.  Whitten:  T.,  Emma  Lothrop;  D.  D.  P.,  Annie  E.  Mack. 

Naomi  No.  6,  of  Paradise.  N.  G.,  Dora  Lye;  V.  G.,  Francis  Case:  R. 
S.,  Mrs.  Nellie  Mealey;  T.,  Eva  Byrnes:  D.  D.  P.,  Minnie  Bradshaw. 

Nevada  No.  7,  of  Reno.     N.  G.,  May  Dunning;  V.  G.,  Tillie  Neasham; 


254:  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

R.  S..  Miss  L.  LaLntte;  T.,  Marv  Brown;  P.  S.,  Lizzie  Curtis;  D.  D.  P., 
Lizzie  McGrew. 

Diamond  No.  8,  of  Eureka.  N.  G.,  Melia  Fletcher;  V.  G..  Grace  Travers; 
R.  S.,  F.  J.  Brossemer;  T..  W.  J.  Hooper;  D.  D.  P.,  Caroline  Lewis. 

Queen  Esther  No.  9.  of  Wadsworth.  N.  G.,  Luella  Buller ;  \ .  G..  Lulu 
Behler;  R.  S..  Mrs.  L.  Herbert:  T.,  Anna  Sisson;  P.  S.,  Nellie  Bastian ;  D. 
D.  P.,  Josephine  Beemer. 

Ruth  No.  10.  of  Genoa.  N.  G.,  Mary  Heimsoth ;  V.  G.,  Mattie  Jepson ; 
R.  S..  Rose  Klotz;  T..  Ida  McCormick ;  D.  D.  P.,  Mabel  Ritchford. 

Martha  No.  12,  of  De  Lamar.  N.  G..  R.  J.  Gordon ;  V.  G.,  Libbie  Reed ; 
R.  S.,  Charles  Fernander;  T..  Mary  Pettee;  D.  D.  P.,  Margaret  Kendrick. 

Austin  No.  13,  of  Austin.  N.  G.,  Mary  Christian:  V.  G..  Etta  Hodge; 
R.  S.,  M.  Polkinghorne :  T..  Susan  Mitchell:  D.  D.  P.,  Jessie  Schmidtlein. 

■Capitol  No.  14.  of  Carson  City.  N.  G..  Delia  Dorrity;  V.  G.,  M.  Lind- 
say; R.  S.,  Mrs.  M.  Furlong;  T..  M.  Kitzmeyer;  P.  S..  Jenny  Jacobs;  D.  D 
P.,  Mary  McCabe. 

Ivy  No.  15.  of  Elko.  N.  G.,  Molly  E.  Lane:  V.  G.,  Pearl  Bruce;  R. 
S.,  V.  Bruce;  T.,  Marie  Mayer;  P.  S..  Libbie  Harris;  D.  D.  P.,  Ella  Grant. 

Silver  Star  No.  16.  of  Tuscarora.  N.  G.,  Alma  Plumb;  V.  G.,  Etta 
Douglas;  R.  S..  F.  Doherty;  T.,  Bessie  Henderson;  P.  S.,  Clara  Plumb;  D. 
D.  P..  Bessie  Dove. 

Garden  City  No.  17,  of  Lovelocks.  N.  G.,  Lizzie  Marker;  V.  G.,  Etta 
Thies;  R.  S..  Addie  Stoker;  T..  Myrtle  Marker;  D.  D.  P.,  Emily  Marker. 

Loyal  No.  18.  of  Battle  Mountain.  N.  G.,  N.  R.  Ramsdell ;  V.  G.. 
Lisette  Hoffman:  R.  S.,  L.  A.'Lemaire:  T.,  Jane  Woolcock;  D.  D.  P.,  Kate 
Lemaire. 

Fair  Oak  No.  19,  of  W'inncniucca,  sent  no  report  1903  nor  in  1902. 
Her  D.  D.  P.  is  not  assigned.  It  is  jirobable  that  the  charter  of  b'air  Oak 
will  be  recalled  as  meml)ers  fail  to  attend  to  duties  or  Id  meetings. 

Queen  of  the  Lake  No.  20,  of  Flavvthorne.  N.  G.,  luiima  Marx;  \'.  G., 
Ko.se "vVbite:  R.  S..  Mrs.  .\.  Wichman;  T.,  Lydia  J.  King;  I'.  S.,  J.  H.  Miller; 
I).  1).  P,  Delia  WnodrulT. 

Martha  Washington  No.  21.  of  Gardnervillc.  N.  G.,  Pearl  Rankin: 
V.  G.,  M.  Heningsen;  R.  S.,  A.  Goldstein;  T.,  Edna  Neilson;  D.  D.  P., 
Georgia  Dangberg. 

.\t  tlie  Rebekah  As.sembly,  held  in  June,  1903,  the  following  officers  were 
elected;  President,  Mary  E.  Woodbury,  of  Reno;  Vice  President,  Jennie  T. 
Coll,  of  Tuscarora;  Warden,  Ella  Gillilan,  of  Paradise;  Secretary,  Anna  M. 
Warren,  of  Virginia  City;  Trea.surer,  Emma  K.  l.ntJuop,  of  Dayton;  Trus- 
tees; Mary  J.  Mack,  of  Virginia  City:  .\dda  Leei)er,  of  Reno;  and  Emma 
B.  Coffin,  of  Dayton. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  255 

At  tlie  same  meeting-  the  finance  committee  reported  $609.25  cash  in 
hand  and  capitation  tax  on  846  memhers  in  tlie  state.  The  expenses  were 
estimated  at  $425.  The  majority  of  the  lodges  reported  a  gain  in  memlier- 
ship.  while  some  few  showed  discouraging-  losses,  due  to  lousiness  depression, 
and  in  Sduie  instances  lack  of  interest. 

CONSOLIDATIONS,  I.    O.    0.    F. 

W'ildey  Lodge  No.  i,  of  Gold  Hill,  consolidated  with  the  Virginia  Lodge, 
and  is  now  known  as  Wildey  No.  3. 

Carson  Lodge  No.  4  consolidated  witli  Cajiitol  Lodge  No.  20,  at  Carson 
City.  October  28,  1895,  and  is  now  known  as  Capitol  Lodge  No.  4. 

Truckee  Lodge  No.  14  consolidated  with  Reno  Lodge  No.  19  on  May  2, 
1901. 


CHAPTER  XXVHL 

K.  OF  p.  AND  Other  Orders. 

I'^irst  Lodge  in  Nevada— Present  Lodges — G.  A.  R. — Consolidations  and 
Present  Posts — Independent  Order  of  Red  Men — Aeries  of  Eagles — The 
Elks  in  Nevada — Their  Fine  Building  at  Reno — Rathbone  Sisters — De- 
gree of  Honor — Ladies'  Relief  Corps. 

The  Knights  of  Pythias  founded  their  order  upon  the  ancient  story  of 
Damon  and  Pythias,  those  shining  examples  of  devoted  and  honorable  friend- 
ship, who  were  the  disciples  of  the  Pythagorean  principles  of  friendship.  The 
first  lodge  was  instituted  in  Nevada  in  1S73,  March  2^,  at  Virginia  City, 
through  the  efl^orts  of  S.  H.  Goddard.  It  was  known  as  Nevada  Lodge  No. 
I.  The  charter  memhers  were:  E.  F.  Clarkson,  J.  P.  Flanningham,  ■M.  Nel- 
son, A.  G.  Koch,  C.  Becker,  J.  ^V.  Varney,  A.  Borlini,  P.  Gugnina,  G.  Bet- 
tinger,  F.  Schroeder,  M.  Strouse,  W.  P.  Bowden,  T.  H.  Ouinlan.  \X.  Waltz. 

Damon  Lodge  No.  2  was  instituted  in  Carson  City,  July  18,  1873,  the 
charter  memhers  numbering  18. 

Mystic  Lodge  No.  3,  of  Gold  Hill,  was  instituted  November  24.  187^. 
There  were  45  charter  members. 

Carson  Lodge  No.  4,  of  Carson  City,  was  instituted  in  1873,  December 
21.     There  were  24  charter  members. 

Humboldt  Lodge  No.  5,  of  Genoa,  was  instituted  in  March,  1874,  with 

23  charter  meiubers.     It  surrendered  its  charter  in  less  than  a  year  and  its 

paraphernalia  was  delivered  to  Nevada  Lodge  No.  i,  when  that  lodge  lost  all 

its  property  in  the  great  fire  of  1875.     At  a  later  fire  all  this  property  was 

burned. 


256  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Lincoln  Lodge  No.  6  was  instituted  in  Virginia  City,  on  March  2q.  1874, 
with  1 1  charter  members.  It  grew  wonderfully  and  then  declined  with  other 
secret  orders.     It  was  suspended  in   1875  but  reinstated  a  month  later. 

Beatific  Lodge  No.  8  was  instituted  in  Eiu'eka  on  September  22,  1874. 
with  25  charter  members. 

.Vmity  Lodge  No.  8  was  instituted  in  Reno  on  Jauuary  31,  1875.  ^^ 
had  20  charter  members  Init  grew  rapidly. 

Toiyabe  Lodge  No.  9  was  instituted  in  .\ustin  on  November  9,  1875. 
It  had  only  ten  charter  members. 

Argenta  Lodge  No.  10,  of  Battle  Mountain,  was  instituted  on  July  20, 
1876.  with  25  charter  members. 

Triumph  Lodge  No.  1 1  was  instituted  in  Virginia  City  on  October  29. 
its  charter  members  lieing  members  of  Mystic  Lodge  of  Gold  Hill.  For  a 
time  it  met  in  Gold  Hill. 

Lyon  Lodge  No.  12,  of  Dayton,  was  instituted  on  October  15,  1880,  with 
19  charter  members. 

The  Knights  of  Pythias  lodges  in  Nevada  are  as  follows,  the  number 
of  members,  and  number  of  lodge,  with  the  name  of  the  Keeper  of  the  Records, 
being  all  that  was  obtainable  in  1904. 

Nevada  No.  i,  Virginia  City;  118  members:  K.  of  R.,  H.  G.  Maish. 

Carson  Lodge  No.  4.  Carson  City:  100  members:  K.  of  R..  P.  H. 
MulcaJiy. 

Beatific  Lodge  No.  7,  of  Eureka:  41  members:  K.  of  R.,  S.  Reynolds. 

Amity  Lodge  No.  8,  of  Reno:  130  members:  K.  of  R.,  S.  H.  Rosenllial. 

Toivabe  Lodge  No.  9,  of  Austin:  43  members:  K.  of  R.,  O.  J.  Clifford. 

Argenta  Lodge  No.  10,  of  Battle  Mountain;  25  members;  F.  E.  Wool- 
cock,  K.  of  R. 

Lyon  Lodge  No.  12,  of  Dayton;  39  members;  K.  of  R.,  E.  F.  Hayard. 

Elko  Lodge  No.  15:  53  members:  K.  of  R.,  \V.  G.  Kline. 

Esmeralda  Lodge  No.  16,  of  Hawthorne;  51  meml^ers;  K.  of  R.,  W.  J. 
Henley. 

Owyhee  Lodge  No.  14,  of  Tuscarora:  47  members;  K.  of  R..  W.  J 
Stuckler. 

Pvramid  Lodge  Nn.  H).  nf  W'adsworth :  71  members;  K.  of  R.,  T.  L. 
Bellam. 

Ivaniioe  Lodge  No.  18,  of  Winncniucc.i ;  34  members:  K.  of  R..  C.  B. 
Brown. 

Myrtle  Lodge  No.  20,  of  Verdi:  ^j,j,  lucnibers :  1\.  of  R.,  J.  V..  Sanchereua. 

Abraham  Linohi  Lodge  No.  21.  of  Dc  i.,im;ir:  36  members;  K.  of  R.. 
J.  W.  Scott. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  257 

Aqtiila  Lodge  No.  22,  of  Lovelocks;  ji  members:  K.  of  R.,  O.  T. 
Owens. 

Wells  Lodge  No.  2^,  of  Wells;  52  members;  K.  of  R.,  E.  F.  Stanton. 

Alpine  Lodge  No.  24.  of  Fallon;  28  members;  K.  of  R.,  R.  T.  Fortnne. 

Mizpab  Lodge  No.  25,  of  Tonopah ;  45  members;  K.  of  R..  A.  P. 
Kanters. 

RATHBONE    SISTERS. 

The  i\u.\iliary  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  is  known  as  Rathlujne  Sisters. 
There  is  a  temple  in  nearly  e\ery  large  city  of  Nevada  where  there  is  a 
Knights  of  Pythias  lodge.  The  one  at  Reno,  Calanthe  Temple  No.  11,  is  the 
largest,  having  for  charter  memljers.  130.  It  now  has  143  members  and  is 
constantly  growing.  It  was  instituted  on  May  12,  1902,  by  the  State  Organ- 
izer, Ida  M.  Pike,  who  was  assisted  by  Pyramid  Temple  No.  10,  of  Wads- 
worth.     They  have  no  insurance  branch  yet.     The  officers  are  as  follows : 

P.  M.  E.  C,  Mrs.  Harriet  Williams;  M.  E.  C,  Mrs.  Bertha  Doane; 
E.  S.,  Miss  Ivan  Sessions;  E.  J.,  Mrs.  Kate  Dromiach;  M.  of  T.,  Miss  Edna 
Robinson;  M.  of  F..  Mrs.  Dora  Ziegler;  M.  of  R.  &  C,  Mrs.  Jennie  Kerr;  P. 
of  T.,  Mrs.  Ruby  Lumsford;  G.  of  O.  T.,  Mrs.  Carrie  V.  Sessions. 

Mrs.  Catherine  Marsh,  of  Virginia  City,  is  at  the  head  of  the  Grand 
Lodge.  G.  M.  of  R.  &  C. 

G.    \.   R.    OF   NEV.^DA. 

Of  late  years  there  has  been  a  wonderful  falling  off  in  tlie  member- 
ship of  the  G.  .\.  R.  of  Ne\ada.  In  1868  the  ex-Union  veterans  of  Virginia 
City  organized  under  the  name  of  "Boys  in  Blue"  to  promote  the  election 
of  L^.  .S.  Grant  to  the  presidency.  Later  they  reorganized  as  Post  No.  S, 
G.  A.  R.  Their  first  Cominander  was  A.  H.  W.  Creigh.  They  went  out  of 
existence  in  the  fire  of  1875.  having  60  members.  In  1878  they  organized 
again  as  Phil  Kearney  Post  No.  10.  They  had  20  memljers.  and  soon  40. 
G.  E.  Gaukin  was  Commander.  Stanton  Post  No.  29,  which  was  organized 
in  1870.  with  J.  .\.  Burlingame  as  Post  Commander,  disbanded  three  years 
later,  or  rather  consolidated  with  Phil  Kearney  Post  in  1878,  after  a  brief 
reorganization  as  Stanton  Post  No.  10. 

Other  posts  organized  and  passed  out  of  existence  were :  Baker  Post 
No.  II  of  Pioche;  McPherson  Post  No.  12,  of  Reno;  Col.  Baker  Po.st  No. 
13,  of  Cherry  Creek,  and  L^pton  Post  of  Eureka.  The  only  posts  now  are 
Phil  Kearney  Post  No.  10,  of  Virginia  City,  General  O.  M.  Mitchell  No.  69, 
of  Reno,  Custer  Post  No.  5,  of  Carson  City,  and  McDermitt  Post,  of  W^in- 
nemucca.  The  latter  post  is  all  but  out  of  existence,  and  it  is  probable  the 
posts  of  Carson,  Reno  and  Virginia  will  be  consolidated  in  one  post,  in  Reno 
city,  under  the  title  of  Gen.  O.  M.   Mitchell   Post  No.  69.     This  post  was 


258  A  HISTORY  OF  XE\'AD.\. 

organized  in  1884,  and  chartered  October  2,  1884.  Its  present  oflkers  are: 
E.  J.  Wood.  Post  Commander:  C.  J.  Kienast,  Senior  Vice  Commander;  G. 
W.  Robison,  Junior  Vice  Commander;  Dr.  G.  H.  Tlionia.  Surgeon;  G.  O. 
Wright.  Chaplain:  A.  G.  Fletcher,  Quartermaster:  Walter  S.  Long.  Adjutant. 
Major  Long  is  National  Aide  de  Camp  on  staff  of  Commander  in  Chief,  and 
also  special  Aide  de  Camp  on  staff  of  Department  Commander,  in  charge  of 
patriotic  instruction. 

The  Reno  post  has  a  fine  cemetery,  and  through  the  efforts  of  Congress- 
man A'an  Duzer  marble  headstones  for  deceased  members  have  been  obtained 
from  the  gn\-ernment  and  were  placed  in  position  on  .\pril  3,  IQ04.  The 
different  posts  have  Relief  Corps,  the  one  in  Reno  being  especially  active. 
The  membership  of  the  posts  is:  Custer  No.  5.  12  members:  Phil  Kearney 
No.  10,  54  members;  G.  O.  Mitchell  Post  No.  69,  70  members.  The  mem- 
bership of  Phil  Kearney  Relief  Corps  No.  85,  of  Virginia  City,  is  17;  Custer 
Relief  Corps  No.  15,  of  Carson  City,  is  18,  and  of  Gen.  O.  M.  Mitchell  Corps 
No.  27,  of  Reno,  is  60. 

ORDER  OF  ELKS. 

The  Reno  Lodge  of  B.  P.  O.  Elks  No.  597  was  organized  in  Reno  on 
June  30.  1900.  H.  J.  Gosse  being  the  moving  spirit  and  assisting  in  the 
organization.  D.  D.  G.  E.  ,R..  F.  L.  Gray,  instituted  the  lodge,  assisted  by 
ofificers  from  Sacramento.  Grass  Valley  and  other  points.  The  first  officers 
were:  Exalted  Ruler.  II.  J.  Gosse:  Esteemed  Leading  Knight.  F.  D.  Dun- 
can; Esteemed  Lo\al  Knight.  W.  L.  Cox;  A.  E.  Cheney,  Esteemed  Leading 
Knight ;  Kyle  Kinney.  Secretary :  H.  P.  Kearns,  Secretary.  There  were  45 
in  the  class.  The  local  Elks  had  a  band  out  to  greet  the  visitors  and  after  the 
initiation  a  grand  banquet  was  served. 

AV.  L.  Cox  was  elected  Exalted  Ruler  at  the  next  election  and  he  was 
succeeded  successively  1>y  Frank  Stewart.  A.  E.  Cheney,  Joseph  McCormack, 
and  Kalpb  I!.   I  lawcroft,  the  latter  serving  in   1904. 

The  Elks  laid  the  corner  stone  of  a  $35,000  lodge  building  September 
30,  1903,  with  approjjriate  ceremonies,  H.  J.  Gosse  being  J\Iaster  of  Cere- 
monies. Elks  came  from  far  and  near  to  assist.  It  was  formally  dedicated 
on  April  2^^.  1904.  Elks  came  from  all  o\er  the  coast,  Sacramento  and  San 
F'rancisco  I'.iks  prcdominrding.     .\  grand  ban(|ucl  closed  the  ceremonies. 

A.  O.   U.   W. 

The  first  lodge  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen  was  instituted 
in  Eureka,  March  11,  1879.  ^'^^  ^''^^  officers  were  M.  Rockman,  P.  M.  W. ; 
H.  A.  Unruh,  N.  W. ;  E.  A.  Robinson,  foreman;  C.  J.  Scanland,  O. ;  I.  C.  C. 
Whitmore,  recorder:  P..  C.  Levy,  financier;  W.  Pardy,  receiver;  !•".  W.  Pen- 
field,  G. ;  S.  S.  Slass.  I.  W.    There  were  }^2  charter  members.     Several  lodges 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  259 

have  been  instituted  in  tlie  princijjal  cities  of  the  state,  Reno  lodge  being 
especially  flourishing.  R.  H.  Buncel  is  G.  M. ;  and  R.  Buncel  is  foreman. 
H.  F.  Pavola  is  o\'erseer. 

The  Degree  of  Honor  is  the  auxiliary  of  the  A.  O.  U.  W.,  and  there 
are  lodges  in  Reno.  Carson  City,  Virginia  City,  Hawthorne,  Dayton,  Winne- 
mucca  and  Elko.  Ivy  Lodge  No.  4  was  instituted  in  Reno  in  March,  T900, 
by  P.  S.  M.  W.,  J.  W.  Kinsley.  There  were  48  charter  members.  The 
present  officers  are  P.  C.  of  H.,  Alma  Pavola:  C.  of  H.,  Gertrude  Buncel: 
L.  of  H.,  Kate  Kline;  C.  of  C,  Mrs.  D.  Smith:  Usher,  Mrs.  M.  Buncel: 
Financier,  Dora  Ziegler;  Recorder,  Mrs.  Jennie  Kerr. 

The  A.  O.  U.  W.  and  the  Degree  of  Honor  are  making  arrangements  for 
a  lodge  in  Harriman.  Supreme  Dejjuty  C.  S.  Thurston  is  to  visit  Harrinian 
to  assist  in  installing  the  order  there. 

FRATERNAL  ORDER  OF  EAGLES. 

The  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles,  although  only  in  existence  in  Nevada 
for  three  years,  has  six  aeries,  being  represented  in  Tonopah,  W'innemucca. 
Elko,  Virginia  City,  Carson  City  and  Reno.  There  are  800  members  in  all. 
Reno  Aerie  No.  207  was  instituted  in  Reno,  February  20.  1902,  with  61 
charter  members.  January  i,  1904,  it  had  over  200  members.  Among  its 
members  are  John  Sparks,  Governor  of  Nevada :  L.  Allen,  Lieutenant-Gov- 
ernor; Congressman  V^n  Duzer  and  Assemblymen  P.  J.  McCarran  and  \\'. 
D.  R.  Graliam;  Senator  A.  Living.ston.  Present  otificers  are:  G.  W.  Perkins, 
senior  past  president :  G.  W.  Pettigrew,  junior  past  president :  G.  W.  Callahan, 
worthy  president.  The  motto  of  the  order  is  "Liberty,  Truth,  Justice  and 
Equality^' 

IMPROVED    ORDER   OF    RED    MEN. 

The  Grand  Council  of  I.  O.  R.  M.,  of  Nevada,  was  instituted  January 
7,  1873,  Jonas  Seeley  being  the  G.  T.  Piute  Tribe  No.  i  was  organized  at 
Carson  City,  January  19,  1879,  with  .\.  Curry  as  Sachem.  There  were  20 
charter  members. 

In  1904  there  were  Red  Men  lodges  at  Tuscarora,  Carson  City  and  Vir- 
ginia City.  The  Cirand  Lodge  is  at  Carson  City.  C.  E.  Slingerland  being 
Great  Sachem.  Washoe  Tribe  No.  1 1  was  organized  in  Reno  with  a  full 
complement  of  officers.  H.  R.  Cooke  being  Sachem.  It  disbanded  in  three 
months. 

V.\RIOUS  SECRET  ORDERS. 

The  Independent  Order  of  Foresters  have  several  lodges  in  the  state  and 
several  auxiliaries.  It  is  a  beneficiary  order.  The  first  lodge  of  the  order  in 
Nevada  was  instituted  in  Virginia  City  in  1879. 

The  Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians,  the  Order  of  Pendo,  the  Fraternal 


2fi0  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Brotherhood,  the  Italian  Bene\^olent  Society,  the  Order  of  Dania,  Woodnien 
of  the  World,  Maccabees,  Sons  of  the  Revolution,  Caledonians,  and  Italian 
Druids,  all  have  lodges  in  the  state,  some  only  one.     Many  have  auxiliaries. 

The  Modern  Woodmen  of  the  World,  though  only  estaljlished  two  years 
in  Nevada,  are  growing  rapidly,  each  Camp  having  an  auxiliary  of  Royal 
Neighbors.  Peavine  Camp  was  organized  in  Reno  in  1901,  and  the  others 
later. 

The  Pioneers  formed  two  societies.  Society  of  Pacific  Coast  Pioneers 
and  Reese  River  Pioneers,  the  former  in  1872  and  the  latter  the  year  follow- 
ing. Both  ha\e  disbanded.  The  magnificent  museum  of  curiosities  lielong- 
ing  to  the  former  society  was  by  them  donated  to  the  state.  It  is  now  in  an 
upper  room  of  the  State  printing  office  in  Carson.  The  State  Superintendent 
of  Public  Instruction,  Orvis  Ring,  acts  as  curator.  It  is  a  valuable  collection; 
many  of  the  Indian  relics  it  wf)uld  he  imiiossible  to  duplicate. 

Nevada  is,  as  are  all  mining  states,  a  strong  union  state.  There  are 
Miners'  Unions  in  every  town  of  any  size.  The  first  one  was  organized  in 
Virginia  City  in  1863,  and  the  last  two  at  Tonopah  and  Gold  Field.  The 
unions  have  helped  the  miners  greatly  in  Nevada.  The  Miners'  Union  Library 
was  established  in  1877  in  Virginia  City.  The  first  Imilding  was  swept  away 
in  the  great  fire  there  and  the  present  one  was  erected  in  1876  at  a  cost  of 
$15,000.  There  is  not  onlv  the  librarv  but  a  ball  and  chess  room.  There 
are  many  thousands  of  dollars'  worth  of  books  in  the  library. 

The  Nevada  State  Medical  Society  was  organized  in  1878  and  is  in- 
creasing in  memljership  all  the  time.  The  Historical  and  Scientific  Society 
was  organized  in  1865  and  did  good  wdrk  in  early  days. 

The  Wheelmen's  Club  of  Reno  is  a  unique  organization,  organized  by 
the  leading  Inisiness  men  of  Reno  to  provide  a  place  for  young  men  to  pass 
leisure  hours.  From  a  small  beginning  it  has  gnnvn  until  it  possesses  a 
magnificent  building  with  all  athletic  and  social  ]):u-;i])hernalia.  Its  teams  in 
manv  branches  of  athletic  work  liax'c  pro\cd  \ictorious  and  the  name  is  k'uown 
all  o\-er  the  west. 

N'ext  door  to  the  W'heehncii's  Club  is  the  \^e\:i(l;i  Club,  also  owning  its 
own  building.  It  is  purely  social,  known  as  an  adjunct  of  Reno's  400.  Its 
memljcrshi])  includes  both  men  and  women. 

The  Y.  M.  C.  A.  and  its  auxiliaries  are  well  established  in  Xe\ad;i.  In 
fact  there  is  scarcely  a  secret,  frateiMi.al  or  bene\olent  or  social  order  not 
represented  in  Nevada,  if  it  is  by  oidy  one  organization. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  261 

CHATTER  XXIX. 
Indian  Annals  df   Nevada. 

In  detailing  reminiscences  of  Indian  trouliles  in  Nevada,  the  narrator 
generally  gives  the  "tale  as  told  him,"'  for  there  are  few  survivors  of  to-day 
who  actually  saw  any  of  the  incidents  they  relate,  and  Poor  Lo'  is,  according 
to  representation,  or  misrepresentation,  always  the  aggressor.  To  prove  this 
contrary  to  the  facts  one  has  hut  to  turn  hack  the  records  to  the  first  inscrip- 
tion, the  first  meeting  of  the  white  and  red  men,  in  1832. 

It  will  he  rememl)ered  that  in  a  foregoing  chapter  mention  is  made  of 
the  trapping  expedition  of  Milton  Su1)lette,  in  1832,  and  authentic  history 
states  that  in  this  party  were  the  men  who  started  the  murdering  of  Indians 
out  of  wanton  cruelty.  Opposed  to  this  is  the  story  of  the  life  and  death  of 
Jedediah  S.  Smith,  which  states  that  when  he  was  on  his  first  return  trip 
from  California,  in  1S25,  all  of  his  party  hut  two  "were  shot  and  killed, 
Smith  escaping  with  Galhraith  and  Turner,"  and  he  finally  met  death  "by 
the  arrow  of  an  ambushed  Indian  assassin  on  CimariMu  river."  Be  that  as 
it  may,  the  first  account  of  Indian  contact  with  white  men,  in  which  there 
were  hostilities  on  either  side,  was  in  1832. 

.\niong  the  trappers  with  Sublette  was  Joe  Meek,  and  he  shot  down 
and  instantly  killed  a  Shoshone  Indian.  He  defended  his  action  by  saying 
that  it  was  a  gentle  hint  to  the  Indians  not  to  steal  any  of  their  traps.  He 
was  asked  if  any  had  been  stolen,  but  said,  "No,  but  he  looked  as  if  he  was 
going  to." 

Joe  Walker,  the  famous  trapper  and  guide,  was  the  next  aggressor, 
when  with  the  Bonneville  expedition  of  1833.  Meek  was  also  one  of  this 
party  and  probably  urged  the  action  taken.  At  first  the  Indians  had  been 
afraid  of  the  curious  looking  pale  faces,  but  as  they  saw  they  were  unharmed, 
they,  childlike,  followed  them  in  greatly  increasing  numbers.  So  many  of 
the  articles  used  by  the  scouts  were  new  to  theiu  that  occasionally  one  of 
the  Indians  would  steal  some  trifling  thing.  But  generally  they  kept  at  what 
they  considered  a  safe  distance,  not  knowing  the  power  of  the  rifles,  or,  in- 
deed, that  there  was  such  a  thing  in  existence. 

Then  followed  an  event  which  fails  to  show  any  reason  therefor,  and 
which  also  shows  the  white  man  in  a  poor  light.  One  morning  the  trappers 
were  preparing  to  cross  the  Humboldt  ri\cr,  by  fording:  on  the  opposite 
shore  stood  a  number  of  Shoshone  Indians,  watching  their  movements  with 
great  curiosity.  By  order  of  Walker,  who  said  afterwards  he  feared  an 
attack,  the  trappers  fired  upon  the  Indians,  killing  twenty-five  instantly.  Not 
one  Indian  tried  to  return  the  fire,  but  fied  in  e\ery  direction,  howling  and 


262  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

wailing,  overcome  with  terror  at  tiieir  tirst  introduction  to  tlie  rifle.  The 
trappers  were  not  content  witli  this  wanton  murder  Init  chased  the  Indians 
as  tliey  fled  in  terror,  kilhng  many  more,  some  of  the  trappers  gixing  the 
number  at  seventy -five  and  the  others  at  over  one  hundred. 

Soon  after  one  of  the  trappers  found  some  traps  missing  and  cooly 
shot  down  the  iirst  Indian  he  met.  In  the  next  seventeen  years,  until  1849, 
there  was  no  further  slaughter  of  the  Indians  by  the  white  men.  Then  emi- 
grants killed  a  number  of  Shoshones  in  a  spirit  of  bravado.  That  was  the 
last  uncalled  for  murder  of  Indians  which  went  unpunished.  For  the  next 
year  the  Indians  of  this  tribe  started  to  average  things  up.  and  kept  at  it 
until    1863. 

A  first  attempt  at  reprisal  was  made  in  June  of  1850,  when  one  of  an 
emigrant  train  from  Joliet,  Illinois,  while  on  picket  duty,  was  shot  through 
the  heart  with  an  arrow.  In  the  course  of  a  few  hours  this  party  came  up 
with  a  party  of  twelve  men,  standing  by  seven  wagons,  the  stock  having 
been  all  stampeded  by  the  Indians.  Determined  the  Indians  should  not  have 
the  wagons  and  contents,  they  burned  everything  which  could  not  be  added 
to  the  outfit  of  the  first  party  and  went  on  foot  the  rest  of  the  way  to  Cali- 
fornia. The  Indians  met  a  a  check  that  same  summer,  for  later  on  when  they 
stampeded  stock  from  a  party  of  emigrants,  there  happened  to  be  in  the  party 
several  mountaineers,  and  the  Indians,  Shoshones,  were  overtaken,  over 
thirty  killed  and  the  stock  recovered. 

This  stopped  the  Indians  for  a  while  and  all  might  have  been  peace  if 
it  had  not  been  for  the  actions  of  a  party  of  Mormons,  among  them  Walter 
Cosser,  afterwards  a  resident  of  Douglas  county,  Nevada,  and  the  infamous 
Bill  Hickman,  whose  actions  in  the  Danite  murders  have  made  him  exe- 
crated of  men.  liickmcn  being  the  guide.  'i"he  party  left  Salt  Lake  to  go 
to  California,  and  en  route  shot  down  two  Shoshone  Indians,  who  stcxxl  near 
them  watching  them  curiously.  Four  days  later,  on  the  Humboldt  river, 
these  Danites  shot  and  killed  two  Indians  and  one  Indian  woman,  and  then 
scalped  them.  It  is  sm;ill  cause  for  wonder  that  the  Indians  lost  no  time  in 
seeking  revenge.  To  them  all  white  men  were  the  same,  and  the  kindly 
emigrant  externally  presented  the  same  aspect  as  the  Destroying  .\ngels. 

The  killing  of  Colonel  A.  Woodard,  of  the  mail  contracting  firm  of 
Woodard  &  Chorppening,  followed  soon.  He  was  killed  with  two  guards, 
John  Hawthorn  and  O.scar  Fitzer,  on  the  very  siiot  wiierc  llickman  had 
killed  tile  Shosliones.  'J"he  carrier  of  the  east-bound  m.iil,  S.  A.  Kinscy, 
found  the  bodies,  mangled  ;nid  mutilated.  With  his  two  guards  he  had  a 
narrow  escape,  as  the  Indians  laid  in  ambush,  the  three  whites  escaping  only 
by  strategy.     The  body  "f  a  white  man.  name  unknciwn,  was  found  in  June 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  263 

of  that  year,  and  liis  body  liuried  by  Josqjh  Zumwalt  and  party  near  Pyramid 
lake.     1  fc  had  been  kiUed  liy  Pali-Utes,  judging  frnm  the  Indian  signs. 

FA'ENTS  OF    1852-39. 

Tlie  Inthans  began  to  acquire  the  stock  of  the  settlers,  and  this,  of 
'course,  caused  trouble.  In  the  summer  of  1(852.  a  party  of  men  under 
Pearson,  a  noted  Indian  fighter  afterwards,  undertook  to  recover  some  stock 
from  a  band  of  Washoe  Indians,  but  had  to  retreat.  Two  men,  Frank  Hall 
and  Cady,  determined  to  try  friendly  means  and  went  to  the  Indians  with 
small  gifts;  the  Indians  accepted  the  gifts  and  then  told  the  two  men  to 
"go  home,"  and  they  lost  no  time  in  doing  so.  All  during  that  year  the 
Indians  carried  off  stock,  and  the  settlers  in  Carson  valley  captured  two  of 
them,  a  boy  and  a  nian.  'J1ie  latter  was  set  free,  after  his  companion  had 
been  killed  while  trying  to  escape.  Until  the  year  1857  there  were  many 
murders  committed  on  both  sides  of  which  there  are  no  authentic  records. 
Tn  the  latter  year  two  men,  John  McMarlin  and  James  Williams,  were  killed 
by  Washoe  Indians  while  in  charge  of  separate  pack  trains  going  from  Mor- 
mon Station  to  California. 

In  1859  a  party  of  prospectors,  among  them  Peter  Lassen,  for  whom 
a  peak  of  the  mountains  in  the  Sierra  Nevada  is  named,  were  in  the  Black 
Rock  country.  They  separated  for  a  time  and  Lassen  and  two  men.  Clapper 
and  Wyatt,  reached  a  rendezvous  agreed  upon.  Indians  fired  on  them  and 
Clapper  was  instantly  killed.  Lassen,  lirave  old  hero,  ritle  in  hand,  watched 
the  shadows  where  the  enemy  lurked,  while-  Wyatt  was  trying  to  remove 
their  effects  to  a  safer  spot.  Another  volley  and  Lassen  sank  mortally 
wounded.  He  told  Wyatt  to  make  his  escape,  which  the  latter  did,  bare- 
backed on  one  of  the  horses.  The  party  which  had  preceded  them,  reached 
the  rendezvous  only  to  find  the  two  bodies.  They  buried  them  where  they 
fell,  but  in  November  the  body  of  Lassen,  the  famous  mountaineer,  was  taken 
u])  antl  buried  near  Honey  Lake. 

WHITES    BLAMED    FOR    STORMS. 

To  add  to  their  real  wrongs,  the  Indians  then  secured  an  imaginary  one, 
for  when  the  cruelly  severe  winter  of  1859-60  came,  it  was  easy  to  believe 
that  the  whites  were  alst)  responsible  for  this.  The  red  man  suffered  terribl}', 
and  when  visited  by  Governor  Roop  and  part}'  at  Truckee  Meadow,  they 
were  actually  afraid  to  eat  the  food  given  them,  fearing  it  was  poisoned. 
Fires  were  built  for  them,  but  many  died.  In  January  Dexter  E.  Demniing 
was  murdered  at  his  ranch  in  Willow  Creek  valley,  and  a  jietition  signed  by 
ninety-one  white  men  was  sent  to  Governor  Roop,  asking  him  to  send  out 
the  luilitary  forces  and  punish  the  Indians.  This  he  did,  and  a  detachment 
was  sent  out  at  once.     On  January  24th  Lieutenant  V.  J.  Tutt  reported  to 


26i  A  HISTORY  OF  NEX'ADA. 

the  governor  that  tlie  murderers  had  l)een  tracked  to  tlie  Pali-Ute  camp.  On 
the  28th  two  commissioners  were  appointed  li}-  tlie  governor  to  visit  Winne- 
mucca.  the  cliief  of  the  tribe  and  demand  the  murderers,  under  a  treaty  W'inne- 
mucca  liad  previously  made.  The  commissioners,  T.  J.  Harvey  and  William 
W'eatherlow,  reported  on  February  1 1  that  their  errand  was  fruitless ;  not 
only  that,  but  on  the  third  dav  out  they  had  been  made  prisoners  over  night 
to  prevent  them  reacliing  the  Pah-Ute  camp.  They  were  ordered  to  return 
to  Honey  Lake  valley,  and  on  the  way  a  fog  came  up ;  taking  advantage  of 
this  they  recrossed  the  river,  finding  a  camp  of  the  Indians,  who  refused 
to  give  them  any  information  as  to  the  wherealx>uts  of  the  chiefs.  Going  ten 
miles  down  the  Truckee  to  Pyramid  lake,  they  found  the  camp  of  Chief 
W'innemucca,  and  to  their  disappointment  were  told  that  he  would  not  go 
to  Honey  valley.  He  said  he  knew  that,  if  he  acted  acconling  to  the  treaty 
he  would  give  up  the  murderers,  but  he  would  not  obey  the  treaty  conditions. 
He  would  not  promise  to  try  to  prevent  future  depredations.  He  declared 
that  the  white  men  must  pay  him  sixteen  thousand  dollars  for  Honey  valley. 
After  leaving  camp  the  two  commissioners  found  that  W'innemucca  was  mak- 
ing the  unprotected  herders  give  him  two  beeves  weekly,  and  they  had  to 
do  it,  as  they  could  not  get  near  the  settlements  owing  to  the  deep  snows. 

Finally  the  commissioners  returned  home.  Governor  Roop  asked  aid 
from  the  Pacific  Department  in  the  following  document,  now  historic,  as 
its  failure  resulted  in  the  horrible  death  of  so  many  brave  men.  It  follows, 
in  full : 

General  Clarke,  U.  S.  A., 

Commander  of  the  Pacific  Department. 

Sir : — We  are  alx>ut  to  be  plungetl  into  a  bloody  and  protracted  war 
with  the  Pah-Ute  Indians.  Within  the  last  nine  months  there  have  been 
seven  of  our  citizens  murdered  by  the  Indians.  Up  to  the  last  murder  we 
were  unable  to  fasten  the  depredations  on  any  particular  tribe,  but  always 
believed  it  was  the  Pah-L'tes,  yet  did  not  wish  to  blame  them  until  we  were 
sure  of  the  facts.  On  the  tiiirteenth  day  of  last  month,  Mr.  Dexter  E.  Dem- 
ming  was  most  brutally  murdered  in  his  own  house,  and  plundered  of  every- 
thing and  his  horses  driven  off.  .\s  sewn  as  I  was  informed  of  the  facts 
I  at  once  sent  out  fifteen  men  after  the  nnnilerers  (there  iKHng  snow  on 
the  ground  they  could  i)e  easily  traceil)  with  orders  to  follow  on  their  tracks 
until  they  could  find  out  to  what  tribe  they  belonged,  and  if  they  would 
prove  to  jje  Pah-Utes,  not  to  give  them  battle,  but  to  return  and  report,  as  we 
had,  some  two  years  ago,  made  a  treaty  with  the  I'ah-l'tes,  one  of  the  stipu- 
lations l)eing  that  if  any  of  their  tribe  committed  any  murders  or  depreda- 
tions on  any  of  the  whites  we  were  first  to  go  to  the  chiefs  and  that  they 
would  deliver  up  iIh-  murderers  or  make  redress,  and  that  we  were  to  do 
the  same  on  our  part  with  them.  On  the  third  day  nut  they  came  on  to 
the  Indians  and  found  them  to  be  Pah-Ute.s,  to  which  1  call  your  attention 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  265 

to  the  paper  marked  "A."  Jmenidiately  on  receiving  this  rejiort  and  agree- 
able to  the  said  treaty,  I  sent  Captain  Wilham  Weatherlow  and  Thomas  J. 
Harvey,  as  commissioners,  to  proceed  to  tlie  Pah-Utes'  headquarters,  and 
there  inform  the  chief  of  this  murder  and  demand  rech'ess.  Here  allow  me 
to  call  your  attention  to  the  paper  marked  "B."  It  is  now  pretty  well  an 
established  fact  that  the  Pah-Utes  killed  those  eight  men,  one  of  them  being 
Mr.  Peter  Lassen.  How  soon  others  must  fall  is  not  known,  for  war  is  now 
inevitable.     We  have  but  few  good  arms  and  but  little  ammunition. 

Therefore,  I  would  most  respectfully  call  upon  you  for  a  company  of 
dragoons  to  come  to  our  aid  at  once,  as  it  may  save  a  ruinous  war,  to  show 
them  that  we  have  other  help  besides  our  own  citizens,  they  knowing  our 
weakness.  And  if  it  is  not  in  your  jxiwer  at  present  to  dispatch  a  company 
of  men  here,  I  do  most  respectfully  demand  of  you  arms  and  ammunition, 
with  a  field  piece  to  drive  them  out  of  their  forts.  A  four  or  six-pounder 
is  indispensable  in  fighting  the  Pah-Utes.  We  have  no  Indian  agent  to  call 
on,  so  it  is  to  you  we  look  for  assistance. 

I  remain  your  liumble  servant, 

Isaac  Roop, 
Governor  of  Nevada  Territory. 

Susanville,  February  12,  i860. 

P.  S. — Dear  Sir; — If  you  should  forward  to  us  arms,  ammunition,  etc., 
I  herel>y  appoint  Col.  I.  H.  Lewis  to  receive  and  receipt  for  and  bring  them 
here  at  once. 

I.  Roop. 

Despite  the  urgency  of  the  case.  General  Clarke  sent  neither  men  nor 
arms,  and  in  May  followed  the  outbreak  resulting  in  such  loss  of  life.  It  was 
the  commencement  of  the  most  important  Indian  war  Nevada  ever  suffered. 

The  Pah-LUes  took  the  initiative.  They  held  a  great  council  the  latter 
part  of  April,  i860,  at  Pyramid  lake,  to  decide  what  to  do  to  prevent  further 
encroachment,  as  they  termed  it,  by  the  whites.  Before  the  ist  of  May  a 
large  number  were  there,  from  all  over  the  territory.  Of  the  big  chiefs  all 
were  for  war,  save  only  one,  Numaga,  and  his  efforts  were  in  vain. 

Of  the  big  chiefs  who  urged  the  war,  nearly  all  met  with  violent  ends. 
Some  of  the  chiefs  were  not  Pah-Utes.  One,  Ou-da-zo-bo-eat,  was  a  Sho- 
shone who  had  married  a  Pah-Ute  woman.  Sa-wa-da-be-bo  was  half  Pah-Ute 
and  half  Bannock.  The  former  was  killed  by  his  own  tribe  for  getting  them 
into  trouble  by  stealing  stock.  The  latter  was  killed  by  the  whites.  Sa-a-ba, 
a  Smoke  creek  Indian,  who  had  married  a  sister  of  Old  Winnemucca,  was 
also  killed  by  a  fellow  tribesman.  No-jo-mud,  chief  of  the  Honey  lake  tribe, 
was  killed  also  by  his  tribe  for  his  continued  hostility  to  the  whites.  Ho-zi-a 
was  killed  by  Captain  Dick.  Yur-dy,  called  Joaquin  by  the  whites,  died  a 
natural  death.  Se-quin-a-ta  lived  afterwards  on  the  reservation,  dying  there; 
he  was  the  one  who  prevented  any  peace  talk  before  the  battle  commenced, 


2Gt5  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

by  rushing  his  followers  past  Young  \\'iiinemucca   (Numaga),  as  he  halted 
his  hand  to  try  and  have  a  talk  with  tlie  whites. 

I\Io-giian-no-go,  known  to  the  whites  as  Captain  Soo.  later  became  a 
great  friend  to  the  whites  and  was  killed  for  leading  soldiers  into  the  Black 
Rock  country  where  they  killed  some  Pah-Utes.  The  real  chief  of  all,  Old 
\\'innemucca.  said  nothing,  for  or  against  war,  though  he  favored  the  latter. 
He  saw  that  it  was  coming  any  way  and  wanted  his  own  skirts  clear. 

NUMAGA,  THE  PEACE  CHIEF. 

Of  them  all,  only  one  stood  forth  for  peace,  and  that  was  Numaga. 
He  was  called  Young  Winnemucca  by  the  whites,  who  supposed  him  a  war 
chief.  His  own  name  told  his  nature,  meaning  the  gi\-er  of  food  and  indi- 
cating a  generous,  kindly  man.  The  chief  in  command  of  the  Indians  at 
the  battle  of  Pyramid  lake  was  Poito  or  Old  Winnemucca.  The  two  were 
enemies,  not  by  choice  of  Numaga,  but  of  the  former.  Numaga  lived  on  the 
reservation,  and  was  leader  of  that  tribe,  and  was  not  related  to  Old  Winne- 
mucca. Numaga  was  an  Indian  chief,  but  he  was  also  a  statesman  and  diplo- 
mat. 

Numaga  knew  the  real  power  of  the  whites,  and  the  uther  Indians  did 
not.  He  had  lived  in  California  and  associated  with  whites.  He  knew  that 
if  the  Indians  assembled  w^ent  on  the  war  path,  their  victory  would  be  short- 
li\ed.  If  he  had  had  time  enough  he  might  have  changed  the  tide  of  affairs, 
for  he  was  eloquent  and  untiring.  He  rode  from  camp  to  camp,  urged  one 
chief  and  then  another  not  to  fight.  He  told  them  war  might  mean  de- 
struction for  some  of  the  whites,  but  that  there  were  thousands  who  would 
come  from  far  away  and  wipe  them  out  of  existence.  He  was  listened  to 
with  great  respect,  but  not  one  would  ])romise  to  obey  him.  When  every- 
thing failed  this  great-iiearled  chief  withdrew  and,  lying  prone  on  the  ground, 
hid  his  face  from  sight  and  in  silence  mourned  over  the  coming  destruction, 
first  of  the  whites  and  then  of  his  brothers.  I'or  three  days  he  laid  thus, 
and  it  l>egan  to  have  a  great  efYect,  some  beginning  to  waver.  This  so 
angered  the  bloodthirsty  chiefs  that  they  tried  to  force  him  to  leave,  and 
he  was  threatened  with  death.  He  urged  them  to  kill  him,  .saying-  he  had 
ni>  desire  to  live.     Hut  this  they  did  not  dare  to  do. 

ELOQUENCE  OF   NUMAGA. 

On  the  fourth  day  the  council  met,  and  chief  after  chief  arose  and  de^ 
tailed,  incident  by  incident,  the  wrongs  suffered  by  liis  peo])!e,  at  the  hands 
of  the  whites.  All  had  s]X)ken  when  in  stalked  Numaga,  more  dead  than 
alive,  for  he  had  not  eaten  or  drunk  for  all  those  three  d.'iys  .nid  nights.  I  Fe 
commenced  his  speech,  which  was  listened  to  with  ;i\\c  .and  respect,  as 
follows : 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  267 

"You  would  make  war  ui)f)u  tlie  wliites,"  lie  said;  "I  ask  you  to  pause 
aud  reflect.  The  white  men  are  like  the  stars  ahove  youi^ieads.  You  have 
wrongs,  great  wrongs,  that  rise  up  like  those  mountains  hefore  you ;  but  can 
you,  from  the  mountam  tops,  reach  out  and  hlot  those  stars?  Your  enemies 
are  like  the  sands  in  the  bed  of  your  rivers ;  when  taken  away  they  would  ouly 
give  place  for  more  to  come  and  settle  there.  Could  you  defeat  the  whites 
in  Nevada,  from  over  the  mountains  in  California  would  come  to  help  them 
an  army  of  Avhite  men  that  would  cover  your  country  like  a  1)lanket.  What 
hope  is  there  for  the  Pah-Ute?  From  where  is  to  come  your  gims,  your 
powder,  your  lead,  your  dried  meats  to  live  upon,  and  hay  to  feed  your  ponies 
while  you  carry  on  this  war?  Your  enemies  have  all  these  things,  more  than 
they  can  use.  They  will  come  like  the  sand  in  the  whirlwind  and  drive  you 
from  your  home.  You  will  be  forced  among  the  barren  rocks  of  the  north, 
where  your  ponies  will  die,  where  you  will  see  the  women  and  old  men 
starve  and  listen  to  the  cries  of  your  children  for  food.  I  love  my  people. 
Let  them  live;  and  when  their  s])irits  shall  be  called  to  the  Great  Camp  in  the 
southern  sky,  let  their  1x)nes  rest  where  their  fathers  were  buried," 

While  the  council  sat  listening  to  Numaga,  an  Indian  rode  up  hurriedly 
with  news  which  made  all  the  efforts  of  Numaga  in  vain;  for  he  walked 
inti>  the  center  of  the  grave  circle  and  said:  "Moguannoga,  last  night,  with 
nine  braves,  burned  Williams'  Station,  on  the  Car.son  river,  and  killed  fixir 
whites." 

As  he  ceased,  Numaga,  pointing  to  the  southeast,  said :  "There  is  no 
longer  any  use  for  counsel ;  we  must  prepare  for  war,  for  the  soldiers  will  now 
come  here  to  fight  us." 

BURNING  OF  WILLIAMs'  STATION. 

The  news  brought  by  the  Indian  was  only  too  true.  James  O.  Williams, 
the  owner  of  the  station,  escaped,  because  he  was  in  camp  only  two  miles 
from  the  scene  of  the  horror.  His  two  brothers,  Oscar  W'illiams,  a  married 
man  and  a  native  of  Maine,  and  David  Williams,  single  and  a  native  of  New 
York,  were  killed,  as  were  Samuel  Sullivan,  married,  and  a  native  of  New 
York ;  John  Flemming,  a  single  man  and  a  native  of  New  York,  and  "Dutch 
Phil"  name,  age  and  place  of  nativity  unknown.  They  were  all  young  men, 
Oscar  Williams,  33;  his  brother,  22;  Sullivan,  25,  and  Flemming,  25.  What 
torture  preceded  the  killing  was  unknown,  though  the  bodies  were  mutilated. 

Lack  of  time  only  saved  the  lives  of  other  settlers,  for  daylight  was 
the  signal  for  the  Indians  to  retreat. 

J.   O.  Williams  returned   to  his  station   the  next  morning  to  find  his 

home  burned  to  the  ground  and  brothers  and  friends'  bloody  corpses.     He  at 

.  once  started  for  Virginia  City  to  inform  the  people  there  and  bring  aid  to 


268  -  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

the  settlers  near.  C.  M.  Davis,  next  to  tlie  \\'illiams'  Station,  was  considered 
a  real  friend  by  the  Indians  and  so  they  did  nut  attack  him.  It  was  three 
days  Ijefore  he  and  the  others  near  him  heard  of  the  massacre,  and  \\hen 
they  did  they  started  to  Dayton,  and  reached  Buckland's  Station  just  when 
the  Ormsby  party,  on  its  way  to  punish  the  Indians,  arrived  there,  May  9th. 

PREPARATIONS    FOR    REVENGE. 

^^'hen  Williams  arri\-ed  in  \'irginia  City  and  told  his  tale  of  horror,  men 
were  up  in  arms  to  punish  the  murderers.  Anxiety  was  great,  for  all  over 
Nevada  were  small  parties  of  prospectors,  miners  and  ranchers,  and  it  was 
feared  few  would  escape  if  the  Indians  were  really  on  the  war  path.  Dozens 
of  relatives  and  friends  of  these  isolated  ones,  without  thought  of  danger 
to  themselves,  went  swiftly  on  Imrseljack  to  warn  the  threatened  ones  of  their 
peril.  Then  came  the  call  for  volunteers,  for  one  and  all  were  determined, 
if  possible,  to  wipe  the  Pah-Utes  ofi  the  face  of  the  earth.  Small  com- 
panies were  organized  in  Virginia,  Carson,  Genoa  and  Silver  cities,  and  all 
met  in  the  first  place,  going  to  Buckland's  Station  and  then  on  to  bury  the 
corpses  at  Williams'. 

After  doing  this  a  vote  was  taken  as  to  wlietlier  it  wnulil  be  better  to 
return  home  or  go  on  into  the  land  of  the  enemy.  By  a  unanimous  vote  they 
marched  on,  camping  that  night  on  the  Truckee  river,  where  W'adsworth  now 
stands,  and  rescuing  five  men  who  were  fortified  in  a  cabin  on  tlie  opposite 
side  of  the  river.  They  had,  the  Sunday  before  the  massacre,  been  hunting 
with  three  others  at  Pyramid  lake;  the  Indians  liad  killed  three  and  these 
five  had  escaped  and  shut  themselves  in  the  cabin.  They  were  brought  across 
on  logs,  drawn  by  lariats,  and  joined  the  expedition,  going  on  foot. 

AX    II.L-PREPARED    ARMY. 

There  were,  all  told,  in  the  revengful  little  army,  but  one  hundred  and  five 
men,  in  four  detachments;  there  was  no  one  in  charge,  as  chief:  Thomas  F. 
Condon,  Jr.,  w^as  in  command  of  the  (lenoa  detachment;  Major  Ormsby,  of 
Carson  City,  Richard  Watkins,  of  Silver  City,  and  Archie  McDonald,  of  Vir- 
ginia City.  Major  Ormsby,  J.  Gatewood  and  others  urged  the  men  to  choose  a 
leader,  but  they  did  not  do  it  for  some  reason.  At  heart,  few  believed  the 
Indians  would  fight,  if  they  had,  very  few  would  ha\c  retreated;  but  both 
lx)ys  and  men  were  for  the  most  i)art  brave  and  couragecnis;  needing  but  a 
leader  to  make  them  victorious;  hence  the  awful  result.  And  worst  of  all,  tlic)- 
were  poorly  armed,  and  so  the  ill-fated  party  went  on  to  its  doom,  it  is 
impossible  to  get  a  complete  list  of  the  men  and  boys  in  the  "Oinisby  part\'," 
as  it  has  been  called.  If  it  had  lieen.  indeed.  Ormsby's  iiartv  and  he  in  charge, 
no  such  fate  would  have  o\ertaken  that  gallant  officer,  as  did.     The  list  as  it 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  .  209 

is  on  reciird  is  as  fullows,  the  names  of  nian\',  Ixitli  liemes  antl  eiiwards,  not 
on  it : 

SINGLED    OUT    BY     FATE. 

Carson  City  Rangers :  Major  William  M.  Ornisby,  Jf)Iin  L.  Blackburn, 
Chris.  Barnes,  William  S.  Spear,  William  Mason,  Richard  Watkins,  Samuel 

Brown,  Dr.  Anton  W.  Tjader,  Eugene  Angel,  F.  Shinn,  Lake,  James 

Mclntyre,  James  Gatewood,  Frank  Gilbert,  C.  Marley,  John  Holmes,  Dr. 
William  E.  Eichelroth.     W'ith  them  were  nine  enlisted  soldiers. 

Silver  City  Guards:  Anton  Kauffman,  James  Shabell,  Keene,  Albert 
Bloom,  James  Lee,  Charles  Evans.  They  were  captained,  as  stated  by 
Watkins ;  he  was  a  veteran  of  the  Walker  fililnistering  expedition  to  Nicar- 
agua and  lost  a  leg  there.  At  first  he  refused  to  take  charge  and  go,  but 
when  told  that  some  of  the  men  who  were  under  him  in  Nicaragua  wanted 
him  he  went.  He  was  strapped  to  his  jxiwerful  horse  and  afterwards  wrote 
an  accurate  account  of  the  battle  and  march  preceding  (his  account  being  used 
as  a  book  of  reference). 

Genoa  Rangers:  Captain  T.  F.  Condon,  Michael  Tay,  M.  Pular,  J.  A. 
Thompson,  C.  E.  Kimball,  Rubert  Riley  (better  known  as  "Big  Texas"),  Lee 
James. 

X'irginia  City:   First  Company — Captain  F.  Johnston,  F..J.  Call,  

McTemey,  Charles  McLeod,  Henderson  (a  Greek),  Marco  Kuergerwaldt, 
O.  C.  Steel,  Hugh  McLaughlin,  John  Fleming  (a  Greek),  Andreas  Schnald 
(an  Italian),  John  Gaventi  George  (a  Chileno).  Company  Second — Captain 
Archie  McDonald,  Charles  W.  Allen,  G.  I.  Baldwin,  J.  C.  Hall,  F.  Hawkins. 
A.  L.  Granis,  A.  K.  Elliott,  Arch  Haven,  George  Jones,  William  Armington. 
G.  F.  Brown,  D.  D.  Cole,  Charles  Forman,  F.  Gatehouse,  R.  Lawrence, 
Henry  Meredith,  Pat  McCourt,  Henry  Newton,  A.  I.  Peck,  M.  Spurr,  Col. 
M.  C.  Vane,  FI.  Mcintosh,  S.  McNaughton,  John  Noyce,  O.  Spurr.  Un- 
known Compan}- — J.  Bowden.  James  McCarthy,  J.  F.  Johnson,  N.  A.  Chand- 
ler, A.  G.  B.  Hammond,  Armstrong.  Galehousen. 

After  camping  that  night  the  little  army  pushed  on  north  down  the 
Truckee  ri\er.  No  Indians  were  met  until  bottom  land  was  reached,  one- 
half  mile  north  of  the  present  reservation  building.  The  bottom  land  widened 
out,  a  broad  meadow  on  both  sides  of  the  ri\-er,  belted  with  cotton  trees  and 
Ijrush,  and  enclosed  on  the  west  by  a  mountain  and  on  the  east  by  a  com- 
])arati\e]}-  smooth  talile-land,  elevated  slightly  alwve  the  meadows.  The 
elevation  increasetl  in  height  until  terminating  in  a  bank  fifteen  feet  high  at 
the  south  end  of  the  valle_\-,  where  the  meadows  dwindled  to  a  few  yards  on 
each  side  of  the  Truckee;  a  trail  runs  from  this  south  end  down  into  the 
lower  ground  and  then  runs  on  the  east  side  of  the  ri\er  to  Pyramid  lake. 


270  ,  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

It  was  where  this  trail  passes  into  tlie  valley  that  the  Ornish)-  party  made  its 
last  stand. 

A    CHARGE  AND  RETREAT. 

The  Indians  made  their  appearance  just  as  the  white  hien  were  nearly 
two  miles  into  the  lowland,  a  hand  the  size  of  the  whites,  keeping  out  of  gun 
range.  Major  Ormshy  gave  the  order  to  dismount  and  tighten  girths,  and  as 
they  were  doing  this  A.  K.  Elliott,  who  had  a  globe-sighted  rifle,  tried  to 
pot  some  of  the  Indians,  in  vain.  \M:en  the  order  was  given  to  charge,  the 
company  made  a  dash  up  the  grade,  but  the  Indians  melted  away,  appearing 
again  just  out  of  rifle  range.  They  encircled  the  whites  completely.  The 
Indians  fired  with  both  rifles  and  bows,  and  with  usual  demoniac  war  cry. 
If  the  whites  had  continued  right  on  after  them,  success  would  have  Ijeen 
theirs,  but  the  larger  number  dropped  behind,  horses  became  frightened, 
forcing  revolvers  from  holsters  and  compelling  riders  to  drop  their  guns  to 
keep  on  their  backs.  Fear  infected  the  whites,  for  all  thought  themselves 
already  defeated.  The  volunteers  of  the  first  charge  turned  and  rode  after  the 
lagger.s,  who  were  in  full  retreat.  And  they  rode  to  the  l^ottom  to  the  west, 
where  Se-quin-a-ta  (Little)  W'innemucca  and  band  lay  in  ambush.  The 
Indians  outflanked  the  whites  and  moved  south,  shooting  down  into  the 
timber:  Se-quin-a-ta  (Little)  W'innemucca  was  joined  by  other  Indians  in 
the  timber;  as  the  Indians  rushed  forward  Xuniaga,  who  had  just  come  up, 
rushed  between  them  and  the  whites,  waving  his  own  band  back,  trying 
to  obtain  a  parley.  Winnemucca  and  followers  dashed  by  him.  Numaga's 
band  following;  the  whites  fell  back,  but  in  a  few  hundred  yards  reformed. 
William  Headley,  under  Ormsby,  was  so  conspicuous  by  his  bravery  the 
Indians  named  him  "White  I'rave."  He  was  supposed  to  he  in  command 
and  was  killed. 

It  was  in  vain  the  bravest  men  tried  to  make  a  stand ;  some  tried  to 
cross  the  river,  but  were  swept  back;  half  a  mile  from  where  the  l>attle  began 
the  river  a])proaches  within  fiftv  feet  of  an  elevated  pciiiit  and  here  a  number 
of  mounted  Indians  were  grouped  and  the  whites  had  lo  run  the  gauntlet ; 
the  horse  of  Eugene  Angel,  of  the  Carson  City  Rangers,  was  sliot  under 
him,  and  he  was  thrown  to  the  ground.  He  did  not  shrink  and  beg  for 
mercy,  but  turned  and  .shot  at  the  foe.  wounding  one  in  the  knee  before  falling, 
riddled  with  bullets  and  arrows. 

The  white  men.  Ihrec-quarters  of  a  mile  farther  Sduth  in  the  iMittom- 
land,  made  another  rall\- :  to  the  north  there  was  an  open  space,  and  in  his 
anxiety  to  kill,  Se-quin-a-ta  rode  into  it  ahead  of  his  band.  Henry  Meredith, 
a  mere  boy,  with  the  Virginia  City  comijany,  was  killed  in  the  rally,  and  the 
"White  Brave"  had  been  lingering  behind  his  party ;  when  he  saw  Winne- 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  271 

mucca  lie  forgot  that  he  d'u\  imt  liave  a  shot  left,  but  rode  straight  at  him; 
Winnemiicca  fled  to  his  hand,  }4eadly  after  him;  and  together  they  passed  the 
line  of  Indians,  when  Headley  was  sh(3t  through  the  head  from  behind. 

Ormsby's  couiniand  made  a  last  effort  less  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from 
where  the  trail  passed  out  of  the  lowlantl,  up  a  steep  bank  to  the  tablelands. 
If  the  whites  were  to  escape  this  point  had  to  be  held,  for  if  the  Indians 
gained  it,  the  only  point  of  exit  from  the  valley,  the  fate  of  the  white  men 
was  sealed.  Major  Ormsby  ordered  Richard  W'atkins  and  Thomas  F.  Con- 
don to  go  with  their  commands  and  hold  this  point,  and  they  did  start,  but 
were  deserted  1>y  nearly  all  their  men  before  it  was  reached.  Anton  Kauff- 
man.  a  lx>y  of  sixteen,  said  afterwards  that  the  last  he  saw  was  Major  Watkins 
standing  on  his  crutch  on  the  trail,  firing  at  the  foe. 

The  horse  that  Se-quin-a-ta  had  been  riding  was  shot  under  him  as  he 
returned  after  the  killing  of  the  brave  Headly,  so  he  took  no  part  in  the 
massacre  wliich  followed.  Thomas  V.  Condon  rode  back  to  inform  Ormsby 
of  the  critical  condition  at  the  pass.    And  it  was  critical. 

First  young  Meredith  fell,  and  the  whites  gave  way  as  the  Indians  pressed 
them  out  of  the  timber.  The  Avhites  went  to  the  south  to  reach  the  upper 
country,  and  perhaps  safety.  The  war  cries  of  tlie  Indians,  their  yells  of 
triumph,  with  the  constant  rain  of  arrows  and  bullets,  changed  the  retreat 
to  a  wild  stampede.  When  they  reached  the  steep  bank  they  were  jammed 
together  in  the  rush  and  eight  were  killed,  Richard  N.  Snowden,  another 
lx)y  of  the  Virginia  City  company,  reaching  the  summit  before  he  fell. 

DEATH    OF    MAJOR    ORMSBY. 

When  the  upper  country  was  reached  it  was  a  mad  flight  for  life,  any 
way  to  get  away  from  the  merciless  foe.  As  they  grew  bolder  the  Indians 
rode  up  to  the  men  who  could  not  keep  up  and,  putting  an  arm  around  him, 
lifted  the  white  man  from  the  saddle.  The  first  man  offered  no  resistance. 
But  the  second,  the  heroic  Californian,  William  S.  Spear,  of  the  Carson 
City  rangers,  was  of  different  metal.  He  shot  at  the  Indian  with  his  pistol 
and  they  rolled  to  the  ground,  fighting  hard,  rolling  over  and  over;  the  Indian 
was  nearly  strangled  to  death  when  his  companions  killed  Spear.  Many  other 
brave  acts  of  the  white  men  are  recorded,  the  names  of  the  heroes  unknown. 

Major  Ormsby  had  left  Lake,  of  the  Carson  City  Rangers,  where  a 
mountain  came  down  to  the  river,  a  narrow  neck  of  land,  through  which 
the  trail  passed  dowu  to  the  meadow  and  then  in  half  a  mile  out  to  the 
high  open  country.  Lake  had  a  number  of  men,  and  Ormsby  intended,  if  de- 
feated at  the  lake,  to  make  a  stand  here,  with  a  favorable  position  to  aid  him. 
At  the  narrow  pass  Lake  waited  with  his  men,  but  when  he  saw  the  retreat  and 
knew  the  white  men  were  flying  before  the  enemy  he,   with  the  reserves, 


272  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

joined  the  retreating  fugitives.  One  dozen  of  rail  men  could  ha\e  held  tlie 
pass  against  the  enemy  for  a  time  at  least.  One  can  imagine  Ormsby's 
feelings  when  he  arrived  and  found  the  reserves  gone,  and  he  had  to  ride 
on.  The  men  were  crowded  in  the  narrow  pass,  the  Indians  forcing  the  horses 
of  those  in  the  rear  Ijack,  and,  leaving  their  helpless  riders  to  ]>e  killed  by 
the  warriors  in  the  rear,  rode  on  after  the  fugitives.  Five  were  kmnvn  to 
have  been  killed   here. 

Major  Ormsbv  had  been  shot  in  the  mouth  and  both  arms  had  been 
shot  through,  and  he  was  mounted  on  a  mule  which  had  been  shot  in  the 
flank.  Major  W'atkins  passed  him  trying  to  rally  the  men,  and  ordered 
Lieutenant  Chris.  Barnes  to  remain  with  Ormsby  and  try  to  urge  the  mule 
along.  \\'hen  he  found  he  could  not  rally  the  men  Watkins  returned  to 
Ormsby.  The  Indians  were  close  and,  firing,  hit  Barnes.  Captain  Watkins 
tells  of  what  followed,  showing  he  thought  discretion  the  better  part  of 
valor,  yet  he  could  not  really  be  blamed,  for  always  "self  preservation  is  the 
first  law  of  X'ature,"  or  nearly  always. 

"I  then  made  up  my  mind  that  the  fight  was  up,  that  I  could  do  no  more 
for  the  Major  but  might  save  myself,  so  making  a  motion  to  Barnes  to  go,  I 
said  to  Ormsby  that  I  would  try  once  more  to  rally  the  men.  He  replied  that 
it  would  be  of  no  use,  liut  to  look  out  for  myself,  as  it  was  but  a  question  of 
a  few  more  minutes  with  him,  and  that  all  he  now  asked  was  strength  to 
face  the  foe  when  he  received  his  death  shot.  The  Indians  were  gaining  on 
us  rapidly:  one  look  at  them,  and  thought  of  self  conquered  valor,  and  the 
next  moment,  with  a  few  parting  words  to  Ormsby,  I  was  on  my  way  to 
Carson." 

Captain  W'atkins  farther  on  took  a  man  up  on  his  horse  and  saved  him. 

Left  alone,  helpless  in  the  face  of  the  foe,  Major  Ormsby  struggled 
on  as  best  he  could,  reaching  the  last  little  valley  by  the  river  where  the 
five  men  had  been  killed ;  here  he  was  passed  by  many  fugitives  and  left  l)ehind 
and  just  where  the  trail  leads  out  to  the  oi)en  country  he  was  overtaken  by 
the  Indians.  His  saddle  turned,  he  was  thrown  and  his  mule  went 
l)ack  towards  the  enemy.  Major  Ormsliy  walked  to  the  top  of  the  grade  and, 
recognizing  one  of  the  pursuing  Indians  who  had  been  his  friend,  ad\anced 
to  meet  them,  blood  running  from  his  wounds,  his  palm  extended  as  he  waved 
his  hand. 

"Don't  kill  me."  he  called  to  the  Indian  friend,  and  he  mentioned  his 
name;  "I  am  your  friend;  I'll  go  and  talk  with  the  whites  and  make  peace." 

"No  use  now,"  replied  the  Indian ;  "too  late,"  and  he  sent  an  arrow 
through  the  face  and  another  through  the  stomach  of  his  one-time  friend. 
Ormsby  rolled  from  the  ridge  to  the  guUey,  wliere  he  died. 

In  advance  of  Ormsby  were  two  men;  one  there,  N.  A.  Chandler,  of  the 


A  lllSruKV  Ul'    NI':VADA.  27:! 

unknown  conijiany,  Iiecause  he  had  no  horse.  As  he  saw  Ornishy  descend 
tlie  hill  to  talk  to  the  Indians  he  ran  down  to  a  steep  point,  laid  down  his 
revolver  and  escaped. 

Not  so  the  other,  who  will  always  he  known  to  fame  as  "The  Nameless 
Hero."  He  was  mounted  on  a  good  horse,  hut  when  he  saw  Ormsby  thrown 
from  the  mule  he  dismounted.  He  was  only  twenty  feet  from  them  when 
Ormsby  was  talking  to  his  supix)sed  friend.  As  Ormsbv  fell,  two  Indians 
rushed  past  him  to  kill  the  young  hoy,  hut  he  got  behind  his  horse  and  fired, 
but  without  effect.  The  struggle  was  soon  ended,  and  he  went  down  on  the 
trail;  but  he  was  found  and  buried  afterwards.  The  Indians  themselves 
recounted  this  brave  effort  to  lielp  Ormsljy,  as  they  did  rvther  acts  of  bravery 
done  l>y  other  whites  that  day  of  fate.  He  died  gloriously,  but  those  who 
buried  him  felt  it  keenly  that  they  did  not  know  his  family  or  home  so 
they  could  inform  his  relatives  of  the  brave  death  of  the  "Nameless  Hero." 

ENDING    OF    THE    BATTLE    OF    PYRAMID    LAKE. 

The  last  victims  to  fall  were  Charles  McLeod  and  George  Jones,  of  the 
Virginia  City  companies,  and  James  McCarthy,  of  the  Unknown  Company. 
They  were  overtaken  in  the  ojjen  country  and  made  one  of  the  most  desperate 
resistances  of  the  day.  They  kept  the  Indians  at  bay  with  their  revolvers  as  long 
as  their  ammunition  lasted,  and  then  were  killed.  So  brave  did  the  Indians  con- 
sider these  three  men  that  they  honored  them,  for  it  is  an  honor  in  the  eyes  of 
the  Indian,  b_\-  dancing  a  war  dance  around  the  bloody  corpses.  After  the  sun 
went  down,  as  it  did  as  they  danced,  they  kept  u])  the  pursuit,  but  in  \ain,  for 
in  the  darkness  the  white  remnant  reached  safety. 

It  w-ill  ne\er  lie  known  how  man}'  perished  on  each  side.  The  Indians 
claim  they  killed  forty-five  only,  though  some  wounded  might  have  crawled 
ofif  and  died.  Their  loss,  which  the  survivors  knew  to  be  a  false  statement, 
they  stated  was  only  two  horses  killed  and  three  warriors  wounded. 

AL,\KM    OF    ALL    NE\'ADA. 

When  the  worn,  weary  antl  often-wounded  stragglers  reached  cixilizatioii, 
terror  overcame  the  whites.  The  disaster  was  soon  known  all  over  Nevada 
and  also  wired  to  California.  It  was  exaggerated,  of  course,  and  prepara- 
tions for  i)rotection  were  made  all  through  Nevada.  The  women  and  chil- 
dren in  Virginia  City  were  placed  in  a  half-built  stone  building,  which 
was  soon  converted  into  a  fort.  It  was  christened  Fort  Riley,  and  l.Kcame 
afterwards  the  Virginia  Hotel. 

Silver  City  citizens  at  once  built  a  stone  fort,  on  the  rocks  overlooking 
Devil's  Gate  and  the  town  itself :  they  had  no  cannon,  so  an  ingenious  citizen 
made  one  of  wood,  hooped  w  ith  iron,  and  trained  it  so  as  to  rake  the  canyon 
I? 


274  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVy\DA. 

Ijelow,  in  event  of  an  attack.  \\'hen  the  war  was  over  men  took  the  cannon 
Ijack  on  the  liiU  ami  it  ]irove<l  to  be  a  torpedo  instead  of  a  cannon,  for  when 
a  slow  match  was  applied  to  it.  it  Ijurst  in  all  directions. 

The  women  and  children  of  Carson  Citv  were  fortified  in  the  Penrod 
House,  and  men  picketed,  day  and  night,  the  country  around  the  city. 

Warren  Wasson  proved  another  hero;  the  only  Iniilding-  in  Genoa  suita- 
ble to  fortify  was  his  stone  cabin.  He  vacated  the  night  the  news  of  the  1>attle 
was  brought,  and  left  alone  for  Carson  City,  to  find  out  why  no  telegraph 
messages  had  come  from  there,  fearing  that  the  Indians  had  cut  the  wires. 
The  Genoa  operator  had  called  Carson  City  repeatedly,  with  no  result. 

When  he  reached  Carson  City  he  found  the  operator  had  paid  absolutely 
no  attention  to  the  calls  from  Genoa.  Why,  is  not  stated.  He  was  told  that 
no  Indians  had  appeared  in  either  Carson  or  Eagle  \alleys.  but  that  a  party 
was  being  organized,  under  Theodore  ^^'inters,  to  take  a  dispatch  from 
Governor  Wright,  of -California,  to  a  company  of  ca\alry,  somewhere  in  the 
vicinity  of  Honey  Lake  valley.  The  dispatch  contained  orders  for  the  cavalry 
to  march  at  once  to  Carson  City. 

At  once  \\'asson  recpiested  to  be  allowed  to  carry  the  dispatch  to  the 
cavalry,  alone.  This  he  did.  in  fourteen  hours,  covering'  one  hundred  and 
ten  miles,  without  change  of  horse,  his  being  a  jiowerful  animal;  he  found  the 
cavalry,  and  the  company  left  at  once  for  Carson.  On  the  entire  trip  Was- 
son did  not  see  an  Indian. 

•     CALIFORXI.V    SENDS    .MD. 

When  the  news  of  the  fate  of  the  "Ormsb\-  Parly"  Hashed  over  the  wire. 
Californians  were  intensely  excited  and  eager  lo  aid  the  Nevadans.  In 
Downie\ilk'.  thirt\-six  hours  after  the  death  of  \'oung  Meredith  was  known, 
a  company  numbering  one  hundi'cd  and  sixty-five  men  was  raised,  eciuijiped. 
and  with  forty  rounds  of  ammunition,  reached  Virginia  Cit)'  five  days  later, 
liaving  made  the  journey  on  foot. 

In  Sacramento.  Placerxille.  .Nevada  Cit\-  and  San  juan,  other  com- 
panies were  organized  at  once,  and  were  soon  in  X'irgiina  C  it\',  eager  to  make 
an  immediate  advance  ujjon  the  Indians. 

The  Nevadans  were  all  volunteers,  companies  being  organized  in  Car- 
son, Gold  Ilill,  Genoa,  Silver  City,  Davtou  and  X'irginia  Citw  the  men 
flocking  froiu  all  o\-cr  the  state  as  soon  as  they  heard  the  story  of  the  l)attle 
to  some  one  of  these  points.  Go\-ernor  Wright,  of  California,  sent  to  the 
Nevadans  fi\c  hundred  Minie  nuiskets  .and  plenty  of  ammunition.  The  citizens 
of  Nevada  contributed  to  provision  the  entire  force,  and  a  thorough  and  com- 
plete organization  of  each  company  was  enforced.  The  following  were  the  lucn 
who  set  out  as  soon  as  posible.  lo  annihilate,  if  possible,  the  red  fiends. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  275 

Washoe  Regiment  Organization,  witli  eight  companies  of  infantry  and 
six  of  cavalry:  Field  officers — John  (.'.  Hays,  colonel  commanding;  J.  Saun- 
ders, lieutenant  colonel;  Dan  V..  Hungerford,  major;  E.  J.  Bryant,  surgeon; 

Perkins,  surgeon:  Bell,  surgeon;  Charles  S.  Fairfax,  adjutant:  J. 

S.  Plunkett,  acting  adjutant  of  infantry:  Alex  Aloit.  department  cjuarter- 
master;  Benjamin  fi.  Li])pincott,  regimental  ciuartermaster ;  John  McNish, 
assistant  regimental  (|nartermaster ;  K.  X.  Snowden,  commissary.  (R.  N. 
Snowden.  Jr..  had  heen  killed  in  the  hattle  i:)f  Pyramid  lake.) 

Compan\-  A  (known  as  Spy  Company) — J.  B.  Fleeson,  captain. 

Company  B  (known  as  Sierra  Guards) — E.  J.  Smith,  captain:  J.  B. 
Preasch.  first  lieutenant;  William  Wells,  .second  lieutenant;  J.  Halliday.  third 
lieutentant ;  men  under  them,  forty-seven. 

Company  C  (known  as  Truckee  Rangers) — .\lanson  W.  Nightingill, 
captain. 

Company  D  (known  as  Sierra  (iuards) — J.  B.  Reed,  captain;  N.  P. 
Pierce,  first  lieutenant;  D.  C.  Ralston,  orderlv:  numher  of  men  under  them, 
fourteen. 

Compaii}-  E  (known  as  Carson  Rangers) — P.  H.  Clayton,  captain. 

Company  F  (known  as  Nevada  Rifles) — J.  B.  Van  Hagan.  captain. 

Company  G  (known  as  Sierra  Guards) — F.  F.  Patterson,  captain:  C.  S. 
Champney.  first  lieutenant:  T.  Maddux,  second  lieutenant:  A.  Walker,  third 
lieutenant :  numher  of  men  under  them,  forty-one. 

Company  H  (known  as  San  Juan  Rifles) — N.  C.  Miller,  captain. 

Company  I   (known  as  Sacramento  Guards) — A.  G.  Snowden,  captain. 

Company  J  (known  as  "From  Sacramento") — Joseph  Virgo,  captain. 

Company  K  (known  as  Virginia  Rifles) — E.  T.  Storey,  captain:  number 
of  men  under  him.  one  hundred  and  si.x. 

Company  L  (known  as  Carson  Rifles) — J.  L.  Blackburn,  cajitain ;  .\.  L. 
'rurner.  first  lieutenant :  Theodore  Winters,  orderly  sergeant. 

Company  M   (known  as  Silver  City  Guards) Ford,  captain. 

Company  N  (  knf>wn  as  Highland  Rangers,  or  Vaqueros) — S.  B.  Wallace, 
cajjtain;  Robert  Lyon,  first  lieutenant;  Joseph  l'\  Triplett.  second  lieutenant; 
number  of  men  under  them,  twenty. 

Company  O  (known  as  Sierra  (iuards) — Creed  Hammond,  captain: 
George  A.  Davis,  first  sergeant:  H.  ]\[.  Harshbarger,  second  sergeant;  number 
of  men  under  them,  twenty. 

Total  number  of  men  enrolled,  rank  and  file.  fi\'e  hundred  and  forty-four. 

ON    THE    M.\RCH. 

The  Washoe  i*egiment  mmed  out  of  Virginia  City,  cheered  l>y  the 
citizens  of  that  city,  and  Gold  Hill  and  Silver  City,  as  it  passed  through  them. 


276  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

They  camped  the  first  night.  May  _'4th.  at  a  place  caUed  "Chinatc.wn,"'  at 
Miller's  ranch.  The  next  day  they  remained  in  camp,  receiving'  ctminiissary 
stores,  tlie  poor  quality  being  a  subject  of  much  cr>mment.  Companies  A, 
C.  F.  G.  H,  L.  X.  and  halt  of  the  \'irginia  Rifles,  were  mounted:  the 
entire  regiment  was  armed  with  Minie  rilies  and  muskets  without  ha_\'onets. 

On  the  26th  the}'  struck  cam])  and  when  they  reachetl  Reed's  Station. 
a  scout.  Michael  Bushy,  went  out  o\er  the  Twenty-Six  Mile  Desert  to  IcKate 
the  Indians.  He  never  returned,  and  twn  \'ears  later  his  liones  were  found 
1)\  Warren  W'asson  eight  miles  frum  Williams'  Statinn.  where  he  had  Ijeen 
killed  Isy  the  Rah-Ute  Indians,  some  of  them  guiding  W'assun  to  the  spot. 
They  iold  of  the  Ijrave  light  for  life  niade  by  Busliy.  and  Imw  he  lin.ally  was 
murdered.  He  was  a  celebrated  Indian  tighter.  ha\  ing  been  cunspicunus 
in  the   Indian  wars  in  Washington  territory  .and   Oregon. 

The  l)anks  of  the  Carson  rner.  <in  the  meadow  where  the  ri\er  turns 
to  iViw  towards  Williams'  Station,  was  the  next  encampment  place.  The 
Indians  fired  into  the  canip  the  next  morning,  the  fire  l>eing  returned,  with 
no  results  on  either  side.  The  Indians  retreated.  The  Ixidy  of  James 
I'deniming.  one  of  the  men  killed  at  Williams'  Station,  was  fomid  here  and 
Ijtu'ied.     The  station  was  only  a  mile  away. 

Ma\  31st.  the  Washoe  regiment  was  joined,  at  the  present  town  of  Wads- 
worth,  by  the  detachiiient  of  United  States  troops.  The  officers  were: 
Ca]Hain  Jasper  M.  Stewart,  commanding;  Cajjtain  T.  Aloore.  quartermaster; 
Charles  C.  Keeney,  surgeon.  Compan\-  G,  Third  Artillery — Jasper  M. 
Stewart,  captain;  eighty-two  enlisted  men  under  them.  Detachment  of  Com- 
pany !.  Third  Artillery — Lieutenant  (iibson.  witli  two  lii}\vitzers.  and  ten  men. 
Company  .\,  Sixth  Infantry — Cajitain  ]•".  1-".  I'lint.  with  si.xtv-two  enlisted 
men;  Company  H,6tli  Infantry — Lieutenant  McCreary.  with  fift\'-three  enlisted 
men;  a  total  of  two  hundred  and  seven,  niaking,  with  the  \ciluntcer  force,  a 
gra'id  total  of  seven  hundred  .and  liflv-four  men.  a  fai"  dift'erent  force  from 
tl'iC  little  handful  of  undisciplined  men  lhe\'  were  going  to  avenge. 

It  was  decided  by  regulars  and  \'oluntcers.  that  Colonel  Jack  Hays 
sJDuId  assimie  command  of  both  forces.  That  night,  as  they  la_\'  in  cam])  at 
the  lower  crossing  of  the  Truckee  river,  two  of  the  men  discovered  the  Ixxly  of 
one  of  the  white  men  killed  in  the  pre\ious  battle.  'i"he  body  was  terribly 
mutilated  and  no  means  of  identification  could  they  find  save  a  heart-shajied 
gold  ring  on  bis  left  hand,  on  the  foui'th  linger.  The  bod\'  bad  been 
partially  eaten  by  .some  wild  beast,  but  they  found  ih.'it  the  tliii'd  ;md  foui'th 
toes  of  one  of  the  feet  were  webbed. 

On  June  ist  the  small  army  cam])ed  eight  miles  further  dow  n  the  Truckee 
river;  here  small  earth  works  were  thrown  u]):  the  ])lace  is  now  known  as 
Fort  Storey,  for  the  cai)tain  of  the  X'irginia   i\illes.     I  leie  one  of  his  com- 


A  TIISTORV  OF  NEVADA.  277 

niand  was  accidcntall)-  slml  and  l<ilk'il.     lie  was  Imn'ed  wn'tli  military  lumors; 
it  was  S.  C.   l-'lctcher. 

NEAR     OKMSBV'S     HODY. 

\\  itiiout  knii\\in,!4'  it  the  cuniniand  was  (iiil\-  diie  mile  t'lMni  the  corjise  of 
Major  Ormshy,  which  still  lay  in  the  i;nllv  where  it  liad  rrjlled.  In-om  hein;;- 
determined  not  to  he  canght,  as  had  been  the  iirsl  command,  the  forces  under 
Colonel  [lays  were,  if  an)thini;',  over-cantions.  On  June  2nd,  a  detail  of  forty 
men  from  Captain  J.  \\.  \'an  Hagan's  command  and  forty  from  Captain  E. 
F.  Storey's  command,  tli<ise  officers  in  charge  of  theii'  own  men,  went  scouting 
down  the  "i'ruckee  river,  to  the  Pah-Ute  village  at  its  mouth  ;  if  they  met 
any  of  the  redskins  they  were  to  f.all  hack  to  Crmi])  Storey,  as  it  was  called, 
and  give  the  information. 

The  little  com])an\-  mo\-cd  o\er  the  recent  hattlefield,  grewsonie  sights 
on  every  side,  making  them  more  eager  to  punish  the  slayers  of  the  white 
men.  Reacing  the  point  where  the  hattle  of  Pyramid  lake  had  been  fought, 
part  of  the  force  went  down  the  abrupt  trail  to  the  \allev,  the  otliers  remaining 
on  the  highei'  ground,  llere  was  where  Sjiear  and  Snowden  had  fallen; 
the  company  on  the  lower  land  had  just  found  the  body  of  young  Meredith 
when  the  companx-  on  the  tableland  signaled  that  the  enemy  was  in  sight. 
'Jdie  Indians  were  three  lunub'ed  in  number,  and  were  coming  rapidly,  in  a 
wedge,  with  the  poiiit  ad\anced.  on  horseback.  Three  hundred  more  were 
running  up  the  valley,  in  no  form  at  rdl.  The  white  men  made  an  orderly 
retreat,  Init  it.  galled  them,  bra\e  men  that  the\'  were,  to  h;i\-e  a  fusillade 
constanth-  in  the  rear,  the  balls  whistling  from  a  ride  in  the  han<ls  of  an 
Indian  riding  in  advance  of  his  fellows;  evidently  the  glol)e-sighted  rifle 
A.  K.  Elliott,  of  the  Virginia  company,  had  carried,  and  which  was  probably 
torn  from  his  dead  hand  b\'  the  Indian.  (  )nl\'  one  of  the  retreating  men  was 
hit.  Andrew  ii;ise\',  who  was  se\'erel\'  wounded  in  one  hip:  he  ne\er  men- 
tioned it  until  his  companions  passed  him  in  a  charge  later;  he  was  weak 
from  loss  of  blood  and  it  was  several  years  before  he  recovered,  after  a  severe 
operation  performed  in  San  h'rancisco. 

As  the  enemy  folic >wed  in  ])erisistent  i)ursuit,  the  officers  of  the 
.scouting"  part}-  saw.  as  they  passed  over  the  rough  ground  on  the  east  side 
of  tlie  Truckee.  the  main  liodv  of  troops  under  Colonel  Havs,  coming  to 
meet,  them,  and  the\'  determined  to  gi\e  b.attle.  It  was  the  best  of  ground  for 
the  Indians,  steep,  sloping  sides  for  a  lookout  and  signal  station,  and  a  barrier 
to  an\'  flank  mo\'ement  on  the  west  side.  The  Truckee  river  ^flowed  on  the 
east.  ])reventing  any  flank  moxement  on  that  side;  consequently,  all  the  Indians 
h;id  to  tlo  was  to  watch  the  foe  in  the  open  front,  with  no  trees  to  screen  their 
approiuh.     .\  large  number  of  the   Indians  masssed  on  ;i  round,  rock\'  butte. 


278  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

about  Uvi)  liundred  feet  high.  It  was  located  aliout  a  quarter  of  a  mile  down 
the  mountain,  as  it  sloped  to  the  ri\er.  IJetween  the  Initte  and  the  ri\er 
were  numerous  gullies. 

THE    VICTORY    TO    THE    WHITES. 

In  a  moment  the  scouting  party  was  under  fire,  not  only  from  the  butte 
hut  from  a  line  extending  from  the  river  far  up  the  mountain.  Captains 
Storey  and  Van  Hagan  decided  tn  take  the  rocky  l>utte  before  the  main  body 
under  Colonel  Hays  reached  them.  They  did  so,  in  one  gallant  dash ;  and 
they  retained  it,  despite  a  raking  fire  from  the  river  and  the  mountain  side; 
they  soon  found  themselves  in  the  enemy's  lines,  liy  the  arrival  of  the  main 
force.  The  regulars  ])assed  to  the  west  of  the  buttc,  cleployetf  as  skirmishers 
in  open  order,  then  along  the  mountain  side,  forcing  everytliing  Ijefore  them. 
The  volunteers,  on  foot,  passed  to  the  east  of  the  butte,  in  the  same  order, 
firing  as  they  went;  this  made  a  continuous  line  from  the  river  to  near  the 
top  of  the  mountain,  and  when  this  was  formed  the  battle  began,  the  Indians 
having  a  similar  line.  .\s  the  cax'alry  advanced  every  sixth  man  was  left 
to  hold  the  horses,  the  cavalry  being  ortlered  to  dismount.  The  infantry  was 
held  as  reserves.  The  Indians  sent  forth  their  blood-curdling  war  cries, 
mingled  with  exultant  yells  when  they  thought  they  had  sent  a  shot  home: 
even  their  death  cries  were  shrill  and  car-piercing,  and  there  were  many  of  the 
latter  as  the  day  wore  on. 

The  whites  forced  the  fighting,  charging  every  stronghold,  driving  the 
painted,  howling  warriors  back.  I'lN-ery  inch  of  ground  was  hotly  contested. 
But  this  time  right  was  might,  and  liold  and  fearless  as  they  were,  the  Pah- 
Utes  were  forced  backward:  at  first  they  carried  their  dead  and  wounded  with 
thcni,  but  some  participants  in  the  liattle  state  that  towards  the  last  the  dead 
were  concealed  in  the  cliffs:  the  wounded  were  taken  at  any  cost.  The 
battle  gave  a  most  decisive  victory  to  the  whites,  and  only  two-thirds  of 
the  white  force  was  engaged  in  the  real  lighting:  two  hundred  being  held  as 
a  reserve  and  fifty  guarded  the  camp.  I  low  tlie  Indians  held  out  as  they  did 
was  a  surprise  to  everyone  engaged  in  the  fight.  The  whites  were  armed 
with  long-range  rifles  and  rifle  muskets,  carrying  a  heavy  ball  1,000  yards,  and 
\'we  hundred  were  constantly  in  action. there  being  plentyof  aninuinilion  and  re- 
loading rapid. 

ROLL    (U-     |)1':.\I)    AND    WOI'NDEI). 

Glorious  as  was  the  result  of  the  l)altle,  there  was  ;i  saddening  after- 
math, for  Captain  Storey,  loved  of  all  men,  was  mortally  wounded,  shot 
through  the  lungs;  he  insisted  on  remaining  on  the  field  while  the  battle 
raged;  /\.  H.  rhel])s  and  John  Cameron,  of  Storey's  command,  were  shot 
through  the  head,  dying  that  night.     A  imniber  of  the  regulars  were  severely 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  279 

wnuniled.  Tlie  Ijixlies  of  the  Iwn  ]iri\atcs  were  buiied  near  Cam])  Storey; 
the  body  of  Major  (Jrnisby  liad  been  found  and  it  was  buried  teni])orariIy, 
being  removed  at  a  later  jjeriod  to  Carson  City. 

The  bo(hes  of  McLeod  and  MeCarthy,  tlie  two  men  wlio  had  made  sueli 
a  desperate  resistance  tliat  tlie  Indians  had  honored  their  corpses  with  a  war 
dance,  at  the  close  of  the  battle  of  Pyramid  lake,  were  found,  where  the 
Indians  had  in  their  dance  beaten  the  earth  down  solidly  and  hard  in  a 
circle  around  them.  The  men  who  found  them  said  that  the  sinews  along 
the  back  bone  had  been  cut  from  McLeod,  evidently  to  make  bow  strings. 
The  faces  of  both  men  wore  an  expression  of  defiance.  The  body  of  Jones, 
killed  at  the  same  time,  was  found  three  hundred  feet  from  these  two. 
The  Ixidies  were  buried  with  the  ceremonies  of  the  Odd  Fellows,  at  the 
camp. 

The  Indians  always  denied  that  their  loss  was  more  than  four  killed 
and  .seven  wounded,  but  a  corresi)ondenl  to  the  Territorial  Enterprise,  who 
claimed  to  have  participated  in  the  battle,  asserted  that  there  were  at  least 
one  hundred  and  sixty,  his  informant  having  been  a  spy  from  the  regulars, 
wdio  was  with  the  Pah-Utes  during  the  fight.  This  correspondent  said  that 
se\enty  bodies  were  found  in  the  clifl^s.  Joseph  F.  Triplett,  a  citizen  of 
Elko  county,  stated  that  he  learned  from  four  Pah-Ute  chiefs,  Buffalo  Jim, 
Big  George,  Captain  Natchez  and  Captain  Breckenridge,  right  after  the 
war,  that  forty-six  Indians  were  killed.  He  was  a  participant.  But  not 
one  of  the  whites  could  say  the}-  saw  more  than  three  dead  Indians. 

THE   MARCH    RESUMED. 

On  the  4th  of  June  the  command  marched  on,  in  ])ursuit  of  the  Indians, 
leaving  a  company  behind  at  Fort  Storey,  under  Captain  Joseph  Viroo. 
of  Company  J,  Sacramento,  to  look  after  the  wounded,  among  them  Captain 
Storey.  On  the  march  the  men  constantly  came  to  bodies  of  the  victims  of 
Lake  Pyramid  battle,  and  all  were  biu'ied  where  found,  as  they  were  en- 
tirely nude  and  fast  decomposing.  The  bodies  of  William  S.  Spear,  Henry 
Meredith  and  John  Snowden  were.  howe\-er,  taken  up  and  later  sent  to 
their  former  homes  in  California.  When  they  reached  the  Pah-L'te  village  not 
;ui  Indian  was  to  be  seen,  but  they  found  the  trail,  and,  as  it  led  to  the  ni>rth, 
to  the  north  the  pursuers  marched. 

While  this  command  was  marching  on,  a  force  of  thirty  men,  under 
Captain  Weatherlow,  was  scouting  on  the  north  side  of  Lake  Pvramid.  ac- 
cording to  advices  he  sent  Cio\ernor  Roop,  under  date  of  June  4th ;  he  said  he 
was  in  view  of  the  ground  where  Major  Ormsby  died,  and  said :  "I  w-isli  to 
God  I  had  fifty  men;  I  would  clean  out  all  the  Indians  from  this  region." 
He  wanted  more  men  sent   to  him,   saying  his   men   wanted  to  fight.     He 


280  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

closed  by  asserting  that  tliere  were  no  Indians  in  the  nortli  end  of  the  \alley. 
Captain  W'eatherlow  was  Incky  enough  to  get  out  of  the  valley  before  the 
Indians  did  reach  the  north  end,  else  the  letter  spoken  of  might  have  1>een 
his   last. 

BR.WE    BUT    RECKLESS    D.VRING. 

Warren  \\'asson,  the  hra\e  man  often  mentioned  in  the  history  of  the 
Indian  wars,  together  with  Captain  Thomas  F.  Condon,  had  induced  eight 
men  to  go  with  them  to  guard  a  pass  to  th.e  west  of  the  south  end  of  Pyramid 
lake;  the  Pah-Utes  would  proba1)]y  try  to  escape  through  this  pass  if  de- 
feated by  tlie  Washoe  regiment.  It  was  an  important  position,  hut  the  ten 
men  would  have  lasted  l)ut  a  few  moments  if  the  Pah-Utes  had  come  that 
way.  May  31st  a  detachment  of  twenty-four  men  came  from  the  \alley,  giv- 
ing a  force  of  thirt\-four  men.  under  Captain  Condon.  Their  position  was 
made  more  tenable  by  this  reinforcement.  Snow  fell  to  the  depth  of  two  feet 
on  June  2nd,  and  on  the  night  of  June  4th,  this  command  reached  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river  from  Captain  Stewart's  command,  at  the  south  end 
of  Pyramid  lake.  Here  they  found  the  remains  of  se\-en  white  men ;  their  legs 
were  ]:)urned  off,  but  the  rest  of  their  bodies  were  intact,  even  the  Ijeards  and 
mustaches  being  unharmed.  There  was  no  way  to  identify  them  at  the  time, 
thought  they  were  supposed  to  be  a  party  of  Californian  prospectors.  They 
knew  nothing  of  the  Indian  outbreak  and  were  never  heard  from  after  May 
I3tb.  Their  names  were:  Charles  Ruth.  Daniel  King,  X.  H.  Canheld.  .Spero 
Anderson,   John   (lil)son,   Courtright,    Cenovitch. 

C.VMrAIGN    ENI3ED. 

On  June  5th  tlie  main  command  mo\ed  to  the  north,  as  stated:  when 
tliey  reached  the  base  of  the  range  of  mountains  separating  the  east  bank 
of  Pyramid  lake  from  Mud  I.ikc  they  marched  along  until  they  came  to  a 
canyon  running  from  the  low  lan<l  to  the  mountains;  here  they  halted,  and 
William  S.  Allen,  Cai)tain  Robert  Lyon,  Samuel  F>uckland,  S.  C.  Springer 
and  Benjamin  Webster,  were  sent  ahead  as  scouts. 

.\t  the  upper  end  of  the  canyon  they  came  to  a  large  rock,  and  Lyon  and 
Allen  passed  around  it  while  the  otlier  three  halted.  .\  volley  rang  out  and 
Allen  dropped  dead,  a  ball  tJu-ougli  Ins  mouth  and  brain.  Cai)tain  Lyon 
never  thought  of  tiie  danger  to  himself  Init  tried  to  raise  the  body  of  his 
friend;  they,  for  some  reason,  did  not  slioot  Lyon  down  at  once,  and,  as  they 
grabbed  at  his  horse,  he  reached  for  bis  revfilver  and  fired  a  shot,  then  turned 
his  horse  and  I'ode  for  his  life.  I  low  lie  c\er  rode  ijown  the  steep  niouiilaiii 
at  that  breakneck  sjjced  no  one  could  com])rehend.  Iiullets  and  arrows  whizzed 
passed  him,  and  lie  jiassed  two  bands  of  Indians  on  the  way,  both  bring  at  him 
but  d<)ing  no  harm.     He  |)assed  the  three  men  hy  the  rock  and  IJien  Colonel 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  28i 

Hays  and  Captain  Niglitingill,  in  ach'ance  of  the  command.  Captain  Lyon 
asked  for  his  company  to  go  witli  Iiim  to  recover  the  Ixidy  of  his  friend. 
Colonel  Ha)s  told  him  they  would  all  g(>;  hut  when  they  reached  the  spot  it 

was  lying  nude,  the  Indians  having  taken  clothing,  horse  and  arms.  The 
hody  was  placed  on  a  horse  and  taken  to  canijx 

This  was  the  last  hostile  act  of  the  Indians  ni  this  war,  and  the  volunteer 
army  started  hack  to  Virginia  City  the  next  morning,  where  they  huried 
Allen  with  military  honors.  Captain  Lyon's  company  had  lost  two  men. 
The  Carson  Company  hore  the  hody  of  Major  Ormshy  to  that  citw 

On  June  7th.  the  volunteer  forces  under  Colonel  Hays  dishanded,  hut 
those  under  Captain  Stewart,  the  regular  troops,  remained  at  Pyramid  lake, 
where  earth  works  were  thrown  up  and  n;nned  h'ort  ILaven  for  Genera!  Haven, 
of  California,  who  liad  volunteered  as  a  private  under  Colonel  Hays. 

COLONEL  L.XNDKR's    K.\  I>KI  UTION. 

Colonel  F.  W.  Lander  was  engaged  in  surveying  and  constructing  a 
wagon  road  across  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  (ireat  Basin  in  the  summer  of 
i860,  and  was  near  Honey  lake  when  the  war  was  going  on.  He  had  in 
August  al3out  seventy  men  with  him,  all  armed,  and  they  had  a  lively  skirmish 
with  the  Indians  in  the  Black  Rock  country,  losing  one  man,  Alexander 
Painter,  for  whom  a  valley  in  Roop  county  is  named.  Lander  was  in  the 
service  of  the  general  government  at  the  time.  He  then  had  a  peace  talk 
with  Numaga,  the  gentle  chief  of  the  I'rdi-Utes,  and  the  redskins  were 
quieted  down.  Numaga  said  that  his  peo])le  were  starving,  heing  tlriven  from 
their  homes  at  Pyramid  lake.  For  his  services  then  and  subsequently,  Colonel 
Lander's  name  was  given  to  a  county  in  Nevada  soon  after  it  was  organized 
as  a  territory.  Colonel  Lander  became  prominent  in  the  war  of  the  rebellion, 
a  general  of  \dlunteers,  and  died  (if  wounds  receixed  in  a  liattle  in  Virginia 
in  1863. 

AFTER    THE    WARS. 

After  the  brave  volunteers  of  California  had  returned  home,  the  regu- 
lars, no  less  brave,  were  retained  under  Captain  Stewart.  By  their  coolness, 
perfect  discipline  and  ready  obedience  to  orders,  they  had  l)een  an  example 
of  great  worth  to  the  inexi:)erienced  volunteers.  After  the  \'olunteers  left 
the  troops  on  June  8th,  Warren  Wasson  was  engaged  by  Captain  Stewart 
to  act  as  scout,  and,  fortunately  for  jxjsterity.  Wasson  kept  a  complete  record 
of  all  his  connections  with  the  Indians.  He  helped  Indian  Agent  Major 
Frederick  Dodge  in  his  efforts  to  pacify  the  Indians,  return  them  to  their 
reservations  and  gi\-e  them  the  necessities  and  e\en  comforts  they  needed  so 
sorely.    The  Pah-Utes  returned  to  Pyramid  lake  in  force  and  committed  depre- 


282  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

dations  and  were  extremely  hostile,  tlumgh  after  that  last  conflict  with  the 
conquering  race  they  did  not  care  to  try  conclusions  again. 

Wasson  acted  as  scout  and  express  rider,  and  had  many  hairljreadth  es- 
capes from  death  and  torture  while  doing  his  duty.  A  number  of  settlers, 
M.  A.  Bra'lv,  \\"ashington  Cox  Corey,  J.  D.  Roberts,  Thomas  ]\Iarsh,  Robert 
Reed,  Hans  Parian,  O.  Spevey  and  Anderson  Spain  took  up  farming  locations 
on  the  Truckee  river,  late  in  June,  near  Pyramid  lake.  The  two  first,  Washing- 
ton Cox  Corey  and  M.A.  Braly,  discovered  the  mines  at  Aurora,  and  gave  their 
names  to  Mounts  Braly  and  Corey.  They  nearly  lost  their  li\-es,  for,  when 
the  soldiers  left  Fort  Haven  to  help  build  Fort  Churchill,  the  Indians  were 
determined  to  murder  them  and  all  whites  in  the  vicinity.  Major  Dodge 
had  left  Wasson  as  Indian  agent.  Numaga.  the  peace  loving,  and  Oderkeo, 
another  peace  chief,  prevented  the  massacre.  The  last  of  July  Major  Dodge, 
then  stopping  at  Buckland's  Station  on  Carson  ri\er,  directed  W^asson  to 
post  notices  on  Pyramid  Lake  Reservation,  defining  the  boundaries  and  warn- 
ing all  intruders  to  leave  at  once.  They  were  printed,  dated  May  20,  i860. 
The  5th  of  September,  Major  Dodge  went  to  Washington,  leaving  Wasson 
to  act  as  Indian  agent.     His  record  as  such  is  an  enviable  one. 

He  induced  the  Indians  to  cut  hay,  put  up  adobe  buildings,  with  other 
work,  at  both  P}'ramid  and  Walker  Lake  Reservations.  He  gave  a  "jx)t- 
latch"  in  December,  i860,  and  gave  each  man  a  hickory  shirt  and  blue  over- 
alls; to  all  the  women  he  gave  calico,  needles  and  thread.  An  aged  Indian 
arrived  after  Wasson  had  given  away  all  he  had.  The  Pah-Utes  were  de- 
lighted, waiting  to  see  what  ^\'asson  would  do.  What  he  did  made  a  good 
impression  on  them  all,  for  he  stripped  off  his  own  wliite  linen  shirt  and  cotton 
drawers  and  ga\'e  to  this  last  guest. 

Captain  Truckee,  the  Indian  guide  whose  «anie  was  gi\en  b\'  the  emi- 
grants to  the  river  and  trout,  was  on  the  reservation  under  Wasson;  he 
had  papers  from  b'remont,  detailing  his  services  to  the  great  explorer. 
Truckee  died  on  Ocloljer  8,  i860,  in  the  Pine  Nut  Mountains,  south  of 
Como,  Lyon  county. 

Wasson  had  in  his  book  of  records  many  odd  things;  one  was  the  burn- 
ing of  the  he;id  medicine  chief  of  the  Pah-Utes,  of  Mono  lake ;  the  people 
of  iiis  trilje  insisted  that  on  the  third  d.iy  after  his  death,  a  whirlwind  came 
and  the  ashes  were  blown  into  a  huge  pillar  and  out  of  it  walked  the  medicine 
chief,  Waz-adz-zo-bah-ago.  Wasson  adds  that  "if  I  h;id  seen  it  myself,  1 
could  not  have  believed  it." 

ANOTIIKR    \V,\K     T  I  IKK.XTKN  II). 

Wahe,  a  vicious  brave,  a  brother  of  Old  Winncnuicca.  tried  to  create 
trouble  in  April  and  May  of  the  next  year,  1861.     He  gathered  them,  to  the 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  283 

number  of  1,500,  at  the  fisheries  near  the  mouth  of  Walker  river.  Wasson 
was  informed  of  this  by  a  servant  and  interpreter.  Wahe  intended  kilHng 
Wasson  and  then  by  strategem  gaining  admittance  to  Fort  Cluu-chill  and 
there  kill  the  entire  garrison.     Only  forty  soldiers  were  there  at  this  time. 

Wasson  at  once  went  among  the  Indians,  finding  Bannocks  and  Pah-Utes 
from  all  over,  the  former  from  both  Idaho  and  Oregon.  He  argued  with 
them  and  was  reinforced  by  some  of  the  Indians  who  had  mingled  with  the 
white  men  and  knew  their  power.  Wahe  claimed  to  be  a  spirit  chief,  but  he 
had  to  flee,  going  to  Oregon.  He  returned  in  May  of  the  next  year  and 
was  killed  by  two  of  the  Pah-Ute  chiefs,  who  desired  to  see  if  he  were  really 
a  spirit  chief.  They  found  he  was  not,  but  still  were  superstitious  enough  to 
cut  his  body  in  bits  and  throw  it  broadcast. 

Governor  Nye  arrived  in  Nevada  in  July,  1861,  and  assumed  charge  of 
the  Indians,  but  their  power  was  gone  in  eastern  Nevada.  The  increasing 
ixjpulation  of  whites  gave  the  Indians  more  clothing  and  food  than  they  had 
ever  possessed,  the  hatchet  was  buried,  at  least  outwardly. 

WAR    AT    OWENS    RIVER. 

California  in  this  same  year,  1861,  was  having  trouble  with  the  Indians 
in  Owens  valley.  The  red  men  this  time  started  the  trouble  by  stealing 
stock  from  the  settlers ;  by  way  of  reprisal  the  settlers  killed  a  few  Indians, 
and  the  war  was  on  in  earnest,  for  the  savages  proceeded  to  kill  every  white 
man  they  could  find  away  from  his  fellows,  for  they  did  not  want  to  incrim- 
inate tiiemselves.  The  men  they  were  known  to  have  killed  were  R.  Hanson, 
E.  S.  Taylor,  J.  Tallman  and  Mr.  Crosen.  The  white  men  rounded  up 
their  stock  some  thirty  miles  above  Owens  lake  and  entrenched  themselves 
as  best  they  could,  sending  to  Carson,  Nevada,  and  Visalia,  California,  for 
aid.  There  were  forty-two  cattlemen  in  the  fortified  point,  and  on  March 
28,  1862,  eighteen  men  joined  tliem,  coming  from  Aurora. 

Colonel  Mayfield  was  in  command,  and  the  white  force  soon  moved  on 
the  enemy.  When  they  had  gone  fifty  miles  they  camped  on  an  old  Indian 
camping  ground.  It  was  not  until  the  6th  of  April  that  the  redskins  ap- 
peared. Then  a  large  force  came  from  the  southwest,  and  the  white  men 
divided  in  two  divisions  and  hastened  forth  to  give  them  battle.  The  Indians 
killed  C.  J.  Pleasants,  of  Aurora,  and  retreated.  The  Indians  followed  up 
their  victory,  and  the  white  men  retreated  to  an  irrigating  ditch  built  by  the 
Indians,  and  until  night  the  firing  was  general  at  long  range.  Sheriff  Scott, 
of  Mono,  was  shot  through  the  head  and  instantly  killed;  a  Mr.  Morrison, 
formerly  of  Visalia,  was  shot  and  died  next  day.  As  soon  as  the  moon 
went  down  the  Indians  stopped  firing  and  the  whites  escaped  to  their  fortified 
ix>.st.     They  buried  their  ammunition  but  had  to  leave  the  lx>dies  of  the  dead 


2S4  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

and  eighteen  horses.     They  had  killed  one  -Imhan.     In  their  retreat  tlicy  met 
Colonel  Evans,  with  some  of  the  Second  California  cavalry. 

On  March  25th.  Warren  Wasson  wrote  to  Governor  Nye,  of  Nevada. 
He  informed  him  as  to  the  condition  of  affairs  at  Owens  river  and  of  his 
fear  tliat  the  hostiles  would  advance  into  Xe\ada  territory.  W'asson  said 
tiiat  a  sufficient  force  of  men  should  be  sent  to  check  them,  for  if  defeated  by 
the  Indians  the  latter  would  wage  bloody  and  unrelenting  war.  Wasson 
had  just  visited  Walker  River  Reservation  and  found  the  Pah-Utes  had 
heard  of  the  trouble,  and  were  greatly  excited. 

The  governor  telegraphed  t(i  Wasson  that  General  \\'right  would  order 
tifty  men  to  accompany  him  to  the  scene  of  action,  and  also  told  Wasson  to 
take  fifty  muskets  from  the  fort  and  ammunitinn.  Wasson  repaired  to  Fort 
Churchill,  and  after  ctmsultation  with  Cai)tain  Rowe  left  f<ir  Owens  river. 
Lieutenant  Noble  was  in  charge  of  the  little  detachment  and  instructed  to 
let  circumstances  determine  his  actions,  but  that  he  was  "to  consult  with 
Indian  Agent  Wasson,  who  accompanies  the  expedition  for  the  purpose  of 
restraining  the  Indians  from  hostilities.  Upon  no  consideration  will  you 
allow  your  men  to  engage  the  Indians  without  his  sanction." 

Probably  a'  better  itlea  can  be  formed  of  the  whole  trouble  l)y  giving 
extracts  from  Wasson"s  report  of  the  fight  at  Owens  ri\'er: 

*  *  *  "We  left  Aurora  for  the  scene  of  action  on  Owens  river,  on 
the  3rd  of  .\pril,  sending  you  at  that  date  a  brief  rqxirt  of  our  proceedings, 
disposition  of  arms,  and  our  i)lan  of  ojieration,  ris  far  as  we  could  form  them 
at  th;it  time,  (leorge,  the  interpreter,  ha\ing  become  worn  out  and  unable 
to  accompany  me,  at  Walker  ri\cr  I  ])rocured  the  services  of  Robert,  a 
Pah-LIte,  with. whom  1  left  Aurora,  in  advance  of  the  command,  and  pro- 
ceeded bv  Mono  lake,  where  1  found  the  I'ah-L'tes  of  that  section  congregated 
.and  much  excited,  but  in  an  interview  succeeded  in  (piieting  them.  They 
were  much  pleased  that  1  was  going  to  stop  the  troubles,  as  they  feared 
they  might  themselves  liecome  involved  in  the  difficulties,  and  they  sent  with 
me  one  of  their  tribe  who  S]K)ke  the  linguage  of  the  (^wens  River  Indians. 

"We  joined  Eieutenant  Noble  at  Adobe  Meadows,  thirt_\-  miles  from 
.\urora,  on  the  night  of  the  4th  of  April.  The  next  day  I  left  the  command, 
willi  the  two  Indian  interpreters,  and  ti;i\eled  eight  or  ten  miles  in  advance 
of  the  troops,  .\boiit  noon  we  jiassed  the  boundary  between  the  l';di-Ute 
and  Owens  River  Indians  Country,  rmd  traveled  twenty-five  inile<,  and 
encamped,  seeing'  no  Indians  Init  .abundance  of  fresh  signs.  Mv  Mono  Lake 
Indian,  on  the  morning  of  the  7th  instant,  informed  me  ih.at  he  knew  by 
certain  signs  tb.at  the  Indi.ans  were  to  the  right  .and  up  the  v.alkw.  .and  I  sent 
him  towards  where  they  were,  while  we  ])roceeded  down  the  v.allev  tow.ards 
the  fort,  which  was  fifty  miles  distant.     J  instrucled  him  to  tell  the  Indians 


A  IIISTURY  Ui'   NEVADA.  285 

llial  we  liad  not  come  In  fio-hi  iliem,  1mt  In  in(|uire  into  tlic  cause  f)f  their 
(lirficultics  with  tlie  wliites;  and  that  if  tlie-y  uuuld  do  right,  and  were  vvill- 
inS'  to  come  to  a  fair  settlement,  justice  should  he  done  to  them;  that  at 
all  e\'ents  J  desired  to  .see  and  consult  with  ihcni :  I  also  instructed  iiim  how 
to  approach  our  camp  that  ni.ght  in  order  to  avoid  danger  of  heing  shot 
down  hy  the  soldiers;  and  told  him  our  camp  would  he  twenty  miles  helow  on 
the  ri\-er.  .After  we  had  proceede<l  ahout  twehe  miles  down  the  stream,  1 
saw  a  hody  of  ahout  one  hundred  men  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain  to  our  right, 
.some  three  miles  distant,  and  concluded  to  await  the  arrival  of  Lieutenant 
Noljle  and  his  c<imnirmd,  who  were  in  the  rear  about  five  miles.  W'lien  they 
arrived.  Lieutenant  Xohle  ami  myself  left  the  soldiers,  and  rode  over  to  see 
who  the  parties  were.  We  found  Lieutenant-Colonel  George  Evans,  also 
Lieutenants  French  and  Oliver,  with  aliout  fort)'  soldiers.  Second  Cavah^y. 
California  Wjlunteers,  and  Colonel  Mayfield,  a  citizen,  in  command  of  about 
forty  or  fift)'  residents  of  the  \alle\'.  \Ve  made  known  to  them  our  liusiness 
and  instructions,  but  found  little  or  no  encouragement  to  make  peace  with  the 
Indians,  their  desire  l)eing  onlv  to  exterminate  them. 

"They  informed  us  that  the  citizens  from  the  fort,  some  sixty  in  num- 
ber, had  had  ;i  battle  the  day  before  im  a  creek  some  twelve  miles  alnjve, 
and  in  the  direction  my  Mono  Lidian  had  gone  that  morning.  In  the  fight 
they  had  three  men  killed  and  were  shamefully  defeated.  The  citizens  were 
retreating  towards  their  fort,  when  they  met  Colonel  Evans,  who  induced 
forty-five  of  them  to  return  with  him  in  pursuit  of  the  hostiles,  and  they  were 
also  in  pursuit  when  we  found  them.  Evans  being  Colonel  of  Noble's  regi- 
ment took  command  of  the  entire  expedition,  ordered  Noble  to  Ijring  up  his 
comj)any,  and  when  he  had  done  so,  we  proceeded  to  the  scene  of  the  fight 
between  the  citizens  and  Lidians,  and  camped  on  the  battleground.  The  next 
morning  by  daylight  Evans  had  ordered  out  scouting  parties  in  all  directions, 
numljering  from  six  to  ten  men  each.  About  noon  that  day  some  of  them  re- 
turned, reporting  the  enemy  in  force  twehe  miles  above, and  at  the  extreme  head 
of  the  valley.  Colonel  Evans  then  ordei"ed  a  rapid  movement  in  that  direction, 
and  in  two  hours  we  reached  the  mouth  of  the  canyon  in  which  the  Lulians 
were  reported  to  be.  Here  we  encountered  a  terrific  snow  storm,  accompanied 
by  violent  wind  in  our  faces.  Notwithstanding  which  Evans  ordered  an  ad- 
vance up  the  mountains  each  side  of  the  canyon  for  a  distance  of  three  miles. 
Fortunately  for  us,  however,  we  found  no  savages  there,  otherwise  an  easy 
victory  woidd  have  been  obtained  over  us,  as  arrows  assisted  iiy  that  gale, 
would  have  had  dreadful  effect.  We  could  have  had  no  choice  of  position, 
and  the  enemy  choosing  theirs,  could  have  taken  advantage  of  the  wind. 

"Becoming  satisfied  that  no  Indians  were  in  the  canyon,  we  w'ere  ordered 
to  retrace  our  steps,  and  encamped  in  the  xallev  three  miles  below-.     I  remained 


286  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

behind,  and.  tlie  st^rm  liaving  abated,  witli  the  aid  of  a  glass  I  observed  Indian 
signs  in  a  canyon  one  mile  north.  I  conchided  to  visit  the  locaHty,  and 
when  near  the  mouth  of  the  canyon  I  discovered  a  large  Indian  trail,  freshly 
made,  leading  out  of  it  in  a  northerly  direction.  As  night  was  approaching, 
I  was  unable  to  see  any  Indians,  and  turned  my  horse  towards  camp  that  was 
some  two  and  a  half  miles  distant,  when  I  heard  an  Indian  halloo,  some  four 
hundred  yards  from  me  among  the  rocks.  I  answered  him  in  the  same  way, 
but  heard  no  reply.  I  then  halkioed  in  English,  Spanish  and  in  Pah-Ute,  also 
making  friendly  signs,  several  times,  but  received  no  reply,  but  as  I  turned  to 
go  away,  the  hallooing  was  repeated.  I  replied,  but  got  no  answer.  This 
was  repeated  several  times,  and  becoming  satisfied  that  he  only  intended  to 
decoy  me,  I  proceeded  to  camp.  On  my  arrival,  looking  back,  I  discovered 
fires  in  the  same  canyon. 

"The  next  morning  Colonel  Evans  ordered  Sergeant  (iillispie.  with  nine 
of  Noble's  men,  to  reconnoiter  it,  at  the  same  time  moving  the  whole  com- 
mand in  that  direction.  The  detail  advanced  some  three  hundred  yards  up 
the  canyon,  when  they  were  fired  upon.  Gillispie  being  instantly  killed,  and 
Corporal  Harris  wounded  in  tiie  left  arm,  when  they  retreated,  leaxing  behind 
the  sergeant's  lx)dy  and  his  arms.  They  met  the  command  half  a  mile  below 
the  mouth  of  the  canyon,  when  as  many  as  were  not  required  to  hold  the 
horses,  were  ordered  to  the  attack.  Lieutenant  Noble  and  his  company  were 
sent  to  take  possession  of  the  mountain  to  the  left  of  the  canyon.  Colonel 
Evans  was  to  have  taken  the  mountain  to  the  right.  Colonel  Mayfield  and 
four  citizens  accompanied  Noble,  the  balance  of  Mayfield's  company  re- 
maining below.  Lieutenant  Noble  succeeded  in  gaining  his  position  under 
a  brisk  fire  from  lx)th  sides  from  concealed  Indians.  Here  Colonel  Mayfield 
was  killed.  Lieutenant  Noble,  finding  it  impossible  tn  maintain  his  position 
without  great  loss,  or  to  proceed  up  the  mountain  on  account  of  its  precipitous 
nature,  or  return  the  fire  upon  the  concealed  foe  with  effect,  retreated  in  good 
order  down  to  Colonel  Evans'  company,  carrying  with  him  Sergeant  Gillis- 
pie's  body..  Colonel  E\ans.  from  the  rugged  and  inaccessible  nature  of  the 
mountain,  being  unalde  to  advance  to  the  position  he  intended  to  take,  the 
whole  command  retreated  down  the  \'alle)',  the  Indians  following  and  build- 
ing their  defiance  fires  on  our  cani])ing  grouml  before  the  rear  of  the  column 
was  a  mile  and  a  half  distant. 

"We  encamjKd  that  night  tweKe  miles  below,  at  the  s])ot  where  Sheriff 
Scott,  who  had  been  killed  the  day  before  in  the  fight  between  the  citizens 
and  Indians,  was  buried.  Colonel  Evans,  being  without  provisions,  except 
beef  obtained  in  the  valley,  was  compelled  to  return  to  his  former  jwst  near 
Los  Angeles,  three  hundred  miles  distant.  Lieutenant  Noble,  with  his  com- 
pany, accompanied  him  as  far  as  the  Citizens'  Fort,  fifty  miles  below,  for 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  287 

the  pur])ose  of  escorting  the  wliites  witli  their  stock,  ammmtiiig  to  about  4,000 
liead  of  cattle  and  2,500  sheep,  to  lliis  territory.  During  the  engagement 
above  mentioned,  I  selected  ;i  high  rock  at  aljout  the  center  of  operations, 
wliere  I  could  i_>bser\-e  all  parties,  and  I  am  satisfied  there  were  not  over 
twenty-five  Indians,  who  had  probalily  Ijeen  left  behind  as  a  decoy  to  the 
whites  and  to  protect  the  main  body  and  families,  who  had  gone  on  into  the 
mountains  to  avoid  a  collision  with  the  troops. 

"These  Indians  have  dug  ditches  and  irrigated  nearly  all  the  ara1>le 
land  in  that  section  of  the  country,  and  live  1>y  its  products.  They  have 
been  repeatedly  told  by  officers  of  the  government  that  they  should  Irave 
exclusixe  possession  of  those  lands,  and  they  are  now  fighting  to  maintain 
that  possession.  Their  number  is  between  500  and  1,000,  and  they  Ijelong 
to  the  California  Digger  Indian  tribes.  Many  of  them  are  the  refugees  from 
Tulare  valley,  who  in  1852  and  1853  massacred  the  white  inhibitants  and  de- 
populated the  P'our  Creek  country.  At  great  expense  to  the  government 
they  were  driven  over  to  this  side  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  from  Tulare  valley, 
and  having  taken  up  their  aliode  along  Owens  river  as  a  place  of  last  resort, 
they  will  fight  to  the  last  extremity  in  defense  of  their  homes. 

"Lieutenant  Noble  conferred  with  me  and  we  agreed  as  to  the  course  to 
be  pursued  till  we  met  Colonel  Evans,  wdio  then  assumed  command.  This  re- 
enforcement  ruined  all  our  plans.  We  might  ha\-e  done  better;  we  certainly 
could  not  ha\e  done  worse.  Lieutenant  Xoble  and  his  men  liehaved  gallantly 
on  the  field. 

"The  next  morning  after  the  fight,  finding  ii  out  of  my  power  to  do  any 
good  in  the  neighborhood  under  the  circumstances,  and  fearing  the  effect  of 
the  victories  these  Indians  had  gained  over  us  would  be  to  incite  the  Pah- 
Utes  t(_)  hostilities,  I  left,  accompanied  only  bvmy  interpreter;  and  the  fol- 
lowing niglit  reached  the  line  of  the  Pah-Ute  country.  From  the  time  of  en- 
tering it  I  met  many  of  that  nation  who  were  anxious  to  hear  the  news  from 
the  seat  of  war,  and  what  would  bo  the  possible  result.  I  told  them  not  to 
participate  in  the  difiiculties  and  assured  them  that  unless  they  did  so  they 
should  not  be  molested,  etc.  They  promised  to  be  go\-erned  by  my  instruc- 
tions and  advice. 

"I  arrived  at  the  Walker  River  Reservation  on  the  i6th  instant.  The 
Indians  were  all  glad  to  see  me  return.  Said  they  had  been  afraid  the  inter- 
preter and  myself  would  be  killed  by  Owens  River  Diggers,  and  if  such  had 
been  the  case  they  had  six  hundred  warriors  ready  to  go  and  a\-enge  our 
deaths. 

"I  was  detained  at  Walker  reservation  and  at  Fort  Churchill  three  days, 
on  account  of  the  officers  at  the  latter  place  insisting  upon  herding  the 
government  stock,  cavalry  horses  and  all,  thirtv  miles  from'  the  fort  in  the 


2S8  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Indians'  country,  nntw  ithstanding  grass  was  just  as  good  near  the  fort  (an 
argument  used  by  the  Indians),  having  excited  and  alarmed  tiie  Pah-Utes, 
who  regarded  it  as  an  infringement  on  their  rights.  I  took  sucli  measures 
as  were  calculated  to  allay  the  ditficulty:  and  I  will  add  here,  that  for  the  first 
time  since  the  establishment  of  that  jxist.  its  management  promises  to  be 
productive  of  more  evil  than  good  among  the  Indians." 

In  the  end  W'asson  iielped  to  end  the  war  of  Owens  river,  for  he  was 
called  to  San  Francisco  to  confer  with  Clovernor  Stanford,  General  Wright 
and  J.  P.  H.  Went  worth.  Indian  agent,  as  to  the  best  way  to  settle  the  war. 
Wasson  collected  the  Indians  of  that  section  at  Fort  Independence,  where 
Wentworth  met  him  with  goods  for  presents  and  a  treaty  was  made.  Four 
hundred  Indians  assembled,  the  presents  were  distributed  and  the  Indians  held 
a  great  [jeace  dance,  closing  the  war  of  1862. 

WASSON   ..\RR.\NGES  CONFERENCE. 

In  May  of  that  _\ear  ( jovernor  X\e  desired  to  meet  the  [jrincipal  Pah-Utes 
and  Wasson  arranged  a  meeting.  Old  Winnemucca  and  Numaga  were  the 
highest,  but  the  latter  was  north  and  at  first  refused  to  be  present,  wanting  to 
force  the  old  chief  to  settle  his  own  afifairs.  Governor  Nye,  with  an  escort  of 
one  hundred  cavalry  of  California  volunteers  under  Capain  Price,  reached 
the  lower  bend  of  the  Truckee  river,  and  beyond  that  point  Winnemucca 
would  not  allow  them  to  move.  He  had  two  hundred  warriors,  mounted  and 
armed,  concealed  beyond.  Captain  Price  was  not  told  01  this  for  fear  he  would 
resent  it  and  cause  trouble. 

That  evening  Wasson  came  with  his  Pah-Utes.  four  hundred  strong. 
They  were  gaily  dressed  in  all  their  gala  attire  and  made  a  great  display,  for 
two  days  keeping  up  a  continuous  war  dance,  undergoing  tortures  to  show  the 
whites  how  indifferent  they  were  to  pain.  \\'innemucca  was  with  them,  but 
-X'umaga  did  not  come  until  the  night  of  the  25th;  he  was  the  diplomat  of  the 
tribe,  and  it  was  with  him  Governor  Nye  discussed  afifairs.  No  treaty  was 
ni.idc.  l)Ut  ])resents  were  exchanged  before  the  se])aration.  Wasson  gave 
to  Winnemucca  the  ])ro])erty  of  his  brother,  Walu'.  the  b.id  chief  who  iiad 
been  killed  by  two  I'ah-Utes,  as  related  jjreviously. 

Xumaga,  the  peace  loving,  gave  Wa.sson  as  a  sign  of  [leace  and  friendshii> 
his  pipe  of  i>eace,  a  magnificent  Ik>w  and  ;irro\\  s.  .iiid  his  war  cap.  made  of  ;i 
whole  otter  skin,  trimmed  with  great  eagle  plumes,  and  his  tomahawk,  ;dl 
articles  worn  by  him  in  all  his  battles. 

COMO   INDIAN    SCARE    IN    1 863. 

It  seems  strange  that  Numaga  should  ever  have  l>een  the  cau.se  of  terror 
to  the  whites,  of  his  volition,  but  in   18O3  he  met  the  whites  of  Como  and 


A   IIISTOKV  OF  NliVADA.  289 

ultei"e<l  a  ])r()tcst  ai^aiiist  llic  whites  (k'slrnyint;-  tlic  i)im'  nut  groves:  he  said 
tliese  groves  were  the  main  reliance  of  liis  i)eo])le,  their  chief  fond,  tlieir 
orchards  in  fact.  The  wiiites  were  welcome  to  tlie  dead  and  fallen  trees,  but 
the  food-l)earing  trees  must  be  left  alone,  lie  would  not  permit  their  de- 
struction. No  attention  was  paid,  for  was  it  not  Numaga  who  had  warned 
them?  Suddenly  prowling,  skulking  forms  api>cared  before  the  wood  cho])- 
])ers,  with  stern  faces  and  hostile  looks,  but  no  show  of  violence. 

Then  the  people  of  Como  had  a  genuine  war  scare,  which  turned  into  a 
fiasco.  Tlie  town  was  put  under  martial  law,  couriers  secured  a  lieutenant 
and  twenty  men  from  Fort  Churchill.  That  night  everyone  was  given  the 
l)assword,  but  two  forgot  it,  and  meeting  in  the  dark  blazed  away  at  each  other 
until  ammunition  Avas  exhausted.  Alarm  and  consternation  spread  over  the 
town,  some  one  in  the  excitement  also  tired  at  nothing  and  pandemonium  was 
let  lof>se.  The  joke  of  it  all  was  that  next  morning  solemn-visaged  savages 
came  down  to  the  town  to  know  what  had  caused  the  shooting  and  general 
Fourth  of  July  celebration  the  night  previous. 

WALKER  RIVER  CHIEF  MURDERED. 

The  wanton  murder  of  E-zed-wa.  a  chief  of  the  Walker  River  Indians, 
came  next.  He  had  a  complaint  to  make  to  N.  H.  A.  Mason,  regarding  his 
overseer.  John  F.  Hale,  and  while  on  his  way  to  see  that  gentleman,  he  was 
met  by  Hale,  who  beguiled  him  into  drinking  and  when  the  chief  was  drunk 
Hale  killed  him  and  then  killed  his  horse.  Members  of  the  tribe  found  their 
chief's  bod\-  in  the  C"arson  ri\cr,  where  Hale  had  thrown  it,  but  before  they 
could  secure  him,  he  had  informed  Mr.  Mason,  and  then  made  his  escape. 
Thirteen  hundred  Indians  assembled  and  sent  a  messenger  to  Fort  Churchill 
demanding  redress  for  the  murder  of  Captain  (leorge  as  the  whites  called 
the  chief.  Lieutenant  O.scar  Jewett  was  sent  to  hold  a  parley  with  them  and 
in  the  end  they  were  (|uieted  by  a  gift  of  a  wagon  load  of  pi"o\'isions  and 
clothing  and  one  thousand  dollars  in  cash  frcmi  Mr.   Mason. 

TROUBLE.S  IN    1 864-65. 

On  the  4th  of  March.  1S63,  three  men.  Dr.  J.  H.  Smeathman.  Frank 
Thompson  and  W.  F.  White,  were  i)rospecting  near  the  north  line  of  Nevada, 
west  of  Pueblo.  They  were  fired  upon  and  Dr.  Smeathman  fell  wounded 
from  his  horse,  crying  for  help,  liut,  without  waiting  to  see  how  many  In- 
dians were  in  ambush,  his  two  partners  fled,  leaving  him  to  the  savages, 
making  their  way  to  Humboldt  City. 

The  following  May,  in  that  same  portion  of  the  country,  a  party  of  seven 
prospectors  were  fired  upon  by  Indians  and  four  killed,  among  them  G.  W. 
Dodge.  Of  the  three  left,  one,  named  Noble,  although  wounded  in  the  neck, 
19 


29(1  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

shoulder  and  groin,  kept  the  foe  at  hay  until  the  other  two  Ijrought  up  the 
horses,  when  they  escaped  to  Star  City.  The  peak  where  this  occurred  was 
named  Disaster  Peak. 

Early  in  1865  two  Walker  Ri\er  Pah-L"tes  niurderetl  two  prospectors, 
Isaac  Steward  and  Rohert  Rahe.  near  Walker  Lake.  Ralie  was  in  camp, 
lighting"  the  fire,  when  shot  through  the  Ijack.  The  Indians  killed  him  by 
smashing  his  head  in.  and  then  started  after  Steward  who  jumped  into  the 
lake  and  was  never  heard  of  again.  Ral^e  had  a  large  sum  of  money  on  him  and 
the  two  had  each  two  horses.  A  friendly  Indian  informed  the  authorities 
and  the  uiurdemus  red  men  \\  ere  captured,  h^or  some  reason  both  were  re- 
leased. On  the  day  the  two  men  were  arrested.  Captain  Wells,  with  a  com- 
pany of  cavalry,  surprised  a  camp  and  killed  every  Indian  there,  thirty-two 
in  all.  The  same  day  word  was  received  that  Black  Rock  Tom  had  gone  on 
the  war  path  in  the  north. 

That  night  two  men,  George  Thayer.  Lucius  Arcularius  and  an  unknown 
man  were  killed  on  the  Honey  Lake  road.  The  Indians  were  said  to  ])e 
gathering  at  the  head  of  Humboldt  Canal.  Al.  W.  Haviland,  on  ]\Iarch  20th, 
arri\-ed  in  Star  City,  asking  help  for  Paradise  \alley  people. 

.\    N.\RROW    ESC.\PE. 

In  Paradise  \-alley  were  a  number  of  settlers,  anil  a  friendly  Indian  in- 
formed .\.  Denio,  that  in  "two  sleeps"  warriors  would  come  to  kill  the  set- 
tlers and  stampede  their  stock.  Mr.  Denio,  A.  and  T.  J.  Bryant,  T.  J.  Fine, 
and  Mr.  Stockham  lived  near  each  other.  Mr.  Stockham  was  away,  seeking 
military  hcl]).  l>nt  his  wife  was  there.  Mr.  Fine  was  helpless  with  rheuma- 
tism and  both  he  and  the  children  of  the  Denios  had  to  be  carried.  .\  cart 
was  arranged  but  a  terrible  storm  swei^t  down  on  them,  making  it  impossible 
to  go  until  nicirning.  and  then  Thumas  B\rues  and  joh.n  Lackey  arrived.  .\u- 
other  settler,  Rcmbreaux  arrived  also,  'i'hey  started  to  reach  Willow  Point. 
having  to  ford  the  swollen  creeks  and  a  swani])  "f  mud  o\er  which  the  chihl- 
ren  and  Mr.  h'ine  had  to  lie  carried.  Denio  .-md  Rembreaux  had  ti>  jiull  the 
cart,  but  met  Jacol)  Ilufford  ;ui<l  he  attached  a  rialu  to  the  cart  and  with  the 
other  entl  tied  to  his  saddle  hauled  it  along.  The  rest  of  the  party  stayed  at 
Cottonwood  creek  to  try  to  get  the  goods,  provisions,  etc..  across.  '  They  ex- 
pected Christopher  Fearbourne  along,  he  basing  gone  u])  the  \alle\-  with  his 
ox  team  the  night  before,  to  get  the  effects  of  Messrs.  Parbor  and  Collins. 
and  they  were  expected  with  him. 

Fear1)ourne  had  reached  tiie  iilace.  bul  in  ihc  murning  when  Ihey  arose 
the  tiu'ee  men  found  Indians  in  force  all  around  the  house  and  corral:  no 
demonstration  was  made  at  first,  but  they  soon  l)ecame  insolent.  Barber 
wanted  all  three  to  go  out,  get  their  horses  and  ride  away:  the  others  object- 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  2i)l 

ed  saying"  a  bold  frimt  was  lietter.  Barl)cr  went,  telling  his  friends  he  wonld 
try  to  get  through  to  get  help,  and  if  there  was  trouble  tor  them  to  shut  them- 
selves in  the  cabin  and  try  to  hold  out.  He  got  his  best  horse  and  an  In- 
dian asked  him  what  he  was  going  to  do;  he  said  "going  out  to  drive  in  a  beef 
to  kill";  they  let  him  go  but  two  rode  some  ways  with  him.  Then  convinced, 
they  went  back,  and  Barber,  once  over  an  elevation,  rode  for  his  friends'  lives. 
He  reached  the  party  at  Cottonwood  creek  waiting  for  Fearlx)urne  still.  As 
Barber  was  telling  of  the  danger  of  his  friends,  smoke  was  seen  in  the  valley 
and  they  knew  the  cabin  had  been  fired.  Byrnes  and  Barber  with  Lackey 
started  to  the  rescue.  The  Bryant  and  a  Denio  lx>y  left  for  Hamblin's  corral, 
where  the  rest  of  the  party  was  to  meet  them. 

Barber  and  Byrnes  and  Lackey  were  assailed  by  twenty-two  Indians  on 
horseback  and  more  on  foot,  Init  reached  the  corral,  and  seeing  the  Bryants 
and  the  twehe  year  old  Denio  boy  being  cut  oft  by  the  Indians  made  a  raid 
and  all  reached  the  Hamblin  corral ;  nov.'  that  all  the  emigrants  were  within 
the  enclosure  there  were  just  ten  men,  one  Ixiy,  three  women  and  four  small 
children,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Denio  and  four  children,  Robert  Denio,  the  boy,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Jacob  Hufford,  Mrs.  Stockham,  T.  J.  Fine,  A.  Bryant,  T.  J.  Bryant, 
John  Lackey,  Waldron  Foster,  Thomas  Byrnes,  Rembreaux  and  Barber. 
Denio  was  virtually  in  command  of  the  tiny  garrison.  Fifty  yards  from  the 
corral  was  Hamblin's  house,  whicli  would  afford  a  fine  vantage  point  for  the 
Indians  to  station  sharpshooters.  At  once  T.  J.  Bryant  and  Waldron  Foster 
sallied  out  to  burn  it ;  they  succeeded  in  the  face  of  an  incessant  fire  from  the 
foe.  All  the  arms  the  garrison  possessed  were  one  na\-y  and  five  small  Colt's 
revolvers,  two  double-barrelled  shot-guns,  one  musket  and  three  common 
rifles, -while  the  Indians  were  armed  with  long  range  guns. 

It  was  soon  apparent  that  it  was  only  a  cjuestion  of  time  when  the  en- 
tire party  would  have  to  succumb  to  the  Indians;  as  a  last  resort,  some  one 
must  go  for  aid;  if  by  a  miracle  the  one  who  went  should  get  through  the  line, 
the  people  of  Willow  Point  w<:)uld  come  to  the  rescue.  Thomas  Byrnes  was 
the  hero  who'  volunteered,  and  mounting  his  horse  he  n.ide  straight  at  the  In- 
dians, through  their  lines  and  away  o\er  the  plain,  with  a  dozen  or  more 
savages  at  his  heels,  shooting  as  they  rode.  But  not  a  bullet  touched  him  and 
at  3  in  the  afternoon  he  reached  the  \\'illo\v  Point  Station  and  there  found 
thirteen  men  and  twehe  horses.  All  started  at  once  for  Harnblin's  corral. 
The  thirteenth  man.  an  old  \eteran,  white-haired  but  full  of  vigor,  who  would 
not  be  left  behind,  grabbed  his  rifle,  laid  hold  of  the  pommel  of  a  saddle  with 
one  hand  and  ran  all  the  thirteen  miles;  his  name  was  Givens,  and  he  would 
not  ride,  having  only  one  thought,  to  save  the  women  and  children,  and  they 
were  sa\ed.  \Mien  the  Indians  saw  the  relief  party  they  hurriedly  decamped, 
and  nine  o'clock  the  reenforced  emigrants  started  for  Willow  Point  Station. 


292  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

When  thev  reached  there  at  3  in  the  nmrning,  they  fcnind  Lieutenant  Joseph 
W'nlverton  and  twenty-five  men  who  had  arrived  iate  tlie  evening-  previous. 

Tiie  next  dav  Lienteiianl  \\'ol\erlon  ami  his  command,  with  a  nunil)er 
of  settlers,  fonnd  and  huried  the  hothes  of  Collins  and  I'^earhournc :  they  had 
evidentlv  remained  in  the  cahin  until  it  was  fired;  Fearhourne's  body  was 
frighttnlly  burned,  his  hands  and  arms  cooked:  he  had  run  out  of  the  house 
when  his  agonv  liecame  imendnrable.  and  had  been  shot  in  the  hack.  Collins 
while  alive  had  been  [jlaced  over  a  funeral  pyre,  his  heart  cut  out  and  his  body 
liorriblv  mutilated. 

On  the  15th  the  whites  killed  eighteen  Indians,  and  scaljjcd  them. 
Lieutenant  W'oherton  and  command,  or.  the  17th,  found  a  band  of  Indians 
and  killed  ten.  and  going  thirt_\--twi.)  miles  further  killed  twit  more, 

TIRED  OF   DE.SULTORV    WAKIWRK. 

James  Emory,  a  prospector,  was  shot  and  killed  by  Pah-Utes  on  May 
5th :  he  was  w  ith  a  party  of  seven,  and  another  man,  Spencer,  was  wounded, 
while  in  the  fight  four  Indians  were  killed. 

l'"i\e  hundred  Indians,  becoming  tired  of  the  desultory  warfare  deter- 
mined to  show  the  whites  they  could  do  much  better,  and  accordingly  assem- 
bled se\entv-fi\e  miles  from  Paradise  valle\',  facing  Cajitain  \\  ells  and  only 
thirty-six  men:  the  whites  of  course  being  reiiulsed  with  the  loss  of  two  men, 
James  Monroe  and  I.  W.  dodfrey.  of  the  l'"irst  Nevada  Cavalry.  Coni])any 
D.     I'our  men  were  also  wounded:  the  Indians"  loss  being  unknown,  if  any. 

(jrown  bolder,  on  jul\-  3rd  the  Indians  attacked  a  jiarty  of  seventeen 
men,  en  route  to  Boise,  at  the  time  twenty  miles  from  Onin's  ri\er.  One 
man.  P.  W".  Jackson,  of  Virginia  City,  was  instantly  killed;  Thomas  Ewing 
was  shot  through  the  body,  Thomas  Rule,  of  Humboldt  river,  was  shot  in 
several  places:  a  French  Can.idiriu,  from  N'irginia  City,  was  shot  through 
the  lungs.     The  fight  lasted  over"  two  hours. 

SlIOSIIOXES    GO    ox    W.\R    I'Aril. 

hor  the  .Shoshone  Indians  the  whites  felt  contempt,  as  did  Ihe  \':[h- 
Utes,  who  helfl  them  in  subjection.  The  .Shoshoues  were  comiielled  b\'  the 
Pah-Utes  to  stay  in  one  section  of  the  country,  the  Shoshone  mountains  on 
the  west.  They  were  oppressed  in  every  maimer,  not  being  allowed  to  own 
horses,  or  in  fact  any  ])ro])crty.  They  never  built  wigwams,  or  h;id  ;niy 
as])irations,  living  on  mice,  snakes,  pine  mils,  pine  burs.  go]ihers  and  rab- 
bits seldom  killing  any  larger  game. 

The  coming  of  the  white  lu.an  had  been  a  blessing  to  the  .Shosliones. 
for  it  had  enabled  them  to  throw  off  the  yoke  of  the  Pah-LUes  and  betlered 
in  everv  way  their  inferior  conditi<in.     Creat  was  the  wralh  of  the  setlUrs. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  29;^, 

llicreftire,  wlien  they  learned  tliat,  not  contcnl  with  thieving-  depredations, 
the  Shoshones  were  ready  tu  go  on  the  war  patli.  i'hev  had  assenililed  in 
a  nuniher  of  large  liodies  in  Lander  eonnty.  'i'lie  jieouk'  did  not  wait  for  the 
Indians  to  take  the  initiati\e,  hut  sent  for  militar\-  aid  at  once. 

C(jlonei  Moore,  of  the  California  Volunteers,  was  in  charge  at  I'^ort 
l\u1)y,  and  he  promptly  sent  Lieutenant  W".  TL  Seaniands,  with  forty  men 
and  a  niounl;iin  howitzer,  to  the  northern  i>;irt  of  Kcese  Ki\er  \-allev,  the 
seat  of  the  trouhle.  It  took  that  young  and  energetic  officer  Ijut  little  time 
to  settle  the  trouhle.  for  he  fired  enough  shots  to  fill  them  with  terror  and  put 
tliem  to  rout,  with  great  loss  to  them  and  none  at  all  to  himself  or  his  com- 
mand. Tlie  Indians  suhsided.  sa\c  a  few  refractory  ones,  and  they  were 
wise  enough  to  leave  the  neighhorhood  of  ih.at  howitzer,  going  to  northern 
Nevada  and  southern  Oregon,  and  a]l\ing  themselves  with  predatory 
hands   in   pett\-   warfare  and   crimes,   principal!)-   stock   stealing. 

COLONY    SCIIKME    TRIED. 

In  1865  the  .settlers  in  Paradise  N'alley  deternnned  to  try  to  raise  at 
least  one  crop  of  grain.  des])ite  (he  .ravages,  it  was  thought  that  if  several 
colonies   were   formed   the    Indians  would   he   loath   to   attack   them.     On   a 

ranch  afterwards  ow-iied  by Rice,  B.   V.   Riley  and  Charles  Singhas. 

seven  men  joined  t(.gether  to  try  .-md  farm  .son-ie  of  the  land;  several  of 
them  had,  as  will  l)e  seen  from  the  names,  pre\iously  suft'ered  from  the  In- 
dians: Charles  Adams,  A.  Denio,  Thomas  Byrnes, Maryland, 

Doom,  and  Travis  were  in  the  little  party.     They  cultivated  eighty 

acres  successfully,  and  with  no  molestation  from  the  Indians.  On  luly  ist 
they  went  to  another  farm,  afterwards  owned  hv  R.  Brenchlv.  to  cut  hav. 
Mere  they  found  numistak.-dile  signs  of  the  ])ro.\inuty  of  hostile   Indians. 

Another  colony  was  ( ^n  the  east  side  of  the  valley,  with  Martin 
Creek  running  hetween  the  tw-o  colonies,  and  consisted  of  Michael  Mavlen. 
Joshua  Warford,  Victor  T.  Schann.,  Edward  Lvug,  C.  A.  Nichols,  Richard 
Brenchly,  Charles  Gegg,  and  R.  H.  .Scott,  all  wcirkin^-  in  the  flavtime  on 
their  own  ranches  and  at  night  congregating  at  the  cahin  of  Scott.  This 
colony,  like  the  other,  was  successful,  h'our  left  in  Jul\-  .-,nd  the  others 
remained  until  the  Indians  were  in  the  vicinity,  when  they  hecanie  alarmed, 
and  Scott  left  in  search  of  military  aid.  On  the  way  he  came  across  the 
temporary  camp  of  Colonel  McDerniit.  wIki  detailed  a  corporal  and  six- 
teen men  under  Sergeant  Thnmas,  of  C'ompany  D,  X^ev-ada  Volunteers,  to 
accomi)any  him  to  his  imjieriled  friends. 

They  went  north  to  occupy  an  adxanced  position  in  the  \-alley,  and  di- 
vided, the  corporal  and  six  men  going  ahead.  .Suddenly,  on  July  26th,  they 
were  confrtnited,   when   loin-  miles   trt)m   the  main   command,   with  a  large 


294  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

body  of  Indians,  who  did  not  make  an  attack  lint  acted  in  a  liostile  manner. 
A  courier  soon  had  Sergeant  Thomas  and  his  men  on  tlie  spot.  When  the 
Indians  saw  this  force,  tliey  put  up  a  wliite  flag,  but  the  sergeant  cliarged 
them,  driving  them  into  a  swamp,  wliich  proved  a  trap  for  Ihem.  An  ol> 
stinate  battle  ensued,  e\ery  luan  fighting  liis  own  wa}-,  ami  imitating  the 
Indian  style  of  skirmishing.  Several  settlers  helped  the  white  forces,  mak- 
ing an  equal  number  on  each  side.  It  resulted  in  a  complete  victory  for  the 
whites,  who  killed  twenty-three  Indians.  The  whites  killed  were :  Joseph 
Warfield,  a  citizen,  Hereford,  private.  Company  I,  California  Volun- 
teers; wounded:  Privates  Daniel  jMuffly,  Rehil,  Travis,  all  of 

Company  I,  California  Volunteers.  jNI.  \\'.  Haviland,  settler,  was  also 
wounded. 

The  revenge  for  this  was  the  killing  of  Colonel  Charles  McDermit,  as 
lie  was  returning  to  Camp  McDermit,  from  a  scout  (ju  Ouin's  river.  He 
was  in  command  of  the  Department  of  Nevada  and  his  liody  was  buried  at 
Fort  Churchill.  This  happened  on  August  jth.  Colonel  McDermit  having 
just  sent  word  that  "\\'e  have  killecl  32  Indians  since  I  took  the  field  and 
have  had  one  man  killed  and  one  man  wounded."  On  August  nth  the 
whites  recognized  an  Indian  "Tom."  as  one  of  the  participants  in  the  Para- 
dise Valley  outrages,  and  shot  him. 

INni.\N    T.'VCTICS     .M)OPTED. 

As  the  trouble  with  Indians  continued  the  soldiers  adopted  their  meth- 
ods, waiting  no  longer  for  attacks  but  shooting  them  down  when  in  sight, 
and  hunting  them  when  they  were  out  of  sight.  Lieutenant  Penwell,  with 
twenty  men,  surprised  a  camp  of  hostile  Pah-Utes,  on  September  3rd,  at 
Table  Mountain,  Ijeing  guided  by  friendly  members  of  the  tribe.  There 
were  ten  Indians  and  not  one  escaped.  September  13th  Ca])tain  Payne  and 
company  attacked  a  cam])  of  Indians  at  Ouin's  Ri\cr  valley,  at  Willow 
Creek,  and  a  fight  which  la.sted  three  hours  resulted  in  the  killing  of  thirty- 
one  Indians,  one  white  man  being  woundetl. 

In  March  previous,  great  trouble  was  started  by  the  going  on  the  war 
])ath  of  Black  Rock  Tom,  wlm  im  the  i4lh  nf  that  mimth  started  in  putting 
up  a  hostile  front  to  the  whites,  terrorizing  ail  the  whites  in  Taradise  Val- 
ley and  on  the  northern  frontier.  The  friendly  Pah-L'tcs  were  incensed  at 
his  actions,  for  the  majority  of  his  band  were  Shoshones  r;nd  Bannocks. 
The  Pah-Utes  feared  the  result  tn  their  wlmle  nation,  and  cdncluded  to 
sever  all  trilial  relations  and  aid  tin  Sdldiers  in  killing  off  the  hostile  rene- 
gades. This  action  was  hastened  by  the  killing  of  a  driver  i)f  an  o.k  team, 
the  stealing  of  the  goods  and  settir.g  lire  to  the  wagon.      The  driver,  with 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  295 

three  others,  was  going  along  the  Honey  T.ake  route,  and  got  in  a(l\-ance  of 
the  rest. 

Lieutenant  Powell  and  twenty-six  men  went  in  pursuit.  Captain  Son, 
the  leader  in  the  Williams'  massacre,  being  the  guide,  lie  looked  at  the 
signs  and  said  Black  Rock  Tom  was  the  guilty  party.  When  they  found  the 
hostiles  they  could  not  dislodge  them  from  their  stronghold  in  the  moun- 
tains. They  had  to  retreat,  neither  side  sustaining  any  loss.  A  stronger 
force  was  sent  out  on  November  13th,  Lieutenant  R.  A.  Osnier,  of  Com- 
pany B,  Second  California  Cavalry,  with  sixty  men,  fi^ur  citizens  and  Cap- 
tain Soo  with  fourteen  warriors  going  in  jjursuit.  At  Ouin's  ri\-er  sink  they 
left  the  wagons  in  charge  of  fourteen  men.  The  nmrning  of  the  17th, 
Captain  Soo  pointed  out  the  smoke  from  Black  Rock  Tom's  camp.  The 
whites  got  to  within  two  miles  witb.out  the  hostiles  discerning  them,  and  the 
lieutenant  issued  the  order:  '"Come  on,  lK)ys;  we  can't  all  go  around,  the 
best  man  will  get  there  hrst,"  and  it  was  a  race  then  for  the  enemy.  And 
Captain  Soo  was  the  best  man,  for  he  cut  his  saddle  off  and  charged  the 
enemv.  After  the  battle  fifty-five  dead  Indians  were  found,  but  many  were 
in  the  gullies  and  sage  brush,  for  the  battle  raged  over  three  miles"  area. 
Black  Rock  Tom,  :'ive  men  and  five  squaws  escaped.  A  corporal  noticed  an 
Indian  woman  who  had  been  wounded,  lying  with  a  little  baby  and  two-year 
old  child;  he  told  a  private  who  was  with  him  to  call  a  certain  citizen  to  help 
him  take  them  down  to  camp.  The  private  came  soon  and  tuld  him  that 
the  citizen  had  "shot  the  whole  lot  of  them,  babies  and  all." 

It  chagrined  the  militia  to  find  Black  Rock  Tom  had  escaped,  and  more 
so  when  he  gathered  more  renegades  and  established  quarters  on  Ouin's 
river.  His  camp  was  finally  discovered  by  militia  from  Camp .  McDermit, 
part  of  Company  I  and  part  of  Company  B,  from  Dun  Clen.  They  met  at 
Kane  Springs  for  a  scout  under  Captain  Conrad,  early  in  Decemljer.  The 
Indians  were  discovered  on  Fish  Creek  and  surrounded  in  the  night.  All 
warriors,  forty,  were  killed,  and  one  squaw,  a  boy  and  old  man  were  cap- 
tured.    Not  one  man  of  the  whites  was  injured. 

Black  Rock  Tom,  when  he  heard  of  this  crushing  blow,  surrendered 
himself  to  Captain  Soo,  who  turned  him  o\er  to  the  militia.  Captain  Soo 
was  informed  that  Tom  was  going  to  be  lynched  by  citizens,  and  he  had 
better  be  given  a  chance  to  escape.  The  hint  was  taken,  and  the  renegade 
was  killed  as  he  tried  to  escape. 

Captain  Murray  Davis,  with  I,ieutenant  John  Laft'erty,  second  in  com- 
mand, with  Company  A,  L'nited  States  Cavalry,  estal)lished  Camp  Winfield 
Scott,  on  the  12th  of  December,  1866,  in  the  north  end  of  Paradise  Valley. 
Lieutenant  Lafferty  proved  himself  a  terror  to  the  Indians.  On  January 
12,    1867,  he  killed  a  number  of  Indians  on  the  Little  Humboldt:  he  also 


296  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

drove  many  into  tlie  monntains.  tliey  escaping  because  of  tlie  deep  snow. 
He  was  left  in  command  the  last  ot  February.  When  on  March  13th  In- 
dians ran  off  stock  iielonging  to  Charles  Gegg,  he  pursued  them  nine  days 
in  a  fierce  storm,  killed  six  and  cajHured  their  arms.  This  quieted  the  hos- 
tiles  down  until  August,  and  the  farmers  put  in  good  crops.  The  ist  of  the 
month.  Hon.  James  A.  Banks,  of  Dun  (den,  visited  the  Camp  Winfield 
Scott,  with  Rev.  Temple,  of  Xew  \'ork  city.  Mr.  Banks  went  up  the 
stream  for  a  walk;  when  he  did  nut  return  search  was  made  and  his  body 
was  found,  shot  through  the  breast,  nude  and  mutilated.  He  was  buried  in 
the  camp  cemetery,  his  friend  preaching  his  funeral  sermon.  Tiiis  nunxler 
aroused  everyone,  for  Mr.  Banks  was  well  known.  He  was  only  thirty- 
nine,  a  native  of  Pennsylxania.  He  went  to  California  in  1852.  and  was 
for  several  years  a  member  of  the  legislature  of  that  state.  He  came  to 
Nevada  in  1863.  and  was  a  member  of  the  con\-ention  that  framed  the  state 
constitution,  and  was  speaker  of  the  house  during  the  second  annual  session 
of  Nevada's  legislature.  He  was  an  able  man.  i)ublic-s])irited  and  well 
liked. 

It  was  ascertained  that  three  Indians  had  murdered  him.  and  the  first 
detail  sent  out  returned  unsuccessful.  Lieutenant  Lafferty  took  his  entire 
command  and  started  himself  after  the  murderers;  he  found  them  at  the 
headwaters  of  the  Owyhee,  killed  four  and  captured  four;  later  in  the  day 
while  alone  in  a  canyon,  he  found  four  more,  killed  two  in  a  hand  to  hand 
fight,  and  drove  the  other  two  into  bis  camp.  Lieutenant  Laft'erty  was  re- 
lieved from  his  command  Xo\eniber  1st.  Lieutenant  Josejib  K.argc  arriving 
in  cam])  with  reinforcements. 

i.\    1867-1868. 

W'itli  L;irferl\-  out  of  the  innning.  the  Indi.nns  at  once  made  a  rai<l  and 
drove  off  nearly  all  the  stock  in  the  eastern  i);n-t  of  the  \alL'_\.  .\  pursuit 
was  in  vain.  It  was  a  hard  winli'r  for  the  settlers;  with  the  s])ring  came 
the  Indians  again,  and  they  drove  off  all  the  stock  of  M.  W.  llaviland.  Big 
Foot,  a  greatly  feared  Indirui.  .and  twenty  braves  did  the  work.  Lieutenant 
Karge  ordered  young  llunter,  a  jnst-arri\ed  lieuten.ant.  to  lakc  three  men. 
Sergeant  Kcllv,  Corporal  Thomas  Reed  and  Private  Thomas  Wind,  to 
catch  the  Indians,  "whip  them  and  bring  back  the  stolen  ])r(iperty."'  .\  big 
order  indeed.  When  Lieutenant  Lafferty  heard  the  order  he  asked  to  go  in 
place  of  the  inex])erienced  ofliccr,  and  unpleasant  wurds  ]),issed.  TIk'  three 
men,  with  ;i  settler,  John  Rogers,  strutted  out.  Latferty  was  sliortly  after  al- 
lowed to  take  selected  men.  a  small  force,  and  go  after  the  detail.  He  soon 
met  a  messenger,  telling  him  his  friends  were  in  peril,  lie  found  tluit  Lieu- 
tenant   Hunter    li;id    Ih'cu    wounded    and    the    sergeant    and    private    inorl;ill\- 


A   HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  297 

wounded.  Tlie  corporal  and  citizen  took  refuge  l)elu'nd  a  rock,  and  Rogers 
took  off  coat,  hat  and  Ijoots  and  nialcing  a  dasli  got  away.  He  soon  readied, 
first,  Lafferty,  who  was  just  starting,  ;ind  tlien  tlie  camii.  The  entire  force 
started  for  the  scene,  eight  miles  away.  They  found  that  Private  Thomas 
Reed  had  protected  his  wounded  comrades,  killing  several  redskins  and  keep- 
ing them  off,  by  sheer  nerve  and  courage.  He  later  received  a  medal  for 
his  gallant  conduct.  But  when  the  command  arrived,  the  Indians,  all  that 
were  left,  escaped.     Lieutenant   Laft'erty  did  not  come  with   the   command. 

Later,  Lieutenant  Lafferty  was  ordered  to  Arizona,  where  he  made  him- 
self conspicuous  by  his  bravery,  in  fighting  with  Cachise's  .Apaches,  the  most 
dreaded  Indians  on  the  continent.  In  his  last  fight,  Octol>er  20,  1869,  he 
was  holding  the  Apaches  in  check,  trying  to  recover  the  bodies  of  comrades, 
when  he  was  disabled  and  disfigured  for  life,  his  lower  jaw  being  carried 
away  by  a  bullet.     Colonel  R.   \'.  Bernard,  in  reixjrting  the  fight,  said : 

"The  conduct  of  Lieutenant  Lafferty,  Eighth  Cavalry,  w;'.s  most  gallant 
and  brave.  The  cavalry  arm  in  y\rizona  has  lost,  for  a  time,  a  good  and 
brave  ofticer  in  Lieutenant  Lafferty.  A  government,  in  extending  thanks  to 
their  officers,  cannot  Ijestow  them  too  freely  n])on  such  officers  as  Lieutenant 
Lafferty,  Eighth  Cavalry." 

INDI.VN.S    IN    K.\STERN    NEV.VD.^. 

The  settlers  of  the  Pyramid  Lake  section  were  not  the  only  ones  who 
suffered  from  Indian  outrages  in  1860,  for  in  eastern  Nex'ada  the  Indians 
committed  many  crimes.  One  encounter,  known  as  the  "Dry  Creek  Fight," 
was  caused  because  the  keeper  of  a  statitin.  Si  McCanless,  was  li\ing  with  a 
Shoshone  squaw.  Her  tribe  wanted  her  to  return  to  them,  but  she  refused. 
On  May  22nd,  some  twenty  braves  went  to  McCanless  and  told  him  he  must 
give  up  the  scjuaw  or  take  the  conse(|nences.  McCanless  made  them  a  present 
of  provisions  and  they  left,   apparent]}'  content. 

In  the  station  were  McCanless  antl  the  .squaw,  John  Applegate,  Ralph 
M.  Lozier,  and  W.  L.  Ball  ("Little  Baldy").  The  station  had  just  been 
built  and  the  logs  had  not  been  "chinked"  with  mud.  leaving  open  spaces. 
About  seven  o'clock  the  Indiruis  returned,  and  before  the  men  inside  were 
aware  that  the  savages  were  upon  them,  a  volley  had  been  fired  through  the 
open  spaces  between  the  logs.  Lozier  was  instantly  killed,  and  .\pplegate 
wounded  in  the  fleshy  part  of  the  thigh,  the  l)all  ranging  up  and  coming  out 
through  the  pocket  of  his  pants.  McCanless  and  Ball  left  the  station,  accom- 
panied a  little  way  by  Applegate,  then  weak  from  loss  of  blood.  Ilie  latter 
asked  Ball  for  a  revolver  he  had  let  him  take  when  the  trouble  commenced. 
He  knew  he  could  not  run  any  longer  and  delil)erately  blew  his  l)rains  out, 
to  escape  torture  from  the  red  fiends  yelling  at  their  heels.     The  squaw  helped 


298  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA, 

the  wliite  men  by  keeping  between  them,  trying  to  keep  her  friends  bnck. 
McCanless  and  Ball  ran  for  life,  throwing  off  their  garments  as  they  ran,  and 
finally  reached  safety  at  Robert's  Creek,  thirty  miles  from  the  station.  A  pony 
rider  and  a  Spanish  cook  were  there  and  next  morning  the  four  set  out  for 
Diamond  Springs,  thirty  miles  away.  Here  they  met  R.  H.  Egleston,  a  resi- 
dent of  Eureka,  who  promised  that  when  he  and  his  party  reached  Dry  Creek 
they  would  bury  the  bodies  of  the  two  men  at  the  station.  Mr.  Egleston, 
with  Thomas  Smith  and  Elisha  Mallory.  of  Genoa,  was  on  his  way  to  Carson, 
from  Camp  Flo}'d. 

It  was  nearly  a  week  before  the  party  reached  there,  and  they  found 
the  body  of  Lozier,  horribly  mutilated,  the  coyotes  having  torn  it  to  pieces. 
Applegate's  body  was  little  harmed  and  the  remains  were  buried,  and  a  monu- 
ment of  stones  piled  up  to  mark  the  double  grave.  McCanless  must  liave 
been  really  attached  to  the  squaw,  for  he  went  back  and  got  her.  then  took  her 
to  Salt  Lake  and  married  her,  raising  a  family  there. 

M.\SS.\CRE   .\T    GR.WELLV    FORD    IN    '6l. 

In  the  fall  of  1861  a  party  of  emigrants  from  the  east,  thirteen  persons 
in  all,  including  fi\e  children,  came  over  the  plains  in  four  wagons  drawn 
by  oxen.  The  party  stopped  at  the  Stebbins'  trading  post  in  Ruby  Valley; 
in  the  party  was  one  little  girl,  so  charming  that  Air.  and  Airs.  Stebbins  be- 
came greatly  attached  to  her  during  the  short  stay.  They  tried  every  induce- 
ment to  persuade  the  parents  to  let  them  have  her,  if  not  for  adoption,  for  a 
long  visit.  But  in  vain;  if  the  parents  could  have  known  what  the  future 
held  for  the  beautiful  child  they  would  gladly  have  consented.  Not  only  did 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stebbins  love  the  little  girl,  but  an  Indian  squaw  who  worked 
for  them  manifested  much  affection  for  the  little  one.  The  da_\'  after  the 
emigrants  went  on,  this  squaw,  Maggie,  disappeared.  She  did  not  return  for 
several  nights,  then  late  at  night  some  one  knocked  and  the  squaw  came  in, 
so  cut  and  bruised  that  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stebbins  scarcely  knew  her,  and  she 
could  not  speak  at  first.  Fin;dly  she  told  her  story,  so  full  of  horror  that  she 
was  not  at  first  believed. 

Maggie  had  learned,  before  the  emigrants  left  the  station,  that  \oung 
warriors  of  her  tribe — Shoshone — intended  to  nuirder  the  entire  party.  She 
followed  the  emigrants,  determined  to  sa\e  the  child  who  had  wmi  ;ill  hearts; 
she  had  reached  the  party  when  all  ;uri\ed  at  ^  ago  Can)dn,  which  is  a  few 
miles  southeast  of  Gravelly  Ford.  When  the  killing  commenced  the  old  squaw 
obtained  possession  of  the  little  girl,  and  managed  to  get  away,  as  she  be- 
lieved, unseen.  Carrying  the  child  she  fled  an  entire  day  and  night  before 
two  Indians  overtook  her.  She  was  beaten  senseless  and  the  innocent  little 
girl  tied  to  a  stake  driven  into  the  ground;  before  the  squaw  came  to  her 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  2'j9 

senses  the  savages  had  used  a  knife  to  aid  them  in  committing  a  nameless 
outrage,  kilHng  the  child  after  horrihle  tortures.  It  seemed  as  if  her  hcauty 
and  helplessness  had  only  incensed  them  the  more. 

Mr.  Stebbins  gathered  a  party  of  men  and  took  the  trail  until  tlicy  cruue 
to  where  the  child  he  had  loved  so  fondly  lay,  staked  to  the  ground,  bloody 
and  disheveled  but  still  Ijeautiful,  the  innocent,  agonized  eyes  wide  o])en. 
Maggie  had  told  the  names  of  the  two  Indians,  and  Mr.  Stebbins  and  the 
others  swore  vengeance  above  the  body  of  the  murdered  girl.  It  was  a  full 
year  before  the  two  murderers  made  their  appearance;  then  they  came  into 
Ruby  Valley,  and  one  was  hanged,  the  other  shot  dead  while  trying  to 
escape. 

TROUBLE    OVER    SQUAW. 

In  Elko  county  lived  a  Shoshone  chief  who  was  friendly  to  tlie  whites. 
He  died  of  consumption  in  the  house  of  Charles  Stebbins,  mentioned  above, 
who  afterwards  removed  to  Austin.  His  tril)e  wanted  to  follow  the  usual  cus- 
tom and  kill  his  squaw.  The  chief's  name  was  Sko-kup  and  he  was  well  liked, 
so  the  Indians  wanted  him  to  have  the  company  of  his  wife  on  his  journey 
to  the  Happy  Hunting  Grounds;  she  objected  and  fled  to  the  Stebbins"  trading 
post,  and  asked  for  protection.  The  protection  was  accorded,  and  when 
the  Indians  found  she  would  not  be  given  up  to  their  tender  mercies,  they 
determined  to  take  her  by  force.  The  whites  appealed  to  Governor  Nye  for 
aid  and  once  more  Warren  Wasson,  now  known  as  "Colonel"  W'^asson,  partici- 
pated in  the  settlement  of  an  Indian  difficulty.  He  was  sent  to  the  scene  by 
Governor  Nye  to  take  what  action  he  deemed  best. 

Colonel  Wasson  left  on  December  i6th,  and  reached  the  seat  of  war  in 
Ruby  Valley  on  the  i8th.  This  was  Smith's  Creek,  the  first  station  in  the 
Shoshone  country.  Two  days  later  he  arrived  at  Reese  River  and  met  To-to-a, 
a  Shoshone  chief,  with  one  hundred  Shoshones.  He  told  Wasson  he  was  at 
peace  vyith  the  whites,  and  would  assist  to  bring  about  a  settlement  of  the 
difficulty.  Wasson,  however,  preferred  to  settle  it  alone.  He  found  tliat 
To-to-a  had  four  hundred  followers,  and  all  were  destitute.  He  also  learned 
that  the  Overland  Mail  Company  was  issuing  rations  of  grain  to  keep  the 
Indians  from  starving.  At  Roliert's  Creek,  \\'asson  met  a  young  chief.  Buck, 
with  one  hundred  warriors.  Buck  told  Wasson  that  the  .squaw  Julia  had  been 
left  by  Sho-kup  to  him,  as  he  was  to  be  Sho-kup's  successor.  His  tribe  did 
not  obey  his  last  wishes,  but  after  trying  to  capture  the  squaw,  Julia,  killed  the 
chief's  horses,  and  made  preparations  for  the  funeral  pyre.  Great  was  their 
wrath  when  they  found  she  objected  to  the  "suttee"  and  that  they  could  not 
gain  possession  of  her.  She  was  very  intelligent,  and  determined  efforts 
were  made  to  secure  her,  the  Indians  threatening  to  kill  every  white  person  in 


300  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

tlie  A'allev.  llie  sa\'ages  placed  a  guard  around  Stdiliins"  Station;  an  Indian 
of  the  ^\'llite  Knife  liand  killed  Sho-kup"s  old  favorite  Indian  doctor,  and 
whether  he  was  accepted  as  the  victim  instead  of  Julia,  the  whites  could  not 
learn,  hut  the  excitement  cooled  greatly.  The  Indians  promised  not  to  kill 
Julia,  and  Buck  led  lier  to  his  cam]).  He  returned  ti>  the  station  and  later  a 
gun  report  was  heard,  and  the  whites  feared  Julia  had  heen  murdered.  Buck 
ran  for  his  horse,  Init  was  shot  at  and  prexented  from  mounting.  In  the  end 
it  proved  a  false  alarm  and  everything  simmered  down. 

All  this  Wasson  emhodied  in  his  repnrt  tn  Ciovernor  Nye,  ending  hy  say- 
ing that  Captain  McLean  and  detachment  had  arrixed  im  the  27th.  ^^^^sson 
informed  the  Governor  further  : 

"The  dangers  of  interruption  to  the  mail  and  telegraph  lines.  a])prelicnded 
in  the  coming  spring,  are  from  a  band  of  Shoshones,  called  the  "W'liitc 
Knives,"  occupying  the  countr\-  between  the  upper  Humboldt  and  the  present 
mail  road.  Also  from  the  Gosh-Utes,  who  reside  east  of  Ruby  \'a!ley.  The 
former  are  quite  numerous  and  said  to  be  \'ery  hostile.  I  sent  for  them  to 
come  and  meet  me  in  Rul)y  Valley,  but  had  weather  prevented  them  from 
coming,  and  the  same  reason  pre\'ented  me  from  visiting  them.  I  would 
respectfully  recommend  thai  they  receive  early  attention  in  the  spring. 

"The  remaining  pro\'isions  sent  out  by  vou  for  the  Indians.  I  placed 
in  charge  of  G.  W.  Jacobs,  the  road  agent,  who  will  see  tliat  it  is  projierly 
issued  to  the  Indians  from  Reese  Ri\er  to  Robert's  Creek:  and  we  estimated 
that  it  would  be  ample  for  their  necessities  until  spring.  In  view  of  the  \-ast 
numl)er  of  wild  Indians  in  the  eastern  portion  of  this  territory  who  were 
not  included  in  the  estimate  for  the  expenses  of  this  superintendency  for  the 
present  year,  and  the  increasing  necessitv  for  jiromjit  action  to  keep  them 
quiet,  from  the  fact  of  the  rapid  settlement  of  that  portion  of  the  'en-itory 
hy  tlie  whites,  and  for  the  protection  of  the  mail  and  telegraph  lines,  as  well 
as  the  overland  emigration,  1  would  most  respectfully  suggest  that  this  Con- 
gress be  urged  to  make  at  least  as  large  an  appropriation  for  this  .service  as 
for  the  Tah-l'tes  and  Washoe  tribes. 

"J  woidd  also  recommend  two  more  Indian  reservations,  one  to  be  located 
near  (ira\elly  b'ord,  on  the  Ilnmboldt,  .and  the  other  in  the  neighb(;rhood  of 
Reese  River.     *     *     *" 

In  the  face  of  W'asson's  recommendations  and  delineation  of  what  might 
be  expected,  no  such  approjiriatious  were  made,  trouble  ensuing.  The  Sho- 
slujiie  Indians  along  the  I  lumboldt  ])roceeded  to  attack  emigrant  trains,  killing 
all  the  whites  they  could  and  running  olT  the  slock.  (  )f  one  |iart\'  all  t'lat  was 
left  was  some  letters,  a  wagon  and  three  yokes  for  oxen.  About  the  s.ime 
lime  a  party  of  two  men  and  their  wives  .and  nine  children  weie  kille<l,  both 
the  tragedies  (Kxurring  near  Gravelly  b'ord.     .\nother  \y,iy{\  was  more  fortu- 


A   lllSi'Uin;   Ul'   NliVADA.  301 

iiatc,  for  w'lien  llicir  slnck  was  run  nFt  al  (ii'a\clly  [''mal,  llic  cinigranls  man- 
aged Id  keep  tlic  Iniliaiis  al  l)a\-  until  aid  iwhIilmI  llicni  Irmn  I 'in'onville,  (ieorge 
L.  C'onistnck,  a  resident  nf  .\e\a(hi  since  iSho.  Iieing  ime  nf  tlic  rescuers.  Tn 
the  fnrce  were  tliirt\-t\\ii  men  under  ('a|)tain  I'nul.  'I  lirv  effected  a  rescue, 
and  next  morning  Captain  i'onl's  command  went  scouting,  killing  thirteen 
\-- arrinrs  (_)Ut  of  sixty;  later  in  the  day  li\e  of  the  I 'ool  command  killed  five 
warriors  out  of  a  hand  of  sixteen. 

GOSIl-UTES   M.\KE    WAR   IX     uSClJ. 

As  ])redicted  by  Wasson,  the  riosh-Utes.  \uider  their  great  war  chief. 
White  Horse,  commenced  making  trouble  earlv  in  1863.  On  March  2Jnd 
they  killed  the  keeper  of  Eight-Mile  Station:  then  they  waited  for  the 
overland  stage  east  boiuid.  It  came  in  with  a  popular  dri\-er,  known  as 
"Happy  Harry,"  and  four  passengers  :  Judge  G.  N.  Mott,  of  Nevada,  and 
a  man  and  his  two  little  l)oys,  on  the  way  to  their  home  in  the  east. 

The  Indians  fired,  with  exultant  )ells.  I)ut  although  mortally  wounded. 
Happy  Harry  sent  the  horses  on,  clinging  to  his  seat.  Inside  the  stage,  the 
father  had  Ijeen  wounded  by  an  arrow.  The  heroic  dri\'er  by  sheer  force 
of  will,  kept  the  horses  on  the  way.  until  he  knew  be  could  not  last  another 
moment:  then  he  called  Judge  Mott,  who  managed  to  climb  along  the  sides 
of  the  coach,  mitil  he  reached  the  driver's  seat.  As  be  grasped  the  lines. 
Happy  Harry  sank  dead  on  the  floor  of  the  coach.  Surely  another  hero, 
who  thought  last  of  all  of  himself,  intent  on  saving  those  in  his  charge. 

Judge  Mott  reached  Deep  Creek  Station  safely,  one  horse  dying  from 
the  run:  the  father  recovered  afterwards.  Left  'lehind,  the  Indians  Inirned 
the  station,  and  emboldened  by  the  fact  that  they  had  been  so  far  successful, 
planned  other  murders.  The  Eight-Mile  Station  crime  commenced  the  w'ar 
always  spoken  of  as  "The  Overland  War  of  1863." 

Finding  the  Indians  were  ready  to  give  battle  from  Schell  Creek  to 'Salt 
Lake  City,  all  along  the  route  of  the  Overland,  225  miles.  Company  K, 
Second  California  Cavalry  Volunteers,  under  Captain  S.  P.  Smith,  was  sent 
from  Camp  Douglas  to  Eight-Mile  Station,  but  divided,  the  main  body 
arriving-  at  Fort  Ruby  the  last  of  April.  On  May  5tb  Company  E.  Third 
California  Infantry  Volunteers,  left  Camp  Douglas  to  act  as  guards  for  the 
Overland  road  between  Austin  and  Salt  Lake.  Soldiers,  usually  four,  were 
left  at  each  station,  and  as  the  stage  arrived  at  a  station  two  of  the  soldiers 
on  guard  in  the  station  would  accompany  the  stage  to  the  next  station,  then 
guard  the  next  return  stage.  The  ca\-alry  in  the  meantime  was  ranging  over 
the  countrv,  patrolling  the  road  and  scouting.  In  spite  of  these  precautions 
a  stage  was  ambushed  soon,  when  fi\e  soldiers  were  on  board.     The  latter 


230  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

returned  the  fire  and  the  only  loss  was  a  stage  horse,  shot  to  death,  dying- 
a  mile  ahead  of  the  ambush. 

Henry  Buttei-field,  an  interpreter  of  the  Slioshone  language,  had  been 
appointed  as  Indian  agent  at  Ruby  Valley  by  Go\ernor  Nye.  He  sent  out 
two  friendly  Indians  as  spies :  they  soon  returned,  having  ascertained  which 
Indians  were  guilty  of  the  murder  at  Eight-Mile  Station.  It  was  found 
that  they  were  Gosh-Utes.  Captain  Smith's  company  of  California  cavalry 
moved  at  once  to  Schell  Creek,  reaching  it  on  May  2nd,  having  marched 
sixty  miles  in  less  than  twenty-four  hours.  Here  they  kept  concealed  until 
night,  then  moved  south  in  Steptoe  Valley,  at  the  base  of  the  Schell  Creek 
Mountains.  By  daylight  the  command  camped  in  a  deep  canyon,  sending" 
the  Indian  spies  ahead.  These  returned  at  sundown,  stating  that  some  of 
the  Gosh-Utes  were  camped  on  Duck  Creek,  ten  miles  south.  At  night  the 
cavalry  surrounded  the  camp,  and  when  daylight  broke,  a  pistol  shot  gave 
the  signal  for  the  work  of  revenge  to  commence.  In  camp  were  twenty-six 
warriors  and  only  two  escaped.  Next  morning  five  Indians  approached, 
unsuspecting  the  presence  of  the  soldiers,  and  they  were  killed,  one  cavalry- 
man being  wounded. 

Captain  Smith  determined  to  keep  on  and  avenge  the  death  of  Happy 
Harry  by  the  death  of  as  many  Indians  as  he  could  find,  going  north  to 
Spring  Valley,  reaching  there  May  i6th.  An  Indian  camp  was  found  but 
the  ground  was  all  swampy  and  many  of  the  cr.valry  horses  mired ;  this 
allowed  some  of  the  Indians  to  escape  but  twenty-three  were  killed,  Captain 
Smitli  having  one  man  \\ounded  and  one  horse  disabled.  This  made  a  total 
of  fifty-two  Gosh-Utes  sent  to  the  happy  hunting  grounds,  and  Captain 
Smith  returned  with  his  command  to  Fort  Ruby.  They  reached  there  about 
the  middle  of  May. 

They  did  not  stay  long,  for  (in  the  20lh  the  Overland  was  fired  on  and 
the  dri\cr,  Kiley  Sim]).son,  killed,  ;i  |)assenger  named  Fgan  bringing  ihe 
stage  in.  Captain  Smith  and  Company  K  returned  to  Deep  Creek  and  re- 
mained there  the  balance  of  the  year. 

CANON   ST.\TIO.\    ATT.\CKED. 

The  day  after  killing  Happy  Harry  the  Indians  burned  a  station  alxnit 
eight  miles  ea.st  of  Deep  Creek,  killing  the  station-keeper.  When  Company 
E.  'i'hird  California  Infantry,  was  ])osling  soldiers  at  the  stations,  four  were 
left  here:  Jacob  11.  l^lliott,  Jacob  Burger,  Ira  Abbott  and  W.  S.  Hervey, 
residents  of  Tuolumne  county.  California.  They  found  at  the  station  "Deaf 
Bill"  and  an  assistant,  who  cared  for  the  stock  of  the  Overland  Stage,  .\bbott 
and  Hervey  guarded  the  stage  from  Deep  Creek  to  their  home  station  th^ 


A  HISTOKV  OF  NEVADA.  30:3 

last  of  June;  Hervey  tolil  a  ladv  ])asseng'ei'  tliat  lie  liad  a  presentiment  of 
cum  ins;'  disaster. 

After  reachini;-  the  station  tliey  liad  to  iin  with  a  wagon  for  water,  it 
being  what  was  known  as  a  dry  station,  all  water  hax'ing  to  lie  hauled  under 
guard  from  Deep  Creek  Slough.  ;\hl)ott  and  FIer\-ey  took  Deaf  Bill  as  a 
dri\-er  for  the  wagon.  Hervey  spoke  of  his  presentiment  to  Ahbott,  who  told 
of  it  afterwards :     "I  dreamed  last  night  that  I  was  going  to  be  shot  and 

killed  by  Indians  to-day,  and "  he  did  not  finish  the  sentence,  for  a  shot 

silenced  him  forever  and  he  pitched  forward  in  the  road,  dead.  The  Indians, 
eighteen  in  numljer.  had  wounded  .Mibott  in  the  right  shoulder,  knocking  him 
from  the  wagon.  A  shot  cut  off  one  of  Deaf  Bill's  thunilis,  and  wounded 
one  horse.  Deaf  Bill  could  not  hear  the  shots  but  he  felt  the  wound,  and 
stopped  the  horses  after  they  had  run  one  hundred  feet ;  he  opened  fire, 
wounding  one  of  the  Gosh-Utes.  Abbott  ran  to  the  wagon,  got  his  gun,  and 
with  the  redskins  only  a  few  feet  away,  ran  back  to  get  the  l)ody  of  his 
friend.  The  Indians  kept  firing,  concentrating  it  all  on  Abbott,  hoping  to 
disable  him.  He  was  shot  in  both  legs.  He  reached  the  body,  and  took  up 
the  gun,  dropped  from  the  nerveless  hands.  He  fired,  but  the  barrel  was 
bent  where  the  wagon's  wheels  had  passed  o\er  it  and  he  hit  no  one.  He 
then  took  Hervey's  revoh-er  but  his  wound  began  to  paralyze  his  arm,  and 
he  had  to  cease  firing;  he  picked  up  the  body  of  his  friend  and  took  it  to 
the  wagon  ;  while  struggling  along,  bending  under  the  weight  of  the  inert 
body,  he  was  hit  twice  more,  once  on  each  side;  but  he  held  on,  and  after 
he  put  the  body  and  weapons  in  the  wagon.  Deaf  Bill  started  the  horses  on 
a  dead  run  and  they  reached  the  station. 

Arriving  there  the  assistant  hostler  told  them  Elliott  and  Burger  had 
gone  to  hunt  sage  hens ;  looking  in  the  direction  they  had  taken,  Abbott  saw 
a  rifle  in  the  hands  of  one  of  the  Indians,  on  a  knoll  near  by,  which  he  knew 
had  belonged  to  Elliott.  He  knew  then  both  men  were  dead.  The  men  in 
the  station  fired  repeatedly  on  the  Indians,  who  at  last  withdrew.  Siu'c 
enough,  when  an  emigrant  train  drew  up  at  the  station  half  an  hour  after, 
the  body  of  Elliott  was  with  them,  they  having  found  it  in  the  road.  Elliott 
had  made  a  hard  fight  for  life;  his  body  was  badly  mutilated;  his  heart  had 
been  cut  out  and  taken  away.  He  was  bald  but  wore  whiskers,  and  these 
the  Indians  had  scalped  from  his  face.  The  next  day  the  body  of  Burger 
was  discovered,  he  e\-idently  having  l>een  killed  first.  A  surgeon  with  this 
party  dressed  Abbott's  many  wounds. 

ANOTHER   .'XTT.XCK   ON    ST.\TION. 

The  result  of  this  attack  but  made  the  Indians  more  desirous  of  burning 
the  station,  but  they  waited  only  until  new  men  replaced  Abbott.     Deaf  Bill 


304  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

was  there,  with  Iiis  assistant  (Deaf  liilTs  name  was  William  Riley)  and  fuur 
soldiers,  of  Company  E,  Third  California  Cavalry:  Tarsey  Crimsliaw. 
Micliael  McNamarra,  Lewis  Pratt  and  Anthony  Myers.  On  the  6th  of 
July,  as  Deaf  Bill  was  currying  a  horse  at  the  barn  he  was  shot  dead,  from 
ambiish.  His  assistant  heard  the  shots  and  rushed  from  the  harn.  heing  shot 
dow-n  as  he  appeared.  A  soldier  who  heard  the  shots  came  out  of  the  station 
and  was  also  killed.  The  three  soldiers  in  the  station,  which  was  a  "dug 
out"  under  ground,  knew  they  stood  no  show  there,  so  made  a  dash  for  the 
barn,  and  Grimshaw  was  killed  while  half  way  there:  this  left  Myers  and 
Pratt:  they  reached  the  barn,  and  for  half  an  hour  kept  the  enemy  at  bay. 
Then  the  savages  set  fire  to  a  stack  of  hay  against  the  barn.  Death  was 
certain  there  and  the  two  decided  to  mount  horses  and  try  to  get  past  the 
b'nes  of  howling  redskins.  One  horse  was  very  swift,  and  tliey  drew  lots 
to  see  which  should  use  it — Pratt  winning:  the  two  men  shook  hands  and 
dashing  from  the  barn  rode  for  their  lives:  they  had  gone  some  distance, 
when  Myers  fell  from  the  saddle:  his  horse  staggered  a  few  steps,  then 
dropped  dead.  Pratt,  although  mortally  wounded,  got  away  from  the  In- 
dians before  he  dropped.  Later  in  the  day  an  emigrant  train  came  acro-ss 
Lewis  Pratt,  dying  in  the  road,  his  horse  lying  dead  by  his  side:  !ie  lived 
long  enough  to  be  carried  to  Willow  Station,  and  tell  the  story  of  the  mas- 
sacre. Company  K,  in  pursuit,  could  not  catch  up  with  the  perpetrators  of 
this  last  crime,  but  killed  two  Indians,  for  the  "general  good." 

MORMONS  INCITED  INDIANS. 

After  this  the  militia  kept  on  the  trail  of  the  Gosh-Utes  and  finally  the 
tribe  sued  Un  peace,  which  l)eing  granted  them,  they  returned  to  their  reserva- 
tion and  recei\cd  rations.  It  was  considered  strange  that  the  Gosh-Ctes 
singled  out  the  Overland  Stage  Company  for  victims.  The  company  lost 
sixteen  men,  150  horses  and  had  seven  stations  burned.  But  even  with  all 
these  disasters  to  struggle  against,  seldom  was  a  stage  late,  and  the  schedule 
trips  were  always  made.  The  com]>any  treated  the  Indians  well,  fed  Ihcni 
and  gave  them  employment. 

The  MornK)ns  were  at  enmity  with  the  ()\crland  Company,  the  company 
resenting  the  exorbitant  prices  the  Mormons  charged  them  for  everything, 
it  ending  finally  in  the  com])any  starting  a  farm,  as  narrated  early  in  this 
history.  The  Mormons,  so  White  Horse  informed  Henry  Butterfield.  urged 
the  Gosh-L'tes  on  to  war:  they  told  the  Indians  that  the  whites  were  holding 
back  the  annuities  from  the  government  to  the  Indians,  and  keeping  them 
fr.r  their  own  use. 

When  the  Gosh-L'tes  came  back  to  the  reservation  war  was  ended  for- 
ever in  Nevada,  though  tliere  were  several  scares,  notably  one  in  eastern 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  ?.05 

Nevada  in  Septenilicr,  1875.  Troulile  (uer  a  mine  caused  a  killing:  Gosli- 
Ute  Indians  offered  to  sell  a  mine  to  A.  J.  Leathers  and  James  Tollard.  The 
price  for  a  location  was  to  be  $50:  on  looking  at  the  ledge  it  was  fotind  to  ije 
worthless  and  the  white  men  refused  to  pay  for  it.  To  the  Indians  all  quartz 
ledges  were  the  same,  so  when  payment  was  refused,  To-ba  killed  Tollard ; 
Leathers  escaping  to  the  ranch  of  A.  C.  Cleveland.  That  gentleman  went 
on  the  warpath  himself  and  captured  an  Indian,  killing  him  when  he  at- 
tempted to  escape.  Mr.  Cleveland  was  going  to  hand  him  over  to  the  au- 
thorities. One  of  Cleveland's  herders  killed  an  Indian  who  refused  to  give 
up  his  gun.  At  the  time  of  these  incidents  the  Gosh-Utes  were  gathering 
pine-nuts  in  large  bands.  They  were  the  ones  frightened,  but  a  war  scare 
was  spread,  \'olunteer*  troops  were  organized.  Governor  Bradley  was  asked 
for  aid ;  he  in  turn  asked  help  of  Major-General  Schotield,  in  San  Francisco. 
Major  Dennis  and  command  reached  Spring  Valley,  and  nearly  scared  the 
Gosh-Utes  into  a  panic.  The  murderer  of  Tollard  was  demanded  and  at 
once  given  u]i.  Citizens  took  him  away  from  the  militia  and  lynched  him. 
And  that  was  really  all  there  was  to  the  great  war  scare  of  1875. 

For  several  years  the  Indians  kept  up  an  intermittent  annoyance,  on 
one  occasion  going  into  lone,  the  county  seat  then  of  Nye  county,  and  de- 
manding money  because  some  jolly  boys  had  offered  some  of  the  tribe  what 
they  considered  indignities.     The  money  was  paid  and  no  blood  was  shed. 

In  1874  Naches,  a  tall,  fine-looking  chief  of  the  Pah-LTtes,  was  said  to 
be  striving  to  cause  trouble  among  thf^  Indians  on  the  Humboldt.  He  was 
arrested  and  taken  to  Fort  Alcatraz,  San  Francisco.  He  was  made  mucli 
of,  loaded  with  gifts,  and  sent  home  from  the  harbor  rejoicing.  Naches 
said  that  Mr.  Pateman,  Indian  agent,  wronged  his  tribe  and  the  government. 
Some  Nevada  papers  upheld  Naches,  saying  Pateman  wanted  the  Pah-Utes 
on  the  reservation  to  swell  the  number.  In  June,  1878,  Naches  resigned 
his  position  of  authority  with  his  tribe.  Captain  Charley,  of  W'adsworth, 
succeeded ;  be  was  killed,  the  tribe  then  killing  his  murderer. 

Naches  was  always  a  leader  among  the  Piutes,  and  was  regarded  b\'  the 
whites  as  a  most  intelligent  Indian.  In  1884  be  was  elected  Big  Chief  of 
the  Piutes ;  he  declined  emphatically,  but  at  a  later  pow-pow  when  he  was  re- 
elected be  accepted,  as  he  was  regarded  as  the  head  of  the  tribe  always.  He 
cultivated  for  some  time  land  belonging  to  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad,  and 
in  1885  he  purchased  it.  190  acres,  for  $400.  It  was  located  on  Big  Meadows, 
and  when  be  secured  the  deed  he  was  very  proud  of  it.  He  secured  the  land 
\'ery  cheaply,  the  railroad  recognizing  his  great  influence  over  his  fellow 
Indians.  When  Tom  Naches  died  in  1885,  Chief  Naches  and  Princess  Sarah 
\\'innemucca  entered  suit  in  court  to  secure  horses  and  other  farm  articles 


306  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

\\liich  tlie\-  claimeil  to  nwn,  and  prolialjly  Cliief  Naclies  did  own  what  lie 
claimed,  but  Sarah  was  regarded  as  an  unreliable  Indian. 

Sarah  was  an  educated  Indian  and  tra\eled  over  the  L'nited  States 
lecturing-  on  the  condition  of  the  Indians  and  the  cruel  manner  in  which  they 
were  treated  by  the  Indian  agents.  She  illustrated  her  lectures  by  putting- 
money  on  the  floor  and  then  grabbing  for  it,  acting  the  agent  for  tlie  time 
being.  She  was  deeply  attached  to  her  people  and  at  the  last  it  was  decreed 
she  should  die  away  from  home.  She  had  a  sister,  also  educated,  who  had 
married  a  white  man  and  removed  to  Monida.  Montana.  Sarah  went  to 
visit  her  and  died  there,  October  i6,  1891.  .\t  the  tinie  it  was  decided  to 
bring  her  body  back  to  Nevada,  but  where  it  is  interred  there  is  no  record. 

Old  Winnemucca  was  always  a  stumbling  block-  to  the  Indians.  He 
had  Ijeen  (in  the  warpath,  worsted  the  whites  and  cnuld  not  forget  it.  His 
tribe  in  council  decided  in  1873  to  send  him  to  Malheur  Reservation,  Ore- 
gon, and  that  as  many  of  his  trilie  as  desired  should  go  too.  Those  who 
were  peacefullv  earning  a  living  or  had  farms,  should  remain  in  Nevada. 
Those  who  went  to  Oregon  were  to  take  up  land  in  severalty,  each  head  of 
a  family  a  tract  of  land.  But  he  did  not  go.  When  he  liecame  ill  in  Sc-p- 
tcmljer,  1880,  his  tribe  ]iromptly  stoned  his  wife  and  child  to  death,  but  that 
did  not  sa\-e  the  old  chief,  and  he  died  October  2"],  1880,  his  funeral  scr\-ices 
being  most  impressive.  With  his  death  the  long  feud  of  tlie  W^ashoes  and 
Piutes  seemed  certain  to  end,  as  the  W^ashoes  had  always  regarded  him  as  a 
supernatural  lieing  and  his  death  made  them  more  aggressive.  On  December 
28  the  hatchet  was  formally  Inn-ied.  Later  on  the  feud  with  tlie  Shoshones 
was  ended.  The  latter  race  was  ahvays  regarded  as  the  lowest  tribe,  unable 
to  call  e\en  their  lives  their  own  if  a  ^^"ashoe  or  Piute  wanted  to  take  them. 

That  thc\-  would  adxance  if  given  a  chance  was  shown  by  the  fact  that 
on  Decei-nber  28  whites  \'isited  the  Indians  at  Duck  N'allcv  and  reijortcd  that 
the  fifty-one  Shoshone  families  had  o\cr  2,000  horses,  each  faniily  two  or 
tliree  cows,  plenty  of  chickens.  ])igs  and  farni  animals.  They  raised  vege- 
tables, cut  250  tons  of  hay.  built  an  irrigating  dam,  log  houses  and  barns,  all 
under  the  supervision  of  two  Indian  farmers,  Cai)tain  Charley  and  Captain 
Buck,  the  latter  often  spoken  of  in  the  account  of  ]ndiai-i  wars.  .\  ten-horse 
thresher  was  one  im])lement  used  on  the  reservatioii. 

In  November,  1884,  the  I'iutcs  and  Washoes  met  to  pow-pow  at  Pyra- 
mid Lake;  two  Pintes  had  been  killed,  one  it  was  thought  the  victim  of  a 
Washoe.  The  Washoes  offered  $500  to  the  father  of  the  murdered  man  as 
rq)aration,  but  it  was  not  accepted.  Naches,  the  Big  Chief,  then  proposed 
that  the  murderer  be  given  \\\\  to  the  whites  for  trial.  The  Washoes  met  at 
Carson  in  cmincil  and  did  so.  About  this  lime  Naches  was  re-elected  Big 
Chief. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  307 

In  1884  \V.  D.  C.  Gibson  was  Cdiifiniietl  as  Indian  agent  and  im-urrcd 
the  enmity  of  Sarali  Winnemucca,  who  preferred  cliarges  against  In'm.  l^ater 
she  was  arrested,  ch-arged  with  ih'unkenness  and  poker  playing,  both  i)astinies 
to  which  Gibson  and  otliers  asserted  she  was  adcHcted. 

In  1895  the  Pintes  l<ilied  a  S(|naw  Ijecanse  slie  could  s|ieak  l''rencli.  and, 
her  child  also.  Every  little  while  some  act  would  show  that  civilization  was 
only  skin  deep,  as  Gibson  put  it.  In  1887  the  Piutes  shipped  to  San  Fran- 
cisco 1,000  sacks  of  pine  nuts.  And  at  the  Midwinter  Fair  in  San  I'rancisco 
ma]js  done  by  the  Pyramid  Lake  Reservation  Indians  aroused  great  ad- 
miration. The  coloring  was  done  by  pigments  they  made  from  the  soil 
around  the  lake,  the  secret  of  which  they  steadfastly  refused  to  reveal.  There 
was  another  war  scare  in  i8S(;,  the  Mr>no  war  scare.  Piute  Jack  killed 
Louis  Sammann  at  Mono  Lake  and  the  Washoes  then  killed  another  Piute. 
The  tribes  were  greatly  excited.  The  governor  of  California  was  asked  for 
troops,  but  the  scare  soon  died  out.  Killings  were  frequent  among  the  In- 
dians. A  Western  Shoshone  scpiaw  was  killed  because  it  was  alleged  she 
killed  a  medicine  man.  In  October,  1890,  a  Smokey  Valley  Indian,  Abe 
Minnum,  loved  a  squaw  who  frowned  on  his  suit ;  he  killed  her  and  her 
family.  Sam  then  killed  him.  In  this  year  it  was  claimed  not  two-thirds  of 
the  Indians  were  on  their  reservations.  In  December,  1890,  war  in  Owens 
Valley  was  feared.  1.500  Indians  gathering  there.  The  people  wanted  the 
legislature  to  provide  military  companies  for  the  valley. 

In  January.  1892,  there  was  great  religious  excitement  among  the  In- 
dians, Jack  Wilson  on  the  Walker  reservation  claiming  to  lae  the  Messiah. 
Piutes  and  Washoes,  and  e\-en  Dakota  and  Montana  Indians  gathered,  but 
the  prompt  action  of  Naches  and  agents  averted  trouble. 

In  February,  1897,  there  was  quite  a  war  scare  at  Yerington,  better 
known  as  Pizen  Switch.  Two  white  men,  Logan  and  Genzell,  followed  two 
squaws,  and  when  an  Indian  i)rotected  them,  Logan  killed  him.  Logan 
escaped,  and  the  Indians  became  so  enraged  that  the  whites  gathered  in  a 
stone  building  and  arms  were  sent  tn  them.  Logan  was  arrested  in  Winne- 
mucca, and  the  Indians  were  appeased.  Then  there  was  a  farce  of  a  trial, 
and  the  Indians,  armed  h.eavily,  surrounded  the  court  house  where  Logan 
hid,  afraid  to  come  out.  This  was  finally  settled,  and  the  Indians  were 
pacified. 

In  1897  a  numl)er  of  Indians  were  in  the  big  wreck  on  the  railroad 
while  going  to  California.  Five  Piutes  and  three  Washoes  were  killed. 
They  were  riding  on  the  platforms,  and  many  were  badly  injured.  Captain 
Sam,  of  the  Piutes,  was  in  charge,  as  the  Indians  were  going  to  California 
to  pick  hops.  The  Indians  considered  it  as  a  command  from  the  Great  Spirit 
to  remain  in  Nevada. 


308  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

In  October,  1898,  Reese  fanners  were  much  alarmed  for  fear  of  tlie 
Indians  rising.  Ballard,  an  Indian,  was  beaten  severely  by  McLeod,  a  white 
man.  but  the  trouble  finally  blew  mer. 

In  .\pril.  1899,  a  relic  of  the  Indian  wars  was  dug  up  near  the  city  of 
Reno.  In  1859  the  \\"ashoes  and  the  Piutes  were  at  war.  and  incidentally 
killing  the  whites.  Kit  Carson  and  four  scouts  heard  that  the  Indians  had 
just  murdered  a  settler  and  carried  off  his  wife.  Carson  and  one  scout  started 
to  rescue  the  woman,  the  other  three  waiting  in  ambush.  When  Carson 
returnefl  he  found  the  W'ashoes  had  killed  the  three  scouts  and  buried  their 
heads.     The  skull  dug  up  was  that  of  one  of  the  three  scouts. 

]NL'un-  people  wonder  wlience  came  the  name  \\'innemucca,  1or  it  is  not 
strictly  Indian.  Away  back  in  the  fifties  two  white  men  came  through  Ne- 
vada, the  first  the  Piutes  had  ever  seen.  The  chief  was  a  very  young  man, 
and  he  wore  one  moccasin.,  in  Indian  "]\Iucca."  In  part  English  and  part 
Indian  the  trappers  called  him  "Onennemucca,"  or  one  moccasin.  The  chief 
was  plea.sed  with  the  name.  It  was  afterwards  corrupted  into  Winamuck. 
In  1863  S.  B.  O'Bannon  named  the  town  W'innemucca.  There  is  also  \\'ina- 
muck  Valley  and  ^.\'inamuck  Lake. 

In  Septeml)er,  1899,  two  Piutes  in  the  ranch  of  the  Dangljergs  in  Car- 
son Valley  were  quarreling,  one  Ijeing  employetl  on  the  ranch  and  the  other 
a  visitor.  ^Vill  Dangberg,  a  son  of  the  owner,  attempted  to  drive  him  away, 
and  the  Indian  fired  upon  him,  killing  him  instantly.  There  was  instantly 
great  excitement  amnng  both  Indians  and  whites.  A  posse  went  after  him. 
capturing  him,  and  landing  him  in  jail.  Later  he  escaped  and  he  was  trailed 
by  an  Indian  posse.  He  was  armed  and  in  attempting  his  capture  the  Indians 
killed  him.  he  first  killing  one  of  the  posse.  .\  reward  of  $500  was  ofifered 
for  liis  cai)ture. 

In  the  last  smallpox  scare  it  was  ordered  that  all  the  Indians  on  the 
reservations,  and  if  possible  those  off,  should  be  vaccinated.  There  was  flat 
rebellion.  Old  John.sf)n  Sides,  the  L^nited  States  peacemaker,  wrote  letters 
to  the  papers  expostulating.  Lie  said  that  all  had  been  vaccinated  that  ought 
to  be.  He  concluded  his  letter  with  the  veiled  threat  that  if  the  Indians  tied 
to  the  hills  to  escape  vaccination,  many  would  be  without  food — "if  they  kill 
cattle,  then  trouble."  The  vaccination  order  was  recalled.  When  Johnson 
Sides  died  in  California  where  he  had  gone  for  his  health  bis  people  wanted 
him  buried  in  Nevada.  .Allen  C.  Bragg,  of  Reno,  circulated  a  sub- 
scription list  and  the  old  chief  was  brought  back.  He  was  buried  with  great 
ceremony,  the  whites  all  ])arlicipating,  even  the  governor  making  a  few- 
remarks.  He  was  buried  in  the  Reno  cemetery,  the  ceremonies  taking  place 
in  the  city  park.    His  jiicture  now  adorns  the  Xc\  ada  postcards.     He  has  been 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  309 

succeeded  liy  a  ne]>liew,  ^'cmn,!;-  jdliiisim  Sides.  Toin  PTarris  is  a  leader 
among  tlie  Reno  Indians. 

In  June,  1901.  tlie  W'aslioes  solemnly  announced  that  they  would  for- 
ever gi\e  up  medicine  men,  painting  their  faces  and  other  savage  methods, 
but  they  have  ap])arently  forgotten  ahout  the  medicine  men,  who  still  flourish. 
In  the  old  days  when  a  medicine  man  lost  three  patients,  they  killed  him. 
Now  they  take  him  to  an  isolated  spot,  give  him  food  and  water  for  several 
days  and  leave  him  tO'  die,  which  he  nearly  always  does.  Once  in  a  long 
while  one  is  rescued  by  the  w  hites.  They  are  always  very  old  men,  resorting 
to  the  arts  of  the  medicine  man  when  nthcr  means  of  earning  a  livelihood 
fail. 

In  October,  1903,  the  go\-ernmer.t  decided  that  the  Indians  were  entitled 
to  the  hill  lands  southeast  of  Carson  Valley,  wdiere  they  gathered  the  most 
of  the  pine  nuts  for  w-inter  use,  A  long  feud  over  these  trees  was  thus  settled, 
the  wdiite  man  desiring  to  cut  the  trees  down  for  wood. 

How  it  is  done  the  authorities  fail  to  find  out  as  a  rule,  but  the  noble 
red  man,  and  woman,  is  always  well  supplied  with  liquor.  Verv  few  can 
be  convicted  for  the  crime,  many  of  the  offenders  being  women.  In  1891, 
twenty  were  sent  to  the  penitentiary  for  the  crime,  and  of  these  six  were 
Chinamen,  while  in  1899  fifteen  were  sent  for  the  crime,  twelve  being  Cliina- 
men.  In  1900  only  ten  went  in  and  only  three  w^ere  Chinamen,  and  in  1903 
the  fact  that  the  Chinamen  were  wiser  was  e\'idenced  by  the  fact  tiiat  while 
thirteen  went  in  not  a  Chinaman  was  in  the  number. 

Even  above  drinking  t-lie  Indian  likes  gambling.  They  are  in\-eterate 
poker  players,  and  the  bridge,  or  rather  under  it,  at  Reno,  is  known  as  the 
"Indian  Monte  Carlo."  Male  and  female  alike  play,  and  no  small  sums  are 
wagered  and  lost.  The  Indians  al\\a}-s  ]ia\e  plenty  of  money.  The  Piutes 
have  the  pick  of  the  fishing,  no  white  man  being  allowed  to  fish  in  the  waters 
of  the  reservation,  and  the  trout  sell  for  20  cents  per  pound  the  vear  around. 
The  Washoes  are  the  only  Indians  in  America  who  have  not  been  allotted 
a  reser\-ation,  and  why  no  one  seems  to  understand,  fnr  they  are  \'ery  numer- 
ous. Still  they  are  cunning  fishermen  and  trappers,  and  can  alwavs  find 
money  to  play  w  itli, 

A  peculiarity  is  that  the  Piutes  still  keep  the  \\'ashoes  in  what  thev 
consider  their  proper  place.  No  Washoe  dares  ride  a  pony,  or  go  beyond  the 
boundaries  laid  down  for  them  hundreds  of  years  ago  by  the  Piutes,  Just 
so,  the  Shoshones  are  kept  within  their  boundaries,  not  daring  to  come  beyond 
the  foothills  of  the  Shoshone  mountains.  The  Piutes  are  kept  in  check  in 
turn  by  the  Apaches,  the  only  Indians  they  are  afraid  of.  They  have  tried 
conclusions  more  than  once  and  have  always  been  worsted.  So  they  keep 
away  from  the  eastern  state  line.     Any  infringement  of  the  laws  laid  down 


310  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

causes  several  deaths.  .\  \\'aslK)e  dared  In  ride  into  Reno  in  1900.  and  he, 
\\itli  a  few  relatives,  was  ne\er  seen  again. 

The  \\'ashoes  are  lax  in  their  ideas  of  morality,  offenses  in  th.at  line 
being  condoned,  the  squaws  sometimes  lieing  beaten,  but  rarely  killed,  and 
never  if  her  lord  and  master  profits  thereby.  The  Piutes  still  uphold  the  old 
stern  laws — a  sf|uaw  who  oversteps  the  line  is  killed  and  generally  tortured, 
though  this  cannot  be  proved  nor  can  the  whites  find  proof  to  punish  the 
husband.  Many  a  white  man  meets  with  summary  justice  when  he  dares  hang 
around  the  Piute  camps.  Their  bodies  are  generally  found  in  one  of  the 
irrigating  ditches.  The  white  men  Inok  for  certain  sigms,  and  finding  them 
a1)andon  any  idea  of  bringing  the  murderer  to  justice.  On  this  subject  the 
Piutes  stand  massed  together.  .\  pure  life  is  exacted  for  every  sc|uaw,  and 
woe  be  to  the  white  man  who  would  tempt  her  therefrom.  It  is  an  old  say- 
ing that  thie\-es,  cowards  and  lewd  women  are  nex'er  found  amo^ig  the  Piutes. 

At  first  glance  all  Imlians  look  alike.  Closer  inspection  shows  the 
Washoes  to  have  a  round,  chubby  face,  an  inconsefiuential  sort  of  face.  The 
Piutes  have  a  long  face,  rather  narrow,  and  a  wonderful  cranium  tlevelop- 
ment.  There  is  nothing  the  Piute  cannot  learn,  and  they  are  gifted  with 
wonderful  powers  of  oratory.  This  is  pnjved  in  the  schools  on  the  reserva- 
tions. In  mechanical  work  the  Washoe  does  well,  it  is  head  work  be  fails 
in;  while  the  Piute  is  good  in  both  mental  and  physical  tasks.  The  teachers 
Ijecome  greatly  attached  to  their  |nipils.  who  learn  all  sorts  of  usefid  arts, 
from  sewing,  tailoring,  carpentering,  mechanics,   to  dairyings. 

Some  of  the  Indians  have  graduated  and  in  their  turn  become  teachers. 
Many  work  out  as  ser\ants,  and  capable  ones  they  make,  being  extremely 
loyal  to  their  employers.  Their  marriages  are  always  strictly  according  to 
the  white  man's  law.  The  great  majority  dress  as  the  white  man.  the  squaws 
Avearing  aprons  generally.  But  nearly  all  cling  to  the  gaudy  blanket,  w-ear- 
ing  it  over  their  heads  if  the  day  lie  stormy,  around  their  shnulilers  if  it  be 
fine  weather.  One  thing  they  liave  learned — to  rush  into  print  if  anv  wrong 
is  done  them.  They  have  leaders  who  can  tell  what  the  trouble  is,  and  the 
papers  always  give  space  to  ihem.  M.iny  a  wrong  is  thus  prevented,  for 
many  white  men  are  always  trying  to  get  the  best  of  Poor  Liui,  and  generallv 
failing  now    they  are  ci\ilizcd. 


A  TTTSTORY  OF  NEVADA.  311 

CHAin'KR   X\'\. 

Nevada  Liticraturk. 

Some  of  the  writers  wlio  liave  enriclied  tlie  literature  of  the  west  are 
Mark  Twain,  Josepii  T.  Goodman,  C.  C.  Goodwin,  Rollen  iJaggett,  Harry 
Mighels,  Tliomas  Fitch,  Sam  Davis,  P.  V.  Mighels,  Fred  Harte,  Dan  De  Quill, 
Dr.  (ially,  Mariam  Miclielson  and  Sarah  Winnemucca. 

Nevada,  though  a  young  state,  has  made  a  lasting  mark  in  literature. 
Mark  Twain  jjegan  to  first  attract  attention  when  writing  on  the  Virginia 
F.iilcr/^risc.  Joseiih  T.  ( ioodman  was  the  i)ulilisher,  and,  his  eve  falling  on  a 
communication  written  to  the  pa])er  by  Mr.  Sanuicl  Clemens  from  Dayton,  he 
remarked  to  his  partner,  D.  E.  McCarthy,  that  he  had  discovered  a  genius  and 
imme<liatel_\-  sent  fur  the  young  man  to  come  to  Virginia  City  and  take  a  jol) 
on  the  Enterprise.  The  man  was  first  a  sort  of  laughing  stock  (if  the  office, 
as  he  was  a  slouchy,  ungainly  fellow,  with  a  pronounced  drawl,  hut  Cmod- 
man,  whose  literary  judgment  was  unerring,  never  lost  faith  in  his  man  and 
gave  him  every  encouragement.  The  rest  is  too  well  known  to  dilate  on  here, 
and  the  man  wh:ini  CiOddman  picked  up  and  hacked  is  miw  one  of  the  best 
reacl  and  most  popular  writers  of  the  wDrld. 

Next  in  order  comes  Mr.  Goodman,  lie  is  the  authdr  of  one  of  the 
greatest  archeological  works  e\'er  written.  It  is  entitled  "The  P.iologia  of 
Central  America."  For  years  the  different  g(i\crnnieuts  of  tlie  wurld  have 
been  sending  expeditions  (if  scientists  to  Yucatan  to  investigate  the  miles 
and  miles  of  ruined  cities  which  lie  tliere.  It  is  estimated  that  they  antedate 
anything  in  the  known  world,  liut  up  to  the  tiiue  of  the  publication  of  Mr. 
Goodman's  bodk.  it  was  all  surmise.  He  has  succeeded  in  translating  the  in- 
scriptions on  the  walls  and  monuments  and  shows  conc!usi\-ely  that  they  were 
meant  to  be  chronological  tables.  Fie  shows  that  when  this  race  went  to  its 
doom  it  had  kept  a  record  of  tlie  time  covering  o\-er  two  lumdrcd  and  eightv 
thousand  years.  This  people  flourished  before  the  pyramids  rose  fn.im  the 
sands  of  Egypt,  liefore  the  songs  of  the  worshipers  rose  in  the  [jillared  teiuples 
of  Karuac.  Mr.  Goodiuan  began  the  task  of  deciphering  these  seemingly 
meaningless  hieroglyphics  much  as  Edgar  I'oe  describes  the  reading  of  the 
cipher  in  his  famous  story  of  "  The  Gold  Bug."  This  work  has  now  liecome 
standard  throughout  the  ci\ilized  world.  The  author  was  refused  a  hearing 
!>efore  the  California  .\cadcmv  of  Sciences,  and  it  remained  for  the  .\rchefi- 
logical  Society  of  London  through  its  representati\e,  a  Mr.  (iodman.  to  a]i- 
jjreciate  the  value  of  the  work  and  stand  the  expense  of  publication. 

"Dan  De  Quill,"  whose  right  name  was  Charles  Wright,  was  one  of  the 
quaintest  writers  of  Nevada.     He  published  "The  Big  Bonanza"  and  gave 


312  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

the  world  a  more  general  and  accniate  knowledge  of  the  history  of  the  Com- 
stock  than  any  other  w  riter. 

Hon.  C.  C.  Goodwin  wrote  "The  Comstock  Club'"  and  was  one  of  the 
best  editorial  writers  of  the  west.  He  was  also  a  rare  poet,  like  Goodman  and 
Daggett. 

Rollen  Daggett  was  also  one  of  the  famous  editnrial  writers  of  the  Enter- 
prise and  wrote  "  Braxton's  Bar  "  and  a  number  of  fine  poems. 

Dr.  Gaily  was  the  author  of  "  Big  Jack  Small,"  a  strikingly  original 
work. 

Hon.  Tom  Fitch,  known  as  the  "Silver  Tongued,"  wrote  ".\  Wedge  of 
Gold." 

Sam  Davis,  now  State  Controller,  published  a  volume  of  "Short  Stories 
and  Poems."  The  story  which  heads  the  work,  "The  First  Piano  in  Camp." 
has  been  translated  in  foreign  languages  and  will  live  as  a  classic  of  the  \\'est. 

Harry  R.  Mighels,  just  l>efore  his  death,  wrote  a  striking  book,  "  Sage- 
brush Leaves."  His  keen  humor  and  delightful  English  reminds  one  of  Oliver 
Wendell  Holmes.  His  son,  Phillip  V^erril  Mighels,  is  now  a  regular  c<in- 
tributor  to  the  leading  magazines,  and  such  publishers  as  Harpers  antl  Mc- 
Clures  are  bidding  for  his  books. 

Fred  Harte  wrote  the  "Sazarac  Lying  Clul>." 

Mariam  Michelson.  a  young  lady  born  on  the  Comstock,  was  the  author 
of  one  of  the  striking  books  of  1904  entitled  "The  Bishop's  Carriage."  It 
has  already  gone  into  several  editions. 

Sarah  Winnemucca,  the  daughter  of  nid  Chief  Winnemucca.  a  fidl- 
blooded  Indian,  wrote  a  remarkal)le  book,  "Life  Anmng  the  Piutes."  She 
was  educated  at  an  eastern  seminary  and  became  a  very  bright  woman.  She 
traveled  about  the  countrv  and  delix'ered  lectures  which  drew  lartic  an<licnces. 


^ 


y 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  313 

HON.  JOHN  SPARKS,  governor  of  Nevada,  has  long  resided  in  the 
state,  having  come  here  in  1868.  He  is  a  native  of  Mississippi,  wliere  he 
was  born  August  30,  1843,  ^^^^  comes  of  old  Englisli  stock.  Four  brothers 
bearing  tlie  name  of  Sparks  emigrated  from  England  at  an  early  date  and, 
settling  in  Maryland,  established  the  family  in  America.  This  family  was 
well  represented  in  the  Revolutionary  war  and  in  the  war  of  j8ij,  and  its 
members  have  always  been  numbered  among  the  Ijrave  and  loval  citizens  of 
this  country. 

The  grandfather  of  Governor  Sparks,  Millington  Sparks,  was  born  in 
Maryland  and  l:)ecame  a  prominent  planter  and  attained  to  a  ripe  old  age, 
dying  firm  in  the  faith  of  the  Baptist  church,  to  "vvhich  he  had  adhered 
through  a  long  and  useful  life. 

His  son  Samuel,  father  of  Goxernor  Sparks,  was  horn  in  Hagerstown, 
Maryland,  and  married  Sarah  Deal,  a  native  of  South  Carolina,  and  both 
were  consistent  Baptists.  They  were  the  parents  of  ten  children,  five  of 
whom  are  still  living.  Of  this  family  Governor  Sparks  was  the  seventh  in 
order  of  birth,  and  is  the  only  one  residing  in  Nevada.  In  1837  the  entire 
family  removed  to  Texas,  settling  at  Lampasas,  and  became  the  iiioneer 
stock-raisers  in  that  portion  of  the  state.  At  that  time  there  were  many 
Indians  in  the  state,  and  the  Sparks  family  engaged  in  many  skirmishes 
with  the  savages.  Governor  Sparks  bearing  his  part  in  the  fights,  which 
events  he  recalls  with  much  enjoyment,  for  those  were  days  of  excitement, 
when  all  the  bravery  in  a  man's  nature  was  called  forth  and  opportunities 
were  numerous  for  courage  to  be  tested  and  proved. 

Governor  Sparks  began  working  for  himself  at  the  age  of  fourteen 
years,  and  since  then  has  made  a  great  success  of  raising  cattle.  He  came  to 
Nevada  to  extend  his  large  business,  although  he  still  has  large  holdings  in 
Texas.  Upon  settling  in  Nevada  he  bought  out  several  large  cattle  ranches, 
and  at  one  time  owned  seventy  thousand  head  of  cattle.  In  the  very  hard 
winter  of  1889-90  he  lost  thirty-five  thousand  head.  He  calls  that  winter 
the  great  equalizer,  as  it  affected  all  alike.  Early  in  his  business  career  he 
realized  the  value  of  fine  thoroughbred  stock,  and  has  the  honor  of  being 
the  pioneer  impc^rter  of  registered  Hereford  and  Durham.  He  has  sold  and 
established  twelve  fancy  herds  of  Hereford  on  the  Pacific  coast  and  has  also 
shipped  to  Honolulu,  and  sold  to  the  Utah  Agricultural  College  their  first 
registered  Herefords.  He  keeps  and  raises  both  Herefords  and  Durha'ms, 
of  pure  strains,  and  has  also  experimented  in  making  a  cross  of  them,  and 
has  thus  produced  a  grade  of  buff  cattle  of  which  he  is  very  proud.  For 
years  he  has  exhibited  his  Hereford  cattle  at  the  California  state  fairs  and 
has  taken  numerous  first  prizes.  His  Duke  of  Shadeland  carried  off  the 
honors  at  the  World's  Fair.  Governor  Sparks  is  also  greatly  interested  in 
both  elk  and  Ijuffalo,  and  has  had  a  family  oi  the  former  for  the  past  twenty 
years,  and  of  the  latter  for  the  past  ten  years.  These  run  among  his  other 
cattle  and  are  perfectly  docile,  and  the  country  owes  the  Governor  much  for 
his  efforts  to  keep  these  animals  from  extermination.  In  addition  to  other 
interests  Governor  Sparks  is  the  owner  of  the  celebrated  Reno  Star  mine. 
Both  in  public  and  private  life  Governor  Sparks  has  taken  a  leading  part 
in  the  development  of  the  state,  and  is  generally  recognized  as  one  of  its 


?.U  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

leading  men.  Upnii  lii>  niagnilicent  two  tliousand  five  luindral  acre  raiicli. 
located  on  the  railroad  between  Reno  and  Carson  City,  he  has  a  tlowing 
well  which  produces  one  hundred  and  twelve  gallons  per  minute  and  is  a 
little  over  five  hundred  feet  deep.  Upon  this  ranch  he  has  a  very  comfortable 
residence  and  excellent  farm  buildings,  and  needless  to  say  the  premises  are 
sujjplied  with  everv  convenience  and  all  the  improved  machinery  on  the 
market. 

Governor  Sparks'  lias  been  in  i)olitics  since  boyhood  as  a  Democrat,  bis 
first  service  as  a  public  man  being  when  he  discharged  the  duties  of  c< unity 
commissioner.  In  1902  his  party  prc\ailed  u])on  him  to  accept  the  nomina- 
tion for  governor  of  the  state,  .\fter  making  an  excellent  can\-ass  he  was 
elected  bv  a  majority  of  one  thousand  eiglit  hundred,  and  is  giving  the  people 
of  his  state  a  clean,  honorable  administration.  When  the  president  arrived 
in  Carson  City  upon  his  late  western  trip,  he  was  cordially  and  enthusiastic- 
ally received  by  Governor  Si)arks  who  welcomed  him  in  a  very  ajjiiroiiriate 
manner,  his  speech  being  happily  chosen,  and  the  two  became  fast  friends, 
in  spite  of  ditTerences  of  political  opinion,  each  recognizing  the  sterling 
worth  of  the  other. 

In  lune,  1872,  Governor  .Sparks  was  married  to  Miss  Rachel  Knight, 
a  native  of  Texas  and  the  tlaughter  of  I).  V.  Knight,  who  was  born  in  Ohio 
and  came  of  English  stock.  One  daughter  has  been  born  of  this  union, 
Maud,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  .\.  McKinzie,  a  son  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  .Mc- 
Kinzie,  a  noted  Presbyterian  divine.  Mrs.  Sjiarks  died  in  1878,  and  a  year 
later  Governor  Sparks  married  her  half-sister,  iMiss  Nora  Knight.  They 
have  three  sons,  namely :  Benton  H.,  now  in  .\ndover  College,  iirejiaring 
for  "S'ale:  Charles,  attending  the  State  University;  and  Leland,  who  is 
attending  high  school.  Governor  Sparks  is  a  very  active  member  of  the 
Order  of  Elks,  the  Order  of  Eagles  and  the  Order  of  Oild  Fellows.  In  their 
present  governor  the  people  of  Nevada  have  a  m;m  whose  sympathy,  broad- 
ness of  mind  and  thorough  knowledge  of  human  nature  particularly  fit  him 
for  his  exalted  jiosition  and  enable  him  to  administer  the  affairs  of  the  state 
judiciouslv,  honorably  and  to  the  highest  interests  of  those  whose  destinies 
he  is  now  controlling. 


STEPHEN  R.  YOUNG  has  been  one  of  the  foremost  men  in  the 
ui)buil(ling  and  improvement  of  the  fertile  valley  in  wdiich  the  town  of  Love- 
locks is  situated.  He  is  the  owner  of  the  only  large  brick  block  in  the  town, 
which  he  built  in  1891.  It  covers  seventy  by  one  hundred  feet  of  ground 
space,  and  the  west  half  is  occui)ie(l  by  the  Lovelocks  Commercial  Coni])any 
in  the  conduct  of  a  large  deiKulment  store,  and  the  east  half  is  the  ^'oung's 
Hotel;  the  ground  lloor  of  the  hotel  is  occiqiied  by  the  office,  restaurant  and 
dining  room,  while  the  up])er  ]iart  is  divided  into  a  front  parlor  and  large, 
well-funiishcd  sleeping  rooms.  Mr.  N'oung  also  has  a  livery  stable,  a  good 
residence  and  se\eral  dwellings  in  the  town,  lie  owns  twelx'e  hundred  acres 
f)f  land  in  the  vicinity,  and  to  make  this  productive  has  expended  sixty 
thousand  dollars  on  a  water  and  irrigation  .system,  which  is  perhaps  his  mo.st 
imixMtant   enterprise  both   from  his  own  standpoint  and  ijecause  of  its  im- 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  315 

mense  value  to  tliis  section  of  tlie  county.  He  lias  a  water  ])o\vcr  wliich  now 
furnislies  one  hundred  horsepower,  and  tlie  plant  is  so  constructed  tliat  nine 
otlier  wheels  can  be  put  in  of  one  hunchx'd  horsepower  each,  niakint^-  a  total 
of  one  thousand  horse  power.  It  is  the  intention  soon  to  install  an  electric 
light  plant  and  also  to  pipe  the  water  to  the  town,  which  innovations  will 
place  Lovelocks  at  the  front  in  the  matter  of  civic  improvements.  One  hrdf 
mile  of  the  water  canal  is  thirty  feet  deep,  seventy  feet  wide  at  the  toj)  and 
twenty-five  at  the  bottom,  and  it  conveys  water  to  ten  thousand  acres  of 
land,  and  ultimately  the  whole  upjier  end  of  the  valley  will  be  covered  by 
its  water.  The  Big  Meadows,  in  which  the  town  of  Lovelocks  is  located, 
is  about  ten  miles  wide  and  thirty  miles  long,  and  its  rich  dark  loam  soil 
needs  only  irrigation  to  make  it  produce  abundantly,  as  its  many  fine  farms 
already  indicate.  Irrigation  to  any  important  extent  is  a  great  undertaking 
and  requires  capital,  and  where  it  is  not  carried  through  by  government 
management  some  man  of  entcr])rise.  executive  ability  and  public  spirit  must 
step  forward  and  assume  the  risks  and  labors  attendant  upon  such  endeavors, 
and  such  a  man  has  Lovelock  valley  found  in  Mr.  Young. 

Stephen  R.  Young  was  born  in  Baton  Rouge,  Louisiana,  January  24, 
1855,  and  is  of  German  and  Irish  ancestry,  and  the  son  of  S.  R.  and  Julia 
(Madigan)  Young,  the  former  a  native  of  Canada  and  the  latter  of  Ireland. 
These  parents  died  at  the  respective  ages  of  forty  and  sixty-five  years,  and 
of  their  six  sons  Stephen  is  the  only  survivor.  He  was  educated  and  reared 
to  manhood  in  the  state  of  Maine,  and  came  to  Unionville,  Humboldt  county, 
Nevada,  in  1873.  He  has  the  credit  of  discovering  the  first  pay  dirt  in 
Spring  valley,  and  from  eight  to  eleven  miles  of  the  valley  has  been  placer- 
mined.  He  came  to  Lovelocks  in  1876  and  conducted  a  general  mer- 
chandise store  for  ten  years,  after  which  he  sold  out  to  the  Lovelocks  Com- 
mercial Company.  ,\11  his  time  is  now  taken  up  witli  the  care  of  his  exten- 
sive irrigation  and  other  property  interests. 

In  September,  1883,  Mr.  Young  was  married  to  Miss  M.  E.  Wilson,  a 
native  of  the  state  of  New  York.  Four  children  have  been  born  to  them, 
all  in  Humboldt  county,  namely:  Clarence.  Leland,  Blanche  and  Mary. 
Mr.  Young  is  a  Repul)hcau  in  politics,  but  has  never  had  time  to  consider 
politics  in  any  other  way  than  to  cast  liis  vote  for  the  man  and  principles 
that  seem  to  him  to  represent  tlie  best  interests  of  town,  county  and  state. 


HENRY  KIND,  one  of  the  most  public-spirited  as  well  as  successful 
of  the  pioneer  merchants  and  business  men  of  Eureka,  has  had  an  enviable 
career  in  business  since  coming  to  this  country  forty  years  ago.  at  which 
time  his  equipiuent  for  a  career  in  the  new  world  did  not  even  extend  to  a 
knowledge  of  the  language,  but  he  did  Iia\e  the  quick  business  acumen  of 
his  race  and  the  unflagging  energy  and  perseverance  which  bring  succes.s 
anywhere.  He  has  a  fine  business  in  Eureka,  and  the  town  and  county  have 
greatly  benefited  by  his  generous  efforts  toward  improvement  and  de- 
velopmenL. 

Mr.  Kind  was  born  in  Bohemia  in  1847.  a  son  of  Adolph  and  Mary 
(Lank)    Kind,   also  natives  of  that   country,   where  the   former   died   when 


31G  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Henry  was  a  boy.  He  was  educated  there,  and  in  1862  set  out  for  the  new 
world,  landing  in  New  York.  The  following  year  his  mother  and  her  three 
sons  and  three  daughters  followed  iiim.  He  went  to  San  Francisco,  and 
thence  to  Auburn,  Placer  county,  California,  where  he  was  a  clerk  in  a  store 
for  a  year,  after  which  he  was  taken  in  the  l)usiness  as  partner,  and  continued 
in  the  general  merchandise  trade  there  with  good  success  for  nine  years. 
He  came  to  Eureka,  Nevada,  in  i8j2.  and  established  a  store  in  the  lower 
end  of  the  town,  where  he  carried  on  business  for  twelve  years.  He  then 
bought  the  stock  of  W.  H.  Clark,  and  has  done  busines  at  this  stand  ever 
since.  His  store  is  a  substantial  stone  building  twenty-five  by  one  hundred 
feet,  with  two  stories  and  a  basement,  and  he  also  has  a  large  wareliouse. 
His  large  stock  of  general  merchandise  is  the  best  in  the  town,  and  attracts 
a  patronage  from  all  directions  about  Eureka.  Mr.  Kind  has  given  close 
attention  to  the  development  of  this  enterprise,  and  he  merits  the  large  trade 
which  he  now  enjoys.  He  owns  two  otlier  store  buildings  in  the  town, 
wdiich  he  rents,  and  he  is  a  partner  in  the  firm  of  E.  Marks  and  Company  at 
Tonopah.  Besides  this  he  has  \aluable  mining  interests,  and  his  business 
relations  extend  well  over  the  county  and  state. 

While  a  life-long  Republican  in  principle,  Mr.  Kind  gives  his  vote  and 
influence  to  the  silver  cause.  He  has  served  his  towi  as  school  trustee  for 
ten  years,  and  his  county  as  commissioner,  and  has  gi\'en  a  helping  hand  to 
every  enterprise  intended  to  foster  the  advancement  and  well-lieing  of  town 
or  county.  He  is  a  blue  lodge  and  Royal  Arch  Mason,  and  has  served  as 
treasurer  of  his  lodge  for  six  years.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Order 
of  United  Workmen,  in  which  he  has  passed  all  the  chairs,  and  belongs  to 
the  B.  B.  Lodge  at  Reno. 

In  1874  Mr.  Kind  was  unitetl  in  marriage  to  iNliss  Eliza  Loljner,  a 
native  of  New  York  city  and  a  daughter  of  Leopold  Lobner,  of  that  city. 
Seven  children  have  been  born  of  this  union  in  Eureka,  as  follows :  Eddie, 
who  was  educated  in  San  Francisco  and  is  now  in  New  York:  Frederick,  a 
graduate  of  the  Eureka  high  sclu)ol,  is  with  his  father;  Rose  is  at  school  in 
San  Francisco;  Leon  is  also  a  student  in  San  Francisco;  Clarence  is  in  his 
father's  business  in  Tonopah;  May  Ethel  is  a  successful  teacher:  and  llarold 
is  at  school.  They  are  adherents  of  the  Hebrew  faith.  In  November,  1903, 
Mr.  Kind  with  his  family  nuived  to  Tonoi)ah,  Nevada,  intending  tn  locate 
there.      I  lis  business  interests  in   luueka  continue  as  before. 


DANIEL  W.  O'CONNOR.  Men  who  have  been  the  founders  of  the 
state  of  Nevada  and  who  have  Ijorne  their  full  share  in  pioneer  development 
and  later  advancement  are  deserving  of  the  gratitude  of  all  the  citizens  ot 
this  commonwealth.  Mr.  O'Connor  is  numbered  among  the  early  settlers  and 
has  been  a  resident  of  Nevada  since  1862.  lie  is  the  builder  and  owner  of 
the  O'Connor  block  at  Reno,  and  in  this  \\;iy  has  contributed  lo  the  imjirove- 
ment  of  the  city. 

A  native  son  of  Canada,  his  birth  occurred  in  ( tntario  on  the  lOlh  of 
November,  1837,  and  he  is  of  Irish  lineage.  He  was  educated  in  his  native 
province,  and  in  1860  came  to  the  United  States,  then  a  young  man  of  about 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  317 

tvventy-three  years.  He  made  his  way  tn  California  liy  tlic  istlmius  route 
and  later  engaged  in  mining  in  Crass  Valley,  settling  in  Nevada  county. 
He  was  not  very  fortunate,  howexer,  in  liis  mining  experiences  there,  harely 
making  a  living,  and  in  1862  he  made  his  way  to  Virginia  C'ity  because  of 
the  discovery  of  gold  there,  li;  that  jilace  he  worked  with  a  pick  and  sho\-el 
in  the  mines  for  two  years  and  on  the  expiration  of  t'.iat  ])ei'iod  he  removed 
to  Clendale,  where  he  purchased  a  ranch  of  four  hundred  acres.  This  he 
de\eloped  from  sage  brush  and  annually  raised  a  large  crop  which  brought 
as  high  as  one  hundred  and  sixty  dollars  jier  acre.  Clearing  his  farm  he 
placed  it  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  erected  thereon  good  buildings 
and  eventualy  sold  the  property  at  an  excellent  price.  In  i88g  he  came  to 
Reno,  to  reside.  Going  to  Texas,  he  bought  cattle,  but  the  drought  that 
year  was  severe  and  he  lost  money  on  the  venture,  .\gain  he  came  to  Reno, 
and  in  1898  he  built  the  O'Connor  block,  a  two-story  brick  structure,  se\-enty 
l)y  sixty-fi\'e  feet,  with  a  very  neat  and  artistic  front.  This  is  rented  for 
store  and  otfice  purposes  and  is  a  credit  to  the  city.  Mr.  O'Connor  was 
among  the  first  to  show  his  faith  in  Reno  by  the  building  of  valuable  prop- 
erty, and  since  that  time  many  fine  structures  have  l-een  erected  here.  He 
also  owns  a  good  residence  in  that  city. 

His  political  support  was  given  to  the  Repulilican  ]iarty  until  it  an- 
nounced its  platform  in  favor  of  the  gold  standard.  He  has  since  been 
identified  with  the  silver  movement  in  this  state,  belie\ing  in  the  free  coinage 
of  the  white  metal.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows.  He  believes  in  following  the  Golden  Rule,  and  has  exemiilified 
that  high  principle  in  all  of  his  dealings  with  his  fellow-men.  He  is  justly 
regarded  as  one  of  the  reliable  residents  of  Reno. 


HON.  LEMUEL  ALLEN,  lieutenant  governor  of  Nevada,  has  been  a 
resident  of  the  state  since  1862  and  has  been  prominently  identified  with  the 
legislation  of  the  commonwealth  for  manv  years.  For  nine  terms  he  was  a 
memljer  of  the  state  assembly,  and  during  three  of  the  last  terms  he  was 
speaker  and  proved  himself  so  thoroughly  just  in  his  rulings  as  to  give 
fullest  satisfaction  to  both  parties.  In  1902  he  was  the  candidate  of  his 
party  for  lieutenant  governor,  and  after  a  \ery  able  canvass  was  elected  by 
a  majority  of  1,558. 

Go\'ernor  Allen  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  haxing  been  born  in  Harrison 
county,  April  12,  1839.  He  comes  of  English  and  Scotch  ancestry,  bis 
people  being  among  the  earlv  settlers  of  Connecticut  and  later  of  New  York. 
His  grandfather,  Joseph  Allen,  settled  in  the  latter  state  at  an  earh-  date. 
His  father,  Cranston  Allen,  was  born  in  Osv.-ego,  Nev.^  York,  July  14,  1816. 
He  married  Elizabeth  Hootman,  a  native  of  Ohio,  and  they  had  si.x  chil- 
dren. The  father  now  resides  in  Nevada,  aged  eighty-seven  years.  His 
wife  died  in  1893,  aged  seventy-se\-en  vears. 

Governor  Allen  was  educated  and  reared  to  manhood's  estate  in  Iowa, 
attending"  the  private  log  schools.  When  old  enough  he  began  farming  and 
stock-raising.  After  his  arrival  in  Nevada  he  read  law  and  was  admitted 
to  the  bar,  and  in  addition  to  his  farming  interests  he  was  for  many  years 


318  A  HISTORY  OF  XE\'AD.\. 

prosecuting  attorney  of  his  county,  and  he  then  entered  upon  his  legislative 
career.  Until  the  formation  of  the  gold  standard  he  liatl  been  a  Democrat, 
but,  believing  as  he  did  upon  the  question  of  sih-er.  he  felt  that  there  was  no 
other  course  open  to  him  but  the  promotion  of  the  interests  of  the  silver 
party,  and  was  returned  to  the  office  of  lieutenant  governor  by  a  large  ma- 
jority in  what  had  Ijeen  conceded  a  Republican  state. 

On  March  13.  1859.  he  was  married  to  Sarah  Ann  Peugh.  a  native  of 
Ohio  and  a  daughter  of  J.  Peugli.  i^f  that  state.  Nine  children  ha\e  been 
born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  .Mien,  namely:  Hugh  Judson.  a  blacksmith  and  liv- 
eryman in  AV adsworth,  Nevada ;  Eva  May.  who  manied  E.  H.  Proctor  and 
resides  in  \Vadsworth ;  Charles  Loren,  a  farmer  residing  near  his  father: 
Mary  Daisy,  at  home,  is  her  father's  bot)kkeeper;  Lemuel  L..  at  home  on 
the  farm:  Sarah  Elizabeth,  who  married  R.  T.  Fortune  and  resides  at  Soda 
Lake:  and  three  who  died  in  infancy.  Governor  and  Mrs.  Allen  ha\e  seven 
grandchildren  and  are  verv  proud  of  their  children,  and  most  deservedly  so. 
Governor  Allen  has  Ijeen  a  highly  honored  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity 
for  sixteen  years,  and  is  also  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the 
Eagles. 


HON.  S.  J.  BONNI FIELD.  Jr..  judge  of  the  fifth  judicial  district  of 
the  state  of  Nevada,  has  risen  to  a  high  place  in  the  ranks  of  the  legal  pro- 
fession, and  his  prestige  at  the  li;ir  of  Humboldt  county  stands  in  evidence  of 
his  ability  and  likewise  serves  as  a  voucher  for  intrinsic  worth  of  character. 
He  has  been  a  resident  of  the  "Silver"  state  during  the  past  forty  \'ears. 
hax'ing  arri\-ed  in  the  territory  in  1863. 

Judge  Bonnifield  is  a  native  of  the  commonwealth  of  Iowa,  his  birth 
having  occurred  in  Jefferson  county  on  the  12th  of  December.  1847.  He 
is  of  I'Vench  descent,  his  ancestors  having  been  early  settlers  in  the  colony 
of  Virginia,  particpants  in  the  war  for  independence  and  |)r(jminent  in  the 
early  history  of  the  country.  His  father.  S.  J.  P)Ouni!ield.  was  born  in  Ran- 
dolph county.  \'irginia.  In  1853  he  made  the  journey  to  Californi.a.  where 
he  was  engaged  in  stock-raising  in  ^'rcka  and  Shasta  counties,  and  he  now 
resides  in  Oakland,  that  state,  having  reached  the  age  of  eighty-seven  years. 
In  1841  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Nancy  Ross,  who  was  born  in 
Rush  county,  Indiana,  in  1SJ5.  Tlicii'  marriage  was  cclcbialcd  in  bi\\;i, 
and  in  1857  the  wife  and  mother  was  summoned  into  eternal  rest.  ])assiug 
away  at  the  age  of  thirty-two  \ears.  They  became  the  ])arents  of  six  chil- 
dren, three  sons  and  three  daughters,  namely:  W.  -S..  an  attorncv  in  W'inne- 
mucca;  S.  J.:  Mary,  the  widow  of  J.  \V.  McWilliams  and  a  resident  of 
Ilerkeley.  California:  Margaret  and  Nancy,  who  ha\e  passed  ;iwa\-:  ;nid 
W.   I'".,  a  resi<lent  of  Lovelocks,  this  state. 

.S.  J.  Bonnifield  received  his  elementary  educatii^u  in  the  public  schools 
of  .Shasta  and  Si.skiyou  counties,  California,  while  his  law  studies  were 
pursued  in  .Allegheny  College,  of  Meadvillc.  Pennsylvania.  With  his  ]);n"- 
ents  he  crossed  the  plains  to  California  in  if^53.  and  ten  years  later,  in  186^, 
took  up  his  al)ode  in  Unionville.  ilumboldt  county,  Nevada,  engaging  in 
teaming  and   freighting  from   l-Icd   P.luff  and    M;u"ys\-illc.   Crdifornia.  to  the 


A   mSI'URV  Ol'    NEVADA.  319 

different  mining  camps  in  Nevada,  inclndiiig-  Virginia  City.  He  also  worlced 
in  llie  mines  in  the  latter  city  and  in  the  different  mining  camps  of  Lander 
and  linmholdt  connties  and  at  (iold  jlill,  .Storey  connt)'.  He  recci\-ed  fonr 
dollars  a  day  in  compensation  for  his  mining  labors,  and  while  working  in 
the  .Vrizona  mine  near  Cnionville  he  was  elected  to  the  oftlces  of  county 
recorder  and  auditor,  in  wliich  he  served  during  the  years  of  187 1-2-3-4. 
He  was  also  employed  in  other  c<amty  offices,  at  the  s;nne  time  read  law  and 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1879,  after  which  he  entered  u|)on  the  acti\e 
])ractice  of  his  profession.  Mr.  Bonnifield  was  soon  elected  by  his  fellow- 
townsmen  to  the  position  of  district  attorney,  and  on  the  exj)iration  of  his 
fonr  years"  term  of  service  returned  to  the  duties  of  his  private  jiracticc.  in 
which  he  continued  until  elected  to  the  iiigh  office  he  is  now  filling,  that 
of  district  judge,  this  lieing  his  second  term  in  that  capacity.  In  matters 
political  the  Jndge  has  been  a  life-long  Democrat,  but  took  an  active  ])art  in 
the  organization  of  the  silver  party.  Public-spirited  and  progressive,  he 
gives  his  political  .support  to  all  enterprises  which  he  believes  calculated  to 
advance  the  public  welfare,  and  is  justl)'  numbered  among  the  ^•alncd  citi- 
zens of  his  adopted  county. 

On  the  13th  of  Februar\-.  1879.  Jndge  Bonnifield  wris  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Annie  Peterson,  a  nati\'e  of  Denmark,  l)ut  she  was  reared  to 
mature  years  in  the  states  of  Utah  and  Nevada.  This  union  has  been  blessed 
with  two  children,  Mary  and  Blanch,  both  native  daughters  of  the  "Silver" 
state.  Tlie  wife  and  mother  was  called  from  this  life  on  the  4th  of  .\|)ril, 
iSc)7,  and  the  daughters  are  now  serving  as  their  father's  housekeepers.  The 
Judge  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  having  recei\-ed  the  master's 
degree  at  Union ville  in  1872.  He  has  closely  studied  the  tenets  of  this 
noble  order,  and  its  principles  have  actuated  his  daily  life. 


ROBERT  JAMES  Rb'll),  wIkj  has  been  carrying  on  a  fine  business  as 
blacksmith  and  carriage-maker  in  Eureka  for  over  thirty  years,  came  to 
Nevada  in  1869.  and  has  been  one  of  the  mo.'^t  industrious  and  capable  citi- 
zens since  that  time.  He  derives  Ins  intelligent  industrv  and  S(di(lity.  of 
character  and  business  ability  from  good  Scotch  ancestrv.  and  is  a  rejire- 
sentati\-e  of  the  class  of  men  who  have  done  most  for  the  industrial,  intel- 
lectual and  moral  life  of  his  state.  In  other  words  he  has  been  the  op|)osite 
of  the  parasite  on  the  body  politic,  and  has  been  able  to  do  more  than  ])nll 
his  own  weight  in  life,  with  the  result  that  he  has  been  helpful  and  useful  in 
all  departments  of  life  and  to  all  with  whom  he  has  ciime  in  contact  in  busi- 
ness or  domestic  relations. 

Mr.  Reid  was  born  in  Calais,  Maine.  May  14.  1848,  and  is  a  son  of 
James  Reid,  who  was  born  in  Scotland  and  emigrated  to  the  United  States 
when  a  young  man.  Mr.  Reid  was  educated  and  learned  his  trade  in  Ne\\' 
Brunswick  and  in  Maine,  and  was  tw^enty-one  years  old  when  he  came  to 
the  state  of  Nevada.  He  worked  for  wages  of  five  dollars  a  day  at  White 
Pine,  and  also  had  a  shop  of  his  own  for  a  year.  In  January,  1871.  he 
arrived  in  Eureka,  where  he  opened  his  own  shop,  and  in  1879  built  his 
present  shop.     His  scale  of  prices  when  he  first  came  here  was  twenty-five 


320  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

cents  for  sharpening  picks,  two  dollars  for  steeling  ])icks.  four  dollars  for 
shoeing  a  horse.  He  made  money  and  saved  it,  and  has  never  had  to  lose 
a  day  on  account  of  sickness.  For  some  years  he  was  engaged  in  the  cattle 
business  in  White  Pine  county,  where  he  had  twer;y-eight  hundred  acres 
of  land  and  kept  as  high  as  a  thousand  head  of  cattle.  He  has  since  disposed 
of  this  property  to  advantage,  and  his  principal  interests  are  now  centered 
in  liis  trade,  in  which  he  takes  great  pride  and  is  known  everywhere  as  a 
.skilled  and  thorough  mechanic. 

Mr.  Reid  has  been  a  life-long  Republican  except  during  the  siher  mo\'e- 
ment,  when  he  devoted  all  his  influence  and  votes  to  the  cause  of  bimetalism. 
He  has  shown  deep  interest  in  educational  matters,  ?nd  for  ten  vears  has 
been  a  school  trustee.  He  was  made  a  blaster  Mason  in  Eureka  Lodge 
No.  i6,  F.  &  A.  M.,  in  1872.  and  has  since  received  the  Royal  Arch  degree 
in  St.  Johns  Chapter  No.  5,  R.  A.  M.,  and  was  made  a  Sir  Knight  Templar 
in  Eureka  Comniandery  No.  2:  he  has  been  an  active  Masonic  worker,  and 
is  a  past  high  priest  of  his  chapter  and  holds  the  office  of  captain  general  in 
the  commandery. 

In  1873  Mr.  Reid  married  Miss  Louisa  Barber,  a  native  of  his  own 
town  in  Elaine,  and  the  following  children  have  been  born  to  them  in  Eureka : 
Nellie  A.  graduated  from  the  high  school  and  then  from  the  New  England 
Conservatory  of  Music  at  Boston,  and  is  now  an  accomplished  teacher  of 
music;  the  son,  M.  R..  died  in  his  eighteenth  month:  and  Robert  Albert 
Blaine  and  Stella  Louise  are  the  youngest.  The  family  have  one  of  the 
pleasantest  homes  in  Eureka,  and  they  are  all  bright  and  popular  members 
of  the  social  circles  of  the  town. 


FIRST  NATIONAL  BANK  OF  WINNEMUCCA.  Fhe  hirst  Na- 
tional Bank  of  Winnemucca  had  the  distinction  of  being  the  onl\-  national 
bank  in  the  state  of  Nevada  up  to  N^ovember,  1903.  It  was  organized  on 
October  20,  1886.  George  S.  Ni.xon,  now  its  president,  being  the  chief  factor 
in  the  enterprise.  It  was  started  with  fifteen  stockholders  and  a  paid-up 
capital  stock  of  fifty  thousand  dollars,  which  was  later  increased  to  eighty- 
two  thousand,  its  present  capital,  and  it  now  has  a  sur])lus  f)f  thirty  thousand 
dollars.  The  I'"ir.st  National  does  a  general  Ijanking  business,  and  has  en- 
joyed a  splendidly  successful  record  and  a  reputation  for  reliability  since  its 
organization.  Its  total  resources  are  now  $735,500.68.  Mr.  Nixon  was 
cashier  for  fifteen  years  before  bis  election  to  the  ])residcncy :  b'rank  M.  Lee 
is  the  casiiier  and  one  of  the  stockholders,  and  was  cho.sen  to  this  position 
in  1900,  for  fifteen  years  having  been  connected  with  the  Washne  County 
Bank  at  Reno;  Mr.  J.  Sebbald  is  vice  president,  and  R.  C.  Moore  and  11.  1". 
Busch  are  directors.  Mr.  Nixon  is  also  president  of  the  large  commercial 
company  at  Lovelocks,  and  Mr.  Lee  is  vice  presideni  They  are  connected 
with  the  Lovelocks  Land  and  Development  Company,  and  ha\c  a  large 
tract  of  rich  land  at  Lovelocks  which  is  being  farmed  to  grain  and  alfalfa. 

George  S.  Nixon  was  born  in  Newcastle,  Placer  county,  California, 
April  2,  i860,  his  parents,  J.  H.  and  May  (Estcll)  Nixon,  having  crossed 
the  plains  to  California  in  1S51  and  located  at  Dotens  Bar,  where  the  former 


'i^ 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  321 

was  a  successful  fanner.  Mr.  Nixon  was  reared  and  educated  at  Newca.stle. 
wliere  he  remained  till  his  twentieth  year.  He  learned  telegraphy,  and  came 
to  the  Humholdt  House  in  Humboldt  county,  Nevada,  in  the  employ  of  the 
Southern  Pacific  Railroad,  as  agent.  In  1883  he  went  to  Belleville,  on  the 
Carson  and  Colorado  road,  where  he  was  agent  for  a  year.  In  1884  he 
accepted  a  position  in  the  First  National  Bank  at  Reno,  which  is  now  the 
Washoe  County  Bank,  and  in  1886  came  to  Winnemucca  for  the  purpose 
of  organizing-  the  bank  v\diich  has  been  described  above,  and  with  whose  suc- 
cessful conduct  he  has  been  identified  e\er  since,  its  position  as  one  of  the 
leading  financial  institutions  of  the  state  being  in  no  small  measure  due  to 
his  judgment  and  executi\-e  ability. 

Mr.  Nixon  as  a  Republican  ser\ed  in  the  Nevada  state  legislature  in 
1891.  In  1891-2  he  was  chairman  of  the  silver  party  .state  central  commit- 
tee, but  at  present  holds  an  independent  attitude  toward  political  questions. 
He  is  state  agent  of  the  Southern  I'acific  Railroad  Company  in  Nevada. 
Mr.  Nixon  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
and  the  Elks.  January  29,  1887,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Kate  Imogene 
Bacon,  a  native  of  Princeton,  Illinois.  They  have  one  son,  Bertram  Estell. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nixon  have  hosts  of  friends  in  Winnemucca  and  throughout 
the  state,  and  their  pleasant  residence  in  \Vinnemucca  is  one  of  the  society- 
centers  of  the  town. 


HON.  W.  O'H.  MARTIN.  The  name  of  Hon.  W.  O'H.  Martin  is  in- 
delibly inscribed  on  the  history  of  Nevada  because  of  his  acti\-e  connection 
with  its  early  progress  and  development;  all  who  examine  into  the  annals 
of  the  state  will  recognize  the  fact  that  his  labors  have  been  most  effectixe 
and  helpful  in  the  expansion  of  the  trade  interests  of  the  commonwealth, 
in  which  lies  the  basis  of  all  prosperity. 

Mr.  Martin  was  born  in  Platteville,  Wisconsin,  September  9,  1845.  'i"'' 
was  of  Scotch-Irish  lineage.  His  paternal  grandfather,  Morris  Martin,  emi- 
grated to  the  new  world  in  1822,  settling  in  New  York  city,  where  his  son. 
Morris  Washington  Martin,  was  born.  The  latter  married  Miss  Margaret 
O'Hara,  a  native  of  Canandaigua,  New  York,  and  a  daughter  of  Captain 
William  O'Hara,  who  was  a  graduate  of  Duljlin  University,  and  later  entered 
the  British  army,  under  George  III.  Captain  O'Hara  afterwru'd  resigned 
his  commission  and  came  to  New  York  city  in  the  same  year  in  which  the 
Martin  family  was  established  there.  He  sulisequently  Ijecame  a  resident  of 
Wisconsin,  and  died  in  Platteville.  in  1847,  '^t  the  age  of  si.xty-four. 

Morris  W.  Martin,  the  father  of  W.  O'H.  Martin,  removed  to  Wis- 
consin at  an  early  epoch  in  the  development  of  that  state,  and  became  a 
prominent  and  influential  citizen,  serving  for  several  terms  as  recorder  of 
his  county.  He  afterward  returned  to  New  York,  and  in  185 1  sailed  with 
his  family  for  San  Francisco,  attracted  l)y  the  discovery  of  gold  and  the 
business  possibilities  of  the  rapidh'  developing  west.  He  continued  to  reside 
in  the  Golden  state  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  Cherokee.  Butte  county, 
in  September,   1865. 

Hon.  W.  O'H.  Martin  olitained  his  earlv  education  in  California,  and 


322  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

engaged  for  a  time  in  placer  mining.  In  1868  lie  went  to  Empire.  Ne\a<la, 
and  accepted  a  clerkship  in  a  general  merchandise  store,  but  after  a  few  years 
he  purchased  the  interests  of  the  firm  and  continued  in  trade  there  until 
188 1,  when  he  sold  out  and  spent  a  year  as  a  stock  broker  in  San  Francisco. 
In  1883  he  located  in  Reno,  Washoe  countw  Xexada.  where  he  purchased  a 
wholesale  and  retail  merchandise  store.  W  ilh  characteristic  energy  and  en- 
terprise he  Iniilt  uj)  a  splendid  business,  which  he  later  incorporated  as  the 
Reno  Mercantile  Company;  through  his  honorable  methods,  keen  sagacity 
and  diligence  he  established  a  firm  which  has  continued  to  ))rosper  to  the 
present  time,  and  is  now  one  of  the  leading  mercantile  concerns  of  the  state. 

In  1895  Mr.  Martin  was  elected  president  of  the  Washoe  Comity  LJank. 
and  effected  its  reorganization;  the  capital  stock  was  advanced  to  three 
hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  a  little  later  it  was  ad\anced  to  fi\-e  hundred 
thousand,  all  of  wliich  was  paid  up.  During  his  presidency  the  increase  in 
the  business  of  the.bank  was  almost  ])]ienonicnal ;  financial  conditions  improved 
throughout  the  state  during  this  period,  but  his  guidance  of  the  affairs  of 
the  Washoe  County  Bank  strengthened  its  position  materially.  Its  prosjjerity 
was  due  in  no  small  measure  to  his  per.-^onality  and  influence.  He  continued 
at  the  head  of  the  institution  till  death,  which  occurred  September  14, 
1901.  At  the  time  of  his  death  Mr.  Martin  was  also  president  of  the  River- 
side Mill  Company  and  the  Reno  Real  Estate  and  In\-estment  Com]xuiy.  cor- 
porations which  owe  their  success  in  large  measure  to  the  farsighlcd  judg- 
ment and  unselfish  spirit  of  their  president. , 

In  his  political  affiliation  Mr.  Martin  was  a  !\e]iublican.  and  while 
living  in  lunpire  represented  Ornisby  county  in  the  state  senate.  His  devotion 
to  tiie  public  good  stood  as  an  unf|uestioned  fact  in  his  career,  and  though 
his  Ijusiness  interests  made  liea\y  demands  ujion  his  time  he  always  found 
op])ortunity  to  co-operate  in  measures  for  the  general  welfare.  But  he  con- 
sistently refused  to  accept  the  political  preferment  which  the  leaders  of  his 
party  urged  upon  him. 

Kindness  and  unquestioned  integrity  were  (Ujminating  traits  of  his  char- 
acter. His  life  was  in  harmony  with  the  teachings  of  the  Masonic  fraternity, 
in  which  he  advanced  to  the  Knight  Templar  degree.  He  was  a  de\-oted  hus- 
l)and  and  father,  a  relialile  man  of  affairs,  a  loyal  citiv^cn,  and  me  whose  true 
no])ility  of  character  awakened  for  him  honor  and  respect  wherever  he  was 
known. 

Mr.  .Martin  was  married  in  1873.  and  bis  widow  and  se\en  cliihh'en 
occu])}-  one  of  the  beautiful  homes  of  Reno. 


MERRTTT.  FEETCFTER,  of  the  firm  of  Metcher  Brothers,  liverymen, 
of  J'Aireka,_  has  the  honor  (jf  being  one  of  the  coni])arti\ely  few  grown  men 
who  are  native  sons  of  this  town,  where  he  was  born  July  3.  187O,  and  is 
al.so  the  son  of  a  man  who  held  a  ccinspicuous  ])lace  ;niiong  the  ])ioneers  of 
the  state  and  was  eminent  in  tlie  commercial  and  public  life  of  town,  countx' 
and  state. 

Mr.  {'"lelclier  is  a  member  of  a  family  which  h.is  played  as  honorable 
and  useful  a  part   in   the  world's  affairs  as  lias  any  oibc  in   history.      Its 


A  IIISTCJKV  Ol'   NEVADA.  31i3 

antiquity  dates  Ijack  to  the  Middle  As;es.  and  tlic  name,  wliicli  must  liave 
originated  in  I<"rance  many  centuries  ago,  under  the  form  oi"  "de  la  I'lecliicr," 
signified  an  arrow-maker  or  one  who  feathers  arrows.  The  family  is  known 
to  ha\e  had  its  seat  in  England  as  far  back  as  the  Ihirteenth  century,  and 
contained  members  of  the  nobility  and  was  honored  with  a  coat  of  arms. 
The  history  of  the  .\merican  branch  of  the  faiuib-  begins  with  Robert 
b'letcher,  who  was  born  in  iMigland  in  1 5g2  .and  emigrated  to  the  cohjny  of 
Massachusetts  in  1630.  making  settlement  in  Concord.  His  posterity  now 
numbers  over  ten  thousand,  and  many  of  them  lia\e  held  liigh  ]jositions  of 
honor  and  trust,  ha\'e  been  noted  for  their  lulelity  to  dut\'  ;ind  their  patriot- 
ism, and  the  early  history  of  Massachusetts  and  of  i;lhcr  colonies  contains 
many  of  their  names  as  high  in  official  positions.  The  .\merican  descend- 
ants of  Robert  Fletcher  have  published  an  interesting  rmd  valuable  genealogi- 
cal record  of  the  family. 

One  branch  of  the  Fletchers  existed  in  Switzerlantl  for  some  gener;i- 
tions,  where  they  were  as  noted  as  the  Swiss  themseK'es  for  ])iet\'  and  ])a- 
triotism.  The  great  Methodist  di\ine  John  b'letcher  was  a  native  of  that 
little  republic,  and  his  name  was  Jean  de  !a  bdechier,  which  in  England 
became  simple  John  Fletcher.  In  the  records  of  the  family  in  America  it  is 
learned  that  two  bdetcher  brothers  lost  their  li\'es  in  the  colonists"  wars  with 
the  Indians;  a  large  number  of  Fletchers  were  enrolleii  in  the  colonial  militia 
and  fought  at  Concord  and  Le.xington  and  at  Bunker  Hill :  Paul  Fletcher 
died  at  Valley  Forge,  and  Henry  was  killed  at  White  Plains;  two  hundred 
and  fifty-eight  of  the  name  fought  for  the  Union  cause  in  the  Civil  war. 
Three  Fletchers  were  governors  of  states,  ten  were  members  of  Congress, 
and  the  name  is  also  represented  in  high  positions  on  the  bench.  Of  the 
daughters,  Annie  Fletcher  became  the  wife  of  Daniel  Emerson,  and  Grace 
Fletcher  the  wife  of  Daniel  Webster. 

Samuel  Fletcher,  the  great-grandfather  of  Merrill  Fletcher,  was  born 
in  Chesterford,  Vermont,  about  the  year  1750,  and  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Revolution,  so  that  by  this  record  his  descendants  can  ha\e  membership  in 
the  patriotic  order  of  Sons  and  Daughters  of  the  American  Rex'olution. 
Arad  Fletcher,  the  grandfather  uf  Mer-rill  Fletcher,  was  born  in  Waterford, 
Vermont,  September  27.  17^9.  and  Ins  son,  (iran\ille  .\.  I'detcher,  the 
Nevada  ]jioneer  mentioned  aljove,  was  born  in  liarnston,  Pro\ince  of  Quebec, 
April  18,  1840.  He  crune  to  California  by  way  of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama 
in  1859,  and  in  the  following  year  arrived  in  what  afterward  became  the 
state  of  Xe\-ada.  He  was  engaged  in  various  mining  and  milling  enter- 
prises, and  built  the  Norton  mill  in  Mountain  City.  Pie  was  in  business  in 
Elko  for  some  time,  and  from  there  came  to  Eureka  in  1870,  where  he  at 
first  had  a  hay  and  grain,  business  below  the  depot,  in  1889  he  bought  the 
property  on  which  his  sons  have  built  the  livery  barn,  and  he  himself  was 
engaged  in  the  li\-ery  business  from  1880  till  the  time  of  his  death,  which 
occurred  on  the  24th  of  October,  1899.  He  was  a  Republican  in  politics, 
but  supported  the  cause  of  silver.  Plis  county  elected  him  county  commis- 
sioner, and  in  i8(;o  sent  him  to  the  state  legislature.  In  every  position  of 
life  to  which  he  was  called  he  acquitted  himself  honoral>ly  and  creditably. 


324:  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

and  the  rec^u'd  wliicli  lie  left  l.ehiiul  is  one  of  capable  serxice  to  liis   family 
and  town,  county  and  state. 

In  1874  Granville  Fletcher  was  married  to  Aliss  Permelia  McCowen,  a 
native  of  the  state  of  Ohio.  His  wife  and  two  sons  survixe  him,  and  make 
their  home  in  one  of  the  nice  residences  of  Etn"eka.  Gran\ille  .\.,  jr..  and 
Merrill  built  their  present  livery  barn  in  1900,  and  liave  been  successfully 
carrying  on  the  business  which  their  honored  father  established.  Theirs 
is  the  leading  establishment  of  the  kind  in  town,  and  they  have  a  large 
patronage  and  are  esteemed  in  business  and  in  social  circles.  Merrill  is 
Master  Workman  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  I'nited  WVirkmen,  and  is  also  a 
member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias. 


\\".  J.  HOOPER,  the  assessor  (jf  Eureka  county  and  o-.ie  of  the  best 
known  and  most  capable  mining  men  in  this  part  of  the  country,  has  been 
a  resident  of  Nevada  since  childhood,  and  in  the  subsequent  twenty-seven 
years  has  made  himself  a  prosperous  place  as  a  man  of  affairs.  There  are 
few  men  who  understand  mining  conditions  and  the  luineral  resources  of 
the  state  better  than  he.  and  he  is  likewise  popular  and  esteemed  in  political 
circles  and  has  received  one  of  the  important  county  offices  at  the  hands  of 
the  people. 

]Mr.  Hooper  was  born  in  England,  April  2.  1864,  a  son  of  T.  J.  and 
Ellen  (May)  Hooper,  who  were  both  born  in  England  and  a  year  after  the 
birth  f)f  their  son  emigrated  to  the  United  States.  The  former  died  in 
Ruby  Hill.  Nevada,  in  1884,  at  the  age  of  forty  years,  but  his  wife  is  still 
residing  at  Ruby  Hill.  Air.  Hooper  was  but  a  baby  when  he  was  lirought  to 
the  new  world,  and  his  early  training  was  received  in  A'irginia  City  and 
Gold  Hill,  Nevada.  He  began  working  in  the  mines  when  a  b<  _v.  and  was 
employed  in  the  Eurelca  Consolidated,  the  Richmond  and  in  all  of  the  large 
mines  of  the  district  at  that  early  day.  Mining  enterprises  have  been  the 
])rincipal  object  of  his  endeavors  all  his  life,  and  he  knows  the  business  from 
the  ground  up,  both  technically  and  practically.  He  is  now  superintendent 
of  the  Jackson  mine  on  Ruby  Hill,  which  has  produced  over  a  million  dol- 
lars' worth  of  gold,  silver  and  lead,  and  is  also  su])erintendent  of  the  Ham- 
burg mine  four  miles  south  of  Eureka.  Mr.  Hooper  is  satisfied  that  all 
this  part  of  Eureka  county  lies  in  a  wonderfully  rich  mineral  belt,  and  it  is 
only  a  question  of  ])roper  management  and  capital  to  produce  nnich  larger 
amounts  of  bullion  than  have  yet  been  brought  to  light.  He  has  the  reputa- 
tion in  this  ]iart  of  the  country  of  a  practical  miner,  and  bis  judgment  is 
correspondingly  respected  and  much  sought. 

Mr.  Plooper  was  an  ardent  Republican  u\)  to  the  time  that  parly  was 
s|)lit  on  the  silver  issue,  and  h.e  then  became  aclixe  in  the  silver  movement 
and  was  a  prominent  factor  in.  the  organization  of  the  silver  party  and  is  still 
loyal  to  its  principles.  In  1900  lie  was  elected  assessor  of  Eureka  county, 
having  served  as  deputy  assessor  for  several  years  previously,  and  he  has 
given  eminent  satisfaction  in  this  office.  He  is  a  member  of  the  lndei)endent 
Order  of  Odd  I'cllows  and  of  the  Rebekahs,  and  is  a  member  of  the  grand 
lody'e  of  the  state;  he  also  aflihates  with  the  .Ancient  Order  of  United  Work- 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  325 

men.  Mr.  Hixiiier  was  married  on  Feliruary  21,  i88q,  to  Mi.ss  I'lstella  [•'.. 
Manuel,  and  tln'ee  children  \vdve  come  to  brighten  their  li(j;ne  in  luirek.; 
countv :    Richard  W.,  Elsie  Mav  and   ludson  V. 


HON.  WALTER  J.  TONKIN,  a  leading-  merchant  and  business  man 
of  Eureka,  first  came  to  Nevada  in  1875,  and  has  been  engaged  in  various 
lines  of  commercial  and  industrial  activity  ever  since.  Merchandising  has 
been  the  occupation  in  which  he  has  made  bis  jjrincipal  success,  but  he  has 
also  mined  and  been  interested  in  stock-raising.  Besides  his  respected  posi- 
tion in  business  circles,  he  stands  as  high  in  Masonic  honors  as  any  other 
man  in  the  state,  and  is  foremost  in  the  beneficent  work  of  this  ancient  order. 

Mr.  Tonkin  w^as  born  in  Cornwall,  England,  January  29,  1854,  and 
was  educated  in  that  country.  He  was  twenty-one  years  old  when  he  came 
to  the  United  States,  in  1875,  and  his  first  destination  was  Virginia  City, 
Nevada,  which  was  at  that  time  in  the  height  of  its  prosperous  development. 
He  liad  learned  merchandising  in  bis  native  country,  Ijut  on  his  arrival  here 
he  got  a  ])lace  in  the  mines  at  four  dollars  a  day.  He  was  already  some- 
what familiar  with  mining  operations,  for  be  had  come  from  the  mining 
center  of  England,  and  be  was  on  sure  ground  when  be  came  to  the  mining 
regions  of  the  west.  From  Virginia  City  he  went  to  Bodie,  California,  and 
was  appointed  night  foreman  of  the  Noonday  mine,  having  full  charge  of 
it  during  the  night.  Mr.  Tonkin  came  to  Eureka  on  September  18,  1880, 
and  opened  a  stock  of  licjuors,  which  business  he  carried  on  successfully  for 
ten  years.  He  then  sold  out  and  opened  a  dry  goods  and  clothing  store 
on  March  4,  1891.  He  has  a  large  trade  in  this  line  of  merchandising,  and 
has  been  applying  all  his  energy  to  building  up  the  business,  with  gratifyin^tj^ 
results.  In  1887  he  began  stock-raising  in  Eureka  county  with  his  brother. 
John  G.  Tonkin,  as  partner.  They  had  a  ranch  of  six  liundred  and  forty 
acres,  on  which  they  kept  as  high  as  six  hundred  cattle,  but  he  has  since  sold 
these  interests  in  order  to  devote  himself  unreservedly  to  his  principal  work. 

Mr.  Tonkin  has  the  honor  of  having  been  made  a  Master  Mason  in 
One  and  All  Lodge,  No.  330,  F.  &  A.  M.,  at  Bodmm.  England,  and  he  re- 
ceived tiie  Royal  Arch  degrees  in  Bodmin  Chapter,  and  was  made  a  Sir  Knight 
Templar  in  Eureka  Commandery  No.  2.  He  Ikis  also  recei\'ed  all  the  Scot- 
tish Rite  degrees  including  the  thirty-second.  He  affiliates  with  all  the 
lodges  in  Eureka,  is  a  member  of  the  Reno  Consistory,  and  his  standing  as 
a  Mason  in  Nevada  is  ec|ual  to  the  best.  Mr.  Tonkin  has  been  a  consistent 
adherent  of  the  Repuljlican  principles  since  coming  to  this  country,  but  gave 
bis  vote  and  influence  to  the  cause  of  silver. 

On  December  16,  i88g,  he  married  Miss  Reljecca  Crombie.  Her 
father,  John  C.  Crombie,  was  born  at  New  Boston.  New^  Hampshire,  Janu- 
ary 10,  1834,  and  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Lee.  He  came  to  Nevada  in 
1864,  and  has  been  one  of  the  most  enterprising  of  tiie  state's  mining  men. 
He  is  still  owner  of  valuable  gold  and  copper  mining  property,  and  has 
done  much  for  the  development  and  prosperity  of  his  state.  His  pir)neer 
wife  also  survives.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Tonkin  have  two  children,  both  Ijorn  in 
Eureka,    Walter   Crombie   and    Celia    Ailene.     They   have   one   of   the   nice 


326  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

lioines  of  Eureka,  cheerful  and  Ijrii^ht  in  all  its  comforts  and  surrounding's. 
and  he  also  owns  his  store  liuilding".  They  are  Episcopalians  in  religious 
faith,  and  are  popular  niemhers  of  the  society  nf  the  county  scat  of  Eureka 
county. 

LEWIS  LEE  BRADLEY,  one  of  the  well  known  and  highly  respected 
business  men  of  the  community,  is  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Bradley  &  Dunn, 
owners  of  the  Commercial  Hotel,  the  leading  hotel  in  Elko.  He  is  also 
extensi\ely  engaged  in  the  stock  business  in  this  county,  and  is  numjjered 
among  the  leading  and  public-spirited  citizens  of  his  adopted  county.  He 
is  a  native  son  of  California,  his  birth  occurring  in  Stockton  on  the  17th  of 
November,  1866.  He  is  a  grandson  of  ex-Governor  L.  R.  Bradley,  of 
Nevada,  and  a  son  of  John  R.  Bradley,  who  married  Miss  Betty  Hitt.  The 
family  were  Virginians. 

Lewis  Lee  Bradley  attended  the  public  schools  during  the  period  of  his 
boyhood  and  youth,  and  later  became  a  student  in  the  Pacific  Business  Col- 
lege in  San  Erancisco.  .Vfter  comi)leting  his  education  he  embarked  in  the 
cattle  business  at  Deeth,  Nevada,  in  company  with  his  brother,  J.  D.  Bradley, 
and  his  brotlier-in-law.  J.  H.  Clemins.  This  company  was  organized  in 
1900,  l)ut  all  had  pre\iously  been  engaged  in  the  cattle  business,  and  the 
com])anv  at  one  time  owned  between  seven  and  twenty  thousand  head  of 
cattle.  During  the  hard  winter  of  1899-1900,  however,  the  firm  suffered 
heavy  financial  losses,  losing  eighty  ]jer  cent  of  the  cattle,  and  Mr.  Bradley 
and  his  father  were  in  very  straightened  circumstances  at  one  time.  But 
they  have  since  lieen  eminently  successful  in  the  stock  business,  and  ai'c 
now  breeiling  the  Hereford  and  Durham  cattle.  In  company  with  Mr. 
Dunn.  Mr.  Bradley  purchased  the  Commercial  Hotel,  and  they  .are  now- 
doubling  its  size.  It  is  built  of  brick,  being  one  hundred  by  one  hundred 
feet  in  dimensions,  contains  sixty-five  sleeping  rooms.  ;l  large  dir.ing  room, 
oflice  and  all  modern  coiueniences,  and  is  considered  the  leading  hotel  of 
Elk<i.  in  his  fraternal  relations  Mr.  Bradley  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient 
Order  of  United  Workmen  and  the  Masonic  fraternity,  having  been  made  a 
Mason  in  Elko  Lodge  No.  15.  \\  &  .\.  M.,  in  1900.  Although  not  a  seeker 
after  political  preferment,  he  gives  a  stalwart  su])piirt  to  the  Ik-mocralic 
party,  and  is  an  active  worker  in  the  ranks  of  his  ])arty. 

On  the  25th  of  b'cbruary,  1891,  Mr.  Bradley  was  united  in  mariiage 
to  Miss  Marv  H.  .Armstrong,  who  was  liorn  in  Star  valley,  b^lko  county, 
and  is  a  daughter  of  Benjamin  .\rmstrong,  also  of  this  county.  They  have 
two  daughters.  Beulah  and  Alice  May.  The  family  reside  in  a  commodious 
brick  residence  in  I'^lko.  and  they  enjoy  ;i  wide  circle  of  friends  and  ac- 
f|uaintances. 

HON.  S.  J.  IIODCKTNSON.  There  is  no  druggist  of  jvtcnn  who  has 
longer  iieen  a  resident  of  the  city  than  h.is  lion.  S.  j.  I  lodgkinson.  and  he 
is  likewise  numbered  among  the  ])ioneers  of  .\'c\;i(l;i.  h;i\ing  settled  here  in 
lerritori;il  days.  Widely  known  .ind  respeckd  ihronghont  the  state,  his 
record  will  prove  of  interest  to  many  of  our  readers,  and  it  is  therefore  with 
])lcasure  thai    we   present    ihis   rcci  rd.       \   native  of   Missouri,   he   w;is   lnn'ii 


o/^.  J"    (fW^^c?l,^jz^  ^ 


'/l-'^C^/^^'C^. 


A  TTTSTORY  OF  NEVADA.  327 

in  185J,  and  is  of  Kiigiisli  ancestry.  His  parents,  S.  11.  ami  Mary  Ann 
(Jackson)  H(Klgkinson,  were  liotli  nati\'es  of  England. 

Crossing  the  Atlantic  to  the  United  States,  his  father  resided  in  Mis- 
souri for  some  time.  In  the  fifties  he,  accompanied  hy  his  wife,  three  daugh- 
ters and  .son  crossed  the  plains  to  California.  He  worked  on  a  ranch  in  Santa 
Clara  county,  and  in  iS(k.)  came  to  the  tcrritor\-  nf  Nevada,  settling  on  a 
ranch  on  the  east  fcM'k  of  the  Carson  ri\-er  near  C;(rson  City.  There  he 
cultivated  and  impnwed  a  farm,  and,  selling  that  property,  purch;ised  a 
home  in  Carson  City  and  was  engaged  in  teaming  there.  I"or  .some  time 
he  held  the  ofifice  of  con.stahle,  and  he  was  captain  of  the  guards  at  the  state 
penitentiary  under  P.  C.  Hyman.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were  earnest  Chris- 
tian people,  his  memhership  heing  with  the  Methodist  church,  while  she  he- 
longed  to  the  E])isc()i)al  church.  In  jiolitics  he  was  a  Democrat,  and  as  a 
citizen  was  known  for  his  loyalt\-  to  all  that  he  helieved  would  pro\e  of  gen- 
eral heneht.  He  died  in  iSi)i,  and  his  good  wife,  still  sur\i\ing  him  at  the 
age  of  se\'enty  years,  is  ni w   h\iug  in  San  Francisco. 

S.  J.  Hodgkinson  was  in  his  nnUh  year  when  he  arri\ed  in  .Xewada. 
He  was  educated  in  a  prixate  seminai-y  in  Carson  City,  and  when  thirteen 
years  of  age  entered  the  drug  stcre  of  (  ).  1'.  Willis  as  a  clerk,  h'or  eight 
years  he  remained  with  that  gentleman,  ac(|uiring'  a  thorough  knowledge  of 
the  business  and  serving  his  employer  so  faithfully  that  he  won  his  un- 
qualified confidence  and  regard.  He  was  at  first  paid  twentv  dollars  per 
month,  and  his  wages  were  ad\anced  fr(]m  time  to  tune  as  he  Vjecame  more 
capahle  and  ac(|uired  a  more  compreheusi\e  understaiiding  of  the  business. 
On  lea\-ing  the  ser\-ice  of  Mr.  Willis  he  accepted  a  clerkship  in  tlie  store  of 
John  G.  Fox,  a  dealer  in  general  merch.andise,  jewelry  and  notions.  Later 
he  s]5ent  a  year  and  a  half  in  marking  clothes  in  a  laundry,  and  for  two  vears 
was  inside  guard  at  tiie  ])enitentiarv  mider  (ieneral  Eatterman.  It  was  on 
the  22d  of  September,  1882,  that  Mi'.  Hodgkinson  arrived  in  Reno,  where 
he  secured  a  position  in  the  drug  store  of  John  Myers.  .\  little  later  he 
borrowed  the  four  thousand  dollars  with  which  lie  ]nn"chased  the  liusin.ess 
of  his  emjjloyer,  and  from  that  time  until  the  uresent  his  patronage  has  steadib' 
grown.  Soon  he  had  discharged  all  of  his  indebtedness,  and  he  now  owns  a 
store  building  as  well  as  his  stock  and  is  enjoying  a  most  e.\tensive  patronage. 
I'or  more  than  twenty-one  years  he  has  engaged  in  business  in  Reno,  and 
his  reputable  business  methods,  his  enterprise  and  probity  ha\e  won  for  him 
the  confidence  and  good  will  of  the  entire  |)ublic. 

In  1890  Mr.  Hodgkinson  was  joined  in  wedlock  to  Miss  Eugene  E. 
Wall,  a  native  of  Rensselaer  Falls,  New  York,  and  a  graduate  of  St.  Law- 
rence L'ni\ersity.  Three  sons  graced  this  marriage,  all  born  in  Reno: 
Lawrence  J.,  Francis  and  Samuel  J.  Mrs.  Hodgkinson  is  a  \alued  memljer 
of  the  Episcopal  church  and  is  an  estimable  lady,  presiding  with  gracious 
hospitality  over  their  pleasant  home.  Mr.  Hodgkinson  is  a  member  of  the 
Bene\olent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  and  of  the  Kniglits  of  Pythias 
fraternity,  and  in  the  latter  is  jiast  grand  chancellor.  His  ]iolitical  allegiance 
is  given  to  the  T'Jepublican  party,  and  he  has  lieen  chief  of  the  Reno  fire  de- 
partment for  twelve  years.  He  was  elected  and  served  for  two  terms  in  the 
Nevada  state  assembl'v,  and  he  served  on  the  stafY  of  Governor  Bradley  with 


328  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

the  rank  of  lieutenant  colonel.  He  lia.s  also  I)een  a  captain  of  Company  C 
of  the  National  Guards  of  Nevada.  He  was  the  first  president  of  the  first 
board  of  pharmacists  of  the  state.  He  has  been  active  in  public  life  as  a 
representative  of  commercial  and  political  interests,  and  the  salient  features 
of  his  character  have  been  allegiance  to  duty,  strong  purpose  and  unfaltering 
energ)'  in  carrying  forward  any  task  or  trust  reposed  in  him. 


J.  W.  GUTHRIE,  the  efficient  county  assessor  of  Humboldt  county, 
Nevada,  was  born  in  Ohio  on  the  15th  of  March,  1858.  His  father,  John 
Baker  Guthrie,  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  but  was  married  in  Ohio,  the 
ladv  of  his  choice  being  Miss  Harriet  Watt,  a  native  of  that  commonwealth. 
With  his  wife  and  four  children,  two  sons  and  two  daughters,  John  Baker 
Guthrie  crossed  the  plains  to  California,  being  six  months  on  the  journey, 
and  they  were  fortunate  in  escaping  disease  and  from  the  Indians.  On 
their  arrival  in  the  Golden  state  the  family  located  at  Texas  Springs.  Shasta 
county,  where  Mr.  Guthrie  engaged  in  teaming  from  Sacramento  to  Union- 
ville,  Nevada,  and  in  1862  the  family  located  at  the  latter  place,  the  father 
continuing  his  teaming  operations,  hauling  goods  from  Sacramento  to 
Unionville,  wood  to  the  mills  and  salt  from  the  Humboldt  salt  marsh  to 
Silver  Citv,  Idaho.  He  owned  the  old  Humljoldt  salt  marsh,  and  oxen  were 
used  in  his  hauling.  In  those  early  days  many  thus  engaged  were  killed  by 
the  Indians,  but  Mr.  Guthrie  fortunately  escaped.  He  owned  nine  ox-teams 
(nine  yoke  to  the  team)  and  each  teamster  was  furnished  with  a  Henri 
rirte,  and  thus  the  redskins  were  afraid  to  attack  the  party.  Later  in  life 
he  purchased  a  ranch  twelve  miles  southwest  of  Winnemucca,  the  tract  con- 
sisting of  four  hundred  acres,  and  there  he  planted  one  of  the  finest  fruit 
orchards  in  the  state.  He  was  called  to  his  final  rest  in  1890,  when  he  had 
reached  the  age  of  sixtv-four  years,  and  his  widow,  who  bra\ely  shared  with 
her  husband  in  all  the  trials  and  hardships  of  a  pioneer  life,  still  resides  on 
the  old  home  ranch,  being  now  in  her  seventy-second  year,  and  her  many 
noble  characteristics  have  won  for  her  many  friends.  Of  the  four  children 
who  crossed  the  plains  with  this  worthy  couple  in  1859,  the  second  daughter, 
Minerva  |ane.  is  now  deceased;  Florence  1...  the  oldest  daughter,  married 
C.  S.  Varian,  a  prominent  attorney,  and  resides  in  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah ; 
S.  R.  Guthrie  resides  in  Winnemucca.  The  following  children  were  born 
to  them  in  their  western  homes:  Sarah  Melissa,  now  Mrs.  Charles  McDcid, 
and  a  resident  of  Winnemucca;  Carrie,  the  wife  of  G.  M.  Rose,  a  printer, 
also  of  that  city;  John  I'rank,  a  resident  of  Plea.sant  valley:  Hattie  A.,  the 
wife  of  W.  A.  Brown,  a  druggist  in  Winnemucca;  James  Albert  and  Charles, 
deceased ;  and  Arthur  W.,  who  makes  his  home  on  the  ranch  with  his  mother. 

J.  W.  Guthrie  was  but  one  year  old  when  he  was  taken  by  his  parents 
across  the  plains  to  California,  and  in  Unionville,  Nevada,  he  was  reared  to 
mature  years  and  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools.  Since  attain- 
in.g  his  majority  he  has  devoted  his  attention  to  ranching  and  the  stock 
Inisine.ss,  and  is  now  interested  in  a  sulphur  mine  near  the  HunilK)ldt  House. 
in  which  locality  the  first  sul])hur  in  the  state  was  found  and  where  large 
quantities  are  now  being  produced.      In  jiolitical  matters  Mr.  Guthrie  allied 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  329 

his  interests  with  the  Repul)Hcan  party,  I)Ut  lias  suijported  tlic  niuxcnicnt  in 
favor  of  silver  when  he  believed  it  a  benefit  to  the  community  to  do  so.  In 
1890  he  was  elected  to  the  responsible  office  of  assessor  of  the  county  of 
Humtoldt,  to  which  he  has  since  been  re-elected  for  tliree  four-year  terms, 
and  is  now  serving  in  a  two-year  term.  When  he  first  became  a  candidate 
for  the  position  on  the  Republican  ticket  in  a  strongly  Democratic  com- 
munity, he  received  only  a  small  majority,  but  at  each  succeeding  election 
he  has  polled  a  handsome  majority.  He  is  thoroughly  posted  as  to  prop- 
erty valuation  in  the  county,  and  is  considered  by  his  fellow-citizens  as  the 
right  man  for  the  place. 

In  1879  Mr.  Guthrie  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  May  Viola  George, 
a  native  of  the  state  of  Iowa,  and  they  have  six  children :  Vera  Ethlyn, 
Malvina  Grace,  Edna  Elizabeth,  John  Ira,  Charles  William  and  Florence 
May.  The  family  reside  in  a  pleasant  residence  in  Winnemucca,  and  are 
among  the  highly  esteemed  residents  of  the  city.  Mr.  Guthrie  is  a  past 
master  in  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen. 


WILLIAM  COPPERSMITH.  The  enterprise  and  efforts  of  William 
Coppersmith  have  contributed  materially  to  the  improvement  of  Reno,  for 
he  has  erected  a  number  of  residences  here  and  their  attractive  style  has 
added  to  the  beauty  as  well  as  the  growth  of  the  city.  In  various  ways  he 
has  been  associated  with  the  development  of  the  great  west,  and  the  spirit 
of  progress  which  has  so  long  been  dominant  here  is  exempliliefl  in  his  life 
record. 

Mr.  Coppersmith  was  born  in  Baden,  Germany,  on  the  6th  of  March, 
1843.  His  father  died  in  that  country,  and  his  mother,  Mrs.  Francisca 
Coppersmith,  afterward  emigrated  to  the  L-ni-ted  States,  bringing  her  two 
children,  while  two  of  the  family  had  preceded  them  to  the  new  world. 
Subsequently  the  mother  returned  to  Germany  and  .spent  her  remaining  days 
in  her  native  country,  dying  at  the  advanced  age  of  eight-seven  years. 

Mr.  Coppersmith  was  a  youth  of  eleven  years  when  he  arrived  on  this 
side  of  the  Atlantic.  The  family  home  was  established  in  Ouincy,  Illinois, 
where,  in  the  public  schools,  he  continued  his  education,  which  had  been 
begun  in  the  fatherland.  Almost  from  the  time  he  arrived  in  America, 
however,  he  has  been  dependent  upon  his  own  resources  for  a  living,  antl 
is  deserving  of  great  credit  for  what  he  has  accomplished  in  the  business 
world.  In  i860  he  crossed  the  plains  with  oxen,  desiring  to  take  advantage 
of  the  opportunities  offered  by  the  great  west,  which  was  just  he'mg  opened 
up  to  the  civilization  and  enterprise  of  the  east.  He  first  settled  on  Blue 
river,  and  there  engaged  in  placer  mining,  but  in  that  venture  met  with 
poor  success.  In  i86.^,  attracted  by  the  mining  excitement  in  ^Montana, 
he  made  his  way  to  Grasshopper  Gulch,  where  he  carried  on  minijig,  ha\'ing 
a  rich  claim  and  being  one  of  the  first  to  meet  success  in  his  undertakings 
there.  His  brother  Louie  was  killed  there  bv  the  caving  in  of  a  mine. 
After  making  a  stake  at  Grasshopper  Gulch,  Mr.  Coppersmith  went  to  San 
Francisco,  where  he  engagefl  in  dealing  in  sheep.  He  also  made  a  trip 
to  Los  Angeles,  where  he  purchased  two  hundred  and  fifty  head  of  horses, 


330  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

wlii  li  he  drove  to  Reno.  After  selling  a  part  of  tliem  here,  he  (h'ove  the 
remainder  to  ^\'innemucca,  wliere  he  completed  his  sale.  On  the  expiration 
of  that  period  he  returned  to  Inyo  county,  California,  where  he  purchased 
cattle  which  he  took  to  Lassen  county,  California,  and  there  he  secured  a 
ranch  of  eight  hundred  and  fourteen  acres,  on  which  he  built  a  residence  and 
made  good  improvements,  later  selling  the  propertv  at  a  good  ad\;mce,  so 
that  he  realized  a  very  desirable  financial  return  on  the  investment. 

Mr.  Coppersmith  then  came  to  Reno.  This  was  in  the  year  iHqy.  and, 
ha\'ing  faith  in  the  development  and  progress  of  the  city,  he  invested  in 
lots  and  liegan  building  residences  for  renting.  In  this  enteriirise  he  has 
since  continued,  and  has  now  erected  a  number  of  fine  residences  which  add 
to  the  material  growth  and  improvement  of  the  city  and  make  his  labors  of 
much  value  to  Reno  as  well  as  a  source  of  good  income  to  himself.  Although 
he  is  not  a  carpenter  and  therefore  takes  no  part  in  the  construction  of  the 
houses,  he  superintends  the  building  and  has  both  practical  and  excellent 
ideas  concerning  the  building  of  attractive  and  commodious  homes,  Mr. 
Coppersmith  is  likewise  a  stockholder  and  one  of  the  directors  of  the 
Co-o])erative  (jeneral  Mercantile  Store  of  Reno.  His  present  enviable  ]iosi- 
tion  in  financial  and  business  circles  is  in  marked  contrast  to  his  condition 
when  as  a  lx3y  he  started  out  to  make  his  own  way  iii  the  world. 

In  1869  Mr.  Coppersmith  \\:is  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Paulin.n  Peck, 
a  native  of  Germany,  and  they  nnw  haxe  two  children:  \\'illie,  the  present 
manager  of  the  Co-operative  store;  an.d  I'^annie,  the  wife  of  C.  A.  Scott,  a 
resident  of  Long  V'alley,  California.  In  his  political  afliliations  Mr.  Copper- 
smith is  a  Kepuljlican  and  served  as  postmaster  under  the  administration 
of  President  McKinley,  before  leaving  California.  He  is  a  business  man  of 
the  highest  integritx'  and  aliility,  and  Reno  has  profited  by  bis  labors  here, 
for  he  belongs  to  that  class. of  enterprising,  progressive  citizens  who  while 
]irnmftting  their  individual  success  also  enhance  the  general  welfare. 


(jL(JR(jb^  W  .  M.M'LS.  Ilistory  is  no  longer  a  record  of  wars  and  con- 
quests nor  the  account  of  the  subjugation  of  one  nation  by  another,  but  is 
formed  of  business  annals  and  is  a  representative  of  what  has  been  ac- 
complished in  commercial,  agricultural  and  mining  circles.  The  men  who  are 
therefore  prominent  in  town,  county  or  state  are  they  who  are  managing  the 
important  business  affairs  which  largel}-  affect  the  interests  of  state.  In 
such  connection  George  W.  Mapes  is  well  known,  being  the  president  of  the 
Washoe  County  Bank.  He  came  to  Nevada  in  1863,  and  through  his  own  un- 
aided efforts  in  the  stock  business  has  risen  to  a  position  ]>rominent  among  the 
weaJtliy  men  of  the  state. 

.\  native  of  New  York,  Mr.  Majies  was  born  in  1  lartland,  Niagara 
county,  on  the  21st  of  March,  1833.  His  parents  were  likewise  natives  of 
the  Empire  state,  but  in  1847  his  father.  Ira  Majjcs,  removed  with  his 
family  to  Michigan,  settling  on  a  farm  in  Eaton  county,  near  the  town  of 
Bellevue.  There  he  cultivated  and  im])ro\ed  ,1  good  tract  of  land,  making  a 
va]ual)lc  farm  pro|)erty.  Industrious  and  honorable  in  all  his  business  deal- 
ings, he  met  with  good  success  and  acquired  a  comfortable  com])ctence  for 


-^^ 


k 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  331 

old  age.  He  departed  this  life  in  tlie  seventy-fourth  year  of  his  age,  while 
his  wife  attained  the  age  of  seventy-three  years.  They  were  the  parents  of 
six  sons  and  one  daughter. 

George  W.  Mapes,  who  is  the  only  representative  of  the  family  in 
Nevada,  was  a  youth  of  fourteen  years  at  the  time  of  the  removal  of  his 
parents  to  Michigan.  The  family  home  was  in  a  district  which  was  tlien 
largely  wild  and  uniniprox-ed,  and  pioneer  conditions  existed  to  a  consider- 
ahle  extent.  He  worked  upon  the  home  farm  during  the  summer  months 
and  attended  school  through  the  winter  seasons,  completing  his  education 
in  the  Congregational  College  in  Olivet,  Michigan.  The  great  west,  with 
its  broad  opjxjrtunities,  then  attracted  him,  and  in  1854  he  proceeded  by 
steamer  to  California.  He  was  engaged  in  placer  mining  in  Sierra  and 
Nevada  counties  for  four  years.  Init  met  with  only  moderate  success  in  that 
work.  In  1858  he  engaged  in  the  stock  business  in  Sonoma  county,  Cali- 
fornia, and  since  that  time  has  been  acti\ely  connected  with  that  depart- 
ment of  business  activity.  He  prefers  high-grade  Durham  cattle,  and  is 
now  engaged  in  raising  stock  of  that  kind.  His  success  has  been  such  that 
he  is  now  proprietor  of  large  stock  ranches  in  California,  in  Oregon  and 
Nevada,  having  many  thousand  acres  of  land.  He  remo\'ed  to  Plumas 
county,  California,  in  1863,  and  resided  in  the  Sierra  valley  for  seventeen 
years,  during  which  time  he  did  business  in  Virginia  City  and  later  in  Reno, 
furnishing  the  towns  with  beef  cattle.  During  the  forty-four  years  of  his  con- 
nection with  stock-raising  interests  he  has  placed  upon  the  marked  many 
thousands  of  cattle,  bis  sales  reaching  a  large  annual  figure,  and  to-day  he 
is  justly  niunbered  among  the  leading  representatives  of  the  business  on  the 
Pacific  coast.  He  has  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  needs  of  stock,  and  in 
all  bis  work  is  particularly  cajxible  and  progressive. 

In  1866  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Mapes  and  Miss  Josephine  Whit- 
craft,  a  daughter  of  John  W'hitcraft  and  Alluna  (Shaw)  Whitcraft,  who 
crossed  the  plains  in  1852.  Mrs.  Mapes'  father  was  a  native  of  New 
York,  and  in  early  days  was  a  school  teacher  and  afterward  an  attorney.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Mapes  have  three  children :  George  L.,  who  is  connected  with  his 
father  in  stock-raising  interests;  Charles  ^V.,  who  is  recei\'ing  teller  in  the 
bank ;  and  Echo,  who  is  now  a  student  in  San  Francisco. 

In  1880  Mr.  Mapes  remox'cd  with  his  family  to  Reno  and  now  has  one 
of  the  most  attractive  and  beautiful  homes  of  the  city.  He  has  invested  a 
large  amount  of  money  in  realty  here,  and  owing  to  the  rapid  growth  of  the 
city  this  has  greatly  advanced  in  value.  He  owns  the  large  block  in  which 
the  Reno  Mercantile  Company  is  now  doing  business,  the  block  in  which 
the  Levy  store  is  located  and  also  the  block  in  which  the  Frank  clothing  house 
is  located.  He  is  likewise  proprietor  of  the  telephone  liuilding,  and  is  associ- 
ated with  the  conduct  of  \arious  business  enterprises  of  Reno,  all  of  which  are 
being  capably  conducted,  his  advice  and  wise  counsel  being  important  factors 
in  their  successful  management.  Mr.  Mapes  is  a  member  of  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  with  which  he  is  identified  in  all  its  branches. 
He  was  a  Democrat  in  early  life,  but  is  now  a  believer  in  the  principles 
of  the  Republican  party,  and  he  kee]is  well  informed  on  the  questions  and 
issues  of  the  day,   although   he   has   never  been  a   seeker  for  public  ofifice. 


332  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

lie  is  a  large  stnckliolder  in  tlie  \\'ashoe  County  Bank,  is  now  serving  as  its 
president  and  takes  an  active  and  deep  interest  in  promoting  its  success. 
He  has  been  connected  with  the  bank  since  it  organized  with  fifty  thousand 
dollars  capital,  and  has  been  one  of  its  principal  stockholders  to  the  present 
time.  He  possesses  untiring  energy,  is  quick  of  perception,  forms  his  plans 
readily  and  is  determined  in  their  execution,  and  his  close  application  to  busi- 
ness and  his  e.xcellent  management  have  brought  to  him  the  high  degree  of 
prosperitv  which  is  to-day  his.  His  course  demonstrates  the  truth  of  the  say- 
ing that  success  is  not  the  result  of  genius  but  the  outcome  of  clear  judgment 
and  experience. 


D.  E.  LEWIS,  a  successful  and  long  establi:-heil  busmess  man  of 
Eureka,  is  one  of  the  old  settlers  of  Nevada,  and  made  his  acquaintance  with 
it  as  a  territory  in  1854,  when  he  passed  through  with  an  emigrant  train  to 
California.  He  has  been  engaged  in  various  enterprises  since  coming  to 
the  west,  and  has  met  with  more  than  his  share  of  unavoidable  reverses,  but 
his  energy  and  true  w'estern  spirit  of  never-give-up  have  each  time  placed 
him  on  his  feet  again  and  made  him  more  prosperous  than  before.  During 
thirty  years  of  residence  in  Eureka  he  has  gained  the  resjjcct  and  esteem  of 
all  with  whom  he  has  come  in  contact  in  business  or  personal  relations,  and 
be  and  his  sons  are  classed  with  the  solid  and  progressive  citizenry  of  the 
town  and  county. 

Mr.  Lewis  was  born  in  Wales,  z\pril  28,  1837,  and  is  a  son  of  Edward 
and  Mary  (Thomas)  Lewis,  also  natives  of  that  country,  and  who  emigrated 
to  America  in  1846,  bringing  with  them  their  nine  children.  They  settled 
in  the  state  of  Missouri,  where  they  remained  a  few  yeru's.  and  in  1854  made 
the  journey  across  the  plains  to  California,  six  of  their  children  accompany- 
ing them.  They  drove  oxen,  and  were  four  and  a  half  months  on  the  way. 
They  brought  their  live-stock  with  them,  and  when  ihey  arrived  in  Sacra- 
mento county  they  engaged  in  farming,  b'dward  Lewis  died  in  California 
in  1883  at  the  ripe  age  of  eighty-si.x  years,  and  bis  pioneer  wife  bad  passed 
away  in  1863.     But  two  of  their  children  are  nnw  li\uig. 

Mr.  Lewis  was  but  a  child  when  he  was  brought  to  this  country,  and 
was  still  a  toy  when  the  journey  was  made  across  the  ])lains.  The  greater 
]>art  of  his  eclucation  was  received  in  California,  and  before  he  started  out 
independently  he  helped  his  father  with  the  farm  work.  He  bad  a  farm 
of  his  own  in  Sacramento  county,  but  after  the  flood  came  in  i860  and 
drowned  all  his  stock,  he  gave  up  tb.'it  business  and  for  a  number  of  years 
was  successfully  engaged  in  teaming,  'i'hcre  was  all  the  work  in  this  line 
that  one  could  attend  to  in  those  daj's,  and  it  paid  \\>.ll.  although  it  was  an 
outdoor  life  ruid  exposed  to  hardships  anrl  many  dangers.  While  thus  en- 
gaged he  freighted  to  \'^irginia  City  and  Silver  City,  Nevada,  and,  having 
thus  made  the  acquaintance  of  the  country,  he  came  to  the  state  in  1868 
and  made  it  his  permanent  headquarters  while  he  continued  teaming.  He 
hauled  ore  from  the  Yellow  jacket  mine,  and  followed  this  occupation  for 
two  years.  He  came  to  l^ureka  in  1870,  and  for  the  following  three  years 
was  foreman  of  the  furnaces.     He  began  bis  livery  business  in   1889,  and 


A  HISTORY  UF  NEVADA.  333 

has  continued  in  this  with  <>'()oil  success  to  tlie  present  time.  In  addition, 
he  now  deals  in  hay  and  grain,  and  liis  wide  acquaintance  in  Itie  state  and 
his  straightforward  methods  of  doing  business  liave  brouglit  him  a  good 
]iatronage.  During  his  residence  in  California  and  Nevada  he  lias  had  the 
almost  unparalleled  record  of  having  heen  burned  out  fourteen  times,  each 
time  without  insurance,  and  he  was  nearly  financially  ruined  every  time. 
In  1874  the  opposite  demon  uf  water  visited  him,  and  carried  away  his  resi- 
dence, so  that  there  seems  to  lia\e  heen  some  malice  in  fate's  constant  attend- 
ance upon  him.  He  has  ne\er  surrendered,  however,  and  each  time  his 
sterling  manhood  has  only  come  out  the  stronger. 

In  i860  Mr.  Lewis  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Mathews,  and  of  this 
union  four  children  were  horn,  of  wliom  two  are  living,  Frank  and  h'red, 
the  former  driving  stage  and  the  latter  with  his  father.  Mrs.  Lewis  died 
in  1894,  after  a  happy  married  life  of  nearly  thirty-five  years.  She  was  a 
faithful  wife  and  a  good  mother  to  her  children,  and  her  loss  has  been  felt 
in  the  community  as  well  as  in  her  family.  Mr.  Lewis  has  a  good  residence 
in  Eureka,  and  is  well  known  throughout  the  county  where  he  has  been 
active  for  so  many  years. 


SAMUEL  CRESCENZO,  the  well  known  retired  capitalist  of  Austin, 
Nevada,  is  one  of  the  oldest  living  pioneers  of  the  state,  having  first  come 
here  in  1864.  He  has  been  in  business  in  Austin  almost  continuously  for 
forty  years,  which  marks  him  as  one  of  the  conspicuous  men  of  Lander 
county.  He  has  had  a  life  of  varied  experiences,  and  has  been  leading  an 
independent  existence  since  he  was  twelve  years  old.  He  was  a  young 
man  when  he  came  to  the  Pacific  coast,  lint  had  saved  his  earnings,  and 
from  the  time  he  started  his  first  mercantile  enterprise  he  has  prospered  and 
enjoyed  increasing  success  till  the  present.  He  gave  up  active  business  life 
a  few  years  ago,  and  is  now  living  in  pleasant  retirement,  enjoying  the 
esteem  and  confidence  of  those  with  whom  he  has  been  associated  through 
so  long  a  period  of  years. 

Mr.  Crescenzo  was  born  in  Italy  on  April  8,  1833,  and  was  educated 
in  his  native  land.  He  went  to  sea,  working  his  way  through  the  grades 
of  seamanshiii.  and  was  in  New  York  city  as  early  as  1845.  ^'^^^'  twelve 
years  he  sailed  on  vessels,  and  had  some  sa\'ings  when  he  took  up  a  perma- 
nent residence  in  the  United  States  in  1854.  In  1856  he  landed  at  San  Fran- 
cisco, and  shortly  afterward  opened  a  store  at  MokeUimne  Hill,  Calaveras 
county.  He  also  sold  general  merchandise  at  Angels  Camp,  and  made  money 
at  both  places.  He  afterward  went  to  Washington  territory,  where  he  sold 
goods  for  two  years.  He  had  been  in  Nevada  in  1863  and  in  1864  he  located 
permanentl}'  at  Austin  and  liought  the  International  H<:)tel.  which  he  con- 
ducted for  thirty-seven  years,  selling  it  onlv  a  year  or  so  ago.  He  also 
built  the  hall  in  connection  with  the  hotel,  and  he  was  the  enterprising  man- 
ager of  both,  making  them  pay  profitable  returns.  He  still  has  a  number  of 
other  business  places  in  the  town.  In  1881  he  built  the  large  brick  store 
which  his  son.  John  A.  Crescenzo,  is  conducting.  They  have  a  large  stock 
of  general  merchandise,  and  the  large  double  store  is  full  of  first-class  goods 


SU  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

liMUglu  for  casli  and  retailed  to  an  ever  increasing  patronage  at  reasonable 
prices.  His  son  is  a  iiative  of  Austin,  and  is  one  of  the  prominent  young 
business  men  of  the  town. 

Mr.  Crescenzo  has  lieen  a  life-long  Democrat,  but  casting  his  jjallot 
intelligently  has  lieen  his  principal  jvilitical  effort.  He  was  made  a  Master 
Mason  in  Austin,  and  has  received  all  the  ^'nrk  and  Scottish  Rite  degrees, 
including  the  thirty-second.  Li  1868  he  was  married  in  Austin  to  Miss  Ehza- 
heth  Oertli,  and  they  had  three  children.  Samuel  A.,  the  eldest,  died  at  the 
age  of  thirty,  and  the  other  son  has  been  mentioned;  Lucy,  the  only  daughter, 
is  the  wife  of  Oscar  Clifford,  a  ])rominent  citizen  and  druggist  of  Austin. 
Mrs.  Crescenzo  died  Linuary  3,  1892,  after  they  had  spent  nearly  twenty- 
five  years  of  happy  life  together.  Mr.  Crescenzo  has  a  pleasant  home  in 
Austin,  and  has  pro\ed  himself  a  public-spirited  and  conscientious  citizen 
in  all  the  affairs  of  life. 


J.  E.  PICKARD,  M.  D.  A  prominent  physician  and  surgeon  of  the 
regular  school,  practicing  his  profession  at  Virginia  City,  Dr.  J.  E.  Pickard 
enjoys  the  admiration  and  respect  which  the  world  instinctively  pays  to  the 
man  whose  success  has  been  worthily  achieved  and  whose  prominence  is  not 
the  less  the  result  of  superior  ability  than  of  an  irreproacliable  life. 

A  native  of  Ontario,  Dr.  J.  E.  Pickard  was  born  in  Kent  county,  on  the 
14th  of  July,  1856,  and  is  descended  from  an  old  Pennsylvania  family,  his 
ancestors  ha\'ing  resided  through  several  generations  in  the  Keystone  state. 
His  parents  were  Elias  and  Elizabeth  (Everett)  Pickard,  who  were  farming 
people  and  settled  in  Kent  county,  Ontario,  where  they  reared  their  family. 
They  have  always  been  adherents  of  the  Methodist  and  Presbyterian  faith  as 
a  family,  and  the  representatives  of  the  name  have  been  people  of  sterling 
worth  of  character.  Both  the  parents  ha\e  passed  away,  the  father  having 
died  at  the  age  of  seventy-one  years,  while  his  wife  departed  this  life  at  the 
age  of  si.\tv-two  years.  Of  their  family  of  five  children,  three  are  now 
living. 

The  son  John  Everett  Pickard  is  the  only  member  of  the  family  in 
Nevada.  He  pursued  his  education  in  the  Chatliam  Collegiate  Institute  and 
the  Ottawa  Normal  School,  and  his  medical  degree  of  M.  D.,  C.  M.  was 
obtained  in  the  Victoria  University  at  Coburg,  in  the  year  1885,  and  his  M.  D. 
in  Torontf)  University  in  the  .same  year.  He  then  practiced  his  profession  in 
Thamesville  for  seven  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  determined  to 
try  his  fortune  in  the  west,  believing  that  he  might  have  better  oi)iK)rtunities 
in'  this  great  and  growing  section  of  the  country.  Accordingly  he  came  to 
Nevada,  settling  in  Virginia  City  in  January.  1892,  and  here  he  .soon  secured 
a  large  and  remunerative  patronage. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  State  Medical  Association  and  the  American 
Medical  Association,  and  is  the  county  physician  for  Storey  county.  He 
has  a  large  suite  of  rooms,  and  has  all  the  latest  electrical  appliances,  including 
an  X-ray  machine.  He  uses  the  latest  and  most  i)erfect  surgical  instruments, 
and,  while  he  conducts  an  extensive  general  i)ractice,  he  lakes  especial  in- 
terest in  surgery  and  has  met  with  eminent  .success  in  this  branch  of  the 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  335 

prufc'ssimi.  lie  li;is  a  ciini|iri'hcnsivt'  and  accurate  know  lcili;c  nf  anatomy,  a 
nicety  of  touch  and  a  i-mil  head  and  steady  nerve  wliicli  have  made  liis 
surgical  work  of  great  beneht  to  his  fellow  men.  He  is  a  close  and  earnest 
student  of  his  ]M"ofession.  discriminating  in  his  reading,  and  he  readily  selects 
the  ideas  ;md  methnds  which  are  ad\anced  that  will  pro\e  of  most  benefit 
to  him  in  his  |)racticc.  ilc  is  an  enthusiast  in  his  profession  and  when  called 
upon  t(i  allcxiate  lunnan  suffering  he  never  takes  into  consideration  the 
financial' standing  of  his  ])atient,  but  renders  his  aid  as  freely  to  the  im- 
|Jccunious  as  to  those  who  are  abundantly  alile  to  amply  repay  him  for  his 
work.  He  has  thus  made  his  professional  labors  a  benefit  and  blessing  to 
his  fellow  men,  and  while  he  has  acquired  a  comfortable  competence  it  has 
ne\'er  been  with  him  the  paramount  issue. 

In  1893  Dr.  I^ickard  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Collier,  of 
Sarnia,  Ontario,  a  lady  of  refinement  and  culture  and  a  valued  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  church.  The  Doctor  is  ;i  Sir  Knight  Templar,  belongs  to  the 
Mystic  Shrine,  and  aims  to  scpiare  his  life  by  the  tenets  of  the  craft. 


HARRY  M.  GORHAM,  of  Virginia  City,  Nevada,  superintendent  of 
the  Challar  F^jtosi  and  Sooage  mines,  came  to  this  locality  in  1877.  He  is 
a  native  of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  where  he  was  born  March  4,  1859,  and  he  comes 
of  old  English  ancestry.  The  founder  of  the  family  in  America  was  John 
(lorham,  who  emigrated  to  New  England  in  162 1,  and  was  a  sea  captain  b)' 
occupation.  He  married  Desire,  the  daughter  of  John  Howland,  of  New 
England  fame.  ]\feml:iers  of  both  sides  of  Mr.  Gorham's  family  were  active 
participants  in  the  early  history  of  the  country  and  served  in  botli  King- 
Philip's  war  and  that  of  the  Rexolution. 

Edward  Gorham.  the  father  of  H.  M.  Gorham,  was  born  in  New 
Haven,  Connecticut.  July  31,  1832.  He  married  Miss  Ctjrnelia  Jones,  a 
native  of  Cleveland,  Ohio,  born  June  it,  1839,  a  daugliter  of  Thomas  Jones, 
Sr.  who  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  city  of  Cleveland.  Edward  J.  Gor- 
ham had  gone  to  Cleveland  when  a  young  man,  but  later  in  life  went  to 
California,  and  there  died  May  9,  1903.  His  wife  survives,  aged  sixty-four 
years.  These  parents  had  two  children.  Harry  M.  and  Mrs.  Schu\-ler  Cole, 
of  Cole  Grove,  California. 

Mr.  Gorham  was  educated  in  Clex'cland.  where  he  grew  to  manhood, 
and  then  came  to  Nevada,  at  first  accc]3ting  a  position  with  the  Crown  Point 
Company  as  timekeeper,  but  soon  was  made  superintendent  of  the  Kentuck. 
and  gradually  advanced  to  higher  and  more  responsible  places.  Mr.  Gorham 
has  been  connected  with  several  of  the  leading  mines  of  this  locality,  and  his 
reputation  as  a  mining  expert  is  very  high  not  only  in  Virginia  City  but 
throughout  the  state. 

Until  the  silver  question  arose.  Mr.  Gorham  was  a  Republican,  but 
he  then  felt  that  the  party  had  fleparted  from  its  true  principles,  and  from 
then  on  be  has  been  a  silver  Repul)!ican.  He  has  always  been  active  in  politics, 
attending  county  and  state  conventions,  and  supporting  those  measures  he 
believed  would  work  for  the  best  interests  of  the  state  and  country. 

Oh  April    15,    1885,  he  was  married   to  Jessie   Anderson,   a   native  of 


336  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

San  Francisco,  California,  and  a  dangliter  of  Hon.  Tliomas  Anderson,  now 
deceased,  of  that  city.  Three  children  have  been  born  to  ]Mr.  and  ^Irs.  Gor- 
ham  but  only  a  son.  Harry  Winthrop  Gorham,  remains.  Fraternally  Mr. 
Gorham  is  a  member  of  the  order  of  Elks  and  is  a  Knight  Templar  Mason. 
Successful,  enterprising,  thoroughly  posted  in  his  chosen  profession,  Mr. 
Gorham  occupies  a  verv  high  position  among  the  leaders  in  the  city,  and  has 
a  host  of  warm  personal  friends. 


GEORGE  LOX'ELOCK.  ])ioneer.  the  founder  of  two  towns  which 
bear  his  name,  honored  and  respected  as  the  patriarch  of  the  town  of  Love- 
locks. Humboldt  county.  Nevada,  has  had,  during  his  life  of  eighty  years, 
a  career  of  varied  experience,  passed  in  different  climes,  and  of  successful 
efTf)rt  and  accomplishment.  He  is  a  native  of  England,  born  March  ii, 
1824.  and  was  reared  and  educated  in  that  country.  He  married  Miss  Mary 
Forest,  and  shortly  after  their  marriage  they  took  ship  to  Australia,  being 
four  and  a  half  months  on  the  voyage,  and  their  first  child,  Fred  Lovelock, 
was  born  on  the  passage.  In  Australia  he  was  employed  in  the  copper  mines 
for  over  two  years,  after  which  he  and  his  family  embarked  for  the  Sandwich 
Islands.  When  seven  miles  from  the  islands  tliey  were  wrecked  on  a  reef. 
and  during  the  storm  their  infant  daughter  died,  but  was  buried  on  land. 

Leaving  his  wife  and  child  on  these  islands  of  the  Pacific.  Mr.  Lovelock 
set  sail  for  San  Francisco,  in  the  schooner  Starlin.  In  the  course  of  the 
voyage  he  chanced  to  overhear  the  plot  of  some  pirates,  stowed  away  on 
1x)ard.  to  capture  the  ship,  throw  the  passengers  o^•erboard  and  sail  away 
on  their  freelKJOting  enterprise.  Mr.  Lovelock  revealed  this  information 
to  the  captain  during  the  night,  who  took  measures  to  frustrate  their  plans 
by  battening  them  down  under  the  hatches,  whence  they  were  allowed  to 
come  forth  one  by  one  and  surrender,  being  kept  under  guard  all  the  re§t 
of  the  way.  On  arriving  at  .San  Francisco,  on  April  3.  1850.  the  pirates 
effected  their  escape. 

Mr.  Lovelock  had  learned  the  carpenter  trade,  and  for  the  first  few 
weeks  he  was  en,gaged  in  building  houses  in  Happy  valley.  In  May  he 
went  to  Sacramento,  where,  in  June,  he  was  joined  by  his  wife  and  family, 
after  which  they  removed  to  Brown's  valley,  and  thence  to  l'"eather  rivci\ 
where  he  built  the  secf)nd  house  in  what  is  now  the  city  of  Onnillc.  and 
his  .son  Thomas  was  the  first  child  bom  there,  in  September,  185T.  In  1S52 
he  moved  to  Marysville.  California,  for  a  more  healthful  location  for  his 
family,  and  thence  to  Butte  creek,  cutting  out  the  pine  trees  to  make  a  road 
thither.  He  built  a  little  store  there,  and  the  place  was  named  Lovelock  in 
his  honor,  so  that  this  little  California  village  still  exists  as  a  memorial  to  his 
efforts  there.  He  remained  there  until  the  spring  of  1855,  when  he  made 
the  wagon  road  over  the  mountains  to  Honey  Lake  valley,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  placer  mining  at  Meeker's  h'lat.  above  Rich  Bar.  and  had  fine 
luck,  taking  out  from  eighty  to  one  hundred  dollars  a  day.  He  was  al.so 
enga.ged  in  teaming.  He  removed  to  Butte.  California,  in  1859.  He  al.so 
built  a  sawmill  at  Lovelock,  but  at  the  beginning  of  the  Civil  war  the  demand 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  337 

for  lumber  ceased  and  he  aliandmied  liis  California  enterprises  and  struck  out 
for  Nevada. 

He  was  Incated  at  the  niuuth  (}f  Rocky  canyi'U.  Humboklt  C(junty, 
until  1866,  when  he  remo\ed  to  where  the  town  of  Lovelocks  has  since 
l)een  built,  and  bought  the  scjuatter's  right  of  two  old  men.  three  hundred 
and  twenty  acres,  for  $2,250,  and  got  with  it  the  oldest  water  right  on  the 
river.  When  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  was  being  built  in  1867  he  gave 
eighty-five  acres  for  a  town  site,  which  the  company  named  Lovelocks,  and 
they  also  promised  to  give  him  a  blnck  in  the  town;  but  this  agreement  was 
not  kept,  and  he  had  to  pa)-  fi\e  hundred  dollars  for  half  of  the  block.  Also, 
in  return  for  g"i\'ing  the  road  the  right  of  way  he  was  to  receive  a  free  pass, 
but  he  had  only  one  free  ride;  and,  as  the  company  now  has  no  title  to  the 
right  of  wa}-,  he  intends  to  make  them  pay  for  it. 

Besides  his  e.xtensi\-e  real  estate  interests,  Mr.  Lo\-elock  has  always 
continued  his  prospecting  and  mining,  and  is  a  thoroughly  posted  mineralo- 
gist. He  now  owns  in  Churchill  county,  near  the  Humboldt  county  line, 
three  claims,  a  mile  and  a  c[uarter  long,  which  contain  a  high  per  cent  of 
cobalt,  nickel  and  copper,  and  this  property  is  now  bon<lefI  at  fiftv  thousand 
dollars  to  parties   who   are   dex'cloping  the  mines. 

Eight  children  were  born  to  ^[r.  and  Mrs.  Lox'elock  in  Xe\-ada,  and 
five  of  them  are  living.  Fred  resides  in  Tonopah,  and  the  daughters  and 
their  husbands  all  live  in  Lovelocks,  on  lands  of  which  Mr.  Lovelock  was 
the  owner  at  an  early  day.  In  1882  his  first  wife  died,  and  Mr.  Lovelock 
then  married  Mrs.  E\'ans,  who  lived  with  him  happilv  for  three  years,  when 
she  was  drowned  in  the  ri\-er  near  at  home,  wdiere  she  had  been  fishing. 
Mr.  Lox'elock  has  a  number  of  grandchildren  and  great-grandchildren,  and 
has  had  a  happy  family  life,  being  beloved  antl  honored  by  both  relatives 
and  his  many  friends.  He  has  ne\er  joined  any  society,  and  has  made  his 
own  way  in  life,  his  career  being  its  own  justification  and  eulogy.  In  politics 
be  has  always  voted  the  Republican  ticlcet,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Episco- 
pal church. 


.ANDREW  H.  SMITFI.  The  German-American  element  in  our  citi- 
zenship is  an  important  one.  The  Teutonic  race  has  been  a  factor  in  the 
civilization  of  the  world  for  many  centuries,  and  the  German  empire  has 
sent  its  sons  into  many  lands,  carrying  with  them  the  ci\'ilization  and  jirogress 
of  their  own  country.  They  ha\-e  assisted  materially  in  the  upbuilding  of 
various  sections  of  the  world,  and  in  the  L'nited  States  ba\-e  Ixirne  an  im- 
portant part  in  the  work  of  development.  Andrew  H.  Smith,  a  representati\-e 
of  the  fatherland  in  Nevada,  was  born  on  the  5th  of  January,  1854.  His 
father-died  in  Germany,  and  in  1862  the  mother,  with  her  two  sons,  Tose]3h 
and  Andrew  H.,  emigrated  to  the  L^nited  States,  locating  at  Burlington, 
Wisconsin.  Andrew  H.  Smith  was  then  a  lad  of  twelve  summers.  He  had 
attended  school  to  some  extent  in  Germany,  and  he  afterward  spent  one 
winter  as  a  student  in  the  schools  of  Burlington.  In  that  city  the  mother 
continued  to  reside  until  called  to  her  final  rest  when  in  the  si.xtieth  year 
of  her  age. 


338  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Mr.  Smith  is  the  only  member  of  the  family  in  Xe\acla,  and  from  his 
arri\al  in  this  cotmtrv  he  has  earned  his  own  ii\ing",  and  assisted  in  the 
support  of  his  mother  while  she  was  yet  lixing.  In  Wisconsin  he  was  em- 
ployed in  a  brick  yard,  following  that  pursuit  until  his  remo\-al  to  the  west 
in  187 1.  Coming  to  Nevada,  he  was  employed  in  Washoe  county  for  thirty 
dollars  per  month  and  his  board.  A  little  later  he  went  to  \Mrginia  City, 
where  he  began  working  in  the  mines  with  pick  and  shovel,  being  thus  em- 
ployed until  the  great  fire  there.  He  then  removed  to  San  Francisco,  where 
he  secured  a  situation  in  a  feed  store,  but  in  1S76  returned  to  Nex-ada,  settling 
in  Tuscarora,  where  he  worked  in  th.e  mines  for  twehe  years,  acquiring  a 
practical  knowledge  of  the  business  and  gaining  information  that  has  been 
of  much  value  to  him  in  later  years.  He  was  for  a  time  engaged  in  the 
brewing  business,  and  in  1896  he  purchased  an  interest  in  the  Bull  Run  mine. 
In  igoo.  in  connection  with  a  partner,  he  built  a  ten-stani])  mill  and  i)ut  in  a 
cyanide  ])rocess.  Thev  began  the  operation  of  the  mill  on  the  1  st  of  Xovem- 
ber,  and  continued  it  until  the  1st  of  January,  11)03,  during  which  time  they 
shipped  one  hundred  and  forty  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  bullion.  On  the 
expiration  of  that  period  they  sold  the  mine  and  jilant  for  one  hundred  and 
fifty  thousand  dollars.  Mr.  Smith  then  retired  from  mining  interests  and 
established  his  home  in  Reno,  purchasing  a  fine  residence  at  the  corner  of 
h'ourth  and  Chestnut  streets,  which  he  occupies  with  his  familv. 

In  1887  occurred  the  marriage  of  IMr.  Smith  and  Miss  Katie  Cuneux, 
a  native  of  Nevada,  born  in  l'nion\ille  and  of  French  ancestry.  They  now 
hax'e  two  children:  \'clma  and  I'rank.  both  of  wh..m  are  students.  Mr. 
Smith  is  a  Republican  in  liis  political  allegiance,  and  fraternally  is  connected 
with  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Masons,  haxing  been  raiseil  in  Tuscarora 
Lodge  No.  I,  F.  &  A.  M.  He  is  a  past  master  of  his  lodge,  and  is  deeply 
interested  in  its  development,  believing  firmly  in  its  princijiles  and  tenets. 

Mr.  Smith  certainly  deserves  to  be  classed  among  the  self-made  men 
whose  life  records  are  worthy  of  the  highest  commendation  and  of  emula- 
tion. Starting  out  for  himself  at  the  early  age  of  tw-elve  years,  be  has  since 
been  dependent  u])on  his  own  resources.  Difficulties  and  ol)stacles  have  at 
times  beset  his  ])ath.  but  these  ha\e  seemed  but  to  serve  as  an  impetus  for 
renewed  effort.  an<l  with  laudable  ambition  to  stimulate  his  energies  and 
enterprise  he  has  gradualK-  worked  his  way  u]nvard  until  he  is  now  in  the 
possession  of  a  handsome  comjjetence  that  enal)les  him  to  li\e  retired. 


HON.  ROSWELL  K.  COLCORD.  ex-governor  of  Nevada  and  sujier- 
intendent  of  the  United  Stales  mint  at  Carson  City,  has  been  a  resident  f)f 
the  state  since  1863.  He  is  a  native  of  Maine,  having  been  born  in  Waldo 
county,  A])ril  25,  1839,  and  is  descended  from  a  family  wiiose  members 
iiav'e  borne  an  important  i)art  in  the  uijbuilding  of  the  country.  His  grand- 
father, David  Colcf>r(l,  was  born  in  New  Hampshire  and  spent  his  life  in 
farming  anrl  as  a  local  Methodist  minister,  living  to  the  age  of  eighty-seven 
years.  His  son  James  was  born  in  Maine,  when  that  state  formed  a  iiart 
of  Mas.sachusetts,  in  1803.  and  when  a  young  man  engaged  in  a  seafaring 
life,   but    later   became   a   farmer.      lie   married    VAha   Cimningham,    als(j   a 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  339 

n;iti\'e  of  Maine,  and  hotli  were  consistent  inemlicrs  of  the  Metliodist  churcli. 
Slie  (lied  at  the  a!;e  of  fifty-eii;lit  years,  while  he  li  \  ed  to  he  seventy-three 
years  of  age.  Si.x  children  were  horn  to  these  parents,  naniel)' :  Sarah  Iv, 
Maria  N.,  James  W.,  Roswcll  K.,  ina\illa  and  Orilla,  hnt  (lovern'jr  Culcurd 
is  the  only  one  lix'ing  in  Ne\'ad;i. 

The  education  of  Hon.  K.  K.  Colcord  was  received  in  the  town  nl 
Seaport,  and  also  learned  mechanical  engineering  in  the  evening  school 
of  that  place.  When  but  fifteen  years  of  age  he  was  apprenticed  to  the 
ship-carpenter's  trade.  In  the  meantime,  in  1851,  his  father  visited  Ca.li- 
fornia,  and  spent  two  years  there,  and  in  1856,  impressed  with  the  ])ossi- 
hilities  of  that  country,  he  returned,  taking  liis  son  Roswell  with  him,  the 
latter  heing  then  sex'enteen  years  of  age.  They  mined  in  Tuolumne  and 
Calax'eras  counties.  Aljout  1863,  after  some  years  sjjent  together  mining 
with  marked  success,  the  father  returned  to  his  eastern  home,  and  the  son 
journeyed  to  Nevada,  which  was  to  hecome  the  scene  of  his  future  great- 
ness. Upon  locating  in  this  state  Governor  C"olcord  engaged  in  building 
bridges  and  mills,  and  soun  became  well  known  as  an  expert  mechanical 
engineer  and  contractor,  and  to  this  day  he  has  been  identified  with  the 
most  important  triumphs  in  mechanical  construction  througlmut  the  state. 
Perbajis  his  nK)St  marked  success  along  these  lines  was  his  work  on  the  old 
mine  at  Bodie.  This  mine  had  been  worked  for  twenty  years  without  any 
definite  results,  but  after  Go\'ernor  Colcord  took  charge  of  it,  putting  in 
his  machinery  and  developing  all  its  resources,  it  became  one  of  the  best 
paying  mines  in  the  locality.  He  was  also  the  superintendent  of  the  Imperial 
mine  at  Gold  Hill  at  the  time  it  was  one  of  the  largest  mines  in  the  state, 
and  was  general  manager  of  the  English  Company's  property  at  ,\urora, 
out  of  which  he  took  one  buuflred  thousand  dollars  in  bullion  in  sixty  days, 
running  the  stock  up  to  twenty-two  shillings,  and  of  which  he  continued 
manager  for  a  number  of  years.  He  is  now -general  superintendent  of  the 
consolidated  mines  of  the  Esmeralda  Comi)any,  which  is  a  fine  property 
owned  by  one  of  the  most  reliable  companies  in  the  country.  During  all  of 
these  years  Governor  Colcord  has  been  acquiring  valuable  property  of  his 
own  throughout  this  state  and  California,  including  a  beautiful  home  in 
Carson  City,  surrounded  by  extensive  grounds,  where  he  and  his  family 
reside,  enjoying  all  nf  llie  luxuries  of  life. 

Since  casting  bis  first  vote  Governur  Colcord  has  been  a  stanch  Rei)ul.)- 
lican.  In  fact  his  symjiathies  were  with  the  princijjles  promulgated  b_\'  that 
party  when  it  was  organized,  but  lie  was  too  young  to  gi\e  expression  to 
them  legally,  although  on  the  passage  to  California,  when  a  \-ote  was  taken 
among  the  passengers,  he  was  happy  to  support  General  Fremont,  the  Re- 
publican candidate.  Out  of  the  ele\en  hundred  passengers  Fremont  recei\ed 
a  majority  of  two  himdred  and  eighty-se\'en  votes.  Although  so  ardent 
a  supporter  of  party  principles,  he  ne\er  sought  office,  and  it  was  with  diffi- 
culty that  his  friends  induced  him  to  accept  nomination  for  governor.  The 
fact  that  he  was  elected  bv  a  majority  of  eight  hundred  and  sixty-three, 
however,  proved  that  the  jjenple  appro\'ed  of  the  choice,  and  during  his 
aflministration  lie  fully  justified  the  confide-.ice  placed  in  him  liy  the  ])arty 
and  his  constituents.     While  acting  as  governor  he  was  also  e.x-officio  regent 


340  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

of  the  State  University,  and  in  that  capacity  succeeded  in  ha\iug  a  depart- 
ment of  mechanical  engineering  founded,  with  full  equipment  of  tools  and 
other  appliances  provided  so  that  a  thorough  practical  knowledge  of  this 
most  useful  science  could  be  obtained  by  the  students. 

During  the  general  strike  in  1893.  President  Cleveland  sent  United 
States  soldiers  to  protect  the  mail  routes  across  the  country,  and  the  Gov- 
ernor recei\ed  a  telegram  from  Reno  asking  if  he  would  call  (nit  the  state 
militia  to  assist  the  United  States  troops  if  required.  He  immediately  re])lied 
"yes"  and  that  he  would  take  personal  command.  During  that  strike  there 
were  trying  times  along  the  lines  of  the  railroads  in  Nevada,  and  it  was 
the  only  time  Governor  Colcord  was  ever  known  to  completely  lose  his 
temper  while  in  office.  A  petition  was  presented  to  him  containing  three 
hundred  and  eighty-seven  signatures,  requesting  him  to  demand  of  the  presi- 
dent that  he  immediately  withdrav.-  the  ]'"ederal  troops  from  the  state.  He 
replied  that  anv  man  whd  wiuld  circulate  or  sign  such  a  petiticju  was  a 
traitor  to  his  country,  and  that  President  Cleveland's  action  in  calling  out 
the  troops  to  protect  life  and  property,  enforce  the  laws  and  preser\-e  order 
was  thought  justifiable  and  the  most  commendable  cf  any  during  his  ad- 
ministration. 

By  the  state  legislature  he  was  also  made  chairman  of  the  state  board 
of  assessors  and  equalizers  of  taxes,  and  the  valuation  was  raised  on  all 
])roi>erty  to  practically  double  the  former  assessment.  This  raised  a  great 
deal  of  opposition,  but  (lovernor  Colcord  would  not  recede  from  the  posi- 
tion he  had  taken,  and  he  never  failed  to  stick  firm  to  his  convictions  and 
to  carry  out  what  he  believed  was  right,  no  matter  what  pressure  was 
brought  to  bear  upon  him.  On  October  14,  1898,  to  the  satisfaction  of  the 
entire  community,  he  was  appointed  superintendent  of  the  United  States 
mint  at  Carson  City  by  President  McKinley.  which  honor.ible  position  he 
still  holds. 

On  the  25th  of  A|)ril.  1868,  Governor  Colcord  was  married  in  Bishop 
\\'hittaker"s  church,  at  Virginia  City,  Nevada,  to  Miss  Mary  F.  Hopkins, 
and  one  daughter,  Stella  G.,  has  been  born  of  this  union.  The  young  lady 
is  very  accomplished  and  an  imj)ortant  factor  in  the  highe.st  social  life  of  the 
community.  Governor  Colcord  has  been  a  very  ])romincnt  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity  since  1865,  was  master  of  Silver  Star  bodge  in  Gold 
Hill  in  1866,  joined  the  chai)tcr  the  same  year  and  has  since  passed  all  the 
degrees  in  that  order. 

The  highest  praise  which  can  l)c  accorded  him  lies  in  tlie  words:  "lie 
always  has  done  his  full  duty."  Whether  as  the  you.ig  boy  working  under 
his  fatiier  in  the  mines  of  California,  the  enterprising  mechanical  engineer 
redeeming  \alueless  projjerty.  the  keen,  practical  mining  expert  successfully 
directing  the  affairs  of  ])riccless  ])roperty,  the  fearless,  honorable  director 
r>f  a  mighty  commonwealth,  the  skilled  and  incorruptible  government  oHici.d, 
or  the  private  citizen.  Governor  Colcord  has  conscientiously  ,-nid  faillii'nIK 
])erformed  his  work  and  done  what  he  believed  was  bis  wiiolc  duty,  and 
none  could  do  more  and  few  as  mucli. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVy\DA.  ;i41 

HON.  FRANK  G.  HOENSTINF,  treasurer  of  Humhnl-lr  county. 
Nevada,  and  for  some  years  a  soldier  of  the  regular  United  States  army, 
during  which  he  saw  much  ser\ice  in  the  west  against  the  Indians,  was  1)i)rn 
in  St.  Clairsxille.  Delaware  county,  Pennsylvania,  April  2^,  1852.  His 
grandfather,  Thaddeus  Hoenstine,  a  native  of  (jerniany,  emigrated  to  Amer- 
ica in  1818,  and  his  parents,  Thaddeus,  Jr.  and  Lea  (Carn)  Hoenstine,  were 
both  born  in  Pennsylvania,  wliere  they  spent  their  entire  lives.  They  were 
members  of  the  German  Reformed  church,  and  he  was  by  occupatiini  a 
farmer  and  miller.  He  died  in  1888,  in  his  eightieth  }ear,  and  his  wife  still 
survives,  being  now  (1903)  eighty-five  years  old.  'Iliey  were  the  parents 
of  eight  sons  and  four  daughters,  two  sons  and  two  daughters  still  living. 

Frank  G.  Hoenstine.  who  is  the  only  one  of  this  family  in  the  state 
of  Nexada,  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Pennsylvania,  and  worked 
on  his  father's  farm  until  he  was  eighteen  years  of  age.  He  then  went 
to  Canada  and  was  engaged  in  Ivunbering  for  the  next  nine  years.  In  1879 
he  enlisted  in  Company  E.  Sixth  L'nited  States  Infantry,  and  was  stationed 
at  Fort  Buford,  Dakota,  and  also  in  Colorado  and  at  Fort  Washakie,  \Vy- 
oming.  After  eight  months  of  service  he  was  promoted  to  first  sergeant, 
and  after  five  years  of  service  again.st  the  Indians,  in  the  course  of  which 
he  was  in  numerous  campaigns  and  conflicts,  he  was  discharged  at  Fort 
Douglas,  Salt  Lake  City,  in  1884.  He  had  always  escaped  uninjured  in 
battle,  but  was  ill  with  inflammatory  rheumatism  for  seventy-nine  days.  In 
1884  he  arri\'ed  in  Paradise  Valley.  Nevada,  and  secured  work  in  the  mines 
at  four  dollars  a  day.  Since  then  he  has  been  engaged  in  various  occupa- 
tions, and  has  gained  a  due  share  of  success  from  his  efforts. 

Mr.  Hoenstine  has  been  a  life-long  Democrat,  and  in  1897  was  elected 
a  member  of  the  Nevada  state  legislature,  where  he  was  a  conscientious 
worker  for  beneficent  laws  and  measures  for  his  county  and  state.  In  1902 
he  was  chosen  treasurer  of  Humboldt  county,  the  ofifice  of  which  he  is  at 
present  the  efticient  and  popular  incumbent,  and  he  has  always  discharged 
his  official  duties  so  as  to  win  the  commendation  of  the  public.  ]\Ir.  Hoenstine 
is  a  member  of  the  Inde])endent  Order  of  Odd  b^ellows  and  of  the  Eagles. 


DENNIS  SCULLY,  who  has  ser\'ed,  by  repeated  re-elections,  as  sur- 
veyor of  Lander  county,  Nevada,  for  the  jiast  ten  years,  is  one  of  the  most 
prominent  men  in  his  profession  in  the  state.  He  is  a  master  oi  his  art, 
and  during  the  last  twenty  or  twenty-five  years  has  gained  a  fine  reputation 
in  different  parts  of  the  west,  his  work  having  called  him  into  various 
states  and  territories   from  the  Mississippi  valley  to  the  coast. 

Mr.  Sculh'  was  born  in  county  Cork,  Ireland,  in  April  24,  1848.  He 
was  educated  in  his  native  land,  and  learned  the  rudiments  of  his  profession 
there.  He  came  to  the  United  States  in  1879.  and  from  New  York  went  to 
Indiana,  thence  to  Nebraska,  to  Wyoming",  and  then  to  Austin,  Nevada. 
He  is  an  expert  in  mining,  surveying  and  engineering,  and  after  coming  to 
Nevada  was  engaged  in  mining  in  Austin  and  at  Tuscarora,  making  some 
money  by  his  operations.  Lie  was  elected  county  surveyor  of  Lander  county 
in  1894,  and  has  been  chosen  at  each  succeeding  election. 


342  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

]Mr.  Scullv  surveyed  for  tlic  Union  Pacific  Railroad  in  Wyoming  and 
Utaii,  and  has  done  mvich  professional  work  in  the  mines  of  the  west.  He 
was  employed  by  the  United  States  government  in  surveying  in  Lander  and 
Nye  counties,  and  through  the  northern  part  of  the  state  he  ran  the  standard 
lines  preparatory  to  making  the  subdivisions.  He  has  the  reputation  of  being- 
one  of  the  best  if  not  the  best  mathematician  in  the  slate,  and  he  is  devoted 
to  both  the  theoretical  and  the  practical  side  of  his  profession.  Mr.  Scully 
is  a  member  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  and  is  a  Democrat  in  political 
])rinciples,  but  now  adheres  to  the  silver  v)arty.  He  is  a  man  of  thought, 
well  ])osted  on  general  affairs,  and  has  made  a  reputation  for  his  efficient 
work  in  his  profession  and  also  for  the  intelligent  part  be  has  taken  as  a 
citizen  of  his  adopted  county  and  state. 


HON.  BENJAMIN  F.  CURLER.  The  legal  profession  demands  a 
high  order  of  ability  and  a  rare  combination  of  talent,  learning,  tact,  patience 
and  industry.  The  successful  lawyer  and  the  competent  judge  must  be  a 
man  of  well  balanced  intellect,  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  law  and  jirac- 
tice,  of  comprehensive  general  information,  possessed  of  an  analxtical  mind 
and  a  self-control  that  will  ena.ble  him  to  lose  his  individuality,  his  personal 
feelings,  his  prejudices  and  his  peculiarities  of  disposition  in  the  dignity, 
impartiality  and  equity  of  the  office  to  which  life,  property,  right  and  liberty 
must  look  for  protection.  Possessing  these  cpialities,  Hon.  Benjamin  V. 
Curler  justly  merits  the  high  honor  which  was  conferred  upon  him  by  bis 
election  to  the  bench  of  the  second  judicial  district  of  Nevada. 

ludge  Curler  was  born  in  La  Plata,  Churchill  county,  Nevada,  on  the 
uSth  of  February,  1866,  and  on  the  paternal  side  is  connected  with  the 
prominent  and  well  known  Van  Cuylcr  family  of  New  York,  of  Holland 
Dutch  ancestrv.  Representatives  of  this  family  were  among  the  first  settlers 
of  New  Netherland,  now  New  ^'ork  city,  and  Dr.  Theodore  Van  Cuyler, 
a  prominent  divine  of  Brooklyn,  is  oi  the  same  family.  On  the  maternal 
side  Mr.  Curler  is  a  representative  of  the  Thompson  family,  of  Scotch  and 
I-jiglisb  lineage.  Judge  Benjamin  Curler,  the  father  of  Judge  Curler,  was 
formerly  upon  the  bench  of  the  lifth  judicial  district  of  Nevada,  which 
district  then  comprised  one  of  the  counties  which  is  now  in  the  present  judge's 
district.  He  was  elected  to  that  position  wlicii  thirty-two  years  of  age,  and 
a  strange  coincidence  is  that  Judge  Curler  was  chosen  to  the  same  high 
and  important  office  when  also  thirty-two  years  of  age,  and  just  thirty-two 
years  after  his  father's  first  election. 

Judge  Curler  was  educated  in  the  University  of  Southern  L'aliforni.i 
in  Los  Angeles  and  in  the  California  State  University  at  Berkeley.  When 
he  had  ;u:(|uired  broad  literary  learning  he  took  u]i  the  study  of  law  with 
the  desire  of  becoming  a  meiuber  of  the  bar,  matriculating  in  the  law  college 
in  San  I'Tancisco.  T'revious  to  this  time  he  had  engaged  in  teaching  school 
for  one  vear  in  Hawthorne,  Nevada,  and  it  was  subser|uently  that  he  entered 
the  California  University,  {"ollowing  the  comi)lelion  of  his  legal  course  he 
retiu-ned  Im  llawthorne  and  ojjcned  an  ollice  in  that  place.  He  was  elected 
district  attorncv  and  servcfl   for  r\  Icrni  of  two  yc;irs.     Tlis  first  case  was  the 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  343 

prosecution  of  a  man  named  I'ullock,  wlio  liad  killed  the  postmaster  of  Silver 
Peak,  Nevada.  Roljert  Linsey,  a  distinguished  criminal  lawyer,  was  em- 
])loyed  on  the  defense,  but  Mr.  Curler  carefully  prepared  his  case,  mar- 
shaled with  ])recision  the  points  in  evidence  and  presented  his  case  so  clearly 
and  forcefully  that  the  prisoner  was  convicted  of  manslaughter  and  was 
sentenced  to  the  penitentiary  for  ten  years.  The  ne.xt  criminal  case  with 
which  he  was  connected  was  that  of  the  state  against  Stephanzyn,  and  cm 
this  suit  the  Judge's  father,  who  is  also  a  noted  criminal  lawyer,  was  on  the 
defense.  The  son.  however,  put  forth  his  best  efforts  and  gained  a  \-erdict 
of  manslaughter,  and  again  the  prisoner  was  sentenced  to  a  term  of  ten 
years.  Winning  in  contests  with  men  of  greater  years  and  experience.  Judge 
Curler  soon  manifested  his  marked  ability  and  won  high  reputation  as  an 
able  public  prosecutor. 

On  the  close  of  his  term  of  service  he  remo\'ed  to  Reno,  where  he 
])racliced  law  for  two  years,  and  was  then  elected  district  attorney  of  Washoe 
county,  and  by  re-election  was  continued  in  that  office  for  two  terms,  during 
which  time  he  conducted  many  noted  criminal  cases,  which  he  prosecutcil 
with  his  usual  ability.  In  1890  he  was  nominated  on  the  Populist  ticket  for 
supreme  judge,  and  ran  far  ahead  of  the  party  vote,  although  defeated  by 
Judge  Massey,  a  very  able  and  popular  lawyer  representing  the  opposition. 
In  1898  Mr.  Curler  was  elected  district  judge,  and  after  serving  for  four 
years  was  re-elected  in  1902,  so  that  he  is  the  jjresent  incumlient  and  will 
continue  in  the  office  until  his  service  on  the  bench  shall  have  co\'ered  eight 
years.  He  is  making  a  most  satisfactory  record,  his  decisions  indicate  strong 
mentality,  careful  analysis,  a  thorough  knowledge  of  law  and  an  nnliiased 
judgment.  His  legal  learning  and  the  readiness  with  \\hich  he  grasps  the 
jinints  in  an  argument  combine  to  make  him  one  of  the  most  capable  jurists 
that  has  ever  sat  upon  this  bench,  and  the  pnljlic  and  the  profession  acknowl- 
edge him  the  peei'  of  many  of  the  strongest  representatives  of  the  Nevada 
bar.  Judge  Curler  was  a  stanch  Republican  up  to  the  time  that  the  silver 
(|uestion  came  prominently  liefore  the  people,  since  which  time  he  has  favored 
biinetalism. 

In  1888  Judge  Curler  was  united  in  marriage  to  ]\Iiss  Dirsey  D.  \'ogel, 
a  native  of  Mississippi  and  a  daughter  of  A.  B.  Vogel,  of  that  state.  Thev 
are  now  the  parents  of  three  children  :  dussie  R.,  Mollie  D.  and  Ben  \'ogel. 
The  attracti\'e  home  of  Judge  and  Mrs.  Curler  is  situated  in  Reno  and  its 
bos]iitality  is  enjoyed  by  many.  They  are  members  of  the  Ba]:itist  church, 
and  it  is  their  good  fortune  to  enjoy  the  friendship  of  many  of  the  leading 
citizens  of  Reno  and  of  the  state.  The  Judge's  nature  is  kindly,  his  tempera- 
ment jovial  and  genial,  and  his  manner  courteous.  He  is  a  most  companion- 
al)le  gentleman,  Init  when  on  the  bench  his  attitude  at  once  indicates  the 
studious,  earnest  and  schn'arly  judge,  whose  course  fully  nplmlds  the  majesty 
of  the  law. 

C.\PTAIN  JOHN  H.  POOLY,  foreman  of  the  Gould  &  Curry  mines, 
has  been  connected  with  the  mining  interests  of  the  Comstock  mines  since 
T870.  He  is  a  native  of  Cornwall,  England,  where  he  was  Ijorn  October  2^. 
1846.   and   his   father.   Jnhn    I'mily,   was  born    in   the   same   locality.      I'.eing 


314  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

iiitetested  in  mining  affairs,  tlie  latter  emigrated  to  America  in  1848.  at  tlie 
time  of  the  great  gold  excitement.  Prior  to  his  emigration  he  had  li\ed  in 
Brazil  and  in  San  Domingo,  and  finally  died  in  Spain  in  May,  1864,  aged 
fifty-four  years.  He  married  Elizabeth  Trevern,  a  native  of  England,  and 
she  died  in  1869,  aged  sixty  years.  They  were  members  of  the  Church  of 
England,  and  are  both  buried  in  England.  They  were  the  parents  of  nine 
children,  of  whom  Captain  Pooly  is  the  only  member  in  Nevada. 

For  fourteen  years  John  H.  Pooly  worked  in  the  Chollar  mine,  and 
also  for  Hon.  \V.  E.  Sharon  in  the  Yellow  Jacket  and  all  the  Gold  Hill  mines 
for  nine  years.  He  was  made  foreman  of  the  Gould  &  Curry  mines  in 
1900  and  is  now  doing  developing  work  and  quartz  mining.  As  he  thoroughly 
understands  every  detail  of  his  work  he  is  very  well  qualified  for  it. 

Captain  Pooly  was  married  in  his  native  land  to  Mary  Richards,  who 
was  born  in  Cornwall,  England.  One  son  was  born  to  them,  William  J. 
Pooly.  After  twenty-eight  years  of  happy  married  life.  Mrs.  Pooly  was 
taken  away  by  death  January  17,  1903.  She  had  lieen  an  excellent  help- 
mate, a  true  wife  and  wise  mother. 

William  J.  Pooly  was  Iiorn  in  \'irginia  City  in  1877  and  was  educated 
in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  place,  and  was  a  very  intelligent  young 
man.  He  had  Ijeen  living  in  San  h'raucisco  but  upon  the  death  nf  his  mother 
he  returned  to  Virginia  City,  and  after  remaining  with  his  father  as  lung 
as  he  felt  he  could,  the  young  man  returned  to  San  Francisco,  intending  to 
take  the  civil  service  examination,  but  was  taken  ill  and  died  March  9,  1903. 
The  doubly  bereaved  father  brought  his  only  child's  remains  to  his  native 
town,  and  the  citizens  of  \'irginia  City  turned  mit  in  a  body  to  (\n  honor 
to  the  brave  young  man.  scarcely  out  of  boyhood,  who  had  been  taken  away 
from  what  promised  to  be  a  long  and  honorable  life,  filled  with  useful  deeils 
and  true  happiness.  They  also  united  in  their  expression  of  heartfelt  sympathy 
towards  the  heartl)roken  father,  whom  thev  so  esteemed  and  honored. 


HON.  M.  S.  BONNIFIELD,  of  Winncmucca,  fcr  a  number  .if  years 
judge  of  the  supreme  bench  of  the  state  and  now  actively  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  law,  is  one  of  the  eminent  members  of  tlie  Nevada  bar.  He  is 
also  numljered  among  the  early  pioneers  of  the  state,  having  crossed  the 
plains  to  the  territory  in  1862,  and  his  name  has  since  been  indissolubly 
identified  with  its  annals.  Mr.  Bonnifield  was  horn  in  West  Virginia  on  the 
14th  of  September,  1833,  and  it  is  claimed  that  the  I'amily  were  originally 
of  I'rench  ancestry  but  had  for  centuries  resided  in  England.  Rhudham 
iliinnilield,  his  father,  married  Miss  Mary  Minear,  a  lady  of  German  ances- 
try, and  they  removed  from  West  Virginia  to  Iowa  i.i  1836.  in  which  latter 
commonwealth  they  were  numbered  among  tlie  bra\x  and  lo\al  pioneers. 
They  were  farming  people,  and  were  members  of  the  Methodist  I'^iiscopal 
church.  The  father  pas.sed  away  in  death  in  1838,  nt  the  a,gc  of  tifty-four 
years,  and  his  widow  survived  him  only  three  months.  .\  son  and  daughter 
also  passed  away  within  three  months  of  each  other,  dying  of  pneumonia. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.    Rhodham   Bonniiield  became  the  parents  of  fifteen  children, 


/}l^J.      (^a^t^L^Oz^^^C^ 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  :U5 

five  of  whom  still  survive,  hut  M.  S.  Bonnifield  is  the  ouly  representative 
of  the  family  in  Nevada. 

Judge  M.  S.  Bonnifield  received  his  literary  education  in  .Allegheny 
College,  of  Meadville,  Pennsyh'an.ia,  and  after  his  graduation  therefrom 
wa.s  elected  president  of  Riciiard  C(^llege,  serving  in  tliat  capacity  f(jr  one 
year.  Removing  to  Kansas  In  1856,  he  was  there  admitted  to  the  har  hy  the 
celehrated  Judge  La  Compt,  and  after  practicing  his  chosen  profession  in 
the  Sunflower  state  for  two  years  returned  to  Ottumwa,  Iowa,  there  resum- 
ing his  legal  duties.  In  1861  he  crossed  the  plains  to  Red  Bluff,  California, 
the  journey  being  made  with  horses,  and  the  long  trip  was  accomplished  in 
three  months'  time.  While  residing  in  Meadville,  Pennsylvania,  in  1855, 
Mr.  Bonnifield  had  married  Miss  Laura  Ames,  and  she  accompanied  him 
on  his  removal  to  the  Golden  state.  In  1862  they  came  to  Humboldt  county, 
Nevada,  where  for  the  past  forty-one  years  the  Judge  has  continued  to  make 
his  home,  and  throughout  this  long  period  he  has  been  constantly  engaged  in 
the  practice  of  the  law,  with  the  exception  of  the  time  spent  on  the  supreme 
bench  of  the  state.  In  addition  to  his  large  law  practice  he  has  also  been 
interested  in  many  mines,  one  being  the  celebrated  Crown  I'oint  mine,  in 
which  Hon.  J.  P.  Jones  received  his  vast  fortune. 

While  a  resident  of  Kansas  Judge  Bonnifield  was  a  prominent  h'ree-soil 
man,  and  by  that  party  was  elected  a  member  of  the  Kansas  senate.  After- 
ward he  allied  his  interests  with  the  Democracy,  and  in  1892  became  one  of 
the  active  organizers  of  the  silver  party,  and  is  still  a  stalwart  belie\er  in 
bimetalism.  He  has  represented  Humboldt  county  in  two  sessions  of  the 
state  senate,  and  in  1892  was  made  presidential  elector  and  was  selected  to 
carry  the  vote  of  the  state  to  Washington,  the  three  electors  casting  their 
ballots  engraved  on  silver  jilates.  In  1895  Mr.  Bonnifield  was  elected  judge 
of  the  supreme  court,  having  ser\'ed  for  six  years  on  the  supreme  l)ench  of 
the  state,  and  since  retiring  from  that  high  office  has  continued  his  law 
practice. 

The  union  of  Judge  and  Mrs.  Bonnifield  was  blessed  with  three  daugh- 
ters, namely:  Emily,  the  wife  of  J.  A.  McBride,  of  Elko,  this  state;  Delia, 
who  became  the  wife  of  J.  D.  May  and  resides  in  Portland,  Oregon;  and 
Dora,  the  wife  of  J.  P.  Slaughter,  of  Pueblo,  Colorado.  Mrs.  Bonnifield 
was  called  to  her  final  rest  in  1887,  and  two  years  later,  in  1889,  Judge 
Bonnifield  married  Mrs.  Nellie  Lovelock,  the  widow  of  George  Lovelock, 
Jr.,  and  they  reside  in  one  of  the  delightful  homes  of  Winnemucca.  The 
Judge  has  taken  the  degrees  in  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  the 
Workmen  and  the  Chosen  Friends,  and  was  made  a  Master  Mason  in  Iowa 
in  1885.  His  religious  views  are  in  harmony  with  the  principles  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church. 


JAMES  T.  DUNN,  who  is  now  serving  his  third  term  as  clerk  of 
Humboldt  county  and  ex-oilficio  clerk  of  the  district  court,  is  one  of  the 
comparatively  few  men  who  can  claim  Nevada  as  their  native  state.  His 
father,  L.  F.  Dunn,  is  a  prominent  pioneer  mining  man  of  the  state,  and  was 
likewise  for  several  years  an  official  of  Humboldt  county.     He  was  born  in 


3-46  A  HISTORY  OF  J\^EVADA. 

Fayette  county.  Wisconsin,  June  3,  1S43.  I"  '^'''4  '-^  crossed  the  plains  to 
Calitornia,  and  as  the  Sioux  Induuis  were  then  on  tiie  warpatli  emigrants 
were  compelled  to  collect  themselves  in  hands  of  one  hundred  or  more  in 
order  to  defend  themselves.  During  the  first  year  in  California  he  hunted 
deer  and  bear  for  the  San  Francisco  market,  hut  in  the  fall  of  1865  came 
to  Humljoldt  county,  Nevada,  and  engaged  in  mining,  which  has  been  his 
principal  occupation  ever  since.  For  eight  years  he  served  in  the  same 
official  capacity  in  which  his  son  is  now^  serving,  and  he  has  gained  a  wide 
ac(|uaintance  with  the  greater  number  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  county.  He 
mined  in  the  Spring  Valley  placer,  which  \-alley  is  eleven  miles  long,  and 
it  was  rocker  diggings,  from  which  some  coarse  nuggets  worth  forty  or 
fifty  dollars  were  found.  He  located  claims  throughout  this  canyon  and 
in  Dry  Gulch,  and  got  out,  in  all,  about  si.xty-three  thousand  dollars"  worth 
of  gold.  He  is  now  the  owner  of  the  Chicago  mine,  a  (juartz  claim  in  the 
central  district,  whose  assays  run  from  six  dollars  to  six  thousand  dollars  a 
ton.  and  the  development  work  which  has  Ijeen  done  on  this  projierty  indi- 
cates that  it  will  be  very  profitable  to  its  ow-ner.  Mr.  L.  V.  Dunn  w  as  mar- 
ried September  i,  1873,  to  Miss  Philapena  Pfluger,  and  they  had  four  chil- 
dren, of  whom  three  are  still  living,  Rol)crl  1'.,  a  miner,  Kathryn  K.,  and 
lames  T.     The  mother  of  the.se  children  died  in   1891. 

lames  T.  Dunn  was  born  in  Nevada,  November  21,  1876,  and  was 
educated  in  Oakland,  California.  In  1893,  ^t  the  age  of  sixteen,  he  came  to 
Winnemucca,  and  has  been  connected  in  some  capacity  with  the  county 
clerk's  office  ever  since  that  time.  As  his  father's  de])uty  he  became  thor- 
oughly conversant  with  all  the  details  of  the  business,  and  alsn  won  his 
way  into  the  confidence  of  the  people  to  the  extent  that  be  was  elected  to 
the  office  of  countv  clerk  and  clerk  of  the  district  court  in  1898.  Ide  was 
twenty-two  vears  old  at  the  time  of  bis  fir.st  election,  and  has  been  twice 
re-elected,  so  that  his  record  as  a  county  officer  has  recei\ed  the  stamp  of 
public  approval  and  is  satisfactory  to  all  concerned.  Besides  his  official 
duties  he  is  interested  with  his  father  in  mining.  Like  his  father,  he  is  an 
adherent  of  the  Democratic  party,  and  fraternally  is  connected  with  the 
Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Eagles. 


HON.  W.  .\.  M.ASSFY  has  been  connected  w  illi  Ixilh  the  framing 
and  the  interpretation  of  the  laws,  having  ser\ed  as  a  member  of  the  gener.Tl 
assembly  of  the  state,  a  member  of  the  supreme  court,  and  for  a  long  periml 
has  been  accounted  one  of  the  eminent  practitioners  at  the  bar  df  the  state. 
He  belongs  to  the  prominent  law  firm  of  Cheney,  Massey  &  Smith,  of  Reno, 
which  has  a  very  large  and  distinctively  representative  clientage,  embracing 
connection  with  much  nf  the  mi)st  important  litigation  tried  in  the  courts  of 
the  state. 

Judge  Massey  was  born  in  Perry  county,  Ohio,  on  the  7tb  of  October, 
1S56.  His  grandfather,  Mathew  Massey,  was  a  native  of  the  north  of  Ire- 
land, and  when  a  young  man  came  to  the  United  Slates,  lucating;  in  New 
Vork,  where  he  was  married,  thus  becoming  the  i)rogenitor  of  the  f.imily 
in  this  country.     Me  removed  to  Morgan  county,  Ohio,  where  his  son,  William 


^  ^c^  ^""Vv 


■iHbp^ 


/^^. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  347 

Massey,  tlie  fatlier  of  Judge  Massey,  was  born  on  the  5th  of  May,  1826. 
During  tlie  greater  part  of  the  Civil  war  William  Massey  was  a  member  of 
the  Union  army,  serving  first  in  West  Virginia,  after  which  he  was  trans- 
ferred to  the  Western  Army.  He  was  present  at  the  investment  of  Vicks- 
burg  and  served  under  General  Sherman  in  the  thirty  days'  fighting  on  the 
way  to  Atlanta.  He  also  i)artici])ated  in  the  capture  of  that  city  as  well  as 
of  Vicksburg.  By  profession  he  was  a  physician,  but  went  to  the  front  as 
a  lieutenant,  althougli  he  was  later  made  surgeon  of  the  Sixty-eighth  Ohjo 
Battery.  Following  the  cessation  of  hostilities  he  established  his  home  in 
Paris,  Illinois,  where  he  continued  in  the  practice  of  medicine  up  to  the 
time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1882.  He  had  wedded  Miss  Mary 
Thorp,  who  was  born  in  Perry  county,  Ohio,  and  their  union  was  blessed 
with  five  children,  of  whom  two  are  yet  living,  the  l)r(ither  of  Judge  Massey 
being  J.  A.  Massey,  of  Illinois. 

Judge  William  A.  Massey  was  but  a  small  boy  when  his  pru'ents  re- 
moved from  Ohio  to  Illinois,  where  he  was  reared.  His  early  education, 
acquired  in  the  public  schools,  was  supplemented  by  study  in  Asbury  l^ni- 
versity,  at  Greencastle,  Indiana,  and  Hien  preparing  for  the  practice  of  law- 
he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  Sullivan,  Indiana.  In  1883  he  removed  to 
San  Diego,  California,  .and  after  spending  a  year  there  came  to  Nevada. 
He  engaged  in  mining  in  Elko  county  for  four  years,  Init  was  very  unfor- 
tunate in  his  mining  ventures,  losing  all  his  money.  He  then  resumed 
the  practice  of  law,  and  his  ability  in  the  line  of  his  profession  snun  won 
recognition  and  a  liberal  clientele.  While  residing  there,  he  was,  in  1892, 
elected  a  member  of  the  state  legislature,  and  proved  a  must  active  worker 
in  the  house  in  the  interests  of  those  measures  which  he  beliexed  would  pro\e 
of  greatest  benefit  to  the  state.  In  1896  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
supreme  court  iif  Nevada  and  removed  t(_)  Carson,  but  in  1898  he  resigned 
from  the  bench  to  form  his  present  law  partnership  and  is  now  actively 
engaged  in  a  very  successful  practice,  embracing  connection  with  all  depart- 
ments of  jurisprudence.  He  is  thoroughly  well  informed  concerning  legal 
principles,  and  he  took  to  the  bench  the  highest  Cjualification  for  that  most 
important  ofiice  in  the  gift  of  the  people.  Patience,  urbanity  and  courtesy 
made  him  a  successful  jurist  inasmuch  as  these  qualities  supplemented  l)road 
legal  learning  and  an  analytical  mind,  which  is  readily  recejjtive  and  re- 
tentive of  the  points  brought  forth  in  e\'ery  case.  In  argument  he  is  strt)ng, 
forceful  and  convincing,  and  his  deductions  follow  in  logical  sequence. 

In  1879  Judge  Massey  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Florence  Mas- 
sey, who  was  descended  from  the  same  ancestry  as  the  Judge,  but  is  not  a 
near  relati\-e.  This  union  has  l)een  blessed  with  two  sons :  R.  R.  Massey, 
now  in  college;  and  \\'.  H.  Massey,  also  a  student.  The  wife  and  mother 
died  in  1890,  and  a  few  years  afterward  Judge  Massey  wedded  Miss  .\nnie 
Sheehan,  a  native  of  New  York.  They  occupy  delightful  apartments  at  the 
Riverside  Hotel,  and  they  enjoy  the  hospitality  of  the  best  homes  of  Reno. 
The  Judge  belongs  to  the  Masonic  fraternity,  having  Ijeen  made  a  Mason 
in  Elko  Lodge  No.  15,  F.  &  A.  M.  Faultless  in  honor,  fearless  in  conduct 
and  stainless  in  reputation,  he  stands  as  a  high  type  of  our  American  man- 
hood. 


345i  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

TERRY  SHEEHAX.  county  recorder  and  ex-officio  auditor  of  Hum- 
boldt county,  Nevada,  lias  been  a  resident  of  tbis  state  ever  since  be  was 
five  vears  old.  He  was  born  in  Jobnson  county,  Wyoming,  May  19.  1870, 
a  soil  of  Jobn  and  Catharine  (Buckley)  Shee'han,  both  natives  of  county 
Cork.  Ireland,  whence  they  emigrated  to  America  in  1850.  They  first  located 
in  New  York,  and  then  came  to  Wyoming,  and  from  there  to  Nevada 
in   1875. 

Jerry  Sbeehan  was  left  an  orphan  at  the  age  of  thirteen,  and  thus  de- 
prived of  the  care  and  assistance  of  these  worthy  and  excellent  parents,  he 
fought  the  battles  of  life  pretty  much  by  himself,  and  has  won  most  of 
them.  He  was  educated  in  the  pu!:)lic  schools  and  in  the  Nevada  State 
University  before  it  was  removed  from  Elko  to  Reno.  He  then  learned 
telegraphy,  and  was  in  the  employ  of  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  Com- 
pany for  sixteen  years,  a  part  of  the  time  in  the  office  as  operator,  and  in  the 
train  service  from  Wells  to  \\'a<lswortb  rose  from  brakeman  to  conductor, 
which  last  position  he  held  until  he  was  appointed  recorder  of  Humlioldt 
county  in  June,  1902.  to  fill  the  vacancy  caused  by  the  death  of  Air.  J.  J.  Hill. 
In  the  fall  of  the  same  vear  he  was  elected  to  this  office,  wlmse  duties  he  has 
so  capably  and  energetically  discharged  to  the  present  time.  He  is  a  good 
business  man.  and  because  of  his  splendid  penmanship  and  his  mctboilical 
care  tlie  records  of  the  county  are  beautifully  kept. 

In  1895  Mr.  Sbeehan  was  married  to  Miss  Fanny  Aluller,  of  (German 
ancestry.  They  have  two  little  daughters,  Evaline  and  Grace.  Mr.  Shcehan 
is  a  member  of  the  Order  of  Railway  Conductors  and  of  the  Ancient  Order 
of  United  Workmen.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat,  and  is  highly  esteemed 
Ijy  all  for  his  pleasaiit,  genial  ways  and  for  his  whole-souled  worth  as  a 
citizen  and  oflicial. 


S.  L.  LEE,  M.  D.  One  of  the  distinguished  members  of  the  medical 
profession  in  Ne\-ada  is  Dr.  S.  L.  Lee,  of  Carson  City,  whose  ])ronounced 
ability  and  broad  experience  \vdve  gained  him  prominence  scarcely  second 
to  any  in  the  state.  Fortunate  is  the  man  who  has  i>ack  of  him  an  ancestry 
lionorable  and  distinguished,  and  bajjp)'  is  he  if  his  lines  of  life  are  cast 
in  barnion)'  therewith.  In  person,  talents  and  character  Dr.  Lee  is  a  worthy 
scion  of  his  race.  He  comes  from  a  family  that  has  not  only  figured  iM'omi- 
nently  in  public  affairs  in  this  country,  but  can  also  trace  bis  ancestry  to  the 
Lees  who  went  with  William  the  Conqueror  to  England  at  the  time  of  the 
invasion  in    io65. 

Jobn  Lee  emigrated  frcmi  "the  merrie  isle"  to  New  l'"nglai;d  in  the 
year  1641,  and  afterward  became  a  resident  of  i'aimington.  C'nnnei-ticut. 
while  bis  cousin,  Richard  Lee,  settled  in  Virginia  ,-ind  became  the  founder 
of  the  branch  of  the  family  that  has  furnished  so  niany  eminent  men  In  the 
Old  Dominion.  W'iUiam  Lee.  a  direct  ancestrir  of  Dr.  Lee,  was  a  i)artici])ant 
in  the  Revolutionary  war.  and  the  lo\'e  of  liberty  and  the  haired  of  oppres- 
sion has  ever  been  a  dominant  trail  in  the  family.  W  illiam  Leo.  Dr.  Lee's 
great-grandfather,  and  bis  sons,  were  all  participants  in  the  war  of  181 2. 
and  one  of  these  sons  was  Lemuel  Lee,  the  grandfather  of  the  Doctor. 


S,    L.    LEE,   M.    D. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  349 

Benjamin  I'".  Lee.  Dr.  Lee's  father,  was  Ijorn  in  Onondaga  connty,  New- 
York,  on  the  15th  of  Septeml)er,  181 7,  and  was  but  three  months  old  when 
his  parents  removed  witli  tiieir  family  tn  Ilhnois.  wliere  he  has  since  lived, 
having  now  attained  the  eighty-sixth  year  of  his  age.  He  married  Miss 
Charlotte  Loraine  Bisho]),  a  descendant  of  the  noted  De  Auhrey  family, 
her  grandfather  Ijeing  Dr.  De  Auhrey,  who  was  a  surgeon  in  the  continental 
army  during  the  war  of  the  Re\olution.  Mrs.  Lee  died  Decemher  19,  1894, 
at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years.  By  her  marriage  she  had  hecome  the 
mother  of  seven  sons.  The  eldest,  James  Monroe,  was  killed  in  the  battle 
(if  Shiloh,  while  fighting  in  defense  of  the  starry  banner,  the  symbol  of  the 
L'^nion  cause.     His  regiment  was  the  Thirty-second  Illinois  Infantry. 

When  this  brother  enlisted.  Simeon  Lemuel  Lee,  the  subject  of  this 
biography,  was  but  a  youth  of  sixteen  years,  having  been  born  in  Vandalia, 
Fayette  county,  Illinois,  on  the  4th  of  Sqitember,  1844.  He  l>ecame  fired 
with  patriotic  zeal,  inspired  by  his  brother's  example  anfl  his  own  knowledge 
of  the  condition  of  affairs  in  the  south,  and  in  1863,  he  prexailed  upon 
his  father  to  allow  him  to  take  the  ])lace  of  his  deceased  brother  as  a  defender 
of  the  Union.  Enlisting  as  a  member  of  Company  LI,  Eighth  Illimjis  Vol- 
unteer Infantry,  he  went  to  the  south  to  aid  in  filling  the  ranks  of  that  regi- 
ment, which  had  been  \er}'  much  depleted.  The  command  proceeded  im- 
mediately to  the  scene  of  hostilities,  and  he  served  with  General  Sherman 
in  General  John  A.  Logan's  divisi()n  of  McPherson's  corps,  from  February, 
1864,  until  November  of  that  year,  when  the  members  of  the  command  re- 
enlisted  and  were  given  a  thirty  days'  furlough.  After  the  return  to  the 
front,  this  regiment  led  the  assault  on  Fort  Blakely,  being  connected  with 
the  Nineteenth  corps  of  Granger's  army.  There  were  but  thirty-five  mem- 
bers of  the  company  when  they  started  on  that  movement,  and  fifteen  of 
these  were  either  killed  or  wounded  in  the  charge,  but  they  carried  the  fort, 
w'hich  was  the  defense  of  the  city  of  Mobile,  and  which  then  surrendered. 
By  gallant  service  and  unmistakable  loyalty  Dr.  Lee  had  risen  to  the  rank 
of  second  lieutenant  and  was  discharged  as  such  in  Spring-field,  Illinois,  on 
the  1 6th  of  May,  1866. 

Previous  to  the  war  Dr.  Lee  had  been  a  student  in  the  high  school  of 
Vandalia,  and  after  his  discharge  he  began  preparation  for  his  life  work  by 
becoming-  a  student  in  the  Cincinnati  Medical  College  of  Ohio,  in  which  he 
completed  the  prescribed  course  and  was  graduated  with  the  degree  of  M.  D., 
in  the  class  of  1870.  Immediately  after  leaving  college  he  came  to  Carson 
City  and  entered  upon  the  practice  of  his  profession,  which  he  ha-;  since 
cmitinued  here  with  marked  ability  for  thirty-three  years,  during  which 
time  he  has  been  recognized  as  one  of  the  most  learned  and  capable  memljers 
of  the  medical  fraternity  in  the  state.  He  became  a  niember  of  the  first 
board  of  health  of  the  state,  and  for  several  years  has  been  a  n-iember  of  the 
state  board  of  medical  examiners  and  is  now  surgeoii  general  on  the  gov- 
ernor's staiT,  with  the  rank  of  colonel.  He  educated  his  youngest  brother, 
Ortey  Frederick  Lee,  for  the  medical  profession,  of  which  he  became  a  most 
prominent  and  progressive  member.  He  was  engaged  in  the  practice  of 
medicine    in    Marysville,    California,    when    overwork    brought    his    brilliant 


350  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

career  to  an  untimely  close  and  caused  a  severe  loss  to  the  ranks  of  the 
fraternity  in  that  state. 

Dr.  Lee  is  a  prominent  Mason,  belonging  to  the  blue  lodge,  chapter 
and  commandery,  and  also  to  Islam  Temple  of  the  Mystic  Shrine  in  San 
Francisco.  He  is  thoroughly  informed  concerning  the  tenets  of  the  craft. 
is  in  sympathy  with  its  purpose,  and  in  his  life  exemplifies  its  lieneficent 
and  helpful  spirit. 

On  the  26th  of  Xoyember,  1868.  Dr.  Lee  was  happily  married  to  Miss 
Lola  Montez  Watts,  a  member  of  the  noted  Watts  family  of  Ohio,  while 
her  mother  was  an  own  cousin  of  Hamilton  Fisk.  United  States  secretary  of 
state.  Thev  have  three  .sons:  ISi.shop  l-rank  Lee  is  in  southern  California. 
William  L.,  an  electrical  engineer,  was  graduated  in  a  school  fitting  him  fur 
his  chosen  profession.  Adelbert  Watts  is  a  graduate  of  tlie  medical  de- 
partment of  the  University  of  California  and  is  now  assistant  in  the  chair 
of  anatomy  there.  He  expects  soon  to  go  to  Leipsic,  Germany,  to  perfect 
himself  in  his  profession.  He  stood  at  the  head  of  his  class  in  college,  and 
is  a  young  man  of  strong  mentality  and  laudable  ambition,  and  undoubtedly 
a  bright  future  awaits  him.  Both  the  Doctor  and  Mrs.  Lee  are  well  known 
in  Carson  City  and  other  parts  of  the  state,  and  occupy  an  enviable  position 
in  social  circles,  while  their  own  home  is  the  center  of  culture,  hospitality 
and  good  cheer.     Mrs.  Lee  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  churcli. 

The  Doctor  has  always  been  a  student,  reading  broadly  and  thinking 
deeply,  not  only  m  the  line  of  his  profession  but  over  a  wide  range  of  sub- 
jects. Fie  has  a  library  of  more  than  two  thousand  volumes,  and  is  also 
the  possessor  of  a  choice  and  valualjle  collection  of  minerals,  of  chinaware 
brought  from  foreign  cities  and  of  Indian  baskets,  some  of  which  are  of  very 
early  manufacture  and  are  very  costly.  He  takes  just  pride  in  these,  and 
they  prove  an  interesting  feature  of  his  delightful  home. 


MARTIN  GULLING,  who  is  now  living  a  reti'-ed  life,  is  a  self-made 
man  and  all  that  he  has  enjoyed  and  possesses  in  life  has  been  accjuircd  through 
his  own  determined  i)uri)ose  and  capable  energy.  He  was  h)vu  in  b'rance 
on  the  nth  of  Xovemebr,  1829,  and  when  two  and  a  half  years  of  age  was 
brought  by  his  parents  to  the  L'nitcd  States,  the  family  home  being  estab- 
lished in  Stark  county,  Ohio,  near  Canton.  There  the  son  was  educated 
in  the  iniblic  schools,  and  upon  his  father's  farm  he  was  reared  to  manhood 
and  became  familiar  with  the  duties  and  labors  that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the 
agriculturist. 

On  the  20th  of  ]'"ebruary,  1855,  be  sailed  from  New  York  to  San  I'ran- 
cisco,  going  by  way  of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  and  reaching  his  destination 
in  the  month  of  March.  He  then  went  direct  to  Cam])tonville,  Yuba  county, 
California,  where  for  two  weeks  he  engaged  in  placer  mining,  but  meeting 
with  no  success  during  thai  i)eriod  he  abandoned  mining  and  .=ecured  a  situ- 
ation in  a  sawmill,  where  he  was  emjiloyed  for  two  years.  He  then  went 
to  San  Juan,  Nevada  county,  and  worked  in  a  sawmill  for  two  years.  On 
the  expiration  of  that  i)eriod  he  removed  to  Rntte  county,  California,  and 
secured  a  tract  of  laml  nine  miles  from  the  present  site  of  the  city  of  Chico, 


A    IIISTOm'  OF  NEVADA.  351 

altlunigh  the  lnwii  liail  not  hecu  fouuded  al  that  time.  With  I'liaractcristic 
energy  lie  Ijegaii  tlie  development  and  nn]irii\enient  of  his  land,  and  con- 
tiinied  to  engage  in  farming  there  nntil  1SC16,  when  he  .sold  out  and  came 
to  Waslioe  countv,  Kcxada.  Near  the  \icinity  of  Glendale  he  purchased  a 
farm  of  foiu"  hundred  and  forty  acres,  which  he  cultivated  for  a  time  and 
then  sold.  Next,  in  com])any  with  a  partner,  he  purchased  an  interest  in 
another  tract  of  land  and  devoted  his  energies  to  general  farming  until  1873. 
He  made  a  specialty,  however,  of  raising  hay,  which  sold  in  Virginia  City 
at  from  thirty  to  one  hundred  dollars  a  ton.  After  some  time  had  passed 
Mr.  (lulling  also  disposed  of  this  property  and  engaged  in  the  stock  husiness 
at  High  Rock,  Lassen  countv,  California.  He  purchased  land  there,  and 
at  times  he  has  had  as  many  as  nine  hundred  head  of  cattle,  in  this  husiness 
he  prospered,  and  e\entuall\-  he  traded  his  property  there  for  two  hundred 
acres  of  land  near  tlic  W'ed.ekind  mine,  retaining  possession  of  that  tract 
until  March,  1903.  when  he  sold  the  land  to  a  good  advantage  and  returned 
to  Ohio  to  \isit  relatives  in  that  state.  On  again  coming  to  Ne\ada  he 
retired  from  active  husiness  life  and  is  now  enjoying  a  well  earned  rest  in  a 
new  and  attractive  home  in  Reno,  wdiich  he  has  erectCvd.  His  career  has  been 
one  of  activity,  and  year  after  year  he  l.ahored  in  an  untiring  manner  until 
his  indefatigable  industry,  guided  by  sound  judgment,  had  brought  to  him 
very  creditable  success. 

In  May,  1856,  Mr.  Culling  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Rosanna 
Sosie,  a  native  of  France,  and  this  marriage  has  been  blessed  with  four  chil- 
dren :  Charles,  who  is  a  stockholder  in  and  manager  of  the  Reno  Mill  and 
Lumber  Company:  Mrs.  Mary  LeVrie,  of  Reno;  Josephine,  the  wife  of 
James  Eason,  of  this  city:  and  John,  who  is  also  married  and  ]i\'ing  in  Reno, 
Mr.  Gulling  and  his  family  are  all  members  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church, 
and  are  highly  respected  citizens  of  the  state  in  wdiich  they  have  so  long 
resided.  In  his  political  views  he  is  a  Democrat,  and  while  he  keeps  well 
informed  on  the  issues  of  the  day  and  is  interested  in  his  party,  he  has  never 
sought  or  desired  public  office. 


HENRY  W.  DYF'R,  recorder  and  e.x-officio  auditor  of  Lander  county, 
is  a  native  son  of  Austin,  where  his  birth  occurred  on  the  14th  of  January, 
1880,  and  he  is  of  Scotch  ancestry.  His  father,  George  M.  Dyer,  was  horn 
in  Missouri,  on  the  26th  of  January,  1828.  In  an  early  day  he  went  to 
California,  but  at  the  time  of  the  secession  of  the  south  from  the  L'nion  he 
returned  to  his  old  home,  and  true  to  his  loved  southland  enlisted  in  its 
service,  continuing  in  the  commissary  department  of  the  Confederacy  until 
1863.  Returning  thence  to  Nevada,  he  located  in  Grass  Valley,  on  a  ranch 
which  lie  had  previously  purchased,  but  later  removed  to  Reese  river,  and 
thence  came  to  Austin.  In  this  city  he  embarked  in  merchandising.  A 
stanch  Democrat  in  his  political  views,  he  was  elected  on  its  ticket  to  the 
]50sition  of  treasurer  of  Lander  county,  and  in  1898  became  the  auditor  and 
recorder  of  the  county,  successfully  ser\-ing  in.  those  positions  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  on  the  19th  of  March,  1903.  He  was  numbered  among  the 
honored  early  pioneers  of  eastern  Nevada,  and  was  a  man  of  strong  convic- 


352  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

tions.  exceedingly  loyal  to  his  friends,  a  competent  and  efficient  pnhlic  officer 
and  an  upright  and  honorable  citizen.  On  the  25th  of  April,  1867,  he  had 
married  ?*Iiss  Augusta  Elgum.  and  they  became  the  parents  of  eight  children, 
six  of  whom  are  li\-ing.  as  follows:  Maggie,  the  wife  of  Dan  W.  Mitchell, 
of  Austin:  \\'i!liam  R..  residing  in  Tonopah,  Nevada:  Alexander  I.,  of 
Austin:  and  Inez   M.,   Louis  C.   and   Henry  W. 

Henry  W.  Dxer  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  this  his 
native  town,  and  for  a  time  after  leaving  the  schoolroom  was  employed  in 
one  of  the  mercantile  houses  of  Austin.  He  then  entered  the  recorder's 
office  as  his  father's  deputy,  and  after  the  latter's  death  was  appointed  to 
that  office  by  the  county  board  of  commissioners,  the  duties  of  which  he  is 
now  filling  with  marked  ability.  In  politics  he,  too,  is  allied  with  the  Democ- 
racv,  and  is  a  native  son  of  Austin  of  which  she  has  e\'ery  reason  to  be 
jiroud. 


WILTSHIRE  SAUNDERS.  I'ew  residents  of  Reno  have  longer  been 
connected  with  the  cit\-  and  its  de\elopment  than  has  Wiltshire  Saunders. 
Almost  half  a  centur\-  lias  passed  since  he  became  a  California  pioneer.  The 
traveler  of  to-day,  seeing  the  thri\-ing  towns,  the  splendidly  developed  farms 
and  the  excellent  ranches  and  industries  of  every  character,  can  scarcely 
realize  the  condition  of  things  which  faced  Mr.  Saunders  at  the  time  of  his 
arrival. 

He  was  l)orn  in  Nova  Scotia,  September  13.  1830.  a  son  of  John  and 
Jemima  (Wilson)  Saunders.  The  Saunders  family  is  of  English  and  Scotch 
extraction,  and  the  grandfather.  John  Saunders,  who  had  emigrated  to  the 
new  world,  settling  in  New  York,  was  a  loyal  defender  of  King  George's 
cause,  and  at  the  time  of  the  Revolutionary  war  removed  to  Nova  Scotia. 
There  he  was  given  a  fine  grant  of  land  and  became  one  of  the  ])rominent 
and  influential  early  settlers  of  that  part  of  the  continent. 

John  Saunders,  Mr.  Saunders'  father,  was  born  in  Nova  Scotia  on  the 
26th  of  October.  1782.  and  throughout  his  life  carried  on  agricultural  ]nir- 
suits.  He  wedded  Jemima  Wilson,  who  was  a  native  of  his  own  town,  burn 
on  the  20th  of  March,  1790.  Both  held  membership  relations  with  the 
Baptist  church,  taking  an  active  part  in  its  work,  and  Mr.  Saunders  became 
a  preacher  of  considerable  ability,  although  never  ordained  to  the  ministry. 
He  died  in  the  seventy-fifth  year  of  his  age.  while  his  wife  passed  away  at 
the  age  of  eighty  years.  They  had  l)ecome  the  parents  of  eleven  children. 
Inil  XViltshire  is  the  only  one  now  living. 

Wiltshire  Saunders  s))ent  his  early  years  in  his  native  town,  but  when 
nineteen  years  of  age  renioxed  to  Boston.  Massachusetts,  and  learned  the 
car])eiiter's  trade  in  Watertown,  a  small  place  near  Boston,  .\ftcr  com- 
pleting his  ap])renticesliip  he  remained  with  his  employer  for  one  year  as  a 
journeyman,  and  because  he  had  attained  efficiency  in  his  chosen  field  of 
labor  he  ffiund  it  easy  to  secure  good  paying  ]iositions.  He  had  also  worked 
in  a  lumber  yard  in  Boston  prior  to  learning  bis  tiade.  the  firm  building 
bou.ses  for  San  iM'ancisco  and  shi|)])ing  them  ready  to  be  erected.  Mr. 
Saunders  also  was  employed  for  fi\-e  years  at   his  tr.'idc  in   Xo\;t  .'^cotin.  but 


>7-^ 


^Z^t.Ajt^ 


a4>L\>t 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  353 

lie  had  heard  much  of  the  west,  its  development  and  its  pcjssihilities,  and 
in  1S58,  attracted  hy  the  o])piirtnnities  of  the  Pacific  country,  he  made  his 
way  to  California  hy  the  isthmus  route.  His  brother  Charles  had  gone  to 
California  in  1849.  '"if'  M''-  Saunders  joined  him  in  the  Golden  state  nine 
years  later.  There  he  worked  at  his  trade  of  carpentering  and  also  followed 
carriage-making.  He  and  his  cousin  Stephen,  who  came  out  with  him,  joinefl 
his  brother,  who  was  located  at  Monte  Cristo.  Later  he  and  his  brother 
and  cousin  went  to  what  is  known  as  Whisky  diggings,  near  Gibson,  and 
were  there  engaged  in  mining.  The  work  was  carried  on  by  means  of  tun- 
nels, and  they  were  thus  enabled  to  prosecute  their  labors  throughout  the 
winter.  Mr.  Saunders  did  the  outside  work,  howe\er.  framing  the  timbers 
for  the  tunnel.  In  the  s])ring  they  sold  their  pro]3erty,  receiving  for  it 
twenty-one  hundred  dollars,  or  a  sum  of  se\-en  hundred  dollars  for  each  one. 
The  following"  winter  they  mined  on  the  other  side  of  the  ridge,  but  again 
sold  out,  and  as  Stephen  Saunders  was  a  daguerreotype  artist  Wiltshire 
joined  him  in  the  conduct  of  a  pliotograijhic  gallery.  They  took  some  of  the 
first  daguerreotypes  in  California,  charging  at  that  time  from  five  to  eight 
dollars  each.  They  journeyed  from  camp  to  camp,  carrying  with  them  their 
outfit,  and  at  Onion  Valley  they  established  a  gallery  which  they  conducted 
for  one  season.  In  1862  they  remo\-ed  to  Marys\-ille  and  purchased  the 
Heath  gallery  on  D  street,  wdiere  they  did  a  photographic  business  for  two 
years  and  during  the  time  of  the  great  fl(X)d.  Soon  afterward  Mr.  Saunders 
sold  out  to  his  partner  and  removed  to  Oroville,  California,  where  two  years 
were  a,lso  passed. 

On  the  expiration  of  that  [leriod  Mr.  Sauntlers  and  his  brother  Charles 
went  to  Honey  Lake  and  rented  the  Dr.  Spalding  farm  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres.  In  the  meantime  he  liad  been  ill.  and  thus  much  of  his 
savings  had  dwindled  away.  The  first  year  the  l>rothers  ^cut  hav,  which 
brought  a  comparatively  low  price  that  season,  while  potatoes  sold  at  a  \erv 
high  price.  Therefore,  the)'  decided  to  devote  their  ground  to  the  raising 
of  the  latter  \-egetable,  and  planted  four  acres  of  ground.  They  plowed  the 
ground  three  times,  getting  it  in  excellent  condition,  and  paid  nine  cents  a 
pound  for  seed  potatoes.  The  plants  grew  splendidly,  and  when  alx)ut  a  foot 
high  the  army  worm  came  and  ate  every  living  green  thing  in  sight.  In 
the  succeeding  fall  Mr.  Saunders  engaged  in  hauling  goods  in  order  to  earn 
money  to  pay  for  his  seed  potatoes.  He  teamed  to  Humbolt  and  on  taking 
the  last  load  he  was  caught  in  a  severe  storm  on  Smoke  creek,  having  his 
foot  frozen  on  that  occasion.  However,  he  managed  to  reach  Humboldt,  but 
his  foot  and  limbs  were  ver\-  badly  frozen  so  that  a  l^ed  of  straw  was  made 
in  his  wagon  and  he  was  placed  upon  it,  bis  team  following  the  others  back 
to  the  starting  point.  After  severe  suffering  he  eventually  reco\'ered,  losing 
only  one  of  his  toes.  He  and  his  brother  s]:)ent  the  remainder  of  the  winter 
in  Honey  Valley,  Dr.  Spalding  residing  with  them.  They  then  took  another 
ranch,  and  Mr.  Saunders  continued  to  engage  in  teaming,  hauling  freight  tn 
Virginia  City.  He  had  two  wagons  and  ten  big  horses,  and,  receiving  quite 
a  liberal  patronage,  he  was  enabled  to  pay  off  all  his  indebtedness.  Later 
he  engaged  in  teaming  between  Reno,  Carson  and  Genoa.  He  began  his 
carpenter  work  and  built  a  number  of  the  best  homes  in  Reno      Surveyor 

23 


354  A  HISTORY  OF  NE\'ADA. 

General  Hatch  also  employed  him  to  make  a  coffin,  which  was  one  of  tlie 
first  made  in  tlie  town,  and  tliis  led  to  more  patronage  in  that  same  line,  so  that 
he  eventnally  did  quite  an  extensive  business.  Having  invested  in  village 
l(_)ts  at  a  time  when  land  was  very  cheap  he  located  the  Hillside  cemetery, 
and  now  owns  that  property  together  with  a  nice  home  in  the  city  and  several 
(jther  residences,  his  realty  possessions  being  a  monument  to  his  industrious 
efforts  and  diligence.  The  growth  of  this  city  and  the  conse(|uep.t  rise  in 
land  values  have  made  him  one  of  the  substantial  residents  here. 

In  1871  Mr.  Saunders  was  married  to  Miss  Margaret  Williams,  a  native 
of  Cartliff.  Wales,  and  a  daughter  of  Thomas  and  .\nn  (Hopkins)  Willianii. 
Thev  have  two  sons.  Robert  Wiltshire,  now  a  student  in  the  Industrial  .\it 
.School  in  San  Francisco  and  a  \-ery  iiright  _\oung  man:  and  Jolm  Olin.  who 
is  now  attending  the  high  sch(jc;l  hi  Reno.  Mr.  Saunders  and  his  s^ms  arc 
members  of  the  Bajjtist  church.  He  has  always  been  a  stanch  Re]niblican 
in  ])olitics.  and  while  living  in  Oroville.  California,  during  the  Ci\ii  w^ar. 
he  serxed  as  lieutenant  in  the  Oro\-ilje  Guards.  For  many  years  he  has  been 
identified  with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  deeply  interested 
in  the  success  of  that  worthv  organization.  Few  men  have  luulergone  more 
of  the  pioneer  experiences  than  has  Mr.  Saunders,  and  while  engaged  in 
teaming  he  often  encountered  great  danger,  for  the  Indians  were  fretiuently 
ui)on  the  war  path  and  he  and  his  comrades  had  to  sleep  on  their  gin.is  in' 
the  wagons.  The  Pacific  country  owes  a  great  debt  to  tlic  brave  pioneers 
who  inaugurated  the  ci\ilization  of  this  section. 


ALVARO  E\  AXS  is  one  of  Xevada's  ])ioneers  who  dates  his  arrival 
in  the  territory  from  1859.  He  was  born  in  Defiance.  Ohio,  on  the  2y\  of 
May,  1827,  and  comes  of  a  family  of  Welsh  origin.  His  great-grandfather 
on  the  ])aternal  side  emigrated  from  Wales  and  settled  in  \'irginin.  in  which 
state  Pierce '  Evans,  the  father  of  Alvaro  Evans,  was  born  and  leared. 
Having  arrived  at  years  of  maturity  Pierce  Evans  wedded  Miss  Mary 
Braucher.  who  was  a  native  of  Virginia  and  of  German  descent.  They  re- 
moved to  Ohio,  and  he  hel|)e(l  to  Ijuild  the  first  brick  building  in  what  is 
now  the  large  and  beautiful  citv  of  Cincinnati.  In  the  war  of  1812  he  was 
a  loyal  defender  of  the  country.  Throughout  his  entire  business  career  lie 
followed  merchandising,  and  his  energy  ;md  acti\itv  in  that  field  of  labor 
brought  to  him  a  gratifying  i)r(j.s])erity.  .\  nian  of  marked  capability  and 
strong  intellectuality  he  was  v,-ell  fitted  for  leadership.,  and  left  the  impress 
of  his  individuality  upon  jiublic  thought  and  feeling.  He  filled  the  office 
of  circuit  judge  for  several  years  and  took  a  very  prominent  ])art  in  the 
presidential  campaign  of  1840.  Both  he  and  his  wife  died  on  the  same  day 
in  1862.  an<l  each  was  about  sixty-five  years  of  age  at  the  time.  Thev  were 
the  i)arents  of  eleven  children.  Init  only  three  are  now  living,  namely:  .\1- 
\aro.  J.  X.  I'Aans  and  Mrs.  Mary  ,\rrowsmith. 

In  the  state  of  his  nativity  Alvaro  Evans  ac(|uircd  his  education,  lie 
was  a  young  man  of  about  twenty-three  years  when  he  sought  a  home  in 
the  west,  hoping  that  he  might  im])rove  his  financial  condition  in  the  state 
in  which  fortunes  were  rapidly  being  made  through  the  discoverv  of  gold. 


OL£i^-^'t^^^   (B^yT^j^ 


A   lllSrom'  ()!'   NEVADA.  355 

In  1850  he  arrived  in  Califurnia,  going  1j)'  \\a\-  of  llic  Istlinius.  and  luUowing 
his  arri\al  upon  the  Pacific  coast  he  engaged  in  niinnig  in  Nevada  county, 
California.  He  l>ecame  one  of  tlie  owners  of  tlie  Bucl<eye  Hill  mine,  which 
the  company  mined  for  eighteen  years,  eight  years  bemg  occupied  in  making 
a  tunnel  in  order  to  open  the  mine.  This  property  yielded  about  half  a  million 
dollars  to  the  com|)any  and  was  then  sold  for  two  hundred  thous-and  dollars. 
During  this  time  Mr.  E\ans  returned  to  the  east  and  purchased  cattle  in 
Illinois  and  Iowa,  driving  them  across  the  plains  in  i'859.  He  had  eight 
hundred  head  in  the  herd  and  was  engaged  in  the  stock  business  in  Lassen 
county,  about  forty  miles  north  of  Reno.  In  that  business  he  continued  for 
several  years,  and  his  sound  judgment  resulted  in  bringing  to  him  very 
gratifying  success.  On  leaving  Lassen  county  Mr.  E\ans  removed  to  Hum- 
Ixjldt  county.  Ne\ada,  and,  securing  cattle  in  Texas,  he  was  engaged  in 
stock  dealing  in  Humboldt  county  on  a  very  extensive  scale,  having  at  one 
time  as  high  as  ten  thousand  head  of  cattle,  which  he  sold  for  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars.  He  now  has  a  ranch  at  Reno,  comprising  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  city.  A  part  of  this  land  he 
has  platted,  calling  it  the  Sunny  Side  addition  to  Reno.  Upon  his  land  he 
has  a  fine  lirick  residence,  and  much  building  is  now  being  done  upon  the 
addition,  which  is  becoming  one  of  the  most  desirable  residence  ])ortions 
of  the  city.  Mr.  Evans  also  owns  eight  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land 
eight  miles  south  of  Reno,  constituting  a  finely  improved  farm.  He  is  now 
retired  from  the  cattle  business  and  is  spending  the  evening  of  a  very  active 
and  successful  business  life  in  this  city,  surrounded  l:y  many  comforts  and 
luxuries  which  go  to  make  life  worth  the  living. 

In  1847  occurred  the  marriage  of  Alvaro  Evans  and  ^liss  McCurdy.  a 
native  of  Pennsyh-ania.  They  had  one  son  Pierce  E\-ans,  now  a  prominent 
attorney  of  Los  Angeles,  California.  Mrs.  Evans  died  in  1873,  and  in  1884 
Mr.  Evans  was  again  married,  his  second  uninn  being  with  Miss  Annie 
Gull.  Two  children  were  born  of  this  union,  Aharo  and  Lester,  both  stu- 
dents in  the  public  schools. 

In  early  life  Mr.  Evans  gave  his  political  allegiance  to  the  Democratic 
party  and  voted  for  General  Cass  for  the  presidency  in  1848.  He  continued 
to  affiliate  with  the  Democratic  party  until  1864,  when,  because  of  his  sym- 
pathy with  the  LTnion,  he  supported  Abraham  Lincoln,  and  since  that  time 
has  been  a  Repul)lican.  He  has  filled  the  office  of  county  commissioner  and 
while  .still  living  in  Ohio  he  was  receiver  in  the  land  office.  In  1848.  in 
Defiance,  Ohio,  Mr.  Evans  was  made  a  Master  Mason.  He  has  taken  all 
of  the  York  Rite  degrees  and  is  now  a  Knight  Templar,  belonging  to  DeWitt 
Clinton  Commandery  at  Virginia  City.  He  is  one  of  the  oldest  ^Masons  in 
the  state  of  Nevada  and  is  a  very  pronu'nent  and  representati\-e  member  of 
the  craft.  He  has,  too,  a  military  record,  for  in  1846  he  enlisted  at  Defiance. 
Ohio,  to  serve  in  the  Mexican  war.  With  his  regiment  he  went  as  far  as 
Galveston.  Texas,  but  it  was  there  learned  that  the  troops  were  not  needed. 
and  they  received  an  honorable  discharge  in  that  place.  Mr.  Evans'  hearing 
is  slightly  impaired,  but  with  that  exception  he  is  a  hale  and  hearty  old  gen- 
tleman in  the  possession  of  all  of  his  faculties,  and  is  a  splendid  representa- 
tive of  the  California  and  Nevada  pioneer. 


350  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

HON.  JOSEPH  A.  COXBOIE.  now  comity  clerk  and  treasurer  of 
Storey  county,  Nevada,  was  born  in  Ireland,  and  when  a  child  was  brought 
to  the  United  States  by  his  parents,  George  and  Maiy  G.  ( Xeri )  C'onboie. 
both  natives  of  Ireland.  They  settled  in  New  York  city,  wliere  his  father 
was  a  constructor  and  builder.  Later  he  removed  to  Cincinnati,  returning 
to  New  York  and  there  dying,  when  fifty  years  of  age.  His  wife  survived 
him  and  lived  to  be  ninety  years  of  age.  They  were  the  parents  of  five 
daughters  and  three  sons,  Mr.  Conboie  and  three  sisters  alone  surviving. 

Air.  Conboie  was  educated  in  New  York  city,  in  the  public  schools  and  by 
pri\-ate  tutors,  and  remained  with  hi.■^  parents  until  he  was  seventeen,  learn- 
ing the  carpenter  and  brick-layer  trades,  but  not  liking  the  latter,  he  worked 
for  some  years  as  a  carpenter.  Later  he  read  medicine  with  a  physician, 
Dr.  Bond,  of  New  York,  for  some  time.  In  1859  he  went  to  California 
and  worked  as  a  miner  at  Gold  Run  and  (iold  Flat.  Nevada  county.  His 
party  was  dislianded,  and  he  returned  to  Sacramento,  where  he  found  work 
at  his  trade.  'J'hen  he  moved  to  Chico.  where  he  built  for  General  Bidwell 
the  ]\Ia.sonic  hall  and  postolifice  building.  During  the  winter  of  1861  he 
was  in  Sacramento,  and  participated  in  some  of  the  incidents  of  the  flood. 
Later  he  engaged  in  an  undertaking  business  in  that  city,  and  thus  conthiued 
until  1874.  when  he  sold  out  and  Ixnight  a  drug  store  in  San  Jose.  Init  as  it 
did  not  prove  a  success  he  sold  the  property  for  six  thousand  dollars  and 
went  to  San  Francisco  and  remained  two  years.  Thence  he  went  to  Vir- 
ginia Citv  and  engaged  in  the  undertaking  business,  and  is  now  the  oldest 
in  that  line  in  the  citv.  He  has  given  much  attention  to  his  business,  and 
is  verv  capable  and  in  d.emand  whenever  his  offices  are  required.  .\  patent 
of  his  has  1)een  found  very  desirable  for  holding  the  hands  of  the  deceased 
in  place,  and  he  follows  many  original  ideas  in  bis  work.  Like  many  others 
in  Virginia  City.  Mr.  Conboie  has  taken  an  active  interest  in  mining  stock, 
and  still  has  holdings. 

Mr.  Conboie  is  a  Republican  and  was  coroner  in  Sacrament  >.  In  1895 
he  was  elected  to  the  Nevada  legislature,  but  was  def'.^ated  for  the  following 
term.  He  was  then  elected  to  the  state  senate,  as  it  was  believed  that  the 
incumbent  could  not  retain  his  scat  and  the  position  of  army  paymaster,  but 
he  could  and  did.  Mr.  Conboie  was  returned  to  his  p-esent  responsible  office 
by  a  good  majority.  Mr.  Conboie  is  held  in  the  highest  esteem  throughout  the 
state.  He  served  on  the  staff  of  Major  General  Keating  with  rank  of  colonel. 
and  upon  the  stafif  of  two  of  the  .succeeding  governors,  and  is  now  on  the 
staff  of  Governor  Sparks  with  the  same  rank.  For  the  ]iast  forty  years 
he  has  been  a  mcnil)er  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  the  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  h'ellows,  and  for  twenty  years  a  Knight  of  Pythias,  and  is  on  the 
staff  of  Major  General  Carnaban  with  the  rank  of  colonel  in  the  uniform 
rank. 

In  1876  he  was  hajipily  married  to  Alice  Agnes  Fuller,  a  nati\e  o\  C.'di- 
fornia  and  a  daughter  of  Richard  I'"uller.  who  was  a  connection  f)f  the  family 
of  Chief  Justice  I'uller.  One  son  was  Irarn  of  this  union,  namely,  Joseph 
A.,  Jr.,  now  married  and  a  resident  of  .San  Francisco.  Mrs.  Conboie  died 
in    1888. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  357 

P.  L.  FLANIGAN.  When  we  think  tliat  P.  L.  Flanigan  came  to  Reno 
a  young-  man  of  nineteen  \ears  without  any  cajiital  ar.d  liegan  life  liere  as  a 
sheep  herder,  and  tliat  lie  is  to-day  the  largest  individual  taxpayer  of  his 
county,  it  is  a  record  that  seems  almost  plienomenal,  and  yet  his  entire  career 
has  heen  one  of  husiness  acti\-ity  that  will  hear  the  closest  investigation  and 
scrutiny.  He  has  based  his  Imsiness  principles  and  actions  u])on  strict  ad- 
herence to  the  rules  which  govern  industry,  econonn'  and  unswerving  in- 
tegrity. His  enterprise  and  progressive  spirit  have  made  him  a  typical 
.\merican  citizen  in  ever}-  sense  of  the  word,  and  he  well  deserves  mention 
in  this  history.  What  he  is  to-day  he  has  made  himself,  for  he  began  in  life 
with  nothing  but  his  willing  hands  and  unfaltering  energy  to  aid  him.  By 
constant  exertion,  associated  with  good  judgment,  he  has  raised  him.self 
to  the  prominent  position  he  n(.)w  holds,  ha\'ing  the  ':'riendship  of  many  an.l 
the  respect  of  all  who  know  him. 

Mr.  Flanigan  was  born  in  Tioga  county.  New  York,  February  lo,  1838, 
and  is  of  Irish  lineage,  his  father,  James  Flanigan,  having  been  born  on  the 
Emerald  isle,  whence  he  came  to  the  United  States  when  sixteen  years  (  f 
age.  He  settled  in  New  York  and  for  a  numlier  of  years  engaged  in  teach- 
ing school  in  New  York  city.  He  married  Miss  Hannah  Linahan,  a  native 
of  Ireland,  and  he  de])arted  this  life  in  1902,  at  the  age  of  eighty  years, 
while  his  wife  survives  him  and  is  now  living  in  Reno  in  the  seventieth  ve:ir 
of  her  age.  He  was  a  man  of  strong  mentality  and  attained  considerable 
prominence  and  success  as  an  educator.  To  him  and  his  wife  were  born 
seven  children,  four  of  whom  are  residing"  in  Nevada,  one  daughter  living 
with  her  mother  in  Reno.  James  also  makes  his  l.ome  in  this  citv,  and 
Joseph  D.  Flanigan  is  engaged  in  the  sheep  business  w  ith  bis  brc.itber,  P.  I„ 
Flanigan. 

In  his  nati\e  town  P.  L.  Flanigan  was  reared  and  educated,  and  at 
the  age  oi  nineteen  years  came  to  Nevada,  at  once  m;'.king  his  way  to  Reno, 
where  he  took  uj)  his  abode  in  1877.  Here  he  began  life  on  his  own  account 
as  a  sheep  herder,  Init,  sa\ing  his  wages,  lie  soon  made  arrangements  to 
engage  in  business  (_)n  his  own  account.  Since  that  lime  be  has  continually 
increased  bis  holdings  in  live-stock,  and  is  the  oAvner  of  sixtv  thousand  head 
of  sheep,  five  thousand  head  of  cattle  and  sixty  thousand  acres  of  land,  all 
in  Washoe  county,  Nevada,  and  Modoc  and  Lassen  counties,  California. 
This  is  an  indication  of  Mr.  Flanigan's  prosperity,  but  it  does  not  by  any 
means  represent  the  extent  of  his  business  interests.  He  is  a  man  of  resource- 
ful ability,  quick  to  note  and  improve  an  opportunity,  and  he  has  developed 
in  Reno  one  of  its  most  important  enterjjrises.  Here  he  has  built  the  large 
brick  warehouse  and  cold  storage  plant,  the  warehouse  Ijeing  one  hundred 
by  one  hundred  and  sixty  feet.  When  it  was  built  in  1901  it  was  believed 
by  many  to  be  far  too  large  and  that  it  could  ne\er  be  used,  but  to-day  every 
foot  of  space  is  occupied  clear  to  the  ceiling  and  more  room  is  needed.  The 
cold  storage  is  used  for  the  storage  of  fresh  and  salt  meats  and  has  proved 
a  paying  concern.  Mr.  Flanigan  also  handles  large  quantities  of  w(X)l  and 
many  other  commodities,  and  his  business  has  reached  a  very  extensive  figure. 
He  is  also  the  principal  stockholder  in  the  Water,  Light  &  Power  Company 
of  Reno,  furnishing  the  city  with  water,  power,  eleccric  light  and  gas.     Of 


358  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

tlie  conipan\-  Mr.  Flanigan  is  the  president.  He  is  also  a  stocklmlder.  a 
director  and  one  of  the  vice  presidents  of  the  Bank  of  Nevada,  and  is  thns 
closely  associated  with  some  of  tlie  mamnioth  enterprises  of  the  state,  adding 
vastly  to  its  wealth,  as  well  as  to  his  indi\idual  success. 

In  1900  Mr.  Flanigan  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Hannah  Linahan. 
a  native  of  California.  She  h  )re  the  same  maiden  name  as  did  his  mother, 
and  yet  they  were  not  related.  They  have  two  children,  Paul  L.  and  Helen 
May,  who  add  life  and  light  to  the- household.  Mr.  Flanigan  has  erected  one 
of  the  finest  residences  in  Reuo  on  South  Virginia  street,  and  his  wife  pre- 
sides with  gracious  hospitalit}-  o\er  this  lieautiful  home,  which  is  supplied 
with  all  the  adornments  that  wealth  can  secure  and  refined  taste  suggest. 
Mr.  Flanigan  is  an  earnest  Republican,  hut  not  an  office-seeker.  He  belongs 
to  the  Catholic  Benevolent  Society,  and  he  and  his  family  adhere  to  the 
faith  of  his  ancestors  and  are  mem1)ers  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church. 

Few  indeed  within  the  space  of  a  quarter  of  a  century  ha\-e  acliie\ed 
so  brilliant  a  success  in  the  business  world  as  Mr.  Flanigan.  Tireless  energy. 
honorable  effort  and  a  genius  for  devising  and  executing  the  right  thing  at 
the  right  time,  added  to  every-day  common  sense — these  are  the  chief  char- 
acteristics of  the  man.  They  have  made  him  a  prominent  factor  in  industrial 
and  agrcultural  circles  of  the  west,  and  he  stands  to-day  as  one  of  the  lead- 
ing business  men  of  the  state. 


FRANK  J.  STEINMETZ,  tme  of  the  progressive  young  business  men 
of  Carson  City,  Nevada,  and  the  oldest  druggist  in  the  place,  was  born  in 
Sutter  Creek,  .\mador  county,  California,  February  10,  1862.  He  comes 
of  German  and  English  ancestry.  His  father.  Jacob  Steinmetz,  was  born 
in  Germany  and  came  to  the  United  States  in  the  year  1847,  when  fifteen 
years  of  age.  In  1854  he  went  to  California  and  located  in  Amador  county. 
His  trade  was  that  of  a  shoemaker,  but  he  afterwards  became  a  manufac- 
turer of  liarness.  Later  he  liecame  a  merchant,  and  now  makes  his  home 
in  Warm  Springs,  Alameda  county.  C'filifornia.  In  the  year  1861  he  married 
Miss  Helen  S.  Hubbell,  a  native  of  Ohio  and  of  English  ancestry.  They 
are  the  parents  of  four  children,  of  whom  h'nnik  J.  is  the  eldest  and  the 
only  one  residing  in  Nevada. 

Mr.  Steinmetz  received  his  education  in  the  common  schools  of  Cali- 
fornia. At  the  age  of  seventeen  years  he  entered  the  drug  business  in  Yolo 
county,  California.  In  the  spring  of  1882  he  went  to  San  Francisco,  where 
he  served  as  a  clerk  in  a  drug  store  and  attended  the  College  of  Pharmacy. 
He  removed  to  Car.son  City  in  June.  1885,  where  he  has  resided  almost  con- 
tinuously since.  Eight  years  later  he  became  proprietor  of  the  store  where 
lie  is  now  doing  business,  and  has  since  then  by  his  honor.'iblc  luctbnds  built 
up  a  valualjle  trade. 

On  Feljruary  15.  1896,  be  was  married  to  Miss  Lola  F.  Gliddeu.  of 
San  Francisco,  the  second  daughter  of  .\.  K.  P.  and  Mary  FI.  Gliddcn. 
They  have  one  child.  Ruth  Lolita.  Mr.  Steinmetz  is  i  ne  of  the  five  members 
of  the  Nevada  .State  Board  of  Pharmacy,  and  upon  its  organization  w;is 
elected  its  secretary,  which  olTice  he  slill  holds.     He  is  a  most  worthy  and 


A   HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  359 

prominent  member  of  tlie  Masonic  onlcr.  hotli  lilue  1oi1.il;c  ami  chapter,  llie 
Eastern  Star  and  the  Kniglits  of  I'ythias.  In  his  pohtical  .arfiliations  he  is  a 
Repnhhcan.  ■* 

EDWARD  DOUGHERTY  BOYLE  was  a  native  of  connt>  Donegal, 
Ireland,  coming  with  his  parents  to  the  United  States  in  1833,  when  they 
settled  in  the  state  of  Pennsylvania.  .\s  a  youth  he  worked  in  the  iron  works 
of  Brady's  Bend,  and  in  1852  came  to  the  Pacific  coast  hy  the  isthmus 
route.  He  mined  through  California  uniil  1863,  when  he  came  to  Nevada, 
where  he  was  identified  with  the  mining  industries  of  the  state,  and 
especial!}'  the  Comstock  Lode,  until  his  death. 

He  was  prominent  in  politics,  h.aving  represented  Storey  county  for 
twelve  years  in  the  senate  of  the  state  legislature,  took  an  active  interest  in 
the  militia,  in  which  he  was  a  lieutenant  colonel;  and  \vas  an  active  and 
conspicuous  figure  in  the  jiulilic  work  of  the  communities  in  which  he  resided. 
He  was  a  fellow-  in  tlie  ,\stronomical  Society  of  the  l^icilic  and  dexoted  his 
spare  time  to  astronomical  and  literary  research. 

Lack  of  opportunity  in  his  youth  did  not  hinder  him  in  the  gaining 
of  an  exceptionally  broad  ;uiil  linished  education,  for  he  was  as  competent  in 
the  technical  branches  of  his  engineering  profession  as  his  vast  mining 
c.xperierice  made  him  in  its  ])ractice. 

Prior  to  1877  he  was  in  charge  of  the  Justice  and  Waller  Defeat  Mines 
in  lower  Gold  Hill,  leaving  the  former  named  to  take  the  superintendency 
of  the  .\lta,  which  ])osition  he  held  for  twenty-five  years,  accumulating  at 
the  same  time  extensive  mining  interests  throughout  the  state  and  the  west. 

In  1901  he  tcjok  the  management  of  the  North  Rapidan  Mine  in  Como. 
Nevada.  On  January  2,  1902,  wdiile  driving  to  Dayton  from  the  mine  with 
a  companion,  his  team  became  unmanageable,  and  from  the  injuries  recei\'ed 
he  died  on  the  9th  of  the  following  month,  leaving  a  wife,  wdio  survived  him 
only  a  few  weeks,  and  two  sons,  Emmet  D.,  and  Alexander  M.,  the  former 
of  whom  .succeeded  his  father  in  the  management  of  the  North  Rapidan. 

Mr.  Boyle  leaves  a  memor)-  conspicuous  for  charity,  ability  and  scrupu- 
lous lionesty,  and  his  death  dejirived  the  state  of  Nevada  of  one  wdio  for 
nearlv  a  third  of  a  century  had  devoted  his  best  energies  to  her  u|)building. 
r>\'  his  death  Newada  lost  one  of  her  most  honorable  and  respected  citizens. 


HENRY  FRED  DANGBERG.  SR..  principal  member  and  founder  of 
the  well  known  firm  of  H.  F.  Dangberg  Land  and  Li\-e  Stock  Company,  in 
Gardnerville,  Douglas  county,  Nevada,  has  had  a  characteristic  western 
career,  and  his  life  history  is  best  told  in  the  successive  enterprises  to  which 
he  has  devoted  his  energies  from  the  time  of  boyhood.  After  coming  to 
America  he  engaged  in  hard  manual  labor  for  many  years;  he  came  to 
Nevada  in  the  early  days,  and  from  mining  turned  his  attention  to  the  stock 
business,  in  which  he  has  progressed,  oftentimes  by  leaps  and  bounds,  luiti! 
he  is  now  one  of  the  largest  producers  in  the  state,  as  well  as  one  of  its 
most  honored  and  esteemed  business  men  and  public-spirited  citizens. 


360  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

He  was  born  in  Westphalia.  Germany.  September  i6.  1S30,  being  a 
son  of  William  and  Katrina  (Duckweiler)  Danglierg,  the  former  also  a 
native  of  Westphalia  and  a  farmer  by  occupation.  Henry  Dangberg  attended 
school  in  his  native  land,  and  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  in  1848.  came  to  the 
United  States,  where  his  first  work  was  in  rafting  logs  on  the  Mississippi, 
that  rough  yet  care-free  life  which  Mark  Twain  has  so  interestingly  described 
and  left  as  a  picture  of  past  scenes  never  to  be  revived  in  real  life.  While 
in  the  old  country  he  had  worked  in  a  flour  mill,  and  while  stopping  in  St. 
Louis  secured  employment  in  a  mill,  where  he  worked  for  a  year.  He  was 
then  on  a  farm  in  Illinois  for  three  years,  but  in  1853  left  the  middle  west 
and  set  out  for  the  goal  of  his  future  endeavors  and  successes.  He  worked 
his  way  across  the  plains  by  driving  two  hundred  head  of  stock,  and  landed 
in  Dayton,  Nevada.  October  11.  1853.  On  the  following  day  he  went  to  the 
mines  in  Virginia  City,  and  was  engaged  in  mining  until  1857.  He  made 
permanent  location  in  Carson  valley  in  that  year,  and  that  has  been  the 
scene  of  his  activities  ever  since.  He  started  in  stock-raising,  which  industry 
he  lias  built  up  from  small  beginnings.  The  H.  F.  Dangberg  Land  and 
Live  Stock  Company  was  incorporated  in  igo2,  and  it  now  controls  twenty 
thousand  acres  of  fine  land  and  is  one  of  the  largest  stock-raising  concerns 
in  the  state. 

Mr.  Dangl>erg  was  three  times  a  memlier  of  the  state  lower  house  and 
twice  represented  Douglas  county  in  the  state  senate.  He  is  an  independent 
in  politics,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Lutheran  church.  He  married  Miss 
Margaret  G.  Ferris,  a  native  nf  Illinois,  and  they  had  the  following  chil- 
dren:  Henry  F..  Jr.:  Albert,  born  March  22,  1868,  died  March  20,  1870; 
John  B.,  lx)rn  January  10,  1871  ;  Eva  K.,  born  August  19,  1873;  George 
F.,  born  July  20,  1875;  and  Clarence  O.,  Ixirn  ]\Iarch  30,  1879. 


HON.  JULES  E.  GIGNOUX  is  one  of  Nevada's  most  prominent 
citizens  and  mine-owners.  He  is  a  native  of  the  Empire  state,  his  birth  hav- 
ing occurred  on  Staten  Island.  New  N'ork,  on  the  14th  of  July,  184S,  and  he  is 
of  French  and  English  ancestry.  His  grandfather.  Claude  Gignoux,  v>as  born 
in  France,  and  after  coming  to  New  York  was  for  many  years  engaged  as  a 
silk  importer,  in  which  occujjation  he  acquired  wealth.  His  son,  who  also 
bore  the  name  of  Claude,  was  born  in  New  York  city  and  became  identified 
with  his  father's  business,  spending  his  entire  life  in  that  city,  and  he  attained 
to  the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty-two  years.  He  married  Miss  Harriet  Christ- 
mas, a  native  of  Brooklyn,  New  York,  and  she  was  called  to  the  home  beyond 
when  seventy-one  years  of  age.  They  became  the  ]:)arents  of  ten  children, 
of  whom  five  are  still  living. 

J.  E.  Gignoux,  the  only  representative  of  the  aliove  family  in  Nevada, 
acquired  his  higher  education  in  Germany,  and  lie  is  now  recognized  as  a 
chemi.st  and  metallurgist  of  eminent  ability.  For  three  years  he  was  a  mining 
engineer  in  Virginia  City,  and  in  1879  came  to  this  city  as  chemist  for  the 
Lyon  Mill  i1-  ^Iining  Company.  Three  years  ago  he  ])urclia.se(l  stock  in 
the  Nevada  reduction  works  and  cyanide  i)lant,   one  of  the  most  complete 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVy\DA.  301 

mining,  milling  and  rednction  works  in  the  state  of  Nevada.  'J'he  mill  has 
twenty  stamps,  of  one  thousand  poimds,  and  Iiy  constant  remodeling  has  been 
made' modern  in  every  particular.  By  the  cyanide  process  they  consume 
one  hundred  tons  a  day,  and  the  company  mine  their  own  rock,  haul  it  to 
the  mill  and  there  it  is  utilized  for  many  purposes,  even  to  the  refining  of 
gold.  They  use  a  new  cyanide  process,  invented  by  Mr.  Gignoux's  partner, 
Herman  Davis,  and  this  is  a  very  valuable  improvement.  The  company  also 
manufacture  all  their  own  tools  and  the  large  mountain  wagons,  in  fact 
making  everything  needed  in  the  conduct  of  their  extensive  business.  Mr. 
Gignoux  is  also  the  owner  of  a  ranch  nn  the  East  Walker  river. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Gignoux  was  celebrated  in  1885,  when  Miss  May 
Loftus  became  his  wife.  She  is  a  native  daughter  of  the  Golden  state.  Four 
children,  all  born  in  Nevada,  have  graced  this  union, — Harold,  Raymond, 
Frank  and  Marion.  Mrs.  Gignoux  is  a  valued  mem1:)er  of  the  Ejjiscopal 
church,  and  in  his  fraternal  relations  her  husband  affiliates  with  the  Ancient 
Order  of  United  Workmen,  l)eing  a  member  of  River  Lodge  No.  6,  of  Day- 
ton, and  is  a  past  grand  master  workman  of  the  state  of  Nevada;  is  also 
past  master  of  Valley  Lodge  No.  9,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  He  has  been  a  life-long 
Democrat,  and  as  such  was  elected  to  the  state  legislature  in  1881  and  again 
in  1891.  and  two  years  later,  in  1893,  was  made  a  member  of  the  state  senate. 
While  serving  his  fellow  citizens  in  those  positions  he  was  the  champion 
of  reform,  having  introduced  all  the  bills  save  one  for  the  reduction  of  the 
expenses  of  the  state,  and  he  is  the  author  of  the  bill  which  reduced  the  num- 
ber of  county  officers  to  about  one-half  of  the  original  number,  thus  greatly 
diminishing  the  expenses  of  the  county.  In  this  way  he  assisted  in  placing 
the  state  on  a  sound  basis  and  greatly  reduced  the  burden  of  taxation.  Mr. 
Gignoux  is  a  gentleman  of  much  natural  and  acquired  ability,  and  has  a  very 
wide  circle  of  acc|uaintances  in  the  state  of  his  adoption. 


GEORGE  J.  SMITH.  w1k>  is  one  of  the  successful  mining  men  of 
Nevada,  had  the  foresight  to  recognize  the  jjossibilities  of  the  great  west, 
and,  coming  to  this  section  of  the  country,  has  taken  an  active  part  in  the 
development  of  its  natural  resources.  Nature  has  been  bountiful  in  her 
gifts  to  all  portions  of  this  great  country.  There  are  the  forests  of  Maine 
and  of  Wisconsin,  the  great  agricultural  states  of  the  Mississippi  valley  and 
the  coal  fields  of  other  sections  and  the  mining  interests  of  the  west.  Air. 
Smith  has  so  directed  his  efforts  as  to  improve  the  advantages  that  nature 
has  offered,  and  in  his  mining  operations  has  met  with  gratifying  success. 

He  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  in  1858,  his  parents  being 
Thomas  and  Margaret  (McElroy)  Smith,  both  of  whom  were  natives  of 
Ireland,  the  former  having  been  born  in  county  Cavan,  while  the  latter's 
birth  occurred  in  county  Tyrone.  James  Smith,  one  of  the  signers  of  the 
declaration  of  independence,  was  of  the  same  ancestry.  Thomas  Smith 
was  a  resident  of  Dublin.  Ireland,  and  in  the  year  1835  he  crossed  the  At- 
lantic to  America,  establishing  his  home  in  Vermont.  His  occupation  was 
that  of  dyeing  silks  and  fine  dress  goods,  and  after  living-  in  the  Green  Moun- 
tain state  for  a  time  he  removed  to  Concord,   New   Hampshire.      While  a 


302  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

resident  of  that  city  he  joined  the  army  under  General  Pierce  for  service  in 
the  Mexican  war.  Following  the  close  of  hostilities  with  the  southern 
republic,  he  settled  in  Philadelphia,  and  for  thirty-five  years  did  an  extensive 
business  as  a  dyer  of  silks,  satins  and  other  fine  goods.  Late  in  life  he  re- 
moved to  Pittsl)urg,  Pennsylvania,  where  his  last  days  were  passed,  his 
death  occurring  in  1872,  when  he  was  sixty-seven  years  of  age.  Thomas 
Smith  was  twice  married,  his  first  wife  being  Miss  Margaret  Davis,  a  native 
of  England.  There  were  twelve  children  by  the  first  wife,  and  of  the  second 
marriage  there  were  fourteen  children,  so  that  the  family  numliered  twenty- 
si.x  in  all.  Seven  of  the  numl^er  yet  survive,  two  being  residents  of  Reno, 
namely;     George  J.  Smith,  and  Walter  J.  Smith,  who  is  also  a  mining  man. 

In  taking  u]i  the  personal  history  of  George  J.  Smith  we  present  to  our 
readers  the  record  of  one  who  has  become  widely  known  in  the  west.  He 
was  educated  in  Natrona,  about  twenty-four  miles  distant  from  Pittsburg, 
When  his  father  died  he  was  but  fourteen  }'ears  of  age,  and  soon  afterward 
he  began  to  earn  his  own  living  by  learning  the  tinsmith's  trade.  In  follow- 
ing that  pursuit  he  not  only  provided  for  his  own  wants,  but  also  aided  in 
the  support  of  his  mother,  .\ttracted  by  tlie  development  and  business  oppor- 
tuifities  of  the  great  western  district,  he  came  to  Nevada  in  1878  and  here 
began  mining  for  wages,  following  that  pursuit  in  Tuscarora,  Elko  county. 
He  worked  in  the  Grand  I'rize,  out  of  which  many  millions  of  dollars  were 
taken,  and  through  ])ractical  experience  he  became  an  expert  miner  and  a 
splenditl  judge  of  the  quality  of  ore.  He  also  went  to  Tombstone,  .\rizona, 
and  after  working  in  the  mines  there  for  a  time  he  engaged  in  prospecting  for 
four  months  in  Alexico.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  returned  north- 
ward, making  his  way  to  San  I'rancisco  by  way  of  Los  Angeles  and  thence 
to  Tuscan >ra,  where  be  engaged  in  prospecting.  He  discovered  the  Eyrie 
mine,  out  of  which  he  took  one  hundred  and  eighty  tliousand  dollars,  and 
then  sold  the  ])roperty  to  Salt  Lake  City  and  Boston  ca|)italists  for  ten  thou- 
sand dollars.  He  has  since  retired  to  Reno  and  established  his  family  here 
in  a  beautiful  home  at  tlie  corner  of  Washington  and  i'iflh  streets,  one  of 
the  finest  residences  of  the  city.  He  has  not,  however,  lo.st  his  taste  for 
prospecting  for  the  yellow  metal,  and  has  discovered  a  numlier  of  silver  and 
gold  claims  near  Reno,  among  which  are  the  Viola,  St.  Joseph.  3iletallic  and 
the  Seldom  Seen.  He  is  still  i)rospecting  and  engaged  in  development  work 
and  Jiis  business  interests  are  of  an   imi)ort:int   character. 

In  1891  Mr.  Smith  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Nevada  Ihniicr, 
will)  was  l)orn  in  Elko,  this  state,  and  is  a  daughter  of  Professor  J.  F. 
Burner,  a  prominent  representative  of  educational  interests  and  of  journal- 
istic note.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  now  have  two  children:  \'iola,  who  was 
born  in  Tu.scarora ;  and  Harold,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Reno.  The  Smith 
household  is  the  center  of  a  cultured  society  circle.  Mr.  Smith  is  in  his 
political  views  a  Democrat,  and  he  and  bis  family  are  valued  members  of  the 
Rf)man  Catholic  church.  His  life  has  l)ecn  one  of  untiring  industrv,  and  he 
is  still  an  active  worker  in  the  realms  of  mining  development.  He  is  Lo-day 
tiie  same  genial,  courteous  gentleman  that  he  was  a'ways  known  to  be  iii 
his  earlier  years.  i)rospcrity  having  never  changed  in  the  slightest  degree 
his  kinflly  nature  or  caused  him  to  forget  old  friends. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  363 

J.  EGGERS.  On  ihc  rnster  of  Elko  county's  officials  appears  the  name 
of  J.  Eggers  in  connection  with  the  positions  of  county  assessor  and  ex-officio 
mining  tax  collector.  This  is  an  indication  of  his  popularity  and  nrominence, 
and  all  who  know  him  willingly  accord  him  a  leading  place  among  the  esteemed 
citizens  of  the  community.  Mr.  Eggers  came  to  Nevada  in  1873,  and  is  a 
native  of  Germany,  his  hirth  occurring  in  the  fatherland  on  the  i2tli  of 
January,  1854.  When  a  hoy  he  came  to  this  country  and  made  his  way  to 
Illinois,  where  he  resided  for  a  time  at  Bunker  Hill,  there  receiving  his 
education  in  the  pul)lic  schools.  After  attaining  his  majority  he  came  to 
Nevada,  spending  a  short  time  at  Battle  Mountain,  and  thence  came  to,  Elko 
county,  which  has  been  his  home  during  the  past  twenty-eight  years.  His 
fir.st  employment  was  in  the  mines  at  Cornucopia,  where  he  was  paid  four  and 
sometimes  as  high  as  five  dollars  a  day,  later  becoming  a  lessee  of  mines, 
and  was  engaged  in  working  and  leasing  mines  for  fifteen  years,  lieing  still 
interested  in  mining  claims  in  Nevada  In  politics  Mr.  Eggers  has  been 
a  life-long  Republican,  and  during  the  silver  movement  trxik  an  interest  in 
its  behalf.  In  the  fall  of  i8yo  lie  was  elected  asses,sor  of  Elko  county,  to  which 
he  has  thrice  been  elected  to  a  four-year  term,  and  is  now  serving  on  a  two 
vears'  term,  while  during  this  long  period  of  serx'ice  he  has  endeavored  to 
do  his  duty  as  a  trustworthy  servant  of  his  fellow  citizens.  In  his  fraternal 
relations  he  is  a  member  of  the  Indejiendent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  having 
passed  all  the  chairs  in  both  branches  of  the  order,  and  is  now  serving  as 
grand  warden  of  the  state  of  Nevada.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Knights 
of  Pythias  fraternity,  in  which  he  has  held  all  the  offices  in  his  lodge  and  is 
now  a  member  of  the  grantl  lodge  of  the  state. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Eggers  was  celebrated  in  i8c>8,  when  Miss  Rebecca 
Alexander  became  his  wife.  She  is  a  native  daughter  of  California,  her  birtli 
occurring  in  San  Francisco.  They  have  a  pleasant  home  in  Elko,  where  they 
have  hosts  of  friends. 


CHARLES  WILLIAM  GROVER  is  one  of  the  most  popular  and 
efficient  financiers  and  officials  of  this  section  of  the  state,  actively  interested 
in  all  measures  for  the  good  of  people,  and  is  now  serving  as  recorder  and  ex- 
officio  auditor  of  Elko  county.  He  came  to  the  "Silver"  state  in  .'\pril,  1875, 
but  is  a  native  of  Indiana,  born  in  Vigo  county  on  the  27th  of  January,  1856, 
and  is  of  English  and  Pennsylvania  Dutch  ancestry.  His  father,  Charles 
Wesley  Grover,  was  born  in  Newark,  Ohio,  but  at  a  very  early  day  in  its 
history  the  latter's  father  removed  to  Indiana,  where  Charles  Wesley  received 
his  education.  In  1879  he  came  to  Nevada,  where  for  a  time  he  taught 
school  at  the  Humboldt  Wells  in  Lamoille  valley,  Elko  county,  but  later 
moved  to  Elko  and  purchased  the  Independent  from  S.  S.  Sears.  After  re- 
maining the  successful  editor  of  that  pul)lication  for  a  number  of  years  he 
.sold  it  to  its  present  owner,  W.  W.  Booker.  Mr.  Grover  passed  away  in 
death  on  the  i^tb  of  March,  1894,  when  sixty  years  of  age.  He  had 
married  Miss  Phebe  A.  Wines,  a  native  of  Indiana,  and  she  still  survives  him 
and  makes  her  home  in  Boise,  Idaho,  being  now  sixty-six  years  of  age.  They 
reared    four   childreii,   two   sons   and    two   daughters.      Charles   W.    Grover, 


?>Ci  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

wlio  is  the  only  member  of  the  family  in  Nevada,  attended  tlie  pnbhc  schools 
of  Indiana  during  the  period  of  his  boyhood  and  youth,  and  later  became  a 
student  in  the  seminary  at  Farmersburg,  that  state.  When  twenty  years  of 
age  he  came  to  Elko,  Nevada,  where  for  over  twenty  years  he  followed  farm- 
ing and  stock-raising,  raising  a  fine  grade  oi  Hereford  and  Durham  cattle, 
and  his  horses  were  mostly  fcr  the  saddle.  '  In  his  political  affiliations  Mr. 
Grover  has  been  a  life-long  Democrat,  and  as  its  representative  was  elected 
to  the  position  of  county  recorder  in  igco,  this  office  having  been  tendered 
him  without  solicitation  on  his  part,  and  he  is  now  serving  in  his  second 
term.  At  his  first  election  he  recei\'ed  a  majority  of  one  hundred  and  eighty- 
seven  votes,  and  at  the  last  election  had  no  opposition,  having  been  endorsed 
by  both  parties.  In  his  fraternal  relations  Mr.  Grover  is  an  active  member 
of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  having  filled  all  offices  in  lx)th 
l)ranches  of  the  order,  and  is  now  district  deputy  grand  master  of  Elko  Lodge. 
On  the  igth  of  March,  1882,  Mr.  Grover  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Mary  Ellen  Holland,  who  was  born  in  Utah,  the  daughter  of  John 
Holland,  now  of  Elko,  Nevada.  This  union  has  been  blessed  with  ten  chil- 
dren, all  born  in  Nevada,  namely :  Ethel,  Charles  F..  Maude,  Nellie.  Inez, 
Raymond,  Oliver,  .\lbert  Carl,  V'ivian  and  Ada.  The  family  are  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  church,  in  which  i\Ir.  (iro\er  is  now  serx'ing  as  chairman  of 
its  board  of  trustees.  They  have  a  ]ileasant  home  in  Elko,  and  are  highly 
esteemed  residents  of  the  town  in  >vhich  thev  have  so  long  made  their  home. 


THOMAS  B.  RICKEY.  Prominent  among  the  leading  and  enter- 
prising men  whose  efforts  along  ijusiness  lines  have  been  of  the  greatest 
benefit  to  the  state  as  well  as  to  the  individual  stands  Thomas  B.  Rickey, 
now  the  president  of  the  State  Bank"  &  Trust  Company,  of  Carson  City,  and 
one  of  the  wealthiest  men  of  Nevada.  .\  number  of  the  important  business 
interests  of  the  state  have  felt  the  stimulus  of  the  energy  and  executive  abil- 
ity of  Mr.  Rickey,  whose  labors  ha\e  formed  no  tuiimportant  clement  in  ad- 
vancing business  activity,  nor  has  he  been  remiss  in  citizenship;  on  the  con- 
trary, he  has  Ijeen  a  co-o])erant  factor  in  many  movements  for  the  general 
good,  and  his  life  record  has  become  an  integral  chapter  in  the  history  of 
the  state. 

Since  August,  1859,  Mr.  Rickey  has  been  a  resident  of  Nevada.  He 
is  a  native  of  Ohio,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Highland  county,  on  the 
23d  of  August,  1836.  He  comes  of  Scotch- Irish  ancestry,  tiu-ee  brothers, 
Henry,  Thomas  and  Benjamin  Rickey,  iiaving  emigrated  from  the  north  of 
Ireland  to  Pennsylvania  at  an  early  epoch  in  the  history  of  tii.il  state.  It  is 
to  Thomas  Rickey  that  the  ancestry  of  Mr.  Rickey  can  be  traced.  .\nc)ther 
Thomas  Rickey,  his  grandfather,  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  si)ent  his 
entire  life  in  the  Kcysttjne  stale.  In  his  religious  friitli  he  was  a  Methodist, 
active  and  zealous  in  the  work  of  the  church. 

His  son,  William  Rickey,  the  father  of  Thomas  1!.  ivi'key,  was  also 
iKjrn  in  Pennsylvania,  and  like  his  fatlier  followed  agricullur.d  pursuits  and 
held    membership    in    tiie    Methodist    Episcojjal    church.      He    married    Miss 


n 


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iC 


A  IIJSTOKV  OF  NEVADA.  3(J5 

Eliza  Jane  Brinly,  a  representative  ni  an  cilil  Xew  Jersey  family.  In  1852 
he  emigrated  westward  to  California,  and  there  his  wife  passed  away  in 
1S58,  her  remains  heing  interred  in  the  cemetery  at  Hollister,  that  state.  He 
long  snrvived  her,  living  to  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-two  years,  and  his 
death  occurred  in  Antelope  \'alley  (  f  California,  where  he  now  lies  buried. 
He  took  a  very  deep  and  helpful  mterest  in  pulilic  affairs,  giving  of  his 
time,  means'  and  aitl  for  the  pninvtion  of  many  measures  of  general  good. 
He  was  also  active  in  pcjlitics,  and  in  early  life  supported  the  Whig  party. 
His  advanced  ideas  concerning-  the  extension  of  slavery  led  him  to  become 
one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Republican  party,  and  to  endorse  its  principles 
with  a  zeal  that  was  not  without  satisfactory  results.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
were  devout  members  of  the  Metho'list  church,  and  in  that  faith  they  reared 
their  family.  They  had  ele\-en  children,  of  whom  eight  are  yet  living;  Mr. 
Thomas  B.  Rickey,  however,  heing  the  only  one  in  Nevada. 

In  the  public  schools  of  Ohio  and  hiwa  Thomas  B.  Rickey  pursued  his 
education,  and  in  1852  the  father,  mother  and  their  eleven  children  crossed 
the  ])Iains  to  California,  he  heing  then  a  youth  of  sixteen  years.  They  lo- 
cated in  Amador  county,  and  Thomas  Rickey  engaged  in  mining,  meeting 
with  fair  success.  .\t  one  time  he  took  out  sixteen  hundred  dollars  in  a 
single  day.  Later  he  tuiMied  his  attention  to  the  stock  business,  which  he 
has  since  carried  on  so  extensively  that  he  is  now'  known  as  the  stock  king 
of  Nevada.  He  first  took  a  dro\-e  of  cattle  into  the  Antelope  \'alley,  and  has 
since  continued  in  the  business,  gradually  extending  the  scope  of  his  opera- 
tions. He  has  owned  \-ery  large  herds  of  Ixith  cattle  and  sheep,  and  he  has 
fort\'-t\\o  tliousand  acres  of  land  in  .\ntelope  \-alley,  affording  excellent 
range  for  his  stock.  He  also  has  a  large  ranch  in  Alpine  county,  California, 
and  is  the  owner  of  nearly  all  of  Long  valley,  having  in  all  two  hundred 
thousand  acres  of  dand.  He  raises  not  only  cattle  but  horses  as  well,  and  he 
employs  a  large  force  of  men.  in  the  care  of  his  lands  and  stock.  His  busi- 
ness has  reached  such  mammoth  proportions  that  he  is  to-day  the  leading 
representative  of  this  department  01  agricultural  life  in  the  state,  antl  his 
annual  sales  reach  a  large  figure. 

Mr.  Rickey  is  the  owner  of  extensive  water  rights  and  an  irrigation 
system.  His  labors  in  this  diredion  have  been  of  much  benefit  to  the 
locality,  reclaiming  the  arid  lands  and  making  them  rich  and  producti\-e. 
He  is  a  man  of  resourceful  business  ability,  of  keen  foresight  and  marked 
enterprise,  capaldy  controlling  extensi\-e  interests,  forming  h.is  plans  read- 
ily and  executing  them  with  deternu'nation. 

In  1863  Mr.  Rickey  was  hapjiily  married  to  Miss  Jane  C.  Gillis,  a  na- 
tive of  the  state  of  Iowa  and  of  Scotch  ancestry.  They  had  four  children, 
all  bom  in  Antelope -valley,  Nevada,  in  Douglas  county.  Charles  \\'illiam, 
the  eldest,  wdio  is  general  manager  of  his  father's  land  and  cattle  interests,  is 
married  and  has  one  child.  Nellie,  now  deceased,  was  a  graduate  of  the 
Female  Seminary  at  Oakland,  and  was  an  accomplished  young  lady.  Ber- 
tha is  now  the  wife  of  L.  Scott,  a  hardware  merchant  of  San  Francisco, 
Carrie  M.  is  the  wife  of  Charles  M.  Olney,  of  Oakland.  Mr?  Rickey  died 
in  1891,  while  visiting  her  daughter  in  San  Francisco.  She  w-as  found  dead 
in  bed  one  morning,   her  demise   probably  being   caused   by   heart   disease. 


300  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

• 

Tliey  liad  had  a  \ery  happy  married  life,  and  iier  death  was  a  most  sad  be- 
reavement to  her  husband  and  family.  In  1893  ^Ir.  Rickey  was  again  mar- 
ried, his  second  union  l^eing  with  Mrs.  Alice  B.  Crowell.  who  by  her  former 
marriage  had  three  sons,  whom  Mr.  Rickey  is  rearing  and  educating.  There 
is  one  daughter  by  the  present  marriage,  Alice  Brinly.  The  Rickey  home 
is  one  of  the  finest  residences  in  Carson  City,  and  is  the  center  of  a  cultured 
and  select  society  circle. 

Mr.  Rickey  is  a  Republican,  stanch  in  support  of  the  party,  yet  never 
an  office-seeker.  He  has  never  joined  any  society,  but  as  a  citizen  is  pro- 
gressi\e  and  has  been  generous  in  his  contrilaitions  for  measures  of  public 
benefit.  His  intelligent  efiforts  have  l;een  the  Ijasis  of  his  splendid  success. 
Ouick  to  note  and  utilize  an  i)])i)cirtunity,  he  has  extended  his  labors  into 
many  fields  of  endeavor,  finding  them  fruitful,  and  at  the  same  time  his 
work  has  been  of  a  character  that  has  contributed  to  the  develoj^ment  and 
prosperity  of  the  state.  For  almost  forty-five  years  a  resident  of  Nevada, 
the  state  honors  him  as  one  of  its  miist  prominent,  prosperous  and  relial)le 
citizens. 

STATE  BANK  AND  TRUST  COMPANY.  The  State  Bank  & 
Trust  Company,  located  at  Carson  City,  Nevada,  opened  its  doors  for  busi- 
ness on  the  1st  of  August,  190J,  with  a  paid-up  capital  of  two  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars.  Its  officers  are  Thomas  B.  Rickey,  president :  George  H. 
Myers,  vice-president;  Dave  M.  Ryan,  second  \ice-president ;  D.  W.  Rich- 
ards, cashier:  and  James  T.  Davis,  assistant  cashier.  A  general  banking 
and  trust  business  is  conducted,  and  already  the  institution  ranks  with  the 
best  in  the  state,  doing  a  large  amount  of  business  and  having  behind  it  men 
of  well  known  reliability  and  enterprise.  The  l)ank  had  its  origin  in  a  sav- 
ings l)ank  which  afterward  became  the  P)ullion  &  Exchange  Bank,  and  v.  as 
purchased  by  the  present  owners  in  190J.  The  policy  inaugurated  com- 
mends itself  to  the  consideration  of  the  public,  and  the  Inisiness  methods  fol- 
lowed are  such  as  awaken  the  highest  confidence.  Therefore  the  bank  is 
enjoying  splendid  success,  although  but  in  the  second  year  of  its  exi.stence. 


AP.RAHAM  W.  HESSON.  One  of  the  most  .straightforward,  ener- 
getic and  successful  business  men  of  l'"lkii  is  A.  W.  Hcsson,  a  member  of 
tile  hardware  firm  of  A.  W.  Hesson  &  Company,  the  other  representative  of 
the  firm  l)eing  G.  C.  Englehart.  Mr.  Hesson  is  a  native  of  the  state  of 
Maryland,  wliere  he  was  born  on  the  J^d  of  November.  1852,  and  is  of 
German  descent,  representing  the  fifth  generation  of  the  family  in  the  United 
.States.  His  father,  .-Xbraham  Hesson,  was  born  in  Maryland  in  1828,  and 
for  his  wife  chose  Miss  Ann  Margaret  Waybright,  a  lady  of  English  ances- 
try. In  his  earlier  life  Aliraham  Hesson  was  a  millwright,  but  later  en- 
gaged in  agricultural  ])ursuits.  and  is  still  living  in  Maryland,  aged  seventy- 
five  years,  his  wife  passing  away  in  her  sixty-third  year.  They  became  the 
parents  of  seven  children,  six  of  whom  are  still  living. 

A.  W.  Hesson,  tiie  only  member  of  this  family  in  Xcvada,  received  his 


A   IllS'i'Oin'   OF  NI':VADA.  3G7 

educalimi  in  llic  ]iulilic  ^climils  of  I'oiiiisyl\;ini;i,  and  rcniaincil  with  his  lather 
until  lie  was  nineteen  years  of  age,  after  which  lie  spent  a  year  and  a  lialf 
in  Iowa  engaged  in  farming.  He  tlien  came  to  \e\ada.  tlie  date  of  his 
arrival  being  in  A])ril.  1873.  He  had  intended,  however,  to  make  the  journey 
to  California,  his  ticket  liaving  been  purchased  to  that  state,  Init  finding  so 
many  on  the  train  who  were  making  their  \\::y  to  Nex'ada,  he,  to(j,  decided 
to  make  this  his  destination  :uid  .'iccordingl)-  slii])peil  lirst  at  Reno.  He 
next  went  to  Carson  City,  where  he  was  emi)loyed  in  driving  an  ox  team, 
and  from  there  made  his  way  to  the  northern  part  of  Elko  county  and  en- 
gaged as  a  cowboy  and  also  worked  in  the  quartz  mills  in  Tuscarora.  A 
short  time  afterward  he  Iiad  charge  of  the  Defreze  Mill,  also  in  1881-2  c^f 
the  (ir;ind  I'rize,  a  1,'irge  fjroducing  mine,  .and  with  Senator  Hunter  and 
others  is  still  interested  in  \aliial)le  mining  ])roperty.  They  are  now  operat- 
ing the  Sweeji  Stake  mine,  containing  copper,  gold  and  silver,  with  copper 
predominating.  In  1S97  the  hardware  firm  of  ;\.  \V.  Hesson  &  Com])any 
was  establi.shed,  his  jiartner  in  the  Ijusiness  being  (i.  C.  Englehart,  and  they 
have  since  Iniilt  up  a  large  and  successful  trade,  dealing  in  heavy  and  shelf 
hardware,  stoves,  ranges,  tinware,  paints,  oils,  powder,  mining  sujiplies,  all 
kind?  of  farming  implements,  and  they  also  handle  the  famous  Studebaker 
wagons  and -buggies.  Their  store  buiicling  is  one  hundred  feet  deep,  and 
they  also  have  a  large  warehouse.  The  firm  of  Hes.son  &  Com|jany  have 
made  a  good  business  record,  and  both  of  its  members  are  deservedly  popular 
among  their  associates. 

In  1882  Mr.  Hesson  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Jessie  A.  Yates, 
a  native  of  Green  Bay,  Wisconsin,  and  two  children  have  come  to  bless 
their  home,  both  born  in  Elko  county.  The  son,  Robert  W.,  is  i.  graduate 
of  the  State  University  with  the  class  of  1903,  in  which  he  received  a  mining 
and  engineering  course,  and  is  now  engaged  in  business  with  his  father. 
The  daughter,  Margaret,  is  at  home.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hesson  attend  the  ser- 
vices of  the  Presbyterian  church,  of  wdiich  the  latter  is  a  valued  member. 
In  political  matters  Mr.  Hesson  has  been  a  life-long  Democrat,  and  as  its 
representative  was  elected  to  the  position  of  assessor  of  Elko  county,  serving 
in  tliat  important  office  for  eight  years.  He  is  a  prominent  meml)er  of  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  having  passed  all  the  chairs  in  both 
branches  of  the  order,  and  is  now  a  past  grand  patriarch  and  past  grand 
master  of  the  state. 


RALPH  S.  OSBURN,  who  died  in  Reno,  Nevada,  July  30,  1901,  was 
at  the  time  of  his  death  and  for  many  years  before  one  of  the  most  promi- 
nent men  of  the  city  in  business- and  public  afifairs.  He  was  a  citizen  for 
nearly  thirty  years,  in  fact  spent  the  best  years  of  his  noble  and  virile  man- 
hood within  the  confines  of  Reno,  haxing  taken  up  his  residence  there  when 
it  was  a  small  place  and  only  a  few  years  after  it  was  founded.  He  was  a 
man  of  unusual  business  capacity  and  ability,  was  noted  for  his  efficiency  and 
reliability  in  several  public  offices  of  which  he  was  mcumbent,  and  in  all  the 
other  many  relations  by  which  he  was  connected  with  society,  family  or  the 
body  politic  gained  the  esteem  and  wholesome  regard  of  his  fellow  men. 


308  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Mr.  Osbiirn  was  born  in  Meadville.  Pennsylvania,  September  20,  1849, 
a  son  of  William  and  Rebecca  (Deeter)  Osbiirn,  who  are  both  deceased. 
His  father  was  a  drnggist  and  also  interested  in  the  stock  business.  The 
family  moved  to  Eivgene.  Oregon,  when  Raljih  was  a  young  man.  and  his 
father  engaged  in  the  drug  business  in  that  city,  where  he  remained  till 
his  death,  in  January,  1890:    his  wife  died  in  Eugene  in  April,  1895. 

Ralph  Osburn  lived  in  Eugene  until  1873.  and  in  that  year  came  to 
Reno,  Nevada,  and  established  a  drug  luisiness  under  ihe  firm  name  of  Simp- 
son and  Osburn.  Later  he  became  associated  with  H.  S.  Shoemaker  in  the 
same  line,  and  the  partnership  lasted  for  many  years  On  the  organization 
of  the  Nevada  Bank  Mr.  Osburn  accepted  the  position  of  cashier,  whicii 
he  held  until  the  day  of  his  death.  He  was  also  a  stockholder  and  director 
in  the  bank,  and  was  interested  in  mining  in  Washoe  county. 

November  2,  1880,  ]\Ir.  Osburn  was  elected  county  clerk  on  the  Demo- 
cratic ticket,  in  which  office  he  gave  efficient  service  for  two  terms  and  then 
declined  further  nomination.  His  next  office  was  that  of  chief  clerk  of  the 
United  States  mint  at  Carson  City,  during  Cleveland's  administration,  and  at 
the  earnest  solicitation  of  Major  Garrard  he  held  the  place  one  year,  after 
which  he  resigned  in  order  to  give  proper  attention  to  his  business.  In  1887 
he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  state  senate  from  Washoe  county,  and  devoted 
himself  to  state  legislation  for  two  years.  At  the  incorporation  of  Reno  he 
became  its  first  mayor,  and  in  many  subsecjuent  matters  his  influence  for 
good  and  progress  was  felt  in  his  adopted  city.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Episcopal  church  and  was  a  vestryman  at  the  time  of  his  death.  His  fra- 
ternal affiliations  were  with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 

March  20,  1872.  Mr.  Osburn  married  Miss  Annie 'E.  Lemmon,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Fielding  and  Matilda  (Foley)  Lemmon,  who  were  natives  respectively 
of  Tennessee  and  Missouri,  and  were  residents  of  Nevada,  both  being  now 
deceased.  Two  children  were  born  to  'Mr.  and  Mrs.  Osburn,  namely :  Ralph 
Lemmon  Osburn  and  Louis  William  Osburn.  but  both  are  deceased. 


CAPTAIN  HERMAN  DAVIS  is  one  of  Nevada's  most  prominent 
mining  men,  being  president,  superintendent,  and  owner  of  the  control  of 
the  Nevada  Reduction  Works  at  Dayton.  He  is  a  native  son  of  the  dolden 
state,  for  his  birth  occurred  at  Isleton,  in  Sacramento  county.  California,  on 
the  22n(l  of  January,  1865;  and  he  is  of  Scotch-English  ancestry,  wlio  were 
settlers  in  Virginia  and  New  York,  and  active  participants  in  the  early  his- 
tory of  the  country.  Representatives  of  this  family  were  also  found  as  sol- 
diers in  the  war  of  the  Revolution. 

Hugh  Davis,  his  father,  was  l)orn  in  the  then  territory  of  Micliigan,  in 
1828;  and  immediately  after  the  Mexican  war,  in  which  he  was  an  active 
participant,  started  on  the  long  and  arduous  journey  to  California,  from  the 
Rio  Grande  river,  arriving  in  the  Golden  state  as  early  as  1847.  He  at 
once  liecamc  engaged  in  stock-raising  in  the  Sacramento  valley,  in  which  he 
met  with  marked  success,  and  also  became  the  owner  of  vessels  on  the  bay 
and  Sacramento  ri\er.     While  a  resident  of  that  commonwealth,  Mr.  Hugli 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  369 

Davis  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Rosena  F.  Smith,  a  native  of  Tennessee 
and  a  representative  of  an  old  Virginian  family.  When  the  Civil  war  was 
inaugurated,  Mr.  Davis  returned  to  Michigan  and  enlisted,  with  his  brothers, 
in  one  of  the  first  formed  regiments  in  the  state,  serving  until  the  close  of  the 
struggle,  and  fighting  in  many  battles.  During  his  military  career  he  was 
twice  wounded,  but  was  in  the  hospital  only  a  short  time,  and  after  the  close 
of  hostilities  returned  to  California  and  resumed  his  business  operations, 
where  he  prospered  in  his  undertakings,  and  became  the  owner  of  a  farm  on 
the  Sacramento  ri\'er.  His  political  support  was  given  to  the  Republican 
party.  In  1870,  when  forty-two  years  of  age,  he  was  called  from  this  life, 
leaving  his  widow  and  five  children,  three  sons  and  two  daughters,  four  of 
whom  are  still  living,  three  being  residents  of  California.  Mrs.  Hugh  Davis, 
who  has  reached  the  age  of  seventy  years,  is  a  faithful  member  of  the  Metho- 
dist church,  and  is  one  of  California's  noble  pioneer  women. 

Herman  Davis  received  but  limited  educational  advantages  in  his  youth, 
circumstances  preventing  his  attendance  at  school  for  more  than  eleven 
months,  all  before  his  eighth  year;  but  throughout  his  life  he  has  been  at 
all  times  a  close  student,  and  has  earned  the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the 
most  practical  and  best  informed  metallurgists  in  tlie  country.  When  a 
young  man  he  served  his  time  at  the  machinist's  trade  in  the  Risdon  Iron 
Works  of  San  Francisco ;  then  obtained  a  knowledge  of  marine  engineer- 
ing at  San  Francisco,  and  from  the  government  has  received  captain's  papers 
and  engineer's  papers,  of  bay  and  river  vessels  and  steamers.  Mr.  Davis 
also  built  and  operated  several  dredging  machines,  and  has  had  many  years' 
experience  in  work  of  this  class.  In  1881-2  he  was  engaged  in  mining  and 
milling  in  New  Mexico  and  Arizona,  and  was  a  volunteer  with  Captain  Law- 
ton  in  his  pursuit  of  Chief  Geronimo  for  four  months,  when  he  saw  active 
and  trying  service  against  the  Apaches. 

He  came  to  Ne\'ada  in  1893  ^o  operate  a  dredge  for  the  Carson  River 
Dredging  Company  at  Dayton,  and  has  ever  since  been  engaged  in  mining 
and  in  the  reduction  of  ore.  Mr.  Davis  and  J.  C.  Pierson  purchased  the  old 
twenty-stamp  Rock  Point  mill  from  the  Union  Mill  and  Mining  Company 
in  1898,  which  they  rebuilt  and  remodeled,  making  it  one  of  the  most  com- 
plete mills  in  the  state.  Their  cyanide  plant  was  built  in  1897,  and  in  1899 
Mr.  Davis  purchased  Mr.  Picrson's  interest  in  the  business,  Mr.  Gignoux 
subsequently  purchasing  an  interest,  and  they  now  own  the  entire  stock. 
They  do  their  own  mining,  hauling  ore.  refining  and  assaying,  build  their  own 
wagons,  and  do  their  own  blacksmithing,  and  give  employment  continually 
to  about  fifty  men,  Mv.  Davis  has  patented  two  improvements  in  the  cyanide 
process  for  the  extraction  of  metals  from  their  ores,  which  makes  success 
possible  with  the  class  and  grade  of  ore  thev  are  treating.  They  have  an 
abundant  \\ater  supply  with  which  to  run  their  mill,  and  they  are  numbered 
among  the  jHtblic  lienefactors  of  Dayton. 

In  Septemlier,  1888.  Mr.  Davis  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Chris- 
tina Orth,  a  native  of  San  Francisco  and  of  German  ancestry.  Six  children 
have  been  born  of  this  union,  four  daughters  and  two  sons,  namely :  Hazel 
Etta,  Freda  Margarite,  Phyllis  Adele,  Eileen  Gertrude,  Stanley  Charles  and 
Herman  Pickard.  The  family  are  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  faith,  and 
=4 


370  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

they  reside  in  a  commodious  and  pleasant  residence  in  Dayton.  Mr.  Davis 
is  a  Republican  in  his  political  affiliations,  but  is  independent  in  action,  and 
fraternally  is  a  memter  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  is 
past  master  of  Valley  Lodge  No,  9,  F,  &  A.  AI..  of  Dayton.  He  still  retains 
interests  in  Calif(.)rnia.  and  Iioth  as  a  business  man  and  citizen  bis  record  is 
of  the  highest. 

CAPTAIN  WILLIAM  L.  CON.  Within  recent  years  there  has  been 
another  chapter  written  in  American  history,  the  chat)ter  unique  in  llie  annals 
of  the  world  because  it  records  the  efforts  of  one  nation  to  secure  the  liberty  of 
another.  While  Captain  Cox  was  among  the  number  of  volunteers  for  the 
Spanish-American  war  who  were  not  called  to  active  duty  beyond  the  borders 
of  this  country,  be  nevertheless  manifested  bis  loyalty  to  the  L'nited  States 
and  his  interest  in  the  cause  of  liberty  by  offering  his  services  and  joining 
the  army.  It  was  thus  that  he  won  bis  title.  He  is  well  known  as  a  rep- 
resentative young  business  man  of  Reno,  and  is  one  of  Nevada's  native  sons, 
bis  birth  having  occurred  in  \'irginia  City  in  1868. 

His  father,  F.  A.  Cox.  was  born  in  Virginia,  and  when  crossing  the 
plains  to  California  made  his  way  through  what  is  now  the  state  of  Nevada 
in  185 1.  On  reaching  the  Pacific  coast  he  engaged  in  mining  in  Mariposa 
county,  California,  where  he  met  with  good  success,  and  later  came  to  Ne- 
\'ada,  atracted'  by  mining  excitement  at  Virginia  City  in  i8C)4.  There  he 
was  engaged  in  searching  for  the  i^recious  metal  for  a  time,  and  also  devoted 
his  energies  at  a  later  date  to  the  lumber  business,  becoming  a  ])rominent  and 
influential  resident  there.  He  served  as  justice  of  the  peace  f(ir  four  years, 
and  his  decisions  were  so  strictlv  impartial  that  he  won  high  encomiums  from 
all.  Suljsequently  he  removed  to  Genoa  in  the  Carson  Valley,  and  there  died 
in  1884  when  fifty-two  years  of  age.  Throughout  his  entire  life  he  was  a 
stanch  Democrat,  deeply  interested  in  the  success  and  welfare  of  his  party. 
He  married  Miss  A.  I".  I'reston.  a  native  of  .\labama,  who  crossed  the 
plains  with  her  people  when  a  \'oung  girl.  Tbev  became  the  parents  of  seven 
children,  of  whom  three  are  now  living.  The  mother  also  survives  and  is 
making  her  home  in  San  Jose,  California,  in  her  fifty-second  year,     . 

Captain  Cox  is  the  only  member  of  the  family  in  Nevada.  He  attended 
public  schools  to  some  extent,  but  is  largely  self-educated,  having  greatly 
broadened  his  knowledge  through  reading  and  study  in  bis  leisure  hours.  He 
began  earning  bis  own  li\ing  when  only  twelve  years  of  age.  and  when  a 
youth  of  thirteen  was  in  charge  of  the  telegraph  office  at  Bridge]x)rt  in  Mono 
county.  California.  He  was  o])erator  and  manager  at  Pxxlie  at  the  time  of  the 
second  big  strike  there,  and  in  bis  business  affairs  he  manifested  marked  fidel- 
ity to  the  interests  which  be  represented.  Subse(|uently  retiuiiing  to  Cenoa 
he  lived  at  that  place  for  three  years,  and  then  came  tn  Reno,  serving  as 
assistant  po.stmaster  of  the  city  under  the  administratinns  nf  I'residenl  Cleve- 
land. He  afterward  became  lelegra])b  operator  and  agent  on  the  X'irginia  & 
Truckec  Railroad,  in  which  cai)acity  be  served  for  seven  years,  and  next  ac- 
cepted the  position  of  state  manager  for  the  New  Ndrk  Fife  Insur.uuc  Com- 
pany. He  was  filling  the  jKisition  at  the  time  of  iIk-  inauguration  of  the 
S])anisli-Aniericaii  war. 


A  iiiSTURY  OF  NEVADA.  371 

Captain  Cox  had  prexiously  lieen  a  mem1)er  of  tlie  Nevada  National 
(inards.  wliicli  lie  joined  when  se\enteen  years  of  a,^e,  and  in  military  ranks 
he  had  risen  from  ])ri\alc  to  the  position  of  lieutenant  colonel.  He  was 
serving-  as  major  in  the  National  (kiard  when  the  news  of  the  sin.king  of 
the  Maine  was  received,  and  he  was  anifjng  those  who  offered  service  to 
the  government  when  war  was  declared  with  Spain.  He  took  an  active  part 
in  the  organization  of  a  company,  and  when  the  troo]is  were  ordered  to  camp 
he  was  placed  in  command  of  the  pro\isional  camp  while  the  troojjs  were 
Ijcing  mustered  in.  (io\'ernor  .Sadler  commissioned  him  cajHain  of  his  com- 
pany. When  the  men  were  stationed  at  I""ort  I^ussell  C<.)lonel  Torrey  remarked 
that  he  would  have  ni)  t)fficer  in  his  command  that  was  not  unanimously  elected 
by  a  secret  ballot  of  the  volunteers,  and  Ca]itain  Cox  was  thus  chosen  Ijy  his 
company,  a  fact  which  indicated  his  poi:)ularity  with  his  men.  After  drilling 
for  a  time  the  regiment  was  sent  to  Florida,  hut  the  war  soon  after  closed 
and  he  was  honorably  discharged  at  Jfickson\i!le  in  that  state.  He  was 
then  chosen  to  go  to  Washington  to  settle  with  the  government  in  behalf  of 
the  ot^cers  of  his  regiment.  While  in  Florida  he  was  one  of  only  four  of 
his  company  that  escaped  Ijeing  ill.  and  his  company  was  the  only  one  in  the 
regimait  that  did  not  lose  a  single  man  through  sickness.  His  command  was 
known  as  Ne\ada  Company  Troo]i  :\1,  and  Captain  Cox  being  well  drilled  and 
familiar  with  military  tactics  placed  his  men  in  excellent  condition  for  service. 

Cpon  his  return  to  Nevada  he  received  an  ajjpointment  as  captain  in 
the  h'orty-fourtii  United  States  Infantry,  but  declined  the  honor  tendered  him 
as  he  had  decided  to  establish  a  home  of  his  own  and  engage  in  business.  On 
the  19th  of  June,  1901.  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Aliss  Elizabeth  Taylor,  a 
nati\e  of  California,  Ixjrn  in  Sutter  Creek,  and  a  daughter  of  G.  F.  Taylor,  in 
Jackson.  Amador  county,  California.  This  marriage  lias  been  blessed  with  an 
interesting  little  daughter,  to  whom  they  have  given  the  name  of  Ruth. 

After  his  return  from  the  \var  Captain  Cox  accepted  the  position  of 
mana.ger  of  the  Riverside  Mill,  which  is  a  roller  ])i-ocess  flouring  mill  with  a 
capacity  of  one  Inunlred  and  fifty  barrels  per  d.a}-.  The  liusiness  is  incor])c^rated 
and  is  owaied  liy  a  numl:>er  of  the  most  i)rominent  and  substantial  men  of 
Reno.  It  is  a  valuable  enterprise  in  the  cit)',  and  under  the  capable  control  of 
Captain  Cox  is  proving  a  iirofitaljle  in\-estment.  The  Captain  is  a  Democrat 
in  his  political  views,  and  socially  is  connected  with  the  ?iIasonic  fraternity 
and  the  Benex-olent  and  Protecti\-e  Order  of  Elks,  while  in  military  circles  he 
is  yet  prominent,  serving  now  as  a  member  of  the  go\ernor's  staff  with  the 
rank  of  lieutenant  colonel. 


TFIE  RR'FRSIDE  MILL  COMPANY,  incirporated,  has  the  only 
llouring  mill  in  the  city  of  Reno,  This  is  a  roller  |irocess  enterprise,  and  the 
mill  is  operated  liy  water  power  from  the  Truckee  ri\er  which  passes  through 
the  town.  The  plant  is  a  model  structure,  ha\-ing  a  capacity  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty  barrels,  and  is  one  of  the  pioneer  enterprises  of  Reno,  its  establish- 
ment dating  back  to  T8r)_^.  Its  incorporators  are  A.  H.  Maning,  who  is  the 
])resident  of  the  company,  and  C.  T.  Bender,  who  is  the  secretary,  and  is 
also  the  cashier  of  the  \\'ashoe  Coiuitv  Bank.     The  directors  of  the  institution 


372  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

are  G.  F.  Turrittin,  M.  E.  Ward,  H.  M.  Marlin.  in  addition  to  the  two  gen- 
tlemen who  hold  the  official  positions  mentioned.  Captain  Cox  is  manager  of 
the  mill,  and  all  of  the  meml>ers  of  the  directorate  are  men  of  high  financial 
standing  in  Reno.  The  business  furnishes  an  excellent  market  for  the  wheat 
producers  of  this  section  of  the  country,  for  they  buy  wheat  in  large  quantities 
and  manufacture  it  into  fiour  which  finds  a  ready  sale  on  the  market.  They 
have  a  large  local  demand  for  their  product,  and  likewise  sell  extensively  in 
the  border  counties  of  California.  Because  of  the  excellence  of  the  flour  their 
business  has  contintially  grown  until  it  has  now  reached  very  profitable  pro- 
portions. 

HON.  WILSON  BROUGHER.  No  compendium  such  as  the  prov- 
ince of  this  work  defines  in  its  essential  limitations  will  serve  to  ofiev  fit 
memorial  to  the  life  and  accomplishments  of  the  honored  subject  of  this 
sketch — a  man  who  is  remarkable  in  the  breadth  of  his  wisdom,  in  bis  indom-. 
itable  perseverance,  bis  strong  individuality,  and  yet  one  whose  entire  life 
has  not  one  esoteric  phase,  being  an  open  scn)ll,  inviting  the  closest  scrutiny. 
Truly,  his  have  been  "massive  deeds  and  great"  in  one  sense,  and  yet  his 
entire  life  accomplishment  lint  represents  the  result  of  the  fit  utilization  of 
the  innate  talent  which  is  his,  and  the  directing  of  his  efforts  in  those  lines 
where  mature  judgment  and  rare  discrimination  lead  the  way.  There  are 
in  Hon.  Wilson  Brougber  a  weight  of  character,  a  native  sagacity,  a  far- 
seeing  judgment  and  a  fidelity  of  purpose  that  command  the  respect  of  all. 
A  man  of  indefatigable  enterprise  and  fertility  of  resource,  he  has  carved 
his  name  deeply  on  the  record  of  the  political  and  ousiness  history  of  the 
state,  which  owes  much  of  its  advancement  to  his  efforts. 

Mr.  Brougber  has  for  twenty-eight  years  been  a  resident  of  Nevada. 
He  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Adams  county 
on  the  TQth  of  July,  1854,  and  is  of  Pennsyl\-ania  Dutch  ancestry.  His 
parents,  William  and  Susan  (Snyder)  Brougber,  were  also  natives  of  Penn- 
sylvania, whence  they  removed  to  Iowa  and  are  now  residents  of  Nebraska. 
William  Brougber  has  been  an  active  farmer,  having  cleared  and  developed 
several  farms,  meeting  witli  well  deserved  success  in  his  undertaking.  In 
his  political  views  he  has  been  a  life-long  Rejiublican,  and  bis  family  are 
Lutherans  in  religious  faith.  To  him  and  bis  wife  were  born  five  children, 
of  whom  three  are  yet  li\ing.  The  mother,  however,  dc])arfc(l  lliis  life  in 
1868,  and  William  Brougber  is  now  in  his  seventy-seventh  year.  H.  C. 
Brougber,  one  of  the  sons,  is  a  prominent  mining  man.  in  Tonojiah,  Nevada. 

Hon.  Wilson  Brougber  was  educated  in  the  ])ublic  schools  of  Iowa,  pur- 
suing his  studies  through  the  three  months  of  winter,  while  in  the  summer 
seasons  he  worked  upon  liis  fathers'  farm,  early  becoming  familiar  with 
the  duties  and  labors  that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist,  lie  was  twenty- 
one  years  (jf  age  when  be  arrived  in  Nevada,  having  come  to  the  west  to 
make  his  own  way  in  the  world.  He  had  no  cajiilrd,  but  pos.sessed  resolu- 
tion and  determination,  and  to-day  is  numbered  among  the  distinguished  and 
wealtliy  men  of  the  state,  having  attained  to  this  ])roud  position  by  reason 
of  bis  marked  ability  and  sterlng  worth  of  character.  Tie  began  to  earn 
his  living  here  by  cutting  wood  and  burning  charcoal  in  Nye  county.     Later 


A  lllS'l'ORY  Ol'    NEVADA.  373 

he  turned  liis  attention  tu  merclian(lisiu<^',  and  in  1876  lie  was  railed  I'mm 
private  life  to  public  office,  being  elected  sheriff  of  Nye  county  on  the  Repub- 
lican ticket.  He  served  for  one  term  so  acceptably  that  he  was  re-elected, 
and  at  the  close  of  his  second  term  he  was  nominated  and  elected  auditor 
and  recorder  of  the  county.  No  higher  testimonial  of  his  capability  in  that 
position  can  be  given  than  the  statement  of  the  fact  that  he  was  elected  to 
the  office  for  six  consecutive  terms,  serving  for  twelve  years.  He  then  re- 
signed tliat  position  to  accept  the  nomination  for  state  senator  from  the 
district  formed  l)y  Ormsby  county.  He  made  a  thorough  canvass  of  the 
county  and  was  elected  by  a  majority  of  one  hundred  and  seventeen  votes. 
In  the  senate  he  belonged  to  tlie  minority  party,  but  nevertheless  was  active 
and  mfluential  in  affairs  pertaining  to  the  welfare  of  the  state.  He  gave  ins 
closest  attention  to  the  public  interests  and  has  left  the  impress  of  his  indi- 
viduality upon  the  legislation  of  Nevada. 

At  the  time  of  the  first  rich  discovery  at  Tonopah  it  was  Mr,  Urougher's 
,good  fortune  to  become  one  of  the  first  owners  of  the  ?\Iizpah,  Bureau,  Valley 
View,  Desert  Queen,  Sand  Grass  and  Red  Plume  claims,  these  being  eight 
of  ihe  original  claims  in  a  group,  and  he  is  now  the  possessor  of  one-eighth 
interest  in  these.  He  is  also  interested  in  the  Belmont,  and  the  property 
is  now  being  developed.  The  mines  are  attracting  a  great  deal  of  attention 
bcause  of  the  richness  of  their  ore,  and  in  two  years  Tonopah  has  grown 
to  be  a  town  of  between  four  and  five  thousand  inhabitants.  It  has  been 
through  the  development  of  its  mining  interests  that  Mr.  Brougher  has 
gained  his  capital,  becoming  one  of  the  wealthy  men  of  this  state.  In  July, 
1902,  he  purchased  the  Arlington  Hotel  at  Carson  City,  and  this  is  now^  the 
leading  hotel  of  the  city  ancl  one  of  the  best  hostelries  of  the  state.  It  is 
located  in  the  center  of  the  business  district,  has  sixty  sleeping  rooms  and 
is  splendidly  equipped  throughout,  no  pains  being  spared  to  add  to  the 
comfort  of  the  guests.  This  hotel  is  the  headquarters  of  the  leading  men 
of  the  state,  of  the  state  officers  and  of  the  state  legislators  when  the  general 
assembly  is  in  session. 

In  1885  Senator  Brougher  was  imited  in  marriage  to  IVliss  Julia 
Cannon,  a  native  of  Illinois  and  a  daughter  of  Edward  and  Julia  yXmelia 
(Manvill)  Cannon.  To  them  have  been  born  four  children,  three  daughters 
and  a  son:  Ida  S.,  Alice  J.,  Nellie  M.  and  William  Henry.  Senator 
Brougher  is  a  memlier  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  the  blue  lodge  and  chapter, 
and  Royal  Arch  degree.  He  also  belongs  to  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows. 

He  is  a  business  man  of  marked  integrity  and  ability,  and  has  a  wide 
and  favorable  acquaintance  throughout  the  state.  Starting  out  in  life  for 
himself  with  limited  educational  pri\'ileges  and  with  no  financial  assistance, 
he  became  imbued  with  a  laudable  ambition  to  win  success  and  prominence, 
and  has  steadily  advanced  in  these  walks  of  life  demanding  intellectuality, 
business  ability  and  fidelity,  and  to-day  commands  the  respect  and  esteem  not 
only  of  his  community  but  the  state.  Over  the  record  of  his  public  career 
and  his  private  life  there  falls  no  .shadow  of  wrong,  for  he  has  ever  been 
most  loyal  to  the  duties  of  friendship  and  of  citizenship,  and  his  history 
well  deserves  a  place  in  the  annals  of  his  ailopted  state. 


374  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA 

HOX.  EDWARD  DA\'IDSOX  KELLEY.  surveyor  general  and  state 
land  register  of  Xe\ada,  is  one  of  the  honored  jiioneers  of  the  state.  He 
arri\-ed  in.  the  fall  of  1861,  soon  after  the  organization  of  the  territory.  He 
is  a  native  of  Livingston  county.  New  York,  where  he  was  born  July  17, 
1834,  and  comes  of  Irish.  Scotch  and  English  ancestry.  His  grandfather, 
Philip  Kellev,  emigrated  from  Ireland  to  western  Xew  York,  and  was  one 
of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  that  wilderness.  There  he  cleared  up  a  farm  and 
spent  the  remainder  of  his  life,  dying  aged  se\enty  years.  His  son.  Arthur 
Kellev.  was  born  and  reared  there,  and  married  Helen  Davidson,  a  native 
of  Xew  England  and  of  Scotch  ancestry,  her  people  coming  to  X^'ew  England 
from  that  country  several  generations  ago.  In  1842  they  emigrated  to 
Michigan  and  thence  in  1845  to  Iowa,  there  improved  a  farm  and  became 
very  prosperous,  and  were  prominent  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 
They  had  three  sons  and  one  daughter.  John  Willis  served  in  the  Union 
army  and  was  killed  in  August.  1862.  near  Shiloh ;  .Vrthur  is  an  Iowa  fanner; 
Edward  D.  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch ;  Helen  became  the  wife  of  Frank 
M.  Meachan,  reared  a  family  and  is  still  living.  The  father  died  at  the  age 
of  fifty-five  rears,  and  the  motb.er  died  in  1866.  aged  seventy-seven  years. 

General  Kelle}'  was  educated  in  Iowa  and  is  a  graduate  of  Mt.  Carrol 
.Seminarv.  In  1836.  when  twenty-two  years  of  age.  he  crossed  the  plains  to 
California,  passing  through  what  is  now  X^evada.  He  pros]5ected  and  mined 
in  Shasta  county,  became  the  owner  of  ])lacer  claims  in  which  he  took  out  an 
average  of  an  ounce  of  gold  a  day.  Ixit  in  1861  he  removed  to  Humboldt 
countv.  Xevada.  and  continued  his  mining  o])erations  for  nine  years,  owning 
several  claims  and  a  large  interest  in  the  -\rizona  n':ine.  which  he  sold  to 
John  C.  Fall  and  Da\id  H.  Temple  fi)r  his  dwu  ]  rice.  Later  this  mine 
l)ecame  a  great  producer  and  one  nf  the  noted  mines  of  the  state.  In  1869 
he  established  the  Elko  Iiidcpcndcut :  later  he  was  coniiectcd  with  the  owner- 
ship of  the  Silver  State,  and  still  later  owned  and  ]nil)lished  the  Xevada 
State  Journal,  all  of  these  being  Democratic  journals,  he  ha\ing  been  a 
Dou.glas  Democrat  and  a  great  admirer  of  the  Hon.  Stej)hen  A.  Douglas. 
He  also  has  the  honor  of  being  a  member  of  the  con\ention  called  in  Xevada 
in  favor  of  supporting  the  Union,  and  he  gave  that  cau.se  his  liest  efforts. 
He  was  also  an  active  participant  in  rhe  orgrmization  of  the  silver  ])arty 
and  did  all  in  his  power  to  promote  its  success.  Although  he  never  sought 
for  office  he  was  induced  in  1898  to  acce])t  the  nomination  for  his  present 
office,  and  was  elected  bv  a  large  majority.  He  was  re-elected  by  about 
two  thousand  majority,  and  is  now  faithfully  filling  his  second  term.  Sucii 
has  been  his  life  work  in  Xevada.  as  a  miner,  stock-raiser.  newspa])ei"  man  and 
])ublisher.  as  well  as  a  successful  business  man  and  upright  jiublic  official,  that 
he  commands  the  deepest  respect  frfim  all  who  know  him.  liy  in.nu  he  is 
lovingly  called  the  "Grand  Old  Man  of  Xevada," 

In  1876  he  was  married  to  Miss  .\melia  Huston  Sheriff.  ,1  native  of 
Missouri,  and  a  dau.ghter  of  Dr.  Sheriff,  of  Calloway  county,  in  that  state. 
They  have  one  dau.ghter.  Rebecca,  now  at  home.  She  is  a  member  of  the 
E])iscf)pal  church,  wliilc  lier  mother  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church. 
The  i))easant  home  of  the  family  is  a  gathering  place  for  their  many  friends. 
and  they  are  very  important  factors  in  the  social  life  of  Carson  City,      Mr 


A  HISTOm-   OF  NEVADA.  375 

Kellcv  is  a  member  of  tlie  Masonic  fraternity,  and  has  lieen  for  the  past 
t\vcnty-fi\-e  years,  and  has  been  an  oflicer  of  the  grand  lodge  for  a  long  time. 
In  llie  Scottish  Rite  he  has  attained  to  the  thn-ty-.second  degree.  He  is  also 
a  veteran  memlier  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 


T.  J.  A.  b^LAWS.  Amon.g-  the  bnsiness  men  of  the  city  of  Dayton,  none 
is  more  prominent  than  T.  j.  A.  bdaws,  who  for  many  years  has  been 
identified  with  its  mercantile  interests,  and  he  is  regarded  as  one  of  its  most 
snccessfnl  and  prosperous  citizens.  He  is  a  native  of  Canada,  his  birth 
having  occurred  in  Saint  Syhestre  on  the  loth  of  April,  1851,  and  he  is  of 
.Scotch  ancestry.  His  father,  James  bylaws,  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  but 
in  1840  emigrated  to  Canada,  and  as  a  n-'.eans  of  liveliiiood  followed  the 
bl.'ick'smith's  trade.  He  married  Miss  Ann  Stoken,  also  a  native  of  Saint 
Syhestre,  and  they  became  the  [jarcnts  of  three  sons  and  two  daughters. 
The  parents  were  worthy  and  consistent  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church 
and  were  people  of  sterling  worth  of  character.  The  father  was  called  to  his 
final  rest  when  he  had  reached  the  age  of  sixty  years,  anfl  his  wife  preceded 
biin  to  the  grave  one  year. 

T.  J.  A.  Flaws,  the  only  representative  of  this  family  in  Nevada, 
receiv'cd  his  educational  training  in  the  iniblic  schools  of  Canafla.  and  at  the 
early  age  of  sixteen  years  started  out  in  the  world  to  make  his  own  liveli- 
hood. Making  his  way  to  the  Green  Moimtain  state,  he  there  secured  em- 
ployment on  a  farm,  his  energies  being  thus  directed  for  the  four  following 
years.  He  then  came  to  Dayton,  Nevada,  where  he  liecame  an  em])loye  of 
the  Lyon  Mill  &  Mining  Comjiany,  manufacturers  of  blue  stone,  borax  and 
sulfuric  acid,  where  he  spent  seven  years  in  the  chemical  department,  and 
later  had  charge  of  the  refinery  at  Six  Mile  Canyon.  Thence,  in  1888,  he 
returned  to  this  city  and  embarked  in  a  small  way  in  a  general  mercantile 
business,  in  which  he  has  ever  since  continued,  but  his  excellent  ability  and 
close  attention  to  his  duties  have  enabled  him  as  the  years  passed  by  to  increase 
his  facilities  until  his  is  now  one  of  the  largest  and  best  equipped  stores  in 
the  city.  His  .store  building  is  thirty  by  one  hundred  feet  in  dimensions, 
and  is  filled  with  a  large  and  well  selected  stock  of  general  merchandise, 
such  as  is  required  by  the  people  of  Dayton  and  the  surrounfling  country. 
He  enjoy.s  a  large  and  lucrative  patronage,  but  what  he  prizes  even  higher  than 
success  in  business  is  a  good  name  as  ;in  upright  merchant,  .and  this  he  enjovs 
to  the  fullest  extent. 

In  1883  Mr.  Flaws  was  happily  married  to  Mrs.  John  Barton,  a  nati\'e 
of  California  and  a  daughter  of  A.  J.  Markwell.  By  a  former  marriage  Mrs. 
Flaws  had  two  children — Maude  S.,  who  became  the  wife  of  E.  Tallier  and 
resides  in  California,  and  Lucretia,  who  is  at  home.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Flaws 
have  become  the  parents  of  four  children,  three  daughters  and  a  son,  as 
follows:  Annie,  the  wife  of  William  Norris :  Flora,  who  is  now  Mrs.  C. 
Stock;  and  Clara  and  Thomas,  who  are  at  home.  The  familv  reside  in  a 
])leasant  and  attractive  home  in  Dayton,  ami  enjoy  the  respect  and  esteem 
of  a  large  circle  of  actpiaintances.  In  his  fraternal  relations  Mr.  Flaws  is  a 
member  of  the  .\nrient  Order  of  I'niled  Workmen,  and  pc-iliticallv  has  been 


376  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

a  life-long  Republican,  true  and  loyal  to  its  principles,  although  he  has  never 
been  an  active  participant  in  party  affairs,  preferring  to  give  iiis  undix-ided 
time  to  his  extensive  business  interests. 

EDWIN  E.  CAINE  is  one  of  the  leading  educators  of  Nevada,  having 
been  successfully  engaged  in  his  chosen  calling  for  over  ten  years.  Mr.  Caine 
was  born  in  Boston,  Massachusetts,  August  30,  1873.  His  parents  were 
l)oth  natives  of  New  England  and  of  Irish  ancestry.  In  1876  his  parents 
removed  to  Nevada,  where  they  have  since  resided,  his  father,  Ames  B. 
Caine,  being  actively  engaged  in  contracting  and  building  until  death  ended 
hi.s  labors,  June  7,  1902. 

Mr.  Caine  recei\ed  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Nevada.  He  grad- 
uated from  the  Reno  high  school  in  1889,  and  took  his  Bachelor's  degree  at 
the  Nevada  State  University  in  1893.  Since  then  he  has  been 
actively  and  continuously  engaged  in  teaching.  His  first  work  was  done  at 
Verdi,  Nevada,  where  he  was  principal  of  the  public  schools  for  four  years. 
He  then  became  principal  of  the  W'adsworth  public  schools.  It  was  while 
in  that  position,  which  he  held  for  five  years,  that  he  established  his  repu- 
tation as  an  educator  and  executive  of  ability.  He  brought  these  schools  up 
to  a  high  state  of  efficiency,  employing  a  full  corps  of  teachers  including  a 
special  instructor  in  music.  He  also  succeeded  in  having  erected  in  this 
town  one  of  the  finest  public  school  buildings  in  the  state. 

He  is  now  principal  of  the  Elko  County  High  School,  the  only  county  high 
school  in  the  state.  His  ability  as  an  organizer  is  again  evident,  as  the 
school  has  increased  the  number  of  its  students  over  fifty  per  cent  in  the  two 
years  in  which  he  has  been  directing  its  affairs.  Several  new  teachers  have 
iieen  added  to  the  faculty,  and  the  equipment  of  the  school  has  been  so  per- 
fected that  it  is  now  becoming  one  of  the  most  important  educational  insti- 
tutions of  the  state.  Mr.  Caine  is  also  deputy  superintendent  in  and  for  Elko 
county.  He  has  always  taken  great  interest  in  the  general  educational  affairs 
of  the  state. 

In  politics  Mr.  Caine  is  a  Democrat,  and  was  once  the  nominee  of  his 
party  for  state  superintendent  of  public  instruction.  However,  his  friend- 
ship for  the  opposing  candidate  made  it  necessary  for  him  to  decline  the  honor. 
He  takes  an  active  interest  in  political  and  fraternal  matters. 

HON.  DAVE  M.  RYAN,  treasurer  of  Nevada,  came  to  tlie  state  in 
1874  and  is  a  native  of  New  York,  having  I)ccn  horn  in  Albany  in  October. 
1856.  His  father  was  born  in  Ireland  and  emigrated  to  New  York  when 
twelve  years  of  age.  He  became  a  dry-goods  merchant,  having  stores  in 
.Mbany  and  Philadelphia.  He  was  married  in  New  York  in  1854  to  Cathryn 
Lambert,  and  with  liis  wife  and  five  children  later  removed  to  San  Fran- 
cisco, where  lie  resided  the  remainder  of  his  life,  dying  in  1902,  aged  seventy- 
nine  years;  his  wife  died  in  1889,  aged  sixty-five  years. 

Mr.  Ryan  was  only  four  years  of  age  when  the  family  arrived  in  San 
Francisco,  and  lie  received  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Sacramento 
and  wa.s  graduated  from  a  business  college.     In   1874.   when  only  cighlccn 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  '377 

years  old,  on  account  of  ill  health,  he  removed  to  Nevada  and  accepted  the 
position  of  Iraokkeeper  in  a  mercantile  house  in  Virginia  City.  In  1886  he 
formed  a  partnership  with  Mr.  A.  J.  McDonel!  under  the  caption  of  Mc- 
Donell  ik  Ryan  in  the  stock  broking  business  in  Virginia  City  and  San  Fran- 
cisco. Still  later  Mr.  Ryan  established  the  mercantile  firm  of  Ryan  & 
Stenson  in  Virginia  City.  This  latter  venture  proved  such  a  success  that 
branch  houses  were  established  in  Tonopah,  Nevada,  and  Grass  Valley, 
California. 

In  1894  Mr.  Ryan  was  elected  county  clerk  and  treasurer  of  Storey 
county;  was  re-elected  in  1896,  and  distinguished  himself  as  a  most  faithful 
and  efficient  official,  and  when  he  received  the  nomination  of  the  silver  party 
for  state  treasurer  he  had  the  unanimous  support  of  the  Storey  county  dele- 
gation. After  making  a  successful  campaign  he  was  elected  by  the  largest 
majority  on  the  ticket,  and  entered  upon  the  duties  of  his  office  January  i, 
1899.  When  he  assumed  charge  it  was  with  the  full  intention  of  conducting 
the  state  finances  upon  a  purely  business  basis  and  to  make  every  penny  of 
state  money  count  for  its  full  amount.  Believing  it  best  to  secure  the  office 
against  any  attempted  invasion  by  burglars,  he  had  alarms  attached  from  his 
office  in  the  building  to  the  sheriff's  office  in  Carson,  and  to  all  other  offices 
in  the  building.  He  also  provided  Winchester  rifles  to  all  the  other  officers 
to  be  used  in  case  of  attack.  In  1901  he  was  re-elected,  and  his  majority 
led  the  ticket. 

Earlier  in  life  he  was  independent,  but  when  the  silver  question  came 
before  the  public,  he  espoused  it  ai-dently.  Mr.  Ryan  has  taken  a  deep  interest 
in  the  state  militia,  and  for  years  has  been  captain  of  Company  A,  Virginia 
City,  and  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Spanish-American  war  he  organized  the  first 
battalion  and  was  offered  the  position  of  major,  but  declined  in  favor  of 
others.  He  is  very  popular  as  a  citizen  and  public  official,  and  through 
his  strenuous  efforts  he  has  placed  the  finances  of  the  state  in  a  very  good 
condition,  and  is  honored  as  a  public  official  of  strictest  integrity  and  a  high 
order  of  ability.  Fraternally  he  is  a  valued  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
and  the  Elks. 


•JOHN  AUGUSTUS  FITZGERALD,  who  was  the  proprietor  of  the 
Palace  Hotel  of  Reno,  one  of  the  popular  bostelries  of  the  state,  for  the 
last  seven  years,  was  bom  in  Massillon,  Ohio,  on  the  17th  of  April,  1850, 
and  comes  of  Scotch,  Dutch  and  Irish  lineage.  He  was  educated  in  north 
Indiana  in  a  little  log  schoolhouse  which  was  built  upon  his  father's  farm, 
the  senior  Mr.  Fitzgerald  being  the  merchant  and  agriculturist  of  that  locality. 
He  was  left  an  orphan  at  quite  an  early  age,  and  when  a  youth  of  seventeen 
years  went  to  Illinois,  where  for  a  time  he  followed  farming.  Soon  after- 
ward, however,  he  became  engaged  in  railroading  on  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad,  running  out  of  Chicago,  advancing  from  the  position  of  brake- 
man  to  that  of  extra  conductor.  For  a  number  of  years  following  his  railroad 
experience  he  was  in  the  hotel  business  and  gradually  worked  his  way  up- 
ward in  that  line  from  the  position  of  night  clerk  to  manager  and  proprietor. 
For  a  time  he  bad  charge  of  the  Depot  Hotel  in  Champaign,  Illinois,  and 


378  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

met  witli  excellent  success  in  the  management  of  that  enterprise.  In  Septem- 
l)er,  1878,  he  arrived  in  Nevada,  turning  his  attention  to  quartz  mining  at 
Pyramid.  In  this  he  was  associated  witli  R.  W.  Perry,  but  they  were  not 
successful,  and  Mr.  I-"itzgerald  lost  much  that  he  had  saved.  He  then  came 
to  Reno,  where  he  assumed  the  management  of  the  Palace  Hotel,  and  after- 
ward in  connection  with  Mr.  Perry  he  purchased  the  old  Depot  Hotel,  which 
is  a  sixty-room  house.  A  little  later  a  disastrous  fire  visited  the  town  and 
this  hotel  was  destroyed,  causing  the  owners  to  lose  hea\ily.  For  a  year 
following  this  misfortune  Mr.  Fitzgerald  was  ill.  and  his  ex- 
penses were  so  great  that  again  his  sax'ings  were  largely  dissipated. 
He  was  then  successfully  engaged  in  the  saloon  business  on  Vir- 
ginia street  in  Reno  for  a  time,  and  when  his  financial  resources  enabled  him 
to  again  make  investment  in  property  he  purchased  the  Palace  Hotel.  The 
lot  on  which  its  stands  is  thirty-five  by  one  h.undred  feet,  and  the  building 
is  three  stories  in  height  with  basement.  It  covers  the  whole  lot.  and  is  a  well 
lighted  structure  liecause  it  fronts  on  both  Commercial  and  Center  streets. 
It  is  only  a  short  distance  southwest  of  tlie  Southern  Pacific  depot,  and  this 
excellent  location  is  appreciated  by  travelers.  Mr.  Fitzgerald  also  owns  a 
fine  property  near  the  corner  of  Third  and  Ralston  streets,  one  hundred  by 
two  hundred  feet,  which  is  planted  to  fruit  and  shade  trees,  his  home  being- 
surrounded  by  ornamental  shrubs  and  flowers. 

In  April,  1887,  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Fitzgerald  and  Miss 
Frankie  Smith,  who  was  born  in  Plumas  county,  California.  They  have 
become  the  parents  of  two  children :  Nell  and  Jack,  both  lK)rn  in  Reno. 
Mr.  Fitzgerald  is  a  Republican,  but  has  never  sought  or  desired  office,  al- 
though he  has  put  forth  eft'ective  and  helpful  effort  for  his  party,  desiring 
its  success.  He  has  served  on  the  Repul)lican  state  central  committee,  and 
his  wise  counsel  has  been  favora))ly  received  l)y  tlie  organization.  A  courte- 
ous gentleman,  be  has  gained  many  friends  among  his  fellow  citizens  in  Reno. 


DIXIF  P.  R.\XD.\LL.  From  colonial  days  the  i-Iandall  family  has  sent 
its  representatives  into  various  wan<s  of  life  to  become  active  and  influential 
residents  of  the  communities  with  which  they  have  been  connected.  They 
are  of  English  descent,  and  settled  in  tire  cast  prior  to  the  war  of"  the 
Revolution.  The  grandfather  of  1).  1'.  Randall  fou^dit  \-aliantly  in  the  old 
liistoric  l)attle  of  New  Orleans  under  ( Icncral  Jackson.  He  w'as  a  blacksmith 
and  machinist  by  trade,  and  in  1838  removed  from  ihe  old  family  home  in 
the  east  to  Kentucky,  where  he  became  identified  with  agricultural  pursuits. 
and  there  his  death  occurred  when  be  had  reachc(l  the  sixty-fifth  year  of 
his  age.  His  wife  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Mary  Thfirnton,  and  she  was 
bf)rn  in  London,  England.  Her  death  occuned  at  the  good  old  age  o\ 
eighty-nine  years,  she  i)assing  away  in  the  faith  of  the  Baptist  cinuch.  of 
wliicli  she  and  her  husband  were  worthy  members. 

r/ef)rgc  l^crry  Randall,  a  son  of  this  sterling  old  i)ionccr  couple,  was 
born  in  I'rovidence,  l^hodc  Island,  in  1830,  and  when  twenty-two  years  of 
age,  in  1H52.  started  on  the  long  and  arduous  journey  across  the  ]ilains  with 
ox  teams,  settling  at   .Angels  Cam])  in   Calaveras  county,   where  lie  became 


A   ]llS'^OR^•  OF  NEVADA.  ?,79 

the  owner  of  a  mine.  On  tlic  22<1  of  April,  1855,  lie  was  uniteil  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Mary  Eliza  Catherine  Williamson,  and  their  names  were  inscrihed 
on  the  roll  of  the  honored  pioneers  of  the  Golden  state,  as  well  ;.s  that  of 
the  Silver  state.  In  1864  they  came  to  Nevada,  where  Mr.  Randall  erected 
a  sawmill  at  Markley\'ille,  and  suhsequently  remi)ved  to  Carson  valley,  Doug- 
las county,  where  he  turned  his  attention  to  ranching  and  the  stock  husiness, 
heing  for  a  time  also  engaged  in  hlacksmithing  and  freighting  at  Enterprise. 
In  1874  he  took  u]i  his  abode  in  Dayton,  where  he  resumed  his  blacksmith 
operations  and  also  continued  to  cultix'ate  his  ranch  in  the  Carson  valley. 
The  Democracy  has  always  recei\-ed  his  hearty  support  and  co-operation,  and 
on  its  ticket  in  1881  he  was  elected  to  the-office  of  sheriff  of  Lyon  county, 
tlie  duties  of  which  he  performed  faithfully  and  efficiently  for  four  years. 
He  has  now  reached  the  seventy-third  milestone  on  the  journey  of  life,  but 
is  yet  an  active  and  industrious  man.  To  this  honored  old  couple  have  been 
born  twelve  children,  eight  of  whom  still  survive,  four  being  residents  of 
California  and  four  of  Nevada. 

D.  P.  Randall,  the  second  in  order  of  birth  of  this  numerous  family, 
is  a  native  son  of  the  Golden  state,  for  his  birth  occurred  in  Calaveras  county, 
California,  on  the  jd  of  July.  i860.  When  only  four  years  of  age  he  was 
brought  by  his  parents  to  Nevada,  his  education  having  l)een  recei\-ed  in  the 
public  schools  of  Dayton,  and  in  his  youth  he  learned  the  blacksmith's  trade 
of  his  father.  As  the  years  ha\e  passed  by  he  has  prospered  in  his  business 
ventures,  and  is  now  the  owner  of  a  fine  ranch  of  five  hundred  and  sixty 
acres,  located  one  and  a  half  miles  east  of  Dayton,  where  he  is  engaged  in 
the  raising  of  alfalfa,  hay,  wheat,  barley  and  potatoes,  the  land  being  espe- 
cially well  adapted  for  general  farming.  He,  too,  has  been  a  life-long 
Democrat,  and  in  189J  was  elected  to  the  position  of  county  commissioner 
of  Lyon  county,  in  which  he  serx-ed  faithfully  and  efficiently  for  four  years, 
while  for  two  years  he  was  the  deputy  sherilY  under  his  father,  and  was 
snbsecjuently  elected  to  that  position.  Mr.  Randall  gave  sucli  excellent  satis- 
faction in  the  latter  position  during  his  first  term  that  lie  has  been  thrice 
elected,  and  is  now  serving  his  third  term.  While  filling  the  position  of 
as.sessor  of  the  county  he  was  faithful,  honest  and  diligent  in  the  discharge 
of  his  duties,  and  thus  won  the  respect  and  esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens. 
When  he  assumed  command  the  property  valuation  w-as  very  low,  while 
the  tax  rate  was  as  high  as  three  dollars  and  thirtv-five  cents  a  hundred, 
but  through  his  instrumentalit)-  the  \aluation  was  raised  and  the  rate  of  tax 
reduced  to  one  dollar  and  seventy-five  cents  a  hundred,  and  this  gave  to  the 
county  the  same  revenue.  Mr.  Randall  is  one  of  the  county's  most  public- 
spirited  and  enterprising  citizens,  taking  a  deep  interest  in  everything  per- 
taining to  the  public  welfare,  and  he  withholds  his  sup])ort  from  no  movement 
intended  to  prove  of  public  benefit. 

In  the  year  1888  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Emma  Gertrude 
Hazlet,  who  was  born  in  Dayton,  Ne\ada,  being  a  daughter  of  Dr.  J.  C.  Haz- 
let,  a  prominent  pioneer  physician  of  the  state  and  at  one  time  the  candidate 
of  his  political  party  for  governor  of  Nevada.  Four  children  have  been 
born  to  this  union,  as  follows:     Dixev  Clark.  Rav  Frank,  .\rthiir  Hazlet  and 


380  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Dorntliv  Gertrude.  The  family  reside  in  one  of  the  pleasant  residences  in 
tlie  city  of  Dayton,  wliere  they  dispense  a  gracious  hosiiitahty  tn  tiieir  many 
friends  and  acquaintances. 


HON.  CHARLES  HENRY  BELKNAP,  chief  justice  of  the  supreme 
court  of  the  state  of  Nevada,  has  resided  in  the  state  since  1865.  He  is  a 
native  of  New  York,  having  heen  horn  tliere  July  20,  1842,  and  comes  of 
Puritan  ancestors  who  emigrated  from  the  old  England  to  the  New  England 
at  a  very  early  date.  Representatives  of  the  Belknap  family  took  an  active 
part  in  the  early  history  of  the  country,  as  well  as  in  later  days,  and  the 
name  is  a  prominent  one  throughout  the  country.  Both  parents  of  Judge 
Belknap  passed  to  their  reward  some  time  since.  Tliree  sons  were  born  to 
them,  namely :  Judge  Belknap  and  Clayton  residing  in  Nevada,  and  Alden 
Welling. 

Judge  Charles  Henry  Belknap  was  educated  in  pulilic  and  private  schools 
and  in  the  Polytechnic  Institute  in  Brooklyn,  New  York.  In  1865  he  came 
west  to  Nevada,  and  completed  his  law  studies,  being  admitted  to  the  bar 
in  the  spring  of  1869,  and  began  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Virginia 
City.  In  1873  he  was  appointed  judge  of  the  supreme  court,  and  he  also 
served  two  terms  as  mayor  of  Virginia  City.  In  1880  he  was  further  hon- 
ored and  elected  supreme  judge  of  the  state,  and  for  twenty-three  years  has 
honorably  filled  that  august  position,  now  being  the  oldest  judge  in  com- 
mission. 

In  1873  Judge  Belknap  was  married  to  Miss  Virginia  Bradley,  and 
four  children  have  been  born  of  this  union,  namely:  Carrie,  Virginia,  .Mdcn 
and  Dita.  Judge  and  Mrs.  Belknap  with  their  family  ha\e  a  beautiful  home 
in  Carson  City  and  naturally  are  numbered  among  its  most  Iioik ncd  ])cn])le. 
Fraternally  Judge  Belknap  is  a  prominent  Mason. 


ABS.\LOM  B.  WILLIAMS  is  a  respected  pioneer  who  became  a  resi- 
dent of  the  territory  of  Nevada  at  a  very  early  d.ito  in  its  development.  He 
crossed  the  i)lains  in  1850,  and  in  1860  he  liujk  up  his  abode  in  Virginia 
City. 

He  was  born  in  Mount  Vernon,  Indiana,  on  the  30th  of  October,  1828, 
and  comes  of  a  family  of  Welsh  origin,  his  grandfather,  James  Williams, 
having  emigrated  from  the  little  rock-ribbed  country  of  Wales  to  the  state 
of  Virginia.  His  father  was  l)orn  in  the  Old  Dominio'i  and  was  married  there 
to  Miss  Elizabeth  Williams,  who,  though  nf  the  same  name,  was  not  a  rela- 
tive. They  removed  to  Indiana  and  afterward  to  Illinois,  becoming  ]iionecr 
settlers  of  lx>th  states.  Mr.  Williams  was  a  farmer  by  occupation  and  jjecame 
actively  identified  with  agricultural  interests  in  the  Mississijipi  valley.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  were  devoted  members  of  the  Episco])al  church,  and  were 
people  of  the  highest  respectability.  He  departed  this  life  at  the  age  of 
sixty-three  years,  while  his  wife  was  called  to  her  hnrd  rest  :il  the  age  of 
seventy  years. 

Absalom  B.  W'illiams  was  their  only  child,  and  npun  bis   father's   farm 


& 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  381 

he  was  reared,  early  becoming  familiar  witli  the  duties  and  labors  that  fall 
to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist.  During  the  winter  months  he  pursued  his 
studies  in  the  little  log  schoolhouse  near  liy,  and  in  the  summer  seasons  he 
assisted  in  plowing,  planting  and  harvesting.  In  this  way  he  secured  only  a 
limited  education,  but  he  afterward  supplemented  it  by  study  in  a  night 
school  in  Illinois.  Not  desiring  to  make  farm  work  his  life  vocation,  he 
learned  the  trade  of  a  carpenter  and  joiner,  and  in  the  year  1850  he  crossed 
the  plains  to  Calif(jrnia,  attracted  by  the  discovery  of  gold  in  this  portion 
of  the  country.  He  was  engaged  in  mining  first  in  Esmerelda  and  spent  ten 
years  of  his  life  as  a  miner  in  Benton.  Purchasing  the  Diana  mine  at  that 
place  he  built  a  four-stamp  mil!  at  a  great  cost,  the  materials  being  very 
e.xpensive,  while  he  had  to  pay  six  cents  per  pound  for  freight.  The  mine 
gave  a  rich  yield,  Init  the  profits  were  all  eaten  up  in  the  working  of  it.  On 
the  expiration  of  ten  years  he  sold  the  property  to  pay  for  its  indebtedness, 
and  left  Benton  A\ithout  having  accumulated  anything  in  the  meantime. 

While  engaged  in  mining  in  Benton  Mr.  Williams  had  returned  to  the 
east,  in  1863,  and  he  brought  his  family  to  Nevada.  He  had  been  married 
in  185 1  to  Miss  Anna  E.  Gates,  a  native  of  Bedford  county,  Pennsylvania,  and 
as  the  years  passed  six  children  were  added  to  their  family,  four  of  whom 
are  living,  namely:  Charles  A.:  Al)l)ie  A.,  now  the  wife  of  T.  M.  Byrne, 
of  Vallejo,  California;  Annie  L.,  the  wife  of  Alexander  Penycook,  of  Val- 
lejo;  and  Grace  G.,  who  is  the  wife  of  Lester  G.  Loomis  and  resides  in  Los 
Angeles. 

In  1876  Mr.  Williams  removed  his  family  to  Reno,  where  he  has  since 
lived.  While  engaged  in  the  operation  of  a  quartz  mill  he  had  learned  assay- 
ing, and  on  coming  to  Reno  he  engaged  in  this  line  of  work,  which  he  has 
followed  for  the  past  thirty-eight  years.  As  his  financial  resources  have 
increased  he  has  invested  in  city  property  in  Reno,  on  which  he  has  made 
many  good  improvements,  and  as  the  city  has  grown  he  has  subdivided  his 
land  and  sold  it  as  town  lots.  The  rise  in  values  has  been  of  great  benefit 
to  him,  and  he  is  now  one  of  the  substantial  citizens  of  this  locality.  His 
own  home  is  a  handsome  residence,  surrounded  by  beautiful  grounds, 
adorned  with  flowers  and  shrubs  and  with  fruit  and  ornamental  trees. 

His  political  allegiance  has  been  given  to  the  Republican  party  since  the 
Civil  war.  While  residing  in  Moline,  Illinois,  he  served  as  postmaster  of 
that  city  under  the  administrations  of  Presidents  Pierce  and  Buchanan,  and 
at  Benton  he  was  for  eight  years  justice  of  the  peace,  but  he  has  ne\'er  been 
an  active  politician  in  the  sense  of  office-seeking,  his  devotion  to  the  party 
arising  from  his  firm  belief  in  its  principles.  He  and  his  family  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Episcopal  church,  and  he  has  taken  a  very  active  part  in  its  work, 
serving  as  its  senior  warden  for  the  past  fifteen  years.  A  man  of  .strong 
character,  living  an  upright  life,  he  has  gained  the  regard  and  good  will  of 
his  fellow  men,  and  well  deserves  representation  in  this  volume. 


JAMES  HENRY  TABER,  of  Elko,  Nevada,  is  one  of  the  old  and  hon- 
ored pioneers  of  the  state,  where  he  has  made  his  home  since  1862.  He 
was  born  in  Westmoreland  county,   Pennsylvania,  on  the  26th  of  August, 


382  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

1831.  and  liis  fatlier.  James  Dax'is  TaVier.  claimed  tlie  state  of  New  \'()rk 
as  the  place  of  his  nativity.  The  latter  married  ^liss  Sarah  Hamilton,  a 
native  daughter  of  the  Empire  state,  and  two  children  were  born  to  them 
during  their  residence  in  Pennsylvania.  In  1832  they  removed  to  Henry 
county.  Illinois,  where  they  resided  during  the  period  of  the  Black  Hawk 
war.  and  there  the  father  took  up  land,  which  he  cleared  and  improved.  For 
twelve  years  that  commonwealth  continued  to  be  their  home,  on  the  expira- 
tion of  which  period,  in  1844.  they  made  their  way  to  Iowa,  having  been 
numbered  among  the  early  pioneers  of  that  state,  and  from  there  crossed 
the  plains  to  California  in  1846.  The  journey  thither  was  made  with  ox 
teams,  and  Mr.  Taber  was  accompanied  by  his  wife  and  six  children.  They 
took  up  their  abode  in  Contra  Costa  county,  aud  the  father  and  his  eldest 
son  Joseph  served  their  country  as  soldiers  in  the  Alexican  war.  In  the 
Golflen  state  James  Davis  Ta1)er  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life,  dying  at 
Chico  in  January,  1891,  when  he  had  passed  the  ninety-third  milestone  on 
the  journey  of  life.  His  first  wife  had  died  ere  the  family  removed  from 
their  Illinois  home,  and  by  his  second  wife  he  had  four  children,  making  ten 
in  all   in  his  family. 

James  Henry  Taber  is  the  only  representatixe  of  his  father's  family  in 
Ne\ada.  and  his  first  experience  after  removing  to  California  was  his  enlist- 
ment unrler  General  John  C.  Fremont,  with  whom  he  marched  t(i  Los  Angeles, 
and  his  is  the  honor  of  partici]3ating  in  the  taking  of  California  from  the 
Mexicans,  while  for  the  meritorious  services  which  he  then  rendered  his 
country  he  now  draws  a  pension.  \Mien  nineteen  years  of  age  he  1:)egan  the 
active  battle  of  life  for  himself,  his  first  occupation  having  been  as  a  miner 
at  Folsom  and  Mormon  Island,  in  which  he  made  money,  but  like  other  early 
miners  he  put  much  of  it  back  in  mining  enterprises  which  did  not  ]>rove  so 
successful.  Abandoning  the  pursuit  of  a  miner,  he  then  went  to  Sierra  county, 
California,  and  embarked  in  merchandising,  carrying  ])rincipally  miners'  suji- 
])lies,  three  years  being  thus  sjient  and  with  only  moderate  success.  Selling 
his  possessions  there  Mr.  Taber  removed  to  Marysville  and  soon  afterward 
engaged  in  freighting  with  oxen  from  that  citv  to  the  difYerent  miniiig  cam])s, 
conducting  this  business  with  fi\e  yoke  of  oxen  and  a  wagon.  The  teamsters 
then  went  in  groups,  camijing  out  at  night,  and  as  they  ncre  so  \\'ell  fortified 
they  were  not  molested  by  the  Indians. 

In  1862  he  arrived  in  Carson  City.  Nevada,  and  in  the  following  spring 
followed  the  mining  excitement  to  Austin,  where  he  engaged  in  the  search 
for  the  jirecious  metal  for  a  short  time  and  then  was  elected  to  the  position 
of  sheriff,  which  he  filled  acceptably  for  two  years,  while  four  years  were 
S|)ent  as  a  deputy  in  that  office.  During  his  tenure  of  the  office  he  was  active 
in  the  arrest  of  the  many  noted  law-breakers  which  then  infested  the  couutrv. 
and  by  Iiis  persistent  efforts  life  and  property  were  thus  made  more  secure 
In  1871  Mr.  Taber  arrived  in  F.Iko  county  and  engaged  in  the  stock  business. 
carrying  it  on  with  success  for  twelve  years,  during  which  time  he  often 
owned  as  many  as  fifteen  hundred  head  of  cattle  at  one  time.  .Selling  his 
|)ossessioiis  in  the  county  lie  removed  to  the  town  of  Elko,  and  in  1882  was 
elected  to  the  jiosition  of  sheriff,  in  which  position  he  serx'ed  for  a  term  of 
two  years,  and  for  six  years  was  in  the  s.-mic  ofiice  as  a  deputy.     Since  retiring 


A  illS'J'URV   Ul'   NEVAIJA.  383 

from  tlic  office  of  slicriff  he  lias  lixed  (|uietly  at  his  home  in    i'".lko.  enjuying 
tlie  fruits  f)f  iiis  former  toil. 

In  1877  Air.  'falter  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Margaret  D.  Schoer, 
who  was  born  in  (lermany  hut  was  reared  and  educated  in  this  country,  and 
has  hecn  a  resident  of  Nevada  since  I1S75.  They  have  two  daughters,  horn 
in  Wells,  Elko  county,  Clara  Mabel  and  Cora  Emma,  the  former  a  graduate 
of  the  Stanford  L^ni\ersit\'  and  the  latter  of  the  Michigan  State  Uni\-ersity, 
and  both  are  at  Imme  w  ith  their  jxarents.  Mr.  Taber  has  just  erected  a  fine 
residence  in  Elko,  which  is  a  fitting  place  for  this  brave  pioneer  couple  to 
spend  the  evening  of  their  useful  li\es.  Mr.  Taber  is  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  havmg  received  the  sublime  degree  of  a  Master  Mason 
ui  .\ustin  many  years  ago,  and  is  nf)\v  a  ^'alued  member  of  Elko  I^odge  No. 
13,  .\.  E.  &  A.  M.  The  daughters  of  the  family  arc  worthy  members  of 
the  ]'resl)vterian  chvuxdi  at  Elko. 


irON.  JAMES  G.  SWEENEY,  attorney  general  of  Nevada,  is  a  native 
of  the  state,  ha\'ing  been  horn  in  Carson  City,  January  22.  1877.  He  enjoys 
the  bnnor  of  being  the  youngest  man  in  the  entire  I'nitefl  States  wdio  ever 
occui)ied  the  office  of  which  he  is  now  incumbent.  He  is  a  son  of  Edward 
T).  Sweene>-,  one  of  the  honored  early  pioneers  of  Carson  Citv,  who  located 
in  that  locality  in  the  spring  of  1857.  He  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1829.  but 
came  to  America  in  1833,  when  only  four  years  of  age,  so  that  nearly  all 
of  his  life  has  been  spent  in  the  land  of  his  ado]:)tion.  In  1849  he  was 
attracted  to  California  by  the  discovery  of  gold,  and  was  a  placer  miner  at 
Hanghtown,  now  Placerville.  Later  he  went  to  the  Erazer  river,  and  exijeri- 
enced  many  thrilling  ad\entures.  Upon  arriving  in  Nevada  he  went  directly 
to  Eureka,  Humboldt  county,  built  a  cabin  and  conducted  a  toll  road,  some- 
times taking  in  as  much  as  two  thousand  dollars  a  day.  He  delivered  water 
at  Carson  City  in  barrels  to  the  first  settlers  of  that  place,  and  a  little  later 
piped  the  first  water  to  the  city,  .\mong  his  other  holdings  was  a  ninety- 
acre  ranch  abo\-e  the  town,  on  which  he  liuilt  a  reservoir  and  from  it  sup- 
plied the  city  with  water.  He  also  ac<^|uired  three  thousand  fi\e  hundred  acres 
of  woodland,  on  which  he  built  a  sawmill  and  supplied  the  town  with  wood, 
and  lumber,  and  many  of  the  buildings  now'  standing  were  jiut  u])  with  his 
lumber.  Later  he  built  the  first  brick  structure  in  the  city,  which  was  for 
years  occupied  by  the  state  land  office  and  law  office. 

Edward  D.  Sweeney  has  been  a  life-long  Denificrat,  and  for  years  was 
chairman  of  the  district  central  committee  of  the  state.  In  1866  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Ellen  Cavanaugh.  a  daughter  of  Peter  Ca\anaugh,  a  pioneer 
of  Nevada  and  a  noted  architect  and  builder.  Among  the  buildings  ffir  which 
Mr.  Cavanaugh  had  the  contracts  were  the  L'nited  States  mint  building  and 
the  capitol  building,  as  well  as  many  others  too  numerous  to  mention.  Both 
Mr.  Edward  Sweeney  and  his  wife  are  living.  occu]3ying  a  very  pleasant 
home  in  Carson  City.  They  had  six  children,  of  whom  four  are  now  living, 
namely:  Nellie,  who  married  George  L.  Lemon,  of  Oakland,  California: 
Margaret,  at  home  with  her  parents:  Louise,  a  successful  teacher  in  Car.son 
City ;    and  James  G. 


384  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

]\Ir.  James  G.  Sweeney  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Carson 
City,  graduating  from  the  high  schools,  after  which  he  went  to  St.  Mary's 
College  at  Oakland,  California,  from  which  he  was  graduated  with  the  degree 
of  B.  A.  He  then  returned  to  Carson  City  and  studied  law,  and  when  only 
twenty-one  years  of  age  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  After  that  he  entered  the 
Columbia  Law  University  at  Washington,  D.  C,  from  which  he  was  also 
graduated  with  high  honors.  Once  more  he  returned  to  his  native  city,  and 
soon  thereafter  the  brilliant  young  attorney  was  nominated  by  the  Democratic 
party  as  a  candidate  to  the  general  assembly.  Mr.  Sweeney  stumped  the 
district  and  was  returned  with  a  large  majority.  While  so  very  young,  Mr. 
Sweeney  possessed  unusual  ability  and  distinguished  himself  as  a  legislator, 
and  returned  home  at  the  close  of  the  session  covered  with  political  honors. 
The  intervening  time  between  his  return  and  1902  was  spent  in  carrying  on 
a  large  and  extremely  successful  practice,  but  in  that  year  he  was  nominated 
by  his  party  as  candidate  for  the  office  of  attorney  general  of  the  sfate.  In 
his  own  behalf  and  that  of  the  ticket  Mr.  Sweeney  stumped  the  entire  state, 
meeting  with  an  enthusiastic  reception  everywhere,  and  so  efifective  was  his 
campaign  that  he  was  elected  by  a  majority  of  1,570.  Since  entering  upon 
his  duties  he  has  faithfully  discharged  them  personally,  having  no  deputy. 

On  December  14,  1902,  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Mable 
Trembath,  the  accomplished  daughter  of  Hugh  Trembath,  of  Virginia  City. 
Mrs.  Sweeney  was  born  in  Virginia  City,  Nevada,  and  is  a  most  ch.arming 
and  highly  educated  lady.  Although  barely  twenty-six  years  of  age,  Mr. 
Sweeney  has  already  accomplished  more  than  many  men  in  a  lifetime,  and 
honors  have  been  heaped  upon  him.  That  his  future  will  be  equally  brilliant 
is  a  certainty  to  those  who  have  the  privilege  of  his  accjuaintance  or  have 
followed  his  remarkable  career. 


BYRON  .GATES,  who  is  serving  as  count}-  comuussioner  of  Lyon 
county,  came  to  Nevada  in  the  sjjring  of  1876.  He  is  a  native  of  Carroll. 
Maine,  born  on  the  4th  of  October,  1848,  and  is  a  representative  of  an  old 
English  family  that  was  established  in  New  England  during  the  early  period 
of  the  colonization  in  .'\merica.  His  grandfather.  Alden  Gates,  and  his 
father,  Galen  Gates,  were  both  natives  of  the  Pine  Tree  state.  The  latter 
wedded  Miss  Esther  Chase.  They  became  farming  people,  living  in  the  east 
until  1849,  when  he,  attracted  by  the  discovery  of  gold  in  Califorrna,  made 
his  way  to  the  Pacific  coast.  There  he  engaged  in  placer  mining  with  good 
success,  taking  home  with  him  several  thousand  dollars.  His  remaining 
days  were  spent  on  his  farm  in  his  native  state  amid  comfortable  surround- 
ings. He  was  a  citizen  of  worth  and  held  the  office  of  selectman  in  his 
town,  was  also  treasurer  there,  and  for  twenty  years  filled  the  office  of  post- 
master, discharging  every  ofiicial  duty  with  iironiptncss  and  fidelitv.  To  him 
and  his  wife  were  born  six  children,  including  two  i)airs  of  twins,  and  three 
of  the  children  are  yet  living.  The  parents  were  Universalists  in  religious 
faith,  and  both  attained  to  advanced  ages,  the  father  passing  away  at  the 
age  of  seventy-four,  while  the  ninthcr  reached  the  Psrdmist's  span  of  three- 
score years  and  ten. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  385 

Byron  (iates  is  the  only  representative  of  the  family  in  Nex'ada.  Tlie 
])ul)hc  schools  of  his  native  town  affordetl  him  his  educational  privileges, 
and  early  in  his  business  career  he  conducted  a  shingle  mill,  being  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  shingles  in  Carroll,  Maine,  until  his  emigration  to  the 
west  in  1876.  The  city  of  Dayton.  Nevada,  was  the  place  of  his  destination, 
and  after  his  arrival  here  he  was  employed  in  the  lumber  yard  of  Mr.  Crocket 
for  a  time.  Subsequently  he  secured  a  position  with  the  Lyon  Mill  &  Min- 
ing Company  and  later  entered  upon  an  indq^endent  venture,  becoming 
interested  in  the  bee  and  poultry  business,  in  which  he  has  gained  good  profit. 
He  now  has  seven  hundred  fowls  of  high  grades,  and  owns  a  fine  apiary, 
containing  two  hundred  and  forty  stands  of  bees.  He  has  made  a  study  of 
both  departments  of  his  business  and  has  all  the  best  equipments  and  acces- 
sories for  producing  the  best  results  in  his  work.  Upon  the  market  his  honey, 
eggs  and  poultry  bring  the  highest  prices,  and  his  annual  sales  reach  a  large 
figure,  returning  to  him  a  very  gratifying  income.  Everything  about  his 
place  is  neat  and  thrifty  in  ap]5earance,  and  his  business  capability  is  marked. 

In  1884  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Gates  and  Miss  Charlotte 
A.  Ahl,  a  native  daughter  of  California.  They  now  have  three  children : 
Hazel  E.,  Mary  Belle  and  Lottie  C,  all  of  whom  are  yet  at  home  with  their 
parents.  Mr.  Gates  owns  a  good  residence  in  Dayton,  and  he  and  his  family 
enjoy  the  respect  of  their  neighbors  and  many  friends.  Mr.  Gates  belongs 
to  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  is  a  worthy  exemplar  of  the  teachings  of  the 
craft.  He  was  made  a  Master  Mason  in  Horeb  Lodge  No.  125,  F.  &  A.  M. 
in  Maine,  filled  all  of  the  offices  in  the  lodge  and  is  now  one  of  its  past  mas- 
ters. On  his  removal  to  the  west  he  dimitted  from  the  lodge  in  Carroll  and 
is  now  affiliated  with  Valley  Lodge  No.  9,  F.  &  A.  M.,  of  Dayton. 

In  politics  he  has  always  been  a  life-long  Democrat,  and  during  the 
controversy  on  the  money  question  he  took  a  firm  stand  on  the  silver  side, 
believing  in  both  gold  and  silver  as  standard  money.  In  i8g8  he  was  elected 
to  his  i)resent  office  of  county  commissioner  of  Lyon  county,  and  after  four 
years  of  faithful  service  the  public  gave  evidence  of  its  trust  in  him  and  its 
recognition  of  his  fidelity  to  duty  by  re-electing  him,  so  that  he  is  now  serv- 
ing for  the  second  term  of  two  years.  He  puts  forth  every  effort  to  advance 
the  best  interests  of  the  county,  and  his  lab(irs  have  Ijeen  effective,  beneficial 
and  far-reaching.  During  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century's  residence  in 
this  portion  of  the  state  he  has  so  li\ed  as  to  win  the  warm  friendship  and 
favor  of  his  fellow  men  and  is  justlv  accounted  a  valued  citizen  here. 


MRS.  MARY  E.  LAKE.  In  the  year  1859  what  is  now  the  state  of 
Nevada  was  only  an  undefined  part  of  the  territory  of  Utah.  Its  population 
was  almost  entirely  miners  or  men  connected  in  some  way  with  that  industry 
and  indirectly  deriving  their  sujiport  in  that  way.  Only  the  student  of  his- 
tory and  the  readers  of  Bret  Harte  can  form  an  adequate  conception  of  life 
as  it  was  in  those  days  and  places.  For  that  reason  it  is  the  unique  distinction 
of  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Lake  that  she  arrived  in  Reno  in  that  year,  and  there  is 
probably  not  another  woman  li\-ing  who  came  at  that  time.  This  long  period 
of  residence  has  made  her  exceedingly  familiar  with   all   the  developments 


386  A  TITSTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

from  the  extreme  frontier  life  of  that  year  until  the  more  settled  conditions 
of  the  present.  And  we  can  imagine  that  her  arrival  was  somewhat  of  a  sen- 
sation to  the  miners  as  .she  was  the  first  young  girl  to  make  her  appearance 
in  that  district. 

Mrs.  Lake  was  Iwrn  in  Inwa  in  t!^45.  the  daugliter  of  James  iSlorrisou. 
who  died  when  she  was  a  child,  and  her  mother  afterward  married  Mr.  James 
.Alexander;  on  the  latter's  death  she  married  James  It.  Hickman,  with 
whom  she  crossed  the  plains  to  Nevada  in  1S59,  taking  with  her  two  sons, 
Mrs.  Lake,  and  a  step-daughter.  Orie  of  the  sons  was  John  !■".  Alexander, 
who  graduated  from  the  California  State  Universitv,  became  a  lawyer,  was 
district  attorney  of  Washoe  county,  later  was  attorney  general  of  the  state 
of  Nevada,  and  was  also  the  founder  of  the  Reno  Gazette;  he  died  in  iRgi, 
aged  thirty-eight  years.  Mr.  Hickman  was  killed  by  a  runaway  team  in 
Virginia  City  in  1862,  and  Mrs.  Lake's  mother  died  in  southern  California 
in  1896,  aged  seventy  years. 

Mrs.  Lake  gained  the  principal  ]>arl  of  licr  education  in  Virginia  City, 
after  she  was  fifteen  years  of  age,  and  in  \i>C>^  she  married  (jeorge  W.  F. 
Vosburg,  who  was  a  native  of  New  York  state  and  had  come  to  Nevada  in 
i86t.  He  was  elected  county  clerk  of  Storey  county,  and  at  th;it  time  was  a 
resident  of  Virginia  City.  Later  he  was  in  the  lumber  business  at  Meadow 
Lake,  California,  and  then  had  a  ranch  in  Long  \^alley.  He  was  in  delicate 
health,  and  then  traveled  for  some  time,  also  with  the  intention  of  securing 
some  more  congenial  occupation :  during  this  time  his  wife  remained  with  her 
mother  in  Glendale.  On  Mr.  V^osburg's  return  he  located  in  Reno,  where  he 
resided  for  five  years,  until  his  death,  which  r)ccurred  in  1879,  at  tlie  age  of 
forty  years.  His  wife  was  left  with  two  children :  Harriet  T-..  now  Mrs. 
William  B.  Thorn,  of  southern  California:  and  Certrude  Jane,  at  jiresent  a 
.school  teacher,  and  the  widow  of  Mr.  R.  L.  Hall. 

In  1888  Mrs.  Vo.sburg  was  married  to  Winfield  Scott  Lake.  He  is  a 
native  of  New  York  and  came  to  Reno  in  1880.  His  cousin,  M.  C.  Lake, 
was  one  of  the  founders  and  first  settlers  of  Reno.  One  son  has  been  born 
to  the  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lake,  ^^'infield  Scott.  Jr.  .Mr.  Lake  is  in 
the  planing  mill  business.  He  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  a  member  of  the 
Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  and  is  one  of  the  highly  respected  citi- 
zens of  Reno,  where  he  has  ;i  nice  home. 

Mrs.  Lake  has  also  been  a  ])ioneer  in  the  sense  of  sharing  in  the  hard 
work  of  the  frontier.  When  she  was  left  alone  with  her  two  chiMren  she 
supported  and  educated  them  by  dressmaking,  and  she  has  performed  all 
her  parts  in  life  equally  faithfully  and  well.  .She  is  an  Episco])alian,  while 
lier  husband  was  reared  in  the  Baptist  faith,  and  sbc  is  a  member  of  the 
Cuild  of  the  church  and  one  of  its  \-;dued   members. 


HO.V.  AlJOLrilL'S  LFICH  IHTZGER.M.l).  one  of  the  judges  of 
the  su])reme  court  of  Nevada,  dates  his  arrival  in  the  state  .\ngust.  1878. 
He  is  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  where  he  was  born  October  27.  1840.  He 
comes  of  English,  Irish  and  \\'elsh  ancestry.  He  is  one  of  the  noted  Irish 
family  of  Fitzgeralds  which  was  founded  in  .\merica  by  William  Fitzgerald, 


-♦ 


Jk 


A  illSTORV  OF  NEVADA.  as7 

who  settled  in  Virginia  aljuut  two  liundred  years  ago.  The  mother  of  Judge 
iMtzgerald  was  Martha  Jones  Hoo]ier,  and  she  descended  from  one  of  the 
first  families  of  V'irginia. 

Judge  Fitzgerald  was  the  youngest  in  a  family  of  ten  children,  and  was 
reared  and  educated  in  his  native  state,  being  graduated  from  the  famous 
University  of  North  Carolina,  receiving  his  degree  in  June,  1862.  The  war 
was  then  at  its  height,  and  he  enlisted  in  the  Confederate  service  as  a  private 
in  a  cavalry  regiment  and  so  served  until  the  close  of  the  war,  participating  in 
the  battles  of  the  Wilderness.  Petersburg  and  the  siege  of  Richmond.  One 
of  his  horses  was  shot  under  him,  but  lie  himself  never  received  any  injury. 
Young  and  enthusiastic,  he  made  a  brilliant  record  as  a  soldier.  After  the 
conflict  was  over  he  w-ent  to  California  and  became  professor  of  Latin  and 
Greek  in  the  Pacific  Methodist  College,  but  resigned  that  position  to  become 
deputy  state  superintendent  of  instruction  under  Rev.  O.  P.  Fitzgerald,  now  a 
bishop  of  the  Methodist  church.  South,  in  California.  Later  he  resigned  to 
become  president  of  the  college  in  Santa  Rosa.  For  five  years  he  was  the 
honored  head  of  this  institution  of  learning,  Init,  having  begun  the  study  of 
law,  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  liy  the  supreme  court  of  California,  in  Janu- 
ary, 1878.  He  then  went  to  Eureka,  Nevada,  where  he  ])racticed  his  pro- 
fession until  1887,  and  was  then  elected  district  judge  which  position  he  ably 
filled  until  January  i,  1890,  when  by  election  he  became  a  member  of  the 
suprehie  court  of  the  state.  In  his  first  election  for  judge  he  was  the  only 
Democrat  elected,  and  in  his  second  election  for  the  same  office  he  received 
double  the  vote  of  his  party  and  thirty  \otes  additional.  In  his  third  election 
he  met  with  no  opposition,  and  the  same  state  of  things  existed  in  his  fourth. 
His  fifth  election  was  when  he  was  the  candidate  for  the  supreme  bench,  and 
he  carried  every  count}'  in  the  state  and  received  the  largest  vote  of  any  man 
in  Nevada,  which  proves  more  conclusively  than  anything  else  the  wonderful 
personal  popularity  of  Judge  Fitzgerald.  The  stand  the  Judge  takes  upon 
national  affairs,  particularly  u]xin  the  financial  questions  of  the  day,  has 
been  reached  after  careful  and  conscientious  deliberation  and  exhaustive 
reading  upon  both  sides. 

In  1869  Judge  Fitzgerald  was  married  to  Miss  Nannie  McCoy,  of  S;in 
Jose,  California,  and  three  children  have  been  born  to  them,  namely :  McCoy, 
a  graduate  of  Harvard  Law  School,  now  an  attorney  of  Shasta  county,  Cali- 
fornia: Geraldine,  now  with  her  father;  Richard,  a  prominent  attorney  of 
New  York  City.  Mrs.  Fitzgerald  died  in  1882,  and  in  1884  Judge  Fitzgerald 
married  Mrs.  Chappel,  a  lad}-  of  great  attainments  and  high  social  position. 

Fraternally  Judge  Fitzgerald  is  a  Mason,  having  become  one  in  1862. 
and  has  ad^•anced  until  he  has  taken  all  the  degrees  in  both  the  York  and 
Scottish  Rites,  and  is  now  past  grand  master  of 'the  state,  past  high  priest 
of  the  state,  and  for  the  last  seventeen  years  he  has  been  inspector  general 
of  Scottish  Rite  Masonry.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Royal  Order  of  Scot- 
land, and  has  had  in  all  fifty  degrees,  so  that  there  is  no  Mason  east  or 
west  who  is  higher  in  the  order  than  he. 

In  writing  of  a  man  of  the  attainments  and. high  .standing  of  Judge 
Fitzgerald  the  biographer  must  naturally  feel  that  no  mere  words  of  his 
can  sufficiently  express  the  esteem  and  adnn'ration  accorded  such  a  subject. 


388  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Throughout  a  life  of  honorahle  dealing  Judge  Fitzgerald  has  always  acted 
wisely,  judiciously  and  conscientiously,  whether  it  was  in  a  matter  concern- 
ing himself  alone,  or  upon  occasions  when  the  welfare  of  many  was  at  stake, 
and  as  a  most  natural  result  his  name  is  exalted  and  his  popularity  increased 
with  each  succeeding  day. 


HON.  JAMES  R.  JUDGE,  ex-attorney  general  and  ex-lieutenant  gov- 
ernor of  Nevada,  is  not  only  one  of  the  representative  men  of  the  state,  but 
also  a  lawyer  of  national  reputation.  He  came  to  Nevada  in  1877.  He  is 
a  native  of  Huntingdon  county.  Pennsylvania,  where  he  was  born  Septeml)er 
9.  1849.  coming  of  Irish  ancestry.  His  ])arents,  James  and  Mary  (Smith) 
Judge,  lioth  were  born  in  Ireland.  His  father  was  a  farmer  and  railroad  man, 
and  lived  to  be  seventy-five  years  of  age,  Vvhile  his  niother  was  seventy-four 
when  she  died,  the  two  passing  awav  within  a  year  of  each  other.  Three 
sons  were  horn  to  these  parents.  James  being  the  only  one  to  come  to 
Nevada 

General  Judge  was  reared  in  his  native  state  and  educated  in  St.  Francis 
College,  where  he  learned  civil  engineering,  and  he  followed  that  calling  for 
a  numlier  of  years.  F'or  a  short  time  after  arriving  in  Nevada  he  was  en- 
gaged in  surveying  for  a  railroad,  and  then  entered  upon  the  study  of  law 
in  the  office  of  Colonel  Ellis  and  his  partner  Mr.  King,  and  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  May  5,  1881,  by  the  supreme  court  of  the  state.  Immediately  there- 
after he  entered  upon  the  practice  of  his  profession.  In  December,  1S9C).  he 
was  a])pointed  attorney-general  of  Nevada  by  Governor  Sadler  and  served  in 
that  office  until  1899.  In  the  fall  of  1898  lie  was  elected  lieutenant  governor, 
and  entered  upon  the  duties  of  his  office  January  i.  1899,  and  filled  the  office 
with  credit  to  himself  and  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  all  concerned  until 
January  i,  1903,  when  his  successor  assumed  charge,  and  General  Judge  re- 
turned to  his  large  practice.  He  has  1)eeii  a  life-long  Democrat  and  has 
always  taken  an  active  jiart  in  local  and  state  affairs,  being  a  ])roniinent  factor 
in  the  organization  of  the  silver  party.  He  has  also  been  identified  witli 
various  mining  interests,  and  is  to-d.ay  a  wealthy  ni;ri.  aUhough  he  has  never 
forgotten  the  days  when  his  income  dci)ended  uijon  his  own  e.xertions. 

In  1893  General  Judge  was  united  in  nia""riage  with  Mrs.  D.  R.  Upton, 
a  native  of  Maine,  who  came  to  the  Pacific  co.ast  in  1870  and  thereafter  made 
iier  home  in  California.  She  is  a  lady  of  high  education  and  culture,  and 
in  religious  faith  is  a  Presbyterian.  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that 
General  and  Mrs.  Judge  are  accorded  a  \ery  high  ]io.iitioii  socially,  and  that 
they  have  a  host  of  warm  friends  to  whom  they  dispen.se  a  very  gracious 
liospitality  at  their  beaulifid  home  in  ("arson  City. 


IKJX.  \Vh:BSTER  P.XTTFRSON.  Conspicuous  in  (he  role  of  names 
of  men  who  liave  conferred  honor  upon  the  legal  profession  stands  that  of 
Webster  Patterson,  ;i  prominent  ;in<l  will  known  resident  of  VAko.  He  is, 
however,  a  native  son  of  the  east,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Wilmington. 
Dclaw'are,  on  the  30th  of  March.   1863.     In  the  same  town  his  father,  John 


.    A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  389 

C.  I'attersuii,  was  born,  and  was  tlicrc  married  to  Miss  I^aura  A.  Webster, 
wlio  was  l)orn  in  Maryland,  and  several  generations  of  the  family  on  botli 
sides  lia\-e  liad  their  nativity  in  tliis  country.  Jolin  C.  Patterson  was  a  grad- 
uate of  I'rinceton  College,  and  was  a  lawyer  of  prominence.  He  spent  his 
entire  life  in  the  state  which  gave  liim  birth,  attaining  the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty 
years,  while  his  wife  was  called  to  her  final  rest  at  the  age  of  fifty  years. 
During  his  active  business  career  many  honors  were  conferred  upon  him.  He 
served  as  a  United  States  district  attorney  under  the  administrations  of 
Garfield  and  Arthur,  was  dean  of  Ihe  New  Castle  county  bar,  and  was  an 
active  and  influential  Whig.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were  valued  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  church,  and  in  their  family  were  four  children,  alj  of  whom 
are  living,  but  the  subject  of  this  biography  is  the  only  representative  in 
Nevada. 

Webster  Patterson  receixed  bis  early  educational  training  in  the  public 
schools  of  his  native  town  and  later  matriculated  in  Cornell  University, 
graduating  from  that  well  known  institution  with  the  class  of  iS86.  Two 
years  later,  in  1888,  he  arrived  in  Nevada,  where  he  began  the  reading  of  law 
in  the  office  of  Webster  Dorsey,  then  one  of  Nevada's  prominent  lawyers, 
but  now  a  practitioner  of  San  Francisco.  Admitted  to  the  bar  in  this  state 
in  1891,  Mr.  Patterson  has  ever  since  been  actively  engaged  in  the  practice 
nf  his  profession  in  Elko.  In  his  jjolitical  affiliations  he  has  been  a  life-long 
Ivepublican,  and-  during  the  memorable  silver  movement  was  an  active  par- 
ticipant in  behalf  of  both  silver  and  gold  as  standard  money.  As  a  repre- 
sentative of  his  chosen  party  he  was  elected  and  served  the  county  of  Elko  as 
district  attorney  for  several  years,  was  also  county  surveyor,  and  in  1898 
was  elected  a  member  of  the  Nevada  legislature,  in  which  he  served  as  chair- 
man of  the  judiciary  committee  and  took  an  active  ])art  in  all  the  legislation 
enacted  during  that  term. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Patterson  was  celebrated  in  t888,  when  Miss  Lizzie 
Dorsey  became  his  wife.  She  is  a  native  daughter  of  the  Golden  state,  her 
birth  occurring  in  Placerville,  California,  and  her  father  was  the  Hon.  John 
M.  Dorsey.  They  have  had  five  children,  all  born  in  Elko:  Dorsey,  Laura 
(who  died  at  the  age  of  five  years),  Dorothy  E.,  John  and  Marguerite.  The 
family  reside  in  one  of  Elko's  pleasant  homes,  and  Mr.  Patterson  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  fraternity. 


GEORGE  RAMMELKAMP.  Widely  and  fa\'orably  known  in  the 
city  of  Dayton  and  this  section  of  Ne\'ada,  George  Ramm'elkamp  dates  his 
residence  in  the  state  since  1869.  He  is  a  native  of  Prussia,  and  in  his  life 
exemplifies  many  of  the  sterling  traits  of  his  race.  He  was  born  in  the  year 
1846,  and  remained  in  the  fatherland  until  about  thirteen  vears  of  age,  when 
he  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  new  world.  He  had  attended  school  in  his 
native  country  and  thus  laid  the  foundation  for  a  good  practical  education. 
On  reaching  the  Lhiited  States  be  made  his  wav  to  a  sister  wdio  was  living  in 
Galena,  Illinois,  after  which  he  worked  upon  an  Illinois  farm  until  he  became 
large  enough  to  secure  employment  in  the  lead  mines  of  that  portion  of  the 
state.     He  obtained  a  position  as  teamster,  hauling  lead  from  the  mines,  and 


390  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

while  thus  engaged  was  intrusted  Iw  tlie  company  with  tlie  work  of  carrying 
hack  to  the  ot^ce  tlie  niohev  received  for  the  lead.  On  one  occasion  he  had 
a  very  narrow  escape  from  death.  He  was  walking  hehind  his  wagon,  and  in 
his  pocket  were  seventy-two  dollars  which  he  had  just  received.  Three 
ruffians  attacked  him  and  knocked  him  down.  He  fell  upon  his  Imll  dog  that 
was  chained  to  the  back  of  the  wagon.  Although  excited,  he  had  the  presence 
of  mind  while  down  to  quickly  loosen  the  chain  which  held  the  dog.  It  was 
a  savage  animal,  and.  realizing  the  danger  of  its  master,  it  at  once  leaped  upon 
one  of  the  men  while  Mr.  Rammelkamp  struggled  with  another  and  the 
third  ran  away.  Mr.  Rammelkamp  was  very  strong  and  vigorous,  and  in 
the  struggle  was  too  much  for  his  antagonist,  although  he  received  in  the 
skirmish  a  severe  wound  in  his  hand  which  disabled  three  of  his  fingers,  so 
that  he  has  never  been  able  to  use  them.  He  was  also  stabbed  several  times 
in  other  places,  Imt  succeeded  in  putting  oi¥  his  assailants,  and  they  were 
afterward  all  three  arrested  and  each  sentenced  to  fifteen  years  in  the  Illinois 
state  penitentiary.  This  little  incident  is  sufficient  to  show  the  courage  and 
.strength  of  character  which  the  young  German  had  in  him.  The  faithful 
animal  that  had  aided  in  his  defense  sustained  se\'eral  knife  wounds.  Init 
e\-entually  recovered   from  these. 

In  the  year  1869  -Mr.  Rammelkamp  drove  a  team  across  the  plains  to 
California.  The  party  bail  some  difficulty  with  the  Indians  on  the  Snake 
river,  but  all  of  the  number  got  through  in  safety  to  Sacramento.  On  the 
2d  of  August,  1869,  Mr.  Rammelkamp  arrived  in  Silver  City,  Nevada,  and 
became  engaged  in  mining  and  milling.  His  first  work  was  in  the  Sucker 
mine,  where  he  labored  with  pick  and  shovel.  He  also  worked  for  a  time  in 
the  Burk  mine  at  Silver  City,  and  in  1870  he  came  to  Dayton  to  work  in 
the  Sutro  tunnel  in  the  employ  of  Mr.  Sutro.  He  had  charge  of  the  stock, 
and  later  was  intrusted  with  the  work  of  improvmg  Mr.  Sutro's  seventeen 
hundred  acre  farm,  which  he  developed  from  a  sage  brush,  irrigated  and  placed 
under  a  high  state  of  productiveness,  raising  thereon  barley,  fiats,  and  alfalfa, 
and  other  farm  products.  All  this  rec|uired  much  laljor,  which  was  capably 
performed  by  Mr.  Rammelkamp,  whose  methods  were  jiractical  and  success- 
ful, resulting  in  making  the  tract  a  land  very  valuable.  He  also  built  the 
road  to  Virginia  City,  and  continued  in  the  emplov  of  .Mr.  Sutro  until  that 
gentleman  sold  out.  He  had  the  entire  confidence  aii<l  regard  of  Mr.  Sutro, 
who  entertained  for  him  warm  friendship  and  respect,  and  the  business 
relations  between  them  were  mutually  ijleasant.  As  the  years  ]rassed  Mr. 
Rammelkamp  sa\ed  his  money  and  made  judicious  investments,  so  that  he 
is  now  enabled  to  live  retired  from  actix'e  business.  He  loans  his  money, 
and,  receiving  a  good  interest,  has  an  income  sufficient  for  his  needs  and  also 
to  su])ply  him  with  many  of  the  comforts  and  luxuries  of  life.  He  owns 
and  occu])ies  a  good  home  in  Dayton,  and  he  also  has  three  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  ricli  lan<l  in  this  section  of  the  state. 

In  \F,/Cy  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Rammelkani])  and  Miss  .Ann 
Daugherty,  a  nati\e  of  Ireland.  Their  union  has  been  blessed  with  three 
daughters.  Clara  and  Elizabeth  are  graduates  of  the  Nevada  State  Univer- 
sity and  are  successful  school  teachers,  while  C.eorgiana  is  now  jiursuing  a 
course  in  the  university.     The  family  are  all  communicants  of  the   Rom.in 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  391 

Catholic  church,  and  Mr.  Uaninielkamij  liohls  niemhcrship  relations  witli 
the  Aniceiit  Order  of  United  Worlcnien  and  the  Knigiits  of  Pythias.  In 
politics  he  is  a  Repuhlican,  hut  lias  ne\'er  desired  oflice,  preferring  to  perform 
his  public  service  as  a  private  citizen.  He  is  true  and  loyal  to  the  stars  and 
stripes,  although  Imni  across  the  water,  and  America  and  her  institutions  are 
very  dear  to  him. 


ROBERT  JONES,  who  died  Octoher  ii,  1903,  was  one  of  the  honored 
pioneers  of  the  great  west,  and  his  identification  with  the  Pacific  coast  coun- 
try covers  a  half  century.  He  was  horn  on  the  25th  of  October,  1830,  in 
Shropshire,  England,  and  the  years  of  bis  boyhood  and  youth  were  passed 
there.  He  was  a  young  man  of  twenty-three  years  when  he  made  his  way 
to  California,  crossing  the  plains  from  the  eastern  portion  of  the  country. 
He  walked  from  Salt  Lake  City  to  the  Golden  state,  a  distance  of  five  hun- 
dred miles,  accomplishing  the  journey  in  seven  and  one-half  days.  Se\-en 
young  men  started  together,  but  Mr.  Jones  and  two  of  his  companions  were 
the  only  ones  who  reached  California  at  that  time.  Ar  the  sink  of  the  Hum- 
boldt there  was  a  trading  post,  and  they  tried  to  buy  food,  but  found  that  no 
supples  could  be  obtained  save  whisky,  and  they  gave  one  dollar  a  pint  for 
this.  Each  one  of  them  drank  a  pint,  it  being  two  waters  to  one  whisky. 
They  also  succeeded  in  getting  a  pint  of  flour,  which  Mr.  Jones  made  into 
"slap-jacks."  One  of  the  men  took  his  cakes  out  when  thev  were  baked 
on  only  one  side,  but  the  others  waited  to  have  theirs  baked  on  both  sides. 

At  length  Mr.  Jones  arrived  in  California  and  was  engaged  in  mining 
in  Rabbitt  creek,  where  he  met  with  prosperity.  Suljsecjuently  he  returned 
to  the  east  by  way  of  the  water  route,  thence  made  his  way  to  England  in 
order  to  bring  his  parents  to  the  new  world.  It  was  their  intention  to  travel 
by  water  from  St.  Louis  to  California,  but  the  mother  died  in  St.  Louis  and 
was  laid  to  rest  in  a  cemetery  there.  The  father  died  \\  hen  only  one  day  ofif 
on  the  Mississipi)i,  and  thus  fate  prostrated  the  plans  of  Mr.  Jones  in  provid- 
ing for  his  parents  in  the  new  world.  During  his  visit  in  England,  however, 
he  had  "been  married  in  1857  to  Miss  Jane  Williams,  w  ho  was  born  in  Shrop- 
shire, England,  and  they  came  t(~)  the  Eldorado  of  the  west,  journeving  across 
the  ])lains.  They  l)rought  with  them  two  ox  teams  nnd  two  wagons  and  six 
head  of  cows,  and  for  two  years  they  remained  in  California,  but  in  18^9 
removed  to  Virginia  City,  Nevada. 

Mr.  Jones  also  took  with  liini  a  few  head  of  cattle  and  some  oxen  to 
Virginia  City.  The  town  had  just  licen  estaljlished  and  the  habitations  of 
the  people  were  largely  tents.  Mr.  Jones  and  his  wife  spent  the  winter  in 
one  of  these  canvas  afifairs  and  experienced  all  the  hardships  and  privations 
of  pioneer  life,  although  they  v.ere  more  fortunate  than  some  of  their  neigh- 
bors. They  had  brought  with  them  a  ton  of  flour,  a  sack  of  cofTee.  rice. 
1)acon  and  a  box  of  candles.  At  Virginia  City  they  met  a  man  who  owned 
a  cow,  but  had  nothing  to  feed  her,  and  he  prevailed  u])on  Mr.  Jones  to  trade 
him  food  for  the  cow.  Mr.  Jones  then  obtained  all  the  hay  that  was  brought 
to  Virginia  City  in  order  to  feed  his  cow.  Supplies  if  all  kinds  were  limited 
because  the  snow  lay  from  fi\e  to  ten  feet  deep,  and  before  spring  he  lost  all 


392  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

of  his  stock,  save  one  cow  and  an  ox.  Prices  were  very  liigli  that  spring. 
Flour  .sold  for  fifty  dollars  per  fifty-pound  sack,  and  other  provisions  brought 
equally  exorbitant  prices.  Mr.  Jones  engage<l  in  chopping  wood,  which  he 
hauled  with  his  cow  and  ox  voked  together.  He  often  stopped  in  the  streets 
and  milked  the  cow  as  she  stood  in  the  team.  At  one  time  he  received  two 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars  for  hay.  His  wood  brought  from  ten  to  fifteen  dol- 
lars per  cord,  and  he  worked  very  hard  and  long  in  the  west  in  order  to  gain 
a  start. 

However,  he  made  money,  and  for  twenty-five  years  engaged  in  the 
dairy  business  at  Gold  Hill.  During  the  great  mining  excitement  there  he 
made  from  five  hundred  to  one  thousand  dollars  a  month.  He  bought  land 
at  Steamboat  from  time  to  time  until  he  was  the  owner  of  twenty-two  hun- 
dred acres,  and  he  and  his  sons  engaged  in  0]3erating  the  ranches  until  his 
son  married.  In  the  year  1889  Mr.  Jones  removed  to  Reno  and  occupied  a 
pleasant  home  in  the  city. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jones  were  born  nine  children,  but  six  of  the  number 
have  passed  away.  The  son  Frank  was  the  first  boy  born  in  Gold  Hill,  his 
natal  year  being  i860.  He  now  resides  in  California.  Emma  is  the  widow 
of  Robert  Williams  and  resides  with  her  mother,  and  Charles  C,  the  youngest 
son,  is  on  the  ranch.  Mrs.  Jones  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  church.  Mr. 
Jones  held  membership  with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and 
politically  was  never  allied  with  any  party,  but  voted  for  the  men  whom  he 
thought  best  qualified  for  office.  His  life  was  an  extremely  busy  one,  indo- 
lence and  idleness  being  utterly  foreign  to  his  nature,  and  his  hard  work  and 
persistent  purpose  resulted  in  bringing  to  him  prosperity.  Like  other  pioneers 
of  the  great  west,  he  bore  hardships  and  trials,  experiencing  all  the  difficulties 
of  making  a  start  in  a  new  country  where  there  were  no  improvements  and 
no  advantages.  It  is  to  this  class  of  citizens,  however,  that  Nevada  and 
other  western  states  owe  their  development,  for  such  men  laid  the  foundations 
for  the  present  progress  and  prosperitv  of  the  different  western  common- 
wealths. 


HON.  GEORGE  FREDERICK  TALP.OT.  a  judge  of  the  supreme 
court  of  Nevada,  came  to  the  state  in  1869.  He  is  a  native  of  Connecticut, 
where  he  was  born  April  16,  T859,  coming  of  English  and  Irish  ancestry, 
representatives  of  both  sides  of  the  family  being  early  settlers  in  New  Eng- 
land. His  father,  Henry  M.  'I'albot,  was  b'lrn  in  Connecticut  and  marric<l 
Almira  Ayer,  of  English  and  Scotch  ancestry,  who  traced  her  ancestors  in 
Connecticut  back  to  John  Ayer,  who  was  one  nf  ihe  progenitors  of  the 
family  in  the  United  States.  John  ;\yer  was  born  in  February,  1688, 
rmd  died  l'"cl)ruary  20,  1760,  aged  seventy-two  years.  Jose|)h  y\yer  was  born 
April  3,  1 72 1,  and  died  .\pril  i,  1814,  aged  ninety-three  years.  Elisha.  the 
son  of  Jo.seph,  was  torn  August  16,  1757,  married  Thankful  Drake,  a  de- 
scendant of  another  old  New  England  family,  and  lie  died  June  20.  1853, 
aged  ninetv-six  vcars.  His  son,  George  Ayer,  was  born  i'cbruary  T2.  1796, 
married  Julia  Studd.'ird.  and  died  l'"ebruary  23,  1891,  aged  ninetv-six  years. 
The  last  l\\n  named  were  the  grandparents  of  Judge  Talbut  mi  tlio  maternal 


kSBtiS-^^ 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  393 

side.  The  j\yer  family  is  a  very  long-lived  one,  and  members  of  it  were 
active  in  tlie  Revolutionary  war.  In  religious  l^elief  they  were  Congrcga- 
lionahsts  and  Unitarians.  The  deatli  of  tlie  father  of  Judge  TaII)Ot  took 
place  in  1901,  when  he  was  sixty-five  years  of  age,  but  his  mother  survives 
and  is  now  sixty-three  years  old,  and  she  makes  her  home  in  San  Jose,  Cal- 
ifornia. Henry  M.  Talbot,  the  father  of  tlie  Judge,  crossed  the  plains  to 
California  and  became  a  farmer  in  that  state,  but  later,  enticed  by  the  White 
Pine  excitement,  removed  to  Elko  county,  Nevada,  in  1869,  and  took  up 
land,  and  from  it  improved  a  fine  farm  and  engaged  in  raising  barley  and 
potatoes. 

The  only  child  of  these  parents  was  Judge  Talbot,  and  he  was  only  ten 
years  old  \vhen  the  family  settled  in  Ne\'ada,  but  prior  to  that  he  had  re- 
ceived instruction  in  Grass  Valley,  California.  Later  he  attended  school  in 
Nevada,  but  in  1872  was  sent  to  Connecticut  and  later  went  to  Dickinson, 
Pennsylvania,  wdiere  he  finished  his  education.  He  then  returned  to  Nevada 
and  continued  the  law  studies  he  had  begun  in  Pennsylvania,  in  the  office 
of  Judge  Biglow  in  Elko.  In  1881  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  and  prac- 
ticed until  1884,  when  he  was  elected  district  attorney,  and  was  re-elected 
in  1886.  In  1890  he  was  elected  district  judge,  the  state  being  then  all  in 
one  district.  After  the  new  districts  were  formed  he  was  elected,  in  1894, 
judge  of  the  fourth  judicial  district,  and  in  1898  re-elected  without  oppo- 
sition. Still  greater  honors  awaited  Judge  Talbot,  for  in  1902  he  was 
elected  supreme  judge  and  entered  upon  the  duties  of  his  office  in  January, 
1903.  Few  lawyers  in  the  country  are  as  well  read  and  highly  educated  as 
Judge  Talbot,  and  his  decisions  are  marked  liy  their  clearness,  justice  and 
impartiality. 

Judge  Talbot  is  largely  interested  in  sheep  and  cattle  raising,  and  is  a 
large  stockholder  in  se\eral  veiy  valuable  mines.  He  is  the  owner  of  several 
thousands  of  acres  of  land,  and  is  a  very  successful  business  man,  as  well  as 
an  honor  to  both  bench  and  bar.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Knights 
of  Pythias,  and  after  casting  his  first  vote  was  a  Republican  until  the  silver 
question  confronted  the  people,  when  he  felt  compelled  to  give  his  support 
to  the  principles  upon  the  money  question  he  deemed  right  and  just,  and  is 
now  one  of  the  leading  lights  of  the  silver  party  in  Nevada. 


J.  A.  McBRIDE  w'as  one  of  the  incor]iorators  and  is  now  the  manager 
of  the  Elko  Lumber  Company,  and  has  been  a  resident  of  this  commonwealth 
since  1877.  He  is  a  native  son  of  the  west,  his  birth  having  occurred  near 
Auburn,  California,  in  July,  1859,  and  in  the  public  schools  of  the  Golden 
state  he  received  his  early  educational  training.  After  reaching  mature 
years  he  received  the  position  of  telegraph  operator  with  the  Southern  Pacific 
Railroad  Company,  remaining  therewith  for  thirteen  years,  and  during  the 
last  three  years  of  the  time  held  the  important  position  of  train  master. 
Concluding  his  services  with  that  corporation,  he  then  served  as  accountant 
for  the  W.  T.  Smith  Company  for  four  years,  while  for  the  following  three 
years  he  was  manager  of  that  large  establishment. 

Since  reaching  legal  age  Mr.  McPiride  has  given  a  firm  support  to  tlie 


394  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Republican  party,  and  after  severing  his  connection  n  ith  the  W.  T.  Smith 
Company  he  was  made  the  representative  of  that  party  for  the  office  of  treas- 
urer of  Elko  county,  filling  that  position  with  honor  to  himself  and  credit 
to  liis  fellow  citizens.  For  some  time  past  he  has  given  his  entire  attention 
to  the  management  of  the  Elko  Lumber  Company,  at  Elko,  which  was  estal)- 
lished  in  1868  by  W.  J.  Urton.  who  conducted  the  business  for  a  number  of 
years  and  was  later  succeeded  by  ^^'ilsey  and  Earl,  v.^ho  were  succeeded  b)- 
Frank  Smith.  In  time  Payne  &  Fennell  became  the  owners  of  this  establish- 
ment, while  the  name  and  ownership  was  later  changed  to  Payne  &  Miller. 
and  finally,  in  1895,  the  name  was  again  changed,  Payne  &  AlcBride  assum- 
ing control  of  the  establishment.  In  1901  the  business  was  incorporated  by 
Messrs.  John  Payne,  M.  H.  Miller  and  J.  A.  I\IcBride.  its  capital  stock  being- 
fifteen  thousand  dollars.  The  lumber  fur  this  concern  is  received  from  the 
.Sierra  Nevada  mountains,  and  they  now  supply  the  country  north  and  south 
of  Elko  for  a  distance  of  many  miles,  also  having  a  large  local  trade.  The 
business  is  conducted  upon  the  most  honorable  terms,  and  the  members  of 
the  company  are  men  of  the  highest  business  integrity  and  resjwnsibility. 

In  1883  Mr.  McBride  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Emily  A.  P.onne- 
field,  the  daughter  of  e.x-Supreme  Judge  M.  S.  Bonaefield,  of  Winnemucca. 
Ne\ada.  Their  home  is  brightened  and  blessed  with  two  sons,  ,\llen  ('•.  and 
Bonnefield  G.,  and  the  family  are  members  of  the  Episcopal  church,  in  which 
Mr.  McBride  holds  the  office  of  senior  warden.  In  his  fraternal  relations 
he  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order,  having  received  the  blue  lodge  degrees 
in  Winnemucca  Lodge  No.  19,  on  the  19th  of  November,  1883,  and  is  now 
a  member  and  ])ast  master  of  Elko  Lodge  No.  15.  Tie  is  also  a  member  of 
the  "Old  Time  Telegraphers'  Association."  whose  membership  claims  many 
of  the  most  prominent  and  successful  business  men  of  our  country.  Mr. 
McBride  was  the  i)romoter  of  the  law  ])roviding  for  the  establishment  and 
maintenance  of  county  high  schof)ls  in  this  .state.  lie  was  one  of  the  first 
trustees  and  most  zealous  supporters  of  the  Elko  county  high  school,  miw 
acknowledged  to  be  one  of  the  best  educational  institutions  of  its  char;icter 
in  the  west. 


HON.  WILLIAM  WOODBURN,  thrice  a  member  of  Congress  fnmi 
Nevada,  and  now  one  of  the  state's  most  able  lawyers,  making  his  home  at 
Carson  City,  dates  his  arrival  here  in  1863.  He  was  born  in  Ireland.  A])\-\\ 
14,  1838.  and  came  to  the  United  States  when  ten  years  of  age.  His  educa- 
tion was  secured  at  St.  Charles  College  in  M.aryland,  and  in  1855  he  went 
to  California  via  the  isthmus,  .\fter  arri\al  in  the  state  he  mined,  meeting 
with  the  usual  success  of  those  days.  He- had  claims  which  yielded  an  ounce 
])er  day,  and  these  he  sold  for  two  hundred  dollars  and  went  in  searcli  of 
something  l)ettcr.  While  mining  one  of  his  claims  in  Sierra  county  be  found 
a  nugget  worth  over  one  thousand,  one  hun<lred  dollars,  but  while  making 
money  easily  he  also  lost  it. 

Finally  he  began  to  read  law  in  Jackson,  and  from  there  went  to  \'ir- 
ginia  City,  Nevada,  and  was  admitted  to  jjractice  in  i8r)6.  In  1869  he  was 
elected  district   attorney,  mid  lieing  a   \'ery  active  Republican  he   was  clcclid 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  39o 

by  that  party  to  Congress  in  1874.  Ilis  campaign  against  Colcjncl  A.  C. 
Ellis  was  so  powerful  that  it  brought  the  young  Irishman  before  the  public 
very  prominently,  and  gave  him  a  majority  of  nine  hundred.  At  the  end  of 
his  term  he  declined  a  re-nomination,  and  was  succeeded  in  Congress  by,  Hon. 
Thomas  Wren.  Mr.  Woodburn  practiced  law  in  Virginia  City  u.ntil  1886, 
when  he  was  again  nominated  by  the  Repuljlicans  and  ran  against  Hon. 
George  W.  Cassady,  who  had  served  a  term  in  Congress  and  was  the  most 
])opular  Democrat  in  the  state.  Mr.  Woodburn  again  made  a  very  able 
canvass  and  received  a  majority  of  eight  hundred  and  fifty,  and  at  the  end  of 
his  second  term  was  re-elected  to  succeed  himself.  During  his  life  in  Con- 
gress Mr.  Woodburn  did  much  for  his  state,  and  was  regarded  as  one  of  the 
most  enterprising  and  able  statesmen  from  the  w-est. 

Once  more  returning  to  his  law  practice,  he  was  again  called  upon  to 
serve  his  people,  as  he  was  appointed  by  Governor  Sadler  attorney  general  of 
the  state.  In  1902  he  was -again  the  candidate  of  his  party  for  Congress,  but 
was  defeated  by  Newlands.  He  is  now  the  veteran  lawyer  of  his  state.  Until 
1896  he  was  a  stalwart  Republican,  but  when  that  party  adopted  a  gold 
standard  Mr.  \\'oodburn  felt  constrained  to  advocate  principles  of  free  silver, 
and  since  then  has  devoted  all  his  efforts  toward  the  advancement  of  the 
new  party.  He  was  the  nominee  for  district  attorney  of  the  first  judicial 
district  and  lost  l)y  only  two  hundred  and  fifty  majority.  His  legal  career 
has  been  marked  by  success,  and  his  knowledge  of  his  profession  is  almost 
unlimited. 

In  1877  he  was  married  to  Mary  Duffy,  a  native  of  Carson  City.  They 
have  had  two  children,  namely:  William,  who  served  in  the  Spanish-Amer- 
ican war  and  is  now  in  Washington,  D.  C. ;  Grace,  who  is  also  in  the  same 
city.  General  Woodburn  is  a  meml)er  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Work- 
men, and  verv  few  men  stand  higher  in  the  estimation  of  his  fellow  citizens. 


ANDREW  J.  LOFTUS  is  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  extensive  mer- 
cantile establishment  conducted  under  the  firm  name  of  Braun  &  Loftus  at 
Dayton.  He  is  a  man  of  good  business  ability,  executive  force  and  keen 
discernment,  and  is  numbered  among  the  prominent,  energetic  and  far-see- 
ing citizens  of  Dayton.  A  nati\'e  son  of  California,  his  birth  occurred  in  the 
Golden  state,  October  4,  1862,  and  in  1868  he  was  brought  to  Nevada  by 
his  father,  Andrew  Loftus.  The  family  is  of  Irish  lineage,  and  his  father 
was  born  on  the  Emerald  Isle,  whence  he  came  to  the  United  States  as  a 
young  man,  crosing  the  Atlantic  in  the  year  1844.  He  settled  in  New  York 
and  was  there  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Waldron,  also  a  native  of 
Ireland.  After  several  years'  residence  on  the  Atlantic  coast  they  made  their 
way  to  the  Pacific  ocean,  arri\ing  in  California  in  1852.  Thev  had  jour- 
neyed w'estward  by  the  isthmus  route,  and  Andrew  Loftus  engaged  in  placer 
mining  in  Tuolumne  and  Amador  counties.  His  attention  was  given  to  the 
search  for  gold  for  about  sixteen  years,  and  then  in  1868  he  brought  his 
family  to  Nevada,  settling  in  Dayton.  Here  he  secured  employment  in  the 
Sulphur  Acid  Manufacturing  establishment,  and  he"  afterward  worked  in 
Nome.     He  is  now  retired  from  acti\e  business  life,  residing  in  Dayton  at 


390  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

the  age  of  seventy-six  years.  His  wife,  however,  departed  this  Hfe  in  the_ 
sixty-seventh  year  of  her  age.  He  has  ever  given  his  poHtical  support  to  the 
Democracy  as  it  exempHfies  his  opinions  regarding  the  issues  and  questions 
of  the  day.  He  is  a  worthy  memher  of  tlie  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows and  is  widely  known  in  this  portion  of  Nevada.  To  him  and  his  wife 
were  born  three  children,  of  whom  two  are  living,  one  daughter  and  Andrew 
J.     The  former  is  now  the  wife  of  J.  E.  Gignoux,  of  Dayton. 

Andrew  J.  Loftus  Iieing  but  six  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  the  removal 
of  the  family  to  Dayton,  acquired  his  early  educational  training  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  this  city,  while  later  he  entered  Napa  College  of  California, 
being  a  graduate  of  that  institution.  On  putting  aside  his  text  books  and  en- 
tering a  business  career,  he  familiarized  himself  with  the  methods  of  mer- 
chandising through  a  clerkship  in  different  stores  of  this  city.  He  w^?  tor 
a  time  with  T.  J.  Flaws,  and  prior  to  that  was  in  the  employ  of  J.  A.  Bon- 
ham.  On  the  1 2th  of  November,  1900,  the  firm  of  Braun  &  Loftus  was  es- 
tablished, and  they  at  once  acquired  a  large  and  prosperous  business,  which, 
under  tlieir  close  attention  and  honorable  methods,  has  continued  to  grow  so 
that  the  firm  now  enjoys  a  very  good  trade  and  has  the  confidence  and  the 
good  will  of  the  entire  public.  Their  patronage  comes  from  the  best  people 
of  Davton  and  the  surrounding  country,  and  the  business  is  now  upon  a  very 
profitable  basis,  owing  to  the  faithful  labors,  energy  and  honorable  methods 
of  the  owners. 

Mr.  Loftus  espoused  the  cause  of  the  silver  party  when  the  money  ques- 
tion became  the  paramount  issue  before  the  people  of  this  country,  and  in  that 
connection  he  became  a  candidate  of  the  silver  party  for  county  clerk  and 
treasurer.  To  the  dual  position  he  was  elected,  and  faithfully  ser\-ed  in  that 
capacity  for  six  years.  It  was  upon  his  retirement  from  the  office  that  he 
entered  upon  his  present  business  relations.  Fraternally  he  is  connected  with 
the  Masonic  order,  with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the 
Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen.  He  belongs  to  Valley  Lodge  No.  9,  F. 
&  A.  M.,  of  which  lie  is  senior  warden,  and  at  the  present  time  he  is  also  the 
honored  treasurer  of  Dayton  Lodge  No.  5,  I.  O.  O.  F. 

On  the  T4th  of  October,  1897,  Mr.  Loftus  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Mrs.  E.  N.  Barton.  By  her  first  marriage  she  had  a  little  son,  George  Ches- 
ter Barton,  whom  they  are  now  rearing.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Loftus  are  well 
known  in  this  city  and  enjoy  the  favor  and  friendship  of  all  with  whom  they 
have  come  into' contact.  Fle  is  extremely  po])ular  as  a  business  man  in  Lyon 
countv,  and  is  recognized  as  a  valued  rcprcscnlalix'c  of  the  commercial  intir- 
csfc  of  Dayton. 


MICHAEL  SHIELDS,  a  retired  farmer  of  Reno,  has  been  a  witness  of 
the  development  of  the  western  states  from  the  year  1856.  and  has  been  a 
resident  of  Washoe  county,  Nevada,  since  1871.  He  was  born  in  county 
Cavan  in  the  north  of  Ireland  on  the  13th  of  August,  1837,  and  was  educated 
on  the  Emerald  Isle.  However,  he  attended  school  to  .some  extent  in  Con- 
necticut, having  when  sixteen  years  of  age  crossed  the  .Atlantic  to  the  new 
world  .'Mill  t.nken  uu  his  abode  in  the  Charter  Oak  state,      lie  came   for  the 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  397 

purpose  of  seeing  America,  intcndinj^-  U<  return  to  his  native  country,  hut  was 
so  well  pleased  with  this  land,  its  opportunities  and  its  ])rospects  tliat  he  has 
never  recrossed  the  water  to  tlie  Emerald  Isle. 

In  Connecticut  he  learned  the  trade  of  carriage  painting,  and  in  1856 
came  to  California  hy  way  of  the  isthmus,  arriving  in  San  Francisco  in  what 
was  the  golden  age  of  the  state.  That  city  was  then  a  comparatively  small 
l)lace  and  the  buildings  erected  there  were  crude,  having  largely  been  put  up 
merely  for  temporary  use.  Mr.  Shields  made  his  way  to  Sacramento  and 
began  working  in  a  livery  stable,  in  which  he  remained  for  a  year.  On  the 
exi)iration  of  that  period  he  removed  to  Coloma  in  Eldorado  county,  where 
Marshall  first  made  the  discovery  of  gold.  There  he  was  emi)loyed  in  a 
grocery  store  from  1857  until  1871,  being  in  the  services  of  Robert  Bell, 
and  in  the  latter  year  he  arrived  in  Ne\ada. 

In  this  state  Mr.  Shields  turned  his  attention  to  railroading,  being  first 
employed  as  a  freight  conductor  and  afterward  as  a  passenger  conductor  on 
the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad,  running  between  Truckee  and  Winnemucca. 
Two  years  later,  with  the  money  that  he  had  been  able  to  save  from  his  earn- 
ings, he  purchased  a  farm  in  Washoe  county  five  miles  from  Reno,  com- 
prising one  hundred  and  eighty-five  acres  of  rich  and  arable  land.  He  then 
turned  his  attention  to  the  cultivation  and  development  of  his  property,  and 
remained  an  enterprising  and  prosperous  agriculturist  of  the  community  until 
1901.  when  he  sold  his  property  and  took  up  his  abode  in  the  city,  where  he 
now  owns  and  occupies  a  nice  brick  residence  located  on  Second  street.  He 
had  been  married  in  1887  to  Miss  Annie  Murphy,  who  was  born  in  the  town 
in  which  his  own  birth  occurred.  They  had  been  neighlx)rs  from  childhood, 
and  the  friendship  of  early  years  was  cemented  by  the  ties  of  marriage.  Four 
children  have  been  born  to  them :  Minnie,  now  the  wife  of  James  F.  Hailey, 
a  newspaper  publisher  in  Truckee,  Nevada ;  Bessie,  Clara  and  John,  all  at 
home. 

Since  becoming  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  Mr.  Shields  has  given  his 
political  support  to  the  Repul)lican  party,  and  while  residing  in  Eldorado 
county  he  served  as  constable  and  as  deputy  sheriff,  while  in  Washoe  county 
he  has  also  filled  the  position  of  deputy  sheriff.  His  social  relations  connect 
him  with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  he  was  made  a  Mason 
in  Acacia  Lodge  No.  92,  F.  &  A.  M.,  at  Coloma,  California.  He  now  affil- 
iates with  the  Reno  Lodge  No.  13,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  has  taken  the  Royal 
Arch  degrees  in  the  chapter.  The  family  are  all  members  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  church.  Mr.  Shields  has  had  no  occasion  to  regret  his  determina- 
tion to  remain  in  the  new  world,  and  has  profited  by  the  opportunities  af- 
forded in  this  country  where  effort  is  not  hampered  by  caste  or  class.  His  life 
has  been  one  of  unfaltering  diligence,  and  as  the  years  have  passed  he  has 
steadily  advanced  toward  the  plane  of  prosperity. 


THE  WALKER  L.AJ-:E  BULLETIN  is  a  weekly  paper  published  at 
Hawthorne  on  each  Friday  by  Alfred  J.  McCarthy.  The  sheet  is  sixteen  by 
thirty-two  inches  and  is  a  twenty-four  column  journal.  It  was  established  at 
Hawthorne  in  1883  by  M.  N.  Glenn,  who  sold  out  to  J.  M,  Campbell,  while 


3'-'«  A  HISTORY   OF  NEVADA. 

in  1899  Mr.  McCarthy  became  its  owner  and  editor.  He  ha.s  since  pulilislied 
it  with  much  ability,  making  of  it  a  paper  which  is  a  credit  to  the  town.  The 
])aper  was  RepubHcan  in  sentiment  until  the  silver  movement  came  before 
the  people,  when  it  became  an  exponent  and  adherent  of  the  cause  of  silver, 
ably  setting  forth  the  principles  of  that  party  and  doing  much  effective  work 
along  that  line. 

Mr.  McCarthy,  the  present  editor  and  proprietor,  is  a  native  son  of 
California,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  San  b'rancisco  on  the  3d  of  April, 
T853.  His  father.  Eugene  McCarthy  was  a  California  pioneer  of  1850  and 
Mr.  McCarthy's  brothers,  Denis  E.  and  J.  F.,  as  well  as  himself,  were  among 
the  most  noted  newspaper  men  of  San  Francisco  and  of  Virginia  City.  Nevada. 
Denis  E.  McCarthy,  having  edited  the  San  Francisco  Clironuic  with  much 
ability,  became  the  founder  of  the  Cliroiiiclc  at  \'irginia  City,  and  was  recog- 
nized as  a  journalist  of  marked  talent  and  power. 

Mr.  McCarthy  learned  his  trade  in  the  balmy  days  of  Gold  Hill  as  an 
employe  in  the  office  of  the  Gold  Hill  Neti's.  and  since  that  time  h.e  has  been 
connected  witli  the  Sacramento  Bee.  the  Sacramento  Union,  the  San  I'Tan- 
cisco  Chronicle,  the  Post,  and  was  also  in  newspaper  work  in  Alta.  California. 
For  twelve  years  he  was  on  the  Chronicle  of  Virginia  City,  after  which  his 
health  failed  him  and  he  spent  a  }ear  in  Honolulu.  He  then  returned  to  Cal- 
ifornia and  was  connected  with  the  Sierra  City  Tribune  for  a  year,  while 
later  he  was  foreman  of  the  Reno  Gazette,  but  l)eing  still  in  poor  health  he 
thought  a  removal  to  Hawthorne  would  prove  beneficial.  Accordingly  he 
came  to  Hawthorne  in  1888.  and  has  since  been  the  owner,  editor  and  pub- 
lisher of  the  Bulletin. 

In  1882  I\Ir.  McCarthy  was  married  in  Reno  to  Miss  Ada  Holmes,  and 
they  have  three  children :  Margaret  D.,  Mary  R.  and  John  Arthur.  I\Tr. 
McCarthy  owns  his  office  and  home  in  Hawthorne.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
.'\ncient  Order  of  United  \\''orkmen  and  of  the  Typographical  Union.  .Xs 
a  citizen  he  is  very  public-spirited  and  progressive,  and  advocates  all  measures 
for  the  general  good,  giving  .substantial  assistance  through  the  influence  of 
his  paper. 

HO^,  THOMAS  PORTER  TIAWLEY.  Hon.  Tiiomas  R.,rlcr 
\  lawley.  United  State.'-'  district  judge  of  the  district  of  Nevada,  and  since 
1895  designated  by  the  circuit  judges  to  attend  the  sessions  of  the  circuit 
court  of  appeals  at  San  Francisco,  has  been  a  resident  of  the  state  since  1868. 
He  is  a  native  of  Ri]iley  county.  Indiana,  having  been  Ixirn  near  Milan,  on 
July  18,  1830.  He  comes  of  English  ancestors  who  settled  in  Connecticut 
and  Massachusetts  at  an  early  day.  His  father,  Ebenezer  Sanford  Hawley, 
was  born  in  Connecticut  in  1803.  lie  married  Eliza  Porter  Stevenson,  a 
native  of  Kentucky,  and  five  childn  n  were  born  to  them. 

Judge  Hawley,  the  second  in  order  of  birth  in  the  family,  was  reared 
and  educated  in  his  native  state.  In  1852  he  crossed  the  plains  to  California, 
lie  arri\ed  in  Ui)per  Hangtown.  now  Placerville,  and  remaincfl  in  Eldorado 
county  until  June  i.  1833.  in  which  vear  he  located  in  Nevada  county,  b'rom 
i8'52  to  1855  he  engaged  in  mining,      lie  lived  in  Ne\-ada  county  from   1833 


^% 


i 


A  IIISTUKV  ()[■'  NEVADA.  ?>9'.> 

to  i<S6S,  aiifl  during  1855-36  lie  served  as  county  clerk.  He  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  in  Nevada  county  in  January,  1857.  and  in  1859  was  admitted  l(j 
the  bar  of  the  supreme  court.  Fie  w.is  elected  district  attorney  of  Nevada 
county  in  1863.  In  1868  he  settled  in  White  Tine  county,  Nevada,  and 
l)racticed  his  profession  until  the  fall  of  1872,  when  he  was  elected  justice 
of  the  supreme  court  of  the  state:  was  re-elected,  ,ind  ser\'ed  three  successive 
terms,  eighteen  years  in  all,  lacking  three  ni()ntlis.  In  Sei)tembcr,  t8()o. 
he  was  ap])ointed  by  President  Harrison  to  his  present  high  judicial  office. 

November  15,  1858.  Judge  Hawley  was  married  to  Miss  Kudora  Mur- 
rell,  a  native  of  Mississijjjji.  Three  children  were  born  of  this  union,  namely: 
Ernest,  now  residing  in  San  h'rancisco :  Lilian,  the  wife  of  Joseiih  E.  'I'rainor, 
of  Santa  Barljara,  California:  and  Jessie,  who  died  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
two  years.  Mrs.  Hawley  died  in  1891,  aged  fifty-one  years,  ller  death 
was  deeply  felt  not  only  by  her  own  family,  but  by  many  fricmls.  who  loved 
her  for  the  Christian,  kindl\-  \irtues  she  always  displayed. 

Judge  Hawley  is  one  of  the  old  Masons  of  the  state,  and  the  date  of  his 
entrance  into  the  order  was  in  Jul}',  1851.  at  Milan,  Tndian;i.  in  1856  he 
received  the  Royal  Arch  degree,  and  became  a  Kniglit  Templar  in  1858.  He 
was  master  of  Nevada  Lodge,  in  Nevada  City,  for  three  years,  and  was  for 
three  years  high  priest  of  Nevada  Chapter,  and  for  two  years  was  high  priest 
of  the  chapter  at  Hamilton,  Nevadri.  h'or  fi\c  years  he  was  ])relate  of  the 
Nevada  Commandery.  Nevada  has  no  better  representative  of  the  highest 
elements  of  learning  and  ability  on  lx)th  the  bench  and  the  bar  than  in  the 
person  of  Judge  Hawley. 


J.  F.  TRIPLETT,  a  citizen  of  the  town  of  Elko,  is  one  of  the  oldest 
living  pioneers  of  Nevada.  His  career  has  Ijeen  eventful  enough  to  furnish 
material  for  a  book,  and  few  men  have  seen  more  or  Ijeen  more  closely  iden- 
tified with  the  kaleidoscopic  life  of  the  west  during  the  last  half  century. 
From  boyhood  he  has  been  accpiainted  with  the  scenes  of  the  Pacific  slope, 
and  has  traveled  pretty  much  o\-er  all  that  part  of  the  world.  He  has  had 
experience  as  a  miner  in  California  and  in  Nevada,  has  tried  the  rough  life 
of  the  cowboy  and  freighting  and  teaming"  among  the  nviuntains  and  plains 
of  Nevada,  was  in  the  livery  and  stock-raising  business  for  some  time,  and 
in  the  public  service  of  his  state  as  an  officer  ot  the  law  and  an  Indian  fighter 
won  many  laurels  for  his  courage  and  rendered  more  secure  liotli  the  lives 
and  property  of  the  citizens.  It  was  while  in  pursuit  of  horse  and  cattle 
thieves  that  he  made  his  first  acquaintance  with  what  is  now  Nevada,  in  1855, 
and  only  two  years  later  became  a  permanent  settler  near  where  the  town  of 
Genoa  now  stands,  being  among  the  \'ery  first  to  Iricate  there. 

Mr.  Triplett  is  of  a  southern  family.  His  grandfather  was  a  native  of 
Culpeper  county,  Virginia,  was  one  of  the  pioneers  to  the  state  of  Kentucky, 
and  afterward  fought  in  the  war  of  181 2.  George  W.  Triplett.  the  father 
of  J.  F.  Triplett,  was  born  in  Kentucky  in  1809,  and  his  wife,  Pamelia  Head. 
was  a  nati\-e  of  Scott  county,  that  state,  and  the  daughter  of  John  Head  also 
a  Kentucky  pioneer.  George  Triplett  was  a  sur\-eyor  and  surveyed  all  the 
Green  river  country  of  Kentucky.     He  passed  all  his  life  in  Kentucky,  and 


400  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

lived  to  Ije  over  seventv-five  years  old.  while  his  wife  was  eighty-one  at  her 
death.  They  were  members  of  the  Baptist  church.  They  were  the  parents  of 
ten  children,  and  five  are  living  at  the  present  time. 

J.  F.  Triplett,  the  only  representative  of  the  family  in  Nevada,  was  born 
in  Kentucky,  in  1835.  He  recei\ed  some  educational  advantages  up  to  the 
time  he  was  fourteen  years  old,  but  then  began  making  his  own  way  in  the 
world.  When  seventeen,  in  1852,  he  went  tt)  California  by  way  of  the  Nica- 
raugua  route,  and  made  a  living  for  a  time  by  mining  in  Eldorado  county. 
He  then  worked  for  Dorsey  and  Pierce,  cattlemen  of  Placer\-ille,  and  for 
several  years  was  a  cowboy  in  both  California  and  Nevada.  In  1857  he 
secured  a  claim  to  land  near  Genoa,  Nevada,  and  began  raising  stock  tlierc. 
He  cut  the  hay  for  his  own  use,  and  the  cattle  pastured  on  the  hills.  He 
and  Sam  Buckland  built  the  first  house  on  the  big  bend  of  the  Carson  ri\er, 
in  which  he  li\ed  for  se\-eral  years.  After  this  he  freighted  with  ox  teams 
from  Folsom  and  Placerville,  California,  to  Carson  City  and  Virginia  City. 
Nevada,  and  as  this  was  a  paying  enterprise  at  the  time  he  continued  it  until 
1863.  In  that  year  the  mining  excitement  at  Austin  brought  him  to  that  place, 
and  he  mined  and  prospected,  and  was  also  in  the  livery  business  there  for 
se\-en  years.  At  that  time  he  was  under-sheriff  of  Lander  county,  under 
Sheriff  Spires.  Lander  county  then  covered  a  great  part  of  the  state,  includ- 
ing Eureka,  and  he  was  kept  busy  chasing  criminals  and  outlaws  of  all  kinds, 
especially  stock  thieves,  and  his  successful  efforts  in  this  direction  helped 
much  to  render  industry  profitable  and  living  safe.  Following  this  period 
of  his  life  he  moved  to  Lamoille  valley,  Elko  county,  and  located  lands,  and 
had  several  ranches  during  the  next  ten  years  and  was  a  successful  grain  and 
stock  raiser.  He  had  three  or  four  hundred  head  of  stock  at  a  time,  and 
prosperity  smiled  on  his  efforts  so  that  he  retired  from  the  business  in  i88_' 
and  came  to  Elko  for  the  purpose  of  educating  his  children.  He  .still  has 
four  hundred  and  eighty  acres  of  land  in  the  valley  and  two  good  residences. 

After  coming  to  Elko  to  reside  Mr.  Triplett  was  appointed  deputy  sheriff 
under  Ben  I'itch,  and  was  also  employed  by  the  Ne\ada  Live  Stock  Associa- 
tion to  i)ursue  and  arrest  cattle  thieves.  He  had  charge  of  Mr.  Fitch's  office 
until  the  hitter's  term  expired.  During  this  time  he  had  one  of  the  most 
thrilling  exi)eriences  of  his  life,  and  one  that  .shows  how  courageous  and  de- 
termined Mr.  Trijilett  has  always  been  in  the  performance  of  duty.  In 
the  course  of  a  long  career  among  desperadoes  he  was  continually  in  per- 
sonal danger  and  almost  daily  running  risks  to  make  an  ordinary  man 
shudder,  but  this  i)articular  occasion  is  deserving  of  mention  in  this  bing- 
raphy. 

Three  cattle  thieves  had  been  arrested  and  jailed  at  Baker  City,  Oregon, 
Init  had  I)roken  jail  and  escajjcd  into  Nevada.  Mr.  Triplett  was  put  on  their 
trail.  He  started  with  five  men,  but  after  nine  days'  fruitless  pursuit  they 
all  gave  up  the  chase,  and  he  was  left  to  follow  alone.  The  trail  was  often 
lost  on  the  stony  ground,  but  he  went  on  with  dogged  resolve  to  finfl  his 
men.  After  fifteen  days  he  got  a  man  to  accompany  him.  .ind  im  the  twenty- 
ninth  day  he  caught  up  with  the  gang.  They  were  all  large  men.  over 
six  feet,  and  the  leader  was  six  feet  four,  and  was  armed  with  a  Imig  rille. 
Mr.   Tri])lelt  disgui.sed   himself  as  a   farmer — which   he  certainly  resembled. 


A  HlSTOin'  ()I<"  NEVADA.  4()1 

with  liis  many  days'  growlli  nf  Ix'ard  and  nui,L;h  I(H.ks— and  entered  tlicir 
cani])  inquiring'  for  a  lost  co\\'.  lie  went  on  w  illi  them  fur  some  distance,  all 
the  time  looking  for  a  chance  to  get  the  man  with  the  rifle  by  himself,  and 
after  capturing  him  the  rest  he  tlidught  would  he  easy.  I'"in;dly,  when  the 
dinner  hour  arrived,  they  separated  to  get  food,  the  leader  going  into  one 
house  and  the  other  two  further  on  to  another.  Mr.  Triplett  kept  wdth  the 
big  man.  and,  getting  the  dro])  on  him,  had  him  handcuffed  and  a  prisoner 
before  he  could  make  a  show  of  resistance.  He  bundled  his  captive  into  the 
wagon,  and  drove  on  to  the  Imuse  where  the  others  were  awaiting.  ^^Ir. 
Triplett,  leaving  his  man  in  the  wagon,  with  the  admonition  that  he  had 
better  make  no  move  to  esca])e,  rushed  into  the  house,  caught  and  handcuffed 
one  of  the  thieves,  but  the  other  started  to  run  out  the  back  door.  Mr.  I^'ip- 
lett  followed  him.  and,  after  a  brief  struggle,  succeeded  in  putting  the  irons 
on  him  also.  He  had  done  all  this  with  only  slight  .assistance,  and  he  then 
ordered  the  precious  trio  to  sit  down  to  the  table,  with  one  hand  free,  and 
eat  their  dinner  before  their  long  journey  back  to  Oregon.  There  was  great 
excitement  in  Baker  Citv  when  Mr.  Triplett  arrived  with  his  three  prisoners, 
and  there  was  strong  talk  of  lyn.ching  them  before  they  could  reach  the  jail. 
On  coming  to  the  outskirts  of  the  crowd  which  packed  all  approaches  to  the 
jail,  Mr.  Triplett  placed  a  revolver  in  the  b.and  of  each  of  the  prisoners,  and 
told  them  to  defend  themsehes  if  an  assault  \\as  made.  He  then  ordered 
the  crowd  to  stand  back,  and  clearing  a  path  brought  the  men  without  harm 
through  to  the  prison,  delivering  them  to  the  sheriff  and  recei\ing  a  receijjt 
for  them  in  due  form.  So  grateful  were  all  the  citizens  of  the  town  that  they 
gave  him  the  best  they  had  without  a  cent  of  remuneration,  and  he  was  also 
gi\'en  a  ticket  back  to  Elko,  besides  other  rewards.  The  names  of  the  thiex'es 
were  Steel  and  two  Prescotts.  and  they  were  con\-icted  and  sent  to  the  Salem 
penitentiary  for  ten  years. 

In  i860,  during  the  Piute  Indian  outbreak.  Wv.  Triplett  joined  a  com- 
pany of  cowboys  under  Captain  Sam  Wallace.  There  were  forty-seven 
of  them,  armed  with  rifles,  but  when  they  came  upon  the  Indians,  the  latter 
were  so  strong  that  they  were  obliged  to  fall  back  and  wait  for  more  men. 
Being  reinforced  to  one  hundred  ruid  twenty-nine  men.  they  \\'ent  against 
nine  hundred  Indians,  and  in  a  light  lasting  all  day  and  until  night  they  killerl 
forty-six  of  the  redskins  and  lost  hut  two  of  their  own  men.  .and  compelled 
the  Indians  to  retreat.  It  was  a  desperate  conflict,  and  e\-ery  white  m;ui 
earned  the  title  of  hero.  .V  short  time  before  the  Indians  h;ul  annihilated 
Major  Ormsby's  comiiany.  and  by  this  success  were  emboldened  to  further 
violence,  which  was  effectually  checked,  h.owe\-er,  by  the  brave  cowljoys. 

Mr.  Triplett  was  married  in  1867-  to  Miss  Emm.'!  T.  Sheldon,  who  was 
born  in  Chicago  and  reared  in  the  state  of  Illinois,  and  was  the  daughter  of 
Philo  Sheldon,  who  brought  bis  familv  to  California  when  Airs.  Tri])lett  was 
ten  years  old.  Three  children  ha\c  been  bom  of  this  marriage,  all  in  Nevada. 
Phil  is  editor  of  the  ^^'clls  (Nevada)  Herald;  Dora  is  the  wife  of  George 
W.  Bruce,  of  Elko:  and  Emma  is  at  home  with  her  parents. 

Mr.  Triplett  has  been  a  life-long  Democrat.  He  recei\ed  his  Master 
Mason's  degree  in  1867.  in  .^ustin  Lodge  No.  10,  E.  &  A.  M..  and  for  four 
years  was  its  secretary,  anrl  has  also  served  as  secretarv  of  Elko  Lodge  No.  15. 
26 


402  A  HISTORY  OJ'  NEVADA. 

for  ten  years,  and  lias  held  the  office  of  junior  warden.  Mr.  Triplett  has  not 
entirely  given  up  his  old  love  for  mining  life,  and  about  once  a  year  goes  out 
on  a  prospecting  trip.  He  located  two  claims  on  Bald  mountain  for  which  he 
was  paid  one  thousand  dollars  without  having  done  any  development  work, 
on  them.  Mr.  Tri])lett  is  a  splendidly  preserved  specimen  of  the  Nevada 
pioneer,  and  his  worth  as  a  citizen,  a  public  official  and  luisiness  man  marks 
liim  as  a  man  of  influence  and  jiowcr  in  his  county  and  state. 


HON.  T.  R.  HOFER,  ex-superinlcnden1  of  ihc  L'nilcd  States  mint  at 
Carson  City.  Nevada,  and  one  of  the  most  prominent  men  of  the  city,  came 
to  the  state  in  1869  from  Washington,  D.  C.,  as  one  of  the  corps  of  clerks 
to  open  the  mint  at  Carson  City.  He  served  first  as  a  clerk,  later  as  chief 
clerk,  and  then  was  made  superintendent  Ijy  President  Harrison.  Mr.  Hofer 
is  a  native  of  Maryland,  having  been  born  in  Baltimore,  May  24,  1853,  and 
comes  of  German  ancestry.  His  father  was  a  dealer  in  hardware  in  Balti- 
more and  became  very  successful.  His  family  consisted  of  three  sons,  namely  : 
Theodore  Robert,  Charles  A.  and  Albert  C. 

Theodore  R.  Hofer  was  reared  and  educated  in  Baltimore,  and  was 
only  sixteen  when  he  located  in  Nevada,  where  for  so  many  years  he  has 
])ursued  a  successful  business  career.  After  twenty  years  of  faithful  service 
in  the  mint,  Mr.  Hofer  was  for  some  time  cashier  of  the  Bullion  Bank  of 
Carson  City,  and  is  n(jw  one  of  the  largest  insurance  agents  as  well  as  one 
of  the  substantial  mine-owners  of  the  city.  His  mining  interests  are  centered 
at  Tonopah,  one  of  the  most  productive  mining  districts  in  the  state.  His 
partner,  Mr.  Harris,  attends  to  his  interests  in  San  T^rancisco  under  the  title 
of  Harris  &  Hofer,  and  the  firm  does  a  large  and  constantly  increasing 
business.  Since  casting  his  first  \ote  ]\Ir.  Hofer  has  always  been  a  stanch 
Republican.  Fraternally  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order,  tlic 
order  of  Elks  as  well  as  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  for  Nevada,  of  which  he 
fs  past  supreme  representative. 

On  July  23,  1872,  he  was  married  to  hdorence  Tivelyn  Kingsley,  a 
native  of  Eldorado  county,  California,  and  a  daughter  of  Henry  King.sley, 
one  of  the  prominent  pioneers  of  that  state.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hofer  have  one 
son  and  four  daughters,  namely:  Theodore  Robert,  Jr.,  postm.astcr  of  Car- 
son City:  luhelyn  Dana,  Hazel  .\dele,  Cladys  and  Claire,  all  at  home  with 
their  ])arents.  Mrs.  Hofer  and  her  daughters  are  members  of  St.  Paul's 
Episcopal  church,  and  Mr.  TTofcr  and  the  entire  family  are  \ery  im|)ortant 
factors  in  the  social  life  of  the  community.  They  have  a  beautiful  home  in 
Carson  City,  where  all  their  friends  are  cordially  welcomed  and  treated  with 
that  hospitality  which  is  a  characteristic  of  all  the  Hofer  family. 


J.\.\1I'1S  .SCOTT,  now  deceased,  was  for  maiiv  \ears  an  honored  and 
respected  citizen  of  Dayton,  Ne\ada.  lie  was  born  on  the  Isle  of  Jersey, 
[•"ebruary  3,  1823,  and  was  the  eldest  of  the  five  children  of  William  Scott 
and  wife.  William  Scott  was  born  in  the  north  of  Ireland,  but  his  wife 
was  iKirn  in   Englrnid.       The  only  mcnibci'  ol   the   f;iniil\-  now    li\ing  is    lohn 


A  HISTORY  Ol'-  NEVADA.  4n8 

Scott,  a  Iirdther  of  James,  and  is  ikjw  eiioa<;e(l  in  tlie  h.ankini;'  business  in 
Sacranientd.  California. 

l)nring  the  infanc\-  i)f  J.anies  .Scutt  liis  parents  iiKixed  Id  Wcjolwicli. 
county  Kent,  England,  and  tliere  he  was  reared  and  educated.  When  but 
thirteen  ve.ars  of  age  he  went  to  sea,  and  followed  the  life  of  a  seaman  until 
his  twenty-fifth  year,  sailing  to  various  jiarts  of  the  world.  During  thf>se 
years  he  studied  navigation  and  was  granted  navigation  jjapers.  He  sjient 
several  )'ears  in  .'\ustralia,  and  arri\-ed  in  California  in  the  early  fifties.  He 
spent  some  time  in  the  gold  diggings  at  Murjjhy's  camp  in  Calaveras  county, 
where  he  met  with  moderate  success  in  his  search  for  the  yellow  metal,  his 
brothers  William  and  John  being  his  ]wrtners  in  the  business. 

While  in  Calaveras  county,  California,  ^\r.  Scott  married  Miss  Mary 
E.  Cooper,  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  bom  in  Eranklin.  Morris  county,  that 
state,  on  the  14th  of  Octolier,  1839,  and  a  daughter  of  Dax-id  and  Anna 
(Ayers)  Cooper.  Five  chikh'en  were  born  of  this  union  but  two  of  the 
number  died  in  infancv.  Those  still  li\'ing  are  Lillian  E.,  who  attended  for 
several  terms  Bishop  Whittaker's  Seminary  in  Reno  and  is  now  the  wife 
of  William  Whitten,  a  resident  of  Dayton;  Mary  A.,  who  was  educated  in 
tlie  Dayton  high  school  and  is  now  at  home  with  her  mother;  and  William 
Henry,  who  was  eckicated  at  ITeald's  Business  College  in  San  b""rancisco  and 
the  Nevada  State  University,  and  now  bves  with  his  mother  and  is  serving 
as  bookkeejier  for  the  Nevada  reduction  works. 

For  a  little  over  a  year  after  his  marriage  Mr.  Scott  remained  at  AFurijIiy's 
cam]>  in  Calaveras  county,  California,  engaged  in  ranching,  and  in  1873 
came  to  Dayton,  Nevada,  where  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  Leete  ami 
Birdsall  toll  road  in  Gold  Canyon,  between  Virginia  City  and  Dayton.  At 
that  time  there  was  much  excitement  over  the  recently  discovered  gold  and 
silver  mines  in  this  section,  and  the  country  was  in  the  midst  of  great  pros- 
perity. Mr.  Scott  worked  for  the  Birdsall  Mill  and  Mining  Company  for 
some  time.  In  1875,  seeing  the  need  for  additional  water  facilities  at  Dayton, 
he  purchased  pi])e  and  supplied  the  town  with  its  water  works,  most  of  the 
residences  in  the  place  being  i)iped.  He  had  charge  of  the  plant  until  bis 
death,  and  since  then  bis  wife  has  carried  on  the  business  with  the  assistance 
of  her  son  and  daughter. 

Politically  Mr.  Scott  was  a  strong  Republican,  and  took  a  deeji  interest 
in  educational  matters  in  his  town,  serving  on  the  school  board  for  some 
time.  He  was  an  active  and  worthy  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows,  passed  all  the  chairs  of  tlie  order  and  was  district  deputy  grand 
patriarch  of  the  state.  He  was  a  citizen  of  the  highest  integrity  of  character 
and  led  an  honorable  life,  so  that  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the  i^tb  of 
January,  1896,  was  widelv  and  dee|)lv  mourned.  His  funeral  was  very 
iargelv  attended,  and  was  under  the  auspices  of  bis  brethren  of  the  Odd 
Fellows  societv.  IMr.  Scott  was  a  loving  husband  and  indulgent  father,  and 
bis  memory  is  a  sacred  inheritance  and  is  cherished  by  a  multitude  i;f  friends. 
Throughout  his  career  of  continued  and  far-reaching  usefulness,  his  duties 
were  performcfl  with  the  greatest  care,  and  during  his  long  life  his  personal 
honor  and  integrity  were  without  blemish. 


40-t  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

EDWARD  E.  WINFREY,  who  is  principal  of  the  Reno  schools,  is 
acknowledged  to  be  one  of  the  most  prominent  and  capable  educators  in  the 
state  of  Nevada.  His  zeal  and  devotion  to  his  work  inspire  and  encourage 
the  pupils  and  teachers  who  are  under  his  direction,  and  as  the  result  of  his 
guidance  the  schools  of   Reno  have  made  ra))i(l  and    satisfactory   advance. 

Edward  E.  Winfrey  was  born  in  Suiter  county.  California,  hut  has 
resided  in  this  state  since  its  infancy.  He  represents  an  old  .Xmericui  family, 
his  ancestry  having  settled  in  \'irginia  in  colonial  days.  Edward  ]\.  Winfrey 
obtained  his  early  education  in  the  schools  of  Nevada,  and  afterward  con- 
tinued his  studies  at  Napa  Collegiate  Institute,  California.  Throughout  bis 
entire  business  career-  he  has  devoted  his  energies  to  educational  work,  and 
has  been  very  sincere  as  a  follower  of  this  profession.  For  the  past  eighteen 
years  he  has  engaged  in  teaching  in  Nevada,  spending  two  years  in  connection 
with  the  schools  of  Eureka,  twelve  con.secutive  years  in  W'innemucca,  and  in 
July,  1903,  he  was  electerl  principal  of  the  schools  of  Reno.  He  is  very  de- 
voted to  bis  profession  and  is  a  most  earnest  worker  in  behalf  of  intellectual 
advancement.  He  gives  close  attention  to  all  the  details  of  school  work,  and 
as  a  successful  teacher  enjoys  a  very  bigb  reputation  in  the  state  in  which  his 
life  has  been  passed.  His  history  sets  at  naught  the  old  adage  that  a  prophet 
is  never  without  honor  save  in  his  own  country,  for  in  the  midst  of  the 
people  among  uhom  he  was  reared  he  has  gained  distinction  and  success  in 
the  line  of  his  chosen  calling. 

Mr.  Winfrey  is  a  worth.y  example  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  its 
Ijrinciples.  and  now  holds  membership  with  both  the  lodge  anrl  chapter. 
F{e  was  raised  to  the  sublime  degree  of  a  Master  !Mason  in  Reno  Lodge  No. 
13,  F.  &  A.M.,  and  received  the  Royal  Arch  degrees  in  Reno  Chapter.  He 
is  also  a  past  grand  chancellor  in  the  Knights  of  Pythias  fraternity.  A  man 
of  broad  learning  and  scholarlv  attainments,  his  influence  has  been  a  jiotent 
factor  in  the  intellectual  development  of  his  state,  and  it  is  to  be  hojjed  that 
for  years  to  come  his  labors  will  l)e  effective  and  far-reaching  in  advancing 
the  educational  welfare  of  Nevada. 


CH Aki^b^S  GULLIX(i.  who  is  the  secretary  and  manager  of  the  Reno 
Mill  &  Lumber  Company  of  Reno,  is  well  known  in  the  industrial  ruid  com- 
mercial circles  of  tliis  state.  In  reviewing  the  history  of  Mr.  Gulling  one  is 
reminded  of  the  words  of  a  great  new  York  financier:  "If  you're  not  a  suc- 
cess, don't  blame  the  times  you  live  in,  don't  blame  the  place  you  occupy, 
don't  blame  the  circumstances  you  are  surrounded  with — lay  the  blame  where 
it  belongs — to  yourself.  Not  in  time,  place  or  circumstance,  but  in  the  man 
lies  success.  If  you  want  success  you  must  pay  the  price."  'Realizing  the 
truth  of  these  .statements.  Mr.  Culling  has  ]);n'd  the  ])rice  of  concentrated  effort, 
indomitable  energy,  of  perseverance  and  well  applied  business  principles, 
and  in  the  end  has  won  the  prosjierity  for  which  be  has  been  stri\  ing. 

Born  in  California,  he  first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  of  d.iv  in  Oak 
valley  on  the  14th  of  October.  T855,  bis  father  Iieing  Martin  Gulling,  who 
is  mentioned  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  In  1859  the  family  removed  to 
Cliico,  and  in  1866  came  to  Washoe  county,  Nevada.     Mr.  Charles  Gulling 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVvXDA.  405 

was  educated  in  Ihe  piil)lic  schools  of  botli  stales,  and  is  a  graduate  of 
Heald's  Business  College  of  San  In-ancisco,  having  completed  the  course 
there  with  the  class  of  1878.  Previous  to  this  time  he  had  entered  upon  his 
husiness  career  as  a  teacher,  ;nid  he  followed  the  profession  in  the  schools 
of  Reno  from  1875  until  188 r.  He  was  also  connected  with  the  surveying 
]iartv  that  snr\'eyed  the  road  for  the  Nevada,  California  &  Oregon  Railroad, 
and  in  1881  he  was  employed  at  Verdi  by  the  Crystal  Peak  Lumber  Com- 
])any,  with  which  be  was  associated  for  seven  years,  when  the  business  w'as 
sold  to  the  Trucker  Lumber  Company.  Mr.  Gulling  remained  with  the  new 
firm  until  1887,  and  then  1)ecame  connected  with  the  Reno  Mill  &  Lumljer 
Company.  Two  years  later,  when  the  business  was  incorporated,  he  became 
one  of  the  stockholders  and  incorporators,  and  was  elected  secretary  and 
manager.  He  has  since  hlled  the  dual  position  in  a  most  satisfactory  manner. 
co\-ering  a  period  of  sixteen  years,  and  under  his  guidance  the  business  of  the 
company  has  attained  a  most  gratifying  degree  of  prosperity.  He  was  also 
one  of  the  incorporators  of  the  Union  P>uilding  &  Loan  Association,  of  which 
he  is  the  president,  and  he  has  been  the  secretary  of  the  Orr  Water  Ditch 
Comjiany  for  the  past  twenty  years,  being  thus  connected  with  the  enterprises 
which  have  proved  of  the  utmost  importance  to  the  state  in  the  development 
and  expansion  of  its  business  interests.  He  is  a  trustee  of  the  chamber  of 
commerce  of  Reno,  and  is  taking  a  most  active  and  helpful  part  in  the  up- 
building of  the  city  and  in  the  progress  which  has  led  to  the  rapid  develop- 
ment of  Nevada  within  recent  years. 

In  1883  Mr.  Gulling  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Margaret  Henry, 
of  Verdi,  Nevada.  She  was  born  in  Canada,  and  1)y  her  marriage  has  become 
the  mother  of  three  children  :  .\ilene,  Harry  and  Charles.  Mr.  (iulling  is  an 
active  supporter  of  the  Democratic  party,  and  is  a  member  of 
the  Democratic  state  central  committee.  His  inliuence  carries  weight 
in  the  councils  of  bis  party,  and  bis  efforts  ha\'e  been  a  co- 
operant  factor  in  the  success  which  has  attended  its  measures  and  secured 
the  adoption  of  its  principles.  Mr.  Gulling  has  built  a  nice  residence  on 
Fourth  street  in  Reno,  and  be  and  bis  famih'  Inave  hosts  of  warm  friends  in 
the  city. 

THE  RENO  MILL  &  LUMBER  COMPANY  at  Reno  was  incorporated 
on  the  T2th  of  March,  1889,  the  capital  stock  being  then  about  thirty  thousand 
dollars,  but  since  that  time,  as  the  liusiness  has  grown,  the  stock  has  been 
increased  at  intervals  until  the  company  is  now  capitalized  for  two  hundred 
thousand  dollars.  This  has  become  one  of  the  leading  manufacturing  interests 
of  the  city,  having  reached  mammoth  proportions.  Employment  is  furnished 
to  from  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  to  one  liundred  and  fifty  workmen, 
and  the  mill  is  splendidly  er|ui])])ed  with  the  latest  improved  machinery.  The 
company  owns  a  band  sawmill  in  Plumas  county,  California,  which  has  a 
capacity  of  sixty  thousand  feet  of  lumber  per  day.  It  is  equipped  with  a 
steam  log-turner  and  a  steam  log  carriage,  and  in  that  same  locality  the 
company  owns  seven  thousand  acres  of  timber  land.  The  mill  is  situated 
in  Loyalton,  and  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  forty  thousand  dollars.  The  com- 
pany's mill  at  Reno  was  built  of  brick  at  a  cost  of  thirtv  thousand  dollars. 


406  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

and  tlie  lumber  yard  in  Reno  is  situated  on  East  I'ourtii  street,  covering  an 
area  of  four  hundred  and  ten  In-  seven  hundred  and  fifty  feefe  The  planing 
mill  is  in  another  block,  where  ihe  company  owns  a  lot  which  is  three  hundred 
by  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet.  The  building  fully  covers  the  entire  area. 
The  incorporators  of  the  Reno  Mill  &  Lumber  Company  were  P.  Henry,  W. 
S.  Bender.  C.  T.  Bender.  William  Henry,  C.  Cuortois,  George  H.  Taylor, 
D.  A.  Bender  and  Charles  Gulling,  all  well  known  business  men  and  capitalists 
of  the  highest  reliability.  'Jdie  mill  manufactures  a  general  line  of  house 
materials,  and  all  the  machinery  is  of  the  latest  improved  kind,  so  that  the 
work  cannot  lie  sur])assed  by  that  turned  out  in  any  mill  in  the  country. 


HON.  FRANCIS  P.  LANGAN.  The  true  measure  of  success  is  de- 
termined liy  what  one  has  accomplished,  and,  as  taken  in  contradistinction 
to  the  old  adage  that  a  prophet  is  not  without  honor  sa\-e  in  his  own  country, 
there  is  particular  interest  attaching  to  the  career  of  the  subject  of  this  re- 
view, since  he  is  a  native  son  of  the  jjlace  in  which  he  has  passed  his  active 
life,  and  has  so  directed  his  ability  and  efforts  as  to  gain  recognition  as  one 
of  the  representative  citizens  of  Virginia  City.  He  is  actively  connected 
with  a  profession  which  has  important  bearing  upon  the  progress  and  stable 
])rosperity  of  anv  section  or  community,  and  one  which  has  long  been  con- 
sidered as  conserx'ing  the  public  welfare  by  furthering  the  ends  of  justice 
and  maintaining  iiKlividual  rights.  As  a  capable  lawyer  Mr.  Langan  is 
well  known,  having  practiced  at  the  bar  of  \'irginia  City  since  1887. 

Mr.  Langan  was  born  in  Gold  Hill  on  the  5th  of  November.  1865.  His 
father,  lames  Langan,  was  one  of  the  respected  pioneers  of  the  state,  having 
come  to  Virginia  City  in  i860.  He  was  a  natixe  of  Ireland,  born  in  the 
county  of  Waterford.  in  1833.  He  emigratetl  from  his  iiati\e  land  to  north- 
ern Michigan  and  worked  in  the  Calumet  and  Hecla  mines  until  his  removal 
to  Nevada.  He  was  a  well  informed  miner,  having  jiractical  knowledge  of 
the  best  methods  of  extracting  the  ore  from  the  earth  He  was  soon  made 
shift  boss,  and  from  1883  until  igoo  was  foreman  under  Superintendent 
W.  E.  Sharon,  of  the  Segregated  P)elcber.  the  Belcher,  Crown  Point,  Yellow 
Jacket,  Imperial  and  other  mines  of  that  wonderful  grou))  of  producers.  He 
liad  much  to  do  with  winning  the  high  bullion-producing  record  of  these 
mines,  and  he  continued  his  connection  therewith  as  foreman  un.til  1900. 
when,  at  the  age  of  seventy  years,  he  retired  from  business  cares  after  a  suc- 
cessful career,  having  for  many  years  been  connected  with  mining  interests, 
during  which  time  he  had  steadily  worked  his  way  u]iward.  .\t  the  time  of 
liis  retirement  he  remo\ed  to  Santa  Monica,  Califnniia,  where  he  died  on 
the  31st  of  May.  1903. 

I  laving  ac<|nired  bis  preliminary  educalinii  in  tlie  public  schools.  1".  1'. 
Langan  continued  his  studies  in  St.  Mary's  College,  in  San  Francisco,  where 
he  was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1882.  He  then  i^repared  for  his  chosen 
profession  as  a  student  in  the  law  (lei);irtment  nf  the  State  L'nivcrsit}'  of 
California.  Hastings  Law  CVillege,  and  was  graduated  there  in  1886,  recei\- 
ing  his  degree  at  that  time,  'ihe  following  \ear  he  o])eiie(l  an  oflice  and 
))egan  ])ractice  in  the  county  in  which  he  first  saw  the  light  of  day,  an<l  has 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  4(iT 

acquircd  a  reniuncrati\'c  Inisiness,  liandliiij^^  iiiucli  ini])iirtaiit  litigation,  en- 
trusted to  hini  hecanse  of  liis  well  knuwn  ability  and  liis  dexotinn  hi  the  in- 
terests of  his  clients. 

In  1(898  Mr.  Langan  was  joined  in  wedlock  to  Miss  Louise  Merkle,  a 
daughter  of  Thomas  Merkle.  At  the  time  of  her  marriage  she  was  a  suc- 
cessful teacher  and  highly  esteemed  in  educational  circles.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Lrmgan  ha\-e  been  born  three  children,  all  natives  of  Virginia  City — Fran- 
ces, Norma  and  James.  Mr.  and  Mr.s.  Langan  are  members  of  the  Cath(.)lic 
church  and  are  rearing  their  bright,  intelligent  family  in  that  faith.  Frater- 
nally Mr.  Langan  is  connected  with  the  Benevolent  and  Protecti\'e  Order 
of  Elks,  the  .\ncient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows,  and  and  is  past  grand  patriarch  of  the  last  named  for  tlie  state 
of  Nevada.  In  politics  he  is  a  silver  Republican,  and  has  been  honored  with 
a  number  of  official  positions.  He  has  been  elected  and  served  his  county 
as  (hstrict  attorney  and  ex-officio  su])erintendent  of  schools,  and  in  1SS8 
was  elected  a  member  of  the  state  legislature.  He  takes  an  active  part  in  the 
IMlitical  work  of  the  state  and  is  influential  in  its  councils  and  c<]n\ention,s. 
Having  spent  his  entire  life  in  Virginia  City,  he  is  well  known  to  her  people, 
and  enjoys  tlie  high  regard  of  his  associates  whom  he  has  met  in  busines.s 
and  social  circles. 


LINCOLN  GRANT  CL.\RK.  who  is  creditably  and  efficiently  filling 
the  office  of  sheriff  of  Elko  count}-,  has  been  a  resilient  of  Ne\-ada  over  ten 
years,  and  has  been  engaged  in  several  lines  of  enterprise  during  that  time. 
He  is  a  son  of  one  of  the  esteemed  \eterans  of  the  Civil  war,  and  his  ancestry 
on  the  parternal  side  is  Scotch  and  on  the  maternal  side  Welsh.  His  parents, 
both  of  whom  are  still  spared  to  him,  are  Moses  and  Elizabeth  (James) 
Clark,  both  of  whom  were  born  in  Shelbyville,  Indiana.  Moses  Clark  fol- 
lowed farming  up  to  tlie  1>reaking  out  of  the  Ci\il  war,  and  he  then  enlisted 
from  Iowa,  to  which  state  he  had  removed,  in  the  Thirty-fourth  Iowa  Volun- 
teer Infantry.  He  was  in  the  L^nion  Army  of  the  Potomac  for  four  years 
and  six  months,  and  gave  his  full  meed  of  serxice  on  many  hard-fought 
battlefields.  After  the  war  he  was  elected  and  served  eight  years  as  recorder 
of  Warren  county,  Iowa,  and  during  the  greater  part  of  his  career  has  been 
engaged  in  the  insurance  business.  He  and  his  wife  are  still  living  in  Iowa, 
and  are  highly  respected  people.  They  were  the  parents  of  se\-en  children, 
three  sons  and  four  daughters,  and  three  are  residents  of  Nevada,  Lulu  being 
a  teacher  in  the  public  schools  and  George  residing  in  Elko. 

Lincoln  Grant  Clark,  who  was  given  bis  cognomens  tluviugh  his  father's 
great  admiration  for  the  two  conspicuous  figures  of  the  Civil  war,  was  born 
in  Warren  county,  Iowa,  November  8,  1867.  He  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  and  reared  to  the  age  of  twenty-three  in  his  native  state,  and  then 
came  to  Nevada.  At  first  he  was  a  cowboy  in  the  employ  of  the  "seventy- 
one  outfit,"  with  headquarters  nine  miles  above  Halleck,  and  after  having 
bad  a  thorough  experience  in  that  work  conducted  a  hotel  at  Wells  for  some 
time.  Fie  has  been  a  life-long  Republican,  and  his  popularity  among  the 
jieople  of  the  county  was  .shown  l)y  his  election  to  the  office  of  sheriff  of  Elko 


408  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

county  in  November,  1902,  which  responsible  position  lie  is  now  filling  to  the 
utmost  satisfaction  of  all  concerned.  He  has  much  talent  in  dealing  with 
men,  and  his  personal  worth  and  energy  insure  him  a  prosperous  career  in 
the  future. 

November  16,  i8q8.  Air.  Clark  married  Miss  Rose  McAIullen,  and  they 
have  two  children,  both  born  in  Elko  county,  namely :  James  i\Ioses  and 
I.eali  Glenn.  Mrs.  Clark  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church  and  he 
afi^iliates  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  is  highly  respected  in  the  order 
and  in  the  entire  comnuuiity. 


HON.  P.  M.  BOWLER,  or  "Patsy."  as  he  is  familiarly  known,  who 
has  attained  distinction  as  one  of  the  ablest  members  of  the  Ne\ada  bar. 
is  now  living  in  Hawthorne,  though  he  has  offices  at  Tonopah,  and  his  prac- 
tice extends  throughout  this  state  and  California.  In  his  profession  probably 
more  than  any  other  success  depends  upon  individual  merit,  upon  a  thorough 
understanding  of  the  principles  of  jurisprudence,  a  power  of  keen  analysis, 
and  the  ability  to  present  clearly,  concisely  and  forcibly  the  strong  points  in 
a  cause.  Possessing  these  necessarj'  cjualifications,  Mr.  Bowler  is  accorded 
a  foremost  place  in  the  ranks  of  the  profession  in  Nevada. 

A  native  of  Ohio,  he  was  born  in  Bellefontaine,  Logan  county,  on  the 
Sth  of  January,  1855,  and  is  of  Irish  descent,  his  father,  Patrick  Michael 
Bowler,  having  been  born  in  county  Kerry,  Ireland.  In  1840  he  came  to  the 
United  States  and  settled  in  Ohio,  where  he  married  Miss  Ellen  Shine.  For 
several  years  he  engaged  in  farming  in  that  state,  but  is  now  living  on  Reese 
river  in  Nye  county,  Nevada,  where  he  owns  a  nice  ranch.  In  his  family 
were  ten  children,  of  whom  three  daughters  and  two  sons  are  now  living, 
namely:  J.  F.,  who  is  conducting  a  stock  ranch  on  Reese  river;  Mrs.  Kate 
Philips,  a  resident  of  lone,  Nye  county ;  Mrs.  E.  E.  Saylor,  of  Tonopah,  Nye 
county;  Mrs.  (icorge  Keough,  residing  on  Reese  ri\er;  and  P.  M.  Bowler. 
The  family  are  all  active  members  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church  and  are 
people  of  the  highest  respectability. 

Patrick  Michael  Bowler.  Jr.,  was  educated  in  the  public  and  Catholic 
schools  of  New  Orleans.  He  took  up  the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of  Judge 
Benjamin  Curler,  whose  son,  B.  F.  Curler,  afterward  studied  under  the 
direction  of  Mr.  Bowler  and  is  now  serving  as  district  judge.  Mr.  Bowler 
was  admitted  to  the  l)ar  in  April,  1880,  and  began  the  jiractice  of  his  chosen 
])rofession  at  Belmont,  Nye  county,  Nevada,  rapidly  gaining  a  large  and 
remunerative  patronage,  wdiich  extends  all  over  this  state  and  into  Cali- 
fornia. He  does  a  general  law  ])ractice,  but  makes  mines,  mining  laws  and 
water  rights  his  specialty,  and  lias  gained  a  \cry  enxialile  reputation  as  a 
thf)roughly  inf.irmed  and  alile  attorney  in  that  branch  of  the  profession. 

On  the  14th  of  August,  1881,  Mr.  Bowler  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Inez  Adelaide  Curler,  a  native  of  Nevada  and  a  daughter  of  Judge 
Benjamin  Curler.  They  had  a  daughter,  Emma  Inez,  who  is  now  a  student 
in  the  Nevada  State  Ihiiversity.  'I"hc  wife  and  mother  departed  this  life 
September  26,  1887,  and  in  Octo))er,  1889,  Mr.  Bowler  was  again  married, 
his  second  itnion  being  with  Miss  Louella  Titus,  who  was  born  in  Clovcrdale, 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  409 

t'alifoniia,  and  is  a  daugliter  nl  T.  J.  Titus  of  tliat  state.  Tliis  union  has 
been  ble.s,sed  with  six  chihh-en,  all  born  in  Hawthorne,  namely:  lilsic  Ellen, 
Walter  Herbert,  Harold  Maurice.  Vera  Titus,  Alice  Elanorah  and  Catherine 
Eaura.  They  are  rearing  their  children  in  the  Catholic  faith,  the  parents 
being  members  of  that  church. 

Since  attaining  his  majority  Mr.  Bowler  has  been  an  ardent  supporter 
of  the  Republican  party  and  its  principles,  taking  an  active  part  in  its  con- 
ventions and  aiding  in  its  success  Ijy  his  voice  ami  counsel.  For  two  terms 
he  acceptably  filled  the  office  of  district  attorney  of  Esmeralda  county,  and 
in  1902  was  the  candidate  of  his  party  for  supreme  judge,  running  against 
Judge  Talbot.  He  made  a  very  able  and  creditable  campaign,  canvassing  a 
number  of  counties,  but  that  year  the  Republican  ticket  was  defeated  in 
this  state  and  Judge  Talbot,  who  is  a  very  popular  man,  was  elected  !)y  a 
small  majority. 

Mr.  Bowler  has  various  mining  interests  of  value,  and  has  met  with 
success  in  his  business  ventures  as  well  as  in  his  law  practice.  Holding  marked 
precedence  among  the  members  of  the  bar  in  Nevada  and  retaining  a  clientele 
of  so  representative  a  character  as  to  alone  stand  i;i  evidence  of  his  pro- 
fessional ability  and  personal  popularity,  Mr.  Bowler  must  assuredly  be 
accorded  a  prominent  jilace  in  this  volume,  whose  province  is  the  jiortrayal 
of  the  li\'es  of  the  leading  men  of  the  state.  •«. 


W.XSHOE  COUNTY  BANK.  The  oldest  l)ank  in  the  state  of  Nevada 
is  the  Washoe  County  Bank  of  Reno,  occupying  a  fine  building  in  that  city. 
It  now  has  a  paid-up  capital  of  fi\-e  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  seventy- 
five  thousand  dollars  surplus.  Its  resources  amount  to  $1,965,523.75.  Its 
organization  dates  back  to  187 1,  \\hen  D.  A.  and  C.  T.  Bencler  opened  its 
doors  for  business.  In  1880  it  became  the  First  Nat'onal  Bank  with  a  paid- 
up  capital  of  fifty  thousand  dollars.  The  stockholders  and  directors  were 
D.  A.  Bender,  C.  T.  Bender,  A.  H.  Manning,  G.  W.  Mapes,  Jacob  McKisick 
and  John  Johnson.  The  first  r.amed  was  elected  president.  George  W.  Mapes 
vice  president,  and  C.  T.  Bender  cashier.  As  the  business  increased  the 
capital  stock  was  raised  from  time  to  time  until  it  reached  two  hundred 
thousand  dollars,  and  the  institution  continued  as  a  national  bank  until  1896, 
at  which  time  its  directors  and  stockholders  changed  it  to  a  state  bank,  giving 
it  the  name  of  the  ^^'ashoe  County  Bank.  At  that  time  D.  A.  Bender  retired 
from  the  presidency  and  W.  O.  H.  Martin  was  elected  to  the  office,  while 
George  W.  Mapes  was  continued  as  vice  president,  C.  T.  Bender  as  cashier 
and  George  H.  Taylor  as  assistant  cashier.  The  last  two  named  have  been 
connected  with  the  bank  since  its  organization.  In  1902  the  capital  stock  was 
increased  to  five  hundred  thousand  dollars,  all  paid  in,  and  its  surplus  and 
undivided  profits  in  April,  1903.  were  $82,203.31.  In  September,  1901. 
W.  O.  H.  Martin  died,  and  George  W.  Mapes  was  elected  president,  which 
office  he  now  fills,  while  M.  E.  Ward  is  vice  president  and  F.  M.  Rowland 
second  vice  president.  The  directors  are  George  W.  Mapes,  H.  M.  Martin, 
D.  A.  Bender,  M.  E.  Ward,  C.  T.  Bender,  A.  H.  Manning  and  F.  M.  Rowland. 
All  are  gentlemen  of  large  means,  of  marked  integrity  of  character  and  are 


410  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

w  idely  known  in  business  circles.  Tlie  Iiank  is  doing  a  large  and  constantly 
increasing  business,  carrying  on  a  general  banking  business  and  selling  ex- 
change on  any  part  of  the  world.  Recently  a  savings  bank  department  has 
been  added.  The  Washoe  County  Bank  owns  its  own  splendid  block,  and 
the  bank,  its  officers  and  directors  are  a  credit  to  the  state  of  Nevada. 


ALVAN  W.  CROCKER.  Before  the  territory  of  Nevada  was  organ- 
ized .\.l\an  W'inslow  Crocker  located  within  its  borders,  and  is  one  of  its 
honored  pioneers  and  representative  citizens  as  well  as  a  lawyer  of  prominence. 
He  is  now  practicing  in  Hawlliorne,  and  his  clientage  is  large  and  of  a  dis- 
tinctively representati\e  character,  ^\'hile  engaging  in  the  general  practice, 
he  makes  a  specialty  of  mining  law.  and  in  this  connection  has  handled  many 
important  cases. 

Mr.  Crocker  was  Ixirn  in  Barnstable.  Massachusetts.  May  27,  1830,  and 
is  descended  from  an  ancestry  that  was  established  in  New  England  at  a 
\'ery  early  period  in  the  colonization  of  the  new  world.  He  acquired  his 
literary  education  in  his  native  state  and  prepared  for  the  bar  in  California 
and  Nevada,  being  admitted  to  practice  in  the  latter  state  in  187J.  It  was 
in  the  year  1850  that  he  sailed  from  Boston,  making  a  safe  voyage  around 
the  Horn  to  California,  where  for  ten  years  he  engaged  in  placer  mining  in 
Placerville  and  other  canips.  He  was  also  engaged  in  merchandising  and 
had  a  store  at  Monoville  and  one  at  Aurora,  conducting  the  last  one  until 
1869,  when  he  removed  to  Bridgeport,  California.  While  there  he  was 
elected  clerk  and  recorder  of  the  county  and  served  for  five  years.  He  was 
then  chosen  by  popular  suffrage  to  the  position  of  district  attorney,  in  which 
he  served  for  two  years,  and  his  residence  in  Aurora  continued  until  1873. 
Having  been  admitted  to  the  bar  he  opened  a  law  office  there,  and  soon  gained 
a  good  clientage,  which  connected  him  with  very  imjiortant  litigation.  In 
1883  he  removed  to  Hawthorne,  Nc\ada,  where  he  has  since  conducted  a 
general  law  practice,  although  making  a  specialty  of  mining  law.  In  that 
department  of  jurisjirudence  he  is  particularly  well  informed,  and  has  made 
a  good  record  as  an  honorable  and  ])ainstaking  and  conscientious  attorney. 

Mr.  Crocker  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  having  been  raised 
in  the  lodge  at  Aurora  in  1876.  He  has  since  taken  an  active  and  helpful 
part  in  the  work  of  the  craft,  and  is  a  past  master  of  his  lodge.  Dming  liis 
long  residence  in  Nevada  he  has  made  many  friends  and  is  widely  and  favor- 
ably known  throughout  the  state.  He  has  never  married,  but  has  a  pleasant 
residence  in  Hawthorne  and  boards  at  the  hotels.  His  business  career  has 
been  attended  with  satisfactory  success,  and  he  is  recognized  as  one  of  the 
ca])ablc  lawyers  ])racticing  at  the  Nevada  bar. 


HENRY  M.'VRVIN  YERINCTON  was  born  in  Colbornc.  Canada,  in 
1828.  .At  Port  Stanley,  Canada,  he  married  .Susan  11.  llume,  a  member  of 
the  same  family  as  the  noted  historian  Hume.  In  1863  H.  M.  Yerington 
came  to  Carson  City  and  became  one  of  its  mosi  pros])erous  business  men. 
Among  his  earliest  work  was  the  con.strnction  n|'  the  I\lerrimac  mill   for  the 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVyVDA.  411 

crusliing-  of  Comstock  ore,  llie  I'lrst  mill  in  the  state  of  tiiat  description,  and 
it  stood  on  the  Carson  river.  Later  he  became  associated  witli  D.  O.  Mills, 
William  Sharon  and  \\'illiam  C.  Ralston  in  the  construction  of  the  Virginia 
&  Truckee  Railroad,  and  he  had  the  honor  of  driving  the  first  and  last  spikes. 
He  was  made  general  manager  of  the  road,  which  position  he  holds  to  this 
day.  Also  he  was  instrumental  in  bringing  about  the  construction  and  had 
charge  of  the  work  of  the  Carson  &  Colorado  Railroad  which  was  completed 
in  1882  and  was  sold  t(j  the  Southern  Pacific  Comi)any  in  1900.  He  is  also 
heavily  interested  in  the  Inyo  De\'elopment  Company,  which  owns  big  soda 
works  at  Keeler,  and  is  also  prominently  interested  in  the  Southern  Improve- 
ment Company  at  Hawthorne,  where  the  company  owns  extensive  timber 
and  water  rights.  Mr.  H.  M.  Yerington  also  owns  a  large  amount  of  stock 
in  and  is  president  of  the  Carson  water  works,  and  has  large  interests  in 
California  as  well  as  throughout  Nevada,  being  president  of  sixteen  different 
companies.  He  also  constructed  the  first  flume  for  sending  wood  tmd  timber 
down  the  mountains;  built  tlie  Carson  yard  for  the  timber  and  flume  com- 
])anies  and  the  Eldorado  Wood  and  Elume  Company,  through  which  they 
delivered  a  large  portion  of  wood  and  tiniloer  for  the  Comstock  mining 
companies,  emliracing  about  three  hundred  and  ten  miles  of  drifts. 

He  is  still  a  man  of  extraordinary  mentality,  although  his  life  has  been 
a  strenuous  one,  and  as  be  possesses  the  gift  of  making  and  retaining  friends 
he  is  personally  very  popular.  Three  sons  and  one  daughter  were  born  to 
his  first  marriage,  namely :  E.  B.,  M.  H.  and  J.  A.,  all  of  Carson  City 
and  very  prominent  lousiness  men,  and  Jennie  Avery.  Mrs.  Yerington  died 
in  November,  1873,  aged  thirty-six  years.  She  was  a  very  beautiful  ladv, 
a  leader  in  all  charitable  work  and  one  who  was  beloved  by  a  very  large  circle 
of  friends.  In  1876  Mr.  Yerington  married  Clara  V.  Bender,  the  niece  of 
Judge  E.  B.  and  Mrs,  Crocker,  and  she  was  reared  by  them  in  California. 
This  union  resulted  in  one  son.  namely:  Herbert,  now  a  promising  young 
college  man.  The  entire  family  are  x-alued  members  of  the  Episcopal  church. 
Fraternally  Mr.  Yerington  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order,  while  in  politics 
he  has  long  been  a  stanch  Republican. 


HON.  JAMES  A.  YERINGTON,  one  of  Nevada's  most  prominent 
sons,  was  born  in  Carson  City,  October  5,  1864.  and  on  both  sides  of  his 
family  comes  of  English  stock. 

He  was  only  nine  years  of  age  when  be  lost  his  dearly  beloved  mother. 
His  education  was  secured  first  in  the  public  schools  and  later  at  St.  Matthew's 
Hall,  San  Mateo,  California,  and  he  finished  his  education  at  Trinitv  College, 
Canada,  both  of  the  latter  institutions  of  learning  being  under  the  manage- 
ment of  the  Episcopal  church.  He  was  graduated  from  Trinity  in  1882. 
since  which  time  he  has  l:>een  prominently  identified  w-ith  various  mining 
enterprises,  having  been  placed  in  charge  of  the  Esmeralda  mines  when  they 
were  first  opened,  and  be  is  now  managing  director  of  the  Consolidated 
Esmeralda  mines. 

Mr.  Yerington  has  served  his  state  as  executive  commissioner  at  the 
World's  Fair,  the  Paris  Exjiosition  and  at  the  Pan-American  Exposition   in 


412  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Buffalo,  and  lias  received  the  appointment  from  Governor  Sparks  to  fill  the 
same  position  of  honor  at  the  St.  Louis  Exposition.  At  the  Pan-American 
Exposition  he  had  the  honor  of  being  elected  president  of  the  executive  com- 
mission, there  being  seventy-eight  members  representing  the  western  hemis- 
phere. Such  was  the  exhibit  he  made  at  the  World's  Fair  that  Nevada 
received  thirty-two  gold  medals.  This  was  all  the  more  creditable  in  that 
he  had  but  thirty  days  in  which  to  make  preparation,  and  within  that  limit 
covered  two  thousand  two  hundred  miles.  His  exhibit  in  the  mining  build- 
ing was  particularly  fine.  His  exhibit  was  excellent  in  both  agriculture  and 
horticulture.  At  the  Pan-American  Exposition  Nevada  received  the  only 
gold  medal  in  the  mining  building.  By  careful  search,  ilr.  Yerington  had 
many  prehistoric  exhibits  and  his  mineral  exhibit  was  one  of  the  best  at  all 
the  expositions.  By  virtue  of  his  high  office  Mr.  Yerington  was  very  near 
President  AIcKinley  when  he  made  his  last  speech  at  Buffalo,  and  was  repre- 
sentative £ft  his  funeral.  He  also  was  among  the  first  to  congratulate  President 
Roosevelt  after  he  took  the  oath  of  office,  and  he  jiresided  over  the  meeting 
of  the  e.xecutive  commission  which  passed  resolutions  relative  to  the  lament- 
able death  of  President  McKiuley.  The  great  work  Mr.  Yerington  has  done 
.  for  Nevada  is  ajjpreciated  by  its  jjeople,  and  he  has  been  shown  in  many 
ways  that  he  is  regarded  as  a  representati\'e  man.  Tn  1888  he  made  a  tour 
of  the  world.  His  \-aluaI)le  collection  of  photographs  and  curios  is  a  great 
source  of  pleasure  to  him  and  his  many  friends. 

Of  .such  a  man  as  Mr.  Yerington  it  is  difficult  to  speak  enthusiastically 
enough.  Mere  words  will  not  express  what  he  has  accomplished,  not  only 
for  his  state,  but  the  entire  country,  in  maintaining  its  prestige  and  carrying 
(lut  in  e\'ery  p;irticular  the  duties  of  the  oflices  with  which  he  has  been  hon- 
ored. No  other  state  has  ever  had  a  more  courteous,  talented  and  polished 
re])resentative  than  Nevada  in  the  person  of  the  gentleman  who  has  formed 
the  subject  of  this  too  brief  rex'iew. 


JAMES  QUIRK.  Storey  coiuUy  figures  as  one  of  the  most  attractive, 
progressive  and  prosperous  di\-isions  of  the  state  of  Neva<la,  justly  claiming 
a  high  order  of  citizenship  and  a  s])irit  of  enterprise  w  hich  is  certain  to  con- 
serve its  develoiiment  and  marked  advancement  in  the  nialcrial  upbuilding  of 
the  section.  The  ctiunty  has  been  and  is  signally  faxored  in  the  class  of  men 
who  have  controlled  its  affairs  in  official  capacity,  and  in  this  connection  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  demands  representation  as  one  who  has  ser\ed  the 
county  faithfully  and  well  in  jiositions  of  distinct  trust  and  responsibility.  He 
is  now  serving  as  sheriff  of  Storey  county,  having  been  elected  for  six  suc- 
cessive tenus  to  lliat  imjiorlant  office.  He  has  resided  in  X'irginia  City 
during  the  past  twenty-six  years,  and  has  gaine<l-  for  himself  an  enviable 
rc|)ulation  as  a  reliable  and  honorable  citizen. 

A  native  of  the  state  of  Illinois,  Mr.  Quirk  was  horn  in  l.asalle  comity. 
on  the  iitli  of  June,  1843.  and  is  of  Irish  ancestry.  His  |i.arents,  John  and 
Johanna  (Courtney)  Quirk,  were  both  natives  of  county  Kerry,  Ireland, 
and  in  1830.  soon  after  their  marriage,  they  1)adc  adieu  to  the  Emerald  Isle, 
.sailing  for  Boston,  Massacliusetls.     Ff)r  a  number  of  \ears  they  remained 


A  inSTOin-  Ol-   NEVADA.  41  ;^, 

ill  the  old  ISay  slate,  ami  in  if^37  removed  (n  tlie  west,  takinj^  u]>  llieir  ahrnle 
in  the  young'  city  of  Cliicai^o,  wliich  only  a.  few  iiioiUhs  liefore  had  ucen 
incorporated  as  a  city.  Mr.  Quirk  ])urchased  lots  there  that  are  now  worth 
a  large  fortune.  Later,  ho\\e\-er,  he  traded  his  town  ]>ro])erty  for  a  faim 
near  (lalena,  Illinois,  where  he  reared  his  family  of  ele\en  children,  nine  of 
whom  reached  years  of  maturity,  while  live  are  still  living,  'i'he  father  died 
in  1853  at  the  age  of  fifty  years,  and  his  wife  survi\-ed  him  fur  a  lung  time 
and  departed  this  life  on  the  19th  of  January,  1898,  at  the  \er)-  advanced 
age  of  ninety-eight  years. 

James  Quirk  was  reared  u])on  the  old  family  homestead  in  Illinois  and 
])ursued  his  education  in  the  district  schools  near  hv.  In  iS'')^  he  left  his 
native  state  and  went  to  Montana,  being  one  of  the  early  miners  in  the  noted 
Alder  Gulch,  where  \'irginia  Cit}-,  Montana,  now  stands.  Placer  mining 
has  been  carried  on  imw  in  that  gulch  for  a  distance  of  fifteen  miles  and 
millions  of  dollars  have  been  taken  nut.  and  still  the  work  of  mining  is  car- 
ried on  there  very  successfully.  Mr.  Quirk  made  money,  but  like  many 
other  mining  men  lost  it  in  other  mining  speculations.  In  1876  ire  went  to 
the  Black  Hills  and  engaged  in  prospecting  in  the  Wind  River  valley.  He 
was  on  the  Custer  battlefield  before  the  soldiers  were  buried,  and  saw  the 
terrible  effects  of  the  desperate  engagement  in  which  the  gallant  General 
Custer  and  his  men  met  death.  There  were  fifty  men  in  Mr.  Quirk's  part}', 
and  their  horses  were  stanipeded  and  they  had  se\'eral  skirmishes  with  the 
Indians,  but  none  of  the  white  men  of  the  party  were  killed. 

Mv.  Quirk  returned  from  his  prospecting  trip  to  Virginia  City,  and  for 
sixteen  years  worked  in  the  Yellow  Jacket  mine  under  his  brother,  Thomas 
Quirk,  who  was  foreman,  and  during  a  period  of  that  time  James  was  shift 
boss.  In  1892  he  was  called  to  public  office,  being  elected  sheriff  of  Storey 
county  and,  as  before  stated,  he  has  been  elected  to  that  position  continu- 
ously since  and  at  the  close  of  his  present  term  will  have  filled  the  office  for 
twelve  years.  No  more  worthy  official  has  ever  been  known  in  Storey 
county  than  this  gentleman,  who  is  fearless  and  faithful  in  the  discharge  of 
his  duties  and  most  loyal  to  the  trust  reposed  in  him.  In  connection  with 
the  office  of  sheriff  he  is  ex-officio  county  assessor.  During  the  earlier  part 
of  his  services  as  sheriff  it  became  his  duty  to  capture  a  number  of  criminals, 
which  he  always  succeeded  in  doing  without  taking  life,  and  he  has  taken 
as  many  as  five  prisoners  to  the  state  penitentiary  at  one  tinie.  He  now  has 
in  his  custody  the  United  States  prisoners  who  are  in  jail  for  the  violation 
of  the  federal  law.  Under  his  regime  crime  has  greatly  diminished  in  this 
section  of  the  state,  for  he  is  a  constant  menace  to  the  evil-doers,  while  the 
law-abiding  citizens  have  great  faith  in  him  as  a  protector  of  their  rights 
and  interests. 

Mr.  Quirk  was  happilv  married  to  Mrs.  Ann  Burk,  and  their  union  was 
blessed  with  one  son,  Franklin,  who  was  born  at  Gold  Hill.  Mrs.  Quirk 
departed  this  life  in  1891.  and  her  remains  were  interred  at  Gold  Hill.  In 
his  political  affiliations  Mr.  Quirk  has  been  a  life-long  Democrat,  and  is  a 
stanch  believer  and  advocate  of  the  princ'ples  of  bimetallism.  Fraternally  he 
is  connected  with  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen  and  with  the 
Bene\olent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks.     He  has  spent  over  a  quarter  of  a 


•iU  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

century  in  this  locality,  and  is  an  affable  gentleman,  oi  cordial,  genial  man- 
ner, and  has  many  friends,  and  at  the  same  time  has  made  a  sjilendid  reputa- 
tion as  an  officer,  whose  course  has  ever  been  above  reproach. 


HOX.  GEORGE  E.  PECKHA:\I.  Perhaps  every  state  in  the  Union 
as  well  as  many  foreign  lands  have  contributed  to  the  citizenship  of  Nevada, 
and  from  all  sections  of  the  world  have  come  men  of  firm  purpose,  of  un- 
faltering energy  and  of  strong  determination.  They  have  made  valuable 
citizens  of  this  commonwealth  and  ha\'e  largelv  promoted  its  interests  along 
every  line  leading  to  the  imiirovement  of  the  state.  jNIr.  Peckham  is  a  worthy 
.son  of  Massachusetts',  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Fall  River  on  the  8th  of 
March,   1851. 

The  family  is  of  English  origin  and  was  estalilishetl  in  New  England 
at  an  €arly  period  In  the  colonization  of  this  country.  The  grandfather  of 
George  E.  Peckham  was  a  Baptist  minister,  devoting  much  of  bis  life  to 
that  holy'  calling.  J.  C.  Peckham,  the  father,  was  born  in  Rhode  Island 
and  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  C.  B.  Sherman,  a  descendant  of  the 
the  noted  Roger  Sherman,  who  was  also  the  ancestor  of  General  William 
Sherman  and  of  Hon.  John  Sherman,  so  long  secretary  of  the  United  States 
treasury.  Mr.  J.  C.  Peckham  became  a  merchant  and  was  active  in  business 
life  in  the  east.  He  adhered  to  the  faith  of  the  cburcli  in  wbicli  he  was 
reared  and  lived  a  life  in  harmony  with  his  professions.  In  1854  there  was 
a  cholera  epidemic  in  the  town  of  Fall  River,  and  ^Ir.  Peckham,  his  wife's 
mother  and  one  of  his  daughters  all  fell  victims  to  that  dread  disease,  dying 
within  a  few  hours.  The  widow  and  her  two  children  survived,  and  in  i860 
they  started  for  California,  making  the  tri])  bv  wa\'  of  the  isthmus  route. 
George  E.  Peckham  was  then  about  nine  years  of  age.  After  a  time  s])ent  in 
the  Golden  state  they  removed  to  Galena.  Nevada,  where  the  brave  ])ioneer 
mother  engaged  in  cooking  for  a  lumber  cam]i  in  order  to  provide  for  herself 
and  her  children. 

(ieorge  E.  Peckham.  then  a  vonth  (if  thirteen  years,  carried  the  mail  from 
Washoe  city  to  the  cam])  near  Galena,  the  trip  being  about  thirty  miles.  He 
covered  that  distance  on  foot  si.x  days  a  week,  carrying  from  five  *^o  twenty- 
five  pounds  of  mail  upon  his  back.  While  in  California  be  bad  been  engaged 
in  driving  stock  frf)m  the  range  to  Oakland,  and  be  was  such  a  good  pedestrian 
that  he  preferred  to  walk  rather  than  ride  horseback,  .\ftcr  living  in  (ialena 
for  a  time  the  family  removed  to  the  vicinity  of  a  sawmill  two  miles  from 
Reno.  The  mother  was  again  married  in  Virgim'a  City,  becoming  the  wife 
of  T.  W.  Norcross  on  Christmas  day  of  1865.  By  her  second  marriage  she 
also  had  two  sons:  Frank  and  Charles  Norcross,  who  are  now  prominent 
citizens  of  Nevada.  Mrs.  Norcross  passed  away  in  1897  '^^  ^'^"^  '^S^  "f  si.xty- 
seven  years,  hut  Mr.  Norcross  is  still  living  and  is  now  a  resident  of  Oregon. 

Almost  continuallv  since  his  arrival  in  California  when  a  bov  of  nine 
years,  George  E.  Peckham  has  made  his  own  way  in  the  world  and  in  his 
youth  he  also  assisted  his  mother.  .After  her  second  marriage  he  remained 
with  her  and  his  stepfatlier  until  he  attained  his  majority.  He  was  educated 
in  San  Francisco,  and  when  lie  liecahie  of  age  Mr.  Norcross  deeded  to  him 


A  JllSroKN'  Ol'    NEVADA.  415 

eif^hly  acres  of  land,  ii])nii  wliicli  he  imw  resides  and  In  which  lie  aflerward 
added  an  adcHtional  tract  oi  eiglity  acres.  Since  tlien  he  has  sold  a  small 
portion  of  the  farm,  hut  still  retains  possession  of  one  hundred  and  fortv' 
acres  of  this  property.  He  has  developed  one  of  the  fine  farms  of  Truckee 
meadows,  and  ui)on  it  has  erected  one  of  the  nice  residences,  a  large  harn  and 
other  sul>stantial  Iniildings  for  the  shelter  of  grain  vnd  stock.  The  home 
is  in  a  delightful  location,  and  the  entire  place  is  characterized  hy  neatness 
and  thrift.  Mr.  Peckham  makes  a  specialty  of  the  raising  of  hay  and  pota- 
toes, although  he  also  produces  other  cro]5S  and  utilizes  a  ]iart  of  his  land 
for  ])asturage  ])urposes,  which  pays  him  as  well  as  to  ])lant  it  to  grains.  He 
huilt  his  residence  in  1875  and  has  planted  all  of  the  trees  upon  the  place, 
which  add  greatly  to  its  value  and  attractive  appearance. 

On  the  loth  of  February,  1876,  Mr.  Peckham  v.as  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Emma  Jane  Shepherd,  a  native  of  Ontario,  Canada,  and  six  children 
ha\e  come  to  l>less  their  home,  namely:  Ethel  May,  who  is  now  an  accom- 
plished school  teacher;  George  Arthur,  who  is  u])on  the  home  farm  with 
his  father;  Hattie  A.,  also  a  teacher;  James  Garfield,  who  is  married  and 
works  in  the  quartz  mill  at  Dayton:  Alfred  Rufus,  of  Reno;  and  William, 
at  home.  The  sons  Arthur  and  James  are  noted  hicvcle  riders,  and  were 
ill  the  team  that  won  the  cliampionship  for  Nevada  in  the  fiftv-ntile  relav 
race. 

Mr.  Peckham  was  an  active  Republican  until  i8<)2,  but.  becoming  dis- 
satisfied with  the  principles  contained  in  the  party  platform,  he  ioined  the 
ranks  of  the  Populist  party  and  was  its  candidate  tor  governor  of  Ne\-ada  in 
1894.  In  1S96  he  was  a  candidate  for  elector  on  the  Bryan  ticket  and  in 
1898  was  candidate  for  regent  of  the  university,  while  in  1900  he  was  elected 
on  the  fusion  ticket  to  the  state  assembly.  Fie  proved  a  most  capable  repre- 
sentative and  was  the  author  of  the  apportionment  bill  which  raised  the  mem- 
bership of  Washoe  county  from  four  to  seven  members  in  the  assembly.  As 
a  legislator  his  career  was  marked  by  unfaltering  loyalty  to  the  general  wel- 
fare, for  he  ever  placed  the  good  of  the  state  before  ])artisans'hip  and  the 
ad\'ancement  of  pul>lic  interests  before  personal  aggrandizement.  He  has 
a  wide  and  favorable  acquaintance  throughout  Nevada,  and  has  inscribed 
his  name  high  upon  the  roll  of  honored  citizens  because  of  his  s])lendifl 
career,  in  which,  dej^ending  upon  his  own  efforts  from  earh-  bovhood,  he 
has  steadily  worked  his  way  upward  to  a  leading  position  in  financial,  po- 
litical and  social  circles. 


JOHN  T.  WRIGHT,  who  is  connected  with  one  of  the  large  stock 
companies  of  Nevada,  and  is  a  leading  citizen  of  Elko,  is  one  of  the  men  who 
canie  to  this  state  with  little  or  no  capital  and  by  their  industrv  and  thriftv 
habits  worked  themselves  into  a  place  of  prominence  in  the  stock-raising 
industry.  Nevada  abounds  in  opportunities  for  such  men,  and  Mr.  Wright 
took  advantage  of  them  with  excellent  results.  When  he  came  to  the  state 
about  thirty  years  ago  he  wi^-ked  for  wages,  and  only  by  careful  saving  did 
he  get  his  start. 

Mr.    Wright    is    of    Scotch    ancestry   and   of   a    Virginia    family.      His 


416  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Ijcirents.  Joel  M.  and  Martlia  (Nance)  Wright,  were  natives  of  Virginia,  and 
in  i860  moved  to  tlie  state  of  Missonri.  where  the  former  was  engaged  in 
mercliandising  and  stock-raising  for  the  remainder  of  his  Hfe.  He  died  in 
1899,  at  tlie  age  of  sixty-six,  and  his  wife  some  time  previously.  They  were 
memljers  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  much  respected  people  in  their  home 
community.  They  had  eight  children,  of  whom  Gordon  K.  \\''right  is  also 
a  resident  of  Nevada,  heing  a  stockman  in  Ruhy  valley. 

John  T.  \\'right  was  born  in  Bedford  county,  Virginia.  July  30,  1856, 
hut  nearly  all  of  his  younger  days  were  spent  in  Missouri,  where  he  received 
his  education  in  the  public-  schools.  He  had  considerable  farming  experience 
on  his  father's  place,  and  when  he  came  to  Nevada  in  1876,  at  the  age  of 
twenty,  he  began  life  on  his  own  account  as  a  cowboy  in  Ruby  valley.  He 
\\orked  for  Frank  Moony  for  four  years  at  fifty  dollars  a  month  and  board, 
and  with  his  accumulated  earnings  embarked  in  the  stock  business  on  his 
own  hook.  He  bought  a  few  head  of  cattle,  which  he  ran  in  Ruby  valley, 
and  since  then  has  been  on  the  up  road  all  the  time.  He  later  liegan  raising 
the  standard  of  his  stock  by  thoroughbred  breeding.  an<l  in  this  way  com- 
mands higher  prices.  He  organized  the  J.  T.  Wright  Cattle  Company,  in 
which  he  owns  most  of  the  stock,  and  this  company  has  ranged  as  many 
as  two  thousand  head  of  cattle  at  one  time.  The  ':(!mpany  has  thirty-five 
hundred  acres  of  land,  and  most  of  the  water  in  Ruby  valley,  so  that  it  has 
a  definite  basis  for  continued  prosperity. 

Mr.  W'right  has  a  nice  residence  in  Elko ;  and  he  and  his  family  have 
many  friends  in  this  part  of  the  county.  In  1883  he  married  Miss  Jane 
Gedney,  a  native  of  the  state  of  Missouri,  and  they  have  one  son,  Cleveland 
Rows,  who  is  at  home.  Mr.  Wright  has  cast  a  Democratic  vote  for  over 
twenty  years,  and  has  attended  the  party  conventions  and  done  what  he  could 
to  promote  the  interests  of  the  party,  but  has  never  been  a  candidate  for  any 
office.  He  is  a  member  in  good  standing  of  the  Kniglits  of  Pythias,  and 
has  cnjnvcd  the  esteem  of  his  fellow  men  in  whatexer  relation  he  has  met 
them. 


('•.  S.  (i.\RCL\,  who  is  the  proprietur  of  one  of  the  most  important 
of  the  industries  at  Elko,  Nevada,  and  who  by  his  skill  and  business  ability 
has  built  up  an  enterprise  which  is  an  honor  to  the  town  and  the  state,  has 
been  a  resident  of  the  city  for  only  about  ten  years  and  h;is  made  almost 
his  entire  success  in  that  time,  llis  princii)al  business  is  the  manufacture 
of  saddles  and  leather  goods,  in  which  he  employs  constantly  from  fifteen 
to  twenty  men.  He  has  taken  u])  a  sjiecial  branch  of  this  industry  and  de- 
veloped it  to  a  high  state  of  perfection.  He  turns  out  .some  of  the  finest 
examples  of  leather  carving  to  be  found  anywhere  in  the  world,  especially 
in  the  Mexican  carving  of  pocketbooks  and  purses.  The  large  i)nHhul  of 
his  factory  is  now  .sent  to  all  i)arts  of  the  United  States,  and  the  trade 
is  growing  rapidly.  He  is  now  making  for  exhibition  at  the  St.  Eouis 
Exposition  a  superb  saddle  and  bridle,  at  a  cost  of  one  lliousand  dollars. 
The  carved  work  on  this  is  magnificent,  and  it  is  lo  be  mounted  with  ])iu-e 
gold  and  silver,  and  everything  in  connection  with  the  saddle  is  nf  [\w  most 


A   UlSl'om'   OF  NEVADA.  +1T 

artistic  wdrkmansliii)  and  nl  his  own  exclusive  desiyn.  lie  cnnlidently 
expects  it  to  take  first  prize  in  competition  with  all  the  world.  Mr.  (iarcia 
has  wonderful  talent  in  this  direction,  and  few  artists  are  more  devoted  and 
successful  in  their  work  than  he  has  been. 

Mr.  Garcia  was  born  in  San  Luis  Obispo,  California,  in  18O4,  and  is 
of  Mexican  ancestry.  His  father,  G.  G.  Garcia,  was  born  in  Mexico,  where 
he  married  Miss  Marie  Silva  and  they  were  early  settlers  in  the  state  of 
California.  Mr.  Garcia  was  reared  and  educated  in  San  Luis  Obispo,  and 
learned  his  trade  there.  He  was  thirty  years  old  and  a  thorough  artist  in 
his  trade  when  he  came  to  Elko,  on  June  i,  1894.  He  brought  with  him 
his  entire  capital,  about  three  imndred  dollars,  and  from  that  as  a  beginning 
has  built  up  his  present  prosperous  business  in  the  short  time  that  has  since 
elapsed.  Mr.  Garcia  is  all  energy  and  business,  and  these  qualities,  com- 
bined with  his  remarkable  .skill,  have  placed  him  to  the  front  with  the  busi- 
ness men  of  Elko.  In  addition  to  his  other  interests  he  has  a  ranch  of  two 
thousand  acres,  and  in  partnership  with  J,  S.  Jones,  is  engaged  in  raising 
cattle  and  sheep  on  an  extensi\'e  scale. 

In  1889  Mr.  Garcia  was  married  tO'  Miss  Saturnina  bdoris,  who  is 
a  native  of  his  own  town.  I'hey  are  the  parents  of  three  children,  Margar- 
etta,  Guadalope  and  Lazaro.  Mr.  Garcia  is  a  Republican,  and  he  and  his 
family  are  memljers  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church.  They  have  a  nice  home 
in  Elko,  and  they  are  all  a  most  happy  and  highly  esteemed   family. 


THE  LYON  COUNTY  TIMES,  a  weekly,  t^ve-olumn.  tour-page 
pa])er  is  published  on  Saturday  morning  by  I.  W.  Fairbanks,  editor  and 
proprietor.  It  was  established  in  1872  in  Silver  City,  Nevada,  when  that 
city  was  one  of  the  booming  gold  and  silver  producing  towns  of  the  state. 
Frank  Kenyon  was  the  first  proprietor,  but  a  little  later  Frank  Pecotte 
became  its  owner  and  for  two  years  it  was  published  daily. 

In  1880  it  was  removed  to  Dayton  by  Mr.  J.  M.  Campbell,  who  etlited 
for  two  3'ears,  and  he  was  joined  by  Mr.  Fairbanks,  who  a  little  later  jiur- 
chased  the  entire  plant  and  continued  to  publish  it  at  Dayton  until  .\ugust, 
1901,  when  he  removed  it  to  Yerington  and  placed  it  in  a  new  office  which 
he  had  built  for  it,,  and  which  is  one  of  the  most  complete  and  artistic  in  the 
state.  He  has  large  presses  and  a  complete  plant  for  newspaper  and  all 
kinds  of  job  work,  and  enjoys  ar,   excellent  patronage. 

Until  the  silver  question  came  before  the  public  the  paper  was  Re- 
publican, but  for  several  years  it  was  the  organ  of  bimetallism.  However, 
realizing  that  perhaps  the  country  is  not  yet  ready  to  decide  upon  the  matter, 
Mr.  Fairbanks  now  conducts  his  paper  up<in  the  old  methods  and  makes  it 
a  Republican  organ. 

Mr.  Fairl>anks  is  a  native  of  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin,  where  he  was 
liorn  JanuarA-  8,  :86o.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  and  Lawrence 
Universitv  at  Appleton,  Wisconsin.  After  this  he  learned  the  trade  of  a 
printer  in  Milwaukee,  and  his  life  has  since  been  devoted  to  newspaper  work 
of  some  kind  or  the  other.  l'"or  the  i)ast  twenty-three  years  he  has  been 
in  Nevada,  and  is  closelv  identified  with   its  best  interests.     Fraternally  he 


418  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

is  a  member  of  tlie  Knights  of  Pythias  and  also  of  the  Ancient  Order  of 
United  Workmen  of  Yerington.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  imj^ortant  fac- 
tors in  the  social  life  of  the  city  in  which  they  have  made  their  home  for 
so  many  \ears. 


HON.  SAMl^EL  P.  DAWIS.  controller  of  Nevada,  came  to  the  state 
some  thirty  years  ago  nnder  engagement  to  write  on  the  Viriginia  Chronicle 
then  owned  by  Dennis  McCarthy.  He  was  l)orn  in  Branford,  Connecticut, 
.Xpril  4.  1850.  He  comes  of  Welsh  ancestry,  but  several  generations  of  the 
family  have  resided  in  New  England.  His  father.  Rev.  Geo.  R.  Davis,  an 
Episcopal  clergyman,  was  horn  in  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  where  he  mar- 
ried Sylvia  Nichols,  a  native  of  Maine.  He  came  to  Nevada  in  1875  and 
s])ent  a  long  and  useful  career  in  the  ministry,  but  is  now  retired  and  resides 
in  Carson  City,  a  man  revered  and  lieloved  by  all  who  have  the  honor  of  his 
acciuaintance.  Four  children  were  born  to  him  :  I^obert,  now  on  the  editorial 
staff  of  the  New  York  JVorld ;  William,  a  writer  on  the  Stockton  Mail:  Mrs. 
H.  G.  Shaw,  of  San  FVancisco;  and  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

Mr.  Davis  received  his  education  at  Racine  College,  Wisconsin,  and  since 
that  time  has  devoted  himself  to  journalism,  having  been  connected  with 
the  Chicago  Times.  Omaha  Herald.  Marysxille  Appeai.  Chronicle,  Examiner 
and  Argonaut,  of  San  Francisco,  Virginia  Chronicle  and  Salt  Lake  Tribune. 
For  more  than  twenty  }ears  he  has  been  the  editor  and  i)ublisher  of  the 
Carson  Appeal,  the  oldest  paper  to  be  published  continuously  in  the  state,  and 
now  one  of  the  leading  fusion  organs. 

Mr.  Davis  has  been  in  active  politics  since  young  manluMxl,  and  for  a 
number  of  years  was  an  ardent  Republican.  In  January,  1890,  he  startled 
the  politicians  of  the  state  by  hoisting  the  flag  of  revolt  a.gainst  the  ])arty 
and  called  upon  those  v^ho  did  not  believe  that  Nevada  was  lienefited  by  a 
hi.gh  tariff  and  the  demonetization  of  silver,  to  join  in  the  formation  of  a 
new  partv.  He  was  derided  by  his  late  political  associates  and  read  out  of 
the  partv,  but  a  few  years  later  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing,  not  only  his 
own  state  but  the  whole  west,  fighting  on  the  .same  political  lines. 

In  i88g  he  was  nominated  for  controller  by  acclamation  by  the  silver 
party  and  elected.  Immediately  upon  assuming  the  duties  of  his  office,  he, 
in  conjunction  with  Ciovernor  Sadler,  made  a  tour  of  the  state  in  the  in- 
terests of  a  reorganization  of  the  revenue  system,  and  opened  an  aggressive 
war  upon  the  interests  which  were  escaping  a  just  proportion  of  taxation. 
The  result  of  this  agitation  was  the  passage  of  what  is  known  as  the  Pitt 
revenue  bill,  and  other  revenue  legislation  tending  to  raise  valuations  and 
lower  tax  rates.  ]\Ir.  Davis  has  made  a  thorough  study  of  rc\cnue  matters 
not  only  in  Nevada  Init  taxation  in  other  states,  and  is  re.garded  as  authority 
upon  all  c|uestions  connected  with  taxation  and  revenue.  During  his  ad- 
ministration the  system  of  equal  taxation,  based  upon  high  valuations  and 
low  rates,  has  been  featured  systematically,  and  as  a  result  Ne\ada  has  added 
many  millions  each  year  to  its  assessment  roll,  and  outside  capital  has  flowed 
in  to  further  distribute  anrl  cr|ualize  the  burdens  of  taxation  under  which 
Nevada  staggered   for  a  long  time.      In  the  administration  fit  his  office  he 


d^-evrrKy^:^^'^Hri4 


^     A   illSTOKV  OI<    NKVADA.  419 

lias  treated  tlie  rich  and  tlie  jjoor  im|)artially,  the  corporation  and  the  ca1)in- 
owner  being  npon  the  same  footing. 

He  lias  always  been  an  ad\'Ocate  of  state  develo])ment,  and  was  the  first 
to  import  thoronghbred  Holstein  cattle  to  the  state.  He  still  maintains  a 
breeding  farm  two  miles  from  Carson  City. 

In  1880  he  married  Nellie  V.  Mighels,  widow  of  Harry  R.  Mighels  and 
sister  of  Professor  Auldison  Verrill,  of  Yale  College,  one  of  the  leading 
zoologists  of  .'America.  Two  lovely  daughters  ha\e  been  born  to  them,  Lucy 
and  Ethel. 

For  years  past  Mr.  Da\'is  has  enjoyed  a  national  reputation  as  a  writer, 
and  contributed  to  the  leading  magazines  and  periodicals  of  the  United 
States.  His  best  story,  one  which  has  Ijeen  translated  into  several  languages 
and  republished  anil  re\ani])ed  more  than  any  of  his  works,  is  "The  First 
Piano  in  Camp." 

As  a  public  sjieakcr  he  is  regarded  as  at  his  l)est  when  called  uuon  after 
the  wine  and  walnuts  at  a  jniblic  function.  He  generally  sets  the  table  in  a 
roar,  and  a  contemporaneous  writer  has  said  of  him  that  his  oratory  is  gov- 
erned by  the  brand  of  wine  on  the  menu.  A  stem-winding  effort  from  "Sam." 
as  'he  his  affectionately  called  by  his  friends,  means  the  best  brand  in  the 
market.  The  best  of  these  efforts  and  a  jjiece  of  word  painting  which  will 
ahvays  live,  is  his  glittering  oratorical  tribute  to  electricity  at  the  banquet 
given  in  honor  of  the  introduction  of  cheap  power  on  the  Comstock. 

In  political  campaigns  he  delights  in  being  in  the  thick  of  the  fight,  and 
his  off-hand  talks  to  a  political  audience  are  noteworthy  for  their  entire 
absence  of  any  attempt  at  eloquence  and  the  abundance  of  harrl  slugging 
which  characterizes  them.  He  calls  a  spade  a  spade,  and  his  talks  are  re- 
garded as  vote-getters  for  the  party. 

Only  when  the  entire  fire  of  the  o])]5osition  can  be  concentrated  upon 
himself  does  he  cohsiiler  that  he  is  doing  his  duty  by  his  associates  upon 
the  ticket. 

In  1885  he  published  a  book  of  "Short  Stories  and  Poems"  which  met 
with  a  very  cordial  reception  from  the  critics  of  the  country. 


JOHN  W.  BOYNTON.  a  ])rominent  stock  farmer  of  Truckee  mead- 
ows, has  the  distinction  of  having  crossed  the  plains  to  California  in  1855. 
He  is  a  native  of  Connecticut.  ha\ing  been  born  in  Tolland  county  on  the 
1st  of  March,  1837.  In  both  the  paternal  and  maternal  lines  he  comes  of 
old  English  families,  and  the  ancestry  in  the  mother  country  can  be  traced 
back  to  1000,  a  castle  having  been  l)uilt  at  that  early  date  by  representa- 
tives of  the  Boynton  name.  The  members  of  the  family  belonged  to  the 
noliility  of  England  and  possessed  a  coat  of  arms.  Mr.  Boynton  has  a 
l^icture  of  the  old  castle  and  a  facsimile  of  the  coat  of  arms.  Two  of  the 
Boynton  brothers.  John  and  \\'illiam,  leaving  their  native  land  in  1638, 
braved  the  dangers  incident  to  an  ocean  voyage  at  that  period  and  estab- 
lished homes  in  Connecticut,  thus  becoming  the  progenitors  of  the  family 
in  the  new  world.  Their  descendants  now  number  several  thousands  in 
.\mcrica.   and  annual   meetings  of  the  relatives   are  held   in   Connecticut,   at 


420  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

which  usuaUv  several  tliousand  representatives  of  tlie  name  and  their  kin- 
dred gatlier. 

George  Boynton,  the  father  of  John  W.  Boynton.  was  Ixirn  in  Con- 
necticut in  1803,  and  there  wedded  Miss  Cynthia  Whitman,  also  a  native 
of  that  state.  Under  the  parental  roof  John  \V.  Boynton  spent  the  days  of 
his  childhood,  and  in  1855,  when  eighteen  years  of  age,  he  bade  adieu  to 
friends  and  family  and  started  westward,  his  destination  being  the  state 
of  Missouri.  He  then  joined  a  freight  train  that  was  going  to  Salt  Lake 
City,  and  on  reaching  that  place,  in  connection  with  fourteen  others,  he 
]nn-chased  three  yoke  of  cattle  and  a  wagon,  after  which  the  journey  was 
resumed  with  Hangtown,  California,  now  Placerville,  as  their  destination. 
When  about  nine  miles  from  Hangtown.  however.  Mr.  Boynton  secured 
a  situation  and  worked  for  tw^o  weeks  ere  continuing  his  journey  to  Placer- 
\-ille.  At  a  later  date  he  went  to  Sacramento,  where  he  spent  about  three 
davs,  proceeding  thence  to  the  American  river,  where  he  secured  a  position 
at  placer  mining,  receiving  two  dollars  per  day.  He  was  also  paid  one 
dollar  a  day  for  his  board.  His  next  remosal  tnok  him  to  FoLsom.  Sacra- 
mento countv,  where  with  others  he  worked  in  a  hxclraulic  mine.  He 
and  his  partner  got  one-third  of  what  they  made.  In  the  spring  of  1861 
Mr.  Boynton  came  to  Truckee  meadows  in  Washoe  county,  and  that  fall 
located  a  ranch  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  upon  which  he  has  since 
resided.  His  laliors  have  wrought  a  great  change  in  its  a])i)earance.  for  be 
has  placed  many  improvements  on  the  land,  and  has  also  added  to  it  from 
time  to  time  until  he  now  owns  eight  hundred  acres  of  choice  grass  land.  On 
this  ranch  he  raises  hay  and  cattle,  feeding  all  of  liis  bay  to  bis  cattle.  His 
is  one  of  the  rich  farms  of  the  valley,  and  it  is  splendidly  efpiipped  with 
good  buildings,  including  a  nice  residence.  Fie  keeps  as  high  as  three  hun- 
dred head  of  cattle  at  a  time.  In  1S72  he  went  to  Oregon  and  purchased 
seven  hundred  head  of  cattle  which  he  wintered  at  Lost  ri\er  in  that  state, 
being  associated  in  the  enterprise  with  a  partner  1)\'  the  name  of  Pete 
Young.  That  was  just  prior  to  the  Modoc  war.  ;md  thc\'  were  fortunate 
in  managing  to  leave  that  country  ali\e. 

Mr.  Boynton  has  I)een  an  interested  witness  of  the  political  ])rogress 
of  the  country,  and  for  many  years  su])ported  the  Republican  |)art_\'.  in  fact, 
still  endorses  its  princi])les  on  many  subjects,  although  he  is  a  binietallist. 
Fie  has  been  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  for  r>vcr 
th.irty  years,  and  has  passed  all  of  the  chairs  in  the  subordinate  lodge.  The 
neat  appearance  of  his  farm  indicates  him  tn  l)c  a  man  n\  industrv  and 
business  enterprises,  and  is  the  \isible  e\idcnce  of  bis  acli\c  and  iiscfid 
career. 


J.  II.  .MII.LI'"I\.  It  would  be  diHicult  Id  name  a  cili/.cn  of  Nevada 
more  i)o|)ular  with  his  fellow  men  or  enjoying  to  a  greater  degree  the  con- 
fidence and  trust  of  those  with  whom  be  is  as.sociated,  than  J.  H.  Miller,  who 
is  now  serving  for  the  fourth  term  as  clerk  and  treasurer  of  Esmeralda 
county.  Elected  the  fir.st  time  by  a  majority  of  only  two,  at  the  last  election 
lie  received  no  opjjo.sition  at  all,  becau.se  bis  capability  in  office  and  his  prompt- 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  421 

ness  and  fidelity  had  so  won  the  appro\'al  and  trust  of  the  puljlic.  He  is 
e(|iiaily  pmniinenl  as  a  niercliant  here,  and  in  S(jciai  circles  the  number  of 
his  friends  almost  equals  the  number  of  his  acquaintances. 

John  Flarvey  Miller  is  a  native  son  of  Nevada,  his  birth  hax'ing  occurred 
in  this  state,  April  i6,  1871.  He  is  descended  from  an  old  Virginia  family. 
His  father,  Nicholas  Miller,  was  born  in  the  Old  Dominion  and  crossed  the 
plains  with  an  ox  team  to  California  in  1858.  He  mined  for  some  time  in 
the  different  California  diggings,  but  only  with  partial  success,  and  in  1868 
removed  to  Austin,  Nevada,  attracted  by  the  mining  excitement  at  that  place. 
He  then  engaged  in  contracting  and  in  quartz  mining  at  Austin  and  at  Bel- 
mont until  1880,  when  his  business  career  was  terminated  in  death  in  the 
fiftieth  year  of  his  age.  He  had  married  Miss  Maria  T.  Burns,  also  a  native 
of  Virginia,  and  they  were  the  parents  of  se\en  children,  of  whom  four  are 
living:  Alva,  an  engineer  on  the  Carson  &  Colorado  Railroad;  Lilly,  now 
the  wife  of  J.  E.  Adams,  the  partner  of  our  sul)ject ;  and  M.  C,  the  wife  of 
Frank  Sloan,  of  Tonopah,  Nevada. 

J.  H.  Miller  was  principally  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Nevada, 
and  when  twelve  years  of  age  he  entered  upon  his  business  career.  He  was 
very  young  to-  face  the  battles  of  life,  but  he  has  come  off  conqueror  in  the 
strife.  He  was  first  employed  as  a  clerk  in  the  store  of  F.  A.  Angel  &  Com- 
l)any,  of  Hawthorne,  at  a  salary  of  ten  dollars  per  month,  and  during  the 
three  years  he  remained  with  that  firm  his  wages  were  increased  to  thirty 
dollars  per  month.  Subsec|uently  he  spent  two  years  in  the  employ  of  Mr. 
Summerfield,  the  pioneer  merchant  of  the  town,  and  afterward  was  with 
Kna])p  &  Laws  for  seven  years,  receiving  one  hundred  and  ten  dollars  per 
month.  Joining  Mr.  Adams  in  business,  the  present  firm  of  Adams  &  Miller 
was  formed,  and  since  that  time  its  Inisiness  has  grown  rapidly.  Theirs  is 
one  of  the  successful  mercantile  houses  of  the  city,  and  they  are  now  doing 
a  very  large  wdiolesale  and  retail  business,  handling  all  kinds  of  merchandise 
including  hay,  grain,  lumber  and  builders'  supplies,  in.  addition  to  dry-goods 
and  other  commodities  demanded  in  the  household.  Their  trade  extends 
over  an  area  of  two  hundred  miles.  Their  close  attention  to  busines  and  liberal, 
progressive  methods  have  Ijrought  to  tliem  well  earned  success,  and  the  house 
of  Adams  &  Miller  is  now  one  of  the  leading  mercantile  establishments  of  this 
part  of  the  country.  They  carry  a  \ery  large  stock  and  also  have  a  number  of 
warehouses  well  filled. 

In  1896  Mr.  Miller  was  chosen  as  the  candidate  of  the  silver  partv 
for  clerk  and  treasurer  of  the  ciumty  of  Esmeralda,  and  has  now  been  elected 
ffir  four  successive  terms.  At  the  first  election  he  received  a  majrjrity  of 
only  two,  but  discharged  his  duties  with  such  fidelity  and  capability  that  at 
the  second  election  he  received  a  majority  of  three  hundred  and  ninety-five, 
and  at  the  next  election  had  no'  opposition  at  all,  while  at  the  fourth  election 
he  ])(illed  a  larger  vote  than  had  as  yet  been  given  him.  No  higher  encomium 
could  be  pronounced  on  his  official  service. 

In  1890  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Miller  and  Miss  Sadie  Louise 
George,  of  Carson,  Nevada,  a  daughter  of  Augustus  George,  of  that  city. 
She  is  a  native  daughter  of  the  state,  born  in  Virginia  City.  This  union 
has  been  blessed  with  three  children,  ;dl  born  in  Hawtliorne,  namelv :     Rubie 


422  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

E.,  Harvey  A.  and  Florence  E.  In  religious  faith  Air.  and  Mrs.  Miller  are 
Episcopalians.  They  have  a  nice  home  in  Hawthorne  and  the  high  esteem 
of  a  large  circle  of  friends.  Air.  Aliller  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Order 
of  United  Workmen,  the  Knights  of  Pythias  fraternity  and  the  Fudependent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  the  Rebekalis  and  the  Degree  of  Honor.  His  genial 
nature,  his  sterling  worth  and  his  trustworthinesss  have  made  him  a  popular 
citizen. 

E.  B.  VERIXGTON,  general  freight  and  passenger  agent  of  the  Vir- 
ginia and  Truckee  Railroad,  is  the  son  of  the  Hon.  H.  M.  Yerington.  who 
was  the  projector  and  builder  of  the  road,  driving  the  first  and  the  last 
spike  in  it.  and  has  l)een  its  general  superintendent  since  its  inception.  Ed- 
ward B.  Yerington  was  born  in  Port  Stanley,  Canada,  August  6.  1859, 
and  was  four  }-ears  old  when  in  1863  he  was  brought  b}-  his  father  to 
Carson  City,  where  for  the  past  forty  years  he  has  resided,  and  since  attain- 
mg  to  manhood  has  been  a  \'ery  prominent  business  man.  He  attended  the 
Carson  City  public  schools  until  1872,  when  he  was  sent  to  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Brewer's  school  in  San  Mateo,  California,  and  he  remained  at  that  school 
until  1877,  when  he  was  sent  east  to  the  Gait  Cnmmercial  College  in  Canada. 
.\fter  two  years  he  returned  home  and  engaged  in  mining  at  Bodie  and 
.\urora  for  three  years.  In  18X1  he  went  to  \'irginia  City  and  became  sec- 
retary of  the  Virginia  &  Truckee  Railroad,  holding  that  olfice  until  1896, 
when  the  office  was  removed  to  Carson  City,  and  the  following  year  he  was 
appointed  general  freight  and  passenger  agent.  Since  then  he  has  dis- 
charged the  duties  of  this  impoi'tant  jxisition  in  a  manner  which  reflects 
credit  upon  himself  and  his  distinguished  father,  ami  has  pro\-ed  himself  a 
worthy  S(jn  of  an  excellent  man. 

In  1886  Mr.  Yerington  was  married  to  Miss  Ella  Cogswell,  of  Madi- 
son. Wisconsin,  who  was  reared  in  \'irginia  City.  She  is  a  daughter  of 
C.  H.  Cogswell,  a  mining  engineer.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A'erington  have  three 
children,  namely :  Russell,  I'deanor  and  Clara.  The  family  .are  members 
I  if  the  l''])iscopal  church,  of  which  Mr.  Yerington  is  a  member  of  the  vestry, 
b'raternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  order  of  Elks,  and  in  politics  has  been 
a  life-long  Republican.  Honored  and  respected  b\"  all  who  kudw  liiiu,  Mr. 
"N'erington  holds  a  positidu  of  iirominence  among  the  substantial  men  of 
the  community,  and  has  well  bunic  his  i)art  in  the  upbuilding  of  Car.son 
City. 

JOHN  G.  ATCFIISON.  'Hie  west  has  always  been  the  home  of  John 
Graham  .\tcliison,  and  he  has  witnessed  much  of  its  mar\elous  development. 
He  has  seen  the  pioneer  claim  the  riches  of  the  country  and  dc\clop  its 
resources,  thus  carrying  forward  the  work  of  improvement  and  pnvgress 
until  now  the  west  has  all  the  conveniences  and  o]>])ortunities  of  the  older 
east.  Mr.  .\tchison,  who  is  now  .serving  as  recorder  and  auditor  of  Ivs- 
inerakla  county  and  makes  his  home  in  Hawthorne,  was  born  in  I'orest 
City.  California,  coming  of  Scotch  and  Irish  ancestry  who  settled  in  the 
colonies  long  previous  to  the  Revolutionary  war.      His  ])atcrnal  great-grand- 


& 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  .  423 

fatliei"  fought  for  tlie  iiidepeii<lencc  of  the  nation  all  through  the  long- 
struggle.      His  grandfather  hecame  a  pioneer  settler  of  Ohio. 

His  father,  Samuel  Scott  Atchison,  was  born  in  the  Buckeye  state. 
Having  arrived  at  years  of  maturity  he  married  Miss  Elizabeth  Graham, 
a  nati\e  of  Jialtimore,  Maryland.  With  oxen  he  crossed  the  plains  to  Cali- 
fornia in  i(S49,  attracted  by  the  discovei"y  of  gold,  and  located  near  Sacra- 
mento on  the  Sacramento  river.  He  mined  at  Forest  City  with  success  and 
in  1852  he  returned  east  with  several  thousand  dollars  that  he  had  accumu- 
lated. Then  he  was  marrieil  and  brought  his  wife  to  California,  making 
the  journey  by  way  of  the  isthmus  route.  They  settled  in  Garden  valley. 
Eldorado  county,  and  in  1863  i-emoved  to  Washoe  city,  Nevada,  where 
his  brothers,  John  and  Silas,  were  living.  Samuel  S.  iVtchison  became 
engaged  in  the  building  of  mills.  He  built  the  mill  at  Empire  and  the  At- 
chison mill  in  Washoe  city,  and  also  had  charge  of  the  toll  road  between 
Cantonville  and  Marysville,  meeting  with  good  success  in  his  varied  under- 
takings. He  later  removed  to  Ventura  county,  California,  and  was  en- 
gaged in  larming  when  lx)th  he  and  his  wife  were  killed  in  a  runaway  acci- 
dent. Mr.  S.  S.  Atchison  was  a  Republican,  and  while  residing  in  Washoe 
was  a  member  of  the  convention  which  met  to  frame  the  state  constitution 
of  Nevada.  In  matters  of  citizenship  he  was  always  practical  and  pro- 
gressive, and  was  a  valued  resident  of  every  community  in  which  he  made 
his  home  for  any  length  of  time.  To  him  and  his  wife  were  born  two  chil- 
dren, the  daughter,  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Griffin,  a  widow,  now  living  with  Mr. 
Atchison  in  Hawthorne. 

John  Graham  Atchison  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Virginia 
City  and  in  Santa  Clara  College,  of  California,  after  which  he  followed 
civil  engineering,  and  was  in  the  employ  of  the  Carson  &  Colorado  Rail- 
road Company  for  a  number  of  years,  continuing  his  connection  therewith 
from  the  time  of  the  building  of  the  road  until  1890.  In  that  year  he  was 
nominated  by  the  Republican  party  for  the  office  of  recorder  and  auditor 
of  Esmeralda  county,  and  has  filled  the  position  ever  since  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a  period  of  two  years.  He  has  been  again  and  again  elected,  and 
his  popularity  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  at  the  last  election  he  had  no  oppo- 
sition, a  fact  which  is  also  indicative  of  the  unqualified  confidence  reposed 
in  him  by  his  fellow  citizens.  He  also  served  as  clerk  of  the  state  legislature 
in  1877. 

In  1889  Mr.  Atchison  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Striker, 
a  native  daiighter  of  California.  They  are  members  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
church,  and  Mr.  Atchison  is  an  active  member  of  the  Ancient  Order  of 
United  Workmen.  He  has  done  much  to  sustain  the  order  and  has  been 
its  master  wt)rknian  for  six  years.  In  Hawthorne  he  has  been  a  co-operant 
factor  in  much  pertaining  to  tlie  welfare  and  upbuilding  of  the  city,  and, 
indeed,  was  one  of  the  engineers  that  i)latted  the  town.  He  is  spoken  of  by 
his  fellow  citizens  as  a  man  of  excellent  judgment  and  the  highest  proliity  of 
character,  and  he  and  his  wife,  occupying  a  nice  home  in  Hawthorne,  enjoy 
the  res]>ect  of  all  who  k'now  them. 


i-2-i:  ,  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

HOX.  JOHX  S.  MAYHL'GH,  who  ilie.l  at  his  residence  in  Elko, 
Nevada.  June  3,  190^.  in  the  seventy-second  year  of  liis  life,  was  one  of 
the  most  accomplished  and  most  puhlic-spirited  men  his  home  city  and  state 
possessed.  He  had  the  honor  of  heing  a  pioneer  not  only  of  Nevada  but 
also  of  California,  and  mam-  western  communities  knew  and  honored  him 
throughout  his  useful  life.  His  striking  talents  and  versatility  led  him 
to  engage  in  many  lines  of  activity,  and  he  graced  them  all  with  his  con- 
spicuous ability.  He  held  numerous  offices  under  the  general  and  kxal 
government,  was  one  of  the  active  workers  of  the  Republican  party,  was 
an  editor  and  publisher,  at  various  times  and  places  engaged  in  business 
enterprises,  which  were  nearly  always  successful  to  a  high  degree,  and 
where\-er  and  in  whatever  relation  he  touched  the  community  or  state,  in 
public  or  private    capacity,  was  upright,  honorable  and  efficient. 

Mr.  Ma\hugh  was  of  English  and  (German  ancestry,  who  were  early 
settlers  in  the  state  of  Maryland,  and  he  was  Ijorn  in  Cumberland  county- 
Pennsylvania,  January  i,  1830.  His  education  was  received  in  Dickin- 
son and  Carlisle  townships  of  that  state,  and  was  completed  at  one  of  the 
eastern  colleges,  so  that  he  started  out  in  life  with  an  excellent  mental 
ecpiipment  in  addition  to  his  inherited  talent.  In  1850  he  went  to  Cali- 
fornia, and  for  a  time  mined  with  Judge  Dibble,  of  Grass  Valley,  meet- 
ing with  good  success.  He  was  then  collector  of  internal  revenue,  and  in 
1859  went  to  Virginia  City.  Nevada,  where  he  followed  mining,  as  also 
in  Esmeralda  county.  He  was  one  of  tlie  jjioneers  to  this  state,  and  was 
identified  in  many  ways  with  its  public  life,  louring  the  Civil  war  he  was 
a  stanch  upholder  of  the  Union  cause,  nut  onl\-  in  his  daily  intercourse  with 
men  but  as  a  spirited  writer  for  the  press.  He  was  the  correspondent  for 
the  Sacramento  Dailx  i'nion.  and  also  wrote  for  a  number  of  other  papers 
of  the  country.  In  this  way  he  was  able  to  accomplish  much  for  the  prog- 
ress of  Ne\'ada  bv  setting  forth  to  the  outside'workl  the  unlimited  resources 
of  the  state. 

Mr.  Mayhugh  came  to  Elko  to  reside,  in  1868,  and  was  register  of  the 
L'nited  States  land  office  for  five  years.  He  was  elected  to  the  legislature 
from  Elko  county,  and  was  a  leader  in  the  work  of  that  body.  He  was 
twice  Indian  agent,  and  had  much  e.xperience  in  the  selection  of  state 
larids  and  the  proving  of  titles  to  the  same.  He  was  editor  and  publisher 
of  the  Nevada  Tidings  at  ]'"lko.  and  was  thoroughlv  informed  on  all  public 
affairs.  He  was  a  splendid  parliamentarian,  and  an  acknowledged  leader 
in  debate  and  public  .speaking.  He  was  one  of  the  first  regents  of  the  State 
University  of  Nevada,  and  took  much  interest  in  ali  departments  of  public 
education.  He  was  a  life-long  Republican,  but  favored  silver  when  that 
<luestion  was  a  campaign  issue.  He  served  as  chairman  of  the  county 
central  committee,  and  was  the  United  States  government  disbursing  and 
allotment  agent   for  the  Indian  agencies  in  Arizona  and  Oregon. 

On  June  i,  1869,  Mr.  Mayhugh  was  married  to  Mi.ss  Julia  A.  Cav- 
anaugh,  a  native  of  New  York  city  and  the  dauglitcr  of  Peter  and  Ellen 
Cavanaugli.  Three  children  were  born  to  this  marriage.  John  S.  is  a  grad- 
uate c)i  the  Nevada  State  University,  and  is  now  a  civil  engineer  in  the 
cn'.ploy    of   ilic    Soiilhern    Pacific    Railroad    Company   at    Ogdcn.      Stella,    ;i 


A  IlISTOm'  (W  NRVADA.  -i'iS 

s^radimte  of  Staiiford  University,   is  a  music  and  scliool  Icaclicr.     Sylvania 
is  now  in  the  Elko  Iiigli  scliool. 

Mr.  Mayhugh  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  had 
been  connected  with  tlie  Masonic  fraternity  for  over  forty  years,  licing' 
buried  witli  the  rites  of  that  order.  He  was  especially  beloved  in  the 
liome  circle,  where  he  was  extremely  generous  and  kind-hearted,  and  his 
character  and  example  have  torne  good  fruit  in  the  worthy  children  who 
are  ready  to  take  foremost  positions  in  life's  activities.  He  was  very 
successful  in  business,  and  erected  for  his  home  a  beautiful  brick  residence 
in  Elko.  He  also  possessed  real  estate  and  other  buildings  in  the  town, 
and  two  thousand  acres  of  land  in  Ruby  valley.  Mrs.  Mayhugh  still  resides 
in  the  family  home,  and  shows  her  business  ability  by  ably  man- 
aging the  extensive  interests  which  her  husband  has  left.  She  is  a 
lady  of  much  refinement  and  culture,  and  her  life  has  been  spent  in  the 
]5raisewortbv  effort  to  rear  her  children  to  noble  men  and  women  and  in 
assisting  her  husband  in  the  performance  of  the  heavy  tasks  which  life  l;iid 
on   him. 


ANDREW  LITCH  is  a  representative  self-made  man  of  Reno,  and 
since  1862  he  resided  in  Nevada,  having  come  here  when  a  young  man, 
hoping  that  the  natural  resources  of  the  west  and  the  business  develop- 
ment would  give  him  opportunity  for  the  acquirement  of  a  comfortable 
competence.  In  this  hope  he  h.as  not  lieen  disappointed,  and  he  is  now 
a  substantial  citizen  of  Reno.  He  was  born  in  Ciermany  on  the  i6th  of 
November,  1833  his  parents  being  Michael  and  Lena  (Longhurst)  Litch, 
who  were  also  natives  of  the  fatherland,  inAvbich  country  they  were  reared 
and  married.  After  the  birth  of  four  of  their  children  they  emigrated  to 
the  new  world,  crossing  the  Atlantic  to  New  Orleans.  Thence  they  made 
their  way  north  to  Indiana,  where  Mr.  Litch  purchased  two  hundred  acres 
of  land  near  Louisville.  This  he  improved,  continuing  its  cultivation  until 
his  death,  whch  occurred  in  1889,  when  he  was  eighty-four  years  of  age. 
His  wife  had  passed  away  in   1879. 

Andrew  Litch  is  now  the  only  survivor  of  the  family.  He  was  but  a 
boy  when  brought  to  the  LTnited  States,  and  in  1850  he  made  a  trip  to 
California  l)y  way  of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  being  then  a  youth  of  seven- 
teen years.  He  engaged  in  mining  at  Bidwell's  P.ar,  receiving  two  dollars 
and  a  half  per  day  and  his  board  for  his  services,  but  not  much  gokl  was 
taken  out  there,  and  he  afterward  went  to  the  Sacramento  valley  nine 
miles  lielow  the  city  of  Chico,  where  he  purchased  a  squatter's  claim  of 
six  hundred  acres  of  land.  There  he  engaged  in  raising  hay  and  grain, 
continuing  in  that  business  for  six  years,  but  bis  ranch  proved  to  be  a 
Mexican  grant,  and,  after  being  paid  for  the  improvements  which  he  placed 
upon  it,  he  gave  it  up.  Mr.  Litch  then  returned  to  Honey  Lake  valley  in 
Lassen  county,  making  the  journey  with  an  ox  team,  and  afterward  went  to 
Humlxtldt  county  in  the  year  1862.  In  the  latter  county  he  engaged  in 
teaming  with  oxen,  hauling  fruit  from  Oroville  and  Marysville,  California. 
ti>  Humboldt,   Nc\-ada.     It  required  a  month  to  make  the  trip,  and  he  re- 


420  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

cei\-ed  from  five  to  six  luuulred  dollars  for  each  trip.  .  In  1864  he  went  to 
Granite  creek,  where  he  established  a  trading  i>ost,  and  during  the  two 
years  of  his  residence  there  he  made  considerable  money,  but  the  Indians 
caused  him  annoyance,  stealing  his  goods,  and  they  also  killed  his  partner, 
Lucius  Archelans.  Others  were  also  killed  in  the  settlement,  and  die  In- 
dians burned  the  trading  post.  Mr.  Litch  undoubtedly  would  have  been 
murdered  by  the  red  men  had  not  he  been  away  at  the  time  of  the  massacre. 
He  rebuilt  the  trading  post  and  remained  there  an  additional  two  years,  but 
eventually  he  abandoned  his  place  because  of  the  depredations  of  the  In- 
dians. The  Piutes  stole  everything  that  he  had.  He  then  went  to  Honey 
Lake  and  purchased  a  ranch,  containing  between  six  and  eight  hundred 
acres.  On  this  he  raised  hay  and  also  kept  a  station.  For  five  years  he  re- 
mained upon  that  place,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  sold  the  pro^jerty  and 
renuned  to  the  okl  Erickson  ranch  only  a  mile  distant  from  his  former 
farm.  Again  he  met  with  prosperity  while  living  on  the  Erickson  ranch 
and  in  1882  he  bought  his  present  ranch  a  mile  and  a  half  south  of  Reno, 
containing  ninety  acres,  upon  which  stands  a  good  residence.  Thereon  he 
carried  on  general  farming  until  1900,  when  he  retired  from  active  business 
life  and  l)uilt  a  good  home  m  Reno,  which  he  now  occupies,  while  his  son- 
in-law,  Ike  Jewell,  is  living  upon  the  farm. 

JMr.  Litch  was  married  in  1870  to  Miss  Mary  Crass,  a  native  of  Ken- 
tucky. He  returned  to  the  east  for  his  bride,  and  the  wedding'  was  cele- 
brated on  the  22nd  of  February.  Five  children  have  been  born  to  them, 
and  the  family  circle  yet  remains  unbroken  by  the  hand  of  death.  These 
are  Clara,  now  the  wife  of  Frank  Gibson,  who  resides  on  Mr.  Litch's  ranch 
at  Honey  Lake;  Fred,  a  st(xkman ;  Thomas,  who  conducted  a  barter  shop 
in  Reno:  Minnie,  the  wife  of  Ike  Jewell:  and  George,  also  a  resident  of 
i\eno.  'J'here  are  now  seven  grandchildren.  In  1892  Mr.  Litch  was  called 
upon  to  mourn  the  loss  of  his  wife,  who  had  indeed  been  a  faithful  com- 
panion to  hini  and  a  devoted  and  Iming  wile  and  mother,  putting  forth 
every  effort  in  her  power  to  advance  the  interests  of  her  family.  Mr.  Litch 
has  always  been  a  stalwart  Republican,  but  has  never  sought  or  held  ollice. 
He  gives  his  sujipurl.  however,  to  measures  for  the  public  good,  and  in 
religious  faith  is  a  Koman  Catholic.  His  life  has  been  characterized  b\ 
industry,  and  because  of  this  he  well  merits  the  success  which  has  come  to 
him. 


J.  W.  JOHNSON,  at  present  proprietor  "\  tlic  Hull's  Head  Hotel  at 
Wells,  Nevada,  has  been  a  resident  of  the  state  fur  nver  thirty  years.  He 
h;is  had  a  varied,  busy  and  useful  career.  I'rom  his  birtliplace  on  the  .\t- 
lantic  side  of  the  country  he  came  to  the  Mississippi  \-alle\',  and  while  there 
was  in  the  service  of  h.is  country  for  over  four  years,  battling  for  the  cause 
of  human  freedom.  And  the  latter  half  of  his  life  has  been  spent  in  various 
occupations  on  the  I'acific  slope — in  freighting,  stock-raising  and  running 
a  luitel.  The  outcome  of  this  activity  has  been  a  prosperous  business  and  ,1 
secure  ])lace  in  the  world  of  affairs  and  in  the  esteem  of  his  fellow  men. 

Mr.  Johnson's  Welsh  ancestors  settled  in  the  east  prior  to  tlic  Revolii- 


^ 


A  HISTORY  OF  NF.VADA.  427 

tion,  and  .1  number  of  generations  performed  tlieir  part  of  the  world's  duties 
in  tlieir  res])ective  spheres  in  that  portion  of  the  country.  Levi  Johnson,  his 
great-grandfather,  was  a  resident  of  Maryland,  the  latter"s  son,  Lewis,  was 
a  native  of  Delaware,  as  was  eIso  Joseph  Johnson,  the  father  of  J.  W.  John- 
aon.  Joseph  Johnson  married  Miss  Louisa  Short,  a  natixe  of  his  own 
count}',  antl  they  resided  on  a  Delaware  farm  all  their  lives.  The  former 
was  se\-ent3'  years  old  at  his  death,  and  the  latter  fifty-five.  They  had  seven 
children,  and  two  of  them  survive. 

Mr.  J.  W.  Johnson,  the  only  representative  of  the  family  in  Nevada, 
was  born  in  Essex  county,  Delaware,  near  the  Maryland  state  line,  on 
Januar)'  11,  1841.  When  seventeen  years  old  he  removed  to  Illinois,  and 
worked  for  wages  there  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  war.  In  July, 
1861,  he  enlisted  in  Company  I,  Twenty-seventh  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry, 
in  the  Army  of  the  Cuml)er!and.  After  three  years  of  active  and  arduous 
service  he  re-enlisted,  and  in  the  fight  at  Macon,  Georgia,  was  wounded  antl 
taken  prisoner,  being  confined  in  Liijby  prison  for  nearly  a  year.  When  he 
was  finally  exchanged  he  was  reduced  to  almost  a  skeleton,  but  as  soon  as  he 
recuperated  he  rejoined  his  regiment  in  time  to  take  part  in  the  Atlanta  cam- 
paign. He  was  in  the  thirty  days'  fighting  on  the  way  to  Atlanta,  was  at 
the  capture  of  Atlanta,  and  was  in  Sherman's  army  on  the  march  to  the 
sea,  winding  up  his  army  career  by  participating  in  that  inspiring  scene  at 
the  grand  review  in  \\'ashington.  He  received  his  honorable  discharge  at 
Spring-field,  Illinois.  He  was  twice  wounded  after  he  returned  to  his  regi- 
ment, but  altogether  he  was  in  active  service  almost  as  long  as  any  other 
soldier  of  the  Union,  and  fully  earned  the  honor  of  being  a  \'eteran  of  one  of 
the  greatest  wars  in  the  history  of  the  world. 


'& 


t=i 


After  the  war  Mr.  Johnson  settled  in  Neponset,  Illinois,  and  was  en- 
gaged in  the  grocery  business  for  a  while.  He  then  went  to  Nebraska  in 
1866,  and  for  two  years  was  engaged  in  freighting"  on  a  large  government 
contract,  after  which  he  went  on  further  west  to  Laramie,  Wyoming,  where 
he  was  emplr)yed  in  the  making  and  delivering  of  ties  for  railroad  construc- 
tion. From  there  he  went  on  to  South  Pass,  along  the  line  of  railroad, 
and  from  there  to  the  Sweet  Water  country,  to  Boise  City,  Idaho,  thence  to 
Kelton  and  Toana,  Nevada.  He  has  been  engaged  in  the  stock  business  in 
Elko  county  for  the  past  thirty  years.  He  owns  twenty-five  hundred  acres 
of  land  twenty-five  miles  east  of  \\'ells.  and  has  had  as  high  as  one  thousand 
head  of  cattle  on  the  ranch.  He  has  been  conducting  the  Bull's  Head  Hotel 
for  two  years.  This  house  has  enjoyed  the  patronage  of  the  traveling  men 
and  the  residents  of  Wells  for  many  years,  and  it  has  continued  to  grow  in 
popularity  since  Mr.  Johnson  took  charge.  It  has  a  large  dining  room, 
where  the  service  and  the  things  served  are  first-class,  there  are  twenty-five 
bedrooms,  and  the  moderate  prices  and  good  accommodations  attract  antl 
retain  a  large  patronage. 

Mr.  Johnson  married,  in  1873.  Miss  Agnes  Lewis,  a  native  of  the  state 
of  Wyoming.  Their  seven  children  were  all  lx>rn  in  Elko  county :  F.  M. 
is  in  the  sheep  Ijusiness;  J.  W..  Jr..  is  with  his  father  and  also  In  the  sheep 
business  with  his  older  brother;  William  M.  assists  his  father  at  the  hotel: 
Slicri(l;m  Blaine,  Ben  Harrison,  Effie  and  Hiddah  are  at  home.     Mr.  John- 


428  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA 

son  is  a  member  of  the  ]\Iasoiiic  fraternity,  receiving  tiie  blue  lodge  degrees 
in  Elko  Lodge  No.  15,  F.  &  A.  M..  alxjut  1888;  is  also  a  member  of  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  and  in  politics  is  a  Republican.  Mrs.  Johnson 
has  been  a  most  amiable  and  excellent  helpmate,  being  his  assistant  in  the 
maiiaeement  of  the  hotel. 


HON.  R.  H.  KINNEY,  who  is  one  of  the  leading  agriculturists  of 
Washoe  county,  owning  a  fine  farm  a  short  distance  east  of  the  city  of  Reno, 
is  now  serving  for  the  second  term  as  county  commissioner,  and  at  one  time 
he  represented  his  district  in  the  state  legislature.  He  is  a  native  of  Char- 
lotte, Eaton  county,  Michigan,  born  on  the  nth  of  March,   1840. 

The  family  is  of  Irish  origin,  and  the  ancestors  in  the  new  world  located 
in  America  long  prior  to  the  Revolutionary  war.  Amos  Kinney,  the  great- 
grandfather of  Mr.  Kinney,  was  a  soldier  in  the  patriot  army  at  the  time 
the  colonists  attempted  to  throw  off  the  yoke  of  British  oppression  and  win 
independence  for  the  nation.  He  took  great  delight  in  the  victory  which 
crowned  the  American  arms  and  li\ed  for  some  years  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of 
his  warfare. 

Amos  Kinney,  the  father  of  R.  H.  Kinney,  was  burn  in  Oneida  county. 
New  York,  and  became  a  pioneer  settler  of  the  territory  of  Michigan,  having 
taken  up  his  alxjde  in  Kalamazoo  in  183J.  Five  years  later  he  removed  to 
Eaton  county,  that  state,  where  he  acquired  a  good  farm  and  became  one 
of  the  well  known  and  prominent  agriculturists  of  his  locality.  For  more 
than  a  quarter  of  a  century  he  resided  there,  and  then  in  1859  came  to  Nevada, 
settling  in  Genoa,  where  he  spent  five  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period 
he  returned  to  the  east,  but  in  1871  again  came  to  Ne\ada  and  spent  his  re- 
maining clays  in  tlie  home  of  his  son,  Hon.  R.  H.  Kinney.  His  political  alle- 
giance was  given  to  the  Republican  party  from  the  time  of  its  organization, 
and  in  religious  faith  he  was  a  Methodist.  In  early  manhood  he  wedded 
Miss  Mary  Roberts,  a  native  cf  Bennington,  Vermont,  and  they  became  the 
parents  of  eight  children,  six  of  whom  are  now  living,  two  residing  in 
Nevada;  Alvin,  a  resident  of  Touopah  :  and  R.  H.  The  father  jjassed  away 
in  1 891  and  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  cemetery  at  Reno. 

R.  H.  Kinney  obtained  his  education  in  the  schools  of  Eaton  count)-, 
Michigan,  but  the  institution  was  a  ]Moneer  school,  the  building  being  con- 
structed of  logs  and  seated  with  slab  benches.  For  three  months  during 
the  winter  he  pursued  his  studies,  and  throughout  the  remainder  of  the 
year  assisted  in  the  work  of  ])lowing.  planting  and  harvesting  upon  lis  father's 
farm.  He  was  thus  engaged  until  nineteen  years  of  age,  when  he  started 
nut  in  life  on  his  own  account  by  taking  charge  of  his  father's  farm,  which 
he  o])erated  until  his  removal  to  Nevada. 

W'hile  living  in  the  east  Mr.  Kinney  was  married  in  Italtle  Creek  in 
1870  to  Miss  May  A.  Spencer.  They  had  started  on  llieir  westward  journey 
from  Charlotte,  and  in  Battle  Creek  the  wedding  ceremony  was  ])crforme(l, 
anfl  they  then  continued  on  their  way  until  they  reached  Reno,  Nevada. 
After  their  arrival  they  ])urchascd  a  ranch  on  which  thcN-  worked  for  four 
years.     .\t  the  end  of  that  lime  they  bought  the  ranch  upon  which  (hey  have 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  42'J 

since  resided,  a  tract  of  two  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  wdiich  they  have 
transformed  into  one  of  the  finest  farms  in  the  valley.  Here  they  have  made 
their  home  foi"  twenty-one  years,  and  Mr.  Kinney  is  extensively  engaged 
in  the  raising  of  alfalfa  hay,  which  is  sold  in  the  field  to  cattlemen,  who 
hring  their  cattle  to  his  lancl  for  pasture  and  winter  feed.  Mr.  Kinney  cuts 
his  hay  twice  a  year,  getting  from  three  to  four  tons  to  the  acre,  and  it  is 
sold  in  the  stack  at  from  five  to  seven  dollars  per  ton. 

For  many  years  Mr.  Kinney  was  an  ardent  Republican.  In  1S92  he 
left  that  party  because  of  its  renunciation  of  the  principles  of  bimetallism  and 
joined  the  silver  movement,  to  wdnich  he  still  adheres.  In  1878  he  was  elected 
to  the  office  of  county  commissioner  and  after  serving  for  one  term  was  re- 
elected.    In   1891  he  was  elected  to  the  assembly,  and  again  in   1898. 

His  legislative  history  is  a  commendable  one,  for  he  gave  to  each  ques- 
tion which  came  up  for  settlement  his  earnest  consideration,  and  if  he  be- 
lieved in  the  justice  of  any  cause  or  regarded  it  as  a  measure  for  public 
progress  and  improvement  he  became  its  stalwart  supporter.  In  1902  he 
was  again  chosen  to  the  office  of  county  commissioner,  wdiich  he  is  now 
acceptably  filling.  His  social  relations  connect  him  with  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity. In  1864  he  received  the  sublime  degree  of  Master  Mason  in  Char- 
lotte Lodge  No'.  120,  F.  &  A.  M.,  in  Charlotte,  Michigan;  and  in  Eaton 
Rapids  Chapter  No.  27,  R.  A.  M.,  he  attained  the  Royal  Arch  degrees.  He 
was  made  a  Sir  Knight  Templar  in  DeWitt  Clinton  Commandery  at  Vir- 
ginia City,  Nevada,  and  has  thus  advanced  to  a  high  degree  in  the  order. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kinney  have  two  daughters,  both  of  whom  were  born  in 
Ne\'ada :  Kate,  now  the  wife  of  Roy  L.  Robinson,  of  Reno;  and  May  A., 
who  is  with  her  parents.  Mrs.  Kinney  is  a  valued  member  of  the  Congrega- 
tional church  and  is  a  most  estimable  lady.  Mr.  Kinney  has  informed  him- 
self thoroughly  concerning  the  tenets  and  obligations  of  Masonry  and  shapes 
his  life  by  them.  He  is  an  exemplary  representative  of  the  craft,  and  because 
of  this  is  an  honorable  and  upright  man  and  a  loyal  citizen. 


HON.  TRENMOR  COFFIN,  a  prominent  citizen  and  leading  repre- 
sentative of  the  bar  of  Nevada,  came  to  the  state  in  August,  1871.  He  was 
born  in  Hendricks  county,  Indiana,  August  22,  1848,  and  is  a  son  of  Addison 
Coffin,  a  native  of  New  Garden,  North  Carolina,  where  he  was  born  January 
28.  1822.  Addison  Coffin  was  a  fanner  and  Quaker.  He  walked  from 
his  home  in  North  Carolina  to  Hendricks  county,  Indiana,  in  1844.  On 
July  5,  1845,  h^  ^^'^s  married  to  Emily  Hadley  in  Hendricks  county.  She 
was  a  native  of  North  Carolina.  It  was  on  account  of  his  opposition  to 
slavery  that  Addison  Coffin  left  his  native  state,  and  in  Indiana  he  played 
an  important  part  in  the  underground  railway,  assisting  many  slaves  to 
escajie.  His  most  excellent  wife  died  when  Trenmor  was  a  child,  but  he 
surxived  until  1897,  wdien  he  died  in  his  home  in  Indiana,  aged  seventy- 
five  years. 

Trenmor  Coffin  was  reared  upon  his  father's  farm  and  attended  the  public 
schools  in  winter.  Later  he  was  sent  to  the  National  Normal  School  at 
Lebanon,  Ohio,  from  which  he  was  graduated,  and  he  then  began  to  teach 


430  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

in  Ohio.  From  tliat  state  he  mo\ed  to  Carson  City,  Nevada,  and  resumed 
his  teacliing.  He  worked  with  pick  and  shovel  when  it  was  necessary  and  did 
any  honest  work.  After  teaching  in  the  grammar  school  he  was  placed  in 
charge  of  the  state  library,  and  he  then  began  his  law  studies  under  the 
direction  of  Ellis  &  King,  being  admitted  to  practice  m  Octtober,  1874.  Im- 
mediately thereafter  he  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Carson 
City  and  has  since  made  it  his  home,  becoming  one  of  the  most  successful 
men  in  his  profession. 

He  is  an  actix'e  Republican,  and  in  1876  was  nominated  by  his  party 
for  the  office  of  district  attorney  and  elected  liy  a  good  majority.  In  1880, 
imsolicited  by  him,  his  party  nominated  him  for  the  state  assembly,  and 
after  a  thorough  canvass  he  was  elected.  After  a  verv  honorable  career 
in  the  lower  house,  he  was  re-elected  to  succeed  himself,  and  he  then  had 
the  honor  of  being  chairman  of  the  assembly.  He  has  also  served  as  county 
treasurer  for  two  years :  United  States  district  attorney  of  Nevada  for  four 
years,  receiving  the  appointment  from  President  Arthur ;  served  as  regent 
of  the  State  University  and  has  always  taken  a  deep  interest  in  educational 
matters,  serving  as  school  trustee  for  a  number  of  years.  He  was  also  a 
candidate  of  his  party  for  supreme  judge,  but  was  defeated,  and  was  also 
chairman  of  the  Republican  state  central  committee  and  did  effective  service 
for  his  partv  in  that  capacity.  But  when  the  gold  ])latform  was  adopted. 
he  resigned  and  allied  himself  with  tlie  silver  party  and  supported  Mr.  Bryan, 
although  he  has  never  joined  the  Democracy,  styling  himself  a  silver  or  l)i- 
metallist  Republican.  During  his  long  life  in  Ne\'ada  he  has  become  greatly 
interested  in  irrigation,  and  is  now  connected  with  a  large  canal  being 
constructed  in  Inyo  county,  California,  which  when  completed  will  irrigate 
twenty  thousand  acres  of  land.  The  canal  is  forty-four  miles  in  length  and 
is  proving  a  great  success. 

On  June  4,  1885,  Mr.  Coffin  \\  as  married  to  Marie  Tonisa  Benoit,  a  lady 
of  I'^rench  extraction.  Two  children  have  been  liorn  to  them,  namely:  Tren- 
mor,  Jr..  and  Emily,  both  liright  young  people  at  school.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Coffin  have  a  pleasant  home  in  Carson  City,  where  their  large  circle  of  friends 
is  always  warmly  welcomed.  Mr.  Coffin  has  passed  all  tlie  degrees  in  the 
Masonic  fraternity  and  held  all  the  offices  from  lowest  up.  and  is  now  dci^uty 
grand  master  of  the  state.  When  the  next  grand  master  of  the  state  is 
selected  he  will  probably  be  called  u])on  to  fill  that  office  if  his  hcallli  permits. 
He  still  adheres  to  the  faith  of  his  Quaker  ancestry,  and  is  a  man  highly 
respected  throughout  the  state  for  his  many  excellent  traits  of  character. 


THE  CHRONICEE,  a  seven-column,  twcniy-lhrce  by  thirty-tw<i.  daily 
evening  paper,  published  fit  Virginia  City,  Nevada,  by  J.  M.  Davis,  William 
Harrington  and  E.  D.  Blake,  in  the  interests  of  the  Democratic  party,  was 
founded  in  1872  by  John  T.  Ginn  and  E.  I.  Bean.  In  the  early  seventies  it 
was  purchased  by  Dennis  McCastry.  who  had  l)een  editor  of  the  San  Im-iu- 
cisco  Chronicle,  and  was  one  of  the  ablest  newspaper  men  who  ever  resided 
in  Nevada.  Under  his  management  the  paper  had  as  contributors  Mark 
Twain  and  otliers  equally  gifted,  and  was  by   far  'he  best  newspaper  then 


A   IIISruKV   Ol'"  jVI'.VADA.  4:^1 

])ul)lishc(l   ill   llic  s(a(c.     Tlie  present   puljlisliers  and  "(lilors   are  native   sons 
(if  Nevada,  and  \  cry  enterprising  and  gifted  gentlenicn. 

Mr.  Edward  Blake  was  1)(irn  and  educated  in  Virginia  City,  and 
learned  the  printer's  trade  iiixm  tlie  Cliraiiiclc.  lia\ing  been  entineeted  witli 
It  fur  llie  i)ast  ten  years.  His  entire  liusiness  career  lias  been  given  Id 
jonrnalism,  and  he  is  a  man  who  tlionnighly  understands  his  business  and 
ajipreciatcs  its  great  possibilities.  He  is  a  son  of  S.  .\.  Blake,  a  pioneer  of 
the  state,  now  one  of  the  county  commissioners  of  this  county. 

The  Chronicle  has  a  large  circulation,  not  only  in  the  state  but  througii- 
ont  the  west,  aniV  is  noted  for  its  adherence  to  the  principles  of  Democracy, 
and  the  strength  and  virility  of  its  editorials.  As  a  news  organ  it  is  also 
excellent,  and  the  entire  get-up  of  the  ])aper  reflects  credit  upon  its  i)ub- 
lishers  and  editcu's,  as  well  as  u])iiii   Virginia  City  itself. 


ALEXANDER  SUMMERFIELD  is  the  pioneer  merchant  ..l  Haw- 
thorne, having  built  the  first  store  building  in  the  town  and  stocked  it  with 
a  good  line  of  general  merchandise  in  May,  1881.  He  is  a  Nevada  pioneer 
of  1862,  and  six  years  before  that  he  became  a  resident  of  California,  so 
that  his  identification  with  the  west  covers  almost  a  half  century.  Born  in 
Poland  in  1842,  he  was  but  fourteen  years  of  age  when  he  arri\ed  in  the 
Ciolden  state,  where  he  began  earning  his  own  li\ing  as  a  clerk  in  a  store 
in  the  old  town  of  Shasta,  in  Shasta  county,  California.  He  arrived  there 
in  October,  1856,  and  in  1858  removed  to  San  Francisco,  where  he  con- 
ducted several  stores,  meeting  with  fair  success.  He  continued  in  business 
there  until  1862,  when  he  came  to  Nevada  and  engaged  in  mining.  In  this 
venture  he  also  prospered.  For  twenty-three  years  he  has  been  engaged 
in  business  in  Hawthorne,  during  which  time  he  has  always  paid  one 
hundred  cents  on  the  dollar.  He  has  made  for  himself  in  mercantile  circles 
a  reputation  that  is  indeed  enviable,  never  incurring  an  obligation  that 
be  has  not  met,  nor  making  an  engagement  that  he  has  not  filled.  He 
therefore  has  the  good  will  of  the  people  among  whom  he  has  been  doing 
Inisiness  for  about  a  quarter  of  a  century,  and  recei\es  from  them  a  liberal 
patronage. 

Hawthorne  and  its  develo])ment  have  ever  been  sulijects  of  deep  inter- 
est to  him,  and  everv  object  for  the  welfare  of  the  cit\'  has  elicited  his 
attention  and  aid.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  school  board  and  was 
postmaster  for  nine  years.  His  political  support  is  given  the  men  and 
measures  of  the  Republican  party.  He  belongs  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
fraternity,  to  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen  and  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  He  belongs  to  the  grand  lodges  of  the  first  two 
organizations,  and  has  received  a  gold  badge  in  recognition  of  twenty-five 
years'  memliershi])  in  the  second.  He  is  also  connected  with  the  Degree  of 
Honor,  as  are  his  wife  and  daughter. 

The  lady  who  now  bears  the  name  nf  Mrs.  Summerfield  was  in  her 
maidenhood  Miss  Esther  Bloomfield,  and  they  were  married  in  June, 
1876.  She  is  a  native  of  New  York,  but  was  reared  in  Nevada,  her  father 
being  Elias  Bloomfield,  one  of  the  brave  pioneer  settlers  of  this  state.     Six 


432  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

children  lia\e  been  l)(irn  to  ]\Ir.  and  ^Irs.  Smnmerfield :  Soil,  who  was  mar- 
ried and  resides  in  Reno,  Nevada,  was  elected  a  member  of  the  state  legis- 
lature, at  the  age  of  twenty-three,  representing  Esmeralda  county ;  this 
young  man  has  a  bright  future  before  him  and  will  bring  honor  to  himself 
and  parents.  The  other  children  are  Abe ;  Rose,  now  the  wife  of  J.  H. 
White,  a  resident  of  Hawthorne;  Hattie,  Myrtle  and  Frances,  all  at  home 
with  their  parents.  T!:e  family  residence  is  one  of  the  finest  in  Hawthorne, 
the  attractive  house  being  surrounded  by  fine  grounds,  and  there  is  an 
excellent  garden  and  an  orchard  in  the  rear.  All  of  the  trees  have  been 
planted  by  Mv.  Summerfield.  He  and  his  wife  are  worthy  pioneer  people, 
and  now  have  a  most  comfortable  place  in  which  to  spend  the  evening  of 
life  amid  peace  and  plenty. 


WILLIAM  THOMAS,  now  deceased,  was  a  resident  of  Wasluie 
county,  making  his  home  a  short  distance  east  of  Reno,  and  in  the  cit_\'  and 
throughout  tlie  surrounding  country  was  widely  and  favorably  known.  A 
native  of  England,  he  was  liorn  in  1836,  and  there  was  reared  and  edu- 
cated, sjjending  the  days  of  his  boyhood  and  youth.  He  was  about  twenty- 
four  years  of  age  when  he  left  his  native  country  and  crossed  the  Atlantic 
to  x\merica.  The  year  i860  witnessed  his  arrival  in  the  United  States, 
luit  ere  he  had  sailed  for  the  new  world  he  was  married  in  England  to 
Miss  Carohne  Westlake,  and  one  daughter  was  born  to  them  there,  to  wlmni 
they  gave  the  name  of  Polly.  She  is  the  only  daughter  that  graced  this 
marriage,  and  is  now  the  wife  of  W.  A.  Martin. 

With  their  little  child  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  started  for  the  United 
States,  in  i860,  and  after  landing  on  the  Atlantic  coast  they  made  their  way 
to  the  interior  of  the  country,  settling  first  in  the  Lake  Superior  country, 
wdiere  Mr.  Thomas  was  engaged  in  mining.  There  he  resided  until  1870. 
when  he  came  with  his  family  to  Reno,  Ne\ada.  and  purchased  the  present 
Jiomestead,  comprising  eighty  acres  of  land.  At  once  he  liegan  to  cultivate 
and  improve  his  property,  and  made  of  it  a  \ery  desirable  home  and  farm. 
'Hiere  he  continued  to  engage  in  agricultural  ])ursuits  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  July  29,  1876.  He  had  been  a  thoroughly  upright  citizen,  a  loving 
husband  and  an  indulgent  father,  and  his  wife  and  daughter  felt  their  loss 
very  deeply.  His  jKihtical  allegiance  was  given  tn  the  l\e])ul)lic;ui  i)arty, 
and  his  religious  views  were  those  of  the  Methodist  church,  tn  the  teachings 
of  which  he  was  ever  loyal. 

Mrs.  Thomas  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church  mid  is  an  earnest 
Christian  woman.  For  the  i)ast  twenty-seven  years,  or  since  her  husband's 
death,  she  has  with  the  assistance  of  her  daughter  capably  managed  the 
])ropcrty.  T,ater.  however,  they  have  sold  the  farm  to  the  Southern  Pacific 
Railroad  Company  for  twelve  thousand  five  hundred  dollars,  but  still  main- 
tain their  residence  in  the  home,  in  which  they  lia\e  long  lived,  the  dwell- 
ing being  surrounded  by  four  acres  of  grounds  si)cndidly  kept.  The  rail- 
road cf)mi)any  has  built  ui)on  the  farm  one  of  the  best  roundhouses  along  the 
entire  line  of  this  road.  The  .shops  are  all  to  be  located  cm  it  and  (he  cilv 
of  Reno  is  rapidly  growing  out  in  that  direction. 


A   lllSroKY  OF  NEVADA.  433 

111  i8(S4  Miss  Polly  Thomas  became  the  wife  of  W.  A.  Martin, 
will  I  is  a  native  of  Ohio  and  is  now  in  the  employ  of  the  Southern  Pacific 
Railroad  Comi)any.  Fraternally  he  is  connected  with  the  Masonic  order. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Martin  reside  with  Mrs.  Thomas,  and  all  have  a  wide  acquaint- 
ance in  KeiK)  and  the  surrounding  district  and  are  held  in  high  esteem  by 
:nan\-   fi'iends. 


MFNKV  J.  JCJNES,  who  has  been  the  popular  and  etficient  postmaster 
1)1"  llie  city  of  Elko  for  six  years,  under  appointment  of  President  McKinley, 
has  the  honor  of  being  Nevada's  first  white  son,  and  also  the  son  of  one  of 
the  first  settlers  to  the  state.  At  that  early  day  Nevada  was  only  a  portion 
of  the  vast  territory  of  Idaho,  so  that  Mr.  Jones  and  the  state  grew  up  together, 
and  he  is  a  witness  of  all  its  political  unfolding  and  progress  and  development 
from  a  mining  community  to  a  great,  prosperous  commonwealth. 

Mr.  Jones'  ancestry  on  both  sides  is  Welsh.  He  is  the  son  of  Evan  J. 
Jones,  who  was  born  in  Wales.  August  8,  1834,  and  of  Anna  (Johns) 
Jones,  also  a  native  of  Wales.  Evan  Jones  crossed  the  plains  with  o.xen 
in  1850,  and  for  two  or  three  years  met  with  only  moderate  success  in 
mining  near  Placerville,  California.  He  came  to  what  is  now  Nevada, 
in  1853,  when  this  now  fertile  region  was  a  sage  brush  desert  or  mountains 
fit  only  for  the  miner's  pick.  He  engaged  in  dri\-ing  a  pack  train  from 
Placerville,  California,  to  Carson  City  and  other  mining  camps,  and  also 
mined  in  Cold  Canyon  before  the  discovery  of  the  Comstock.  He  took 
up  four  hundred  acres  of  public  land  in  the  Carson  valley,  and,  clearing 
off  the  growth  of  sage  brush,  Ijegan  ranching,  which  he  continued  for  ten 
years,  when  he  sold  his  land  at  good  advantage.  He  went  to  White  Pine 
in  1869.  and  was  engaged  in  the  teaming"  business,  employing  a  number 
of  men,  and  he  also  took  a  ranch  in  Elko  county  twenty  miles  south  of  the 
town  of  that  name.  He  improved  the  property,  ancl  his  ranch  of  two 
thousand  acres  was  one  of  the  finest  in  Elko  county.  It  is  now  owned  by 
Major  Miller.  Mr.  Evan  Jones  now  resides  in  Colorado,  retired  from  active 
life  at  the  age  of  sixty-nine.  He  has  been  very  successful,  and  has  deserved 
it  all  b}'  his  hard  labor  and  excellent  business  management.  He  has  Ijeen 
a  life-long  Republican,  but  has  never  held  or  desired  to  hold  office.  His 
wife  died  in  iSrig.^  leaving  four  children,  who  are  all  living. 

Henry  J.  Jones  is  the  only  one  of  the  fanu'ly  now  in  Nevada.  He 
was  born  in  Carson  City,  October  18.  1858,  and  was  educated  and  reared 
to  manhood  in  Elko  county.  His  youth  was  passed  on  his  father's  ranch, 
and  for  some  time  he  was  a  clerk  in  a  store.  The  greater  part  of  his  active 
career  has  been  devoted  to  ranching  and  stock-raising,  and  he  now^  has  two 
thousand  acres  of  land  in  Elko  county.  He  and  Mr.  G.  S.  Garcia,  another 
well  known  citizen  of  Elko,  have,  in  partnership,  about  six  thousand  head 
of  sheep  and  some  twenty-fi\-e  horses. 

Mr.  Jones  is  active  in  Republican  politics,  and.  at  the  request  of  the 
citizens  of  Elko,  President  McKinley  appointed  him  postmaster  of  the  town 
in  1897,  which  office  he  has  since  administered.  He  owns  the  building 
in  which  the  office  is  located  and  in  which  he  has  his  residence,  and  also  the 


434  A  HISTOK\'  OF  NEVADA. 

building-  in  wliicli  the  Free  Press  is  located.  Me  is  a  fraternal  meinher  of 
the  .\ncient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  and  in  the  Knights  of  Pythias  has 
passed  all  the  chair.s  and  is  a  member  of  the  state  grand  lodge.  Mr.  Jones 
was  married  in  1885  to  Miss  Hattie  Cnllen.  who  was  born  in  .\nstin.  Ne- 
vada, the  daughter  of  Robert  Cullen.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jones  have  three  chil- 
dren, Eva  Vernie,  Henry  Lawrence  and  Leslie  Bryant  Cnllen.  They  are 
popular  residents  of  Elko,  and  Mr.  Jones  has  continued  to  hold  the  place  of 
esteem  in  which  his  father  precedetl  him  while  so  long  an  honored  resident 
of  the  county  and  state. 


CAPTAIN  J.  B.  OVERTON.  One  of  the  well  and  favorably  known 
citizens  of  Virginia  City.  Nevada,  is  Captain  J.  B.  Overton,  who  has  Ijeen 
identified  with  the  interests  of  this  place  for  the  ]5ast  thirty-one  years.  He 
was  born  in  .Mlegany  county.  New  York.  .April  13,  1824.  The  family  is 
of  English  extraction,  and  was  founded  in  America  l>y  three  brothers  of  the 
name,  one  of  whom  settled  in  New  A'ork,  one  in  Connecticut,  and  the  third 
in  South  Carolina. 

The  progenitor  of  Captain  Overton  settled  in  the  Empire  state,  and  his 
grandfather,  Stephen  Overton,  was  born  on  Long  Island.  He  became  a 
Congregational  nunister  and  served  one  congregation  for  a  period  of  fort\- 
one  years,  in  Chester  townshi]),  Esse.K  county.  New  Jersey,  where  his  son, 
Nathan  Overton,  the  father  of  Captain  Overton,  was  born,  Nathan  Over- 
ton married  Jane  Outcalt,  f)f  German  extraction,  a  dmighter  of  a  ])rnminent 
citizen  of  Essex  county,  a  justice  of  the  peace  and  for  more  than  fort\-  years 
a  successful  farmer.  After  marriage  the  Captain's  jiarents  settled  in  .Mle- 
gany county.  New  York,  and  there  the  father  cleared  up  a  farm.  Later  he 
returned  to  New  Jersey  and  liecame  a  conductor  on  the  New  Jersey  Railroad, 
which  is  now  included  in  the  Pennsylvania  system,  and  while  on  duty  was 
accidentally  killed. 

As  his  mother  had  died  jirex-iously.  Ca])tain  Overton,  who  was  then  but 
eleven  years  of  age,  was  left  an  or])han.  one  of  a  family  of  five  children,  of 
whom  he  is  now  the Onlv  survivor.  .\t  the  age  of  nine  years  be  was  bound 
out  to  a  neighboring  farmer,  with  whom  be  lived  two  and  a  half  years,  dur- 
ing this  time  suffering  treatment  which,  in  our  modern  days,  would  not  be 
given  to  a  faithful  I'e^i^t.  That  bis  com])laints  were  just  may  be  inferred 
when  it  is  stated  that  the  neighbors  were  so  incensed  that  they  encouraged 
him  in  running  away.  He  found  employment  as  a  horse-driver  along  the 
toupath  of  the  Morris  and  Essex  canal,  and  here  he  was  found  by  his  father, 
who  then  took  him  to  Newark  and  placed  him  in  school.  .After  the  death  of 
his  father  he  went  to  work  in  the  Rogers.  Ketchum  &  Grosvenor  locomotixe 
works  at  Paterson,  and  a  year  later  was  employed  liy  the  New  Jersey  Rail- 
way Company,  with  which  corporation  he  remained  fi\e  years. 

In  1849  lie  joined  the  argonauts  liound  for  California,  making  the  trip 
around  Cape  Morn,  his  voyage  l)eing  taken  on  the  bark  Griffin  from  New 
York  to  San  Francisco.  He  reached  the  Golden  state  sal'ely  and  went  imme- 
diately (o  the  goUl  diggings  at  Weaver\illc.  made  ]ilenty  of  money,  and.  in 
the    free-hearted    and    free-handed   manner   of  the    time,    sjjcnt   it,    but    had 


^i^m^ii^^imimmimJiitilililiii^ 


i^.2^^/^Jn^ 


A  lllSTom^   OF  NEVADA.  435 

becfuiie  well  cnoii^li  estaljlislied  1)\'  1853  to  start  a  store  ;it  I'iich  Bar.  on  tlie 
middle  fork  of  the  J'eatlier  ri\er.  He- was  very  successful  in  this  venture, 
and  in  1866  huilt  a  sawmill  in  Onion  \-alley.  By  1868  he  was  looked  upon 
with  so  much  public  esteem  that  he  was  elected  county  clerk  of  Plumas 
county,  and  filled  that  office  for  four  years,  returning  then  to  San  Francisco, 
where  he  li\'ed  three  years,  doing'  a  brokerage  business  with  a  partner.  In 
1871  lie  came  to  Virginia  City  to  take  charge  of  the  construction  of  the  Vir- 
ginia City  and  (iold  Hill  water  works,  and  e\'er  since  has  had  charge  of  this 
company's  affairs. 

The  water  works  s\'stcm  of  this  ciinipan\-  is  what  is  known  as  a  gravity 
system,  and  crosses  \Vashoe  valley  in  three  twehe-inch  pipes.  The  water  is 
noted  for  its  purity.  The  original  company  contained  such  capitalists  as 
Mackey,  F'air  and  others,  and  the  plant  has  ne\er  changed  hands,  a  rather 
remarkable  circumstance. 

b^rior  to  lea\'ing  his  nati\'e  state.  Ca])tain  0\-ert(in  ser\-ed  as  a  captain 
of  militia,  and  thus  the  title  is  rightfully  his.  In  his  vouthful  days  he  was  a 
Democrat,  l)ut  the  first  gun  fired  on  Fort  Sumter  broke  his  allegiance,  and 
since  then  he  has  been  a  Republican.  In  1856  he  was  made  a  Mason  in 
Hiram  Lodge  No.  14,  Jersey  City,  and  is  past  master  of  his  lodge  and  has 
also  passed  all  the  chairs  in  lioth  Ijranches  of  the  Odd  Fellows.  Captain 
Overton  belongs  to  the  Society  of  California  Pioneers  and  the  Pacific  Coast 
Pioneers,  and  is  a  valued  member  of  both  organizati')ns.  The  Cai>tain  is  a 
man  of  more  than  usual  intelligence  and  a  most  interesting  conversation- 
alist. 


JOHN  KLEPPE,  one  of  the  well  known  and  highly  respected  pio- 
neers of  Nevada,  who  has  now  passed  from  the  scene  of  earthly  activities, 
was  IxDrn  in  Germany  in  1832,  and  wlien  a  young  man  bade  adieu  to  friends 
and  fatherland  and  sailed  for  .Vmerica.  He  made  his  way  to  Illinois,  where 
he  remained  for  some  time,  but  subsequently  returned  to  Germany,  .\fter 
visiting  his  friends  and  kindred  in  that  country  he  started  for  California, 
making  the  voyage  around  Cape  Horn.  This  was  early  in  the  sixties,  and 
he  had  only  thirt}-  cents  remaining"  when  he  reached  his  destination  in  the 
Golden  state.  Tlie  miriing  industry  was  then  at  its  height,  and  be  engaged 
in  placer  mining  at  Marysville  and  afterward  at  Grass  Valley,  but  was  not 
successful  in  his  search  for  the  precious  metal.  He  then  obtained  a  position 
on  a  ranch,  and  in  1864  made  his  way  to  Churchill  county.  Nevada,  driv- 
ing with  him  a  herd  of  cattle.  He  was  cook  of  the  partw  for  he  traveled 
with  a  number  of  others.  Later  he  \vent  to  Virginia  City,  where  he  \vorked 
at  teaming"  by  the  day.  and  finally  he  purchased  a  team  and  wagon  and 
began  freighting  on  his  own  account.  In  this  busines  be  prospered  and 
after  a  time  purchased  other  teams  and  continued  to  haul  goods  from 
Washoe  City  to  Virginia  City.  As  the  freight  rates  were  very  high  at  that 
time  his  labors  were  attended  with  \"ery  gratifying  success.  At  length  he 
disposed  of  his  freighting  outfit  and  purchased  a  ranch  of  one  hundred' 
and  sixty  acres  on  Truckee  meadc^ws.  east  of  Reno.  This  property  he 
greatly  im]iro\ed.  built  upon  it  a  good  residence  and  other  substantial  bm'ld- 


436-  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

iiigs  and  continued  to  engage  in  farming  witli  a  riciily  nieritctl  degree  of 
prosperity  up  to  the  time  of  his  demise.  He  led  an  industrious  and  honoraljle 
life,  and  his  record  proved  conclusively  tliat  success  is  not  a  matter  of  genius 
Ijut  is  the  result  of  earnest  lalior  and  capable  management. 

Mr.  Kleppe  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Susan  Becker,  a  native 
of  his  own  country,  and  the_\-  became  the  ])arents  of  two  cliildren.  Mary 
Kleppe,  the  elder,  was  born  in  Washoe  and  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-two 
years,  leaving  behind  her  many  friends,  for  she  was  a  young  lady  who  pos- 
sessed excellent  traits  of  character.  The  son  is  J.  F.  Kleppe,  who  was  about 
eight  months  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  mother's  deatli.  in  iSjj.  He  was 
born  at  the  family  home  on  Truckee  meadows  on  the  iith  of  March,  1872, 
was  educated  in  the  public  schools  at  Glendale  and  in  the  Nevada  State 
University,  and  was  thus  well  equipped  to  meet  the  practical  and  responsible 
duties  of  life.  John  Kleppe  continued  to  engage  in  farming  imtil  called  to 
his  final  rest  in  the  year  1894,  when  in  the  si.xty-second  year  of  his  age. 
He  was  a  Republican  in  his  political  views,  and  fraternally  was  connected 
with  the  Knights  of  Pythias  lodge  and  with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows.  He  was  a  man  of  genial  disposition,  kind-hearted  and  cordi.al, 
and  he  gained  a  host  of  warm  friends  throughout  Washoe  county. 

J.  F.  Kleppe  inherited  his  father's  property  and  is  conducting  the  farm 
with  much  ability,  making  a  .specialty  of  the  raising  of  potatoes  and  hay 
and  also  raising  onions  on  an  extensive  scale,  selling  each  year  from  sixty 
to  ninety  tfins.  His  farming  operations  are  therefore  proving  of  profit. 
He  was  happily  married  in  1897  to  Miss  Pearl  M.  Morton,  a  native  of  Iowa 
and  a  daughter  of  C.  C.  JMorton.  They  have  three  children.  P>oth  Ijoys 
were  Ix)rn  in  the  same  roofii  m  which  their  father  first  saw  the  light  of  day, 
and  the  girl  was  born  in  Reno.  These  are  Fred,  Neva  and  F.rncst,  interest- 
ing little  ones,  who  add  life  and  light  to  the  household.  .Mr.  Klejjpe  is 
following  in  the  footsteps  of  his  honored  fatlier  both  in  business  life  and  in 
a  political  way,  being  a  stanch  Re])ul)lican.  He  is  one  of  Xe\-ada's  highly 
respected  citizens,  active  in  business,  a  citizen  of  intelligence  and  of  broad 
general   information,  and  a  successful   farmer. 


SIDNEY  1JI':RT  COIIE.X.  the  leading  <lry-go,,ds  merchant  of  Car- 
son Cit^',  Nevada,  was  born  in  England.  October  jS,  18O3,  and  was  edu- 
cated in  that  coimtry  and  .\ustralia.  He  laid  the  foundations  of  his  ])resent 
prf).sperity  after  his  health  failed  from  overstudy.  His  original  aim  was 
to  become  an  artist,  and  he  devoted  four  years  to  careful  preparation  for  that 
hfe,  but  after  his  health  broke  down  he  clerked  in  Modesto  and  I'-resno, 
California,  ff)r  five  years,  and  thoroughly  learned  the  details  of  the  dry- 
goods  Imsiness.  After  he  felt  prei)ared.  he  removed  to  Carson  City,  Nevada, 
and  he  now  has  a  floor  space  of  forty-four,  by  seventy-fi\e  feet,  covered 
with  a  fine  line  of  dry-goods,  and  has  a  large  dre.ssmaking  establishmcnl 
in  connection.  From  the  beginning  he  has  made  a  success  of  his  enterprise. 
and  he  has  firmly  established  hnnscif  in  the  confidence  of  the  entire  com- 
munity, where  he  is  so  prominently  identified  with  its  best  interests. 

In   Inly.   i8()i,  lie  wa'^  m.irried  to  Miss  Bert  Cohn.  a  native  of  Carson 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA  437 

City  and  a  dau.qlilcr  of  tlic  well  known  M.  Colin,  of  that  city  and  a  pioneer 
of  the  state.  One  danghter,  y\lice  Majorie,  has  heen  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Cohen.  In  politics  he  is  a  Repnhlican,  Init  aside  from  doing  his  duty  as  an 
American  citizen  he  does  not  take  any  part  in  local  affairs.  Enterprising, 
an  excellent  manager  and  good  business  man.  Mr.  Cohen  has  l>een  unusually 
successful,  and  has  mrnn-  friends  nut  only  in  the  city,  but  Ihrouglidut  the 
surrounding   country. 


P.ENJ.XMIN  ROSENTITAE.  the  proprietor  of  the  Lake  View  Hotel 
at  HaA\thorne,  has  always  resided  in  the  west  and  is  imbued  with  the 
progressive  spirit  which  has  been  the  dominant  factor  in  the  wnnderful 
growth  and  development  of  this  portion  of  the  country.  Still  a  young  man, 
he  has  already  attained  a  creditable  position  and  gratifying  success  in  the 
business  world. 

A  native  of  California,  Mr.  Ro.senthal  was  born  in  Mariposa  county, 
on  the  1st  of  August,  1871.  His  father,  Davis  Rosenthal,  was  born  in 
I'vussia  and  in  1851  went  to  California,  engaging  in  merchandising  for 
twenty-fne  \ears  at  Hornitos.  He  was  also  in  Bodie  for  a  time,  and  in 
1882  came  to  Hawthorne,  the  town  having  been  platted'  only  the  year 
before.  He  then  purchased  the  Lake  View  Hotel  and  successfully  conducted 
it  until  1901,  when  his  death  occurred,  when  he  was  in  the  seventy-third  year 
of  his  age.  He  was  a  citizen  of  excellent  business  habits  and  qualifications, 
and  always  met  with  fair  success  in  his  undertakings.  He  married  Miss 
Augusta  Golden,  a  native  of  his  own  country.  She  now  survives  her  hus- 
band and  resides  in  Reno,  in  the  sixty-fifth  year  of  her  age.  This  worthy 
cou])le  were  the  parents  of  four  children :  Aaron,  now  a  merchant  of  Port- 
land, Oregon;  Samuel,  who  is  engaged  in  merchandising  in  Reno;  Kate; 
the  wife  of  W.  J.  Henly,  an  attorney  of  Hawthorne;  and  Benjamin. 

The  last  named  is  the  youngest  of  the  family.  He  was  educated  in 
tlie  public  schools  of  Hawthorne,  being  only  about  ten  years  of  age  at  the 
time  of  his  parents"  removal  to  this  ])lace.  From  his  youth  he  has  been  con- 
nected with  the  hotel  business,  assisting  his  father  in  the  conduct  of  the 
Lake  View  Hotel,  of  which  he  is  now  the  proprietor.  He  has  the  faculty 
of  making  his  guests  feel  at  home,  and  does  everything  in  his  power  for 
their  comfort.  The  hotel  is  fifty  by  ninety  feet,  two  .stories  in  height  and 
contains  twenty-five  slee])ing  apartments.  It  is  an  excellent  hotel  for  a 
town  of  the  size  of  Hawthorne,  and  Mr.  Rosenthal  is  doing  a  good  business. 
FTe  sets  a  good  table,  anrl  his  efforts  to  make  his  hostelrv  an  attractive 
place  of  entertainment  have  resulted  in  winning  him  prosperit}\ 

Mr.  Rosenthal  is  a  man  of  robust  health,  of  fine  physique  and  takes 
great  delight  in  athletics.  He  is  one  of  the  best  players  of  the  excellent 
ball  team  of  Flawthorne  and  has  also  made  a  good  record  in  running  races. 
In  matters  of  citizenship  he  is  deeiily  interested  in  all  that  pertains  to  the 
'  welfare  of  the  city  and  state,  and  he  \(ites  with  the  silver  party,  believing 
firmly  in  its  principles.  Prominent  in  the  Knights  of  Pythias  fraternity, 
he  is  now  grand  \ice  chancellor  of  the  grand  lodge  of  the  state,  and  is  also 


438  A  HISTORY  OF  XEWVDA. 

connected  witli  ihe  subordinate  lodge  and  the  Rel)ekah  degree  of  the  Odd 
Fellows   sfKiety. 

Mr.  Rosenthal  was  married  Jnly  19,  1891.  the  lady  of  his  choice  being- 
Miss  Vesta  y[.  Rice,  a  native  of  California.  She  is  of  the  Episcopalian  faith 
and  is  a  graduate  of  Bishop  \\diitaker"s  College  for  Young  Ladies.  Both 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rosenthal  are  prominent  members  of  society  in  Hawthorne, 
and  he  is  also  recognized  as  one  of  the  most  energetic  Inisiness  men  of  the 
town. 


HON.  GEORGE  ALT.  While  several  years  have  passed  since  the 
Hon.  (ieorge  Alt  was  an  active  promoter  in  the  affairs  of  Nevada,  the  influ- 
ence and  l)enefit  of  his  labors  are  yet  felt  upon  the  commercial  and  political 
history  of  the  state,  where  he  long  figured  prominently  as  a  leading"  citizen. 
He  was  the  first  to  engage  in  the  raising  of  \egetables  in  Xex'ada,  thus 
demonstrating  the  productixeness  of  the  soil  for  that  purpose:  he  was  the 
first  to  introduce  Durham  cattle  here:  and  in  political  circles  his  efforts  were 
far  reaching  and  beneficial  as  he  sened  in  countv  and  in  state  offices.  A 
half  century  has  passed  since  he  came  to  the  state,  the  date  of  his  arrival 
being  1834,  and  the  territorv  of  Xexada  had  not  been  organized  at  that 
time. 

A  native  of  Penns_\l\ania,  he  was  born  on  the  3d  of  January,  1832, 
was  educated  in  the  east  and  then  went  to  California,  becoming  one  of  the 
))ioneers  of  Downieville,  where  he  engaged  in  mining.  His  health  failed 
him  here,  and  he  then  went  to  Glendale.  Xexada,  where  he  innchased  the 
.\lexander  place,  but  resided  upon  it  for  only  a  brief  period.  He  then  purchased 
two  hundred  and  fifty-eight  acres  of  land,  which  was  then  entirely  uncultivated, 
but  was  capable  of  liecoming  a  very  rich  tract.  He  developed  it  from  the 
.sage  brush  and  made  it  one  of  the  best  farms  in  the  \alley.  When  he  took 
up  liis  abode  thereon  the  city  of  Reno  had  not  been  founded,  and  he  had 
to  go  first  to  Washoe  cit}'  and  afterward  to  V'irgmia  City  for  sup])lies.  With 
untiring  energy  and  keen  foresight  he  devoted  his  efforts  to  the  improvement 
of  his  pro])crty  and  was  the  pioneer  in  the  \'alle\'  in  the  raising  of  onions 
and  other  vegetables,  thus  giving  evidence  of  the  jiroductiveness  of  the  soil 
in  that  direction  and  introducing  a  business  which  has  since  added  greatly 
to  the  wealth  of  the  state,  many  •  othei's  li;i\  ing  since  turned  their 
attention  to  this  industry  He  also  cngngcd  in  cattle-r.-iising  and  importcil 
thoroughbred  Diu"hanis  from  Kentucky.  In  this  way  lie  was  a  prominent 
.pioneer  in  the  ini])r(nement  of  stock,  and  he  li;ul  as  high  as  fi\'e  hundred 
head  of  cattle.  .\n  intelligent,  ])rogressi\c  ;uid  successful  farmer,  he  con- 
tributed largely  to  the  agricultural  development  of  the  state  :ni(l  was  one 
of  the  organizers  of  the  Xevada  State  .Agricultural  .'Society,  acting  as  one 
of  its  directors  for  many  years  and  taking  an  acti\-c  iiarl  in  promoting  its 
welfare.      He  was  one  of  its   life  members. 

In  Virginia  City,  in  1865,  Mr.  .\lt  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
.Susan  Carroll,  who  was  1)orn  in  county  Cavan.  Ireland,  in  1841.  a  daughter 
of  James  Carroll,  a  prominent  linen  draper,  doing  a  large  Inisiness  in  that  line 
in    I'.elfast.     To  Mr.   and   Mrs.    .\li   were  born   three  children:    lames,    who 


A  HISTOrn'  ()!-"  NEVADA.  439 

is  on  tlie  farm  with  liis  mother;  Mary  Veronica,  who  died  at  tlie  age  of  two 
and  a  half  years;  and  Snsan  Ver-onica,  now  the  wife  of  Julius  Carr.  Mrs.  Alt 
also  adopted  and  reared  two  little  twirls,  who  are  now  young  ladies  and  reside 
with    lier. 

I  )nring  the  Civil  war  Mi'.  .\ll  was  a  strong  Union  man,  and  was  an 
aeti\e  and  intluenlial  member  of  the  Republican  party,  but  after  General 
Grant's  second  tei'm  of  office  he  ceased  to  he  in  iiarmony  with  certain 
methods  of  the  ]iarty  and  no  longer  gave  it  liis  support.  He  was  twice 
elected  and  served  as  a  member  of  the  state  assembly,  and  put  forth  his 
strongest  efforts  to  secure  just  laws  and  to  atloj^t  measures  that  would  pro- 
mote the  welfare  of  the  majority  and  enhance  the  interests  of  the  state.  His 
legislative  career  is  one  which  reflects  credit  and  honor  upon  the  district 
which  honored  him  with  election  to  that  high  office.  Mr.  .Mt  was  also 
chosen  a  member  of  the  board  of  countv  cr)mmssioners  of  Washoe  county, 
and  in  that  capacity  served  with  marked  ability,  discharging  his  duties  with 
])romptness  and  fidelity,  his  integrity  and  loyalty  as  a  public  official  being 
ever  above  question.  Of  a  very  liberal  and  generous  nature,  he  desired 
to  have  his  home  a  most  hospitable  one,  and  in  this  as  in  manv  other  interests 
in  life  h.e  and  his  wife  were  in  full  accord  in  their  opinions.  He  advocated  all 
measures  for  the  material,  social,  intellectual  and  moral  benefit  of  the  com- 
munity, and  when  he  was  called  from  this  life  Reno  and  the  entire  state  felt 
that  he  was  a  citizen  whom  they  could  ill  afford  to  lose.  Mrs.  .-Mt  has, 
since  her  husband's  death,  managed  the  estate  in  a  most  competent  man- 
ner. She  is  a  lady  of  intelligence  and  innate  refinement,  and  is  a  \;ducd 
conimnnicant   of  the  Roman   Catholic  church. 


JOHN  M.  MORROW,  the  freight  and  passenger  agent  of  the  Southern 
Pacific  Railroad  Company  at  Elko,  Nevada,  has  been  in  the  railroad  busi- 
ness most  of  his  life,  as  was  his  father  before  him.  He  started  into  the 
work  in  a  minor  capacity,  and  by  steady  application  and  hard  study  was 
advanced  from  one  position  to  another  until  the  present.  He  has  the  entire 
confidence  of  the  company,  and  has  advanced  the  company's  interests  in 
Klko  and  tlie  surrounding  country,  Avhere  he  has  made  himself  ixipular  by 
ready  attention  to  the  w-ants  of  patrons  of  the  rf>ad. 

Mr.  Morrow  is  of  Irish  ancestry,  his  ])aternal  grandfather  being  the 
one  who  came  from  Ireland  and  founded  the  family  in  this  country.  .Andrew 
Morrow,  his  father,  was  born  in  Long  Island,  New  York,  and  married  Miss 
Ellen  McCurdy.  He  was  a  railroad  man  in  the  employ  of  the  New  York 
Central,  and  lived  in  New  York  state  all  his  life.  He  died  in  1864,  at  the 
age  of  forty-two,  and  his  wife  in  }868.  They  were  members  of  the  Presln*- 
terian  church. 

John  M.  Morrow  is  the  only  one  of  their  l\\e  children  in  the  west. 
He  was  liorn  in  New  York  city,  September  ro,  1858,  and  was  educated  in 
the  public  schools.  He  was  a  poor  youth  of  seventeen  when  he  made  his 
start  for  the  west,  and  after  remaining  in  Kansas  and  ilealing  in  lands 
for  a  time,  he  went  on  to  California.  Here  he  began  his  connection  with  rail- 
roading, being  employed  in  a   freight  house  in   Delano,   California.      He  was 


440  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

also  night  operator  in  Delano,  and  was  afterward  agent  at  Halleck  and 
Carlin.  and  was  promoted  to  the  position  at  Elko  in  November,  1890,  where 
he  has  since  done  most  efficient  service  for  the  company.  He  represents  the 
road  in  the  freight  and  passenger  departments,  and  in  his  business  relations 
has  made  many   friends. 

Air,  Morrow  takes  much  interest  in  pul>lic  affairs  and  in  the  welfare  of 
the  state.  In  1892  Mr.  Morrow  was  married  to  Miss  Abbie  Sheehan,  a 
native  of  the  state  of  New  York.  They  have  two  children,  both  born  in 
Elko  county.  Chester  Gerald  and  Nellie  Catherine.  They  reside  in  one  of 
the  beautiful  homes  of  Elko,  and  Mr.  and  ?^Irs.  Mc^rrow  have  man\'  friends 
in  the  l)est  social  circles. 


JOHN  LYONS  CONSIDINE,  the  warden  of  the  Nevatla  State  Trison 
at  Carson  City,  is  a  native  son  of  the  state,  his  birth  ha\ing  occurred  at  Gold 
Hill  on  the  25th  of  September,  187 1.  He  comes  of  Irish  ancestry,  his  par- 
ents, Joseph  and  Susan  (Lyons)  Considine,  having  been  natives  of  Ireland. 
His  father  came  to  the  L'nited  States  in  1856,  and  the  mother  arrived  in  this 
country  in  1861.  They  were  married  in  Pennsylvania  in  1870,  and  came 
to  Nevada,  in  which  state  Mr.  Considine  had  made  his  home  since  1865. 
Here  he  turned  his  attention  to  mining,  which  he  followed  for  a  number  of 
years.    They  had  two  children,  Mary  E.  and  John  L. 

John  L.  Considine,  the  elder  child,  was  educated  in  public  and  private 
schools.  He  has  always  had  a  liking  for  journalism  and  possessed  consid- 
erable talent  in  that  direction,  winning  for  himself  a  creditable  record  be- 
cau.se  of  his  newspa]ier.  He  was  editor  and  manager  of  the  Virginia  Report 
for  four  years,  and  was  afterwards  editor  of  the  Virginia  Chronicle 
for  two  years.  In  his  early  life  he  was  for  five  years  engaged  in  the  rail- 
way mail  service.  He  was  chosen  to  his  present  position  of  honor  and  trust 
in  January.  1903.  by  the  board  of  prison  commissioners,  consisting  of  the 
governor,  the  secretary  of  state  and  the  attorney  general.  He  is  a  bright, 
intelligent  and  well-informed  young"  maa,  of  tmfailing  courtesy  and  polite 
address  and  is  well  (|ualified  for  the  office  \\hich  he  is  now  filling. 

He  has  shown  an  enterprising  and  progressive  spirit  in  his  conduct  of 
the  institution,  lieing  the  first  Nc\'ada  official  to  introduce  the  Bertillon  svs- 
teni  into  the  state.  Within  the  first  si.x  months  of  his  incumbency  he  inaugu- 
rated a  number  of  im])rovemcnts.  such  as  the  installation  of  an  electrical 
alarm  system  and  an  electrical  jjumpiug  plant,  .-md  is  now  engaged  in  the 
construction  of  a  state  boulevard  from  the  prison  to  Carson  City.  The 
Ne\'ada  State  prison  has  the  rejjutalion  of  being  one  of  the  most  hum;mo 
institutions  of  the  sort  in  the  United  States,  but  at  the  s.amc  time  the  strictest 
disci))line  is  maintained  by  Warden  Considine. 


HON.  MICH.'VEL  A.  ML'Rl'llV,  judge  of  the  district  n.urt  of  Ne- 
vada, and  one  of  the  leading  residents  of  Carson  City,  was  Imrn  in  W'w 
York.  Sei>tcml)cr  29.  1837,  and  came  to  the  state  of  Nevada,  Ai)ril  16,  1863, 
locating  in  .\urora.     His  father,  Edward  Muri)hy,  was  born  in   Ireland  and 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  441 

cmigraled  to  tlie  United  States  when  a  young-  man,  and  for  a  short  time 
made  his  home  in  New  York,  but  later  removed  to  McHenry  county,  Ilh- 
nois.  He  married  EHzabeth  A.  Healy.  a  native  of  Ireland.  Upon  locatint;^ 
in  Illinois  he  became  a  substantial  farmer.  He  died  in  1884,  aged  nearly 
eighty  years,  and  his  wife  passed  away  aged  sixty-four  years.  He  had  taken 
an  active  part  in  the  affairs  of  his  county;  was  one  of  the  county  commis- 
sioners and  trustees,  and  was  a  man  in  Avhom  the  most  implicit  trust  was 
placed. 

Judge  Murphy  was  but  an  infant  when  his  parents  mo\'ed  to  Illinois, 
and  he  was  reared  upon  the  farm,  in  the  winter  attending  the  country  schools, 
as  was  the  custom  in  those  days,  and  since  leaving  school  has  added  to  his 
knowledge  by  reading  and  experience.  In  1853  he  sailed  to  California  by 
the  Nicaragua  route  and  joined  a  brother  who  had  preceded  him  to  Trinity 
count}-,  California.  For  some  time  he  and  his  l>rother  engaged  in  placer 
mining-  and  succeeded  very  well.  At  one  time  a  nugget  of  gold  was  found 
weighing  one  ounce  and  which  bore  a  resemblance  to  an  eagle,  and  this  his 
brother  took  back  to  Illinois.  Judge  INIurphy  remained  in  California  and 
farmed  as  well  as  freighted  from  Red  Bluff,  then  the  head  of  the  Sacramento 
river,  to  the  old  mining  town  of  Shasta  and  to  other  points.  In  1863  the 
mining-  excitement  at  Aurora,  Nevada,  caused  him  to  remove  to  that  locality, 
and  for  some  time  he  mined,  nieeting  with  moderate  success. 

As  early  as  1859  he  had  begun  to  study  law,  and  he  continued  his  read- 
ing until  in  1867  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  by  the  district  judge  of  Esmeralda 
county,  who  at  that  time  had  the  pow'er  to  act.  Immediately  thereafter 
Judge  Murphy  began  practicing-  and  niet  with  great  encouragement.  Dur- 
ing all  this  time  he  was  making  himself  felt  in  political  circles,  and  in  1868 
was  elected  assessor  of  Esmeralda  county,  an  office  he  filled  to  the  entire 
satisfaction  of  all  parties  concerned.  In  1872  he  was  further  honored  by 
election  to  the  office  of  district  attorney  of  that  county,  and  for  six  vears 
held  the  ix)sition,  tr}ing-  many  very  important  cases  and  vindicating  the 
honor  of  the  commonwealth.  In  1878  his  party  (Republican)  gave  him  the 
nomination  for  the  office  of  attorney  general  of  the  state,  and  although  he 
ran  against  a  very  strong  man,  Hon.  John  R.  Kittrell,  Judge  Murphy  was 
elected  by  a  large  majority,  and  for  four  years  was  the  efficient  repre- 
sentative of  the  people  in  that  position.  In  1882  he  was  noniinated  for 
district  judge,  and,  being-  elected,  served  in  that  capacity  for  four  vears. 
For  two  years  thereafter  Judge  Murphy  carried  on  a  large  practice,  his 
services  being  eagerly  sought  by  some  of  the  most  prominent  people  of  the 
state.  He  was  then  elected  judge  of  the  supreme  court  of  the  state  and 
continued  in  office  for  six  years.  In  1902  he  was  elected  district  judge  of 
the  first  judicial  district,  which  embraces  the  counties  of  Douglas,  Esmer- 
alda, Lyon,  Ormsby  and  Storey.  The  fact  that  in  this  last  election  he  was 
the  only  one  of  his  ticket  to  be  elected  demonstrates  his  personal  popularity 
and  that  the  people  of  his  district  have  unlimited  confidence  in  his  abilit}-, 
judgment  and  fairness  of  action.  Since  coming  to  Nevada  so  many  years 
ago.  Judge  Murphy  has  always  taken  a  deep  interest  in  every  measure 
calculated  to  prove  beneficial  to  his  adopted  state  and  has  been  instrumental 
in  fiirwarding  many  of  the  most  imi)iirtant  improveiuents.     Judge  Murphy 


442  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

owns  much  realty  al  Aurora,  Hawthorne  and  Carson  City,  his  liome  Ijeing 
one  of  the  most  beautiful  residences  in  the  latter  city. 

On  September  22.  1859,  he  was  married  to  Martha  J.  Myers,  and  five 
children  have  l)een  l)orn  to  this  union,  namely:  William  Edward,  who  died 
when  twenty-six  years  of  age,  after  having  received  a  gocxl  education  had 
entered  the  employ  of  the  Virginia  &  Truckee  Railroad;  John  G.  died  at  the 
age  of  three  years,  in  1864;  Lizzie  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-four;  Franklin 
E.  is  now  in  the  employ  of  the  Virginia  &  Truckee  Railroad,  and.  like  his 
father,  is  an  attorney,  having  been  admitted  to  practice  by  the  supreme 
court  of  the  state:  Martha  A.  is  residing  with  her  father  in  Carson  City. 
Mrs.  Murphy  died  in  Decemljer,  1892.  She  was  a  lady  very  much  beloved 
not  only  b\'  her  home  circle,  but  also  by  many  friends. 

Judge  Murphy  has  l)een  an  active  and  useful  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity  for  the  past  forty  years.  He  is  now  connected  with  the  De  W^itt 
Clinton  Commanclery.  He  has  filled  every  office,  and  is  now  past  grand 
master  of  the  grand  lodge  of  the  state.  For  many  years  he  has  been  an 
honored  member  and  official  of  the  E])iscopal  church,  being  now  senior 
warden  of  St.  Peter's  church  at  Carson  City.  A  man  of  sterling  integrity. 
])ossessed  of  a  high  order  of  ability  and  a  keen,  discriminating  judgment. 
Judge  Murphy  is  eminently  fitted  for  his  office,  and  is  not  only  a  leading- 
representative  of  the  best  elements  of  both  bar  and  bench,  but  also  of  the 
might}-  state  towards  whose  ad\-ancement  he  has  given  the  best  years  of  his 
life,  his  energy  and  his  heartfelt  interest. 


MRS.  GERTRUDE  GARRECHT,  one  of  the  most  successful  and 
cnlerjjrising  business  women  in  the  state  of  Nevada,  is  proprieti-)r  of  the 
White  Sulphur  Spring  at  Elko.  This  is  one  of  the  n-iost  popular  resorts 
in  the  state  for  those  afilicted  with  rheun-iatism  or  skin  diseases,  and  Mrs. 
Ciarrecht  has  been  entirely  responsible  for  its  deserved  reputation.  The 
spring  was  first  made  use  of  in  1871;,  when  Mrs.  Garrecht  became  its 
owner.  The  sn-iall  adobe  bouse  situated  by  it  l)urned.  and  she  then  erected 
a  one-story  frame  structure,  which  she  em])loyed  for  a  hotel  until  it,  too, 
was  burned,  and  she  then  built  a  mo<lern  two-story  brick  hotel. 

The  hotel  has  a  number  of  b.'ith  rooms,  and  also  a  central  phuige  and 
swimming  tank.  The  water  is  exceedingly  beneficial  to  all  who  use  it.  and 
is  strongly  impregnated  with  sulphur,  iron,  magnesia  and  other  valuable 
medicinal  ])r(i]ierties.  and  is  very  soft  ;ind  (piite  warm  when  it  lirst  comes 
from  the  ground,  but  the  tem])erature  is  changed  to  suit  the  ])atrons.  The 
hotel  occupies  a  \-er)-  beautiful  and  salubrious  location  on  the  n-|onntain 
side,  from  which  a  splendid  \-iew  of  the  valle_\-  is  to  be  obtained.  The  s])ring 
is  so  high  above  the  hotel  that  ihc  water  needs  no  force  to  be  carried  to  the 
second  floor.  The  swimming  tank  is  twenty-li\-e  by  sevcnty-fi\-e  feet,  and 
water  is  running  through  it  all  the  time.  It  is  four  feet  deep  at  one  end 
anrl  six  at  the  otlier,  so  that  fine  opportunities  for  swimming  are  offered. 
Many  peojjle  from  various  states  are  habitual  or  temporary  re.sorters  to  this 
healthful  jilacc.  and  are  all  benefited  or  cured  by  its  waters.  Mrs.  Garrechl 
has  shown  much  business  ;ibilit\-  in  the  conducl  of  this  resort,  and  it  is  all  the 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  443 

lime  i^rowing  in  favor  as  her  excellent  means  of  entertainment  and  cnisine 
I'ccome  better  known.  She  raises  at  the  hotel  potatoes  and  other  vegetables. 
as  well  as  turkeys  and  chickens  for  the  table.  In  addition  to  this  enterprise, 
she,  in  partnership  with  her  sister-in-law,  Mrs.  B.  Lang,  has  a  millinery 
establishment  in  Elko,  and  this  is  also  being  carried  on  with  good  success. 

Mrs.  Garrecht  is  deserving  of  especial  jjraise  for  her  success  in  her 
business  ventures  because  she  has  made  it  almost  entirely  by  her  own  efforts, 
and  since  she  was  left  a  widow  over  twenty  years  ago.  Mrs  Gertrude  Garrecht 
was  born  in  Switzerland  in  1844,  a  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Marie  (Mayers) 
Lang,  who  came  to  the  United  States  in  1849  'i"''  settled  in  Missouri,  and 
tlience  went  to  California  in  1854.  Joseph  Lang  was  a  miner  in  the  latter 
jilace.  meeting  with  good  success,  and  came  to  Nevada  in  1872.  He  lost 
his  life  in  1889,  when  eighty-two  years  old.  He  was  quite  deaf,  so  that 
he  did  not  hear  the  approach  of  a  train  which  ran  o\'er  him.  His  wife  had 
died  in  New  Orleans  soon  after  they  came  t(5  i\merica. 

Mrs.  Garrecht  was  married  in  Idaho  City,  Idaho,  in  1864,  to  Jacob  Gar- 
recht. who  was  born  in  Bavaria,  Germanv,  in  1842.  Four  of  the  seven 
children  nf  this  union  are  living.  Lena  married  John  Hilton,  who  is  a 
prcminent  stockman  of  Elko  county:  Rose  is  the  wife  of  James  J.  Rogers, 
a  lawyer  of  Boise,  Idaho,  who  died  October  28,  1903;  John  J.  is  married 
and  lives  in  Elko ;  Adeline  T.  is  at  home  with  lier  mother. 

Mr.  Garrecht  died  in  1880.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Indejiendent  Order 
of  Old  Fellows.  Since  then  Mrs.  Garrecht  has  supported  her  children 
until  they  were  ready  to  take  useful  places  in  life,  and  she  has  accumulated 
all  her  property  by  the  energ;y  and  resourcefulness  she  has  displayed  since 
she  was  dejirived  of  her  husband.  She  is  a  noble  and  much  respected  woman, 
and   in  her  executive  abilit\'  is  the  peer  of  an\-  business  man   in  tlie  county. 


HENRY  ALBERT  LEMMON  and  HERBERT  C.  DUNN,  editors 
and  publishers  of  the  Carson  City  Nctrs,  a  daily,  six-column,  four-page 
pa|ier.  the  organ  of  the  Republican  party  at  the  capital,  are  enterprising 
newspaper  men  of  this  great  state  of  the  west. 

Mr.  Lemmon  is  a  native  of  California,  having  been  born  in  the  Sacra- 
mento valley,  December  28,  1873,  and  is  descended  from  an  old  American 
family.  He  is  a  son  of  Benjamin  I.  and  Mary  L.  (Battelle)  Lemnmn, 
natives  respectively  of  New  York  and  Ohio.  The  former  went  to  California 
in  1849,  and  has  spent  his  life  in  mining,  although  now  retired  from  active 
life,  being  aged  seventy-seven  years.  Mr.  Lemmon  was  the  onlv  child, 
and  he  entered  a  printing  office  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years  in  San  Francisco, 
working  for  the  Dewery  Publishing  Company  and  learning  the  printer's 
trade.  Later  he  established  the  Mountain  Mirror  in  Sierra  countv,  but 
moved  his  plant  to  several  places,  and  is  now  associated  with  Mr.  Dunn,  as 
before  stated. 

Herbert  C.  Dunn  was  born  in  Portland,  Maine,  in  1857,  and  is  of 
Scotch  ancestry,  although  several  generations  have  lived  in  America.  Mr. 
Dunn  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  state,  and  came  to 
the  Pacific  coast  in  1872.     He  has  been  interested  in  mining  and  is  now  inter- 


444  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

ested  in  the  Carson  City  Xcws.    In  1880  lie  was  married  to  Aliss  Eva  Graliani. 
a  native  of  his  own  state. 

The  young  men  are  well  spoken  of,  and  their  paper  is  a  jiower  among 
the  Repulilicans  of  their  locality.  They  are  enterprising  and  live  men,  and 
they  ])l;iy  an   important  part  in  state  politics. 


O.  F.  TAYLOR.  The  name  of  O.  F.  Taylor  is  an  honored  one  in 
t!ie  husiness  circles  of  Hawthorne,  where  for  many  years  he  has  been  engaged 
in  merchandising.  Naught  can  be  said  against  his  business  record,  and  in 
all  relations  of  life  he  has  been  found  true  to  high  principles,  the  probity 
of  his  character  and  his  kindly  nature  well  entitling  him  to  the  respect  and 
confidence  so  uniformly  tendered  him  in  Hawthorne  and  throughout  the 
state. 

His  residence  in  Nevada  dates  from  1866,  at  whicli  time  he  took  up 
his  abode  in  Austin.  He  was  born  in  the  town  of  Mexico,  Maine,  on  the 
19th  of  May,  1832,  and  is  of  English  ancestry,  the  family  having  been  founited 
in  New  England  at  a  very  early  epoch  in  its  development.  His  jiaternal 
grandfather  was  a  colonial  patriot  in  the  war  for  independence,  and  passed 
through  all  the  sufferings  of  the  memorable  winter  of  Valley  Forge,  where 
the  troops  were  so  near  starvation  that  the  soldiers  considered  horse  meat 
the  best  food  they  had  ever  tasted. 

fieorge  W.  Taylor,  the  father  of  O.  F.  Taylor,  was  born  in  Belfast. 
.Maine,  married  Miss  Abigail  Becon,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  six 
children.  He  attained  the  advanced  age  of  seventy-five  years,  and  his  wife's 
death  fKcurred  at  the  age  of  seventy-three  years.  O.  F.  Taylor  is  the  onl_\' 
member  of  the  family  in  Ne\'a(la.  He  had  one  brother,  John  L.  Taylor, 
who  enlisted  as  a  private  in  the  Eighth  Maine  Volunteer  Infantry  :uid  was 
wounded  at  the  battle  of  Cold  Harbor;  he  served  throughout  the  entire 
struggle  to  preserve  the  Union  .and  was  ])romoted  to  the  rank  of  lieutenant 
in  recognition  of  his  valor.  .Another  brother.  Alonzo  M.  'I'aylor,  served  on 
the  schoolship  Sabine  throughout  the  Ci\'il  war. 

In  the  schools  of  Bangor,  Maine,  O.  F.  Taylor  was  educated,  sjiending 
his  youth  in  that  city.  In  1851  he  removed  westward  to  bnva.  and  in 
1852  went  to  California,  crossing  the  plains  with  oxen,  lie  spent  the  winter 
at  Salt  Lake  City  and  then  continued  on  his  way  to  California  in  the  spring, 
settling  at  Grizzly  Flats,  Eldorado  county,  where  he  engaged  in  placer  min- 
ing, but  was  never  very  successful  in  mining.  He  continued,  howexcr,  in 
that  work  until  1861.  after  which  lie  engaged  in  teaching  school  at  Cirizzlv 
l"'lats  and  at  Oak  (irove  for  five  years,  gi\ing  good  satisfaction  as  a  teacher. 
In  1866  he  went  to  Austin,  Nevada,  where  he  was  engaged  in  mining  for 
two  years,  and  then  returned  to  his  native  .state  to  visit  his  aged  parents  and 
other  relatives.  He  had  been  absent  for  fifteen  years,  and  the  reunion  was  a 
most  happy  one. 

On  returning  to  Nevada  Mr.  Taylor  engaged  in  teaching  school  in 
I^nnder  and  Nye  counties,  continuing  there  and  in  Eureka  for  some  time. 
Ife  also  opened  a  store  in  Tone,  Nye  county,  but  afterward  removed  his 
stock   to    (hanlsville.    where   he    engaged    in    selling   goods   until    the    town 


y\    1 1  IS  Torn'   Ol'    NEV/\1)A.  445 

became  deiKipulaled,  when,  in  iSi"^.!.  he  removed  to  1  iavvlhinne.  l'"(ir  the 
V'dst  twenty  years  he  has  carried  (ui  a  good  Ijusiness  liere,  dealing  principally 
in  dr}'-g"oods  and  notions. 

There  are  many  elements  in  his  character  that  are  most  worthy  of 
emulation.  He  is  a  citizen  of  high  mora!  worth  and  holds  membership  in 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  In  1901  he  took  the  Chautauqua  course 
and  was  graduated,  show'ing  the  strength  of  his  intellect  even  at  an  advanced 
age.  A  lover  of  pictures  and  flowers,  his  taste  in  this  direction  is  shown 
by  the  beautiful  plants  which  grow  in  his  windows  and  the  l>ouquet  which 
is  usuall}-  seen  in  his  store.  He  is  a  strict  temperance  m.-m.  and  in  ])olitics 
is  a  Republican,  Init  has  never  desired  office.  In  educationrd  matters  he 
has  ever  taken  a  deep  and  helpful  interest,  has  served  on  the  school  board  .and 
has  been  a  member  of  the  board  of  school  examiners  during  his  residence 
in  Hawthorne.  He  has  also  served  as  Sunday-school  superintendent,  and 
thus  promoted  the  moral  development  and  growth  of  the  young.  He  has 
taken  pleasure  in  literary  work,  and  has  written  considerable  poetry,  mostly 
of  a  humorous  character,  which  has  been  published  in  some  of  the  best 
])eriodicals  of  the  west.  Tt  has  often  been  his  purpose  to  teach  a  good 
lesson  through  a  humorous  writing.  His  own  sense  of  humor  is  highly 
developed  and  makes  his  a  nature  that  throws  around  it  much  of  the  sun- 
shine of  life.     He  is  unmarried. 


ROBERT  STEELE,  who  is  successfully  engaged  in  general  farnnng 
near  Glendale,  is  numbered  among  the  brave  pioneer  citizens  that  the  Emerald 
Isle  has  furnished  to  Nevada.  He  was  born  in  Ireland,  on  the  26th  of  May, 
1826.  a  son  of  Alexander  and  Sophia  (McKee)  Steele.  In  1847  the  parents 
left  their  native  country  and  sailed  over  the  brin}-  deep  to  the  new  world, 
estaljlishing  their  home  in  Cleveland.  Ohio,  where  Robert  and  his  brother 
worked  in  the  copjier  mines.  They  were  also  engaged  in  farming,  and 
found  that  a  profitable  source  of  income,  their  labors  resulting  in  the  produc- 
tion of  good  crops.  •  Suljsequently  they  went  together  to  California  and 
were  engaged  in  mining  and  prospecting  in  Plumas  county.  In  i860  they 
came  to  Nevada  anrl  spent  a  short  time  in  Virginia  Citv.  working  in  the 
mines. 

In  the  same  year,  however,  Robert  Steele  purchased  land  on  which  he 
has  since  resided.  It  had  not  been  surveyed  at  that  time,  but  he  secured  for 
himself  and  brother  about  eight  hundred  acres  altogether.  It  was  all  wild 
anfl  unimproved,  and  Mr.  Steele  at  once  began  the  work  of  development, 
placing  it  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation.  The  land  Avas  plowed  and 
crops  were  planted,  and  as  the  years  have  gone  by  Mr.  Steele  has  wrought 
a  wonderful  transformation  in  the  improvement  of  his  propertw  It  is 
now  adorned  with  a  commodious  and  attractive  residence,  surrounded  by 
tall  trees  of  his  own  planting.  He  has  also  Imiit  a  large  barn.  and.  indeed, 
has  one  of  the  finest  farms  of  the  valle\'.  Through  his  own  capable  and  well 
directed  efforts  his  perseverance,  and  the  energy  which  has  enabled  him  to 
o\'ercome  all  difficulties  and  ol)stacles  in  his  path,  he  has  steadilv  worked  him- 


446  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

scH   upward  and  lias  l)ecome  one  of  the  wealthy  agriculturists  of  this  part 
of  the  state. 

In  1 868  Mr.  Steele  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Harriet  D.  Weeks, 
a  native  of  Cleveland.  Ohio,  and  to  them  have  heen  Ijorn  four  children: 
Sarah  Sophia,  now  the  wife  of  F"red  White,  who  is  a  journalist  of  ability 
and  makes  his  home  on  a  ranch;  James  Alexander,  who  was  married  Septem- 
ber I,  1901,  to  Miss  Mae  Hammersmith,  of  Reno;  Pearl  Rachel,  at  home: 
and  Elizabeth,  now  the  wife  of  Cliarles  Nash.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Steele  were 
reared  in  the  faith  of  the  Episcopal  church,  to  which  they  still  adhere,  and  in 
his  political  belief  he  is  a  Republican,  having  never  faltered  in  his  allegiance 
to  the  party.  He  has.  however,  never  been  an  aspirant  for  public  office. 
])referring  to  give  his  time  and  attention  to  his  business  interests,  in  which 
he  is  meeting  with  gratifying  success.  Although  now  seventy-seven  years 
of  age  he  still  gives  active  supervision  to  his  farming  interests.  His  life 
has  been  characterized  by  unflagging  industry,  and  now  in  the  evening  of 
life  he  can  look  back  over  the  past  without  regret.  He  receives  the  \enera- 
tion  and  respect  which  should  ever  be  accorded  those  who  have  reached  his 
age,  and  as  a  worthv  pioneer  citizen  of  Nevada  he  deser\es  mention  in  this 
volume. 


HERMAN  E.  FREUDENTHAL.  who  has  been  connected  with  many 
of  the  most  important  interests  of  the  city  of  Pioclie  and  of  Lincoln  county. 
Nevada,  for  twenty  years,  is  a  true  westerner  by  birth,  education  and  charac- 
ter, endowed  with  all  the  indomitable  spirit  and  enterprise  of  the  race.  He 
has  spent  his  life  since  childhood  in  Nevada,  and  his  record  as  a  business 
man,  in  journalism,  as  a  pulilic  official  and  in  the  halls  of  legislation  is  highly 
creditable  lx)th  to  himself  and  the  state  and  county.  He  is  genial  and  whole- 
souled,  with  the  happy  faculty  of  winning  friends,  and  his  popularity  is 
shown  by  the  fact  that  he  ba<  again  and  again  held  office  in  a  community 
whose  i^olitical  complexion  is  the  opposite  of  his  own.  Furthermore,  he  is 
a  self-made  man,  and  has  bee;i  winning  his  own  way  since  he  was  a  boy  of 
thirteen. 

Mr.  I'"reudentlial  was  born  in  North  San  Juan.  CaIiforiii;i.  I*"ebruary 
28,  1862,  a  son  of  Henry  and  Louisa  I'"reudenthal.  the  former  ;i  baker  by 
trade,  who  was  a  pioneer  to  Ne\ada  of  1864,  and  who  died  in  f'ioche,  Octo- . 
l)er  I,  1891.  Mr.  Freudenthal  was  taken  to  Virginia  City  in  1864.  two 
years  later  the  family  moved  to  Meadow  Lake,  in  1868  moved  to  Reno,  ,uid 
in  the  latter  ])art  of  the  same  year  to  White  Pine  county,  and  thence  in  1871 
to  Pioclie,  Lincoln  county.  He  attended  the  ])ul)1ic  schools  of  these  various 
places  until  he  was  thirteen  years  old.  ,ind  tlien  began  assisting  his  father 
in  the  bakery  and  restaurant.  In  1881  he  went  to  .Silver  Reef.  Utah,  and 
worked  with  an  aunt  in  the  same  line  of  business  for  a  time.  After  that  for 
a  year  he  was  levcler  on  the  construction  work  of  the  Denver  and  Rio  (Irande 
l';ailrf)ad,  and  in  1883  returned  to  Pioclie.  which  he  has  since  made  the  .scene 
of  his  most  noteworthy  endeavors.  He  went  into  the  Record  oflicc  and 
learned  the  art  of  jirinting,  and  has  ever  since  been  more  or  less  connected 
with  |)riiiting  and  newspaper  work.     He  was  manager  of  the  Lincoln  County 


^^^C^j^^i^i-^^e^'^^^^i^ 


A    IllSroin'   ()!■■   Xl'AADA.  447 

h'crnril  li'iiiii  jiiiK'.  i<;<K).  lo  Scplcmbfi'.  H}i\^.  when  lie  resigned  In  take  uj) 
nther  interests,  lie  is  nnw  li.s^ht-Df-way  ai^cni  fur  the  San  Pedro,  Los  An- 
geles &  Salt  Lake  Railmad  in  Xexada,  lia\-ing  ((ccuj)ied  this  jiosition  since 
1901. 

Mr.  Freudenthal  is  a  Re])n1)lican  in  ])()litics.  In  1890- lie  was  elected 
county  asses.sor  of  Lincohi  county,  and  held  the  ottice  for  ten  years,  resigning 
in  ii)0(),  with  two  more  \ears  to  fill,  because  of  his  electi(jn  as  state  senator 
in  that  year.  ]<"or  four  years  he  also  held  the  office  of  sherifY,  that  ofTice 
heing  combined  with  that  of  assessor.  He  affiliates  with  the  Ancient  Order 
of  United  Workmen  and  is  a  charter  member  of  I'ioche  Lodge,  and  is  a 
member  of  De  Lamar  Lodge,  K.  P.  He  has  been  ajipointed  by  the  Nevada 
Commission  to  take  charge  of  the  Ne\'ada  mineral  exhibit  at  the  St.  Louis 
exposition.  December  ^r.  1896,  Mr.  h^reudenthal  was  married  to  Mrs. 
Annie  E.  Jolly,  a  daughter  of  Harry  Harville,  a  prominent  man  of  Sacra- 
mento, California,  and  for  a  number  of  years  assessor  of  Elko  comity, 
Nevada. 


CHARLES  E.  MAYER,  who  has  been  a  resident  of  the  state  of 
Nevada  for  thirty  years,  and  during  the  latter  half  of  that  period  has  been 
the  popular  proprietor  of  the  Depot  Hotel  at  Elko,  belongs  to  a  family  whose 
members  have  been  noted  in  various  communities  and  states  of  the  Union. 
The  family  is'  German  and  English  in  descent,  and  was  founded  in  this 
country  b\'  grandfather  Henr}-  Frederick  ALayer.  who  was  born  in  Ham- 
l)urg,  Germany,  and  settled  in  Maryland,  near  Annapolis.  Little  is  known 
of  his  career  except  that  he  stood  high  in  the  Masonic  order,  and  one  of  his 
books  on  Masonry,  wdiich  was  published  in  1S02.  is  now  in  the  ])ossession 
of  Charles   Mayer. 

His  son,  Henry  Frederick  Mayer,  Jr.,  was  boin  ;it  AnnaiK)lis,  Maryland, 
in  1817.  He  married  Miss  Fanny  Bradshaw,  a  native  of  England,  and  in 
1837  they  removed  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  He  was  one  of  Missouri's  rep- 
resentati\es  to  Washington,  and  he  made  the  entire  journey  on  horseback. 
His  life  occupation  was  merchandising,  and  he  was  successful  in  business  as 
well  as  in  public  and  social  life.  He  and  his  wife  remo\ed  to  Sheridan, 
Oregon,  in  1876,  and  he  died  there  in  1889,  at  the  age  of  seventy-two.  He 
was  known  by  all  as  a  man  of  honor  and  integrity,  and  his  upright  and 
\vorthy  life  made  him  a  conspicuous  character  in  every  community  where 
he  li\-ed.  His  wife  died  in  1897,  and  they  are  Ixith  interred  at  Sheridan. 
Yamhill  county,  Oregon.  They  had  four  children,  and  two  are  living. 
Laramie  was  born  at  Fort  Laramie  at  the  time  of  the  Indian  massacre  in 
1856,  and  is  now  a  merchant  in  the  Klonrlike. 

Charles  E.  Mayer,  the  other  living  son,  was  born  in  the  state  of  Illi- 
nois, January  29,  1849.  ^^  ^^'i^  educated  in  Washington  College,  Virginia, 
being  a  student  there  while  the  great  Confederate  General  Robert  E.  Lee  was 
])resident.  Shortly  afterward  he  was  married,  and  after  residing  in  Bunker 
Hill,  Illinois,  for  three  years,  came  to  Ne\'ada  in  1873.  ^^  ^^'''^  P"^^  trader 
at  Fort  Hallack  for  fifteen  years,  and  then  settled  in  Elko  and  took  up  the 
hotel  business.     The  Dejiot  Hotel  is  a  first-class  house,  and  is  a  very  popular 


448  A  HISTORY  OF  NE\".\1).\. 

resort  for  the  traveling  public  who  visit  Elko.  His  wide  and  favcirahle 
acquaintance  with  people  all  over  the  state  has  lirought  him  a  large  patronage, 
and  he  has  l)een  verv  successful. 

Mr.  flayer  was  married  in  1868,  at  Northville,  Virginia,  to  Miss 
Maria  B.  Crocket,  and  they  have  been  the  parents  of  eight  children;  Fannie, 
now  the  wife  of  D.  J-  Bangs,  resides  in  Butte,  Montana ;  Erskine  is  telegraph 
operator  at  Elko;  W.  R.  is  a  merchant  at  Deeth ;  Bessie  is  the  wife  of  J. 
Tal)er,  a  druggist  of  Elko;  Charles  G.  is  a  civil  engineer  on  the  Southern 
Pacific  Railroad;  Harry  is  a  graduate  of  the  Elko  high  school,  and  is  now 
assisting  his  father;  Halleck  is  also  assisting  his  father:  Stewart  is  a  jtrinter 
of    Elko.     He    is    a  valued    member    of    the  Independent   Order  nf    ()( 


»(i(i 


Fellows  and  of  the   .\ncient  Order  of  United   \\'orknien.   having  held   the 
office  of  treasurer  in  the  former  and  financier  in  tlie  latter. 

WTLLIAM  WRIGHT,  now  deceased,  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  born 
in  the  county  of  Wexford  on  the  25th  of  March,  1837.  He  came  direct 
from  the  Emerald  Isle  to  Nevada  in  1864,  and  bade  adieu  to  friends  and 
native  country  and  sailed  for  the  new  world.  The  journey  was  made  by 
the  Isthmus  of  Panama  to  the  California  coast,  and  thence  he  proceeded  into 
the  interior  of  the  country  until  he  had  reached  this  state.  At  first  he 
worked  with  his  brother,  John  Wright,  who  had  preceded  him  to  America, 
and,  when  he  had  gained  a  start  in  a  financial  way,  in  1866  purchased 
the  ranch  upon  which  he  afterward  resided  until  called  to  his  final  rest. 
This  tract  of  land  comprised  two  hundred  and  eighty  acres,  which  at  the  time 
when  it  came  into  his  possession  was  largely  unimproved.  With  his  own 
hands  he  planted  the  fruit  and  shade  trees  that  nnw  addrn  and  benefit  the 
farm,  and  in  1888  he  built  a  nice  frame  residence.  He  was  largel}-  engaged 
in  raising  hay  and  cattle,  and  also  Ijred  and  raised  a  number  of  English  shire 
horses.  He  not  only  took  great  interest  in  the  improvement  of 
his  own  horses,  but  did  much  for  the  improvement  of  the  grade 
of  stock  raised  throughout  this  jiart  of  the  country.  The  first  English  shire 
stallion  which  he  ever  owned  and  brought  into  Nevada  cost  him  two 
thousand  dollars.  Another  branch  of  the  business  of  Mr.  Wright  was 
that  of  dairying,  and  he  owned  thirty-five  heafl  of  graded  Durham  and  llol- 
stein  cows.  He  was  an  industrious,  progressive  and  honorable  agriculturist. 
and  put  forth  every  effort  in  his  power  to  gain  a  good  jjosition  in  financial 
circles,  and  in  all  his  dealings  was  strictly  straightforward  and  trustworthy. 

On  the  22d  of  February,  1872,  Mr.  Wright  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Sarah  \\'arren,  who  was  born  in  his  own  native  town,  and  through 
their  cliildhood  days  they  were  schoolmates.  After  becoming  well  estab- 
lished in  business  in  Nevada  Mr.  Wright  returned  td  the  Emerald  Isle  and 
there  wedded  the  lady  of  his  choice.  She  then  accompanied  him  to  Nevada, 
and  as  the  years  passed  their  union  was  blessed  with  seven  children,  nf 
whom  three  are  now  living,  namely:  John  William,  who  is  operating  the 
home  farm  for  the  benefit  of  his  mother:  l\lizabeth  Johnston  and  William 
(Icorge.  Since  the  death  of  the  husband  and  father  "Mrs.  Wright  and  her 
son  have  managed  the  home  proi)erly.     They  now  have  three  hundred  and 


A    IllSrolO'   ol'    XI'.VADA.  44'J 

l\vciU\'  acres  of  chincc  pi'i)clucti\e  land,  and  are  meeting  with  \er}'  i^rati ly- 
ing success  in  the  various  lines  of  agricultural  wurk  to  which  they  direct 
their  attention.  Iloth  the  mother  and  son  are  memljers  of  the  ^Methodist 
church  and  the  family  is  one  of  prominence  in  the  c(3mmunity. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Wright  was  an  earnest  and  unfaltering  Rcpuh- 
lican.  but  always  declined  to  hold  otfice,  feeling  that  it  would  interfere  -with 
his  business  duties.  Jn  his  native  country  before  coming  to  America  he 
had  been  made  a  Mason,  and  in  Nevada  he  affiliated  with  the  Reno  L(.)dge 
No.  13.  V.  &  A.  M.,  exemplifying  in  his  life  its  Ijeneticent  spirit.  He  died 
on  the  3d  of  July.  1902,  respected  by  all  who  knew  him.  He  was  ever 
hiinorable  in  all  relations,  and  was  a  worthy  exemplar  of  the  class  of 
citizenship  that  the  Kmerald  Isle  has  furnished  to  the  new  world.  His 
hope  of  bettering  his  financial  condition  in  this  country  was  realized,  and  he 
not  only  won  a  competence,  Init  also  secured  a  good  home  and  gained 
many  warm  friends  here. 


THE  DAILY  EVENING  REPORT,  published  at  Virginia  City,  Ne- 
\'ada.  a  six-column,  four-page  paper,  the  organ  of  the  silver  Democrats, 
was  founded  in  1888  by  Major  D.  L.  Brown  and  Alfred  Chartz.  The  Foot 
l.igJit  was  established  in  1872  by  J.  P.  Plant,  John  :\.  Mahanny  &  Company, 
and  in  1888  it  merged  with  the  Daily  Evening  Rcl^ort.  On  ^larch  23,  189 1, 
the  following  company  was  incorporated  with  D.  L.  Brown,  president; 
Frank  S.  Cox,  treasurer,  and  John  L.  Considine,  secretary  and  treasurer, 
and  they  form  the  board  of  directors. 

Major  Brown  has  been  a  resident  of  Nevada  since  1873.  and  is  a 
nati\'e  of  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  His  education  was  secured  in  the  public 
schools  of  San  Francisco,  he  ha\ing  located  in  California  in  1849,  when 
but  seven  years  of  age,  and  on  his  way  passed  through  what  was  then 
designated  as  the  territory  of  L^tah,  now  Nevada.  He  served  in  the  First 
California  National  Guards,  and  has  the  honor  of  having  been  major  of 
the  first  regiment  of  Nevada  State  Guards.  In  politics  he  has  always  been 
a  Democrat,  and  now  strongly  advocates  the  cause  of  siKer,  Ijoth  personally 
rnid  in  his  paper.  His  strong  sentiments  in  this  direction,  cdmbined  witli 
his  thorough  comprehension  of  the  vital  questions  of  the  clay,  makes  him 
a  very  prominent  factor  in  the  [jolitics  of  the  state,  and  a  man  universally 
respected  and   honored. 


CHARLES  J.  HOOD,  M.  D.,  the  leading  practitioner  of  medicine  aird 
surgery  in  Elko,  Nevada,  is  one  of  four  brothers  who  are  prominent  pro- 
fessional men  in  the  state.  His  partner  in  practice  is  his  brother,  A.  J. 
Hood.  W.  H.  Hood  is  a  physician  in  Reno,  and  Bert  L.  Hood  is  an  attorney- 
at-law. 

The  ancestry  of  these  professi(jnal  brothers  is  English  and  Scotch,  and 
members  of  the  family  were  early  settlers  of  the  New  England  colonies. 

A.  J.  Hood,  the  father  of  Dr.  Hood,  was  born  in  New  York,  He  moved 
west  to  Adrian,  Michigan,  in  1850,  and  in  1855  ^^'^^  married  to  Miss  J\lary 

29 


•150  A   HISTORY  Ol-   XK\'ADA. 

S.  Kniglit.  His  iiccupation  was  fanning.  lit-  was  a  stanch  Republican, 
and  a  higiil_\-  respected  citizen  of  the  community  where  lie  made  his  liome 
for  over  fifty  years.  He  died  in  igo2,  at  the  age  of  seventy-six,  hut  his 
wife  still  survives,  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven.  They  w-ere  the  parents  'ii  six 
cliildren,  and  it  is  rather  an  unusual  record  that  four  of  these  took  up  the 
professional  life,  although  reared  on  a  farm,  and  are  all  residing  in  a  state  far 
removed   from  their  birthplace. 

Dr.  C.  J.  Hood  was  Ixirn  in  Adrian.  Michigan,  b'ehruary  J^,  iSho,  and 
his  higher  education  was  obtained  at  Adrian  College  after  which,  in  1884. 
he  entered  the  medical  department  of  the  University  of  Micliigan  at  Ann 
Arbor,  and  graduated  with  the  class  of  1887.  He  gained  practical  experience 
I)y  six  months"  interne  work  in  the  hospital  at  Elizabeth,  New  Jersey.  His 
first  location  as  a  practitioner  was  in  Sjjokane,  Washington,  where  he  re- 
mained for  six  years.  During  that  time  he  was  an  active  member  of  Spokane 
County  and  \\'ashington  State  iSIedical  Societies:  also  a  member  of  the  stafT 
at  Sacred  Heart  Hospital.  In  1894  he  established  his  office  in  Elk(\  where 
he  has  built  up  a  large  and  constantly  growing  practice,  taking  foremost 
rank  in  his  profession  in  the  nine  years  he  has  been  there.  He  is  the  local 
physician  and  surgeon  of  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  Company ;  also  exam- 
iner for  numerous  life  insurance  comjianies ;  a  member  of  the  .\nierican 
Medical  Asscjciation  and,  during  its  existence,  of  the  Xe\ada  State  ]\ledica! 
Association. 


DAX  HUFFAKER  is  cjue  of  the  representative  farmers  of  the  Truckee 
Meadows.  He  was  l)orn  in  Kentucky,  first  opening  his  eyes  to  the  light 
of  day  in  Wayne  county,  that  state,  on  the  13th  of  August,  1846.  He 
represents  an  old  Virginia  family,  of  (ierman  origin,  that  was  founded  in 
.\merica  at  an  early  period  in  the  development  of  the  new  world.  His 
father,  I'homas  Hufifaker,  was,  however,  a  nati\e  of  Wayne  county,  Ken- 
tucky, and  after  arriving  at  years  of  maturity  was  married  there  to  Miss 
I'olly  Siiearer,  also  a  native  of  that  county.  They  spent  their  entire  lives 
there,  becoming  well  known  throughout  its  lx)rders  and  both  attained  to 
an  advanced  age,  the  father  ]>assing  away  at  the  age  of  .seventy-five  years, 
while  the  mother  is  still  living  at  the  age  of  eighty-five  years.  Their 
home  was  blessed  with  seven  sons,  six  of  whom  are  \et  living,  two  being 
residents  of  Kentucky,  two  of  C'alifornia  and  two  of  Xevada.  1'".  M.  lluf- 
faker.  one  of  the  sons,  is  now  living  in  Virginia  Citx-  ;nid  is  one  of  the 
prominent  members  of   the  bar  of  this   state. 

Dan  liuffaker  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  his  nati\e  ])l;ice  and 
was  there  reared  to  manhood.  On  reaching  .ulnlt  age  he  started  out  in 
life  on  his  own  account,  and  with  a  young  man's  desu'c  to  see  something 
of  the  world  he  went  U<  Iowa,  where  he  remained  for  twenty-two  nKinths.  and 
in  1870  removed  to  California.  He  began  working  u))on  a  farm  in  Sutter 
county,  and  in  1871  lie  came  to  Nevada,  where  he  was  employed  for  wages 
for  sixteen  years.  When  his  earnest  labor  had  brought  to  him  capital  .suf- 
ficient to  enable  him  to  purchase  land,  he  bought  his  ])resent  ranch,  l>ecoming 
its  owner  in   1888.     He  and  his  cousin,  fn-anville  Washington  liuffaker,  .se- 


A   lIlSTom    Ol'    Xl'AADA.  4.-,l 

cured  three  hundred  and  twelve  acres  of  land  from  the  government,  and 
they  li\ed  and  worked  together  as  brothers,  the  relationship  l>ctween  them 
being  maintained  with  mutual  pleasure  and  profit  until  1892.  when  the 
cousin  died.  He  was  an  industrious,  kind-hearted  and  honorable  man. 
and  won  the  respect  and  good  will  of  all  Mlm  knew  hnn.  lie  left  his  shai"e 
of  the  estate  to  Mr.  Hufifaker.  Thev  had  greath'  improxed  the  pro])ert_v 
and  made  it  of  marked  value,  and  upon  the  ranch  Mr.  liuffaker  is  now 
annually  raising"  about  fi\'e  hundied  tons  of  hay.  He  has  l)uilt  a  fine  stone 
residence  on  the  place,  together  with  large  barns  and  substantial  outbuildings 
for  the  shelter  of  ha\  and  stock.  The  home  is  surrounded  b\-  well  kej)! 
grounds,  and  a  beautiful  lawn  extends  from  tlie  house  to  the  road  in  front. 
Everything  about  the  place  is  attracti\e,  showing  the  owner  to  be  a  man  of 
good   taste   and    of   progressive    .spirit. 

In  1876  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Huffaker  and  Miss  Lizzie  Arneld. 
a  nati\e  daughter  of  Xe\ada,  born  in  the  beautiful  Truckee  Meadows,  on 
which  the}'  now  reside.  Mr.  HufYaker  exercises  his  right  of  franchise  in 
su])port  of  the  men  and  measures  of  the  Democracy,  and  in  matters  of  citi- 
zenship has  performed  an  active  and  heliiful  part  toward  ach'ancing  the 
general  welfare.  Thnjugh  his  intlustrv  and  ])erse\erance  he  has  acc|uired 
a  merited  success,  and  is  now  one  of  the  leading  agriculturists  of  his  com- 
munity. 


SIMEON  M.  HOOKER,  a  well  informed,  alert  and  enteqjrising  busi- 
ness man,  now  dealing  in  general  merchandise  in  Hawthorne,  was  born  in 
the  far-off  state  of  Maine,  his  birthplace  being  the  town  of  Bowdoinham  and 
his  natal  day  the  24th  of  April,  18,32.  He  is  descended  from  luiglish  an- 
cestors who  were  early  settlers  of  Xew  England.  His  grandfather,  William 
] looker,  served  as  a  soldier  in  the  Re\-olutionar\'  war,  fighting  for  the  inde- 
pendence of  the  nation,  and  \\'illiam  Booker,  Jr.,  the  father  of  Mr.  P>ooker. 
was  a  captain  in  the  war  of  1812,  doing  valiant  service  to  defend  the  rights 
which  the  colonial  patriots  had  won.  The  latter  married  Miss  Rachel 
lilake,  a  natix'e  of  his  own  state,  and  to  ]iro\-ide  for  his  family  followed 
merchandising.  He  died  at  the  comparatix  ely  early  age  of  fortv-two  years. 
and  his  wife  passed  away  at  the  age  of  forty-three  }'ears.  The\'  were  the 
])arcnts  of  eight  children,  but  Simeon  M.  Booker  is  the  ouh'  sur\i\ing  mem- 
ber of  the  famil}-. 

Mr.  Booker  was  but  four  weeks  old  at  the  time  of  his  father's  death, 
and  was  but  eight  years  of  age  when  he  lost  his  mother.  He  was  sent 
to  school  in  his  nati\'e  town,  where  he  pursued  his  studies  until  fifteen  \ears 
of  age,  when  he  1)egan  to  cultivate  the  home  farm,  and  soon  afterward  he 
accepted  a  clerkshi])  in  a  store,  being  thus  engaged  until  1856.  when,  at- 
tracted by  the  business  opportunities  of  the  west,  .so  recently  opened  to  the 
ci\ilization  of  other  sections  of  the  country,  he  made  his  wa\-  to  California, 
by  the  isthmus  route.  He  was  in  the  terrible  accident  of  that  ^•ear  in 
which  two  hundred  and  fifty  emigrants  lost  their  lives.  Mr.  Booker,  how - 
e\er  escaped,  and.  proceeding  to  the  mining  regions  of  California,  he  en- 
gaged  in   searching    for   the   precious   metal   at   Onnille  and    Cherokee   Flat. 


452  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

For  seven  years  he  engaged  in  mining.  l)nl  ilid  iml  liml  his  efturts  in  IhaL 
direction  profitable. 

The  month  of  Ma_\ ,  i<^')3.  witnessed  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Bnoivcr  in 
Xevada.  He  went  to  Aurora,  and  for  thirteen  years  was  engaged  in  freiglit- 
ing.  hauHng  goods  from  Reno  to  Carson.  .Aurora.  Bodie  and  other  parts  of 
the  state.  He  often  slept  out  of  doors,  and  he  never  carried  a  weapon,  his 
fearlessness  seeming  to  shield  him  from  all  danger.  He  met  with  fair 
success  in  that  business  and  later  engaged  in  mining  at  Bodie.  He  was  the 
discoverer  of  the  Booker  mine  and  also  the  Spaulding  mine  and  had  a  third 
interest  in  each.  Selling  out  he  made  considerable  money  in  this  way. 
He  next  turned  his  attention  to  merchandising  in  Aurora,  where  he  con- 
tinued until  1884,  when  he  disposed  of  his  store  there  and  removed  to  San 
Francisco,  where  he  conducted  a  store  for  five  years.  Again  he  .sold  out, 
and  returning  to  Nevada  settled  at  Sweetwater.  There  he  was  appiinted 
to  settle  up  the  Henry  Williams  estate,  and  later  was  the  executor  of  Mrs. 
Williams'  will.  He  remained  there  for  fi\-e  _\'ears  and  on  the  expiration  of 
that  period  he  purchased  a  stoie  at  Sodaville.  In  lyoo  he  .sold  this  and 
bought  his  present  store  in  Hawthorne.  Here  he  is  dealing  in  dry-goods, 
groceries,  hats,  caps,  shoes  and  notions.  .Mi-eady  he  has  built  up  a  good 
business,  which  is  constantly  growing,  his  reliable  business  methods  having 
gained  for  him  the  confidence  of  the  public  and.  therefore,  its  patronage. 

Mr.  Booker  was  married  in  1853  to  Miss  Mary  C.  Cobb,  also  a  native 
of  Bowdoinham,  Maine,  and  their  union  was  lilessed  with  three  children, 
but  two  have  passed  away.  The  son,  John  G.  Booker,  is  married  and  has 
a  family.  He  is  a  civil  engineer.  Mrs.  Booker  died  in  Aurora  in  icSr)8, 
and  Mr.  Booker  was  married  in  San  Francisco  to  Mrs.  Catherine  E.  Dulin, 
who  by  her  former  marriage  had  a  daughter.  Dora,  now  the  wife  of  J.  C. 
Benton,  of  San  F'rancisco.  i\Irs.  Catherine  Booker  passed  away  b'cbruary 
18.    igoj. 

Mr.  Booker  is  a  veteran  nieniber  of  the  liidepcndenl  ( )rdei"  of  Odd 
l'"ellows,  and  has  been  a  life-long  Re])ublican.  In  1872  he  was  elected  and 
served  as  county  assess(jr  of  Esmeralda  county,  and  has  always  taken  an 
active  part  in  the  conventions  of  bis  ])arty  and  done  everything  to  further 
its  success.  He  has  ahvays  exerted  a  strong  influence  in  behalf  of  the  se- 
lection of  good  men  for  ofiice.  Viewed  from  a  financial  standpoinl  his  life 
record  has  also  been  creditable  and  gratifying,  and  now  in  ;uldition  to  the 
store  he  is  associated  with  his  son  in  the  ownership  id'  \;iluable  mining 
and  water  rights  at  Tonopah. 


HON.  EDWARD  I'lAT  1 1 ARDICSTN'.  a  retired  stockman  of 
Wells,  VAko  county,  has  been  a  resident  of  the  slate  of  Nevada 
for  over  thirty  years,  but  has  been  identified  with  western  life  since 
pioneer  times.  He  passed  his  younger  days  in  the  Mississiiipi  valley,  and 
got  his  first  la.ste  of  the  west  during  the  Mexican  war,  after  which  he  fol- 
lowed various  occupations  in  the  different  territories  in  the  Rocky  mountain 
region  until  be  liegan  stock-raising.  He  has  been  one  of  the  successftil  stock- 
men of  the  western  prairies,  whose  operations  are  conducted  on  a  magnificent 


Q?  (Jr    A^^a-^i..e/juzZ^ 


A    I  IIS  Tom'   OF  NEVADA.  453 

scale,  and,  where  a  few  hundred  acres  are  enijjlDved  fur  the  Inisiness  in  the 
east,  thousands  are  grazed  over  hy  the  stock  of  the  westerner.  Mr.  llardesty 
has  had  tlic  ups  and  ddwns  of  the  Inisiness,  hut  now  enjoys  a  prosperous  re- 
tirement, with  many  friends  to  gladden  his  later  years  and  with  a  hajiijy 
hiMue  and  a  good  record  of  public  and  ]jri\'ate  achievement. 

.\lr.  I  lardest\''s  ancestry  is  Scotch-Irish,  and  his  grandfather.  Wallace 
llardesl\-,  hnni  in  the  north  nf  Ireland,  came  to  America  before  the  l^evo- 
lution,  and  participated  in  that  struggle  fnr  independence.  His  son,  jacol) 
llardesty,  fdught  in  the  war  of  1812.  so  that  tln'ee  successive  generations  of 
the  family  ha\e  been  rejircsented  in  llie  thiee  most  important  foreign  c<jn- 
flicts  of  the  nation. 

Edward  P.  Hardesty  was  liorn  in  Newport.  Kentucky,  in  September, 
1824,  and  was  educated  in  Boone  county  of  that  state.  In  youth  he  moved 
to  Illinois,  and  thence  to  Colorado,  and  was  in  Den\er  w^ien  only  a  few  houses 
com])osed  that  now  large  city.  From  there  he  went  to  Montana,  and  was 
engaged  in  freighting  from  Salt  Eake  City  to  ditTerent  points  in  Montana 
during  the  sixties.  He  came  to  Nevada  in  the  fall  of  1872  and  bought  a 
large  herd  of  cattle,  hor  a  number  of  years  be  was  engaged  in  this  business, 
and  was  one  (.)f  the  cattle  kings  of  the  .state.  He  had  large  herds  in  White 
Fine  antl  Elko  counties,  and  also  in  Idaho.  He  lost  heavily  during  the  hard 
winters,  but  always  managed  to  come  out  ahe;id.  lie  had  good  grades  of 
1 'oiled  Angu.s,  Herefords,  Durham  and  Dexdiishire  cattle,  and  bis  high-class 
breeding  not  only  improved  bis  own  stock  but  did  much  in  the  same  line 
for  the  cattle  of  the  entire  state. 

Mr.  Hardestv  has  been  a  life-long  Democrat,  and  fax'ored  the  cause  of 
silver  when  that  was  an  issue.  He  served  in  the  state  assembly  and  in  the 
senate,  being  elected  in  1S84  and  1886,  and  was  a  delegate  to  the  Demo 
cratic  national  conventions  held  in  Chicago  in  1884  and  1896.  He  has  at- 
tended most  of  the  state  conventions,  and  has  taken  an  actixe  interest  in  pro- 
moting the  success  of  bis  party. 

Mr.  Hardesty  was  married  January  6,  1880,  to  Mrs.  Adeline  Smith,  a 
native  of  Chicago  and  a  daughter  of  Edward  Owen  Haymond.  One  son 
was  born  to  Mrs.  Hardesty  by  her  former  marriage,  and  be  is  now  in  Idaho. 
Mrs.  Hardesty  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  and  is  president  of  the 
ladies'  aid  society.  Their  union  has  been  a  very  ha]:)py  one,  and  they  have 
manv  friends  who  delight  to  \isit  their  hospitable  home  in  Wells.  The  gov- 
ernor of  the  state,  the  former  governors  and  nian\'  of  the  state  ofificials  are 
guests  of  this  abode  of  hospitality,  and  many  others  delight  in  the  refinement, 
good  sense  and  solid  comfort  of  this  home.  Mr.  Hardesty  is  a  kind  and 
generous  character,  although  he  is  sometimes  bruscpie  and  reser\ed,  and  his 
long  and  useful  life  gives  him  a  ])lace  of  esteem  and  high  regard  in  the  com- 
munity and  state.  He  has  disposed  of  his  ranches,  and  is  now  content  to 
pass  bis  rem.aining  \ears  in  the  joys  and  peace  of  a  ba]ii")v  home. 


W'lLE  L'.  M.VCKI'A',  deputy  state  printer  of  Ne\-ada  and  ma\-or  of 
Carson  City,  came  to  the  Comstock  in  1866.  He  is  a  nati\-e  of  Hannibal, 
Missouri,    where   be   was   born    in    i8'ii,   and   comes  of   Scotch   ancestr\-,   al- 


-t:.4  '  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

though  several  generations  of  the  family  lia\e  lived  in  the  United  States. 
On  the  paternal  side  thev  are  related  to  the  noted  Sam  Houston  of  Texas, 
and  on  the  maternal  side  to  the  famous  Stowe  family.  Uriah  Mackey.  the 
father  of  Mr.  Macke\-,  was  a  prominent  man  in  Missouri,  hut  died  when 
the  latter  was  only  ten  months  old.  .\t  the  time  of  his  tleath  he  was  cit\- 
marshal  of  Hannihal.  Missouri.  He  married  Miss  Martha  Ihompson,  of 
Illinois,  and  a  daughter  of  John  Thompson,  of  the  same  state,  .\fter  the 
death  of  her  husband  Mrs.  Mackey  came  to  Xevada,  iiringing  her  son. 
Will,  then  five  years  of  age,  and  she  now  resides  in  Carson  City,  heing  sixty- 
inne  years  of  age. 

Mr.  Mackev  was  reared  and  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  \'irginia 
Citw  also  atteufling  the  business  college  of  E.  C.  Atkinson  in  Sacramento, 
California.  He  learned  the  trade  of  printer  in  the  offices  of  the  Virginia 
Chronicle  and  the  old  (Sold  Hill  A'aivs;.  also  working  as  foreman  of  the 
Austin  Reveille  and  the  Xevada  Tribune,  and  for  a  short  time,  in  1883, 
was  foreman  of  the  Cumnicrcial  Advertiser  in  Honolulu.  Eor  the  past 
twent\-  years  he  has  worked  intermittently  in  the  state  printing  office,  and 
continuously  for  the  past  nine  years.  He  is  a  thorough  printer,  under- 
standing every  detail  of  the  business,  and  his  office  is  a  model.  From  boy- 
hood he  has  been  a  Democrat,  and  as  the  present  mayor  of  Carson  City  he 
is  proving  himself  a  good  lousiness  man  and  upright  statesman,  and  is 
giving  the  people  a  clean,  honorable  administration.  He  received  President 
Roosevelt  on  the  occasion  of  the  presidential  visit  to  Carson  Citv  in  Alav, 
1903. 

In  iS(;4  Mr.  Mackey  was  married  to  Miss  hAa  L.  Cliapman.  a  nati\e 
of  California,  and  one  daughter,  Dorothv,  has  been  born  of  this  union.  Fra- 
ternally Mr.  Mackey  is  a  member  of  the  h'ree  and  Accqited  Masons,  and  he 
and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Eastern  Star  and  of  the  Rathlione  Sisters. 
He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Typogra]>liical 
Union.  Mr.  Mackay  is  admitted  to  be  one  of  the  state's  best  known  and 
most  highly  respected  citizens,  and  one  whose  future  looks  \cry  bright,  to 
judge  by  the  i)ast. 

CEORCE  SUMNER  GREEN,  who  is  district  attorney  and  ex- 
officio  assessor  of  Esmeralda  county,  Nevada,  is  one  of  the  native  sons  of 
this  state,  his  l)irth  having  occurred  at  Sweetwater  on  the  9th  of  March. 
1874.  He  is  a  representative  of  an  old  American  family,  and  his  great- 
grandfather and  one  of  his  great-granduncles  fought  with  Ceneral  F.than 
.Mien  in  the  Ixevolutinnary  war.  aiding  \alianll\'  in  the  struggle  for  inde- 
pendence. 

.\mos  Crcen.  his  grandlather,  was  born  in  IScrliu,  New  I  lanipsliirc.  and 
made  the  voyage  around  Cape  Horn  to  (  aiil'urnia  in  1849.  There  lie 
engaged  in  mining  with  such  success  that  in  1S31  Ik'  returned  to  his  home 
in  the  east  and  brought  his  family  to  California  the  fullowing  vear.  Cieorge 
A.  (Ireen,  the  father  of  Mr.  Cireen,  was  one  of  the  party.  Thev  settled  at 
Oroville,  and  there  the  grandfather  contiinied  his  mining  operations.  The 
cither  son  ot   tlu-  hou'^ehciM   was  I-A-erett   A.   ( Ircen.  now  a  resident   of  '["(in;!- 


A    IIISTOKN'   OF  NEVAD/X.  455 

|):ih.  In  his  later  life  the  gi'andtather  resided  with  his  son,  ( leurge  A., 
at  Sweetwater,  and  there  died  in  lyoo  at  the  a<l\aiu-ed  age  of  eighty-three 
\ears.  He  was  one  of  California's  hra\-e  pioneers,  widely  and  favi>ra1>ly 
known,  and  he  took  an  active  part  in  the  early  development  of  the  state. 

fleorge  A.  Green  is  now  the  owner  of  tlie  Nine  Mile  Ranch  at  Fletcher, 
Xevada.  where  he  has  been  located  for  a  number  of  years.  He  is  a  promi- 
nent stock-raiser  and  miner,  owning  se\eral  good  mining  ]jroi)erties  and 
his  meadows  ha\'e  been  cm'ered  with  tailings  from  the  mines.  'I'o  this  he 
strong])'  objected  at  the  time  they  were  placed  tiiere,  but  he  is  now  putting 
these  tailings  through  a  cx'anide  process  and  is  getting  gold  from  them 
in  paving  cpiantities.  (jeorge  A.  (jreen  was  born  in  New  Hanijjshire  in 
1831,  and  had  attained  his  majority  when  he  arri\ed  in  (_"alifornia.  He  is 
self-educated  and  a  man  of  natural  talents  who  kee]is  thoi-oughly  well  in- 
formed on  all  (]uestions  of  the  da\'.  Throughout  the  years  of  his  residence 
in  Nevada  he  has  been  the  prominent  factor  in  the  affairs  of  his  county  and 
state  and  e\er  lo\aI  in  his  su])port  of  what  he  has  believed  to  be  for  the 
l)est  interests  of  iIk-  commonwealth.  llis  jxilitical  allegiance  is  given  tn 
tiie  Republican  ])art\-  ,'md  he  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows.  In  the  earh-  history  of  Esmeralda  county  lie  served  as  one  of 
the  Count}  commissioners.  He  now  owns  twelve  hundred  and  forty  acres 
of  agricultural  land  and  twenty -fne  hundred  acres  of  natural  grazing  land, 
and  upon  the  latter  he  has  a  large  herd  of  cattle.  He  married  Miss  Sarah 
W'hite  of  Fulton,  Missouri,  who  crossed  the  plains  in  the  year  of  the  Moun- 
tain Meadow  massaci'e.  In  the  paternal  line  she  comes  of  German  ancestry, 
although  the  family  was  estabhshecl  in  .\merica  at  an  early  day.  In  re- 
Hgious  faith  Mrs.  (ireen  is  a  Methodist  and  has  lived  a  consistent  Chris- 
tian life.  1)V  her  marriage  she  has  become  the  mother  of  si.x  children,  three 
.sons  and  three  daughters,  all  of  whom  are  vet  living  and  are  res])ected  resi- 
dents of  Nevada. 

(ieorge  Sumner  Green,  the  third  chilil,  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  of  this  state  and  also  spent  t-\vo  years  as  a  student  in  Stanford  Uni- 
versity of  California.  Thus  with  a  good  literai'v  knowledge  to  serve  as 
a  foundation  upon  which  to  rear  the  superstructiu'e  of  ])rofessional  learn- 
ing, he  took  u])  the  study  of  law  in  the  otlice  and  under  the  direction  of  the 
Hon.  C.  .\.  Reynolds,  then  in  the  Crocker  building  in  San  F'rancisco,  and 
was  admitted  to  practice  by  the  supreme  court  of  the  state  of  California 
on  the  27th  of  April,  i8cj6.  He  then  returned  to  his  home  in  Nevada, 
opened  a  law  ofifice,  and  in  the  same  year  was  elected  district  attorney  of 
Esmeralda  county.  To  this  position  he  has  been  continually  chosen  at  each 
succeeding  election  so  that  he  is  now  serving  for  his  fourth  term.  In 
addition  to  the  duties  of  this  office  he  engages  in  tiie  general  practice  of 
law  and  has  been  most  fortunate  in  his  trial  of  cases.  .\t  the  time  when 
he  was  first  elected  to  the  office  he  received  a  majority  of  sixtv.  at  the  next 
election  had  a  majority  of  sixty-four,  at  the  third  of  sixty-six  and  at  the 
fourth  of  fifty-seven,  being  elected  over  two  candidates  who  were  men  of 
marked  ability,  all  of  which  goes  to  show  how  ]K)])ular  is  this  native  .son 
of  Nevada  with  his  fellow  citizens. 

Mr.  Green  was  married  on  the  loth  of  June,  1903,  to  Miss  E.  Nevatla 


450  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Marks,  a  native  daughter  of  Virginia  City.  She  is  a  graduate  of  the 
Nevada  State  University,  and  for  three  years  prior  to  lier  marriage  was 
the  principal  of  the  Hawthorne  schools,  her  capal)ility  in  that  (hrection  rank- 
ing Iter  with  the  best  educators  of  the  state.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Green  now  ha\-e 
a  nice  home  in  Hawthorne  and  enjoy  tlie  warm  regard  of  many  friends, 
occupving  a  leading  position  in  .social  circles,  where  true  worth  and  intelli- 
gence are  recei\ed  as  the  passports  into  good  society. 

ALVIX  AHLO  LAMB,  who  is  widely  and  favorably  known  as  a  lead- 
ing farmer  of  Truckee  Meadows  and  as  a  pioneer  of  Nevada,  has  witnessed 
tlie  progress  antl  transformation  of  the  state  since  1839.  \Vhen  on  his  way 
to  California  he  crossed  Nevada,  to  which  he  returned  as  a  permanent  resi- 
dent in  1863.  He  is  one  of  the  native  sons  of  the  Empire  state,  his  birth 
having  occurred  in  New  York  on  the  14th  of  Septemljer,  1833.  The  Lamb 
family  is  of  Scotch-L"ish  lineage  and  was  fountled  in  America  by  the  pater- 
nal grandfather  of  Mr.  Lamb,  who  emigrated  from  Ireland,  his  native 
country,  to  New  York.  He  became  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  that  state, 
and  it  was  in  New  ^'ork  that  Hannibal  Lamb,  the  father  of  A.  M.  Lamb, 
was  born  in  1808.  When  the  years  had  passed  and  brought  him  to  adult 
age  he  was  unite<l  in  marriage  to  Miss  Malinda  Inches,  a  native  of  Scot- 
land, l3orn  in  1S15.  In  1842  this  worthy  couple  removed  to  Wisconsin, 
settling  u]5on  a  tract  of  land  which  was  then  wild  and  uncultivated.  W'ith 
characteristic  energy  he  began  its  development  and  improvement,  and  spent 
his  remaining  days  upon  the  excellent  farm  which  he  there  made  from  the 
once  raw  prairie.  He  lived  to  be  seventy-six  years  of  age,  while  his  wife 
departed  this  life  on  the  loth  of  December,  1863,  at  the  age  of  forty-eight 
years.     They  were  I'le  parents  of  thirteen  children,  of  whom  nine  are  living. 

AK'in  M.  Lamb,  the  only  member  of  the  family  in  Nevada,  was  reared 
under  the  parental  roof  uixin  the  old  homestead  farm  in  Wisconsin,  and 
there  attended  school  in  a  little  log  building,  pursuing  his  studies  for  about 
three  months  in  the  winter  seasons.  .\t  the  time  of  early  spring  planting 
he  took  his  place  in  the  fields  to  assist  in  sowing  the  seed  that  would  later 
bring  forth  good  hru'vests.  Much  of  the  knowledge  that  he  has  obtained 
lias  been  secured  in  the  dear  school  of  ex])erience.  When  twenty-six  years 
of  age  he  started  across  the  plains  for  California.  I'ive  young  men  of 
tlie  neighborhood  had  decided  to  make  the  trii>,  but  all  remainecl  at  home 
when  the  time  for  .starting  came,  so  Mr.  Lamb  joined  another  company  and 
continued  to  carry  out  his  resolution  to  secure  a  fortune  on  the  Pacific  coast. 
He  left  Wisconsin  on  the  4tli  of  .\pril.  1859,  and  arrived  in  Placerville  on 
the  i4tli  f)f  September  following.  He  then  tried  his  luck  at  placer  mining, 
but  that  work  did  not  agree  with  him  and  also  did  not  yield  to  him  the 
])rofit  that  be  iiad  anticipated,  so  he  began  driving  a  logging  team,  for 
which  be  was  paid  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars  jier  month. 

Me  continued  to  reside  at  Placerville  until  .\pril,  1863,  when  lie  went  to 
Virginia  City,  Nevada.  He  then  worked  for  sixteen  days  in  the  Savage 
mine,  at  the  cud  of  which  time  he  rang  tlic  bell,  which  was  the  signal  t 
lioisl    him    out    of    the    mini'.       lie    found    the    occupation    uncongeni;d,    .-md 


o 


A    [IISTom'  OK  NF.VADA.  4ry7 

wisely  souolit  a  wnrk  lliat  wmild  i)ro\c  ninvi'  jileasant.  For  twenty  clays 
thereafter  he  eiii^a.^ed  in  sawinc^-  tinihcr.  ami  then  again  drove  a  logging 
team  in  llie  mountains  for  the  same  salary,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
dollars  per  month.  For  five  seasons  he  was  employed  hy  T.  K.  llymers, 
and  at  the  end  of  that  time  purchased  a  team  of  his  own,  giving  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollars  a  yoke  for  six  yoke  of  callle.  With  them  he  hauled 
himher  from  the  mills  to  Virginia  Cit}".  In  iS('iy  he  had  ten  yoke  of  oxen, 
and  with  these  he  hauled  the  locomotive  from  Reno  to  Virginia  when  the 
work  of  railroad  construction  was  to  begin  there.  This  locomotive  weighed 
si.xty  tons,  and  was  the  first  engine  on  the  Virginia  &  Truckee  Railroad. 
Although  more  than  a  third  of  a  century  has  since  passed,  that  engine  is 
still  in  service  on  the  road.  It  required  four  days  for  Mr.  Lamb  to  move 
it,  and  he  was  paid  two  hundred  and  eighty  dollars  for  his  work.  In  1871 
l\lr.  Lamb  purcliaseil  his  present  property  of  two  hundred  and  eighty  acres, 
for  which  he  i)aid  twenty-five  hundred  dollars,  and  through  his  earnest  labor 
and  careful  management  he  has  developed  a  nice  attractive  farm,  on  which 
he  has  erected  a  comfortable  home.  In  1877,  in  connection  with  others,  he 
engaged  in  the  building  of  a  steamboat  ditch,  and  after  they  had  in\ested 
eighty  thousand  dollars  in  the  work  they  lost  the  ditch,  Mr.  Lamb's  loss 
amounting  to  thirteen  thousand  dollars.  He  felt  his  loss  greatly,  for  his 
money  had  been  accumulated  through  many  years  of  hard  lalx)r,  and  it 
required  manv-  more  years  of  earnest  M'ork  to  meet  the  indebtedness  in- 
curred through  this  loss. 

In  186S  Mr.  Lamb  was  married  in  Reno  to  ]\riss  .\lmira  Howard,  and 
tlieir  married  life  was  a  happy  one  until  1886,  when  the  wife  was  called 
to  her  final  rest.  The  following  year  he  wedded  Mrs.  Cornalia  Crook,  a 
native  of  Wisconsin,  who  by  her  former  marriage  had  two  children,  Fred 
and  Minnie  Crook.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lamb  now  have  two  children.  Pearl  and 
Clara.  The  family  is  well  kno\\  n  in  this  portion  of  Nevada.  The  hospitality 
of  their  home  is  greatly  enjoyed  by  many  friends.  In  }X)litics  he  has  been 
a  life-long  Republican,  but  has  never  sought  or  desired  office.  He  has,  how- 
ever, served  as  road  commissioner  for  the  past  twentv-five  years,  and  the 
good  roads  of  his  vicinity  are  an  evidence  of  the  work  he  has  accomplished  in 
this  way.  He  has  always  made  it  the  rule  of  life  to  live  honorably  and 
peaceably  with  his  fellow  men.  and  to  so  exercise  his  native  talents  that  they 
would  remler  to  him  a  comfortable  living  and  utilize  his  time  to  the  bes( 
advantage,  and  he  has  thus  become  one  of  the  substantial  agriculturists  of 
Nevada. 


MRS.  MARGARET  THORPE,  who  for  a  number  of  years  has  had 
the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  most  careful  managers  and  business 
women  in  Elko  county,  has  the  additional  credit  of  l>eing  the  first  white 
woman  to  take  up  her  home  in  Elko.  She  came  here  when  the  railroad 
was  being  built  through,  and.  when  the  death  of  her  first  husband  left  her 
to  care  for  a  large  property  in  the  county,  she  at  once  undertook  the  re- 
sponsibility, and  how  well  she  has  succeeded  almost  anyone  in  the  county 
could    ii'll.      She   has  ])y  no  means  been   witboni   her   sh;n-e  of  burdens   and 


458  A   ITTST^R^•  OF  NEVADA.' 

care,  and  she  has  sliown  lier  great  nol>ihty  and  strenotli  of  cliaracter  l>y  the 
manner  in  which  she  has  met  every  embarrassment  and  (hfliculty  and  has 
won  the  esteem  and  respect  of  every  citizen  of  Elko. 

Airs.  Thorjje's  maiden  name  was  I^Iargaret  Randel.  a  (hiughter  of  Jnlm 
Randel,  a  native  of  Ireland.  She  was  happily  married  to  William  Shaw, 
a  nati\e  of  luigland.  and  who  was  a  contractor  on  the  Southern  Pacific 
Railroad  wiien  it  was  Iniilt  through  Nevada.  Mrs.  Shaw  was  with  him 
.U  the  time,  and  she  has  resided  in  Elko  county  ever  since.  Mr.  Shaw  was 
a  reliable  and  successful  business  man,  as  well  as  a  kind-hearted  husliand 
and  father.  He  died  in  1870  of  pneumonia,  leaving  a  good  property  in  Elko 
countw  Three  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Shaw,  as  follows:  Ed- 
w.-ird,  (ieorge  and  Katie,  the  last  named  now  the  wife  of  J-  I>  Hall,  of 
.Mountain  City,   Elko  county,  while  the  two  sons  are  in  New  Zealand. 

In  1872  Mrs.  Shaw  married  Mr.  John  Thorpe,  who  is  now  deceased. 
He  was  born  in  Glasgow,  Scotland,  in  1831,  and  came  to  Ne\-ada  in  i8f)Q. 
He  had  been  a  seafaring  man,  and  had  sailed  around  the  world  and  \isited 
nearlv  e\erv  known  clime.  They  settled  on  her  property  in  I'.lko  C(iuntv 
rmd  were  engaged  in  stock-raising  for  some  )'ears  at  Lamoille.  .Mr.  Thorpe 
unfortunately  became  a  hard  drinker,  and  finally  Mrs.  Thorpe  was  oliliged 
to  separate  from  him.  She  has  throughout  had  the  princiiial  management 
of  her  propertw  and  made  a  success  at  stock-raising.  She  has  recently  sold 
her  ranch  and  retired  from  farming,  residing  at  ]>resent  in  her  pleasant 
home  in  Elko.  She  is  a  member  of  the  Eiiiscoi)al  church,  and  entirely 
deserving  of  the  esteem  of  her  man\-  friends. 


J A.MI-IS  CL.VRK,  is  numbered  among  the  old  and  re])rcsentali\c 
jjioneers  of  the  "SiKer"  state,  and  iuv  man\  vears  has  made  his 
home  in  Elko.  He  arrived  in  this  commonwealth  in  September.  i86j,  Init  is 
a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  his  Ijirth  occurring  in  Greenville  on  the  I7tli  of 
October,  1826.  and  he  is  of  English  ancestr\.  His  grandfather,  William  M. 
Clark,  was  born  in  the  east,  .and  his  father,  Rohert  Clark,  claimed  Xew  N'ork 
as  the  place  of  his  nati\ity.  Rolxjrt  C  Iruk  niarrieil  Miss  Salh  Reed,  a  native 
of  Crawford  county.  Pennsylvania,  and  her  family  originally  came  from  Ire- 
l.iud.  Robert  and  Sally  Clark  continued  to  make  their  home  in  Pennsylvania 
until  death,  the  latter  de])arting  this  life  in  1844,  when  fortv  vears  of  age, 
while  the  former  sur\i\ed  until  1884,  dying  in  his  eighty-third  \ear.  They 
were  farming  people,  and  were  members  of  the  L'nited  Presbyterian  cluuxh. 
Nine  children  were  born  to  this  worlhv  old  cou|)le,  four  of  \\hom  .are  still 
li\'ing.  bin  the  subject  of  this  sketch  is  the  ouK'  rci)resent,iti\  e  of  tin-  f;uuil\' 
in   Xevada. 

James  Clark  is  indebted  to  the  ]iuhlic  school  svstcm  of  rcnussK  ;nii.-i  for 
the  educational  advantages  which  he  w.as  ])crmit1cd  to  t-nio\  in  his  vonth. 
and  when  twenty-four  years  of  age.  in  1850.  he  made  tlu'  long  and  at  that 
time  dangerfuis  journey  to  California  by  the  isthmus  route.  After  his  arrival 
he  mined  for  f)ne  day  in  Tone  valley,  .\m.ador  county,  but  this  one  day  in  the 
w.ater  proved  a  snflicient  mining  experience  t"or  (he  vonlh.  and  he  then  turned 
his   .attention    to    f.arming.    renting    land    and    following    ih.al    occu])ation    foi- 


::^ 


Y^i^^-i>z^ 


A  HIS  Torn'  Oh"  \i-:\Ai).\.  459 

eleven  years.  1  le  llien  made  his  \va_\-  tn  Xevatla,  settling  at  what  afterward 
became  Clark's  Station,  helow  Reno,  this  hruinjL;'  taken  its  name  from  him. 
There  Mr,  Clark  acqnired  six  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  land,  on  which  he 
raised  hav  and  jiotatoes  for  the  N'irginia  City  market,  hauling  his  prinlucts  to 
that  cit\",  and  in  this  \enture  he  met  with  success.  He,  however,  invested 
his  mone\-  in  nnning  stock,  from  which  he  never  realized  any  returns.  For 
eleven  years  he  made  liis^home  on  his  ranch  at  Clark's  Station,  and  then  visited 
his  old  home  and  relatives  in  the  east  and  in  California,  returning  thence  to 
Xe\-ada.  On  his  return  to  Nevada  he  l(jcated  in  l^lko,  here  purch.asing  a 
iialf  interest  in  the  Depot  Hotel,  a  year  later  purchasing  the  remaining  half, 
and  he  remained  the  j)roprietor  of  that  hotel  for  ahoiu  nineteen  years.  In 
1S84  he  took  in  as  a  partner  Mr.  Henderson  Green,  and  this  partnership 
continued  until  1893,  at  which  time  he  Ijecame  the  proprietor  of  the  Hum- 
lioldt  House.  For  the  following  fi\'e  years  Mr.  Clark  was  the  proprietor 
of  the  Humboldt  House,  on  the  expirati(in  of  which  period  he  embarked 
in  the  meat  Inisiness  in  I-llko,  thus  continuing  for  three  years.  Since  that  tiiue 
he  has  conducted  the  Commercial  H(jtel  in  this  cit\',  co\ering  a  i)eriod  of  two 
years,  and  under  his  management  this  has  beconie  the  leading  hotel  in  this 
section  of  the  state. 

In  1874  Mr.  Clark  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mrs.  Fowder.  and  this 
union  was  blessed  with  one  daughter,  Hattie  A.,  who  is  now  serving  as  her 
father's  housekeeper.  Air.  Clark  gives  his  political  support  to  Repuljlican 
principles,  and  as  the  representative  of  that  party  was  elected  to  the  ofifice 
of  treasurer  of  Elko  county,  serving  therein  for  a  ])eriod  of  two  terms,  of 
four  years  each,  and  for  four  years  he  was  also  a  county  commissioner. .  In 
his  fraternal  relations  he  is  a  member  of  the  Ma.sonic  order,  having  been 
made  a  Master  Mason  in  Reno  Lo<lge  in  1875,  and  for  twelve  years  serx'ed 
as  treasurer  of  Elko  Lodge  No.  15,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.,  Ijeing  now  one  of  its 
stewards.  He  is  also  a  Royal  Arch  and  commandery  Mason,  recei\ing  the 
degrees  in  l)oth  these  bodies  in  Eureka. 


JOHN  WRIGHT,  who  is  engaged  in  general  farming  on  the  irnckee 
Meadows,  was  born  in  Wexford  county,  Ireland,  on  the  gtb  of  June,  1835. 
He  was  a  young  man  of  twenty-four  years  when  be  came  to  the  western 
portion  of  the  L^nited  States,  and  since  i860  he  has  resided  in  Nevada.  His 
]iarents  were  John  and  Margaret  (Warren)  \\'rigbt,  both  of  wliom  were 
natives  of  Ireland,  where  they  continued  to  reside  throughout  their  entire 
li\-es,  both  passing  away  when  about  sixt)-nine  years  of  age.  They  were 
members  of  the  Wesleyan  Methodist  church,  and  were  j^eople  c^f  excellent 
cl.aracter  and  of  the  highest  res[)ectability.  In  their  family  were  three  sons 
and  two  daughters,  and  three  of  the  number  are  vet  living. 

Mr.  ^Vright  was  reared  and  educated  on  the  Emerald  Isle,  and  when 
a  \-oung  man  resolved  to  test  the  truth  of  the  reports  which  he  had  heard 
concerning  the  advantages  afforded  in  the  United  States  to  men  of  energy 
and  enterprise.  In  1852.  therefore,  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  and  located  in 
Missouri,  where  hc  engaged  in  clerking  in  a  grocery  store  for  a  number 
of   x'.ears.      In    1838  he   remmed   to   Town,   and   after  a   x'ear  spent   there  de- 


460  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

cided  to  try  his  fortune  in  the  (iolden  West.  Accordingly  he  started  for 
Cah'fornia  by  way  of  the  water  route  and  arrivetl  in  San  Francisco  in  De- 
cember, 1859.  He  had  at  that  time  a  cash  capital  of  about  three  hundred 
dollars.  Here  he  ol>tained  employment  with  a  ditch  company  in  Amador 
county,  and  for  his  services  was  paid  three  dollars  per  day  and  his  hoard. 
For  his  first  work  in  Missouri  he  received  only  one  hundred  dollars  per 
year  and  his  lx)ard  and  lodging,  so  that  the  wages. he  earned  in  California 
were  very  satisfactory.  In  i860  the  discovery  of  gold  near  Virginia  City. 
Nevada,  caused  great  excitement,  and  people  from  all  districts  of  the  country 
docked  to  the  new  Eldorado.  Tlie  place  became  a  town  of  tents  and  the 
people  were  all  anxious  to  win  fortunes  by  disco\ering  rich  gold  claims 
there.  In  California  Mr.  Wright  purchased  a  burro  and  a  pony,  using 
the  former  for  packing  and  the  other  for  riding,  and  thus  lie  made  his 
way  through  Placer\'ille  and  Hope  valley  to  Virginia  City,  but  when  he 
arrived  at  his  destination  he  found  that  already  there  were  more  workmen 
there  than  were  needed.  Therefore  he  continued  his  journey  for  a  distance 
beyond  Virginia  City  and  secured  a  squatter's  claim — the  farm  u])on  which 
he  has  since  resided.  The  country  had  not  then  been  surveyed,  and  the 
district  was  largely  co\ered  with  sage  brush,  but  with  characteristic  energy 
.Mr.  Wright  began  the  development  of  a  farm  in  the  valley,  being  one  of 
tlie  pioneers  in  the  inauguration  of  this  work  in  this  locality.  He  built  a 
log  cabin,  and  a  few  years  later  erected  his  present  attractive  residence.  He 
found  a  good  market  for  his  hay  in  Virginia  City,  receiving  ninetv  dollars 
per  ton,  and  freighting  cost  twenty-five  dollars  per  ton,  while  cutting  and 
baling  amounted  to  seven  or  eight  dollars  more.  L;iter,  however,  he  had 
as  low  as  thirty  dollars  per  ton  paid  for  his  hay.  He  still  engages  in  raising 
this  crop,  and  for  the  past  twenty-five  years  he  has  fed  all  his  hay  to  his 
own  stock  on  the  range,  keeping  from  one  hundred  to  one  hundred  and 
twenty  head  of  cattle.  He  has  thus  utilized  all  the  hay  raised,  and  as  a 
stock-raiser  he  has  enjoyed  a  iirolitable  business. 

In  1864  Mr.  Wright  was  united  in  mariMage  to  Miss  Emily  Webster, 
who  was  born  in  Scotland  and  went  with  her  parents  to  Iowa,  in  which  state 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wright  became  accpiainted.  Their  union  was  blessed  with 
four  sons  and  four  daughters,  of  whom  all  are  yet  lixing,  namel\-:  Margaret, 
the  wife  of  James  11.  (iood,  a  resident  of  Reno;  .Sierra  Nevada,  now  the 
wife  of  Thomas  Saddler  and  a  resident  of  Iowa;  .\melia.  who  is  acting  as 
her  father's  housekeeper;  Frances,  a  teacher  in  Reno;  William  Walter,  who 
resides  in  Virginia  City;  James  W.,  an  engineer;  John  W'.,  who  is  at  home 
with  his  father;  and  Roy,  a  resident  of  Reno.  The  wife  and  mother  de- 
])arted  this  life  in  J900.  She  had  been  most  (kwotcd  to  the  welfare  of  her 
family,  and  her  loss  was  deeply  fell  in  the  household  and  bv  nianv  friends 
outside  of  the  family  circle. 

Mr.  Wright  has  lieen  a  stanch  Rcjiublicau  since  becoming  an  Ameri- 
can citizen,  Init  has  always  declined  to  hold  office.  iM)r  many  years  he  has 
been  a  worthy  exemplar  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  having  been  ma<le  a 
Mason  in  1858  in  Alexander  Lodge,  No.  29,  F.  &  A.  M.  He  now  afliliales 
with  Reno  T/idge  No.  13,  of  Reno,  and  is  most  loval  to  (he  teachings  of 
the  craft.     In  Missouri  lie  served  as  .secretary  of  his  lodge  until  he  resigned 


A  UlSTURV  OF  NEVy\DA.  461 

tlif  office,  al  tlie  lime  of  Iiis  removal  from  tliat  state.  After  cnmiufv  to 
Nevada  lie  af'liliated  witli  W'aslioc  Lodqe  until  it  t^ave  up  its  cliarter.  In 
tins  laud  where  o|)]>orlnui(y  is  not  liam|)ered  l>y  easte  or  class.  Mr.  Wright 
has  slea(hl\-  ad\anced  aud  now  occupies  a  desirahle  position  upon  tlie  plane 
of  aflluence.  lie  has  never  had  occasion  to  regret  his  determination  to 
heccMue  an  American  citizen,  and  no  nati\e  son  of  tliis  land  is  more  loyal  to 
the  stars  and  stripes. 


THE  NEVADA  STATE  HERALD,  one  of  the  oldest  an.l  most  suc- 
cessful newspapers  of  Nevada,  was  set  upon  its  journalistic  feet  in  1S96 
by  the  Herald  Publishing  Company,  which  continued  its  pulilication  for 
several  years.  Then  George  R.  Vardey  conducted  it  until  July  i,  1901, 
when  the  plant  became  the  property  of  Mr.  Phil  S.  Triplett,  who  has  since 
been  its  editor  and  publisher. 

The  Herald  is  an  eight-page,  live-column  journal,  published  every  Fri- 
day afternoon  at  Wells.  Nevada,  and  is  the  official  organ  of  Elko  county. 
It  is  well  managed,  and  has  a  circulation  mucli  above  the  average  of  papers 
in  towns  of  like  population.  It  is  second  in  circulation  only  to  the  papers  of 
Reno,  and  enjoys  a  larger  patronage,  as  regards  advertising  and  job  work, 
than  any  paper  in  eastern  Nevada.  For  the  skillful  execution  of  work  in 
the  latter  de])artment  the  plant  is  especiallv  well  lotted. 

Mr.  Triplett,  the  genial  and  enterprising  editor  of  the  Herald,  was 
born  in  Austin.  Nevada,  in  1868,  a  son  of  J.  F.  Tri])lett,  of  F31ko.  one  of 
the  state's  earliest  pioneers.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  and 
in  the  Nevada  State  University,  and  got  his  liking  and  his  knowledge  of  the 
printer's  trade  at  Elko.  He  worked  for  S.  S.  Sears  on  the  I^lko  Independent. 
and  continued  with  the  paper  for  fourteen  years,  being  promoted  to  general 
foreman  i;)f  the  establishment. 

He  has  been  a  life-long  Democrat,  and  makes  his  paper  a  power  for 
that  party  in  local  elections.  Mr.  Triplett  was  married  on  November  20, 
1902,  to  Miss  Frances  Moore,  who  was  born  in  Eureka,  Nevada.  Mrs. 
Triplett  is  also  an  exjiert  in  the  printer's  art.  and  is  as  good  if  not  a  better 
compositor  than  her  husband.  The  son  who  has  blessed  their  union  has 
been  named  Charles  Joseph  after  his  two  grandfathers.  He  is  the  first 
native  son  of  a  native  son  and  daughter  engaged  in  uewspa])er  business  in 
the  state.  Mr.  Triplett  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  is 
highlv  esteemed  in  social  and  business  circles  in  Wells. 


CHARLES  E.  BRAY,  one  of  the  honored  early  settlers  of  Carson 
City,  arrived  here  in  October,  1862.  He  is  a  native  of  Maryland,  where 
he  was  born  in  1835,  coming  of  Scotch,  English  and  F^rench  ancestry.  His 
parents  were  Joseph  and  Mary  (Flawkins)  Bray.  He  was  only  ten  jears 
of  age  when  he  lost  his  mother,  and  when  he  was  fourteen  years  old  his 
father  died.  As  there  were  eight  children  in  the  family  and  five  of  them 
younger  than  himself,  he  was  obliged  to  take  care  of  them.  For  three 
}'ears  during  the  winter  months  he  attended  school  in  the  log  shanty,  while 


462  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

in  siimiiKT  lie  \vi irked  upon  the  farni.  .  Tlie  work  of  the  lirst  _\ear  netted 
hiui  one  huiuhx'd  dollars  and  hy  the  time  he  was  eighteen  years  old.  in  a<l- 
dition  to  caring  for  otliers.  he  had  managed  to  save  two  hundred  dollars. 
Later  he  liecame  a  huckster  in  tlie  Baltimi:)re  market,  buying'  and  selling 
fruit.s  and  xegetahles,  hut  after  three  years,  in  1S57.  he  remoxed  to  Keokuk. 
Iowa,  and  [jurchased  a  farm  on  which  he  resided  until   1862. 

He  then  crossed  the  plains  to  Carson  City,  whence  he  made  his  way 
to  Sacramento.  After  working  upon  a  farm  there,  he  returned  to  Carson 
City  and  worked  first  in  a  livery  stable,  but  soon  l)ecame  engaged  in  garden- 
ing, and  raised  vegetables  for  the  miners  and  sold  them  in  \'irginia  City, 
and  was  very  successful.  In  186S  he  went  to  White  Pine,  and  for  two 
years  was  engaged  in  freighting  between  Francis.  Washoe  county,  and 
Hamilton.  White  Pine  county.  Still  later  he  was  in  the  employ  of  Trydel 
and  Yerington  in  the  mountains,  getting  wood  and  lumlier,  and  he  also 
worked  on  the  construction  of  the  ca])itol  Iniilding.  In  1871  he  engaged 
in  the  transfer  and  baggage  business,  hauling  freight  and  doing  a  general 
transfer  business,  in  which  he  has  been  successfullv  engaged  for  thirt\'-two 
xears,  the  enterprise  showing  a  steady  and  healthv  increase.  Like  a  num- 
I>er  of  the  business  men  of  Carson  City,  he  has  prosj^ected  for  gold,  and 
owns  several  paying  claims  within  f\h\  miles  of  the  citv,  out  of  each  of 
which  he  has  taken  considerable  gold. 

Since  casting  his  first  \-ote,  he  has  been  a  l\e])ul)lican,  and  has  served 
as  trustee  of  the  citv  for  six  years  and  is  one  of  the  countv  commissioners, 
and  has  always  taken  an  active  part  in  both  city  and  county  affairs,  being 
at  all  times  a  conscientious  and  efficient  public  official. 

In  Iowa,  in  1861,  Mr.  Bra\'  was  married  to  Miss  \ancv  Highler.  a 
nalixe  <if  (\)hio,  born  near  Cincinnati.  Two  daughters  have  been  born  of 
this  union,  namely:  Olive,  now  Mrs.  C.  H.  Adams,  of  San  Francisco; 
and  Mar\',  at  home.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bray  have  a  ]ileasant  lionic.  where  their 
many  friends  are  made  welcome.  In  religious  connections  thev  are  mem- 
bers of  the  b'-ijiscopa!  church.  Mr.  Bray  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  ni 
Pythias  and  is  \erv  ])opular  in  that  organization. 


IIO.X.  W.  j.  lll'.XLIA  .  who  resides  in  1  l;i\\tlioriie.  Lsmeialda  ciiunlx. 
has  been  jtromineni  in  public  .'iffairs  here,  scrxing  formerly  .as  a  member  of 
the  state  legislature  and  also  as  county  clerk,  lie  is  now  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  law.  He  has  thoroughly  informed  himself  concerning  the  prin- 
ciples of  jurisprudence,  which  he  ai)plies  with  accuracy  to  the  points  in 
litigation,  so  that  his  work  at  the  bar  has  been  attended  with  excellent  suc- 
cess. He  is  one  of  Pennsylvania's  native  sons,  his  birth  having  occurred 
in  the  Keystone  slate  on  the  8th  of  Xovember,  1801.  He  went  with  his 
mother  and  her  children  to  California  in  1866  bv  way  of  the  isthmus  route, 
his  father  having  previously  died  in  St.  Louis,  Mis.souri.  The  widow  ;uid 
her  children  settled  in  Reno,  Nevada,  in  1877.  and  there  Mr.  llcniev  se- 
cured a  clerkship  in  a  dry-goods  store,  al  ilrst  receiving  fort\  dollars  per 
month,  but  later  was  paid  a  salary  of  sevenly-fi\e  doll;irs  per  niondi.  h;i\ing 
denionsl rated  hi>;  abililv  in  business  circles. 


A    liJSloRV  OF  NEVADA.  463 

III  iS,S()  xMr.  Ilciiley  arrived  in  Esmeralda  county,  where  lie  wnrkeil 
.-It  whatever  he  oiul<l  .i^et  to  (\o  until  elected  to  the  position  of  county  clerk- 
in  the  year  18S7.  In  1899  he  was  elected  to  the  state  legislature.  While 
.servins.;  as  county  cierk  he  read  law  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar.  and  since 
that  time  he  has  received  liis  full  share  of  the  law  jiractice  in  this  jxirlion  of 
the  state.  He  presents  his  cases  with  i^reat  fairness  and  precision  and  pre- 
sents his  ars;uments  so  as  to  make  a  strong  impression  on  court  or  jury. 
His  deductions  follow  in  logical  sequence,  and  he  is  a  cogent,  forceful  rea- 
soner. 

In  1X87  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Heiilex'  and  Miss  Katie  Rosen- 
thal, a  natixe  of  California,  born  in  Mariposa  county  and  a  daughter  of 
Da\'is  Rosenthal,  who  was  one  of  the  prominent  earlv  settlers  of  Hawthorne. 
Six  children  ha\e  been  born  of  this  union:  Esther,  Benjamin.  Lloyd,  Willie, 
Dave  and  Carabella.  The  family  have  a  good  home  in  Hawthorne,  which 
is  a  center  of  a  cultured  societ)-  circle,  its  hospitality  being  enjoyed  by  the 
leading  peo])le  of  the  communil\-.  Mr.  Henle\'  is  a  Democrat  in  his  political. 
\'iews  and  has  made  an  excellent  record  as  a  pubHc  official.  Fraternally  he 
is  connected  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  in  which  he  has  served  as  keeper 
of  the  records  and  seals.  His  analytical  mind  and  close  application  to  his 
work  have  gained  him  a  very  desirable  reputation  as  a  member  of  the  legal 
profession,  and  in  the  practice  of  law  he  is  now  enjoying  a  distinctively  rep- 
resentati\e  clientage. 


j.\MES  BURKE,  who  is  one  of  the  leading  agriculturists  of  the 
Tiuckec  Meadows  and  is  a  pioneer  of  lioth  California  and  Nevada,  was 
born  on  the  12th  of  July,  1834,  on  the  Ixjundary  line  between  Canada  and 
Vermont.  His  parents  were  Richard  and  Mary  ( Collins)  Burke,  both  of 
whom  were  natives  of  county  Tyrone,  Ireland,  whence  they  emigrated  to 
the  new  world  in  1830.  .Vfter  four  years  spent  in  New  England,  they 
made  their  way  U>  Blinois,  becoming  pioneer  settlers  of  the  Fox  river  val- 
ley, where  Mr.  Burke  resided  up  to  the  time  of  his  death.  He  passed  away 
in  1875  in  the  seventieth  year  of  his  age.  He  w'as  an  honest,  industrious 
farmer  and  developed  a  good  property,  i)roviding  a  comfortable  living  for 
his  family.  Ffis  wife  survived  him  for  onl\-  two  years,  passing  away  in 
1877.  They  were  the  parents  of  ten  sons  and  three  daughters,  of  whom  five 
are  li\ing,  two  being  residents  of  Nevada.  Hon.  William  Burke,  a  brother 
of  James  Burke,  is  now  a  prominent  member  of  the  dental  profession,  living 
at  White  Pine,  and  was  at  one  time  the  candidate  for  lieutenant  governor 
of  the  state. 

James  Burke  was  educated  in  the  pulilic  schcxils  of  Blinois,  and  w^as 
there  reared  to  manhood  u])on  his  father's  farm,  early  becoming  familiar 
with  all  the  duties  and  labors  that  fall  to  the  lot  of  the  agriculturist.  In 
company  with  his  brother  \\'illiam  he  left  home  in  1849  and  went  to  Cali- 
fornia, for  in  the  previous  year  gold  had  been  discovered  in  that  state.  The 
brothers  made  their  way  westward  by  the  way  of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama 
and  proceeded  at  once  to  Hangtown.  They  engaged  in  mining  at  Coloma 
and  at   Kelsey,  and   they  took  out  considerable  gold,   much  (if  which  they 


464  A  H  J  STORY  OF  NEVADA. 

sent  liiimc  ti>  their  iiarents.  \\'illiani  Burke  became  a  i)artner  of  James  W. 
JMarsliall  and  continued  to  be  on  intimate  terms  with  him  throughout  the 
remainder  of  his  Hfe,  and  when  Mr.  James  Burke  was  married  he  and  his 
bride  visited  Mr.  ^Marshall,  who  gave  to  Mrs.  Burke  as  a  wedding  present 
tlie  tliird  nugget  of  gokl  tliat  he  took  from  tlie  tail-race  of  tlie  mill  at  eight 
o'clock  in  the  mcjrning  of  the  historic  19th  of  January,  1848 — a  day  which 
has  largely  revolutionized  the  history  of  commerce  in  this  country.  It  was 
the  beginning  of  the  development  of  the  gold  industries  of  the  great  west, 
causing  many  thousands  of  people  to  remove  to  this  section  of  the  country, 
here  to  become  builders  of  the  states  which  now  form  so  imiwrtant  a  part 
of  tlie  Union.  ]\Irs.  Burke  still  has  this  nugget  and  cherishes  it  greatly, 
because  it  was  the  last  piece  of  gold  which  Mr.  ^larshall  had  saved. 

In  1868  James  Burke  came  to  Reno.  The  town  had  just  been  platted, 
and  the  lot  on  which  he  built  his  store  was  the  first  purchased  in  the  town. 
Jt  was  at  the  corner  of  Virginia  and  Second  streets,  just  opposite  the  pres- 
ent Washoe  Bank  building.  Mr.  Burke  had  conducted  a  store  at  Truckee 
in  connection  with  Robert  Bell,  and  after  selling  goods  there  for  a  year 
and  a  half  he  established  a  store  in  Reno,  erecting  the  second  brick  building 
in  the  town,  in  fact,  another  Iniilding  was  being  constructed  at  the  same 
time.  Upon  the  completion  of  his  store  Mr.  Burke  stocked  it  with  a  good 
line  of  general  merchandise  and  continued  in  that  business  until  1877.  In 
1871  his  brother,  William  Burke,  had  lirought  J.  W.  JNIarshall  to  Reno,  and 
the  latter  took  the  management  of  the  work  of  moving  the  wooden  building 
that  was  on  ^Ir.  Burke's  land  to  the  back  of  the  lot  so  that  the  1)rick  struc- 
ture could  be  built  in  front  of  it.  When  the  dirt  for  the  new  building  was 
being  shoveled  Mr.  Marshall  took  six  jians  of  it  to  the  run.  washed  it  and 
got  thirty  cents  of  gold.  He  afterwards  went  east  with  \Mlliam  Burke 
and  gave  to  the  latter  the  last  piece  he  had  of  the  head  block  of  the  Coloma 
Mills.  Mr.  Burke  gave  it  to  the  Masons,  and  it  was  placed  in  the  corner 
stone  in  the  Masonic  Tem])le  at  Reno. 

During  the  connection  of  James  Burke  with  the  business  interests 
of  Reno  he  was  regarded  as  the  most  ])rogressive  and  leading  merchant  of 
the  town.  In  1877,  however,  he  sold  his  business  and  was  elected  sujier- 
intendent  of  llic  steamboat  canal  which  was  being  built  from  the  state  line 
for  a  distance  of  thirty-one  miles  to  Steaml)oat  Springs.  It  was  constructed 
.so  as  to  carry  water  to  all  the  Truckee  valley.  On  the  completion  of  this 
task  Mr.  Burke  was  engaged  in  prospecting  and  mining  in  Storey  county 
in  connection  with  B.  F.  and  I..  11.  I'rooks,  cousins  of  General  Benjamin 
F.  Butler.  Both  of  these  gentlemen,  however,  died  in  the  same  year,  and 
the  mining  enterprise  was  then  dropped.  Mr.  Burke  was  also  the  superin- 
tendent of  the  Galena  Creek  and  Washoe  Lake  canal  and  later  he  engaged 
in  farming  on  his  ])rcsent  ranch.  lie  at  first  owned  six  hundred  acres  of 
land  ten  miles  south  of  the  city  of  Reno  in  the  edge  of  the  Truckee  Mead- 
ows. In  his  farming  enterprises  he  prospered,  and  as  his  financial  resources 
increased  he  added  to  his  ranch  until  lie  now  owns  one  thousand  acres  of 
very  rich  land.  .\  large  i)ortion  of  this  is  seeded  to  alf.alfa  hay.  and  he  now 
raises  upon  his  ranch  about  fifteen  liundrcd  Ions.  He  also  has  a  large 
water  supply   for  the  land,  and  calllenu'ii  bring  their  stock  to  his  ranch  to 


A  HISTORY  Ol'   NEVADA.  4tJ5 

Iiij  wintered,  ami  liis  hay  fattens  llieni  in  excellent  manner  fur  the  market. 
xMr.  liurke  cuts  two  crops  of  hay  each  \ear,  and  during  the  haying  season 
employs  twenty  men.  A  very  gratifying  degree  of  success  has  attended  his 
farming  operations,  and  he  is  one  of  the  leading  agriculturists  of  the  state 
who  have  pro\-ed  that  wealth  can  l)e  secured  through  agricultural  pursuits 
in  Nevada.  Air.  Burke  is  now  about  to  erect  a  splendid  farm  residence 
upon  his  tine  tract  of  land,  and  he  has  made  other  excellent  improvements 
there. 

In  1871  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Burke  and  Miss  Jeannette  Downs, 
a  native  of  Springtield,  Ohio,  and  a  daughter  of  J.  L.  Downs  and  Katherine 
(Sheaf?)  Downs  of  that  state.  This  union  has  been  blessed  with  two  sons 
and  a  daughter :  James  Edward,  who  resides  near  his  father :  Dottie,  the 
widow  of  Charles  Ward  and  now  living  with  her  jiarents;  and  William  T. 
Sherman,  who  is  on  the  ranch  with  his  father.  In  politics  Mr.  Burke  has 
always  been  a  stanch  Republican,  save  that  he  cast  his  first  presidential  vote 
for  Hon.  Stephen  A.  Douglas.  At  the  next  election,  however,  he  supixirted 
Abraham  Lincoln  for  the  presidency,  and  has  voted  for  each  candidate  of 
the  party  up  to  the  present  time.  Socially  he  is  connected  with  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  A  very  progressive  pioneer  of  the  Pacific 
cf)ast,  he  has  lived  to  see  its  wonderful  growth  and  improvement,  his  mind 
bearing  the  im]>ress  of  its  historic  annals  and  forming  a  connecting  link  l)e- 
tween  the  primitive  past  and  the  (jrogressive  present  with  its  splendid  im- 
provement and  advancement.  In  many  ways  he  lias  been  actively  connected 
with  the  development  of  business  interests  which  have  proved  not  only  of 
value  to  himself  Init  have  also  greatly  enhanced  the  progress  and  welfare 
of  the  state.  His  wealth  has  been  w'orthily  won.  and  he  is  one  of  the  most 
highly  respected  and  honored  pioneers  of  Nevada. 


GEORGE  S.  SMITH,  the  well  known  and  popular  postmaster  of 
Washoe  city,  who  is  also  engaged  in  tuerchandising  there,  is  num1)ered 
among  the  earliest  settlers  of  this  state.  He  came  in  1858.  when  Ne\ada 
was  still  a  part  of  Utah  territory,  and  as  the  years  have  passed  he  has  wit- 
nessed its  wonderful  growth  and  improvement.  From  a  sage  brush  desert 
it  has  Ijcen  develoi>ed  and  through  the  efforts  of  man  has  yielded  its  splendid 
mineral  resoiu'ces,  while  the  productiveness  of  the  soil  has  lieen  proveil 
through  extensi\e  agricultural  interests.  Flere  and  there  hax-e  sprung  up 
thriving  towns  and  cities,  and  Nevada  now  enjo}S  all  of  the  advantages  and 
opportunities  of  the  older  east  along  educational,  social  and  moral  lines. 

Mr.  Smith  was  born  in  England  in  i8_vj.  and  is  a  son  of  George  Smith, 
who  was  also  a  native  of  that  country.  The  latter  wedded  Miss  Caroline 
Harrison,  a  native  of  England,  and  the\-  l)ecame  the  i^arents  of  ten  children, 
with  whom  they  emigrated  to  .\merica.  While  crossing  the  plains  they 
lost  their  cattle,  and  one  of  tlieir  daughters  died  of  cholera.  On  reaching 
Salt  Lake  City  they  established  their  home  there  and  remained  for  four 
years,  and  thence  proceeded  on  their  way  to  Pleasant  valley  in  Washoe 
county,  Nevada,  where  the  father  continued  to  reside  until  1893,  when  his 
death  occurred.     His  wife  and  another  of  the  daughters  passed  away  the 


40G  A   HISTOKV  Ol-   XEV.\DA. 

following-  year.  and.  of  the  sons.  Joseph  Smith  died  in  Virginia  City,  while 
James  G.  Smith  resides  in  Washoe  city,  being  a  representative  of  the  min- 
ing interests  of  the  state,  and  L.  D.  Smith  now  owns  and  resides  uimn  the 
ranch  which  was   formerly  the  family  homestead. 

George  S.  Smith  jnirsued  his  education  in  tiie  schmils  of  luigiand  and 
was  a  lad  of  fourteen  vears  when  he  came  with  the  family  to  America,  lie 
was  reared  in  the  west,  and  in  early  manhood  became  the  owner  of  a  ranch 
in  Pleasant  vallev.  which  he  still  has.  This  conijirises  two  hundred  and 
eighty  acres  and  has  been  made  a  valuable  tract  of  land  through  the  cultiva- 
tion and  labor  which  I\Ir.  .Smith  has  bestowed  upon  it.  in  1SS3  he  oi)cned  a 
general  merchandise  store  in  Washoe  city  and  has  since  continued  in  the 
business,  now  carrying  a  large  and  well  selected  line  of  goods.  lie  also 
has  a  meat  market,  and  sujjplies  the  farmers  for  miles  around  with  meat, 
groceries  and  otlier  commodities.  He  has  the  only  mercantile  establishment 
of  the  town,  .and  his  annual  sales  reach  a  large  ligure.  Mr.  .Smith  also  has 
\arious  mining  interests,  and  his  ore  as.says  from  twenty  to  lift\-  dollars  jier 
ton.  To  some  extent  he  is  engaged  in  stock-raising.  ha\ing  u])on  his  own 
r.anch  all  of  the  stock  that   is  retpiired    for  the  market. 

In  iHf)^  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Smith  and  Miss  i'^llen  Cook,  a 
nati\e  of  .Scotland.  Three  of  their  children  are  li\ing.  Iiut  George  C.  died 
in  the  thirteenth  year  of  his  age.  Ella  M.  is  now  at  home  with  her  father 
and  is  actuig  as  bookkeeper  in  her  father's  store,  to  whom  she  is  giving 
valuable  assistance.  na\id  C.  is  married  and  resides  uj^ju  bis  father's  ranch. 
Vialo  M.  is  the  wife  of  Frank  .Saner,  of  Washoe  \-alley.  Mrs.  Smith  died 
in  the  fall  <if  1S89.  and  since  that  time  tlie  daughter  has  acted  as  hei'  father's 
housekeeper.  He  owns  a  good  residence,  .a  large  brick  store,  and  has  liecome 
one  of  the  substantial  citizens  of  the  conimunitv.  He  and  his  familv  ha\'e  a 
wide  acquaintance  and  man\-  friends,  and  he  belongs  to  the  Indc])endent 
Order  of  Odd  P'ellows,  while  in  his  p<iliitcal  \iews  he  is  connected  with  the 
Democratic  party. 


JOII.X  A.  iJ'A\  I.S,  .M.  I).,  has  practiced  medicine  in  Reno  longer 
tlian  any  other  member  of  the  jirofession  now  living  in  the  city,  and 
he  maintains  a  foremost  ])lace  in  ibe  ranks  of  the  medical  fraternitv  in  this 
]>art  of  the  state,  having  risen  to  a  position  of  ])rominence  in  this  calling  in 
which  advancement  is  only  secured  through  merit,  diligence  and  capability. 

Dr.  Lewis  is  a  nati\c  son  of  the  west,  his  birth  having  occurred  in 
Plumas  county.  California,  on  the  25th  of  January,  1857.  He  w^as  but  four 
year.s  of  age  when,  with  his  i)arcnts,  he  came  to  Nevada.  His  father,  John 
C.  Lewis,  was  born  in  Lowville.  Lewis  county.  New  A'ork.  in  iSjo  .and  was 
a  representative  of  one  of  the  old  and  honored  pioneer  families  there,  liu- 
county  having  been  named  in  their  honor,  as  was  also  the  town  of  Lewiston, 
which  was  settled  by  the  family.  In  1849,  when  the  news  of  tlie  discovery 
of  gold  in  Califf)rnia  had  reached  ihe  east.  Mr.  John  C.  Lewis  resolved  to 
try  his  fortune  in  the  mines,  and  sailed  from  the  city  of  New  York  for  Cali- 
fornia, l)eing  one  hundred  and  fifteen  days  u))on  the  voyage.  Because  of  the 
long  trip  be  did  not  reach  San  I'^rancisco  until  cailv  in  the  vear   i8:;o.     Lie 


':^ 


«♦' 


/♦ 


^^c-ty^r^ 


A  HISTOin-   Ol'"  NEVADA.  467 

was  engaged  in  placer  mining  nn  Xelson  creei<  and  ullier  ])Iaces  in  tlie  stale. 
and  met  with  botii  success  and  feverses.  a^  did  most  of  those  wIki  went  I'mm 
tlie  east  to  seek  fortunes  among  the  mining  districts  of  Cahfornia.  in  iSOi 
he  removed  to  Carson  City,  Xe\ada.  taking  with  him  his  wife  and  tlu'ee 
chilch^en,  and  in  tliat  city  he  was  engaged  in  journalistic  work  in  connection 
with  the  Slli-cr  .Is^c.  ].ater  lie  was  associated  with  the  newspaper  called  the 
Eastern  Slof^c.  pul)lished  at  Washoe,  and  afterward  was  on  the  Reno  Crescent. 
He  was  continuously  engaged  in  newspa])er  work  luitil  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  1883,  in  the  si.\t\-third  \ear  of  liis  age.  He  was  a  strong  L'nion 
man  at  the  time  of  the  Ci\  il  war  and  a  stanch  Repuhlican.  giving  an  unfalter- 
ing support  to  the  ]jart\  which  was  the  defentler  of  the  government  at  that 
time.  His  wife  surxived  him  fur  ten  years  and  departed  this  life  in  1893, 
when  seventy-one  years  of  age.  She  was  in  her  maiflenlKHxl  Miss  A.  E. 
Minton,  and  was  a  nati\e  of  Xew  Jersev.  Bv  her  marriage  she  l)ecame  the 
mother  of  four  children,  the  sui\i\ing  memljers  of  the  family  being:  Mrs. 
T.  K.  Stewart,  of  Nevada:  Dr.  H.  I\I.  Lewis,  a  ])racticing  physician  anrl 
surgeon  of  New  York:  and  John  A.  Lewis. 

Ill  the  schools  of  Nevada  Dr.  John  .\.  Lewis  was  educated,  and  then, 
wishing  to  become  a  member  of  the  medical  profession,  he  Ijegan  studying 
with  this  end  in  view,  matriculating  in  the  Long  Island  Medical  College,  in 
Brooklyn,  New  York,  from  which  he  was  graduated  with  the  class  of  1877. 
He  then  took  up  hospital  practice,  gaining  thereby  broad  practical  exyieriencc 
to  supplement  the  theoretical  knowledge  which  he  had  obtained  in  college.  In 
October,  1878.  he  opened  liis  office  in  Reno  and  is  the  oldest  physician  in  the 
city  in  years  of  continuous  connection  with  the  profession  here.  He  has  a 
very  large  patr(jnage  and  while  he  engages  in  general  practice  he  yet  makes 
a  specialtv  of  surger-w 

Dr.  Lewis  was  married  in  i8(/i.  the  lad\'  nf  his  choice  l)eing  ]\Iiss 
lone  Gould,  a  iiati\e  of  Alaine.  He  owns  one  hundred  and  eight}'  acres  of 
land,  adjoining  Reno  (mi  the  south,  and  there  he  resides  in  a  comfortable 
home.  He  manages  his  farm  and  finds  in  it  needful  change  and  recreation 
from  the  onerous  duties  of  his  profession.  His  political  support  is  given  the 
Republican  part}',  and  lie  takes  a  verv  acti\e  interest  in  the  educational  de- 
velopment of  this  locality  and  has  serx'ecl  as  county  superintendent  of  schools. 
Dee])lv  interested  in  his  part\'  and  its  success,  he  fre(|uentlv  attends  its  con- 
ventions and  does  all  in  his  jiower  for  its  growth.  He  was  nominated  by  the 
Republicans  for  elector  nn  the  ^IcKinle}-  ticket,  but  in  that  }ear  tJie  ])arty 
did  not  carry  the  state.  In  the  line  of  his  profession  he  is  connected  with 
the  State  Medical  Suciet}'.  and  be  stands  \er}'  high  as  a  member  nf  the  med- 
ical fraternitv. 


THE  EREE  PRESS,  which  has  enjoved  a  continuous!}-  pros])erous  e.\- 
istence  under  one  ownershi])  for  iiearK'  :i  (|uarter  of  a  centur}' — an  unusual 
record  for  newspaper.s — and  is  now  one  of  the  leading  journals  of  the  cit}' 
of  Elko.  Nevada,  was  first  issued  in  Battle  Mountain,  Nevada,  in  i88t.  and 
was  remo\'ed  to  Elko  in  1883.  since  which  time  it  has  been  issued  regular!}' 
for  twenty  years.     It  is  twentv-eight  by  fortv-two  inches  in  size,  four  pages. 


4tjs  A  IIJSTOKN'  OV  XliVADA. 

and  has  always  lieen  one  cif  the  standi  defenders  nf  tlic  dcictrines  and  the 
progress  of  tlie  Grand  Old  Repnhlican  part)-. 

I\Ir.  C.  H.  Sproule,  who  has  always  been  the  owner,  editor  and  pnh- 
lisher  of  this  enterprising  western  journal,  was  Irorn  in  C'alifornia,  Angust 
31,  1853,  and  received  his  education  in  his  native  state.  He  learned  the 
printer's  trade  on  the  Austin  (Nevada)  Rc-c'cillr.  lie  came  to  Austin  in 
1808,  and  was  first  a  newsboy,  but  spent  the  following  winter  on  Treasure 
Hill  in  White  Pine  county,  in  charge  of  F.  K.  Drake's  store.  In  1871-73-73 
he  was  employed  on  the  government  sur\ey.  and  for  two  years  held  the 
[X)sition  of  chief  transcript  clerk  of  the  United  States  land  office  at  Virginia 
City,  under  General  E.  S.  Davis.  He  worked  in  the  Reno  Journal  office  in 
1878,  and  in  the  following  year  came  to  Battle  Mountain  and  leased  the 
Messenger,  which  had  been  established  by  Jule  C.  Forbes.  From  this  time 
on  he  has  been  engaged  in  journalism. 

Mr.  Sproule  was  appointed  a  member  of  the  board  ol  regenl->  ot  Ihe 
Nevada  State  University  in  j88o.  In  1888  he  was  elected  a  niemljer  of 
the  state  senate  from  Flko  county,  and  served  for  two  sessions.  He  rep- 
resented Nevada  on  the  Republican  national  committee  for  foiu'  years,  and 
lias  been  a  member  of  the  Repu1)lican  state  central  committee  for  the  past 
twenty-five  years.  In  1885  President  Arthur  appointed  him  ])ostmaster  of 
Elko,  and  he  serxed  until  the  (Cleveland  administration.  In  ;iddition  to  his 
newspaper  Inisiness,  Mr.  Sjjroule  has  a  notion  and  stationery  store  and  also 
a  cattle  ranch.  In  1876  he  was  married  to  Miss  .\nn  M.  Bartlet,  who  was 
born  in  California.  They  have  one  s(^n  living.  Herbert,  a  graduate  of  the 
Elko  high  sciiool,  and  who  is  now  in  charge  of  the  ranch  of  his  father,  on 
which  the\-  raise  both  cattle  and  horses. 


.\.  G.  D.WVLP^Y,  at  present  county  clerk  and  treasurer  of  bdko  county, 
residing  in  I'dko,  is  one  of  the  best  known  of  the  jjioneers  of  the  state  of 
Nevada.  He  has  taken  part  in  all  the  phases  of  early  life  in  this  part  of 
the  country.  He  met  with  fair  success  in  mining,  but  be  made  his  greatest 
stake  in  ranching,  which  he  carried  on  until  be  retired  some  twent\'  x'ears 
ago,  and  since  then  has  been  foremost  in  the  ])nblii'  life  of  his  county,  lie 
has  been  an  inhabitant  of  the  great  west  since  he  was  fifteen  years  old.  and 
e\'cr  since  that  time  has  been  hard  at  work  and  stri\ing  for  progress  either 
in  his  own  affairs  or  in  the  county. 

Mr.  Dawley  is  of  Scotch  and  Dutch  ancestry,  and  is  the  son  of  j.  11. 
and  .Augusta  ( D(,nald.son)  Dawley,  both  natives  of  the  state  of  New  S'ork, 
where  they  were  farmers  and  people  of  great  integrity  and  respectability. 
The  former  died  in  1876,  at  the  age  of  sixty-three,  and  the  latter  in   1838. 

Of  the  six  children  of  these  parents,  A.  G.  Dawley  is  the  only  one 
living.  Me  was  Ixirn  in  Ontario  county.  New  ^'ork,  Xovember  15,  1844, 
and  was  reared  and  educated  in  his  native  slate  up  to  the  age  of  fifteen. 
In  1859,  the  year  in  which  his  mother  died,  he  went  to  California  by  way 
of  the  Istlnnus  of  Panama.  He  first  clerked  in  a  store  in  Nevada  City, 
California,  rmd  in  the  spring  of  1X61  came  to  \'irginia  Citv.  Nevada, 
where  he  worked  in  a  mill  ;it   five  d<illars  a  dav.      In  the  spring  of   \^ftj  he 


A   IIIS'IOUV  Ol'   NEVADA.  -IcO 

and  four  otliers,  known  as  tlie  "Veatcli  i)arty,"'  went  on  a  prospecting  tri]! 
to  tlie  Kcese  River  mountains.  On  .A'.igust  14,  1862,  they  discovered  and 
located  tlic  Comet  mine,  formed  a  mining  district  and  elected  J.  M.  Dawluy 
recorder.  Tliev  loaded  their  pack  animals  with  ore  from  the  Comet  and 
f.  1\1.  Dawlev  lonk  it  to  Virginia  City  and  worked  it  in  the  Central  mill. 
It  worked  o\er  four  thousand  dollars  per  tun.  They  made  money  for  a 
while  hut  the  mine  played  out  after  a  time.  .Mr.  Dawlev  and  partners  huilt 
the  first  house  in  the  Reese  River  nmuntains,  just  four  miles  south  ot 
Austin,  and  it  is  still  standing.  The  party  were  the  ])ioneers  of  mining 
in  this  ]>art  of  Xevada.  They  remained  there  until  18^14.  and  Air.  Dawlev 
then  went  to  Ruhy  valley,  miw  Klko  county,  and  he  and  two  others,  the 
Mvers  hrothers.  took  up  a  farm  of  six  hundred  acres,  heing  among  the  first 
.•igricultural  settlei^  in  that  district.  They  raised  harley.  oats  and  pota- 
toes, ditched  and  hrought  water  on  their  land,  and  made  a  success  of  the 
enterprise.  Their  first  crop  of  grain  was  cut  In-  hand  with  a  cradle  and 
threshed  hy  tramping  the  grain  out  with  horses.  Mr.  Dawley  finally  sold 
his  interest  to  his  ])artners,  and  took  up  land  on  his  own  account.  He 
raised  from  fifty  to  one  hundred  acres  of  grain,  and  there  was  a  good  market 
for  all  his  crops  at  .\ustin  and  stations  of  the  overland  stage  road.  In  1869 
the  large  mining  jjopulation  of  White  Pine  consumed  readily  all  the  produce 
di.al  the  surrounding  country  affoi'ded.  He  sold  harley  as  high  as  six- 
teen dollars  a  sack,  jjotatoes  at  twenty  dollars  a  sack,  and  hay  for  fifty  dol- 
lars a  ton  in  the  stack.  He  continued  his  farming  with  increasing  success. 
and  hecame  the  owner  of  five  thousand  acres  of  land  in  the  county.  He 
raised  a-  large  numher  of  cattle  and  horses,  and  in  t\\enty  years  from  the 
time  he  came  out  to  the  west  as  a  heginner  in  life  and  without  capital  he 
had  met  with  great  prosperit_\-  anil  was  well  to  do.  in  1880  he  sold  his 
ranch  property,  and.  retiring  to  Elko,  huilt  a  residence,  wliere  he  intends  to 
pass  the  remainder  of  his  days. 

Mr.  Dawley  lias  heen  a  life-long  Democrat,  and,  standing  on  the  hasic 
)>rinciples  of  that  parly,  has  heen  prominent  in  the  puhlic  afl:'airs  of  his 
adopted  state.  In  1864  he  was  deouty  assessor  of  Lander  county,  which  in- 
cludeil  most  of  the  eastern  ])art  of  the  state,  and  he  t(iok  the  assessment  o\er 
a  large  part  of  this  territory.  \\  hen  Elko  connt\-  was  formed  he  was  ap- 
pointed deiuity  sheriff,  and  was  also  deputy  assessor  of  the  county  for  three 
or  four  years.  He  was  elected  county  clerk  in  1880.  and  hekl  the  office 
for  three  successive  terms.  He  was  under  sherifif  for  two  years.  1889-90, 
and  in  1898  was  elected  count}'  clerk  and  treasurer,  heing  returned  to  the 
office  in  1900  and  1902.  In  all  these  cajjacities  he  has  proved  a  most  cap- 
able and  public-spirited  official,  aud_  as  he  has  had  no  private  ends  to  sub- 
serve he  has  made  the  welfare  of  his  county  and  state  supreme,  with  the 
result  that  his  puhlic  career  h;is  heen  without  lilemish  and  has  placed  him 
in  the  forefront  of  the  county's  citizens.  He  has  remained  Democratic 
during  all  the  clianges  of  party  allegiance  owing  to  the  sil\-er  cjuestion  anrl 
other  campaign  issues. 

Mr.  Dawley  was  married  in  1873  to  Miss  Mary  E.  ^\'illiamson.  a 
native  of  Ohio,  and  one  daughter  was  liorn  to  them.  Man-  Gertrude,  but 
she  died  at  the  age  of  fourteen.     Mrs.  Dawley  is  a  member  of  the  Presby- 


470  A  HISTORY  OF  XE\'ADA. 

terian  cliurcli.  and  he  .gives  that  deiiumination  liis  support.  Init  the  kernel 
of  his  religiotis  belief  is  to  do  right  to  the  best  of  his  ability.  He  has  earned 
the  right  to  be  looked  upon  as  one  of  Nevada's  leading  citizens,  for  few  of 
the  old  pioneers  ha\e  lieen  more  thoroughl\-  identified  with  the  entire  life 
and  de\'elopment  of  the  state,  and  in  so  many  \va\s  connected  with  its  in- 
dustrial, commercial  and  ]iolitical  af¥airs. 


RAWRAFT  BRO'J'FIERS.  Joseph  and  James  Raycraft  are  promi- 
nent, acti\e  and  well  known  Ijusiness  men  of  Carson  City.  They  are  owners 
of  \-alual)Ie  mining  interests  in  the  state  and  are  projjrietors  of  the  Sih'er 
State  Livery  Stable,  of  the  city.  Since  early  pioneer  times  the}-  have  lived 
in  this  locality,  and  Joseph  Raycraft,  the  senior  partner  of  the  tirm,  is  now 
ser\-ing  as  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  city.  In  1863  the  family  crossed  the 
plains  to  Nevada,  and  thev  have  since  l)een  residents  of  the  west,  identified 
with  its  rapid  development  and  permanent  improvement. 

Joseph  Raycraft  was  born  in  AlcHenr\-  countv.  Illinois,  on  the  lOth  of 
i\pril,  1849,  "i"''  James  was  l:)orn  in  Hannibal,  Alarion  county,  Missouri, 
in  1 86 1  being,  therefore,  Init  two  \ears  of  age  at  the  time  of  the  emigratii^n 
to  the  west.  The  journey  was  made  in  a  four-horse  wagon  driven  by  their 
sister  Alary,  now  Mrs.  D.  \\  .  \  irgin.  of  Genoa,  Nevada. 

Their  parents  were  Joseph  and  Ella  (Oumlon)  Raycraft.  both  nati\-es 
of  Ireland,  whence  they  came  with  their  respective  parents  to  the  L'nited 
States  in  childhood.  Thev  were  reared  and  married  in  McHenry  count)'. 
Illinois,  and  at  one  time  Mr.  Raycraft  was  offered  a  tract  of  land,  border- 
ing the  present  Lake  street  of  Chicago,  in  payment  of  a  small  bill  which  be 
held  against  a  man,  but  he  regarded  the  land  as  practically  \alueless  antl 
would  not  receive  it,  Init  to-day  it  is  worth  millions  of  dollars.  In  the  vear 
185.^  he  went  to  California  o\-erland.  and  again  went  to  the  mines  in  i83r), 
taking  out  about  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  but  most  of  this  he  ;ifler- 
ward  lost.  He  mined  on  the  Feather  ri\er  and  in  othei-  "digging's"'  in  Cali- 
fornia, and  the  historv  of  those  earh-  daxs  in  California  was  verv  familiar 
to  him  from  jiersonal  experience.  In  1803.  as  before  stated,  he  made  his 
second  trip  to  the  west,  bringing  his  famih'  with  him  to  Ne\ada.  This  time 
he  came  to  remain,  and  he  located  on  a  f;>rm  near  ( ienoa.  where  he  mnlinned 
to  reside  until  the  10th  of  .\oveniber.  1884.  when  his  dcilh  nccnrnd.  lie 
was  then  seventx-four  years  of  age.  His  bra\'c  pioneer  wife  still  surxixes  him 
and  is  yet  living  on  the  old  home  farm  at  the  age  of  sexentv-four  vears. 
enjoying  excellent  health  for  one  of  her  age.  Like  her  husb.'uid  she  has 
always  been  a  faithful  communicant  of  the  Catiiolic  chmch.  :md  the  children 
still  adhere  to  the  faith  of  their  honored  parents.  To  J(ise])h  ;nid  bdlen 
Raycraft  were  born  eight  sons,  the  collective  height  of  whom  is  frntv  nine 
feet  and  seven  inches.     They  also  had  three  daughter'^. 

Joseph  and  James  Raycraft  were  reared  upcm  llieir  father's  f;irm  .-md 
received  a  liniited  public  school  education,  ownig  to  the  new  condition  of 
the  country  at  tiiat  time,  but  they  haxe  gained  broad  practical  knowledge, 
fitting  them  for  tlie  duties  of  business  life  ;uid  making  them  successful  men. 
Tliey  have  always  engaged  in  dealing  in  stock,  li.'uidnng  JKirsc'^  iirinci]Kdlx'.  .'uid 


A   lUSTORN'  ()[<   NEVADA.  471 

lliey  Iiave  raised  many  fine  liorses.  They  now  have  the  best  equippetl  Hvcry 
stable  in  tlie  state,  a  large  substantial  building  tilled  with  horses  of  high 
breed,  together  with  a  large  line  of  fine  carriages.  They  have  made  a  suc- 
cess of  this  business  in  which  they  have  lieen  engaged  for  thirty-three  years, 
conducting  their  stable  in  Larson  L'ity  for  twenty-one  years.  They  own 
nice  homes  in  Carson  City  and  in  addition  to  this  property  the_\-  have  several 
Inindred  acres  of  ])lacer  mining  land,  which  is  rich  in  gold  and  will  be  very 
\aluable  when  tlie\-  get  water  to  it.  They  ha\-e  already  taken  out  consider- 
able gold,  yiekling  eighteen  dollars  and  forty  cents  to  the  ounce.  The 
brothers  are  partners  in  their  mining  interests  as  well  as  in  their  other  business 
affairs,  and  liave  been  thus  associated  since  18S4.  They  have  a  large  stage 
route  in  Churchill  countv.  The^'  own  altogether  sixteen  hundred  and  forty 
acres  of  land,  ha\ing  paid  tweK'e  thousand  doll.'irs  for  ten  acres  of  what 
they  deemed  the  richest  portion.  The  leading  mine  from  which  they  have 
taken  the  most  gold  is  called  the  Buckeye,  'idie  mining  propertx'  lies  in  the 
Pine  mountain  range,  and  the\-  found  there  one  nugget  wm'th  one  hundred 
and  sixty-eight  dollars. 

Joseph  Ravcraft  was  married  in  iSi^j,  the  lad}  of  his  choice  l>eing 
Miss  Nellie  Jacjua,  a  native  daugliter  of  Xe\'ada,  i)oru  in  Dayton.  They 
have  two  .sons,  Frankie  and  Ceorgie.  In  1886  James  Ravcraft  was  married 
to  Miss  Madge  '1".  Nbirris,  whose  birth  occurred  in  luiipire,  Nevada,  and 
they  have  the  following  children :  James  Morris,  Hubert  Hoye,  Francis 
Joseph,  Margaret  and  Dorothy. 

The  brothers  are  Democrats  in  then'  political  affiliations  and  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Catholic  church.  It  was  in  iqo2  that  Joseph  Ravtraft  was  elected 
a  trustee  of  the  city  in  which  he  has  so  long  been  an  active  business  man 
and  in  which  he  is  now  proving  a  capable  official.  I'loth  brothers  are  well 
known  here,  and  their  \alue  to  the  communit\'  in  business  circles  and  as 
]niblic-s]>inte(l  citizens  is  wideh'  acknowledged  li\   all. 


STEPHEN  PEDIvOLl.  Throughout  many  ages  the  sons  of  Switzer- 
land have  commanded  respect  and  admiration  because  of  their  love  of  lib- 
erty and  their  fearless  allegiance  to  what  they  believe  to  be  right.  .\  worthy 
son  of  the  land  of  the  Alps  now  living  in  Franktown,  Washoe  county,  Ne- 
vada, is  Stephen  Pedroli,  a  successful  farmer  who  has  resided  in  this  state 
for  the  past  thirty  years.  He  was  born  in  Switzerland  on  the  20th  of 
July,  1854,  and  is  of  Swiss  ancestry.  He  was  reared  and  educated  in  his 
native  country,  and  as  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  earn  his  own  li\ing  he 
desired  to  use  his  time  and  efforts  to  the  best  advantage  possible.  Thus  it 
was  that  he  resolved  to  seek  a  home  in  .\nierica,  for  he  believed  that  better 
opportunities  were  here  afforded  than  in  the  older  countries  of  Europe. 

When  nineteen  years  of  age  he  crossed  the  briny  deep,  and  worked 
fn-st  in  Virginia  City  upon  a  milk  ranch.  There  he  was  paid  t\)rty  dollars 
per  month  at  the  beginning,  but  later  his  wages  were  increased  to  fiftv  dol- 
lars per  jnonth  and  board,  .\fter  two  years  he  began  working  in  the  mines, 
and  was  paid  four  dollars  ])er  day.  Saving  his  money  until  he  had  accumu- 
lated a  sum  sufticient  to  enable  him  to  purchase  land  on  his  own  account,  he 


472  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

then  came  to  his  present  ranch,  wliicli  to-day  comprises  six  hun(h-e(l  and 
forty  acres  of  choice  land.  Here  he  is  engaged  in  the  raising  df  hay.  grain 
and  stock.  He  does  an  extensive  dairy  bnsiness,  keqiing  one  liundred  and 
forty  head  of  cattle  for  this  purixjse.  He  devotes  his  time  and  energies  to 
no  other  pursuit  aside  from  farming  in  its  various  dq^artments.  and  by  liis 
close  application  to  his  work,  his  earnest  attention  and  his  well  directed 
efforts  is  meeting  with  very  gratifying  success,  having  already  become  one 
of  the  substantial  farmers  of  the  community.  Upon  his  land  he  has  a  nice 
residence  and  good  outbuildings,  and  everything  alx>ut  his  place  is  neat  and 
thrifty  in  appearance,  indicating  his  careful  supervision  and  his  progressive 
methods. 

On  the  6th  of  February.  1895.  Mr.  Pedroli  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  C.  Mora,  also  a  native  of  Switzerland.  Their  union  has  been  blessed 
with  two  sons  and  two  daughters,  namely :  William,  Joseph,  Evaline  and 
Thelma.  ]VIr.  Pedroli  is  a  Republican  in  his  political  views,  and  keeps  well 
informed  on  the  issues  and  questions  of  the  day.  but  has  never  sought  or 
desired  public  office.  He  and  his  family  are  memliers  of  the  Roman  Catho- 
lic church.  His  life  proves  what  can  be  accomplished  in  Nevada  without 
engaging  in  mining.  Mr.  Pedroli  came  to  .\merica  when  a  young  man  and 
with  no  knowledge  of  the  English  language  or  of  the  ways  and  customs  of 
the  people  in  this  country,  but  his  native  intelligence  enabled  him  to  quickly 
understand  the  situations  and  to  improve  his  opportunities,  and  his  industry 
and  enterprise  have  been  the  means  of  making  him  the  owner  of  a  valuable 
farm  in  Waslioe  countv. 


J.  D.  O'SULLIVAN.  Not  far  from  the  city  of  Reno,  on  the  eastern 
side,  is  the  farm  of  J.  D.  O'Sullivan.  wiiose  careful  attention  to  his  property 
and  the  excellent  improvements  which  he  has  there  made  constitute  this  one 
of  the  most  desirable  places  of  the  locality.  Mr.  O'Sullivan  came  to  the  terri- 
tory of  Nevada  in  March,  1863,  and  is  one  of  the  worthy  citizens  that  the 
Emerald  Isle  has  furnished  to  the  new  world.  He  is  a  native  of  county 
Cork,  having  been  born  there  on  the  ist  of  February,  1835. 

His  father,  Dennis  O'Sullivan,  was  also  Imrn  in  Ireland  and  remained 
a  resident  of  that  country  until  1865,  when  he  sailed  for  the  United  States, 
spending  his  remaining  days  in  New  York.  There  he  died  in  1870  at  the  age 
of  sixty-five  years.  His  wife  in  her  maidenhood  was  Miss  Margaret  Cronin. 
and  she,  too,  was  born  on  the  green  isle  of  h'rin.  While  still  living  in  Ireland, 
they  became  the  parents  of  six  children,  fmn-  sons  and  two  daughters.  The 
mother  died  in  her  native  country,  and  two  of  the  children  who  were  remain- 
ing there  came  over  with  their  father  and  the  others  of  the  household  to 
America.  The  surviving  members  of  the  family  are  two  daughters  and  J.  D. 
(y.Sullivan.  'i'he  parents  were  devoted  communicants  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
church,  and  both  died  in  that  faith.  One  of  the  .sons,  Dennis  0"Sulli\an, 
came  to  Nevada  in  1871.  Later  he  returned  to  New  ^'ork.  but  again  m.idc 
his  way  to  this  state  in  1873,  and  died  at  the  home  of  his  brother,  j.  1 ). 
O'Sullivan,  in   1877.  when  forty-two  years  of  age. 

In  the  public   sclmols  nf   Ireland  J.   D.   0'.Snlli\an  lieg;ni  his  I'dncalion, 


AND   GRANDCHILDREN. 


A   TILSTOUV  OT-   NEVADA.  473 

and  wlien  eighteen  years  of  age  crossed  the  Atlantic  in  order  to  enjoy  tlie 
Ijenelil  of  the  better  business  opportunities  afforded  in  the  new  \v(jrld.  On 
New  Year's  morning  of  1857  he  sailed  from  New  York  to  the  Pacific  coast, 
m.aking  the  voyage  by  the  way  of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama.  Having  safely 
arrived  in  San  Francisco,  he  thence  proceeded  to  Sacramento,  and  was  first 
in  the  employ  of  Kelley,  Mott  &  Comi)any,  which  was  succeeded  by  Gilley, 
Mott  &  Company.  Mv.  O'Snllivan  worked  for  both  firms,  and  when  the  latter 
established  a  store  in  Virginia  City,  Nevada,  in  1863,  he  went  to  that  place 
to  continue  in  the  employ  of  the  company.  Here  he  saw  an  opportunity 
for  securing  a  farm,  antl  on  the  19th  of  March,  1864,  he  located  on  his  present 
ranch,  comprising  two  hundred  and  fort)-  acres.  Idie  land  had  not  then 
been  surveyed,  and  was  still  in  possession  of  the  government.  He  found  it 
virgin  soil  covered  with  sage  brush,  and  when  he  located  thereon  people  had 
no  idea  that  the  tract  was  of  any  value  for  farming  ])urposes.  He  at  first  se- 
cured water  for  irrigation  from  the  English  mill,  and  soon  demonstrated  that 
he  was  in  possession  of  a  rich  farming  property.  Later  he  built  the  O'Snlli- 
van ditch  and  secured  a  large  supply  of  water.  Subsecjuently  he  sold  the 
O'Snllivan  ditch,  and  he  now  secures  an  abundance  of  water  from  the  Orr 
ditch  and  also  has  water  under  pressure. 

On  the  22d  of  August,  i860,  Mr.  0'Sulli\an  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Mary  Cosriff,  also  a  native  of  Ireland.  She  came  west  with  him, 
and  when  he  secured  his  ranch  they  lived  at  the  English  mill  for  some  time 
and  boarded  the  mill  hands,  conducting  a  large  boarding  house  in  which 
they  entertained  sixty  men.  Mr.  O'Snllivan  with  his  own  hands  erected 
upon  the  ranch  a  little  board  dwelling  twenty-two  by  sixteen  feet,  containing 
two  rooms  and  a  kitchen,  and  in  that  he  resided  until  1873,  when  he  built 
a  portion  of  his  present  fine  brick  residence.  Idiis  he  completed  in  1881,  and 
it  is  now  the  best  farm  residence  in  the  entire  \alley.  In  fact,  it  would  be  a 
creditable  home  in  any  city,  being  attractive  in  appearance,  commodious  and 
tastefully  furnished.  Upon  his  place  Mr.  O'Snllivan  has  a  fine  fruit  orchard 
of  his  own  planting,  and  every  shade  tree  on  the  place  has  been  set  out  by 
him.  None  of  the  improvements  or  ecjuipments  of  the  model  farm  are  lack- 
ing, and  all  were  made  by  him.  His  home  and  farm  are  supplied  with  electric 
lights,  and  the  accessories  and  conveniences  of  the  place  constitute  this  a 
most  desirable  residence.  He  has  also  built  upon  his  property  a  brick  sheep- 
dip,  where  most  of  the  sheep  of  the  country  are  dipped  e\ery  year.  He  raises 
on  his  farm  six  hundred  tons  of*  hay  annually,  and  he  keeps  alx>ut  forty  head 
of  high-grade  Durham  cattle  and  fourteen  head  of  horses,  wihch  are  a  cross 
of  the  Norman  and  Cleveland  Bays. 

In  1870  Mr.  O'Snllivan  was  called  upon  to  mourn  the  loss  of  his  wife, 
who  died  on  the  29th  of  December  of  that  year,  leaving"  her  husband  and 
four  children  to  mourn  her  loss.  The  children  are  Dennis,  who  is  on  the 
ranch  with  his  father  and  is  married  and  has  two  children :  Margaret,  who 
died  at  the  age  of  thirty  years :  John,  a  farmer  residing  at  Pyramid  lake ; 
and  James,  who  is  married  and  with  his  two  children  makes  his  home  in 
Reno.  In  March.  1872,  Mr.  0'Sulli\an  was  again  married,  his  second  union 
l>eing  with  Miss  Bridget  I'arlev,  who  was  bom  in  county  Cavan,  Ireland. 
Tbev  are  faithful  members  of  tlie  Kdinaii  Cathnlic  church,  :md  Mr.  O'.Sulli- 


474  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

van  is  a  nien!l)er  of  the  Hil)eniian  Society.  He  still  has  a  strnn«^  ami  deep 
lo\e  for  the  Emerald  Isle,  which  will  e\er  have  a  warm  place  in  his  memory. 
He  has  had  erected  in  his  front  }ard'  a  large  cross  modeled  after  the  one 
ujion  which  his  Savior  died,  and  has  imported  from  Ireland  a  pretty  green 
l)lant  which  he  has  ]>lanted  in  the  cross.  While  still  retaining  a  commendable 
love  for  his  native  conntrv,  he  is,  however,  a  Icwal  .\merican  citizen,  true  to 
the  institutions  of  his  conntrv  and  with  great  admiration  for  its  republican 
form  of  go\-ernment.  He  now  has  a  Iiome  of  which  he  can  l>e  justly  ]>rond, 
and  the  tlnxe  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  the  rich  farming  land  which  is 
in  his  possession  has  all  been  acipiired  through  his  own  industrious  efforts. - 


y\.  B.VDT  .\ND  COMPANY.  The  firm  of  M.  P.adt  and  Company 
was  estal)li.shed  in  Elko  in  1868  by  Badt  and  Cohn,  and  a  branch  of  this 
store  was  located  at  Wells  in  1871.  In  1875  Mr.  Badt  sold  his  store  in  b'lko 
to  Russell  and  Bradley,  taking  in  exchange  a  large  cattle  ranch,  Init  after 
running  the  ranch  for  eighteen  months  sold  it  back  to  its  original  owners. 
In  1876  he  .sold  his  interest  in  the  Elko  store,  but  retained  the  establish- 
ment at  A\'ells,  and  continued  successfully  in  business  there  until  bis  death, 
which  occurred   in  January,    1899. 

The  town  of  \\'ells  is  in  large  part  the  result  of  the  enterjjrise  and 
])ublic-s])irited  generositx'  of  Morris  Badt.  He  was  the  builder  of  the  lirst 
brick  building  there  in  1868.  and  the  ])resent  large  brick  store  block  was 
erected  in  1880.  It  is  twenty-five  l)y  one  Inmdred  and  fifty  feet  in  dimen- 
sions, and  there  are  also  three  large  warehouses  and  tlnee  large  cellars 
where  they  keep  their  immense  stock  of  wholesale  and  retail  goods.  The 
conipanx  receive  their  goods  by  the  carload  lot  from  Si.  Louis,  Chicago, 
New  ^'ork  and  San  b'rancisco,  and  they  carrv  every  article  of  general  mer- 
chandise in  demand  bv  the  farmers  and  mining  population  of  the  surround- 
ing countr\'.  There  being  no  bank  in  \\  ells,  the  comjjany  does  all  the  bank- 
ing for  the  surrounding  country  in  the  eastern  part  of  Elko  count)-.  This 
indicates  how  thoroughl}'  the  institution  has  become  a  part  of  the  people.  ;nid 
how  much  confidence  the  people  feel  in  the  integrit\'  ;nid  reliabilitx-  of  its 
owners.  All  the  W  bite  Pine  mining  trade  comes  to  this  store,  and  its  busi- 
ness extends  as  far  north  as  Idaho  and  as  far  east  as  l't;th.  l'!lko  county 
is  one  of  the  wealthiest  comities  of  the"  commonwealth,  and  the  vdlume  of 
its  business  which  is  transacted  through  theAl.  Ikidt  and  Com]);niy  is  am.az- 
ing  and  still  increasing. 

The  foimder  and  long-time  owner  of  this  great  commercial  enterprise 
was  Morris  Badt,  who  was  Ixirn  and  educated  in  (iermany.  He  emigrated 
to  New  York  in  1847,  ^'k'  ''^  that  time  did  not  know  .1  word  of  luiglisli,  and 
in  addition  to  this  handicap  in  life's  race  was  a  ])oor  voung  man.  lie  went 
from  New  York  to  New  Orleans,  where  he  clerked  in  a  store  ior  ,i  time, 
but  his  ability  soon  caused  his  promotion  to  be  m.inager  of  one  of  the  largest 
mercantile  concerns  of  that  citv.  In  1851  he  went  to  San  I'^rancisco  and 
opened  a  clothing  store  on  C;diforni;i  ;md  I.eidsdoff  streets,  williin  two 
blocks  (tf  the  hea<l(|uarters  of  the  vigilantes,  .and  during  those  earlv  davs  of 
California   history   he   s;iw   many   an   oull.iw    hanged    with    summarv    justice. 


A  HISTORY  Ol-   Nl'AADA.  475 

Tic  liad  lo  be  a  ^'imd  iinL;uist  tu  iln  business  in  such  a  cosnitipolilau  city  as 
San  i'rancisco.  and  in  (irder  to  ci>n\erse  witli  tliis  jjolyi^lnt  poj'julace  he 
learned  Spanish.  l'"reucli  and  Kn^hsli.  which  i^a\e  him  Cdumiand  over  the 
fiiur  lans^naj^es  which  were  most  commoni}'  used.  This  in<Hcatcs  liis  strong 
inlelleclual  pnwers.  and  it  also  ga\'e  him  a  great  advantage  in  his  dealings. 
I  lis  mercantile  success  was  ra])i(l.  fnr  it  was  nut  man_\'  years  alter  lie  came 
to  this  country  friendless  and  ]3oor  thai  he  \\as  in  the  forefront  of  the  mer- 
chants of  the  west.  In  1898  Mr.  Badt  formed  the  hrm  nf  M.  Badt  and 
('ompan\-  h\-  admitting  to  partnershi]i  his  three  sons,  Mel  S..  Herbert  and 
J.  Selby  I'adt.  They  had  gained  a  good  education  in  San  Francisco,  and 
then  entered  their  father's  business.  They  ha\-e  shown  themseK'es  to  be 
worthy  successors  of  their  honored  father  since  the  conduct  of  the  business 
fell  upon  their  shoulders.  Besides  the  large  interests  alread}-  nienti(Hie(l, 
they  are  interested  in  ranching  and  cattle-raising.  They  have  abnut  twenty 
thousand  acres  of  land  and  three  thousand  cattle,  and  also  nwn  manv  resi- 
dences and  much  real   estate  in  \^'ells. 

Wr.  Badt  was  married  in  r868  to  Miss  Lina  I'osener,  a  nati\e  nf  his 
ow'u  town  in  ( lernian\'.  ,\11  the  eight  children  born  of  this  uninn  are  lixing, 
and  hll  respected  and  useful  places  in  society  and  business.  Mr.  Badt  was 
one  of  the  pioneers  in  mercantile  ventures  in  this  part  of  the  state,  and 
the  large  business  which  he  built  up  before  his  death  will  stand  as  the  monu- 
ment of  his  judgment,  sag.'tcit\'  and  honoralile  dealings,  b\-  which  he  made 
his  life  efforts  accrue  to  his  nwn  material  ])rosperity  and  result  in  benefit  to 
his  entire  count^■. 


HEXRY  HEIDENREICH.  One  of  the  prosjierous  representatives  of 
the  agricultural  interests  of  Nevada  is  Henry  Ileidenreich,  who  resides  in 
the  beautiful  \Vashoe  \alley,  where  he  owns  and  o])erates  a  rich  and  arable 
tract  of  land  which  he  has  transformed  into  a  \alual)le  farming  property. 
He  is  a  native  snn  of  the  fatherland,  his  birth  baxing  occurred  in  Germany 
on  the  5th  of  May,  1833.  His  education  was  acquired  in  the  schools  of  that 
country,  and  he  remained  in  (ierman\'  until  his  nineteenth  vear.  He  was 
there  reared  to  farm  life,  for  his  ])arents  were  agriculturists.  They  were 
memliers  of  th.e  Lutheran  church.  They  instilled  into  the  minds  of  their 
children  lessons  of  industry  and  uprightness,  and  cultivated  their  ambition 
to  win  success  and  achancement. 

Mr.  Heidenreich  determined  to  seek  his  fortune  in  the  new  world  and 
to  enjoy  the  opportunities  of  the  land  of  the  free.  He  had  nn  knowdedge 
of  the  English  language  when  he  arri\ed.  but  he  readily  mastered  it  and 
also  adapted  himself  to  changed  conditions  and  surroundings.  He  began 
learning  the  carpenter's  trade  in  the  new  world,  liut  soon  afterward  turned 
his  attention  to  mining,  for  which  he  received  two  and  a  half  and  three 
dollars  per  day.  The  sum  was  far  in  excess  of  any  wage  which  he  could 
have  earned  in  German}-.  In  t875  he  arrived  in  Nevada,  kn-ating  in  Carson 
City,  where  he  worked  at  wdiatever  he  could  get  to  do.  He  then  went  to 
Esmeralda  county  and  was  em])loye(l  in  the  mines  for  a  \-ear.  after  which 
he  retinaied  to  Carson  Citw  where  he  remained   for  two  years,     (^n  the  ex- 


47G  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

piration  of  that  period  lie  made  his  way  to  Idaho,  wliere  he  engaged  in  pros- 
])ecting  ami  mining  with  very  good  success,  acquiring  several  thousand  dol- 
lars. With  this  capital  he  then  returned  to  Carson  City,  and  soon  after- 
ward purchased  his  present  ranch,  comprising  four  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  of  rich  and  arable  land.  The  years  that  have  since  passed  have  been 
a  period  of  earnest  labor,  in  which  his  efforts  have  resulted  in  the  develo])- 
ment  of  a  splendid  farm.  He  has  made  excellent  improvements  u^xin  his 
I)lace.  and  now  has  a  commodious  and  attractive  farm  residence,  large  and 
substantial  barns  and  all  the  necessary  implements  iov  successful  farming. 
He  is  largelv  engaged  in  raising  hay  and  stock,  making  a  specialt}'  of  high- 
grade  Durham  cattle.  He  feeds  much  of  his  hay  to  his  own  stock  and  finds 
a  ready  market  for  his  surplus  product  in  Virginia  City.  He  also  annually 
makes  large  sales  of  cattle,  ami  this  brings  to  him  a  \'ery  desirable  financia.l 
return. 

In  Washoe  city  in  1885  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Heidenreich  and 
Miss  Katie  Sauer,  a  daughter  of  Andrew  Sauer,  one  of  Nevada's  best  known 
and  most  highly  respected  pioneers.  She  was  born  in  this  state  and  was 
tr;iined  by  her  parents  both  through  precept  and  example  so  that  she  was 
well  qualified  to  assume  the  duties  of  the  liousehold  as  the  wife  of  a  success- 
ful and  enterprising  farmer.  Their  marriage  has  been  blessed  ^vilh  se\en 
chddren,  namely:  Lillie  May,  Edwin  Earl,  Josejih  l-'rederick,  Martha 
Louise,  Henry  Ernest,  Frances  Regena  and  Roy  Franklin.  Both  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Heidenreich  were  reared  in  the  faith  of  the  Lutlieran  church,  but  as 
there  was  on  church  of  that  denomination  in  this  locality  they  had  their 
children  baptized  Ijy  the  Episcopal  minister.  Mr.  Heidenreich  is  a  member 
of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  hVllows,  and  his  jiolitical  allegiance  is 
gi\en  to  the  Democracy.  He  keeps  well  informed  concerning  the  ([uestions 
of  the  day,  and  is  thus  able  to  support  his  position  by  intelligent  argument, 
yet  he  never  sought  or  desired  office,  preferring  to  give  his  attention  to  the 
operation  of  his  ranch.  He  is  a  man  of  marked  energy,  of  keen  foresight 
ami  of  business  sagacity.  He  and  his  family  are  generous  people,  their  home 
is  celebrated  for  its  hosi)itality  and  their  circle  of  friends  is  \ery  extensive. 
The  record  of  Mr.  Heidenreich  is  such  ;i  one  as  anv  f.'irmer  might  be 
proud  to  ])ossess,  and  his  coiu'se  is  a  credit  ;dike  tn  llic  land  of  his  biilli  and 
to  the  land  of  his  adoptitm. 


\\'.  .'\.  IN(i.\l,LS,  who  is  sheriff  and  ex-officio  assessor  of  E.smeralda 
county,  making  his  home  in  Hawthorne,  was  born  in  (Oregon  City,  Oregon, 
on  the  1st  of  September,  1834.  He  is  descended  from  Scotch  ancestry,  but 
at  a  very  early  epoch  in  colonial  history  the  family  was  planted  on  American 
soil.  His  father,  Henry  Ingalls,  emignited  to  ()regi>n  in  1849.  He  had 
iKen  reared  in  the  state  of  Illinois,  but,  attracted  by  the  business  possibilities 
of  the  Pacific  coast  country,  he  made  his  way  to  Oregon  and  is  now  living 
in  Walla  Walla,  Washington,  a  hale  and  hearty  man,  although  seventy- 
seven  years  of  age.  He  married  Miss  Sarah  Brents.  Througit  his  active 
business  career  he  li\ed  the  life  of  an  industrious  farmer,  lie  has  long  been 
a    valued    member   i>f    the   Chrisli.in   church,    ;ind    in    bis    upright    c.ireer   has 


A   IJISIXJIO'  Ol''   NICVADA.  477 

(.•\eiii])lirR-il  his  religious  faith.  His  wife  died  when  W,  A.  Iii-;dls  \v;is  Inil 
nine  \ears  of  age,  leaving  two  sons,  Wilhs  Ingalls  heing  a  f;inner  living- 
near  Walla  Walla.  After  the  death  of  his  (irst  wife  the  f;itlier  married 
again,  and  hv  that   union  had  two  ehildren,   Ira  cUid  Otis. 

In  taking  u])  the  jiersonal  history  of  W.  .\.  Ingalls  we  present  to  our 
readers  the  life  reeord  of  one  who  is  widely  and  favorahly  known  in  Nevada. 
He  completed  his  education  in  Christian  College,  at  Monmouth.  Oregon, 
and  afterward  engaged  in  various  pursuits  in  Washington,  Idaho  and  Cali- 
fornia. He  came  to  Nevada  in  1878,  and  was  engaged  in  merchancfising 
for  thirteen  years  in  Candelaria,  Nevada.  His  fitness  for  office  and  his 
activity  in  political  circles  led  to  his  selection  for  positions  of  public  tru.st. 
He  has  ahvavs  lieen  a  firm  adherent  of  Democratic  jirinciples,  and  as  the 
candidate  of  the  silver  party  was  elected  sheriff  of  Esmeralda  county.  Faith- 
fully has  he  .served  his  fellow  townsmen  as  the  protector  of  the  rights  and 
liberties  of  the  people,  and  they  have  given  evidence  of  their  ap]>rec!ation 
of  his  trustworthiness  and  ca])abilitv  by  electing  him  five  times  to  the  office, 
so  that  he  is  now  serving  in  his  fifth  term,  and  at  the  last  election  he  received 
a  majority  of  fifty  over  two  opposing  candidates,  showing  that  both  as  sheriff 
and  assessor  of  the  county  he  has  discharged  his  duties  in  a  manner  to  win 
the  fullest  confidence  and  approval  of  the  public.  He  is  prompt  and  ener- 
getic in  the  discharge  of  his  official  duties,  and  is  possessed  of  excellent  good 
sense  and  sound  judgment  in  performing  the  ofttimes  delicate  and  hazard- 
ous duties  of  his  position. 

In  1896  Mr.  Ingalls  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mrs.  Jennie  Mercer, 
who  was  born  in  Aurora,  Nevada,  a  daughter  of  J.  W.  Clawson,  a  pioneer 
of  this  state.  By  her  former  marriage  she  had  one  son,  Willie  Mercer,  who 
is  now  ticket  agent  on  the  Carson  &  Colorado  Railroad  at  Hawthorne.  Mr. 
Ingalls  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  fraternity,  and  his  brethren 
of  the  order  regard  him  as  one  of  its  vahied  representatives.  He  and  his 
wife  occupy  one  of  the  attractive  homes  in  Hawthorne,  and  he  has  vahiable 
mining"  interests  here.  Over  his  private  life  and  his  official  record  there  falls 
no  shadow  of  wrong  or  suspicion  of  evil,  his  course  having  won  for  him  high 
encomiums  from  a  discriminating  public. 


PHILIP  J.  McGRATH,  superintendent  of  the  Carson  .iml  Colorado 
Railroad,  with  headquarters  at  Hawthorne,  Nevada,  is  a  nati\e  of  Cali- 
fornia, having  been  born  in  Weaverville,  March  26,  1864.  His  father, 
Pliili]!  McGrath,  was  Iwrn  in  Ireland  in  1820.  He  came  to  this  country 
in  1846,  and  for  four  years  was  in  the  employ  of  the  Hon.  Daniel  \\'el)ster. 
In  1850  he  came  to  California  and  engaged  in  mining,  but  later  started  a 
store  in  San  Francisco,  most  of  his  placer  mining  having  been  done  in 
Trinity  county.  Still  later  he  moved  to  Virginia  City,  Nevada,  and  was 
a  machinist  on  the  Comstock,  spending"  the  balance  of  his  life  there  and 
dying  in  1890,  aged  seventy  years.  He  married  Miss  Catherine  P>urke, 
a  native  of  Ireland,  and  she  now  resides  in  San  Francsico  aged  sixty-three 
years.     In  politics  he  had  been  a  Democrat,  and  Ijoth  he  and  his  wife  were 


47S  A  HI1STOKV  Ol'    XI'AADA. 

devout  nienil)ers  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church.  They  were  the  parents 
of  six  children,  of  whom  five  are  now  living'. 

Philip  J.  McGrath,  the  only  one  of  the  children  in  Xevada.  was  edu- 
cated in  the  jnihlic  schools  of  Virginia  City,  and  was  only  ten  years  of 
age  when  the  family  located  \n  that  place.  He  learned  telegraphy  and  was 
first  employed  In-  the  Virginia  and  Truckee  Railroad  Comi^any.  For  eight 
vears  he. was  in  the  railroad  mail  serx'ice,  after  which  he  acted  as  agent  at 
Mound  House  ior  the  Carson  and  Colorado  and  the  Virginia  and  Truckee 
Railroads  for  eight  _\'ears.  His  next  change  was  when  he  came  to  Hawthorne 
as  clerk  and  train  dispatcher  under  Superintendent  I,a\\  s.  ^Ir.  Laws  went 
to  the  Sacramento  dixisifm  of  the  road  in  1902.  ami  Mr.  McGrath  suc- 
ceeded to  the  position  of  su])erintendent,  having  thus  worked  his  way  up  from 
the  position  of  telegraph  o])erator.  In  politics  he  is  independent.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Elks  fraternity,  and  adheres  to  the  faith  of  the  Ivoman  Catholic 
church. 

In  igoi  he  was  married  to  Mary  Roberts,  a  native  of  Xevada  and  a 
daugliter  of  J.  B.  Roberts,  a  ]ioineer  of  the  state  and  the  builder  of  the  Lake 
House.  Mr.  IMcGrath  is  a  \ery  energetic  and  capaljle  business  man,  and 
the  success  which  has  attended  his  efforts  is  but  the  just  reward  of  intelli- 
gent work  directed  along  legitimate  channels. 


LOUIS  DUTERTRE,  proprietor  of  the  Golconda  Hot  Springs  Elotel. 
is  a  native  of  France,  bom  on  the  30th  of  September.  1823.  and  is  of  French 
ancestry.  He  received  his  education  in  his  native  land,  and  when  fifteen 
years  of  age  emigrated  to  the  United  States,  locating  in  New  Orleans. 
Louisiana.  In  185 1  he  made  the  journey  to  San  Francisco,  California, 
where  he  was  engaged  in  the  real  estate  business,  and  also  mined  in  Nevada 
county,  that  state,  being  a  ])art  owner  of  the  Derbec  nfine,  in  North  Bloom- 
field,  Xevada  count}-,  which  proved  to  he  \-ery  rich  in  its  mineral  resources, 
l-'rom  there  he  removed  to  Placer  county  and  continued  his  niining  ojiera- 
tions,  1)ecommg  the  president  of  the  Mayfiower  mine,  also  a  fine  producer. 
Coming  thence  to  (iolcolda.  Mr.  1  )utertre  pm-chased  a  large  tract  of  land 
in  the  beautiful  \-alley.  which  at  that  time  was  co\-cred  with  sage  lirush,  but 
with  his  usu;d  enter])nse  and  ])ush  be  soon  dc\-elo])ed  it  into  a  s|)lendid  ])i-o])- 
ertv.  lie  has  buill  lakes  south  of  his  ])ropcrt\-  in  the  mountains,  from  which 
he  obtains  the  water  to  irrigate  his  large  ranch  of  siNl\--seven  hundred  acres, 
a  large  ])art  of  which  is  meadow  land  and  where  he  is  raising  immense  quan- 
tities of  alfalfa  and  natural  grass. 

A  number  of  years  ago  Mr.  Dutertre  erected  the  large  (iolcontla  Hotel, 
fitted  and  furnished  throughout  for  the  con-ifort  of  the  traveling  public  and 
for  those  seeking  the  curative  ]X)wers  of  his  hot  springs.  The  sjiring  is  a 
very  large  one  and  by  analysis  its  water  is  siniilar  to  that  of  the  .\rkansas 
Hot  Springs,  being  one  hundred  and  ninety-eight  Fahrenheit.  ,-uid  containing 
\-aIual)le  curative  i)r<)]ierties.  When  on  trial  for  rheumatism  and  other  blood 
diseases  it  has  been  found  to  be  \-cry  valuable.  Manv  have  come  to  this  spring- 
entirely  drawn  out  of  sha|)e  by  i)ain  and  were  rapidl\-  relieved  of  the  malady, 
and  may  be  likened  to  the  lie;ded  man  in  the  scri])tures,  who  went  awa)-  "leap- 


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A    lllSTOin'  Ol"  NEVADA.  479 

ill!;"  ami  junipiiit;."  The  hotel  huildiiii;  is  mie  Iniiidix'd  liy  nnc  luiiidrcd  and 
fifty  feet,  iiuilt  in  the  form  of  an  L,  and  contains  seventy-five  sleejiiiit^'  apart- 
ments, two  dinin<j-  rooms,  a  lar^c  jiarlor,  and  is  modem  in  all  its  fnrnishings 
and  ap))liances,  heing  at  times  tilled  to  its  ntmost  capacity.  It  is  a  one-story 
linilding-,  the  guests  thus  ha\ing  no  steps  to  climb,  and  Mr.  Dutertre  is  en- 
titled to  much  credit  for  expemling  so  large  a  sum  of  money  for  the  allevia- 
tion and  cure  of  the  suffering.  'I'he  springs  are  used  both  as  mud  and  ])luiige 
baths,  and  furnish  immediate  relief  to  the  sufferers. 

Mr.  Dutertre  was  married  in  iS6j,  and  has  one  son,  Eugene,  who  is  also 
married  and  has  charge  of  the  hotel.  He  is  a  well  informed  business  man 
and  takes  delight  in  looking  after  the  comfort  of  the  guests.  Mr.  Dutertre 
gives  his  attention  principally  to  outside  matters  and  to  the  care  of  his  large 
estate.  He  is  a  gentleman  of  large  business  experience  and  understanding. 
and,  although  ha\ing  reached  the  age  of  seventy-eight  years,  is  remarkal)ly 
active  and  in  the  full  enjoyment  ot  all  his  faculties.  He  is  independent  in 
his  political  views,  giving  his  support  to  the  man  whom  he  thinks  best  quali- 
fied for  public  office. 


ilf)N.  THEODORE  WINTERS.  Tlie  valuable  farming  property  of 
lion.  I'heodore  Winters  is  unsurpassed  in  point  of  excellence  in  the  Washoe 
valle_\',  and  its  splendid  improvements  and  attractixe  ap]jearance  indicate  the 
life  of  enterprise  and  activit\-  which  he  has  led.  In  Noveml>er,  1857,  lie 
arri\ed  in  this  section  of  the  countrw  although  the  territory  of  Nevada  had 
not  then  ijeen  organized,  this  district  being  still  a  portion  of  the  territory 
of  Utah.  He  was  born  in  Illinois  (ju  the  14th  of  Sejitember,  icSj^,  when 
that  state  was  little  more  than  a  vast  prairie  and  when  the  populous  city 
of  Chicago  was  a  mere  hamlet  of  a  few  log  houses. 

The  Winters  family  is  of  Scotch,  English,  Irish  and  German  ancestry, 
and  was  established  in  America  at  an  early  period  in  the  de\'elo])ment  of 
this  land.  John  D.  Winters,  the  father  of  Theodore  Winters,  was  born 
in  the  state  f)f  Pennsylvania,  and,  imbued  with  the  pioneer  s])irit  and  desir- 
ous of  securing  a  good  home  for  his  famil}',  he  made  his  way  to  the  prairies 
of  Illinois,  casting  in  his  lot  with  the  frontier  settlers  there.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  that  state  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Wells,  a  native  of  South  Carolina,  and 
they  remained  in  Illinois  until  after  the  birth  of  their  children,  when  they 
crossed  the  plains  to  California,  in  the  year  1849.  The  most  far-sighted  had 
never  dreamed  of  the  building  of  a  transcontinental  railroad,  and  the  journey 
was  made  in  a  covered  wagon.  At  times  there  was  no  road  save  the  old 
Indian  trail,  and  the  way  led  across  the  hot  sandy  deserts  and  over  mountain 
passes  difficult  to  climb.  Such  a  trip  was  fraught  with  much  hardships, 
and  there  was  also  danger  from  Indian  attacks,  but  the  \\'inters  familv  at 
length  reached  their  destination  in  safety,  and  the  father  continued  to  reside 
in  California  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  Stockton  in  1877,  when  he 
was  seventy-eight  years  of  age.  His  wife  survived  him  and  reached  the 
ripe  old  age  of  eighty-one  years.  Mrs.  T.  A.  Reed,  of  Reno,  and  Mr.  Win- 
ters are  the  onlv  members  of  the  family  in  Nex-ada. 

In  taking  up  the  personal  history  of  Hon.  Theodore  Winters  we  pre- 


4S0  A  HISTORY  Ul'   NEX'ADA. 

sent  lo  our  readers  one  who  has  a  very  wide  acquaintance  in  tliis  state  and 
who  is  lionored  and  esteemed  by  all  who  knew  him.  being  most  highly  re- 
spected where  best  known.  He'  attended  school  in  Illinois,  but  his  educa- 
tional privileges  were  very  limited,  as  the  schools  of  that  period  were  in  a 
very  primitive  condition  and  his  labors  were  also  needed  in  the  develop- 
ment, cultivation  and  improvement  of  his  father's  farm.  While  still  living 
in  Illinois  he  was  married,  in  December.  1847.  securing  as  a  companion  and 
helimiate  on  life's  journey  Miss  Sarah  Marshall.  With  their  first  born  child 
Ihey  crossed  the  plains  in  1849.  This  son.  George  D.  Winters,  now  resides 
in  Reno.  The  destination  of  the  family  was  California,  for  the  discovery 
of  gold  in  that  state  w-as  drawing  all  western  emigrants  to  the  mining  region. 
Mn  Winters  engaged  in  mining  in  California  for  three  years  with  the 
usual  experience  of  most  of  the  California  argonauts.  He  made  consider- 
able moiiev.  Init  that  which  is  easily  gained  is  as  easily  spent,  and  he  sunk 
considerable  of  it  in  other  mining  ventures.  When  he  arrived  at  the  end 
of  his  western  trip  he  had  seventeen  dollars  in  money,  four  yoke  of  oxen 
and  a  wagon.  He  turned  his  cattle  out  to  graze  in  what  is  now  the  city  of 
Sacramento,  and  they  strayed  away  and  he  never  saw  them  again.  This 
was  a  considerable  loss  to  the  pioneer  settler  who  was  attempting  to  make 
a  home  for  himself  and  family  in  the  far  west. 

In  1857  Mr.  Winters  removed  from  Forest  City.  California,  to  his 
present  location  on  the  line  between  Franktown  and  Washoe.  He  Ixmght 
of  a  Mormon  a  tract  of  land  a  mile  wide  and  two  miles  long  and  paid  for 
this  fifty  dollars  in  cash  and  a  yoke  of  oxen.  With  characteristic  energ_\-  and 
firm  determination  he  began  to  improve  his  property  and  has  added  to  it  as 
the  years  have  passed,  making  judicious  investments  in  real  estate  until  now 
his  landed  ixjssessions  aggregate  six  thousand  acres,  all  in  one  farm.  It 
is  located  in  one  of  tiie  most  beautiful  and  fertile  valleys  of  the  west,  and 
upon  one  side  it  is  bordered  by  V/ashoe  lake,  while  the  mountains  rise  upon 
the  other  side,  so  that  the  Winters  farm  is  located  in  the  midst  of  grand 
and  attractive  scenery.  Mr.  Winters  cuts  upon  his  ranch  from  fifteen  to  eight- 
een hundred  tons  of  hay  annually,  and  he  keeps  from  six  to  eight  hundred  bead 
of  cattle.  He  feeds  all  of  his  hay  to  his  own  stock,  and  Ix^canse  he  raises 
stock  of  good  grades  he  finds  a  ready  sale  upon  the  market  and  receives 
good  prices  for  his  cattle.  He  also  has  a  dairy  upon  his  ranch,  and  fur  this 
purjiose  keeps  three  hundred  cows,  utilizing  the  milk  in  the  manufacture 
of  cheese  in  the  summer  lime  and  of  bultcr  in  the  winter  time.  Amilhcr 
line  of  business  to  which  Mr.  Winters  directed  his  attention  has  been  the 
importing  of  race  horses,  and  he  has  brought  into  the  state  of  Nevada  some 
of  the  best  race  horses  ever  seen  within  its  borders.  His  valuable  horse, 
\'f)rfolk,  which  he  purchased  in  St.  Louis,  won  five  races  in  California  in 
1864.  Mr.  Winters  was  greatly  attached  to  this  horse,  which  he  kept 
until  it  died  of  old  age.  At  times  he  has  owned  a  large  number  of  other 
celebrated  horses,  and  has  done  much  to  imjirove  the  grade  of  stock  raised 
in  (be  state.  During  the  baying  season  he  employs  on  his  ranch  tvventv  men 
in  the  cutting  <>f  the  croj).  and  during  the  remainder  of  the  year  his  two  sons 
and  a  hired  man  take  care  of  the  slock.  He  has  ntherwise  been  very  active 
ill  promoting  the  agricultural  interests  of  Nevada,  putting  forth  every  efifort 


A   IllSroiO'  Ol-    XEN'ADA.  -iSl 

in  Iiis  power  llial  will  stimulate  activity  alung  tins  line  and  will  aiUancc  the 
interests  of  tlie  farming  coniniunity.  He  was  one  of  the  jjrominent  organ- 
izers of  the  Nevada  State  Fair  Association,  hecanie  one  of  its  directors  and 
acted  in  tlial  capacity  for  a  nnmber  of  }ears,  while  for  three  3'ears  he  was 
president  of  the  association.  This  did  much  to  awaken  in  the  farming  class 
a  pride  in  their  achievements  because  of  the  competition  for  prizes  wdiich 
stimulated  their  efforts  and  thus  proved  of  direct  benefit  to  the  state. 

Mr.  Winters  was  called  upon  to  mourn  the  loss  of  the  wife  of  his  early 
manhood,  who  in  1853  was  drowned  when  on  a  voyage.  A  collision  oc- 
curred in  Suisun  bay  and  the  boat  in  which  she  had  taken  passage  was 
sunk.  With  her  was  her  little  girl,  who  was  also  drowned.  The  only  sur- 
viving child  of  this  marriage  was  the  little  son  that  accompanied  the  parents 
on  their  travel  across  the  plains  to  Cahfornia.  In  i860  Mr.  Winters  was 
again  married,  his  second  union  loeing  with  Miss  Margaret  Martin,  wdio 
was  born  in  Scotland.  Ten  children  graced  this  union,  eight  of  whom 
were  born  in  Nevada,  and  si.\  are  living,  namely;  Nettie,  the  wife  of  John 
M.  Gregory,  a  resident  of  San  Francisco,  California;  Nellie  G.,  who  is 
the  wife  of  J.  M.  McCormick,  of  Sacramento,  Nevada,  who  is  at  home  with 
her  father  and  who  he  says  is  of  much  assistance  to  him ;  Theodora,  now  the 
wife  of  Seth  Longobaugh,  who  is  residing  near  her  father:  Lewis  W^  and 
Archie  C.,  who  are  still  on  the  home  farm.  The  mother  of  these  children 
passed  away  on  the  30th  of  May,  1898.  She  had  been  a  devoted  wife  and 
a  loving  and  tender  mother,  and  her  loss  was  felt  deejily  by  her  husband 
and  children. 

Mr.  AVinters  exercises  his  right  of  franchise  in  support  of  the  men 
and  measures  of  the  Democratic  part}-.  He  has  alwaj's  been  an  ach'ocate  of 
this  party,  yet  he  was  a  stanch  supporter  of  the  Union  cause  during  the  Civil 
war.  He  participated  in  the  war  with  the  Indians  in  i860.  He  has  twice 
been  elected  to  represent  his  district  in  the  territorial  legislature,  and  ga\'e 
to  all  fjuestions  which  came  before  the  house  his  earnest  consideration,  sup- 
porting each  measure  that  he  believed  would  prove  of  general  good.  He 
was  Democratic  nominee  for  governor  in  1888.  He  is  now  one  of  the  oldest, 
if  not  the  oldest.  Mason  in  the  state  of  Nevada,  having  recei\-ed  the  sublime 
degree  of  Master  Mason  in  Cavanaugh  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  ]\I..  in  Elizabeth, 
Illinois,  in  November,  1844.  He  now  affiliates  with  both  the  blue  lodge 
and  chapter  in  Reno.  He  has  the  honor  of  being  one  of  the  oldest  of  the 
living  pioneers  of  the  state,  and  there  is  little  concerning  the  history  of  Ne- 
vada that  is  not  familiar  to  him.  He  has  been  an  eye  w'itness  of  the  growth 
and  progress  of  the  state,  and  has  contributed  in  large  measure  to  what  has 
b«?en  accomplished  here.  His  splendid  farm  is  an  indication  of  his  life  of 
industry  and  enterprise.  He  has  a  very  attractive  home,  aroimd  which  are 
trees  and  vines  of  his  own  planting — an  admirable  place  for  this  honored 
pioneer  to  spend  the  evening  of  a  brave  and  active  life. 


THE  LOVELOCK  ARGUS.  The  Argus,  inililished  weeklv  at  Love- 
liick,  Humboldt  count)-,  Nevada,  has  been  in  existence  since  May,  1900, 
when   C.   W.   Patterson  gave  it  its   inception  in  the  newspaper  world.     In 


4S2  A    HIS  TOR ^■   OF  NEVADA. 

Jul}',  1900,  it  became  tlic  property  of  IJoiiier  Riddle,  and  in  August,  1902, 
it  agam  changed  diands.  the  Riddle  Brothers  assuming  ownership  and  con- 
trol, which  they  retain  to  the  present.  The  paper  is  Democratic  in  its  polit- 
ical views.  In  August,  1902.  it  was  enlarged  from  a  five  column  to  a  six- 
column  folio,  and  is  now  \'er)-  popular  and  almost  an  absolute  desideratum 
in  many  households  of  the  county,  to  which  it  brings  all  the  news  of  local 
and  general  interest,  and  in  every  way  exerts  a  Ijeneficial  influence. 

Howard  and  Frank  Riddle,  the  proprietors  of  the  Argus,  are  natives 
of  Virginia  and  Kansas  respectively,  and  the  former  has  been  in  newspaper 
work  for  the  jvast  fifteen  )ears.  The  brothers  ])ublished  the  Elko  Tidings 
for  five  years,  but  while  thus  engaged  the  war  with  Spain  was  declared,  and 
they  dropped  their  work  and  volunteered  in  their  country's  cause.  They 
were  assigned  to  Troop  M,  under  Captain  W  .  L.  Cox,  and  were  sent  to 
Florida,  where  they  were  kept  four  months,  and.  it  then  appearing  that 
their  services  were  not  needed,  they  received  an  honorable  discharge.  On 
their  return  to  Elko  they  worked  on  a  number  of  papers  in  the  state  until 
the)-  purchased  the  Argus,  since  when  they  have  de\-oted  their  capalile  efforts 
to  building  up  an  influential  and  successful  journal,  and  it  is  a  pleasure  to 
note  that  their  work  is  bearing  fruit. 


HON.  JOE  JOSEPHS,  the  efticien.t  sui)crintendent  of  the  Nevada 
State  Orphans'  Home,  at  Carson  City,  and  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the 
state,  dates  his  residence  in  this  |)ortion  of  the  countr\-  sinre  i860.  .A  native 
of  Xew'  York,  he  was  born  in  the  beautiful  city  of  -Afft^fTT.  on^'the'  2d  of 
I'^bruary,  1H47.  He  is  pre-eminently  a  self-made  man.  ha\  ing  started  out 
in  life  on  his  ow^n  account  when  only  eight  }ears  of  age,  since  which  time  he 
has  been  entirely  dependent  upon  his  own  resources.  He  began  earning 
his  own  living  as  a  l^ootblack.  His  educational  privileges  were  uecessaril}- 
limited,  but  he  has  learned  many  valuable  lessons  in  the  dear  school  of 
experience.  He  has  also  ser\ed  as  his  own  schoolmaster,  getting  much 
information  from  books  which  he  has  read  at  night  and  in  bis  leisure  hours. 
He  has  improved  his  o|)])ortunities  as  the  \ears  have  gone  by.  and  is  to-day 
a  man  of  considerable  learning,  whicli.  added  to  a  kindly  nature  and  broad 
humanitarian  princi])lcs.  makes  bini  ;i  man  wortln  of  ilu'  highest  respect 
and   regard. 

In  1857.  when  but  ten  years  of  age.  he  went  to  California,  .nid  was 
hut  thirteen  years  old  when  he  arrived  in  \'irginia  City.  Nevada.  Ik- 
worked  at  an_\-  employment  which  he  could  obtain  that  would  yield  him  ;in 
hrmest  living.  He  waited  on  table  in  hotels,  acted  as  ])ick  boy  in  the  mines. 
and  thus  he  eventually  became  interested  in  mining  on  his  own  account,  lie 
followed  that  pursuit  for  twenty-one  years  witli  the  varied  success  whirli 
always  meets  those  who  search  for  the  mineral  deijosits  of  the  earth,  lie 
has  alsf)  dealt  in  stock,  sometimes  making  money  and  again  jiroving  un 
fortunate  in  his  s|i€culations.  He  has  labored  on  ])ersistentl\ .  however. 
year  after  year,  always  energetic  ;ind  reliable  in  wh.-itever  rel;ition  of  life 
found. 

In    1873   Mr.  Josepiis  was  a])pointi.'d  .nid   tilled   the  jiosition  of  engross- 


A   IJISTORV  Ol'   NJiVADA.  483 

\\v^  I'lcrk  111  the  scnalc,  and  Inr  two  years  lie  was  depiUy  cmislalile  in  \  it" 
giiiia  lily,  occupying  tlial  position  when  it  required  a  great  deal  of  courage, 
because  of  the  large  number  of  the  criminal  class  of  that  locality,  llis  report 
of  fees  received  for  the  twcj  years  was  twenty-two  thousand  dollars,  and  his 
salar\-  for  that  time  was  eighteen  dollars.  He  was  nominated  and  elected 
clerk  of  the  sui>reme  court  of  the  state,  and  t'llled  that  office  for  four  years, 
being  the  last  one  to  occupy  the  position,  which  at  the  end  of  his 
term  was  merged  into  the  otihce  of  secretar\'  of  state.  Mr,  Josephs 
was  also  deput}'  count}'  clerk  of  Storey  county,  and  in  j8iSi)  was  appointed 
su])crintendent  of  the  State  Orphans'  Home,  at  Carson  City.  When  lie 
had  served  for  four  years  he  was  reappointed,  and  is  now  serving  for  the 
second  term,  his  faithfulness  and  cajiabilit}-  in  the  office  being  most  com- 
mendable. He  has  at  ])resent  sixtv-three  orj^han  children  in  his  charge. 
As  soon  as  good  homes  can  l)e  found  in  respectable  families  the  children 
are  placed  therein  that  the\-  ma)"  enjoy  the  benefits  and  i)ri\ileges  of  home 
life.  The  institution  is  well  kept  \)\  Air.  |ose]5lis  aiid  his  estimable  \\ife. 
who  acts  as  matron.  Slie  has  never  had  any  children  of  her  own.  and  all 
of  the  mother  love  of  her  nature  is  lavished  u])on  these  motherless  little  ones, 
who  profit  largely  In-  her  care  and  attention. 

Mr.  Josephs  was  n"iarried  in  1875  to  Miss  Anna  l^liza  Klink.  a  nati\"c 
of  California.  She  is  a  lady  of  innate  refinement  and  makes  an  excellent 
matron,  greatly  assisting  her  husband  in  his  work.  lutch  Suiulax"  the 
children  are  taken  to  the  different  churches  of  the  cit\".  first  to  one  and  then 
another,  for  the  home  is  entirely  unsectarian  and  the  children  are  not 
biased  in   the  least   in  their  religions  views. 

Mr.  Josephs  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  of  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  l'"elIows,  and  has  passed  all  the  chairs  in  both  the 
subordinate  lodge  and  encanqjment.  and  is  a  past  grand.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  are  widely  and  favorably  known  throughout  the  state,  and  are 
held  in  high  regard  especiall}'  b}-  those  interested  in  charitable  and  phil- 
anthropic -work. 

ANDREW  S.\UER.  Deeds  of  valor  have  been  the  theme  of  song 
and  story  throughout  all  ages.  There  has  never  been  displayed  more  marked 
endurance  and  courage  than  has  been  shown  by  the  pioneers  of  our  great 
west,  who  have  not  only  faced  difficulties  and  hardships,  but  ha\e  also  linived 
danger  m  attempting  to  carry  civilization  into  the  wild  districts  beyond  the 
Rocky  Mountains. 

One  of  the  first  to  estal)lish  a  jjermanent  home  within  the  borders  of 
Nevada  was  Andrew"  Saner,  who  came  in  185c).  .\lmost  forty-five  years 
have  since  been  added  to  ti"ie  cycle  of  eternity,  and  during  this  long  period 
he  has  witnes.sed  the  wonderful  transformation  that  has  been  brought  about 
by  the  pioneers  and  their  successors,  who  have  develojied  the  rich  resources 
of  the  state  and  ha\e  utilized  the  means  at  hand  to  establish  business  interests 
that  have  been  of  value  to  the  individual  and  have  also  promoted  the  general 
prosperity. 

Mr.  Sauer  was  born  in  the  village  of  Deilham,  Germany,  on  the   14th 


iSi  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

of  Januarv,  1829.  In  tlie  year  1S50  he  emigrated  to  tlie  United  States, 
first  locating  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  where  he  Hved  for  three  years,  at  the 
end  of  which  period  he  came  to  the  Pacific  coast  and  .spent  the  succeeding 
five  years  partly  in  the  mines  and  partly  in  the  Initcher  Ixisiness,  which  he 
successfully  followed.  A  desire  to  see  more  of  his  adopted  country  led 
him  to  Nevada,  as  one  of  the  early  pioneers,  in  the  year  1859,  and  he  located 
in  \\'ashoe  \alley,  where  he  has  since  resided. 

He  was  married  June  21,  1859,  to  Miss  Catherine  Becker,  a  nati\e  of 
his  own  country.  Eleven  children  have  been  born  to  them,  eight  nf  whom 
are  living,  namely :  Mrs.  Mary  Kornmeyer,  Mrs.  Katie  Heidenreich,  Mrs. 
Louisa  Zurtluh,  Mrs.  Ida  Smith,  George  !\I.,  Frank  J.,  \Mlliam  F.  and 
Louie   A.   Sauer. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sauer  ha\e  long  tra\eled  life's  journey  together,  am! 
have  reared  a  family  of  whom  they  ha\e  e\ery  reason  to  be  proud.  They 
are   worthy   citizens   of   the   west. 

Mr.  Sauer  has  lived  a  life  of  earnest  purjjnse  and  ni  unremitting  toil. 
Now  in  tlie  e\-ening  of  life  he  has  a  comfoflaljle  competence  and  he  receives 
the  \-eneration  and  respect  which  should  c\er  be  accorded  those  who  reach 
the  psalmist's  span  of  three-score  years  and   ten. 


\\iI.Ll.\M  EASTON,  proprietor  of  the  lnleriiali..nal  Hotel  of  .\ustin, 
Ne\'ada,  and  also  the  county  assessor  of  Lauder  county,  came  tO'  this  com- 
monwealth in  1875.  and  is  a  native  of  Canada,  where  he  was  JDorn  on  the  ist 
of  January,  1854.  11  is  grandfather,  William  Easton,  was  a  native  of  Scot- 
land, but  emigrated  to  America  in  1800  and  took  up  his  abode  thirty  miles 
south  of  the  city  of  Montreal,  Canada.  His  son,  Neal  Easton,  was  burn  on 
the  family  homestead  there,  and  married  Miss  Ann  Jamieson,  also  a  native 
of  Scotland,  and  they  became  the  ])arents  of  seven  children.  The  mother 
passed  away  in  death  in  1866,  Init  the  father  slill  survixes  and  mnv  makes  his 
home  in  London,  Ontario,  being  sexcnty-seven  years  of  age. 

W'ilHam  Easton,  the  only  memi)er  of  his  father's  family  in  Nevada,  re- 
ceived his  early  education  in  Canada,  and  when  fourteen  years  of  age  went 
to  London,  Ontario,  to  learn  the  blacksmitlis  trade.  From  there  he  went 
to  Bismarck,  on  the  Canada  Southern  Railroad,  and  thence  came  to  .Vustin, 
Nevada,  wiiere  he  was  employed  as  mining  engineer  by  the  Manhattan  Com- 
pany, also  doing  their  lilacksmithing.  In  1890  he  was  elected  sheriff  and 
assessor  and  held  that  office  for  four  terms  of  two  years  each.  Mr.  Easton 
in  1899  ])urchased  the  International  Hotel,  a  Iniilding  one  hundred  by  one 
hundrefl  feel  in  dimensions,  with  twenty-three  sleeping  apartments.  .1  huge 
liall  for  tliealrcs  and  parties,  a  large  dining-room  and  all  modern  conveniences 
to  be  found  in  a  first-class  hotel.  He  also  owns  a  half  interest  in  a  livery 
stable  in  Austin,  and  is  one  of  the  city's  most  active  and  successful  business 
men. 

In  politics  Mr.  Easton  was  formerly  identified  with  llic  Kci)ublicans, 
but  when  his  parly  abandoned  its  bimetallic  principles  he  became 
one  of  the  active  organizers  of  the  silver  i)arty  and  is  now  independent  in 
Ills  iKililical  arfiiiations.     In   1899  lie  was  sergeant-at-arms  in  the  state  legis- 


^^  g^e^^^z^^o^ 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  485 

latiirc.  In  190J  lie  was  again  elected  assessor  of  l^ander  cnnntw  being  now 
in  his  tenth  year  in  that  ini])ortant  ori'ice,  and  is  gi\ing  the  ntumst  satisfaction 
in  th€  performance  of  its  duties. 

Ill  January,  1888,  Mr.  Easton  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Lucy 
Anna  Stow,  a  n;iti\'e  dau.ghter  of  California,  wliere  her  birth  occurred  in 
San  Francisco.  They  have  three  children:  Neil  Stow,  attending  school  in 
("alifornia:  Delia  Louise,  also  attending  school;  and  Mehille  H.  The  family 
are  Methodists  in  their  reigious  faith,  and  fraternally  Mr.  Easton  is  a  h'ree- 
mason,  holding  the  office  of  senior  warden  in  the  blue  lodge  and  is  treas- 
urer of  the  cha]>ter.  He  has  also  filled  all  the  rjffices  in  the  lodges  of  the  In- 
dependent Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  in  the  social 
and  l.nisiness  circles  of  tlie  conimunit\'  he  holds  an  cn\'ialjle  ]ilace. 


J.  E.  SMITH,  of  the  firm  of  Drake  and  Smith,  proprietors  of  the 
Wells  meat  market,  and  also  of  the  firm  of  Smith  and  Davis,  ranchers  and 
stockmen,  has  laeen  a  resident  of  Nevada  and  the  west  the  greater  part  of 
his  life.  .\  large  part  of  his  active  career  has  been  sjjcnt  as  a  railroad 
man.  but  he  has  made  great  success  at  ranching  and  the  raising  of  stock.  The 
meat  market  of  which  he  is  part  owner  is  the  only  one  in  Wells,  and  not 
only  supplies  the  local  trade  but  ships  meat  to  the  mining  camps  and  the 
railroad  stores.  It  does  a  large  and  satisfactory  business,  and  its  proprietors 
are  thoroughly  reliable  business  men. 

Mr.  Smith  was  born  in  Bangor,  b^ranklin  county.  New  York,  June 
20,  1857,  and  was  educated  in  his  natix-e  state.  He  came  west  at  an 
early  age,  and  for  a  number  of  years  was  in  the  railroad  work.  He  was  at 
first  a  fireman,  and  for  seventeen  years  was  a  locomotive  engineer  on  the 
Southern  Pacific,  his  run  being  from  Carlin,  Nevada,  to  Ogden,  LTah.  When 
he  gave  up  this  jiosition  be  purchased  a  ranch  six  miles  west  of  Wells,  in 
Elko  county,  in  Star  valley.  He  and  bis  partner,  Mr.  Davis,  have  two  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres  of  land  for  cultivation,  besides  a  large  amount  of 
range,  and  they  raise  about  one  hundred  head  of  cattle.  As  soon  as  these 
are  fattened  the}'  are  killed  for  the  market,  and  others  are  bought  for  the 
same  purpose,  so  that  none  of  the  product  of  the  ranch  is  sent  abroad. 

Mr.  Smith  was  married  in  i8gi  to  Miss  Lizzie  Williams,  a  native  of 
Carlin,  Nevada.  Five  children  were  born  of  this  union,  as  follows:  ]\Iaria 
O.,  Emery  C,  Mildred,  Gladys  and  Talmadge.  They  reside  in  one  of  the 
pleasant  homes  of  Wells,  and  many  friends  find  a  cordial  welcome  within 
the  portals  of  the  home.  Mr.  Smith  is  a  member  of  the  Order  of  Loco- 
motive Engineers  and  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  as  a  rustling  and 
successful  business  man  has  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  e\'erv  citizen  of 
Wells. 


JAMES  EASTON  is  filling  the  i^osition  of  countv  commissioner  of 
Ormsby  county  and  is  one  of  Nevada's  well  known  and  respected  settlers, 
having  come  to  the  state  in  1864.  He  is  now  living  retired  after  many 
years  of  connection   with  active  business  affairs,  wherein  bis  labor,  intelli- 


4S6  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

gence  and  energy  proved  an  excellent  foundatii/n  upun  which  t(i  rear  the 
superstrncture  ot  success. 

A  native  of  Scotland,  jNlr.  Easton  was  i)orn  in  Octuher,  1S38.  and  in 
the  land  of  the  hill  and  heather  spent  the  first  sixteen  years  of  his  life.  He 
then  started  out  to  make  his  own  way  in  tlie  world,  and.  thinking  tliat  he  might 
do  better  on  the  western  continent,  he  crossed  the  .Atlantic  to  Canada,  where 
he  remained  for  five  years.  He  then  left  the  queen"s  domain,  and  in  1859 
made  his  way  to  California,  where  he  engaged  in  mining  at  Columbia, 
Toulumne  count}'.  Later  he  became  connected  with  the  sheep-raising  in- 
dustry in  the  Sacramento  valley.  ha\ing  as  high. as  two  thousand  sheep  at 
one  time.  There  he  resided  until  his  removal  to  Nevada.  Coming  to  this 
state,  he  went  into  the  mountains  abn\e  Carson  City  and  engaged  with  the 
Carson  Tahoe  Lumber  and  Fluming  Com])any  as  superintendent  of  the 
flume  for  conveying  wood  and  lumber  to  the  mines  in  Virginia  City.  He 
was  thus  busied  for  twenty-seven  years,  and  then  retired.  He  was  fortunate 
in  his  choice  of  a  business,  and  his  energy,  keen  foresight  and  perseverance 
enabled  him  to  so  conduct  his  affairs  that  they  brought  to  him  a  splendid 
financial  return,  enabling  him  now  to  rest  from  further  labor  and  to  enjo)- 
the  fruits  of  his  former  toil. 

In  the  fall  of  1875  Mr.  Easton  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Bessie 
Davidson,  who  was  also  a  native  of  Scotland,  but  was  reared  in  Canada, 
becomiug  a  resident  of  Carson  City  in  August.  1874.  To  them  have  been 
l)orn  two  sons.  James  Davidson  and  Thomas  Hewitt,  both  born  in  Carson 
City.  Their  parents  have  given  them  good  educational  jirivileges.  and  they 
,'ue  a  credit  to  their  native  city.  The  parents  and  sons  are  valued  members 
of  the  Presljyterian  church,  always  attending  its  services,  taking  an  acti\-e 
])art  in  its  work  and  doing  much  for  its  upbuilding  and  substantial  growth. 

In  his  ])oliticai  views  Mr.  Easton  has  been  a  life-long  Democrat,  and 
has  kept  well  informed  on  the  questions  and  issues  of  the  dav.  but  has 
ne\-er  sought  or  desired  office.  At  l(~ical  elections  he  has  \-oted  quite  inde- 
l)endently  of  party  ties,  su]j])orting  the  men  whom  he  thinks  l)est  ([ualified 
for  office.  He  is  now  acting  as  county  commissioner  in  a  manner  which 
makes  his  devotion  to  the  general  good  and  bis  lox-altv  to  the  ])ul)lic  welf;u'e 
abo\e  question.  In  the  discharge  of  his  official  duties  he  is  both  progressive 
and  economical,  and  Innks  beyond  the  exigencies  of  the  mdinent  to  the  pos- 
sibilities of  the  future.  He  has  been  a  business  man  iif  high  integril\-,  and  he 
and  his  family  have  the  respect  of  a  wide  circle  of  friends  in  the  state  in 
whicii  the\'  have  so  long  Ikjcu   wortlu-  citizens. 


T.  \\.  HOI'T'".R,  Jr.,  postma.ster  of  Carson  City,  was  appointed  by 
{'resident  McKinley,  in  June,  1900,  and  has  proved  most  ca])able  in  the 
discbarge  of  his  duties,  his  administration  of  the  affairs  of  the  office  giving 
general  satisfaction,  .\lmost  his  entire  life  has  been  passed  in  Nevada.  He 
was  born  in  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  on  the  20tii  of  November,  1876. 
but  was  only  one  year  old  when  brought  bv  bis  |)arcnts  to  Carson  City, 
where  be  was  reared,  acfpiiring  his  preliminary  education  in  the  schools 
of  this  city.     When  be  had  mastered  the  branches  of  learning  liere  lau"'ht. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  487 

lu'  nialriciilatcd  in  the  l.elaiiil  Staiifurd  L'liiversily  of  California,  ir.  which 
lie  complflcd  lii.s  course.  He  tlieii  eiis^aged  in  teaching  school,  following 
that  i)rofcssi(in  for  a  year  in  Dayton.  Ne\-a(la.  and  for  one  year  at  Gardner- 
\ille.  meeting  will)  excellent  .success  in  his  work,  hecause  of  the  clearness 
I  if  his  ex])lanations  and  the  readiness  with  which  he  imparted  to  others  the 
l.nowledge  he  iiad  acquired.  He  then  had  the  honor  of  receiving  from 
President  McKinley  the  ai)pointment  to  the  position  of  postmaster  at  Car- 
siin  City,  and  returned  to  take  charge  of  the  office,  of  which  he  has  been 
the  head  since  June,  1900.  Since  that  time  the  husiness  of  the  office  has 
increased  until  it  is  now  an  office  of  the  second  class.  His  capable  super- 
\ision  of  the  business  of  the  department,  his  systematic  methods  of  work  and 
his  promptness  in  executing  the  business  of  the  position  have  made  him  a 
popid.ir  official  and  a  worthy  representative  of  the  government. 

On  the  8th  of  January,  1899,  Mr.  Hofer  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  I'.lizabeth  Stewart  Fox,  daughter  of  A.  W.  Fo.x  and  a  granrldaughter 
of  United  States  Senator  Stewart.  Thev  now  have  a  bright  little  son,  to 
whom  they  have  given  the  name  of  Stewart.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hofer  are 
members  nf  the  Episcopal  church,  and  they  have  a  nice  home  in  Carson 
City,  and  hosts  of  friends  in  the  city  and  state.  Mr.  Hofer  belongs  to  the 
Ivnights  of  Pythias  fraternity  and  to  the  grand  lodge  of  the  order,  and  he  has 
always  been  a  Republican  in  his  political  views.  Active  in  the  work  of  the 
party,  his  efforts  have  been  discerningly  directed  along  lines  proving  of  benefit 
to  the  organization,  while  as  a  citizen  he  has  labored  for  the  welfare  of  his 
state  in  a  manner  that  at  once  indicates  his  loyalty  and  his  devotion  to  the 
general  good.  He  is  a  young  man,  genial,  approachable  and  cordial  in  man- 
ner, and  his  social  qualities  ha\e  made  him  popular. 


WARREN  M.  ANGEL,  justice  of  the  peace  and  school  trustee  and 
postmaster  of  Wells,  Elko  county,  Nevada,  under  appointment  of  the  late 
President  Mclvinley,  has  been  a  resident  of  this  state  for  twenty-five  years. 
He  is  a  strictly  self-iuade  man.  and  has  done  for  himself  since  he  was  fifteen 
years  old.  He  has  had  many  phases  of  fortune  during  this  time,  a  number 
of  ups  and  downs,  but  it  is  a  pleasure  to  say  that  he  is  now  on  top,  and 
deserves  to  be  considered  among  the  more  ]>ros])erous  and  enterprising 
citizens   of  his  adopted   state. 

His  father,  Fernandi)  Cortez  .\ngel,  was  born  in  the  state  of  New 
"S'ork  in  1829,  and  he  married  a  native  of  the  state  of  New  Jersey.  Miss 
Mary  White,  the  daughter  of  l^dward  White,  of  New  Jersey.  Shortly  after 
their  marriage  they  came  to  the  state  of  Iowa,  and  in  the  days  before  rail- 
ro.-ids  Mr.  .\ngel  drove  a  stage.  One  cold  winter  night  he  was  so  benumbed 
that  at  the  end  of  his  drive  he  could  not  speak  or  move,  and  had  to  lie  taken 
tlowu  from  his  .seat.  He  never  recoverecl  from  this  exposure,  and  he  died 
in  1862,  when  only  thirty-three  years  old.  His  wife,  thus  bereft,  courage- 
ously reared  her  four  children,  sending  them  to  school  and  giving  them 
what  advantages  she  could.  She  afterward  married  again,  when  \\"arren 
M.   Angel   was  ten  years  old. 

The  latter  was  born  January    18,    1856,  and  at  the  age  of  fifteen  left 


488  A  HISTORY  OF  NE\^ADA. 

liome  and  went  to  California.  He  had  received  a  fair  amount  of  education, 
and  also  learned  how  to  work,  and  on  arri\-ing  in  this  western  country  he 
did  whatever  came  to  hand.  He  was  twenty-two  years  old  when  he  canje 
to  Nevada  in  1878,  and  after  following  the  active  life  of  a  cowboy  for  two 
vears  returned  to  California  and  took  a  commercial  course  in  the  Garden 
City  Commercial  College.  He  then  returned  to  Nevada  and  at  Wells 
opened  a  general  merchandise  store,  where  he  sold  goods  for  two  years. 
He  also  openerl  a  store  in  Sprucemont,  Elko  county,  where  he  sold  supplies 
to  the  miners,  but  when  the  camp  went  down  be  lost  all  he  bad  made.  He 
then  bought  a  ranch  of  four  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  the  beautiful  Clover 
valle}-,  going  in  debt  for  the  property  and  paying  two  per  cent  interest.  He 
engaged  in  raising  cattle  and  hay,  and  was  getting  along  nicely  when  he 
met  with  a  serious  accident  which  almost  resulted  in  crippling  him  for  life. 
He  fell  with  a  derrick  which  was  used  for  stacking  hay,  and  the  bones  in 
Ixitb  his  heels  were  broken.  He  bad  bis  feet  in  plaster  of  paris  casts  and 
bad  to  walk  on  his  knees  for  a  number  of  months.  He  kept  bis  farm  but 
mo\'ed  into  W'ells  in  order  to  save  bis  feet  and  school  his  children,  and  is  now 
nearly  re^-ox-ered  from  the  fall. 

Mr.  Angel  continued  steadfast  in  the  Republican  ranks  when  all  his 
neighbors  espoused  the  cause  of  silver,  and  in  1898  he  received  the  appoint- 
ment of  postmaster  of  Wells  from  Presiflent  McKinley.  He  has  filled  the 
office  very  efficiently  ever  since,  and  to  the  eminent  satisfaction  of  all  con- 
cerned. In  the  postoffice  building  be  runs  a  notion  and  stationery  store, 
and  is  making  a-  success  of  all  bis  endeavors.  He  is  still  engaged  in  the 
management  of  his  farm.  He  has  a  number  of  Merino  sheep,  Hereford 
cattle  and  some  Hambletonian  horses,  and  is  an  up-to-date  stockman. 

Mr.  Angel  has  been  a  Mason  since  1885,  when  he  was  initiated  into 
Elko  Lodge  No.  15,  F.  &  A.  M.,  and  be  is  also  past  chancellor  and  the 
present  master  of  finance  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias.  In  1885,  while  a  resi- 
dent of  Sprucemont,  Mr.  Angel  married  Miss  Ruth  Helen  Wiseman,  who 
was  born  in  Maysville,  California,  a  daughter  of  Isaac  Wiseman,  who 
came  to  tliat  state  in  1869.  The  following  children  have  been  born  of  this 
union:  Loren  C,  Gertrude  E.,  Henry  W.  and  Clifton  E.  Mrs.  Angel  is  a 
member  of  the  I'rcsljyterian  church,  and  his  religion  has  been  to  do  right 
and  conform  to  the  tenets  of  bis  fraternal  orders,  whose  teachings  are 
always  u])lifting  and   beneficent. 


HON.  JOHN  NEWTON  EVANS.  The  life  record  of  Ibm.  John 
Newton  Evans  forms  a  connecting  link  between  the  ])ioneer  ])ast  and  the 
])rogressive  present  in  Nevada,  b'ew  of  the  residents  of  the  state  longer 
resided  within  its  lx)rders,  for  he  came  iiere  when  this  section  of  the  country 
was  yet  a  part  of  tllT;  territory  of  Utah,  arriving  in  the  year  1859.  I  ie  was  but 
a  boy  when  he  crossed  the  plains  in  company  with  his  l)rothcrs  and  settled 
in  the  midst  of  a  pioneer  country  forty  miles  north  of  what  is  now  the  popu- 
lous city  of  Reno.  Since  that  time  marked  advancement  has  been  made  until 
the  traveler  of  to-day  can  scarcely  realize  what  was  the  condition  of  this  dis- 
trict at  the  time  Mr.  I-ivans  took  up  bis  abode  lure. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  489 

John  NcAvtnn  F.\;ins,  who  ilicd  Xoxenihcr  14,  1903,  was  l)orn  in  Defiance. 
Ohio,  on  the  i3tli  of  May.  1^35.  of  Welsh  ancestry.  Four  brotliers  of  tlie 
name  of  F.\'ans  Ijecame  early  settlers  of  Kentucky,  and  of  one  of  these,  Pierce 
I'lvans,  his  father,  was  a  son.  He  was  reared  in  Highland  county.  Ohio.  and. 
removing  to  Fort  Defiance,  selected  lands  there  long  jjefore  any  survey  had 
been  made.  He  liecame  the  owner  of  a  number  of  fertile  farms  there,  and 
(luring  the  greater  part  of  his  business  career  also  carried  on  merchandising. 
As  a  companion  and  hel])mate  for  life's  journey  he  chose  Miss  Mary  Ann 
Jjraucher.  a  native  of  Highland  c(iunty,  Ohio,  and  they  became  the  parents 
of  eleven  children,  but  only  two  are  now  living,  Alvaro  Evans  being  now  an 
honored  pioneer  of  Nevada,  residing  in  Reno,  and  Mrs.  Mary  Arrowsmitli. 
a  resident  of  Long  Valley,  California. 

In  the  public  schools  of  his  native  state  John  Evans  was  educated,  and 
when  he  was  still  rjuite  young  he  and  his  brother  took  a  drove  of  cattle  across 
the  plains.  When  they  reached  their  destination  there  were  only  fi\'e  ranches 
in  this  entire  country.  They  liecame  the  owners  of  five  thousand  acres  of  land 
situated  in  the  midst  of  an  attracti\-e  district  noted  for  its  healthfulness,  its 
excellent  climate  and  for  the  good  pasturage  it  afforded.  They  had  brought 
with  them  about  fi\e  hundred  head  of  cattle  and  with  these  began  their  stock- 
raising  interests  in  the  west.  For  ten  years,  however,  the  Indians  frequently 
made  raids  upon  their  ranches,  driving  off  the  stock,  sometimes  getting  as 
high  as  four  hundred  head.  Idiev  belonged  to  the  Winnemuccas,  the  Pah- 
L'tes  and  the  Sioux  tribes.  On  each  occasion  that  a  raid  was  made  upon  the 
ranch  Mr.  Evans  took  command  of  wdiat  few  men  he  could  muster  and 
made  a  brave  effort  to  regain  possession  of  the  stock,  although  on  each  occa- 
sion he  was  in  imminent  danger  of  losing  his  own  life.  They  made  friends 
with  a  young  W'innemucca,  and  he  often  warned  them  and  put  them  on  their 
guard  when  the  Indians  were  about  to  stampede  the  cattle.  On  one  occasion 
he  came  to  their  place  and  said  there  was  a  camp  of  Pah-Ute  Indians  near  by, 
saying  also  that  if  they  would  arm  the  Indians  they  would  go  and  help  take 
the  Pah-Utes.  This  was  done  and  nine  of  the  invading  red  men  were  killed 
and  the  rest  hastily  made  their  departure.  The  following  j-ear  the  Pierson 
family  were  massacred,  this  occurring  in  the  spring  of  1867,  and  Mr. 
Evans  was  always  of  the  opinion  that  it  was  in  retaliation  for  the  punishment 
which  the  Indians  had  received  the  spring  before. 

At  another  time  Mr.  Evans  was  captain  of  a  company  of  nineteen  men 
that  went  in  pursuit  of  the  murderers  of  the  Pierson  family.  The  trail  was 
very  plain,  for  the  ground  was  co\ered  with  snow,  but  as  this  was  in  a 
slushy  condition  it  made  traveling  \-ery  difficult.  After  following  the  Indians 
for  a  number  of  days,  eight  of  the  party  gave  out.  Mr.  Evans  pushed  on 
with  the  remainder,  hoping  to  come  upon  the  Indians  the  next  morning. 
They  camped  in  the  wet  snow  and  did  not  dare  to  make  a  fire.  They  were 
compelled,  however,  to  gi\'e  up  the  ])ursuit,  but  afterward  learned  that  they 
had  come  within  five  miles  of  the  headcjuarters  of  the  entire  band  of  In- 
dians, and  had  they  gone  any  farther  every  one  of  the  white  men  would  ha\-e 
undoubtedly  been  killed.  Later  General  Kearney  inflicted  upon  the  Indians 
several  punishments,  and  they  then  remained  peaceful  until  1864.  In  that 
year  Mr.  E\ans  returned  to  Ohio  for  more  stock,  and  on  the  ]ilains  he  met 


490  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Rigar  and  liis  com]iany  going  out  with  about  one  hundred  head  of  liorses, 
hut  the  Indians  on  the  Sweetwater  stampeded  all  of  his  horses.  Rigar  was 
devoid  of  fear  and  went  in  pursuit,  hut  at  a  later  date  he  was  killed  by  the 
Indians. 

During  that  journey  across  the  plains  Mr.  E\'ans  ne\er  allowed  his 
liorses  to  be  out  of  his  sight.  He  again  crossed  the  i>lains  to  Texas  in  1869, 
but  the  Sioux  Indians  were  then  upon  tiie  waq>ath  and  were  so  troublesome 
that  he  drove  his  two  thousand  head  of  cattle  one  thousand  miles  out  of  the 
wa_\-  in  order  to  a\oid  the  redskins.  i\t  length  they  arrived  safely  at  Fort 
Kearnev,  and  from  there  on  a  company  of  cavalry  was  at  every  other  station 
for  the  protection  of  the  emigrants.  .\s  they  proceeiled  some  Indians  made 
a  raid  upon  Mr.  Evans  and  his  party,  and  succeeded  in  stampeding  forty- 
nine  of  his  fine  horses.  There  were  aliout  eleven  Sioux  who  did  this  de[)re- 
dation,  and  Mr.  E\'ans  followed  them  until  the  following  day,  when  he  was 
"joined  hv  a  cavalry  company  and  the\-  continued  in  ]nu"suit,  for  four  days 
longer,  hut  without  success.  Through  \-arious  losses  of  this  kind  Mr.  Evans 
had  man_\'  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  claims  against  the  go\ernment.  After 
residing  for  fifteen  years  in  Humboldt  county  he  sold  his  large  landed  hold- 
ings there,  disjiosing  at  that  time  of  Iwn  thousand  head  of  cattle  for  one 
hundred  and  sixty  tlK)Usand  dollars.  About  two  years  before,  he  and  his 
l)artners  had  .sold  from  the  ranch  ten  thousand  head  of  cattle  for  about  twelve 
dollars  ])er  head.  L'pou  leaving  the  farm  Mr.  Evans  i"emoved  to  Reno.  L'Uti! 
his  death  he  leased  the  Vale  ranch,  on  which  he  had  about  one  thousand  head 
of  cattle  and  on  which  he  annuall\-  raised  large  quantities  of  hay.  In  1878 
he  ]Hn"chased  one  lumdred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  adjoiuing  Reno  on  the 
north,  and  on  this  tract  built  his  line  commodious  residence.  He  sub-divided 
a  part  nf  this  land  into  town  lots,  and  the  Nevada  State  University  is  built 
upon  it.  (jradually  the  town  has  grown  out  in  that  direction,  and  some 
fine  residences  ha\e  been  built  upon  the  tract,  which  li.is  become  very  valu- 
able. He  also  (iwned  two  hundred  ;nid  fiflv  acres  of  laud  mi  ihe  west  side 
of  the  city  l)y  the  water  works. 

In  1877  Mr.  Evans  was  married  in  .Miss  Flizabelh  Metcalf.  a  native 
of  Lima,  Ohio,  and  a  daughter  of  Judge  li.  !•".  Metcalf,  one  of  Ohio's  most 
prominent  jurists  and  statesmen.  The  union  has  l)een  blessed  with  six  chil- 
dren:  J.  N.,  who  is  now  in  charge  of  a  ranch:  Ben  Allen,  who  is  a  senior  in 
the  Nevada  University,  Mary  Elizabeth,  a  g^raduate  of  the  uni\ersity; 
Pierce  Rice,  at  home;  Nancy  15.,  who  died  in  1,901:  and  Rowena,  at  home. 
Mr.  Evans  was  a  I\e])ul>lican  until  the  silver  question  came  ])rouu'nently  be- 
fore the  people.  lie  never  sought  or  held  office,  except  serving  for  two  terms 
as  regent  of  the  University  of  Nevada.  He  was  one  of  the  most  prominent 
;is  well  as  successful  representatives  of  stock-raising  interests  in  the  state,  and 
there  were  few,  if  any,  residents  of  Nevada  who  had  been  more  actively  con 
nected  with  e\euts  framing  the  pioneer  lustor\-  of  this  locality.  He  had  uian\ 
encounters  with  the  Indians  and  many  narrow  escapes,  so  that  he  seemed  to 
possess  a  cliarmed  life.  His  history,  if  written  in  detail,  would  constitute  a 
story  more  thrilling  than  any  romance  of  fiction,  and  would  present  a  picture 
of  pioneer  exi)eriences  of  which  ])eoi)le  of  the  present  day  can  form  no  clear 
conception. 


A  HISTORY  Ol'   NEVADA.  401 

STEPHEN  EDE.  One  of  tlic  pinneer  fanners  living  in  the  Tnickee 
meadows  is  Stejilien  Ede.  who  is  successfully  conducting  agricultural  inter- 
ests. He  crossetl  the  plains  in  the  year  1859.  passing  through  that  jnirtion 
of  the  territor)'  of  Utah  which  is  now  included  within  the  houndary  lines 
of  Nex'ada.  He  was  horn  in  England  in  I1S38  and  comes  of  old  English 
ancestry,  his  parents  heing  Peter  and  Sarah  (W'illett)  Ede,  also  natives 
of  the  "merrie  isle."  In  the  year  1844,  when  their  little  son  was  a  lad  of  six 
summers,  they  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  new  world  and  settled  in  Wis- 
consin nineteen  miles  from  Milwaukee.  The  father  was  accom])anied  hy  his 
wife  and  six  children,  and  spent  his  remaining  da\s  in  the  Badger  state, 
where  he  lived  to  the  ripe  old  age  of  se\ent\-eight  years  and  was  then  called 
to  his  final  rest.  His  wife  departed  this  life  at  the  age  of  sixty-six  years, 
and  only  t\vi>  of  the  family  arc  mnv  lixing.  Mr.  ImIc  heing  the  onh'  one  in 
Nevada. 

it  was  under  the  parental  roof  in  Wisconsin  that  Stephen  Ede  si)ent 
the  days  of  his  hoyhood  and  youth,  and  in  the  puhlic  schools  near  hy  he 
accjuired  his  education.  He  gave  his  father  the  henefit  of  his  services  until 
he  was  ahout  twenty-one  years  of  age,  when,  imhued  with  a  s])irit  of  adven- 
ture, a  desire  to  see  more  of  the  world  and  also  a  laudable  ambition  to 
attain  Inisiness  success  in  the  west,  he  crossed  the  jilains  in  company  with 
the  Evans  brothers,  driving  cattle  on  the  long  trip  to  the  far  west  and 
settling  on  the  Summit  in  Sierra  county.  This  was  the  }ear  of  the  great 
mining  excitement  concerning  the  discoverv  of  gold  at  Pike's  Peak,  and 
.\Ir.  Ede  and  his  companions  purchased  nearly  two  hundred  head  of  the 
oxen  that  had  been  driven  to  Pike's  Peak  by  the  emigrants,  who,  ha\-ing" 
reached  their  destination,  cared  no  longer  to  retain  their  stock.  Mr.  Ede 
and  his  companions  had  altogether  one  hundred  and  fifteen  oxen  and  fifty 
cows.  During  the  two  years  succeeding  their  arri\'al  they  sold  their  oxen 
for  four  hundred  dollars  a  yoke,  and  the  cows  brought  one  hundred  dollars 
each.  After  remaining  in  the  Golden  state  for  about  two  years  Mr.  Ede 
returned  to  San  Erancisco.  and  thence  embarked  for  the  east,  but  did  not 
remain  long"  in  "the  states."  In  1864  lie  once  more  crossed  the  plains,  bring- 
ing his  family  with  him.  He  drove  fifty  head  of  horses,  and  the  trij)  was 
accomplished   in   safety. 

Mr.  Ede  was  happily  married  dn  1863  to  Miss  Eleanor  Gleason,  who 
was  born  in  Ireland.  On  reaching  the  Pacific  coast  the  young  couple  took 
up  their  abode  in  the  Sierra  valley,  and  there  Mr.  Ede  engaged  in  the  rasing 
of  .stock  and  in  the  dairy  business,  following  that  pursuit  until  1876.  On 
the  expiration  of  that  period  he  removed  to  Reno  and  purchased  his  present 
ranch  of  two  hundred  and  seven  acres,  which  was  partially  improved. 
He  gave  eight  thousand  dollars  for  this  property,  which  a  few  vears  liefore 
had  .sold  for  sixteen  hundred  dollars.  This  indicated  the  rise  in  land  values 
in  this  section  and  also  shows  the  rapid  development  of  the  ^Vashoe  valley. 
Mr.  Ede  erected  all  of  the  substantial  liuildings  which  are  now  upon  his 
farm,  planted  the  orchards  and  developed  a  part  of  his  place  from  the  sage 
brush.  Soon  after  he  obtained  possession  of  his  ranch,  alfalfa  was  intro- 
duced into  Nevada,  and  when  it  was  found  that  it  grew  well  and  yielded 
two  large  crops  each  year,  so  that  the  land  could  be  utilized  in  producing 


492  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

very  paying  crops,  prices  of  land  again  rose,  and  within  recent  years  Mr. 
Ede  lias  rehised  eighteen  thousand  dollars  for  his  property.  He  has  heen  a 
very  successful  farmer,  and  since  coming  to  the  west  has  prospered  in  his 
business  affairs.  His  success,  however,  is  the  result  of  close  and  con- 
tinued efTorl  guided  by  sound  business  judgment. 

In  his  work  Mr.  Ede  has  always  been  encouraged  and  assisted  by 
his  estimable  wife,  a  worthy  pioneer  woman  who  for  many  years  has  been 
a  witness  of  the  development  and  progress  of  this  portion  of  the  country. 
They  now  ha\-e  a  nice  home  and  are  highly  respected  people.  To  them 
were  born  eleven  children,  luit  one  has  passed  away.  This  was  Rose,  a 
young  ladv  who  died  in  the  twenty-second  year  of  her  age.  She  had  grad- 
uated from  the  Najja  College,  and  was  pursuing  a  course  in  medicine  pre- 
paratory to  becoming  a  practitioner  when  her  life  was  ended.  The  eldest 
daughter  of  the  family,  Alice,  who  has  been  a  prominent  school  teacher 
for  a  number  of  years,  is  now  an  instructnr  in  the  high  school  at  Elko. 
The  others  of  the  family  are  Jared,  who  is  living  at  Lake  Tahoe;  Everett, 
of  Reno;  John,  of  Wadsworth ;  Estella,  the  wife  of  J.  T.  Brooks  of  San 
Jose.  California,  and  prior  to  her  marriage  she  graduated  from  the  Nevada 
State  L'niversity  and  had  1)een  a  teacher  in  that  institution  for  four  years : 
Ellen,  the  wife  of  Fred  \\'ales,  an  engineer  on  the  Southern  Pacific  Rail- 
road;  Robert,  of  Oakland,  California;  Philip,  who  is  at  home  with  his 
father;  Ruble,  the  wife  of  William  Lunford,  of  Reno;  and  Hattie,  who  is 
also  under  the  parental  roof  and  comi)letes  the  family.  Mr.  Ede  was  a 
stanch  Republican  for  many  years,  but,  being  in  favor  of  bimetalism,  he 
does  not  consider  himself  l)Ound  by  party  ties  now  and  votes  independently. 
?Ie  is  a  member  of  the  Reno  Lodge  No.  ij;.  F.  &  A.  M.  and  by  his 
brethren  of  the  fraternity  as  well  as  by  all  who  k"nnw  liim  he  is  hold  in  high 
re<rard. 


THE  ELKO  INDEPENDENT,  which  has  had  an  uninterrupted  exist- 
ence for  over  a  third  of  a  centurv,  and  has  been  as  powerful  as  anv  other 
one  factor  in  promoting  the  general  progress  and  welfare  of  the  state  of 
Nevado,  is  now  indigenous  to  the  town  of  Elko,  but  was  first  started  at 
Unionville  in  1867  as  the  Ilninboldt  Register,  its  owner  being  VA  Kelley, 
the  present  surveyor  general  of  the  state.  S.  S.  Sears  conducted  it  until 
18S8,  when  C.  \V.  Grover  bought  out  Mr.  Sears,  and  ran  the  i)ai)er  until 
May  I,  1891,  when  the  concern  was  leased  to  Mr.  \V.  W.  B(X)her,  who 
conducted  it  on  lease  until  January  i,  1892,  when  he  ]nuchased  it  out- 
right, and  has  since  been  its  able  editor  and  ])nblisher.  The  i);iper  has 
had  a  daily  issue  since  January  i,  1876.  Its  long  and  successful  career  is  a 
matter  of  credit  and  pride  to  its  various  jiroprietors,  and  as  a  moldcr  of 
pul)lic  opinion  toward  i)rogressivc  aims  its  inlluence  has  been  incalculable. 
Jt  was  started  as  a  Democratic  organ,  and.  .'dlhmigh  it  esjioused  the  cause 
f)f  sih'er  and  bimetalism  during  that  inn\emcnt,  its  trend  li;is  been  steadily 
Democratic. 

Mr.  Booher,  who  has  been  so  successful  in  ihc  management  of  the 
ludepeudenl    fnr    over   tweKe   years,    :uid   has    likewise   been    idenlificd    wi(h 


i-'Ji 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  493 

iiiaiiv  iniiNL'inciUs  in  the  \n\\)\\c  interest  and  has  had  an  interesting  career, 
was  l)(irn  in  I'.ast  Grcneland,  Livingston  county,  New  York,  on  October  13, 
1849,  •">'•  i^  ol"  German-Swiss  ancestry,  his  grandfather  liaving  been  tlie 
progenitor  of  the  family  in  this  country.  Tlie  parents  of  tlie  ])resent  family 
were  menibers  of  the  Methodist  church  and  Mr.  Booher  was  also  reared 
in   that    faitii. 

He  was  educated  in  the  home  schools,  in  the  Genesee  Wesleyan  Sem- 
inary at  Lima,  New  York,  and  finished  at  the  State  University  of  Mis- 
souri. In  1869  he  went  to  Savannah,  Andrew  county,  Missouri,  and  was 
a  teacher  in  the  schools  of  that  county  for  six  years.  In  February,  1875, 
he  started  for  Nevada,  and  arrived  in  Virginia  City  on  St.  Valentine's 
day.  At  first  he  did  whatever  came  to  hand,  was  clerk  in  the  law  office  of 
Eastman  and  McOuaid.  where  he  was  getting  well  started  when  the  big 
fire  of  1875  turned  him  out  of  employment.  In  January.  1876,  he  was 
appointed  clerk  of  the  justice  court  of  township  No.  i,  and  after  a  year  in 
that  position  was  appointed  deputy  constable  of  township  No.  2,  which 
office  he  filled  for  two  years.  In  1880  he  was  employed  to  teacli  the  Sutro 
school,  wdiich  he  did  tor  four  years,  and  in  the  same  year  was  made  super- 
intendent of  the  Storey  county  schools  for  two  years.  In  i884-"85-'86  he 
taught  the  Hawthorne  school,  and  in  September,  1886,  came  to  Elko,  where 
he  was  engaged  in  teaching  up  to  May  30,  1891,  since  which  time  he  has 
been  occupied  in  the  main  by  his  editorial  duties. 

Mr.  Booher  has  always  been  Democratic  in  political  belief.  In  1890 
he  was  candidate  of  the  party  for  clerk  of  the  supreme  court  of  the  state. 
In  1876,  1888  and  1892  he  was  a  candidate  for  the  state  assembly,  but 
each  time  his  party  ticket  was  defeated.  In  1898,  while  he  was  absent  in 
the  east,  his  name  was  put  on  the  state  ticket  for  regent  of  the  State  Uni- 
versity and  was  defeated,  and  in  1900  he  was  elected  to  the  short  term 
of  that  office  and  re-elected  in  1902  for  the  long  term,. an  office  which  he  still 
holds.  Mr.  Booher  believes  he  holds  the  record  for  the  greatest  number  of 
ilefeats  at  the  hands  of  political  opponents.  He  has  often  allowed  the  use 
of  his  name  in  making  up  a  party  ticket,  but  of  late  years  his  candidacy  has 
been  more  successful. 

Mr.  Booher  was  married  April  25,  1899,  to  Miss  Mary  A.  Chapman, 
of  Dansville,  Livingston  county.  New  York.  He  has  been  a  memljer  of 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  since  1873,  has  passed  the  chairs  in 
all  its  branches,  is  a  past  grand  master  and  past  grand  patriarch  of  the 
grand  lodge  and  grand  encampment  of  the  state,  and  has  been  repre- 
sentati\'e  at  the  sovereign  grand  lodge  held  in  Proxidencc,  Rhode  Island, 
also  in  Minneapolis,  Minnesota.  Springfield,  Illinois,  and  at  Boston,  Mas- 
sachusetts. Mr.  Booher  has  a  fine  record  as  an  enthusiastic  and  successful 
teacher,  which  he  has  duplicated  in  his  journalism,  and  he  is  one  of  the  best 
known  and  most  highly  esteemed  men  of  his  county  and  state. 


B.  F.  BAKER,  proprietor  of  the  Nucleus  Hotel  at  Hawthorne,  has 
resided  in  Ne\'ada  for  the  past  thirty-three  years.  He  was  born  in  Mis- 
souri  in  January,    1867,   and   is   of   German   ancestry.      His   father,    Henry 


i'Ji  A  lliSTURV  Ul-   XE\ADA. 

liaUcr.  was  Ijoni  in  Ohio  and  removed  to  X'irginia  City  in  1870  and  is  now 
a  resident  of  Mason  valley,  where  he  has  a  good  farm  of  two  hundred  and 
forty  acres,  which  he  has  greatly  improved.  He  married  Miss  Christiana 
llernlil)en.  a  native  of  Missouri  and  of  German  ancestors.  He  is  now  sixty- 
live  vcars  of  age,  and  .she  is  fifty-three,  and  their  children  are  respected 
citizens  of  Nevada. 

When  B.  F.  Baker  was  in  his  fourth  year  he  was  brought  lo  \irginia 
City,  hut  he  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Yerington.  Lyon  county. 
Nevada,  and  reared  upon  his  father's  ranch.  In  1896  he  engaged  in  the 
hotel  business  in  Yerington.  and  is  still  owner  of  the  Commercial  Hotel  in 
that  city.  Just  before  the  discovery  of  gold  at  Nome  he  spent  eleven  months 
in  the  Klondike,  but  the  season  is  so  short  and  the  climate  so  unfavoralile 
that  he  returned  home. 

In  .\pril,  1903.  he  went  to  Hawthorne  and  rented  the  Nucleus  House, 
and  has  put  it  in  fine  condition.  It  has  twenty-three  large  and  well  furnished 
be<lrooms.  the  cuisine  is  excellent  and  the  emplo}-es  capaljle  and  courteous. 
Mr.  Baker  himself  is  an  ideal  host,  careful  of  the  comfort  of  his  guests  and 
an.xious  to  provide  them  with  whatever  they  may  require,  so  that  it  is  small 
wonder  that  the  patronage  of  his  house  is  constantly  increasing. 

On  .April  2.  1894,  he  was  married  to  Maggie  Ellis,  a  native  of  Mis- 
•souri.  but  reared  in  Nevada.  They  have  a  son.  Fay  L.  Baker.  Mr.  Baker 
is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  has  passed  all 
the  chairs  in  the  order,  and  is  connected  with  the  order  of  Foresters.  In 
politics  he  is  a  good  Democrat,  although  in  local  affairs  he  is  inclined  tn  vote 
for  the  man  best  suited  for  the  office.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Baker  Avere  reared  in 
the  Methodist  faith,  and  they  give  the  church  of  that  denomination  in  Yer- 
ington their  generous  support.  Few  people  stand  any  higher  in  the  confi- 
dence of  the  community  than  do  these  two  most  e.xcellent  people. 


AUGUST  DESIRE  LEMAIRE.  One  of  Nevada's  prominent  pioneer 
citizens  and  business  men,  residing  at  Battle  Mountain,  is  .\ugust  Desire 
Lemaire,  who  has  been  a  resident  of  this  commonwealth  since  August,  1863. 
He  is,  however,  a  native  of  France,  where  his  birth  occurred  on  the  6th  of 
l'"e!)ruary,  1839,  and  he  was  there  reared  to  mature  years.  He  subsequenlly 
made  his  way  to  the  new  world,  and  arrix^cd  in  California  in  .\pril.  1859, 
after  a  journey  across  the  isthmus,  being  at  that  time  a  single  man,  without 
any  know'ledge  of  the  English  language  and  with  but  very  little  money,  fie 
first  engaged  in  mining  at  North  liloomlicld  and  at  I'olsom,  but  without  suc- 
cess, and  as  a  means  of  livelihood  he  began  work  on  a  farm  at  twenty-five 
flollars  a  month.  Returning  from  Folsom  to  North  Bloomfield,  he  was  given 
the  ))osition  of  ditch-tender,  for  which  he  received  ninety  dollars  a  month, 
this  being  four  times  the  amount  he  cnuld  have  earned  had  he  remained  in 
I'Vancc. 

In  July.  1863.  Mr.  Lemaire  made  his  way  to  Virginia  City,  Nevada, 
and  on  the  2Ti<\  of  .\ugust  of  that  year  went  to  C.olconda.  whence  in  1864  he 
arrived  on  the  present  site  nf  Winnemucca.  but  at  that  time  a  town  had  not 
been  ihuught  nf.      In  ciim])an_\-  with  his  two  cnusins  he  bought  .'i  ranch  nnw 


(i4:^xifu-^<-^^i^ 


A    IIJSTom    Ol'    M':\AIJA.  495 

witliiii  IIr-  prcsfiil  city  liniils,  the  ]mrrl)asc  price  l>eiiig  seventy  df)llars.  They 
immediately  he.t;aii  the  erection  nf  a  tnll  hridye  across  llnnilxilfit  river  at 
that  ]ilice,  which  was  ciim|)leted  m  the  winlei'  of  i(Sr)4-5,  and  'it  was  given 
the  name  ni  j-'rench  hi'idge.  They  had  recei\ed  the  contract  to  constrnct  the 
llnnihnldt  (anal,  extending  tVoni  (lolconda  to  Mill  City,  to  snpply  a  quartz 
mill  there,  and  while  building  and  lending  the  bridge  Mr.  Lemaire  conducted 
a  small  store  at  W'innemucca.  On  the  28th  of  January,  iSAA,  becoming  dis- 
satisfied witli  his  interests  there,  he  returned  to  California,  sjjcnding  two 
\veeks  at  San  h'rancisco,  after  which  he  went  to  Barbacoas,  Colombia,  at  the 
time  of  the  mining  excitement  there,  but  in  this  he  was  also  unsuccessful. 
Returning  thence  to  North  Bloomfield,  he  took  a  contract  to  saw  blocks  for 
the  North  Bloomfield  Mining  Company,  the  blocks  to  be  sawed  by  hand. 
He  also  worked  for  a  ditch  company,  and  a  short  time  later  eml)arked  in 
business  in  North  Bloomfiekl.  where  he  conducted  a  small  hotel  and  salcKjn 
with  good  success  for  four  years, on  the  expiration  of  which  ]ieriod  he  .sold 
his  interests  there  and  removed  to  Golconda,  this  being  in  ibe  year  1875,  and 
he  was  there  employed  by  the  Lay  brothers. 

In  the  spring  of  1876  he  came  to  Battle  Mountain,  erected  a  residence 
and  opened  a  small  saloon,  which  he  conducted  with  success  for  a  number 
of  years.  In  1880  he  purchased  his  present  large  store  building  of  J.  W. 
McWilliams,  which  is  a  two-story  l)rick,  twenty-five  by  eiglity-three  feet,  and 
in  this  Iniilding  he  has  since  conducted  a  large  and  successful  business,  deal- 
ing in  all  kinds  of  general  merchandise.  He  is  one  of  the  oldest  as  well  as 
leading  merchants  in  the  city.  On  the  main  street  he  has  also  erected  three 
other  brick  business  buildings,  seven  dwelling  houses,  and  has  a  soda  water 
manufactory,  from  which  he  ships  his  product  to  different  points  in  the  state. 
In  addition  to  these  numerous  interests  Mr.  Lemaire  i.'=  also  the  proprietor  of 
a  lumber  yard,  where  he  carries  all  kinds  of  building  materials,  is  engaged 
in  the  stock  business,  both  in  sheep  and  cattle,  and  in  all  his  varied  enterprises 
has  met  with  a  gratifying  degree  of  success. 

In  June,  1869,  Mr.  Lemaire  was  married  to  Miss  Marie  Louise  Lucas, 
a  native  of  Louisiana,  and  their  union  has  been  blessed  with  five  children, 
namely:  Louis  A.,  August  C,  Henry  R.,  all  born  in  California,  and  Ernest 
H.  and  Adaline  Marie,  natives  of  Battle  Mountain.  .\1I  of  the  sons  are 
coiniected  with  their  father  in  business  in  this  cit}-,  and  the  eldest,  Louis  A., 
is  also  interested  in  the  sheep  business  with  other  parties.  He  is  a  thirty- 
second  degree  Mason,  is  also  past  grand  master  of  the  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows  in  the  state  of  Nevada,  and  for  five  years  has  serx'ed  as  a 
county  commissioner  of  Lander  count}'.  .Ml  of  the  sons  are  members  of 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  all  are  married  and  have  homes 
of  their  own.  The  third  son,  Henry  R.,  is  also  a  county  commissioner  of 
Lander  county. 

In  politics  Mr.  Lemaire  is  a  Democrat,  while  fraternall\"  lie  is  a  Mason, 
having  become  connected  with  that  organization  in  Battle  Mountain  in  1883, 
and  for  the  past  twenty  years  has  served  as  secretary  of  the  local  lodge.  In 
1870  he  joined  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  in  California  and  was 
one  of  its  organizers  in  this  city,  being  a  charter  member  of  Battle  Mountain 
Lodge  and  its  first  noble  grand.     ?le  is  also  a  member  of  the  Knights  of 


496  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Pvlliias,  in  which  he  is  now  serving-  as  master  of  exchequer,  and  has  filled  all 
of  its  offices,  and  affiliates  with  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen.  The 
children  of  Mr.  Lemaire  are  memhers  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 
After  a  long  and  happy  married  life  Mrs.  Lemaire  was  called  to  the  home 
bevond.  She  had  been  a  faithful  wife  and  mother,  a  kind  and  loving  friend, 
and  her  loss  was  deeply  felt  by  the  citizens  of  Battle  ^Mountain. 


PROFESSOR  H.  H.  HOWE.  Descended  from  an  illustrious  family 
that  has  furnisheil  many  notable  members  to  the  ranks  of  the  educators  of 
the  country — gifted  and  talented  men  whose  fame  has  become  known 
throughont  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  land, — Professor  Hayward  How- 
ard Howe  has  for  a  third  of  a  century  honored  the  name  of  his  distinguished 
ancestry  by  his  eminent  career  in  connection  with  the  public  school  system 
of  Nevada,  having  throughout  this  entire  period  stood  at  the  head  of  the 
schools  of  Carson  City.  His  family  has  long  held  prominent  rank  in  various 
states;  its  eminence  due  to  true  nobility  of  character  and  the  chivalrous 
defense  of  whatever  was  believed  to  be  right,  as  well  as  the  su])eriority  of 
mental  powers  manifest  by  its  rei)resentatives.  They  have  devoted  their 
talents  to  those  callings  demanding  the  broadest  culture  of  mind  and  the 
strongest  intellects,  and  along  the  same  lines  ha\c  the  labors  of  Hayward 
H.  Howe  been  directed,  with  the  result  that  he  now  stands  among  the  most 
noted  educators  of  the  west. 

A  native  of  Ohio,  Professor  Howe  was  born  in  Lancaster  on  the  3d 
of  December,  1840,  and  comes  of  English  ancestry,  the  family  having  been 
established  in  New  England  at  an  early  period  in  its  colonization.  Jts 
representatix'es  were  active  participants  in  many  of  the  events  which  form 
the  early  annals  of  Massachusetts.  The  Bancrofts  and  Hillyers  were  of 
the  .same  relationship,  and  among  the  number  was  United  States  District 
Judge  Hillyer,  a  very  noted  jurist.  The  ])aternal  great-grandfather  o'f 
Professor  Howe  was  a  resident  of  Granville.  Massachusetts,  and  the  grand- 
father. Curtis  Howe,  also  made  his  home  in  that  state.  The  latter  devoted 
many  years  to  school  teaching,  and  when  ninety-two  years  of  age  went  to 
the  Pacific  coast,  whence  he  afterward  returned  to  Kansas,  where  he  died 
at  the  very  advanced  age  of  ninety-nine  years.  Samuel  Luke  Howe,  the 
fatiier  of  Professor  Howe,  was  born  in  Vermont,  in  1808.  and  following  in 
the  professional  footsteps  of  his  father  liecame  an  educator.  In  1840  he 
removed  to  Iowa,  and  in  1842  established  the  Mount  Pleasant  .\cadcmy. 
He  educated  his  sons  in  that  school,  and  for  many,  years  the  family  has 
l)een  actively  connected  with  the  development  of  the  pul)lic  schools  system  of 
the  country  in  rUfferent  states  of  the  Union.  Oscar  P.  Howe,  the  eldest 
sr)n.  has  Ijecn  engaged  in  teaching  in  New  N'ork  city  since  1846,  and  for 
many  years  Edward  P.  Howe  has  engaged  in  teaching  in  Sacramento,  Cali- 
fornia, where  his  son  is  now  conducting  a  business  college.  Professor 
Samuel  L.  Howe  published  the  first  anti-slavery  paper  in  Iowa,  and  as  an 
educator  furnished:  to  that  slate  many  teachers  who  prepared  for  their 
life  work  under  his  able  guidance.  He  edited  for  his  o\\;n  school  the  Philo- 
ta.xian  English  Grammar,  which  was  highly  oinimcndcd  and  was  in  general 


A    lllSTOin'   (Jl<    .\K\'.\1)A.  497 

use  lliriHigliuul  that  part  uf  llic  oiuntiy  fur  many  years.  He  was  very 
enthusiastic  and  zealous  in  liis  work,  a'.id  his  influence  and  labors  proved 
of  marked  benefit  to  the  state  in  promoting  intellectual  development  there. 
Me  was  also  a  close  student  of  the  great  cjuestions  affecting  the  welfare 
of  the  country,  and  became  active  in  the  organization  of  the  Republican 
party  because  of  his  earnest  desire  to  suppress  the  extension  of  slavery  in 
the  north.  His  death  occurred  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven  years,  and  this 
closed  a  life  of  much  usefulness.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were  laid  to  rest  in 
the  cemetery  at  Mount  Pleasant,  Iowa,  for  her  death  occurred  in  that  city 
w lien  she  had  attained  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-six  years.  They  were  the 
parents  of  eleven  children,  of  whom  five  sons  and  a  daughter  are  yet 
living. 

Professor  Howe  was  educated  under  his  father's  guidance,  and  was 
graduated  from  bis  academy  at  Mount  Pleasant,  after  which  he  engaged 
in  teaching  school  in  Iowa  for  two  years.  Pie  then  renio\e(l  to  California 
and  followed  teaching  in  the  Sacramento  valley  for  some  time.  Later 
he  was  identified  with  the  schools  in  Auburn,  California,  and  had  charge 
of  the  Sacramento  grammar  schools  for  four  and  a  half  years.  At  the 
end  of  that  time  he  accepted  a  call  from  the  schools  of  Gold  Hill.  Xevada. 
where  he  remained  for  three  years,  and  then  returned  to  Sacramento  to 
take  charge  of  the  high  school  of  that  city.  After  a  year,  however,  be  re- 
signed on  account  of  failing  health  and  was  succeeded  by  his  brother.  E. 
P.  Howe,  who  still  remains  there.  Professor  H.  H.  Howe  then  engaged 
in  the  sheep-raising  industry,  hoping  that  the  outdoor  life  would  prove  ben- 
eficial to  his  health.  He  soon  tired  of  that  work,  however,  and.  coming  to 
Carson  City  in  1870,  he  has  since  remained  superintendent  of  the  city 
schools,  covering  a  period  of  thirty-three  consecutive  years.  Such  a  record 
does  not  need  further  comment  or  eulogy.  His  lal)or  is  seen  in  the  splendid 
condition  of  the  city  schools,  of  which  Carson  City-  and  her  people  have 
e\'ery  reason  to  be  proud.  His  work  has  ever  been  carried  forward  along 
lines  that  are  at  once  practical  and  progressive.  He  is  continually  seeking 
out  new  methods  and  ideas  which  will  advance  the  effectiveness  of  the 
school  work  as  a  preparation  for  life's  resjionsiblc  duties.  Most  of  the 
enterprising  young  men  of  the  city  wh(.)se  careers  are  a  credit  t<i  the  state, 
ha\e  been  graduated  under  Professor  Howe  and  ha\e  then  gone  forth  well 
e(|uipped  to  pursue  advanced  studies.  His  own  zeal  in  his  work  inspires 
botli  teachers  and  pupils,  and  there  is  to-day  no  more  capable  or  eminent 
educator  connected  w'ith  the  public  schools  of  Nevada. 

Professor  Howe  was  happily  married  in  1869  to  Miss  Ida  Geraldine 
Spear,  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  and  their  union  has  been  blessed  with 
four  children  :  Edith  E..  who  is  a  teacher  of  elocution  and  for  some  time 
was  connected  with  Mills  College  of  California;  Sybil  L.,  who  is  also  en- 
gaged in  teaching;  Halbert.  who  is  attending  college  in  Chicago;  and 
Amelia  Melville,  at  home.  The  family  are  all  \alued  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  church,  of  which  the  Professor  has  been  a  most  active  worker 
and  one  of  the  elders  for  many  years.  Notwithstanding  his  constant  work 
in  the  schoolroom  during  the  week  he  has  also  served  as  superintendent  of 
the  Sunday-school  for  many  }-ears.     He  and   bis   familv  ha\e  a  hospitable 


32 


i98  A  HISTORY  OI'    NEVADA. 

home,  wliicli  is  tlie  center  of  a  cultured  society  circle,  and  ujjon  the  social, 
intellectual  and  nmral  life  of  Carson  City  they  have  left  a  deep  impress  f(jr 
good. 

GROVE  ROBERT  HOLCOjMB.  Washoe  county  figures  as  one  of 
the  most  attractive,  progressive  and  jjrosperous  di\-isinns  nf  the  state  of 
Nevada,  justly  claiming  a  high  order  of  citizenshiji  and  a  spirit  of  enterpri.se 
whicli  is  certain  to  consen.-e  consecutive  develo])ment  and  marked  advance- 
ment in  the  material  uphuilding  of  the  seclinn.  The  county  has  lieen  and  is 
signally  favored  in  the  class  of  men  who  ha\e  controlled  its  affairs  in  oHicial 
capacity,  and  in  this  connection  the  suhject  of  this  liiography  demands  re])re- 
sentation  as  one  who  has  served  the  county  faithfully  and  well  in  ])ositions 
of  distinct  trust  and  responsiljility. 

drove  Robert  Holcomb  is  now  ser\ing  as  chairman  (it  the  hoard  of 
County  commissioners  of  Washoe  count}-,  and  is  most  loyal  to  the  trust 
reposed  in  him.  exercising  his  official  prerogatives  in  sui)port  of  tlie  measures 
of  greatest  benefit  to  the  district.  He  dates  his  arrival  in  the  territory  from 
1861,  being  at  that  time  a  }oung  man  ambitious  to  win  success  in  the  west. 
He  was  born  in  Trumbull  county,  Ohio,  on  the  ist  of  July,  1838,  and  on 
the  maternal  side  came  of  Irish  ancestry,  while  the  Holcoml^s  were  early 
settlers  of  Connecticut. 

John  F.  Holcomb.  his  father,  was  born  in  Hartford,  Connecticut,  and 
at  an  early  epoch  in  the  development  of  Ohio  removed  to  that  state,  where 
he  became  accpiainted  with  and  married  Miss  .\ntoinette  Thom])son.  .\fter 
residing  in  the  Buckeye  state  for  a  number  of  \ears  thev  remoxed  to  Iowa 
and  afterward  to  Missouri.  While  living  there  Mr.  John  I'".  Holcomi) 
learned  of  the  discovery  of  gold  in  California  in  1848.  and  the  report  seemed 
to  indicate  that  wealth  could  be  rapidiv  secured  there  because  of  the  abundance 
of  the  precious  metal.  He  resolved  to  try  his  fortunes  on  the  Pacific  coast. 
Accordingly,  in  1849,  he  went  to  the  gold  diggings  of  California  and  fol- 
lowed mining  at  Shasta,  meeting  with  fair  success.  He  then  returned  to 
his  home  by  way  of  the  water  route,  and  brougiit  his  famil\-  to  the  west  in 
1852.  On  this  trip  he  was  accompanied  by  his  wife  and  children,  of  whom 
\V.  II.  is  now  lixing  in  California;  Mrs.  Emily  Howards,  a  widow  residing 
with  her  brother;  and  Florence  is  the.  wife  of  John  Rice,  a  resident  of 
Ventura,  California.  .Another  child  was  added  to  the  family  after  the  arrival 
of  the  ])arents  in  the  Colden  state,  this  being  Thaddeus  Stephens,  who  is 
now  living  with  his  brother.  Crove  R.  The  father  contimied  to  reside  in 
Yuba  county,  California,  u])  to  the  time  of  bis  death,  which  occurred  on  the 
2ist  of  July.  1861.  His  bra\e  pioneer  wife  survived  him  for  many  years 
and  passed  away  on  the  14th  of  Alay,  1902,  at  the  ripe  old  age  of  ninetv-threc 
years.  .Ml  of  the  children  still  survive,  and  have  become  jironnnent  and 
valued   members  of  the  various  communities  in   which  they   live. 

Grove  Robert  Holcomb  was  thirteen  years  of  age  when  he  arrived  in 
California.  He  can  well  remember  the  long  jonrnev  as  thev  traveled  dav 
after  day  over  the  jilains.  surrounded  only  by  sage  brush  with  the  blue  .sky 
above;  then   they  came  to  the  mnmitains  and   traveled   through   the  passes, 


A  JIISTom-  OF  XMiVAUA.  4H;) 

Init  at  Iciiglli  after  Iniii;  weeks  spent  u])ciii  ilie  jdiiniev  tlie\  reached  their 
destination  in  safely.  Mr.  llolcomh  onitinueil  U>  remain  in  L'alifiunia 
until  i86j,  which  vear  witnessed  his  arrival  in  Nevada.  He  settle<l  at 
Car.son  Citw  wliere  he  w(jrked  in  a  sawmill  fur  fifty  dollars  per  month 
and  his  hoard.  Later  he  engaged  in  the  lumlier  and  wood  business  on  his 
own  account  until  1869.  at  whicii  time  he  resnlved  to  devote  his  energies 
to  agricultural  pursuits,  and  purchased  one  hunched  and  si.xty  acres  of  his 
l)re.sent  farm,  for  which  he  paid  eleven  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  As  his 
financial  resources  have  increased  lie  has  from  time  to  time  bought  other 
lands  until  his  possessions  now  aggregate  (.)ne  thousand  acres  of  arable 
land  and  eight  thousand  acres  of  grazing  land. 

He  is  one  of  the  most  extensive  landholders  (if  the  state,  and  he  keeps 
from  six  to  seven  hundred  head  of  high-grade  Durham  cattle.  He  has 
introduced  thoroughbred  Ijulls,  and  in  this  way  has  im])ro\ed  his  herd  so 
that  the  stock  which  he  raises  is  \aluabie,  biinging  tn  him  a  high  ])ricc 
upon  the  market.  He  also  gi\-es  some  attention  to  the  sheejj  industry,  having 
from  twelve  to  fifteen  hundred  head  of  shee):).  and  he  likewise  finds  this  a 
])rofitable  source  of  income.  'rhe\'  are  largelv  of  a  high  grade  of  Shro])- 
shire  and  bring  good  prices  for  muttnn.  .\nnually  he  cuts  upon  his  ranch 
al>out  ten  hundred  tons  of  hay,  having  some  s]jlendid  alfalfa  fields  from 
W'hich  he  cuts  several  tons  to  the  acre.  There  is  also  a  good  water  supply 
on  his  land,  and  the  arable  tract  is  ver_\'  jjroductix'e  and  valuable,  while  the 
remainder  is  well  adapted  for  grazing  purposes.  His  hay  is  all  fed  to  his 
own  stock,  and  such  are  its  fattenin.g  ([ualities  that  his  herds  are  in  excellent 
condition  when  sent  to  the  markets.  In  all  his  business  \entures  he  has 
prospered,  and  his  business  record  is  a  credit  ti>  the  state  in  which  he  makes 
his  home,  showing  what  it  is  jjossible  to  accom])lisb  tlii"i)Ugli  intelligence 
and  w^ell  direct  efifort. 

In  1864  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Holcomb  and  Miss  Sarah  A. 
Lyie.  a  native  of  Illinois.  Thev  have  liecome  the  parents  of  eleven  cbil- 
dren.  of  whom  the  following  are  vet  living:  John  A.,  who  is  married  and 
resides  in  Reno:  W.  T.,  who  is  associated  with  his  father  in  business:  Luc}', 
the  wife  of  Charles  Burke:  Katie  and  Myrtle,  who  are  at  home:  Richard, 
of  Reno:  Budd  and  Iliad,  who  are  also  under  the  parental  roof.  The 
family  home  is  a  nice  farm  residence,  near  which  are  gxKxl  barns  and  all 
the  equipments  for  successfully  raising  stock.  Indeed,  the  farm  is  one  of 
the  best  in  tiie  state,  and  is  supplied  with  all  modern  conditions  and  con- 
stitutes one  of  the  model  farm  properties  of  the  twentieth  century. 

Mr.  Holcomb  gi\es  his  political  support  to  the  Democracv.  and  in  iqoo 
was  elected  a  member  of  the  board  of  commissioners  in  his  countv.  of  which 
he  was  chosen  chairman.  He  brings  to  liear  bis  best  judgment  and  ability 
upon  the  duties  of  the  office,  and  is  proving  a  capable  incumbent.  His  wife 
was  reared  in  the  faith  of  the  Methodist  church.  Mr.  Holcomb  strives  to  do 
the  best  he  can  and  to  live  an  honorable  upright  life.  He  has  closely  fol- 
lowed this  course,  and  has  therefore  won  the  respect  and  confidence  of  his 
fellow  men.  The  Holcomb  hou.sebold  is  noted  for  its  hospitality,  and  the 
members  of  the  family  are  widely  known  and  have  hosts  of  warm  friends 
in   this   portion  of  the  state. 


500  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVy\DA. 

THE  BANK  OF  AUSTIN,  the  leading  financial  institution  of  Lander 
county,  was  established  in  1863.  being  one  of  the  pioneer  banks  of  the  state. 
John  Paxton  and  A.  Thornlmrg  were  its  founders,  and  its  capital  stock  was 
four  hundred  thousand  dnllars.  Mr.  Paxton  and  Allen  A.  Carter  became  its 
owners  in  1872,  and  conducted  it  until  1889.  when  C.  D.  Boynton  bought  it, 
and  was  its  owner  and  manager  until  i8yi.  On  May  17th  of  that  year  Mr. 
J.  A.  Miller  bought  the  bank,  and  under  his  capable  management  since  that 
time  it  has  continued  its  prosperous  career  and  mcreased  its  large  patronage 
from  all  parts  of  Lander  county.  Its  forty  years  of  existence  and  conservative 
conduct  through  all  that  time  have  gained  for  it  the  uneciuivocal  confidence 
of  the  business  element  of  the  county,  and  many  of  the  foremost  cattle  and 
sheep  men  ha\'e  been  its  customers  for  years. 

J.  A.  Miller,  the  head  of  this  miportant  Lander  count)-  institution,  has 
been  in  Nevada  since  1870  and  has  had  a  prosperous  career  as  a  business 
man  in  various  enterprises  of  the  state.  He  comes  of  a  family  whose  origin 
is  traced  back  to  France,  whence  it  emigrated  to  southern  Germany.  Grand- 
father Joseph  Miller  was  a  native  of  the  latter  country,  and  in  1740  emigrated 
to  New  York,  where  John  Miller,  the  father  of  the  .\ustin  banker,  was  born, 
and  where  he  married  Miss  Louisa  Dannenfelser.  John  Miller  was  a  mer- 
chant, and  also  dealt  in  real  estate  and  did  an  insurance  Inisiness.  He  died 
in  New  York  City  at  the  age  of  fifty-six,  but  his  wife  is  still  living  in  the 
seventy-ninth  year  of  her  life.  They  were  the  parents  of  six  children,  four 
girls  and  two  boys,  and  two  of  the  daughters  and  the  sons  survive. 

Mr.  IMiller,  who  is  the  only  member  of  the  family  in  Nevada,  was  born 
in  New  York  City,  February  7,  1846.  and  was  educated  in  the  public  schools 
there.  When  sixteen  years  old,  on  December  12,  1861,  he  volunteered  for 
service  in  the  L'nion  army,  being  just  old  enough  to  gain  entrance  to  the 
ranks.  He  was  enrolled  in  Coiiipany  E,  Twelfth  New  York  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, but  at  Cold  Harbor  this  regiment  was  con.solidated  with  the  Fifth 
New  York.  He  was  in  the  battle  at  Hanover  Court  House,  at  Gaines  Mill, 
where  he  received  a  shot  in  the  groin,  but  he  remained  with  his  regiment: 
in  the  second  l>attle  of  Bull  Run  a  grape  shot  caused  a  scalp  wound  which 
ke])t  him  from  service  for  a  while,  but  he  was  soon  in  the  ranks  again.  He 
participated  at  Malvern  Hill  and  at  .\ntietam.  after  which  he  was  at  b'red- 
ericksburg.  Chancellorsville,  Cjettysburg,  Rappahininnck  .St;Uion ;  was  in  the 
whole  of  the  Wilderness  campaign,  from  May  1  till  \\uw  20;  was  at  the 
battles  of  Cold  Harbor,  Petersburg,  Yellow  Tavern  and  I  latcher's  Run.  On 
])eceml)er  12,  1864,  'le  received  liis  honorable  discharge  at  Yellow  Tavern, 
and  then  returned  hr)me  for  a  furlough.  He  intended  to  re-enlist,  but  his 
mother  dissuaded  him,  and  while  he  was  at  Nashville,  Tennessee,  the  news 
of  Lee's  surrender  and  the  close  of  the  war  reached  him.  Although  he  was 
in  iiis  teens  all  the  time,  he  rendered  bis  govcnnuent  valiant  scr\ice,  .-md 
stood  the  fatigues  and  exposures  of  marches  and  the  strain  of  l)attle  like  a 
veteran. 

Shortly  after  bis  return  from  the  war  Mr.  Miiler  took  passage  by 
steamer  for  San  i'lancisco,  going  by  way  of  the  isthmus.  He  was  a  book- 
keeper in  San  i'rancisco  for  a  time  and  then,  falling  in  with  B.  I'rank  Higgs, 
came  with  hini  to  Austin,  Nevada,  in    1870.     They  began  pro.specting,  and 


A  TTTSTORY  OF  NEVADA.  501 

at  Gold  Mountain  Iiotli  made  and  Inst  money.  Mr.  Miller  was  also  at  the  ex- 
citement in  ln)-o  county,  California,  after  which  he  returned  east  to  celebrate 
the  Centennial  in  J 8/6  and  to  visit  his  home  folks.  On  his  return  he  came 
to  Eureka  and  to  Tuscarora,  where  he  found  some  claims  and  got  a  few 
thousand  dollm-s  from  them.  He  then  cariie  (ince  more  to  Austin  and  took 
a  ]jositiiin  wilh  W  ells,  Earg'o  &  Company,  with  whom  he  remained  two  years. 
A  _\'ear  and  a  half  was  then  spent  in  prospecting  (in  Lander  flill,  after  which 
lie  was  elected  county  clerk  of  Lander  county,  lie  was  re-elected  to  this 
]josition  eight  times,  showing  his  ]>ii])ularit\-  and  the  confidence  the  people 
had  in  his  ability,  and  gave  faithful  ser\ice  fi)r  si.\teen  years.  Before  re- 
tiring from  oftice  he  purchased  the  l>ank  of  .\ustin.  and  he  has  since  devoted 
most  i)f  his  endeavors  to  the  successful  conduct  of  this  enterprise.  He  also 
is  in  the  cattle  and  sheep-raising  liusiness,  has  six  large  ranches,  with  several 
thousand  acres  of  land  besides  extensive  ranges,  owns  some  of  the  best  mines 
in  the  county,  and  stands  in  the  front  r.aiik  nf  the  liusiness  men  of  his  county 
and  state. 

Mr.  Miller  has  always  been  a  Democrat,  ;ind  in  1902  was  elected  to 
represent  his  count)'  in  the  state  legislature,  in  which  he  is  now  serving. 
He  is  high  i\\>  in  the  Masonic  circles  of  his  state,  and  is  likewise  a  Masonic 
veteran,  having  received  the  degree  of  Master  Mason,  March  25,  1869,  in 
Ionic  Lodge  No.  486,  V.  &  A.  M.,  in  New  York  City.  He  has  received  all 
the  ^'ork  and  Scottish  Rite  degnees,  including  the  thirty-second,  and  joined 
Lander  Lodge,  Januar}-  25,  1877.  He  is  thrice  past  master  of  it,  is  grand 
high  priest  of  the  grand  chapter  of  the  Royal  Arch  Masons  of  the  state.  He 
is  also  a  meml)er  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  is  past  master  of  the  grand 
lodge  of  the  state,  is  past  chancellor  of  Toiyabe  Lodge,  is  a  member  of 
Hope  Lodge  No.  11,  A.  O.  I'.  W'.,  and  is  grand  master  workman  of  the 
state.  He  is  also  a  member  of  Lander  Post  No.  27.  G.  A.  R.,  and  is  pa.st 
commander  and  aide-de-camp  t(i  Cieneral  Goben  with  the  rank  of  colonel. 

In  January,  1880,  Mr.  Miller  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Lizzie 
A.  Dawley,  a  native  of  Phelps,  New  York.  Their  one  son  graduated  from 
Leland  Stanford  University  in  1903.  Mrs.  Miller,  after  a  happy  married 
life  of  over  twenty  years,  passed  away  in  Fel>ruary,  1903,  at  Oakland,  Cali- 
fornia, and  she  is  Imried  in  Mfnmtain  View  cemetery.  She  -^'as  a  member  of 
the  Episcopal  church,  and  a  lady  of  most  estimable  character.  Mr.  Miller 
gives  his  support  to  all  the  churches,  and  his  public  spirit  and  generosity  are 
always  manifested  for  the  go(id  of  public  enterprises  and  the  upbuilding  and 
development  nf  the  intellectual  ;iiid  material  interests  of  the  town  and  county 
with  which  be  has  lieeii  so  conspicuously  identified  for  so  many  years. 


GEORGE  ALLEN,  the  successful  and  well  known  merchant  and  busi- 
ness man  of  Wells,  Elko  county,  has  been  a  resident  of  this  state  for  twenty- 
five  years]  almost  continuously  since  he  was  of  age.  He  has  made  bis 
prosperity  entirely  by  his  own  diligence  and  business  ability,  for  be  had 
nothing  when  be  came  to  the  state  except  what  his  hands  could  earn.  He 
has  been  engaged  in  numerous  enterprises,  and  has  progressed  from  one 
point  to  another  as  fast  as  his  means  would  allow.     He  deserves  the  title 


502  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

of  a  self-made  man.  for  even  liis  early  training;  was  mainly  self-acquired, 
and  the  esteem  of  his  tellow  citizens  lias  heen  gained  hy  his  rugged  honesty, 
industry  and   sterling  character. 

Mr.  Allen  was  born  in  Sheboygan,  Wisconsin,  June  3,  1856,  of  Irisli 
and  English  ancestry.  His  father,  George  Allen,  was  torn  in  New  York 
state  in  1827,  and  married  Miss  Susan  Greene,  who  died  when  (leorge  was 
but  six  years  old;  her  other  son  was  Merritt  Allen,  who  died  at  the  age  of 
fortv-three.  lea\ing  a  wife  and  child.  Alpha,  who  is  now  in  Tonopah, 
.Yevada. 

Mr.  Allen  had  onl>'  limited  opportunities  for  gaining  an  education  dur- 
ing his  earlv  da}s  in  Wisconsin,  and  most  of  the  information,  both  bookish 
and  worldh',  which  lie  now  possesses  was  picked  up  in  his  mature  years. 
He  first  came  to  Nevada  in  1877.  and  earned  his  li\ing  hy  working  on 
ranches  in  Clo\-er  valley,  bemg  paid  thirty  dollars  a  month  and  board.  He 
later  began  mining  at  Cherry  Creek,  in  White  Pine  county,  and  received 
four  dollars  a  day  for  his  work,  .\fter  this.  ha\ing  left  the  mines  on  account 
of  his  health,  he  clerked  m  Taylor  and  Ely.  White  Pine  count}-,  at  sixty 
dollars  a  month,  and  soon  showed  his  ability  as  a  salesinan.  This  experience 
eventually  led  him  into  merchandising,  and  he  has  made  his  principal  suc- 
cess in  this  line.  His  next  enterprise  after  clerking  was  of  a  more  inde- 
pendent nature.  He  purchased  a  six-horse  team,  and  began  hauling  salt 
to  the  mines  and  quartz  on  the  return  trip.  He  was  (piite  luck}-  in  this  ven- 
ture, but  some  time  later  be  sold  his  outfit  and  returnefl  to  Wisconsin, 
where  he  was  with  his  father  for  three  years.  He  then  returned  to  Ne\ada 
and  opened  a  business  at  Wells,  giadually  increasing  it  until  in  1902  he 
built  the  Allen  lirick  block,  twenty-five  by  sixty-four  feet,  with  two  stories 
and  a  basement.  The  upper  story  is  a  lodging  house,  well  furnished  and 
well  kept  by  Mrs.  Sheriff,  a  pioneer  lady  to  tin's  country,  and  with  much 
experience  and  abilitv  in  her  line.  There  are  also  a  good  restaurant  and  a 
saloon  in  the  building.  On  the  same  grounds  Mr.  .Mien  has  built  a  sub- 
stantial livery  barn,  and  is  conducting  it  in  connection  with  bis  other  enter- 
prises. His  pro|)ert\-  is  all  well  kejit  u]i.  and  bis  investments  have  all  jjaid 
well.  Pie  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  substantial  and  reliable  business 
men  in  Wells,  and  his  inlluencc  will  be  more  widely  felt  in  .ill  circles  each 
succeeding  year. 

Mr.  Allen  has  always  voted  the  Republican  ticket,  but  h;is  been  too 
busy  for  fintlier  ]iarticipation  in  political  affairs,  either  local  or  state.  June 
10,  1903.  be  was  marrietl  to  Miss  Elizabelli  McKinetty,  a  native  of  .Austin. 
Nevada.  They  are  both  highly  esteemed  in  their  wide  circle  of  friends  in 
Wells,  and  are  conscientious  and  worthy  citizens  of  their  adiipted  st.'ite. 


HON.  E.  H.  WHIT.ACRE.  ex-member  of  the  Nevada  state  legislatiu-e. 
with  residence  at  Ycrington.  is  a  native  of  Marlboro,  Stark  count  v.  Ohio. 
where  he  was  torn  August  23,  187 1,  coming  of  linglish  ancestry  who  enii 
grated  to  New  England  at  a  very  early  day  and  were  active  iKirticip.mts 
in  colonial  history  and  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  Thev  were  ;dso  earl\- 
.settlers  of   Marlboro.   Ohio.      Mis    f;itbcr,    Robert    Wliit.-ici'c.    \\;is  born   llicre 


A   HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  503 

111  1S31.  anil  married  Emily  Myers,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  of  German 
aiK'cstry,  who  had  settled  at  an  early  period  in  that  state.  His  wife  died 
in  1S94,  aged  fiftv-four  years.  Both  early  connected  themselves  with 
tile  Christian  cluircii.  They  were  the  ])arents  of  eight  children,  of  whom 
six  are  living',  all  in  Ohio  hut  the  subject  of  our  hiography,  wdio  is  the 
youngest  of  the  family. 

He  was  educated  in  the  puhlic  schools  of  Marlhoro  and  studied  in  the 
liigh  school,  hut  in  1888,  when  seventeen  years  of  age,  he  went  west  to  Port- 
land. Oregon,  wiiere  he  was  engaged  as  a  hookkeeper  fur  a  year.  He 
was  then  in  eastern  Oregon  and  in  Seattle,  Washington,  and  from  the 
latter  place  he  came  to  Reno,  Nevada,  finally  locating  at  Yerington,  Nevada, 
where  he  has  since  resided. 

When  the  sil\-er  (|uesliciii  hecanie  so  inipurtaiit  he  espoused  its  cause, 
and  hy  his  p.uty  was  elected  justice  of  the  peace,  which  office  he  filled  very 
eflicicntly  fur  two  terms,  in  igoi  and  1903  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
state  asseml)ly,  and  was  a  meml)er  of  the  ways  and  means  committee  and 
of  the  agricultural  committee,  and  he  was  one  of  those  who  drafted  Nevada's 
irrigation  law.  In  fact  he  was  very  active  in  all  the  measures  before  the 
sessions  of  which  he  was  a  member  which  were  calculated  to  ])rove  bene- 
ficial to  the  state  in  general.  For  several  }ears,  and  during  the  time  he 
was  justice  of  the  peace,  he  has  studied  law,  and  will  prol>ably  soon  be  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar,  already  being  well  qualified  to  pass  all  examinations. 

In  1S95  Mr.  \\'hitacre  was  married  to  Miss  Lillian  Webster,  a  native 
of  California,  l)Mni  in  Plumas  county.  They  have  three  children,  born  in 
"N^erington,  nameb' :  Robert  Howard,  Walter  and  John.  Mr.  Whitacre  is 
a  member  of  the  Woodmen  of  the  World;  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
bellows,  and  the  grand  lodge  of  the  state. 


THE  LOVELOCKS  TRIBUNE,  which  until  very  recently  was  under 
the  ownership  and  management  of  Charles  M.  Sain,  made  its  appearance 
in  the  newspaper  world  the  21st  of  May,  1898,  its  proprietors  being  S.  R. 
Young  and  George  W.  Peltier.  In  October  of  the  same  year  Mr.  Sain, 
who  had  been  its  editor,  bought  the  paper,  and  conducted  it  on  his  own 
account.  It  has  been  the  organ  of  the  Re])ublican  party  since  the  silver 
party  movement  in  1898,  when  it  supported  that  ticket  and  the  re-election  of 
United  States  Senator  Stewart.  The  I'libioic  is  a  six-column  sheet,  fourteen 
by  twenty,  and  is  issued  on  Friday  of  each  week,  and  is  an  up-to-date  and  read- 
able paper  in  every  respect. 

Mr.  Charles  M.  Sain  was  born  in  Mount  Pleasant,  Ohio,  March  11. 
1863.  He  is  of  English  and  (jerman  ancestry,  and  some  of  his  forefathers 
lought  in  the  war  of  the  Revolution.  Mr.  Sain  has  been  engaged  in  journal- 
ism all  his  life,  and  has  reported  for  a  number  of  the  coast  papers,  in- 
cluding the  Rocky  Muuntain  News  of  Denver,  the  Post-Intdligcnccr  of 
Seattle,  and  the  Tribune  of  Salt  Lake  City.  Soon  after  he  came  Avest  in 
1885  be  was  for  six  jears  city  editor  of  the  Times  at  Aspen,  Colorado.  He 
was  owner  of  the  Daily  Joiirual  at  Walla  Walla,  Washington.  He  was 
the  representative  of  the   Boise,    Idaho,  Statesman   at   the  World's   Fair   in 


504  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 


Chicago,  and  secretary  of  the  Cokimbian  oMnniission  for  Idaho.  He  came 
to  Nevada  in  1896.  and  was  editor  of  the  Gold  Creek  Nn^'s  and  later  of 
the  Mountain  City  Times.  Elko  county,  afterward  going  to  Lovelocks,  and, 
as  al)o\-e  related.  Ijeconiing  interested  in  the  Tribune. 

Mr.  Sain  is  a  writer  of  considerable  power  and  versatility.  He  has 
pul>lished  "An  Expectant  Heir  to  Millions"  and  other  novels.  He  made 
the  Ciold  Creek  Ncii'S  noted  for  its  column,  "Under  the  Rose."  and  his  sonnet 
to  "The  Sagebrush  Girl  Calmly  Indifferent."  He  edited  the  Carson  Appeal 
for  Senator  Stewart  in  the  campaign  of  1898.  and  in  the  campaign  of  1900 
had  charge  of  the  editorial  work  for  the  Republican  state  central  committee. 

September  21.  1903,  Mr.  Sain  sold  the  Tribune  to  Mr.  H.  C.  Sommer 
in  order  to  take  charge  of  the  property  of  the  Oregon  Potash  Company,  a 
Reno  corporation,  of  which  he  is  president.  In  1891  Mr.  Sain,  in  company 
with  the  mining  engineer.  John  T.  Reid,  had  taken  up  Summer  and  .\bert 
lakes  in  southern  Oregon  for  their  twenty  million  tons  of  potash  and  soda, 
and  is  now  engaged  in  promoting  a  railroad  from  Coos  Bay  to  Summer 
Lake.  Ralph  S.  .Stubl)s.  of  Reno,  is  secretary  of  the  Oregon  Potash  Com- 
])any. 

February  4,  1902,  JMr.  Sain  was  commissioned  postmaster  at  Lovelocks 
bv  President  Roosevcit,  but  resigned  the  office  in  favor  of  H.  C.  Sommer, 
the  present  owner  of  the  Tribune.  Mr.  Sain's  administration  of  the  office 
was  marked,  after  a  prolonged  fight  in  which  he  was  assaulted  and  injured 
by  one  of  the  merchants  of  the  town,  by  the  establishment  of  rural  free 
delivery  in  the  Lovelocks  valley,  the  first  route  in  Nevada.  Mr.  Sain  is  still 
among  the  eligibles  in  the  matrimonial  field,  and  is  in  every  way  a  most 
estimable  gentleman,  with  a  still  brighter  career  of  future  ])rosperity  be- 
fore him. 


HOX.  jCJIIX  S.  CRAIG,  proprietor  of  the  Yerington  Hotel,  is  one 
of  Nevada's  well  and  favorably  known  pioneers,  he  having  come  to  the 
state  in  1860.  He  was  born  in  Ireland,  near  Londonderry,  in  1839,  and  is 
of  Scotch-] ri.sh  extraction.  He  attended  school  in  Ireland  until  he  was 
twelve  years  of  age,  when  he  took  passage  with  some  neighbors  for  the 
United  States,  and  came  to  his  .\unt  Annie  Aken,  who  was  then  a  resi- 
dent of  Philadelphia.  His  education  was  continued  in  that  city,  and  he 
also  learned  the  trade  of  a  .saddler  and  harness-maker.  In  T8rK)  he  sailed 
for  California,  .going  via  the  isthmus,  and  after  landing  in  San  Francisco 
went  direct  to  Virginia  City.  Nevada,  th.it  place  then  having  a  lx)om.  From 
there  he  went  to  Aurora  and  mined.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  Aurora 
in  1868.  He  also  mined  at  Pine  Grove,  a  portion  of  the  time  working  for 
wages  and  again  for  himself,  meeting  with  a  varied  success.  In  1874  he 
removed  to  Mason  valley,  where  he  took  up  government  land  and  for  eighteen 
years  conducted  a  general  store,  and  acted  as  postmaster  for  twelve  years, 
fln'oughfuit  the  administrations  of  Presidents  Grant,  .Arthur  and  Harrison. 
He  has  l>een  the  agent  for  Wells  Fargo  Ivxjiress  Company  since  the  establish- 
ment of  the  office  at  Yerington.  .\  number  of  the  best  buildings  in  the  city 
luivc  been  built  by  him.      He  erected  the  first  ^'erington   House,  but  in   1893 


A  TTISTOm'  OT'    \F.\^\DA.  505 

tliis  was  Inir-iH'il  at  a  li>ss  of  twenty  thousand  dollars.  However.  Mr.  Craig 
immediately  relmilt  il  and  imw  has  one  nf  the  most  commodious  places  of 
entertainment  tci  he  found  in  the  county,  fully  e(|ni])])ed  with  every  con- 
venience and  largely  ijatronized  by  the  traveling  public  as  well  as  by  resi- 
dents of  the  town.  Mr.  Craig  owns  a  fine  farm  of  two  hundred  acres  near 
Yerington.  which  he  de\'oles  to  alfalfa,  although  it  is  well  adapted  to  other 
crops. 

Mr.  Craig  has  alwavs  been  a  stanch  Republican  and  was  elected  to  the 
slate  assembly  in  1888.  In  187,^  he  was  imited  in  marriage  with  Kattie 
McGowan.  a  native  of  New  York  city,  and  the  daughter  of  John  McGowan. 
who  came  tO'  Nevada  in  1869.  Two  daughters  are  the  result  of  this  union, 
namel)':  Annie  E.,  1)orn  in  Carson  City,  married  F.  E.  Carroll  and  resides 
in  Yerington;  Mary  L..  born  in  Yeringt<m.  married  Christopher  Johnson  and 
li\'es  in  Yerington.     Mr.  Craig  has  six  grandchildren,  all  girls. 

Always  interested  in  mining  ever  since  coming  west,  he  is  now'  the 
owner  of  the  St.  Elmo  gold  mine,  located  eight  miles  from  Yerington,  assay- 
ing as  high  as  eight  dollars  per  ton.  He  is  also  in  the  Juno  group  of  mines, 
three  miles  from  Yerington,  w^hich  yields  from  fifteen  to  tw'enty  per  cent  cop- 
\)cv.  He  is  a  member  of  the  .\ncient  Order  of  United  Workmen;  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity,  and  is  very  pojiular  in  both  organizations.  Mr.  Craig 
has  attended  the  state  conventions  of  his  party  for  the  past  twenty  years, 
and  was  elected  an  alternate  delegate  to  the  national  convention  in  Phila- 
delphia, wdiich  nominated  President  McKinley.  Strong,  public-spirited  and 
enterprising,  Mr.  Craig  is  an  excellent  example  of  the  sturdy  pioneers  of  the 
earlier  days  who  have  made  the  west  what  it  is  to-day,  and  made  the  Pacific 
coast  ecpially  great  with  that  of  the  Atlantic. 


HUGH  J.  BRADY,  deceased,  late  of  Yerington,  Nevada,  who  passed 
to  his  reward,  December  17,  1903,  was  one  of  Nevada's  pioneer  settlers, 
having  come  to  Virginia  City  in  1856.  He  was  born  in  Ireland  in  18^4 
and  was  therefore  seventy-nine  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  his  demise.  For 
some  time  he  worked  in  the  mines  of  Virginia  City  and  resided  in  Georgeton. 
and  in  1879  located  in  Mason  x-ailey.  where  he  purchased  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  land  and  worked  hard  to  improve  it.  Upon  it  he  raised  stock 
and  prospered,  becoming  the  owner  of  proi)ert\'  in  Yerington  and  also  the 
stage  line  between  Yerington  and  Wabuska.  At  this  time  he  held  the  mail 
contract  and  ran  a  line  of  stages  to  Pine  Grove  and  Smith  Valley.  He 
kept  a  good  supplv  of  horses  and  did  a  ver\-  successful  business.  In  politics 
he  was  a  Democrat,  wdiile  in  religion  he  was  a  Roman  Catholic.  Having 
never  married,  he  left  his  large  estate  to  his  nei)hew.  Edward  Ih'ady,  and 
the  sons  of  the  latter,  John.  Philip  and  Hugh. 

Edward  Brady  was  born  in  Georgeton,  Newada,  a  son  of  Edward 
Brady,  w'ho  came  to  Nevada,  but  returned  to  his  native  land  and  died 
there  aged  forty-three  years.  Edward  Brady,  the  heir  of  Hugh  J. 
Brady,  returned  with  his  father  to  Ireland  and  was  educated  at  OKI 
Castle,  county  Meath.  but  in  1894  returned  to  Nevada  and  resided  with  his 
unxle   for  a  couiile  of   \ears.   greatlv  aiding  the  noble  old    gentleman.      In 


500  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

1901  he  was  forced  to  return  to  Ireland  nn  liusiness.  and  imly  returned  to 
Nevada  at  the  deatli  of  his  uncle.  lie  has  since  sold  his  property  and  s^dne 
hack  to  Ireland  to  live. 

in  184T  Mr.  Edward  Crady  married  Maria  Welch,  and  thev  ha\e  five 
children,  namely:  Edward  I..  Patrick  J..  Philip.  Hugh  and  .\nna  Ruth. 
Thev  are  all  Roman  Catholics,  and  in  ])oiitics  Mr.  Brady  was  a  Hemocrat. 
The  greater  portion  of  his  life  has  heen  spent  in  Ireland.  He  was  an  ex- 
cellent farmer  and  a  worthy  and  public-spirited  gentleman,  who  had  many 
friends  throughout  tlie  neighborhood  where  his  name  is  so  well  and  fa\or- 
ahlv  known. 


HON.  W.  H.  A.  PIKE.  The  life  record  of  the  Hon.  W.  H.  .\.  Pike 
has  been  an  lionor  to  the  state  which  has  in  turn  honored  him.  In  public  office 
be  has  manifested  unfaltering  fidelity  to  the  lie.st  interests  of  the  state,  and  hi.s 
course  lias  been  directed  bv  strong  nientalit\'  and  keen  foresight,  so  that  his 
labors  liave  proved  most  effective  in  promoting,  the  welfare  of  the  common- 
wealth. Lo3'al  in  citizenship,  honorable  in  business,  trustworthy  in  office, 
faithful  in  friendshii) — such  is  the  history  of  one  i>f  Reno"s  most  jntiuential 
and  representative  men.  He  came  to  this  state  in  1874.  and  is  now  serving 
for  the  second  term  as  district  attf>rney  (d'  Washoe  county. 

His  present  home  is  far  distant  from  the  jdace  of  his  birtli,  which  oc- 
curred in  York  county,  Maine,  on  the  24111  of  January,  1854.  The  ancestral 
historv  of  the  family  in  America  can  be  traced  back  to  John  Pike,  one  of  the 
Puritans  who  landed  from  the  Mayliower  on  Plymouth  Rock,  as  the  little 
\-essei  dropped  anchor  in  the  harbor  after  weary  weeks  spent  upon  the  brcKid 
.\tlantic.  Members  of  the  family  were  active  participants  in  the  colonial  his- 
torv of  the  country.  Bennett  Pike,  the  great-grandfather  of  Mr.  Pike,  fought 
in  the  war  for  indc])eiidence  as  a  valiant  defender  of  the  cause  of  liberty. 

Henry  Bennett  Pike,  the  father  of  W.  II.  A.  Pike,  was  born  in  the 
Pine  Tree  state,  and  was  m.arried  to  Miss  Amanda  .Stone,  also  :i  native  of 
Maine,  lie  was  a  farmer  and  stock  dealer  and  also  engagetl  in  merchandis- 
ing during  a  part  of  his  business  career.  His  early  political  sujjport  was 
given  to  the  Whig  party,  while  later  he  aided  in  the  organization  of  the  Re- 
])ul)!ican  ])arty  in  his  locality  and  was  one  of  its  ardent  ad\'ocates.  Pxith  he 
and  his  wife  lielonged  to  the  Metho<list  church,  .-ind  he  died  in  Ih.at  lailh  in 
the  forty-eighth  year  of  his  age.  His  widow  still  survives  him  and  now, 
in  her  sevent\-sixth  year,  is  living  at  the  old  family  home  in  j\baine.  In  the 
family  were  seven  children,  all  of  whom  are  yet  living.  One  of  the  sons, 
I-erf)y  I'".  Pike,  is  member  of  the  state  senate  of  Maine,  while  W'infred  C. 
Pike  is  a  |)hysician  and  surgeon  of  Boston,  Massachusetts. 

\V'.  H.  A.  Pike  spent  his  lM>yho(Kl  davs  in  the  usual  manner  of  farmer 
lails,  and  in  iiis  yoiitii  acquired  a  go<xl  academic  education,  lieing  a  graduate 
of  the  Oxford  Military  Academy,  at  South  Paris,  Maine,  and  then  entered 
I'owdoin  College,  after  which  he  entered  the  law  office  of  .\\res  &  Clifford, 
with  whom  be  pursued  his  studies  for  two  years,  that  firm  being  one  of  the 
most  prominent  in  the  state  of  Maine,  .\ftcr  continuing-  his  residing  for  two 
years   Mr.    Pike  became   imbued   willi   a    desire  I0  establish   his  homo   in   the 


^ 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  507 

west,  and  arrived  in  Nevada  in  the  spring  of  1874.  He  taught  school  in 
Washoe  count \,  and  wliile  tluis  engaged  continued  the  study  of  law  under 
tiie  direction  of  the  Ihm.  R()l)ert  M.  Clark,  of  Carson  City.  For  some  time, 
however,  he  was  identified  with  educational  work  in  Washoe  and  Churchill 
comities,  and  was  the  i)rinci]«d  of  the  Churchill  lulucational  Institute. 

\\hile  living-  in  Churchill  county  Air.  Pike  was  honored  1)y  his  fellow 
citizens  with  election  to  the  twelfth,  thirteenth  and  fourteenth  general  assem- 
blies of  the  state,  and  became  an  active  working  meml)er  of  the  house,  his 
strong  mentality  and  patriotic  devotion  to  the  state  enabling  him  to  shape 
its  course  in  no  small  degree.  In  1889  he  again  took  up  his  residence  in 
Washoe  county,  and  in  1892  was  elected  to  represent  his  count}-  in  the  six- 
teenth session  of  the  state  legislature.  He  was  not  unknown  to  the  prominent 
jjolitical  leaders  of  the  state,  and  in  that  session  -was  chosen  .speaker  pro  ten-i 
of  the  assembly.  That  he  won  the  highest  esteem  and  respect  of  the  members 
of  the  house  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  at  the  close  of  the  session  he  was  pre- 
sented with  a  gold  watch,  chain  ;u-id  charm  by  the  legislative  body  in  recogni- 
tion of  his  valuable  ser\'ice  and  im])artial  rulings.  In  1900  Mr.  Pike  was 
elected  district  attorney  of  ^\'ashoc  count)-,  and  removed  with  his  family 
from  Wadsworth  to  Reno.  During  his  incun-ibency  in  the  office  he  bad 
l)ro\-ed  himself  to  be  i>ne  of  the  most  efficient  prosecuting  attorneys  in  the 
state,  and  the  appreciation  of  his  fellow  citizens  was  indicated  by  the  fact  that 
in  the  fusion  convention  he  was  nominated  without  opposition  for  re-election. 
He  was  again  chosen  for  the  office  l-)y  a  very  handsonie  majority  and  is  now 
serving  for  the  second  term  in  a  most  cajiable  mann£*r,  highly  .satisfactory  to 
the  general  public. 

In  1878  occurred  the  marriage  of  Hon.  \\  .  11.  A.  I'ike  and  Miss  Icki 
M.  Kenyon,  a  native  of  California  and  a  daughter  of  .\.  L.  Kenyon,  (^f 
Churchill  county,  Ne\'ada.  Se\-en  children  have  been  lK)rn  to  them,  and 
the  familv  circle  vet  reiiiains  unbroken.  They  are  as  follows:  I'earl.  miw 
the  wife  of  Dr.  Kistler.  of  Wadsworth;  Leroy  F.,  Cleve  and  Fannie,  whu 
are  students  in  the  State  University;  and  Certrude,  Winfield  C.  and  jack, 
who  are  attending  the  public  schools  of  Reno.  Theirs  is  a  Ijeautifnl  and  cimi- 
modious  home  in  one  of  the  finest  residence  districts  of  Reno. 

Mr.  Pike  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  P\'thias  fraternity,  lias  been 
throughal!  the  chairs  of  the  order  and  has  been  a  representative  to  the  grand 
lodge.  He  stands  to-dav  as  one  of  the  eminent  nien  of  the  state,  having  been 
most  active  in  shaping  the  legislative  history  of  Nevada  during  se\-eral  ses- 
sions of  the  legislature.  \\'hile  in  professional  circles  he  has  gained  distinction 
as  a  lawyer  of  marked  ability.  He  is  honored  and  respected  wherever  known, 
Ixit  in  his  home  city,  where  he  is  best  known,  he  is  held  in  friendl}-  regard 
b\-  nearh-  all  who  ha\-e  the  ]3leasure  of  his  acquaintance. 


EBENEZER  T\\\\DDLE.  The  rich  agricultural  district  of  Nevada 
known  as  the  Truckee  Meadows  has  induced  many  enterprising  and  progres- 
sive agriculturists  to  locate  therein,  and  Mr.  Twaddle  is  among  the  number, 
lie  is  a  native  son  of  Nevada,  having  been  l)orn  in  Franktown,  Washoe 
conntv,  iMi  the  7tb  of  October,  i86j.     His  fatlier.  J.ibn  Tw.-idille.  was  born  in 


508  A  HISTORY  OF  NE\'ADA. 

Scotland  in  1824,  and  wlien  a  young  man  of  t\vent}--three  years  bade  adieu 
to  friends  and  nati\e  country  jjreparator}'  to  sailing  for  America.  He 
crossed  the  Atlantic  in  1847  and  settled  in  St.  Louis,  where  he  remained 
for  five  years.  Ere  leaving  the  land  of  the  heather  he  had  wedded  Miss 
Tane  Brown,  and  thev  had  one  child  in  Scotland  before  they  started  for  the 
new  world,  but  it  only  lived  for  a  very  short  time  and  was  buried  in  the 
depths  of  the  Atlantic. 

.\fter  spending  five  years  in  St.  Louis.  John  Twaddle  and  his  family 
crossed  the  plains  with  oxen  to  Salt  Lake.  On  reaching  the  Platte  river 
Mr.  Twaddle  made  his  way  over  the  stream  with  the  first  teams,  leaving 
his  wife  on  the  other  side.  While  he  was  gone  the  Indians  came  toward 
her  with  loud  yells  and  she  thought  that  her  death  was  certain,  but  the 
red  men  did  not  molest  her.  Mr.  Twaddle  .soon  returned  for  her,  and  they 
continued  on  their  journey  westward,  traveling  day  after  day  through  the 
mountains  and  crossing  the  plains  until  they  at  length  reached  Salt  Lake 
City.  For  seven  years  the\-  continued  to  reside  in  the  Utah  cit\'  and  then 
came  to  Ne\-ada,  arriving  in  the  Washoe  valley  on  the  4th  of  July,  i860. 
In  the  meantime  the  number  of  their  children  had  increased  to  live,  and 
two  others  were  born  in  Nevada.  Mr.  Twaddle  engaged  in  farming  in 
Franktown,  but  after  a  time  .sold  his  land  there  to  his  brother  Eben  and 
purchased  a  ranch  from  James  Sturdevant,  situated  about  a  mile  north  of 
Franktown.  This  comprised  three  hundred  and  sixty-six  acres,  which  he 
at  once  Ijegan  to  improve,  and  lie  matle  of  it  a  fine  farm,  very  productive 
and  valuable.  At  his  death  he  left  this  to  his  two  sons,  Alexander  and 
Ebenezer.  He  passed  away  in  1879,  in  the  fifty-fourth  year  of  his  age,  and 
the  community  was  thus  called  upon  to  mourn  the  loss  of  an  honored  and 
1)rave  pioneer,  who  had  with  stout  heart  faced  the  difficulties  incident  to 
the  establishment  of  a  home  in  this  far  western  region  then  distinctly  re- 
mote from  the  advantages  and  improvements  of  the  older  east.  In  ])olitics 
he  was  a  Rcpu1)lican.  His  wife  survived  him  until  July.  1893,  and  passed 
away  at  the  age  of  seventv-two  vears,  at  which  time  she  was  laid  to  rest 
by  her  husband's  side  in  the  cemetery  in  h'ranktown.  Alexander  Twaddle, 
the  bi^other  of  our  subjecl.  died  on  the  J^tli  of  March,  11)03,  and  was  b\u'ied 
in  Reno. 

lilbenczer  Twaddle  was  educated  in  the  ])ul)lic  schools  in  h'ranklown 
:md  was  reared  u])on  his  father's  farm.  He  was  early  trained  to  habits  of 
industry,  economy  and  honesty,  and  when  but  a  boy  liecame  familiar  with 
the  task  of  cultivating  the  fields  and  caring  for  the  stock.  On  attaining  his 
majority  he  did  not  sec  any  reason  for  changing  his  life  work,  and  he  now 
has  a  fine  ranch  of  four  hundred  and  fifty-four  acres  ])leasantl\-  Icx-ated  only 
a  few  miles  south  of  Reno.  He  also  has  a  farm  at  I'^ranktown  of  three  hun- 
dred and  sixty-six  acres,  and  on  this  he  has  a  good  residence  and  baiiis. 
Rotli  of  these  ranches  are  among  the  best  in  the  entire  valley,  lie  raises 
hay,  grain  and  stock,  and  now  has  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  heail  of 
cattle,  to  which  he  feeds  a  small  part  of  the  hay  which  he  raises. 

On  the  14th  of  November,  1888.  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Mr. 
'i'waddle  and  Miss  .Alice  Jones,  who  was  born  in  California,  but  was  reared 
in  the  Washoe  valley.     Theii'  union  has  been  blessed  with   four  sons;  ( ieorge 


A   IIISTOR^■   Ol'"  NRVADA.  509 

M.,  CIicsUt.  I'".riicst  and  l*".l)cn,  all  of  whom  wxtc  Imni  mi  llic  Tnu-kec'  .Mca<l- 
ows.  Ml-.  Twaddle  exciriscs  liis  i-is^^lil  of  franchise  in  snpix)!'!  of  Ihc  men 
and  measures  of  the  l\ci)uhliean  ]>arty,  and  fraternally  is  connected  with 
the  Kniglits  of  I'ythias  lodg-e.  There  liave  heen  no  exciting  cha])lers  in  his 
life  iiistory,  hut  at  all  limes  he  has  so  lived  as  to  utilize  his  lime  to  the  hest 
advantage  and  to  win  from  his  fellow  men  the  respect  which  is  ever  ac- 
corded  to   ti'ue   wiirtli. 


ALFRED  JEAN  CHARTZ,  a  noted  journalist  and  attorney  residing 
at  Carson  City,  is  also  widely  and  favoraljly  known  as  one  of  the  pioneers 
of  the  state,  having  arrived  in  Nevada  in  1863.  Since  that  time  he  has 
been  connected  with  many  events  whicli  find  mention  in  the  annals  of  the 
commonwealth,  and  lias  aided  in  molding  pulilic  opinion  and  shaping  i)ul>lic 
thought  and  action.  lie  has  thus  left  the  impress  of  his  individuality  uijon 
llie  progress  of  the  slate,  and  his  name  is  enduringly  in.scribed  on  the  pages 
of  its  history. 

Mr.  Chartz  is  a  native  of  Canada,  his  hirth  having  occurred  in  la  Baye 
(lu  Eehore,  on  the  qth  of  February,  icS^i.  He  comes  of  French  ancestry, 
although  for  many  generations  the  representatives  of  the  family  have  been 
residents  of  America.  His  father,  John  Chartz,  was  born  in  the  state  of 
New  York,  in  1818,  and  became  a  prominent  contractor  and  builder.  As- 
sociated with  his  father  m  business,  thev  entered  bids  for  the  construction 
of  a  tunnel  under  the  St.  Lawrence  river  at  Montreal  and  he  was  accorded 
the  contract  for  the  building  of  the  railroad  across  the  Victoria  bridge  to 
that  city.  He  executed  many  other  contracts  of  importance,  and  was  recog- 
nized as  one  of  the  leaders  in  his  chosen  calling  in  that  section  of  the  country. 
In  1854  he  went  to  California  by  way  of  the  Isthmus  of.  Panama.  He  had 
married  Miss  Emilie  Hamel,  a  native  of  Canada,  who  was  of  F'rench  extrac- 
tion and  who  died  on  the  ist  day  of  January,  i860.  Two-  sons  and  two 
daughters  were  torn  to  them,  of  whom  three  are  now  living.  Mrs.  S.  E. 
Carlon,  who  was  a  noted  writer  and  died  at  Berkeley,  California,  in  1896, 
was  of   this    family. 

After  remaining  for  some  lime  in  Californi.a  Mr.  John  Chartz  here 
took  ]jassage  on  the  steamship  (jolden  Ciate  in  order  to  I'eturn  to  his  old 
home  in  Canada  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  his  children  to  the  Pacific 
coast.  This  ship,  bow-ever,  was  wrecked  off  the  coast  of  Mancinello,  and 
three  hundred  passengers  were  lost,  but  Mr.  Chartz,  who  was  an  expert 
switnnier.  not  only  managed  to  reach  shore,  but  also  succeeded  in  rescuing 
a  child.  Later  he  brought  his  family  out  across  the  i)!ains  and  settled  in 
Oakland,  California,  where  he  engaged  in  contracting  and  Ijuildiiig  ami 
in  handling  real  estate.  He  afterward  removed  to  Berkeley,  and  in  his  sixty- 
sixth  year  he  became  blind.  He  never  recovered  his  eyesight,  and  died  in 
his  seventy-second  year.  He  was  a  man  of  excellent  business  ability,  and 
one  whose  well-conducted  affairs  and  honorable  methods  secured  to  him 
the  respect  and  admiration  of  all  w  ith  whom  he  came  in  contact.  He  was  a 
supporter  of  Bell  and  Everett  for  president  and  vice-president  in  i860,  and 
he  delivered  many  campaign  addresses,  speaking  on  local  and  national  issues. 


510  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

lUit  later.  l)ecuiniiis;'  disgusted  with  the  onTuptidii  in  pul)lic  otfice  and  among 
])an\  leaders,  he  ceased  his  activity  in  political  affairs  and  even  refused 
1(1  vote. 

Alfred  (.  Chartz  attended  the  pul)lic  schools  in  Oakland,  California,  and 
afterward  pursued  a  six  months'  course  in  Hcald's  Business  College.  He 
learned  shorthand,  and  after  coming  to  Nevada  acted  as  reporter  in  the 
courts.  Thus  hecoming  interested  in  law.  he  read  the  various  text  Ijooks 
on  the  suhject  and  was  admitted  to  practice  in  Octoher,  1864,  since  which 
time  he  has  followed  the  profession  with  good  success,  being  connected  at 
different  times  with  various  important  cases.  He  began  his  journalistic 
career  on  the  Oakland  News,  entering  that  office  on  the  day  on  which  Presi- 
dent Lincoln  was  assassinated.  He  was  advanced  consecutively  from  "devil" 
to  editor  on  the  Virginia  Enterprise,  and  was  thus  actively  associated  with 
newspaper  business  f(ir  thirty-five  years.  He  is  the  author  of  the  "Quel- 
(|uefois"  letters,  on  topics  of  general  interest,  which  are  widely  read  and 
awaken  deep  attention.  These  are  puiilished  in  tlie  (iardenville  Courier. 
He  has  Ixith  talent  and  lo\e  for  journalism,  and  has  indulged  his  taste  in  this 
direction,  becoming  well  known  as  a  newspaper  writer  in  this  part  of  the 
country. 

Air.  Cliartz  is  also  interested  in  mines  and  mining  and  is  the  president 
of  the  Oest  Mining  Company,  the  mines  of  which  have  produced  over  six 
lumdred  thousand  dollars.  He  joined  in  the  re-organization  of  the  Bullion 
Exchange  Bank  of  Carson  City,  was  one  of  its  directors,  and  assisted  ma- 
terially in  placing"  it  on  a  sound  financial  basis,  ;  nd,  acting  as  its  attorney  in 
.settling  up  its  business,  he  never  lost  a  dollar  and  succeeded  in  settling  its 
affairs  with  little  recourse  to  litigation. 

In  Ins  pnlitical  views  Mr.  Chartz  was  a  Republican  until  General  Han- 
cock became  the  Deniocratic  candidate  for  the  presidency,  and  since  that 
time  he  has  been  a  stalwart  Democrat.  In  his  younger  days  he  won  fame 
as  an  athlete,  and  was  captain  of  the  Eureka  baseljall  team,  when  the  Hon, 
Thomas  Wren  played  third  base.  He  could  have  obtained  an  engagement 
then  with  any  of  the  best, teams  in  the  country.  He  was  also  a  very  swift 
runner,  and  Mr.  Wren  backed  him  and  became  his  manager  in  a  running 
race  against  an  Indian  and  eight  other  noted  nniners.  Mr.  Chartz  won  the 
race,  and  Mr.  Wren  gained  thercbv  fmntt'cn  hundred  dollars.  This  was 
at  a  time  when  the  citizens  of  Nevada  were  lo\-ers  of  fun  and  s])orts.  and 
when  mone\-  was  very  ])lentiful,  being  easily  earned  and  cpiickly  s|)ent. 

In  1876  occiu"red  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Chartz  and  Miss  Emma  Radei", 
a  native  of  Germany.  They  have  four  children :  John  McGregor,  Carl  Will- 
helm.  Helen  F.mily  and  P>eatrice  Elizabeth,  all  of  wliom  are  now  in  school. 
The  family  home  is  one  of  the  finest  residences  in  the  city.  Mr.  C'hartz  be- 
longs to  the  .\ncient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  and  the  family  attend 
the  .services  of  the  Episcopal  church.  Perhaps  no  better  testimonial  of  the 
life  and  character  oi  Mr.  Chartz  can  be  given  than  by  quoting  the  words 
of  the  Hon.  W.  E.  E.  Deal,  who  said  of  him  in  o])en  court:  "T  have  known 
Mr.  Chartz  for  over  twenty  \ears  imd  his  woid  is  as  good  as  his  bond.' 
This  is  certainly  a  conii)linient  of  which  he  has  reason  to  be  ])roud.  and 
his  life  hi.story  bears  out  the  statement  of  his  friend. 


A    IllSroin-  Ol'   NRVADA.  .  511 

TIIK  EL'KKKA  SENTINEL  was  estalilislied  July  J6,  1S70.  I))-  Mr. 
A.  Skillniaii,  one  of  tiie  l)est  known  newspaper  men  ol  the  west,  and  Dr. 
L.  C.  AlcKenney.  Its  lirst  issue  was  a  six-column,  four-page  weekly  pajjer, 
strongly  Democratic  in  pcjlitics,  and  it  continued  of  that  ix)litical  complexion 
for  man\'  years,  after  which  it  became  independent  and  has  so  remained  to 
the  present  time.     Dr.  McKenney  was  its  first  editor. 

Septemljei"  J(j,  1870.  the  Sculiiicl  was  Ixnisht  1)\-  Messrs.  l'"lliott  and 
George  \V.  Cassidy,  both  journalists  of  ability,  and  it  then  became  a  tri- 
weekly. Mr.  Elliott  retired  from  the  firm  May  28,  187J,  and  the  paper 
continued  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Cassidy  until  Decemljer  3,  1874,  when 
John  H.  Dennis  i)urcbased  a  half  interest  and  became  its  principal  editor 
and  business  manager.  Mr.  Cassidy  was  afterward  elected  a  niember  of 
the  state  legislature  and  als(j  to  Congress,  and  had  an  eminent  career  in 
his  state  and  countr}-.  With  the  last  change  in  n\\nershi])  the  paper  was 
made  a  daily,  and  it  was  prosperous  and  largely  ])atr()nized.  December  28, 
1876.  Mr.  I^ennis  sold  his  interest  t(j  Mr.  Skilhnan,  the  original  founder 
of  the  ])aper,  and  it  was  then  owned  by  Cassidy  and  Skillman. 

The  Sciitiiu'l  has  had  its  due  share  of  the  disasters  which  befell  Eureka 
!)}•  Hood  and  fire.  In  1873  the  fire  which  destroyed  the  town  also  consumed 
the  office  and  its  contents,  only  a  few  sheets  of  damaged  jiaper  and  one  or 
two  galleys  of  tyi)e  remaining.  The  legal  advertising  which  was  required 
by  law  was  pubhshed  from  the  meager  material  at  hand,  it  coming  out  in 
the  form  of  a  sup])lement.  .\  new  er|ui])nient  was  telegraphed  for,  and  not- 
withstanding a  total  loss  of  twelve  thousand  dollars,  without  insurance,  the 
paper  was  soon  on  its  original  basis.  Less  than  a  year  later  the  great  flood 
of  1874  swept  the  Sentinel  office  away  with  the  rest  of  the  town,  l)ut  this 
time  much  of  the  material  was  saved.  In  April,  1879,  fire  again  sought  its 
destruction,  but  a  part  of  the  ofifice  was  fire-proof  and  a  total  loss  avoided. 
The  plant  was  restored  to  its  original  condition,  and  was  improved  so  that 
it  became  one  of  the  most  complete  in  the  state.  Daily  and  weekly  editions 
were  published,  a  new  power  press  was  installed,  every  class  of  work  was 
done,  and  in  addition  to  the  local  news  telegraph  dispatches  were  received 
from  all  ])arts  of  the  country,  and  the  ])aper  was  as  complete  in  every  depart- 
ment as  any  in  the  state. 

The  present  large  l)rick  Sentinel  block  was  erected  in  1870.  .\t  the 
death  of  Mr.  Cassidy  Mr.  Skillman  became  the  sole  proprietor  and  continued  as 
such  till  his  death  which  occurred  .August  i,  1900.  and  since  that  time  his 
son,  E,  A.  Skillman,  has  beeiT  publisher  and  proprietor.  The  Srntiiirl  stilj 
enjoys  the  popularity  and  prestige  of  its  earlier  days,  and  has  during  its 
history  e.xertetl  a  powerful  influence  on  the  industrial,  commercial,  pilitical, 
moral  and  intellectual  life  of  the  town  and  county.  Its  management  is  pro- 
gressive and  public-spirited,  and  its  thirty-three  years  of  continued  pros]>erous 
existence,  most  of  the  time  under  the  control  of  one  man,  marks  it  as  one 
of  the  leading  papers  of  the  Pacific  coast. 

A.  Skillman,  the  founder  of  the  Sentinel  and  recognized  as  one  of  the 
ablest  newspaper  men  of  the  state,  was  born  in  Princeton,  New  Jersev,  April 
2,  1824.  He  came  to  the  Pacific  coast  in  early  manhood,  and  in  185 1  was 
half  owner  of  the  Paeifie  Nezes,  one  of  the  pioneer  papers  of  San  Francisco. 


512  A  lllSTURV  OF  XEX'ADA. 

After  a  year's  experience  in  San  Francisco,  during  which  time  tlie  plant 
was  twice  destroyed  by  tire,  he  founded  tlie  Shasta  (California)  Courier, 
at  that  time  the  only  newspaper  m  the  state  north  of  Marysville.  A  little 
later  he  disposed  of  this  paper  and  came  to  Nevada,  where  he  accepted  the 
position  of  foreman  on  the  Territorial  Enterprise  at  Virginia  City.  In  1869, 
during  the  White  Pine  excitement,  he  was  a  pioneer  to  that  part  of  the 
state,  and  early  in  1S70  began  the  publication  of  the  Shermantown  Reporter, 
at  Shermantown,  White  Pine  count}-.  It  was  only  a  short  time  afterward, 
as  mentioned  above,  that  he  moved  the  plant  to  Eureka  and  issued  to  the 
world  the  first  copy  of  the  Sentinel,  which  will  always  stand  as  a  monumen.t 
to  his  ability  and  unremitting  zeal  in  the  world  of  journalism.  With  the 
exception  of  the  short  time  during  which  he  published  the  JVhite  Pine  Neics 
at  Hamilton,  he  was  ever  afterward  tlie  ruling  .spirit  in  the  publication  of 
the  Se)itinei,  and  he  sacrificed  the  best  years  of  his  life  to  its  work.  At  the 
time  of  his  death  he  was  the  oldest  newspaper  man  on  the  coast. 

Mr.  Skillman  was  a  life-long  Democrat.  During  President  Clexeland's 
administration  he  was  appointed  internal  re\enne  collector  for  the  district 
then  embracing  the  state  of  Xevafla  and  Utah,  and  he  held  this  office  until 
Nevada  was  attached  to  the  California  district.  He  was  a  public-spirited 
citizen  and  impressed  much  of  his  j>ersonality  on  public  affairs  through  the 
medium  of  his  journal.  His  death  was  viewed  as  a  public  loss,  and  there 
were  many  sincere  expressions  of  sorrow  from  his  liosts  of  friends  all  o\'er 
the  state  and  the  western  country. 

j\Ir.  E.  A.  Skillman.  who  has  so  ably  continued  the  journalistic  work 
carried  on  by  his  father,  was  liorn  in  Shasta.  California,  in  1858.  and  was 
educated  at  San  Francisco.  He  learned  the  printer's  trade  on  the  JJ'hite 
Pine  Nczcs  and  the  Sentinel,  and  he  has  been  very  successful  in  the  conduct 
of  the  latter  since  his  father's  death.  He  was  married  December  25,  1901, 
to  Miss  Etta  Crumley,  who  was  born  in  Red  Bluff.  California,  and  is  a  lad)' 
of  refinement  and  education  and  an  accomplished  musician. 


A.  h'lSI  ll''I\.  one  of  the  best  known  business  men  of  Wells.  Nevada, 
has  been  in  the  state  for  thirty-five  years,  and  has  been  a  resident  of  Wells 
for  twenty-three  years.  During  this  long  ])eriod  of  residence  he  has  taken 
an  active  part  in  public  afTairs  as  well  as  business,  and  has  a  personal  ac- 
(|uaintance  with  the  most  prominent  men  of  the  state,  both  mining  men  and 
state  officials.  He  has  been  very  successful  in  his  enter])rises.  and  in  his 
])ublic  spirit  and  large-hearted  endeaxors  is  one  of  the  most  esteemed  men  of 
Elko  county. 

Mr.  Fi.sher  was  born  in  New  Washington.  Clark  county,  Indiana,  Sej)- 
tembcr  24,  1840,  and  is  of  old  .southern  ancestry.  His  father.  John  l-'i.shcr, 
was  born  in  North  Carolina  in  i8(xi,  and  after  his  marriage  to  Miss  J'Lliza- 
l)eth  h'onts  removed  to  southern  Indiana  an<l  was  one  of  the  pioneer  farmers 
aiifl  settlers  of  that  ])art  of  the  state.  I'.ight  cbililren  were  born  'o  them, 
and  four  arc  still  living.  John  l*"ishcr  lived  to  be  eighty-three  years  old.  and 
ills  wife  died  some  years  before  his  death. 

Ml'.   I'isher  was  reared  and  educated  in  the  slates  of   Indi.ma  and   Ken- 


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A  HIST()K^'  OF  NliVAUA.  r,\:', 

lucky,  lie  ji.iincd  a  lai-.L;c  C(iiii|)any  ni  emit^raiits,  fully  prepared  tn  defend 
llieniselves  against  ail  attack,  and  crossed  the  jjlains  to  California  in  1864, 
the  journey  bein^  made  witliout  ])articular  misfortune  or  adventure  except 
the  usual  routine  (if  hardships  incident  to  such  an  enterprise.  The  trains 
sto])])ed  in  Suisun  valley,  California,  where  Mr.  F'isher  engaged  in  ranching 
until  1868,  when  he  came  to  Elko.  Nevada.  He  and  Thomas  Henley  erected 
the  first  frame  house  in  Elko,  and  it  was  also  the  first  lodging  house  in  that 
town.  He  sold  his  interest  in  this  enterprise  and  moved  to  Mountain  City  in 
1869,  where  he  managed  some  mining  properties.  He  soon  afterward  re- 
turned to  Elko,  and  was  in  business  there  for  six  years.  In  1880  he  took  up 
his  residence  in  Wells,  and  has  l)een  an  enterprising  and  progressive  business 
man  of  that  town  ever  since. 

Mr.  Fisher  has  l)een  actively  identified  with  the  success  of  the  Demo- 
cratic party  ever  since  be  came  to  the  state,  and  attends  the  local  and  state 
conventions  and  caucuses.  He  has  spent  a  number  of  years  in  collecting 
s])ecimens  for  a  niineralogical,  geological  and  pre-bistoric  cabinet  and  has 
over  three  hundred  specimens  of  \aluable  and  rare  minerals,  geological  and 
pre-historic  relics  from  all  parts  of  the  United  States  and  the  world  at  large. 
These  are  all  catalogued.  Aside  from  this  his  collection  contains  fully  seven 
hundred  more  valuable  mineral,  geological  and  pre-bistoric  si5€cimens  from 
amost  every  portion  of  the  globe.  He  has  been  offered  large  sums  for  this 
cabinet,  but  has  declined  to  part  with  it.  It  would  be  a  valuable  collection 
for  any  museum  in  the  world.  Mr.  b'isher  is  a  large  dealer  in  horns  and 
heads  of  deer,  elk,  Iniffalo.  mountain  sheej:).  antelope.  Rocky  mountain  goats, 
moose,  and  also  has  some  splendid  stuffed  specimens  of  wild  turkey,  bald 
eagles,  Alaskan  owls,  Chinese  pheasants,  prairie  chickens,  English  pheasants 
and  the  California  mountain  quail,  besides  a  large  number  of  rare  and  beau- 
tiful Indian  relics.  The  fauna  of  almost  the  entire  west  is  represented  in  his 
stock,  and  his  diligence  and  perse\-erance  have  been  the  means  of  collecting 
and  disseminating  to  the  knowledge  of  the  world  many  of  the  most  valuable 
specimens  oi  the  natural  and  human  history  of  this  ]5art  of  the  continent. 
Mr.  Fisher  is  a  member  of  Elko  Lodge  No.  15,  F.  &  A.  M..  being'  one  of 
the  well  informed  memlx'rs  of  that  order,  and  is  also  a  member  of  Salt  Lake 
Lodge  No.  8^.  B.  P.  O.  E. 


r.  E.  DAVIS,  who  is  one  of  the  well  known  stockmen  and  ranchers 
of  Elko  county,  and  has  also  been  engaged  in  railroading  for  many  years 
of  his  active  life,  first  came  to  the  state  of  Nevada  in  1885.  He  has  passed 
nearly  all  his  life  on  the  Pacific  slope,  and  his  enter])rise  and  industry  have 
been  rewarded  in  his  position  in  the  Inisiness  world  and  in  the  esteem  of 
many  friends  and  associates.  His  parents.  Price  and  Dorothy  (Little) 
Davis,  were  both  natives  of  England,  and  came  to  Chicago,  Illinois,  in 
1856,  where  the  former  followed  his  trade  of  boiler-maker.  In  1870  they 
removed  to  California,  and  Price  Da\-is  continued  to  follow  his  trade  in  Sac- 
ramento until  bis  retirement  from  active  life.  Mrs.  Davis  died  in  Decem- 
l)cr.  1893.     They  had  six  children,  five  daughters  and  one  son. 

Mr.   P.  E.   Davis  is  the  only  representative  of  the  family   in  Nevada. 


514  A  HISTORY  OF  NE\'ADA. 

He  was  Ijorn  in  Chicago.  Illinois,  April  9,  1865,  Init  was  educated  and  reared 
to  manhood  in  Sacramento.  He  learned  the  Ijoiler-maker's  trade  in  tliat 
city,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  began  his  career  in  railroading.  He  fired 
an  engnie  on  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  in  Nevada,  and  in  1888  was 
promoted  to  engineer.  He  has  been  all  along  the  line  from  Wadsworth 
to  Ogden.  and  in  the  fifteen  years  of  his  service  has  ne\  er  met  with  an 
accident.  In  1897  he  and  Mr.  J.  K.  Smith  formed  a  partnership  and  l)egan 
the  raising  of  cattle  and  hay  on  their  fine  ranch  near  Wells.  Elko  county.. 
They  raise  a  good  grade  of  Hereford  cattle,  and  have  had  iirofit.able  returns 
from  their  business. 

Mr.  Davis  is  a  Republican  in  ])olitics.  and  fraternally  is  a  member  of 
the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Order  of  Loc<)mnti\e  h'ngineers.  In  1S90 
he  was  happily  married  to  Miss  A.  Adel  Williams,  a  daughter  of  C.  V. 
Williams.  Mr.  Williams  is  one  of  the  noted  old-timers  of  the  west,  and  is 
now  residing  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Da\n's  in  a  fine  commo<lious  house  in 
Wells,  which  he  recently  biull.  Me  made  a  trip  lo  Austrafia  in  1831.  came 
to  California  in  1854.  and  to  Nevada  in  i8fii.  where  he  enlisted  in  the 
Union  army  as  a  member  of  Company  K.  Third  California  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, and  passed  his  three  years'  service  in  I'tah.  in  subjugating  the  In- 
dian tribes  and  protecting  the  emigrant  trains.  He  participated  in  the  hot 
fight  at  Bear  river  where  one  hundred  and  thirty-two  .soldiers  were  ojiposed 
to  a  large  force  of  redskins,  and  where  twenty-five  of  the  soldiers  were 
slain  and  two  hundred  and  seventy-five  Indians.  Mr.  Williams  and  his 
wife,  who  was  Miss  Louisa  Stone,  are  esteemed  resiflents  of  Wells,  and 
he  is  held  in  especial  regard  for  his  connection  with  old  times  in  Ne\'ada. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davis  have  three  sons  and  a  daughter.  Price,  who  was  born 
in  California,  and  Ivlward.  Harold  and  P>eatrice.  born  in  .Nevada.  The 
children  are  all  in   school. 


CAZll'^R  liRCJTHERS,  prominent  ranchers  and  stockmen  of  Star  val- 
ley, Elko  county,  Nevada,  have  been  engaged  in  successful  business  enter])rises 
in  Nevada  since  1887.  They  have  followed  freighting  in  different  jxirts  of 
the  west,  have  been  in  the  commission  business,  and  have  gained  the  rei)uta- 
tir)n  of  being  thoroughly  reliable  and  progressive  business  men. 

John  Cazier.  the  father  of  these  enterprising  brtitiiers.  wns  born  in  Vir- 
ginia in  1821.  but  was  reared  in  Kentucky,  lie  was  of  l'"rcnch  descent. 
He  married  .Miss  .\ngelina  Hallovvell.  a  nati\e  of  luigland  and  of  luiglish 
stock.  He  ])articipated  in  the  war  with  Mexico,  and  from  Mexico  went  with 
the  troops  to  California,  where  they  were  discharged,  lie  .settled  in  the 
territory  of  Utah  in  1847,  that  territory  then  comprising  nearlv  all  the  ])resent 
state  of  Nevada  as  well.  He  heli)cd  build  .soir.c  of  the  first  houses  in  Salt 
Lake  City,  and  settled  on  a  farm  south  of  that  city  and  lived  there  till  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  1890.  '.vhcn  he  was  sixty-nine  years  old.  His  wife 
was  born  June  24.  1841.  and  died  in  1902.  'i'hcy  were  the  parents  of  seven 
sons  and  five  daughters. 

John  11.  and  Jefferson  I).  Ca/ier.  the  twn  bnilluMs  in  wlimn  this  sketch 
is  especially  interested,  were  both  born  in  I'tali.  M.iv   nj.   18^9.  and  October 


A    IIISTom'   OF   NEVADA.  515 

y,  i8()8.  res|)ccti\'elv.  ami  were  I'farcil  ami  cducalcd  in  that  territory,  1  hey 
came  to  Nevada  together,  in  t.SSj.  antl  settled  first  at  Toana,  Elko  county, 
where  the\-  were  engaged  ni  freighting  to  tlie  different  mining  cam])s  of 
White  Pine  county  for  two  years.  They  then  opened  a  hotel  and  ditl  for- 
warding and  commission  husiness  for  some  years.  Jn  1899  they  came  to 
their  present  location  a  few  miles  west  of  Wells,  and  purchased  six  lnnidre<l 
and  eighty  acres  of  land,  ihev  ha\e  since  added  to  this,  and  now  ha\e  two 
thousand  acres,  and  also  have  some  large  stock  ranges  north  of  Toana.  .\l)out 
five  hundred  head  of  cattle  are  on  their  places,  and  their  fasorite  Ijreed  is 
the  Hereford.  They  have  ])urchased  some  registered  bulls  from  Governor 
Spark's  herds,  and  give  careful  attention  to  the  keeping  of  their  stock  up  to 
a  high  standard.  Their  farming  operations  are  also  e-\tensi\e.  and  they  raise 
alfalfa,  timothy,  red-top  and  other  grasses,  besides  wheat  and  oats,  of  which 
they  threshed  out  in  one  season  thirtv-one  hundretl  sacks. 

Mr.  John  H.  Cazier  was  married  January  i,  1883,  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Jones,  of  his  own  native  state,  and  they  have  se\-en  children:  Elizabeth  E., 
Henry  Hallowell,  Martha  .\.,  John  Ingersoll,  Edward  Coin,  Nevada  and 
Louise  the  two  eldest  born  in  L'tah  and  the  rest  in  Ne\ada.  Mr.  John 
Cazier  is  a  Democrat,  while  his  brother  is  a  Republican,  and  the  former 
was  postmaster  of  Toana  for  ele\en  years.  The  \-ounger  brother  has  re- 
mained single.  They  are  l)oth  well  known  in  the  county,  and  ha\e  made 
many  friends  during  their  many  years'  business  operations  and  residence  in 
the  state. 


GILBERT  B.  \V.\LDO,  a  retired  farmer  of  Ma.son  valley.  Nevada, 
now  residing  in  Verington,  has  li\ed  in  Nevada  since  ]H(tj.  He  is  a  nati\e 
of  Illinois,  having  been  born  in  Chicago,  January-  13,  1842,  coming  of  Scotch 
ancestry,  his  forebears  having  settled  in  Canada  many  years  ago.  His  father, 
William  Waldo,  was  born  in  Scotland,  there  married  Mrs,  ]Margaret  IMcIn- 
tosh,  of  Edinlnu'g,  Scotland,  and  they  emigrated  to  Canada,  but  later  came 
tc)  the  United  .States,  in  1836  and  settled  in  the  then  \-oung  city  of  Chicago. 
He  was  a  draugiitsman,  architect  and  builder,  and  remained  in  Chicago  the 
rest  of  his  life,  and  died  there  when  about  sixty  years  of  age.  His  w  ife 
died  a  few  years  later,  when  sixty-five  years  of  age.  They  had  se\en  chil- 
dren, two  by  her  first  husband  and  fi\e  by  the  father  of  our  subject.  Of 
these,  four  are  now  living. 

Gilbert  B.  Waldo  was  educated  in  Cliicago  and  in  Dupage  count}-.  Illi- 
nois, and  when  twelve  years  of  age  began  to  earn  his  own  living,  being  given 
his  food  and  clothing  and  i)ennitted  to  attend  school  four  months  in  winter 
in  return  for  his  services  u])on  a  farm.  Later  he  was  paid  twelve  dollars 
per  month.  WHien  in  his  nineteenth  }ear.  in  1860.  he  went  to  Arkansas  and 
worked  on  a  jjlantation.  and  was  there  when  the  war  l)roke  out.  .\lthough 
against  his  principles,  as  there  was  no  way  of  esca])ing.  he  enlisted  in  t^e 
Jeff  Davis  Invincibles  and  was  in  the  battle  at  Belmont,  at  Shiloh.  Russell 
Hou.se  and  Corinth.  His  term  of  enlistment  was  for  a  year,  and  when  that 
ex|)ired  he  tlesired  his  discbarge,  but  was  com])elled  to  remain  in  the  service. 
When  an  opportunity  arri\ed  he  escaped  to  General  Halleck's  command,  and. 


510  A  lllSTUKV   Ul'    NEV7VD;\. 

explaining  his  situation  and  his  desire  to  tiglit  under  the  old  flag,  on  June 
1-,,  1862.  he  was  enrolled  in  Company  C  Foiuieenth  Wisconsin  Volunteer 
Infantry,  for  three  years.  He  i)articipated  in  the  second  hattle  of  Corinth, 
and  was  with  (Jeneral  (irant  in  his  campai.i^n  at  Memphis  an*d  Vicksburg. 
A\'hile  in  the  C'onfederate  army  he  recei\ed  a  gunshot  wound  in  the  leg 
which  laid  him  up  in  the  hospital  at  Memphis,  and  at  Vickshnrg  he  was 
wounded  in  the  hip  and  on  top  of  the  head.  Mr.  Waldo  was  in  the  Red 
River  expedition  with  Banks;  then  returned  to  Memphis,  and  throughout 
the  remainder  of  the  struggle  ])artici])ated  in  all  the  battles  of  his  regiment, 
serving  with  gallantry  and  true  courage.  After  he  was  honorably  discharged 
he  returned  to  Chicag'o,  and  for  some  time  was  engaged  in  running  a  horse- 
]X)wer  wood-sawing  machine,  sawing  wooil  for  a  railroad.  In  1867  he  came 
west  to  Nevada,  crossing  the  plains  on  horseback,  and  stopped  to  wurk  for 
Sam  Bucklin  in  Carson  valley,  hut  two  months  later  \\;is  in  Mason  valley, 
where  he  took  up  three  hundred  ;inil  t\\enl\-  ;icres.  lie  has  made  manv 
improvements  upon  his  pmpertw  now  ha\ing  one  of  ihc  best  farms  in  the 
entire  \icinity. 

In  1879  Mr.  Waldo  was  happil\-  married  to  Serapta  .\nn  .\mes.  a 
native  of  Michigan,  born  near  the  city  of  Tontiac.  .\lthongh  a  stanch  Re- 
publican, Mr.  Waldo  now  votes  m  local  matters  as  he  believes  best,  regard- 
less of  party  lines.  Fraternalh  he  is  .1  member  of  the  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  F"el!ows,  in  which  he  has  ])assed  all  the  chairs,  and  is  a  member  of 
the  grand  lodge  of  the  state.  While  never  desiring  office,  he  consented  to 
act  as  a  member  of  the  school  board,  and  through  his  efforts  the  district  re- 
ceived the  present  fine  edifice.  He  has  leased  his  fine  farm,  and,  building  a 
commodious  house  in  Yerington,  proceeded  to  beautify  the  grounds  by  plant- 
ing trees  and  shrubbery,  which  will  soon  make  his  town  residence  one  of 
the  most  desirable  in  the  place.  Both  he  and  his  most  excellent  wife  are 
among  the  most  highly  respected  people  of  the  city,  and  they  are  enjoying"  the 
prosperity  their  industry  and  thrift  have  ]>i"ocure(l. 


JAMES  P.  W'OODBURY  belongs  to  the  grouj)  of  distinctively  repre- 
sentative business  men  who  ha\e  been  the  pioneers  in  inaugurating  and 
building  up  the  chief  industries  of  this  section  of  the  country,  lie  is  now 
connected  with  extensive  and  im])ortanl  mining  interests,  making  his  home 
in  Carson  City,  while  his  residence  in  the  state  of  Nevada  dates  from  1862. 

Mr.  Woodbury  was  born  in  Massachusetts,  his  l)irth  occurring  in  the 
city  of  Fitchburg,  on  the  2i.st  of  March,  1838.  He  was  of  luiglish  and 
Welsh  ancestry,  and  at  an  early  day  the  family  was  founded  in  New  England. 
William  Woodbury,  his  grandfather,  was  horn  in  New  Hami).shire,  and 
William  Woodbnr)-.  Jr.,  his  father,  was  a  native  of  (iardner  and  died  in 
the  eighty-sixth  year  of  his  age.  His  good  wife  still  survives  him.  residing 
at  their  old  home  in  ]'"itchburg,  Massachusetts,  at  the  advanced  age  of  ninet\ 
five  years.  They  were  the  parents  of  five  children,  three  of  whom  are  living 
and  two  are  residents  of  Nevada,  n.-imely :  James  1'.  ;md  Oscar,  the  latter  a 
resident  of  Silver  City,   Nevada. 

James   P.   Woodbury   was  edncatcil    in    hi--   n;iti\c   town,   and    in    18(10. 


^ 


A  HISTORY  OI-'  NEVADA.  517 

when  Iwenty-two  years  of  age,  lie  left  the  Atlantic  coast  for  California. 
After  twt)  years  spent  in  the  (lolden  state  he  came  to  Nevada  in  1862,  settling 
first  at  Virginia  L'it\'.  There  he  was  employed  as  an  engineer,  and  later  was 
given  charge  of  the  Mariposa  Mill,  while  subsequently  he  became  superin- 
tendent of  various  mills.  He  acted  in  that  capacity  in  connection  with  the 
Omega  mill  in  Virginia  City  when  they  ran  two  hundred  tons  of  tailings 
per  day,  this  being  the  largest  mill  of  the  kind  in  the  country.  He  next 
superintended  the  Sacrament<5  mill,  and  has  also  been  superintendent  of  the 
Morgan  mill  <if  forty  stamps  and  the  l^ureka  mill  of  si.xty  stamps.  For 
near))'  thnty  years  he  has  been  a  member  of  a  company  of  ca])italists  that 
has  lK)ught  all  the  tailings  of  the  Comstock  Mill  &  Mining  Compan_\-.  They 
used  the  cyanide  process  and  had  four  cyanide  plants  located  at  Virginia 
City,  Silver  City.  Eureka  and  at  the  Morgan  mill  at  Empire.  They  have 
l)rotitabl\  nm  their  immense  quantities  of  tailings,  and  for  forty  )'ears  Mr. 
\Voodbur\-  has  gisen  his  attention  and  untiring  energies  to  mining  and 
milling.  As  an  experienced  milling  man  he  has  no  sui)erior  in  this  state, 
and  his  cflOrts  have  been  a  strong  factor  in  the  development  of  the  rich  min- 
ing resources  of  Nevada  and  at  the  same  tina-  ha\e  brought  tn  him  a  sijlendid 
luiancial  return  for  his  labor. 

While  carrying  on  large  business  interests  with  capability,  Mr.  Wood- 
bury has  also  fully  ])erformed  his  duties  of  citizenship  as  a  progressive  and 
jniblic-spirited  man,  taking  an  active  interest  in  all  that  pertains  to  the  de- 
\elopment,  welfare  and  substantial  upbuilding  of  his  city  and  state.  He 
has  been  a  stanch  republican  since  the  organization  of  the  party  and  has 
labored  earnestly  for  its  success,  yet  never  consented  to  accept  public  office 
until  1892,  when  he  was  elected  county  commissioner  of  Ormsby  count}-.  He 
has  effectivel}-  served  his  county  in  the  ofiice  for  the  past  ten  years,  pursuing 
a  public-spirited  course  and  keeping"  constantly  in  \iew  the  idea  of  managing 
the  county's  affairs  with  judicious  economy.  His  course  has  been  creditable 
to  himself  and  satisfactt)ry  to  his  constituents,  his  labors  l^eing  of  direct 
benefit  to  those  whom  he  represents. 

He  and  his  family  are  well  known  tbrdughout  the  state  where  he  is 
classed  among  the  honored  ])ioneers  and  prominent  business  men.  To  him 
liiere  has  come  the  attainment  of  a  distinguished  position  in  connection  with 
the  great  material  industries  of  the  county,  and  his  efforts  have  been  so 
discerningly  directed  along  well  defined  lines  that  he  seems  to  have  realized 
at  any  one  point  of  progress  the  full  measure  of  his  possibilities  for  accrmi- 
I)lishment  at  that  point. 


HON.  GRANDVILLE  1.  LE.WTTT,  M.  D.,  the  oldest  physician  and 
surgeon  in  his  portion  of  Nevada,  where  for  the  past  quarter  of  a  century  he 
has  successfully  practiced  his  chosen  profession,  was  born  in  Waterford, 
Oxford  county.  Maine.  May  i,^.  1839.  He  comes  of  an  old  English  family 
and  traces  his  ancestry  back  to  the  Mayflower,  and  numbers  them  among 
the  brave  men  who  conquered  first  the  wilderness  and  then  their  foes  in  the 
Revolution.  His  father,  Isaac  Leavitt,  was  born  in  what  is  now  Maine, 
and  married  Sarah  Berry,  a  daughter  of  an  old  New  England  family,  but 


618  A  HISTORY  OF  NE\'Ar)A. 

of  Irish  ancestry.  His  father  died  wlien  Dr.  Leavitt  was  a  cliild.  and  the 
latter  went  to  Cahfoniia  when  yet  a  Iniy,  receiving  his  echication  in  the 
University  of  the  Pacific  Coast  and  his  medical  training  in  the  medical  de- 
partment of  the  California  State  University,  from  which  he  was  graduated 
in  1866. 

His  first  practice  was  carried  on  in  Butte  county,  hut  later  he  removed 
to  Sierra  county.  Howland  Flat,  and  then  spent  five  years  at  Loyalton.  fin- 
ally coming  to  what  is  now  Yerington.  although  he  found  it  called  Pison, 
hut  later  (Ireenfield.  and  finally  Yerington.  h'or  many  \-ears  he  was  the  only 
physician  in  this  portion  of  the  state,  and  his  services  were  in  great  demand. 
and  his  practice  extended  over  a  wide  territory. 

Until  the  silver  question  came  up  hefore  the  people.  Dr.  Lea\-itt  was 
a  strong  Repuhlican.  hut  he  was  one  of  the  first  to  announce  his  helief  that 
there  should  he  free  and  unlimited  coinage  of  silver,  and  has  since  held  tn 
these  views.  In  1885  he  was  sent  to  the  state  assemhly.  where  he  did  gallant 
service  for  his  district  and  for  the  state  in  general.  He  was  also  elected 
to  the  state  senate  hy  a  very  large  majdrity.  For  the  past  six  years  he  has 
l)een  the  government  physician  fur  the  Indian  reservation,  and  visits  the  reser- 
vation twice  a  week,  and  al.so  treats  the  Indians  at  his  office. 

In  addition  to  other  interests  Dr.  Leavitt  owns  two  hundred  and  forty 
•acres  of  excellent  land  adjacent  to  tlie  city,  on  which  he  has  a  very  pleasant 
home.  He  also  owns  a  sul>stantial  two-story  structure  in  town,  where  he 
has  his  office  and  where  one  of  his  sons  has  a  general  store.  The  upper  story 
is  fitted  for  a  lodge  hall  and  is  one  well  suited  for  the  purpose. 

In  1869  Dr.  Leavitt  was  married  to  Miss  Emma  Young,  in  Butte  county. 
California.  She  is  a  native  of  Missouri,  hut  was  educated  in  California. 
The  following  children  have  l)een  horn  of  this  lufion.  namely :  Melville,  a 
merchant  in  Yerington.  is  married  and  has  a  son;  Grandville  Ernest,  a  physi- 
cian who  served  in  the  Philipi)ines  in  the  Second  Califorina  Regiment,  is  a 
graduate  of  Stanford  University  and  uf  the  Cooper  jMedical  Q-illege.  and 
is  purposing  taking  his  father's  practice  in  Lyon  county:  (leorge  .\llen.  a 
teacher,  is  principal  of  the  Wadsworth  schools:  Edgar  is  attending  the 
Universitv  of  Nevada:  James  Dwight  is  attending  the  I'niversity  of  Xcvada : 
Louis  Sel'win  is  attending  the  Valley  schools. 

Dr.  Leavitt  a])])rcciates  the  advantages  conferred  hy  a  good  education, 
and  has  exerted  himself  to  fit  his  .sons,  all  of  whom  are  manly  young  fellows, 
in  this  particular.  .At  St.  Louis.  Sierra  county,  California.  Dr.  Leavitt  was 
made  a  Mason,  and  his  filled  all  the  ofiices  of  the  lodge  and  is  now  ])ast 
master,  and  is  a  charter  memhcr  of  Ho])e  Lodge  of  Yerington,  and  has  alw.ays 
been  very  active  in  lodge  wmk.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  .\ncient  Order 
of  United  Workmen.  Mrs.  Leavitt  is  a  memlier  of  the  Eastern  Star,  as 
is  also  her  husband,  and  both  have  .always  taken  an  infiuential  ]);irt  in  the 
social  life  of  "S'eringtnn.  where  the\-  are  most  liighlv  esteemed. 


HOX.  W.  C.  PITT,  at  present  the  state  senator  from  Humboldt  county, 
Nevada,  and  with  a  record  of  ability  and  success  in  industrial  and  business 
circles  of  the  c(iunt\',  is  the  sun  df   hjiglish  p;iients,  W.  C.  ;md  J.inc   (t'oke) 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  r,10 

I'itt.  His  lather  cniit;ratc(l  U>  America  and  seUle<]  near  Jackson,  ^Michigan, 
in  J858.  He  was  a  scliool  teacher  liy  profession.  He  served  throughout  tlie 
Civil  war  as  a  nieniher  nl'  the  1  \vent)'-f(>urtli  Wisconsin  Volunteer  Infantr_\-. 
inider  (ieneral  Kosecrans.  and  was  taken  prisoner  at  the  l>rUtle  of  Ciiicka- 
niaugn.  He  passed  eighteen  months  in  ].il)h\'  and  Andersonville  prisons,  but 
as  he  was  a  I'reemason  lie  w;is  allowed  a  certain  annnuit  of  liberty  anil 
served  as  bookkeeper  for  one  of  the  officers.  After  the  war  he  remained  in 
the  .south  for  some  time  and  then  came  to  Paradise  \alley,  Xe\ada,  where  he 
died,  in  1881,  at  the  age  of  fortv-eight,  his  wife  having  passed  away  in  Michi- 
gan in  \S(t().  riiev  had  two  sons,  (ieorge  L.,  now  a  farmer  of  Lo\-elocks, 
.'md  \V.  C. 

I  bin.  W.  t_'.  i'itt  was  born  near  the  cit\-  of  Milwaukee.  Wisconsin.  A]iril 
10.  1839.  and  was  educated  in  the  public  schools,  lie  came  to  Nevada  in 
1879,  and  was  then  a  ]io(ir  man  and  wurked  for  wages.  He  has  l)een  en 
gaged  in  farming  and  llnur  milling,  and  has  met  with  good  success  in  his 
\-eutures.  His  flour  mill  is  a  roller  jjrocess,  with  all  the  latest  improvements, 
and  has  a  dailv  capacitv  of  sixtv  Ivarrels  of  flour.  He  owns  twenty-eight 
hundred  acres  of  land,  and  raises  large  cpiantities  of  hay  and  grain.  On  the 
north  side  of  the  town  of  LoA-elocks  he  has  eighty  acres,  on  wdiich  he  has 
erected  a  hand.some  residence,  which  is  surrounded  by  a  fine  grove  r>f  trees 
and  is  considered  one  of  the  ])rettiest  properties  in  Ldselock  \alley.  He  is 
also  interested  in  some  mining  jiroperties. 

Mr.  Pitt  has  lieen  a  life-long  Democrat,  and  was  twice  elected  to  the 
state  assembly  and  was  recently  chosen  to  rejiresent  his  count}-  in  the  senate, 
where  he  has  made  a  good  record  as  a  T)ainstaking  and  conscientious  legislator. 
He  is  the  father  of  the  bill  which  provided  that  all  the  assessors  of  the  re- 
spective counties  should  unite  to  f(irm  a  Ijoard  of  equalization  for  the  taxes 
of  tlie  whole  state.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows, the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Elks  and  of  Humbnldt  Lodge  No.  2~.  F. 
&  A.  M.,  at  Lovelocks. 

In  1879  Mr.  Pitt  married  Miss  Capatolia  Moses,  a  native  of  the  state 
of  Michigan  and  six  children  ha\e  Iieen  born  to  them:  Charles,  now  de- 
ceased ;  Bessie,  now  the  wife  of  Charles  Romwall.  of  Lovelocks :  Mable.  the 
wife  of  Bert  Biddleman,  of  Lovelocks;  Ada,  tlie  wife  of  F.  E.  Baker,  a  mer- 
chant of  Lovelocks;  and  Leland  and  Daniel. 


WILLL-\M  H.  FR.VZER.  .\  valuable  farming  property  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  in  the  Truckee  meadows  and  located  in  the  north  Truckee 
district  is  the  propert}-  of  William  H.  Frazer,  who  is  classed  with  the  lead- 
ing and  enterprising  agriculturists  of  this  part  of  the  state.  He  is  a  native 
of  New  Hampshire,  having  first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light  of  day  in  the 
old  Granite  state  on  the  28th  of  March,  1846.  The  Frazer  family  is  of 
Scotch  origin  and  the  father  of  W.  H.  I'lazer,  William  Frazer,  was  lx)rn  in 
the  land  of  the  heather  in  the  year  1807.  When  a  young  man  he  crossed 
the  Atlantic  and  settled  in  Monroe,  Grafton  count}-.  New-  Hamiishire,  where 
he  engaged  in  the  operation  of  a  flouring  mill.  He  owned  a  good  milling- 
property   there  and   de\-oted   his  energ'ies  to   its   conduct  with   gc^od   success 


520  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

tlirough  a  long  period.  His  religious  faitli  was  that  of  the  Presbyterian 
church,  and  he  was  ever  faithful  to  its  teachings,  exemplifying  its  principles 
in  his  daily  life.  He  was  married  in  New  Hampshire,  and  his  wife,  who 
bore  the  maiden  name  of  Hannah  Manchester,  long  sur\ived  him,  departing 
this  life  at  the  old  homestead  in  the  Granite  state  on  the  9th  of  March,  1900, 
when  eighty-seven  years  of  age.  They  were  the  parents  of  nine  children, 
of  whom  seven  are  yet  living,  and  those  who  reside  in  Nevada  are  Mrs. 
Welch,  a  resident  of  Virginia  City,  and  Mr.  Frazer.  One  son,  Robert  A. 
i'^azer,  went  to  California  in  1839,  and  in  1861  arri\-ed  in  Washoe  city, 
Nevada,  where  he  become  an  influential  citizen  and  served  as  city  treasurer 
of  W'ashoe  for  six  years,  while  for  two  years  he  was  assessor  of  the  county. 

To  the  public  schools  of  his  native  town  William  H.  Frazer  is  in- 
debted for  the  educational  privileges  that  he  enjoyed  m  his  youth  and  which 
fitted  him  to  meet  the  practical  and  responsible  duties  of  a  business  career. 
He  was  a  young  man  of  nineteen  years  when  he  went  fmm  New  Hampshire 
to  Iowa,  in  the  year  1865.  In  the  latter  state  he  was  employed  for  wages 
imtil  1872,  when  he  came  to  Nevada  and  to<ik  charge  of  his  brother's  stock. 
He  also  worked  for  the  firm  of  Mackey  and  Fair,  and  when  his  economy  and 
industry  had  brought  to  him  capital  sufficient  to  enable  him  to  purchase  land 
on  his  own  account  he  began  farming  for  himself.  It  was  in  the  spring  of 
1876  that  he  bought  liis  present  farm,  comprising  two  lumdred  acres,  only 
forty  of  which  had  been  placed  under  cultivation  when  it  came  into  his  posses- 
sion. He  has  continued  to  improve  it,  and  he  now  raises  on  it  from  one 
hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred  tons  of  hay  annually.  He  also  keeps  one 
hundred  head  of  cattle,  mostly  of  the  Durham  breed,  and  he  has  a  dairy  of 
twelve  cows.  The  product  of  his  dairy  is  of  such  excellent  quality  that  it 
linds  a  ready  sale  on  the  market.  On  the  rocky  portion  of  his  land,  which 
appeared  to  him  almost  worthless,  the  Wedekind  mine  was  discovered,  and 
he  .sold  the  ]:)roperty  for  a  good  price  after  Mr.  W^edekind  had  taken  out  a 
considerable  amount  of  gold.  The  purchaser  was  Governor  Sparks,  who 
paid  one  hundred  and  fifty-five  thousand  dollars  for  the  land,  and  a  little  town 
lias  now  sprung  up  on  this  tract.  Mr.  Frazer  is  at  present  erecting  a  hand- 
some two-story  residence  in  the  midst  of  a  nice  grove  of  trees  of  his  own 
jjlanting. 

On  tiic  3r<l  of  November.  1875.  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Frazer 
and  Miss  Belle  Ander.son.  who  was  a  native  of  Indiana,  and  was  reared  in 
Iowa.  She  is  a  daughter  of  John  .\nderson,  who  l>ecame  an  Iowa  farmer 
and  pioneer.  Eleven  children  have  been  Ixirn  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frazer,  of 
whom  six  are  now  living.  It  was  the  great  misfortune  of  the  ])arents  to  lose 
two  of  their  children  in  the  same  year — Charles,  a  fine  youth  of  sixteen,  was 
drowned  while  swimming  in  the  lake,  and  (Wen.  wlm  was  about  eighteen 
months  old.  died  in  one  of  the  water  ditches  on  the  ranch.  Another  .son, 
l-llmer,  died  at  the  age  of  seven  years.  Roy  pas.sed  away  in  189 1  when  four 
years  of  age,  and  Enie.st  died  in  his  third  year.  The  surviving  children  ,iro 
Robert  T.,  who  is  with  his  father  on  the  ranch  and  renders  to  him  much 
assistance;  Vernie.  who  is  the  wife  of  Louis  G.  Wedekind:  Clare,  .\lvrtlo. 
Gladys  and  Ray,  who  are  still  under  the  parental  roof.  Mrs.  l-'razer  belongs 
li>  (he  i'a|)tist  church  and  is  a  lady  of  many  excellent  traits  of  heart  and  mind. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NF.VAnA.  521 

Mr.  Frazcr  liolds  nieiiihershi])  with  the  Finlepciuleiit  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows  and  has  ])asse(l  all  lUe  chairs  in  one  hranch  of  the  order.  In  poli- 
tics he  is  independent.  He  has,  however,  taken  an  acti\e  intere.st  in  educa- 
tional matters  and  has  served  as  school  ti'ustee  lor  a  nnnihcr  of  j'ears.  Me 
desires  the  1>est  educational  opportunities  possible  for  the  children  of  the 
localit\',  and  believes  in  employing  g'ood  teachers  and  in  continually  advanc- 
ini;'  (be  slandai'd  of  the  schools. 


HON.  Wn.LIAM  SMILFY,  of  Star  valley,  is  one  of  the  prominent 
ranchers  and  stockmen  of  the  state,  and  lias  been  a  resident  of  the  state  for 
nearly  forty  years,  so  that  he  has  been  identified  with  its  progress  from  the 
very  first,  even  before  it  became  separated  from  the  territory  of  Utah.  His 
fellow  citizens  have  honored  him  by  sending  him  as  their  representative  to 
the  state  legislature,  and  in  both  the  jniblic  life  and  the  business  interests  of 
ills  county  he  has  held  a  conspicuous  place. 

Mr.  Smiley  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  ;uid  followed  the  usual 
routine  of  farmer  Ixiys  in  attendance  at  school  and  \\i  irking  on  the  home 
place.  At  the  age  of  seventeen,  in  1859,  be  maile  the  trip  to  California  by 
way  of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama.  He  mined  for  :\  time  in  Placer  county,  but 
with  poor  luck,  and  soon  became  employed  in  freighting  from  Sacramento 
to  the  different  mining  camps,  and  also  to  Virginia  City,  Xe\ada,  during  the 
first  excitement  in  that  town.  Fie  first  came  to  Nevada  in  1861,  but  re- 
turned to  California.  In  1863  be  began  mining  in  .\ustin,  Nevada,  which  be 
continued  for  a  few  years,  but  in  1867  branched  out  into  the  field  in  which 
he  has  made  his  most  conspicuous  success.  Fie  began  the  raising  of  cattle 
in  Nye  county,  ha\-ing  invested  all  his  carefully  sa\-ed  earnings,  and  he  grad- 
ually came  to  the  front  in  l)usiness.  He  came  to  F.lko  county  in  the  fall  of 
1877  and  settled  on  a  ranch  about  a  mile  from  Deeth,  on  the  Southern  Pacific 
Railroad.  He  added  to  the  original  purchase  from  government  and  railroad 
lands  until  he  had  eleven  himdred  acres,  which  property  he  still  owns.  It 
is  highly  improved,  and  worth  many  times  wdiat  it  cost  him.  He  also  bought 
land  six  miles  east  of  Deeth,  where  be  now  has  twcntv  three  hundred  acres. 
This  land  was  a  sage-l)rush  plain  when  he  took  it,  and  by  much  bard  work 
he  has  placed  water  on  it  and  lirought  it  out  to  be  one  of  the  finest  farms 
in  the  state.  He  has  built  a  splendid  farm  residence,  surrounded  with  a 
beautiful  grove  of  his  own  planting,  and  by  contrast,  made  the  farm  a  para- 
dise beside  its' original  state.  It  is  all  evidence  of  what  wonders  thrift  and 
enterprise  can  accomplish  in  Nevada  in  the  line  of  up-to-date  agriculture. 
And  by  instrumentality  of  such  men  as  Mr.  Smiley  hundreds  of  such  large 
tracts  will  in  time  be  made  arable  and  productive,  and  the  former  desert  will 
blossom  as  the  rose.  Mr.  Smiley  raises  large  herds  of  high-grade  cattle, 
and  ships  many  carloads  to  San  Francisco;  he  always  make  the  tri])  himself 
and  attends  personally  to  the  sale.  In  all  of  his  ventures  he  has  made  a 
marked  success,  and  is  at  the  front  of  the  van  of  progress  and  develpoment 
in  his  adopted  state. 

Mr.  Smiley  married,  in  the  fall  of  1S78,  Miss  Addie  S;mderson,  a  native 
of  his  own  town  in  Canada.     Six  children  h;ive  been  born  to  them,  two  of 


522  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

whom  are  dead.  I'aniiie  was  educated  in  tlie  Xe\-ada  State  University  and 
is  now  at  iiome;  John  is  in  his  tliird  year  at  the  nni\ersity:  and  Frank  and 
Wilbur  are  still  at  home.  Mr.  Smiley  is  a  stanch  Re|nil)lican,  mid  for  one 
year  represented  Elko  county  in  the  state  assembly,  where  lie  made  a  credit- 
able record  in  tiie  interests  of  the  people.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Tnde- 
l^endent  Order  of  Odd  I'^llows.  and  throus^bout  his  life  has  en(lea\-nred  to 
fdlliiw  that  .£;reat  jirecept  of  the  gulden  rule. 


HOX.  HUGH  R.  LOGAX.  A  glance  at  the  history  of  past  centuries 
will  indicate  at  once  what  would  be  the  condition  of  the  world  if  the  mining 
interests  no  longer  had  a  part  in  the  industrial  and  commercial  life.  Only 
a  few  centuries  ago  argiculture  was  almost  the  only  occujiation  of  man.  .\ 
landed  proprietor  surrounded  himself  with  bis  tenants  and  his  serfs,  who 
tilled  his  l)rc>ad  fields,  while  he  reaped  the  reward  of  their  labors;  but  when 
the  rich  mineral  re.st)urces  of  the  world  were  placed  upon  the  market  industry 
found  its  way  into  new  and  broader  fields,  minerals  were  used  in  the  pro- 
duction of  hundreds  of  in\cntions,  and  the  business  of  nations  was  re\-olu- 
tionized.  When  considering  these  facts  we  can  in  a  measure  determine  the 
value  to  mankind  of  the  mining  interests.  One  who  is  connected  with  the 
rich  mineral  resources  of  the  west  is  Mr.  L(igan.  who  since  18O4  has  been 
a  resident  of  Nevada,  actively  promoting  its  mining  interests,  is  also  a  citizen 
])rominent  in  public  affairs  and  is  one  of  the  distinguished  legislators,  hav- 
ing for  four  successive  terms  served  as  a  member  of  the  general  assembly. 

Mr.  Logan  was  born  in  Ellerslie,  Scotland,  on  the  iCitli  of  .\pril.  1832, 
a  re|)resentati\'e  of  an  old  and  prominent  Scotch  family.  I  lis  parents  were 
John  and  Marv  (Wilson)  Logan  who  were  reared  and  married  in  Scotland, 
and  after  the  birth  of  two  of  their  sons  emigrated  to  the  L'nited  States,  cross- 
ing the  .\llantic  in  1S39.  The  children  who  accompanied  them  were  Hugh 
1\.  and  William,  and  after  their  arri\al  in  the  new  world  three  others,  Mary, 
Jennie  and  John,  were  added  lo  the  tamilw  John  Logan  died  in  1861  at  the 
age  of  fifty-six  years,  and  his  wife  sur\i\e(l  him  until  she  had  attained  the 
age  of  seventy-four  years.  In  this  country  John  Logan  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  bunting,  car])ets  and  rugs,  and  became  a  leading  business  man  of 
the  locality  in  which  he  made  his  home.  lie  [xissessed  a  good  education  ,ind 
excellent  business  abilitv,  and  through  bis  well  directed  efforts  gained  credit- 
able prosperity.  Jioth.  he  and  his  wife  were  consistent  members  of  the  I'res- 
byterian  church. 

Hugh  Robert  Logan  was  educated  in  the  state  of  Massachusetts  as 
a  student  in  the  Lowell  public  schools.  When  sixteen  years  of  age  he  left 
home  without  obtaining  the  consent  of  his  i).ii"ents  and  weiU  lo  sea.  his 
lirsl  voyage  l)eing  made  to  Russia,  in  January.  i84(;,  he  sailed  fnun  lloslou 
tf)  San  I'rancisco  in  the  sailing  ves.sel  Capital,  landing  at  the  latter  port  on 
the  19th  of  July.  He  went  direct  to  the  .\nbuni  ])lacer  country,  wliere  he 
was  engaged  in  placer  mining,  following  that  pursuit  continuously  for  fifteen 
years.  He  mined  at  the  middle  fork  of  the  .\meric;ni  ri\er  and  S]).niish  b.ir  in 
ICIdorado  county  an<l  in  all  of  the  noted  mining  camps  of  the  stale,  taking  out 
often  as  high  as  one  hundred  dollars  per  day.     I  le  alwavs  abandoned  the  dig- 


A  IIlSTOm-  OF  NEVADA.  523 

lying's  wlicn  tlie\'  vicldcil  im  nnue  tlian  half  an  (luiice  per  ilaw  At  that  periotl 
in  the  state's  development .  liDwevcr.  the  miners  were  very  extravagant  in  their 
expenditures,  the  money  heing  paid  (lut  as  readily  as  it  was  procured.  "Come 
easy,  go  easy"  seemed  to  he  the  motto  of  the  miners,  and,  like  others,  Mr. 
Lot'";ui  did  not  husband  his  earlv  gains.  He  came  to  Nevada  in  search  of 
richer  fields,  and  for  a  time  engaged  in  mining  in  Washoe.  Later  he  se- 
cured work  at  the  Manhattan  mills  at  a  salary  of  lilt_\-  dollars  per  month  and 
his  board,  but  rapitUy  he  was  advanced  from  one  position  to  another  as  he 
manifested  his  excellent  l)usiness  ability,  and  within  a  year. he  was  given 
charge  of  the  mill  at  a  salary  of  five  dollars  per  day.  Pie  continued  in  that 
business  for  tluxe  years,  and  then  went  to  White  Pine,  where  he  was  engaged 
in  quartz  mining,  being  given  charge  of  the  Little  Treasure,  the  Dunn  and 
McCone  mills.  He  worked  twenty  tons  of  ore  from  the  Black  Shaft  in 
Pioche,  which  }-ie]ded  five  luuKlred  and  ten  dollars  to  the  ton.  Li  connection 
with  others  he  located  the  Ixanhoe  mine  at  Pioche,  which  was  then  opened 
and  operated,  Mr.  Logan  lieing  connected  therewith  for  three  years,  when 
he  sold  his  interest  for  six  thousand  dollars  in  cash  and  five  thousand  shares 
of  stock,  for  which  he  refused  five  dollars  per  share. 

Returning  to  Humboldt  county,  Mr.  Logan  was  superintendent  from 
time  to  time  of  a  number  of  mines  and  mills  of  the  state,  including  the  Mor- 
gan mill,  which  he  operated  for  six  years.  This  was  a  very  large  protlucer 
and  in  its  control  Mr.  Logan  displaced  s|)len(lid  business  ability  and  a 
thorough  understanding"  of  the  best  methods  of  reducing  its  ore  to  market- 
able metal.  He  milled  from  it  three  thousand  tons  of  ore  in  thirty  days, 
bullion  to  the  value  of  three  hundred  and  ninet\-  thousand  dollars,  a  record 
which  is  believed  has  never  been  suqiassed  in  the  state.  He  also  spent  a 
short  time  in  Tombstone,  Arizona,  but,  returning  to  Nevada,  he  had  charge 
of  the  Princess  mine  for  one  year.  He  also  was  superintendent  of  the  San- 
tiago mill  for  a  numlier  of  years,  taking  out  large  amounts  of  iKrth  gold 
and  silver,  while  for  the  past  fourteen  years  he  has  had  charge  of  the  Bruns- 
wick mill,  and  is  still  its  superintendent.  In  the  meantime  he  has  been  en- 
gagetl  in  mining  at  Como,  where  he  has  six  thousand  feet  of  openings  with 
three  hundred  thousand  tons  of  ore,  \alued  at  from  five  to  six  dollars  per 
ton.  Li  connection  with  this  mine  there  is  a  ten-stamp  mill  and  a  cyanide 
plant.  He  has  already  taken  from  the  Logan  and  Hulle_\-  mine  forty  thousand 
dollars  and  it  is  yet  in  embryo  condition,  ])ut  promises  splendid  returns.  Mr. 
Logan  is  likewise  interested  in  a  number  of  other  mines,  from  four  of  which 
he  expects  large  results,  including  copper,  gold  and  sil\"er  and  iron. 

In  his  political  views  Mr.  Logan  was  a  stanch  Republican  from  the  or- 
ganization of  the  party  until  it  abandoned  its  bimetallic  principles,  when  he 
joined  the  silver  party.  Elected  to  the  state  legislature,  he  proved  so  ac- 
ceptable a  mem1>er  that  he  has  been  three  times  re-elected,  and  is  now-  con- 
nected with  the  general  assembly  as  one  of  its  active  working  representatives. 
He  studies  closely  the  cjuestions  •  and  issues  liearing  upon  the  welfare  and 
progress,  the  development  and  ex])ansion  of  the  state  and  gi\es  an  earnest  and 
loyal  support  to  whatever  be  belie\es  will  contribute  most  largely  to  the  gen- 
ral  good.  His  political  career  is  one  which  will  bear  the  closest  investiga- 
tion and  scrtitin\-.  for  he  is  at  all  times  actuate<l  bv  principles  of  lovalt\'  and 


i'2i  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

integrity.  In  liis  milling  and  mining  interests  lie  has  been  assfxriatecl  with 
the  most  noted  men  of  the  state,  and  is  certainly  one  of  the  most  expert  min- 
ing men  of  Nevada,  having  hardlv  an  eqna!  in  this  field  of  endeavi^r.  He 
has  made  the  lousiness  a  close  study  for  forty  years  and  his  opinidiis  are  re- 
garded as  authority.  In  business  affairs  he  is  energetic,  jjrompt  and  notahlv 
reliable,  and  few  men  are  more  prominent  or  more  \videl\-  known  thronglmul 
the  entire  state. 


PROFESSOR  ORVIS  RING,  sui^rintendent  of  public  in.structicm  of 
.\'e\ada,  has  been  a  resident  of  the  state  since  1863,  and  also  pa.ssed  through 
the  commonwealth  in  1861  on  his  way  to  California.  He  is  a  native  of  Ver- 
mont, having  been  born  in  Addison  county,  July  21,  1833.  He  comes  of  an 
okl  English  family  prominently  identified  with  the  early  wars  of  the  colonies. 
His-  maternal  grandfather,  Samuel  Bunker,  .ser\ed  in  the  war  of  181 2,  and 
his  wife  bore  the  name  of  Hill  and  was  of  English  ancestry.  The  father, 
(ireenleaf  Ring,  was  born  in  Rockingham  county,  New  Hampshire,  April 
II,  1808,  and  was  a  son  of  Simeon  Ring,  whose  wife  iKire  the  maiden  name 
of  Jackson  and  was  of  Scotch-Irish  ancestrv.  (ireenleaf  Ring  married  Miss 
Betsy  Bunker,  a  native  of  Vermont  and  de.scended  from  one  of  the  well  known 
EngHsh  families,  members  of  which  had  married  into  Scotch  families.  The 
parents  of  Professor  Ring  were  members  of  the  Freewill  Baptist  church. 
By  occupation  his  father  was  a  merchant  and  farmer,  and  dejjarted  this  life 
in  1877  when  sixty-nine  years  of  age,  the  mother  having  died  in  1874.  Both 
were  interred  in  Reno,  Nevada. 

Professor  Ring  is  the  eldest  of  their  si.x  children,  of  whom  three  are 
yet  lixing.  but  he  is  the  only  one  residing  in'  iVevada.  His  early  life  was 
spent  and  his  education  secured  in  X'ermont,  New  York,  Wisconsin  and 
Illinois.     He  is  a  graduate  of  W'heaton  College,  Illinois,  from  which  he  re- 


ceived the  degrees  of  A.  B.  in  i860,  and  that  of  A.  M.  later.  Being  a  poor 
young  man,  Ijut  ]jossesse(l  of  nndagging  ambition,  he  earned  his  wa)'  through 
college  b\'  teaching  school  in  winter  and  working  on  farms  during  the  hay- 
ing and  harvesting  seasons.  Farly  in  tiie  spring  of  iSCii  he  started  across  the 
plains  for  California  with  two  of  his  schoolmates,  and  arrived  in  Sacramento 
on  September  2  of  that  year.  Being  without  funds  he  put  in  the  first  year 
in  working  on  ranches,  cutting  cord  wood  and  following  a  threshing  machine. 
Jn  September,  1862,  lie  taught  school  at  Woodbridge,  San  Joaquin  county, 
California,  and  in  July,  1863,  crossed  the  Sierras  on  horseback  to  Nevada, 
wliere  he  worked  in  the  mines  and  also  commenced  teaching.  In  the  summer 
of  1868  he  again  relurnecl  to  California,  was  again  engaged  in  mining  and 
farming,  but  finally  returned  to  teaching  in  San  Jorupiin  county.  In  Sq')- 
temlier,  1871,  he  again  returned  to  Nevada  and  took  charge  of  the  Reno 
schools,  which  position  he  filled  for  nearly  .seventeen  years. 

He  began  teaching  when  nineteen  years  of  age.  hence  it  is  over  fifty 
years  since  he  began  to  teach.  He  is  enthusiastic  in  his  work  and  is  one  of 
the  most  thorough  and  efficient  instructors  in  the  country,  ;nid  has  lield  m.niy 
high  ])ositions  in  his  ])rofession.  In  1890  he  was  elcclecl  state  sniierintcndent 
of  public  inslructiim  on  the  Republican  lickel.  which  position  he  held  (nv  four 


A   IllSrcJin'  OF  NEVyXDA.  625 

ycais.  .111(1  llu'ii  was  defeated  for  rc-clcc-tiim  by  llie  siKrr  party  candidalcs,  l)y 
niic  linndrt'(l  and  sixty-six  votes. 

In  iS()S  he  was  a^ain  before  Ihe  ])eii])le  and  was  (bi'  only  i\e])nlibran 
eleeled  on  tbe  stale  ticket.  In  !(/)_'  be  was  again  liie  eboiee  df  tbe  ])en|)le, 
and  was  again  elected  over  tbe  fusion  candidate  by  a  majority  of  elcxcn  votes. 
'I'bis  close  election  was  caused  by  tbe  fact  that  tbe  silver  and  fusion  parties 
bad  controlled  tbe  state  for  several  years. 

Profe.ssion  Ring  is  an  entbusiast  in  bis  profession  and  is  continually 
striving  to  lietter  tbe  educational  interests  of  tbe  state.  His  interest  in  tbe  boys 
and  girls  of  tbe  state  is  paramount  to  everytbing  else.  Wben  be  entered  upon 
his  work  in  Reno  be  bad  one  assistant,  and  when  he  retired  to  take  charge 
of  the  office  be  bad  thirteen. 

Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  is  also  a 
thirty-second  degree  Mason.  He  is  deservedly  popular  not  only  among  his 
teachers  and  those  wlio  are  brouglit  uito  direct  contact  with  him,  hut  through- 
out tbe  entire  state,  more  esjiecially  with  tbe  young  men  for  whose  interests 
be  is  willing  to  sacrifice  e\erytbing. 


MILTON  BOV.XRl),  nf  N'eringlon,  is  one  of  Lyon  cdunty's  successful 
farmers  and  is  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  California,  having  come  to  that 
state  in  1864  and  to  Nevada  in  1876.  He  is  a  native  of  the  London  district, 
Canada,  born  Octolier  to,  1834,  and  coming  of  Scotch-Irish  ancestry.  His 
grandfather  Bovard  was  a  soldier  in  the  American  Revolution  and  settled 
in  Westmoreland  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  died  there  in  his  eighty-fourth 
year. 

His  son,  Charles  Bovard,  was  born  in  Westmoreland  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  there  married  Hanna  Ruth  Ferguson,  born  in  1786.  Charles 
Bovard  served  with  General  Harrison  in  the  war  of  18 12,  and  was  honor- 
ably discharged  in  Detroit.  Michigan.  For  a  short  time  he  resided  in  Can- 
ada then  went  to  Iowa  where  he  l)ecame  the  owner  of  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres,  improved  it  and  was  active  in  the  affairs  of  bis  county,  serving 
as  justice  of  tbe  |)eace,  and  was  one  of  tbe  supervisors  of  tbe  county  for 
twenty  four  years.  Hi.s  death  (jccurred  August  4,  185^,  when  be  was  seventy- 
six  years  of  age.  He  was  a  Universalist  in  religion,  and  in  politics  a  Demo- 
crat. His  family  consisted  of  seven  children,  of  whom  Milton  is  nf)w  the 
only  survivor. 

Milton  Bovard  was  reared  in  Clinton  county,  Iowa,  and  spent  his  boy- 
hood clays  on  his  father's  farm.  In  1854  he  crossed  the  plains  to  California 
and  settled  in  San  Joaquin  county,  near  tbe  present  city  of  Stockton.  For 
a  time  be  was  there  engaged  in  a  mercantile  business,  and  also  in  farming, 
but  in  1856  be  returned  to  see  his  relatives  and  marry  Miss  Mary  Jane  Waldo. 
In  1864  he,  with  his  wife  and  three  children:  Adelaide,  Charles  and  Eliza 
Jane,  went  to  California.  Of  these  children,  Adelaide  is  now  tbe  wife  of 
John  Benson  of  Sutter  Creek,  California:  Eliza  Jane  is  deceased:  Charles 
resides  in  Yerington.  After  tbe  family  took  up  residence  in  California, 
George  M.  and  Frank  were  born,  and  both  are  now  in  Alaska.     Mrs.  Bovard 


526  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

tlied  January  i,   lyoi.  and  she  is  tenderly  nmurned  by  lier  l)erea\'ed  luis1)and 
and  children. 

While  residing-  in  CalitDrnia  Mr.  Bovard  met  with  gratifying  success, 
l)ut  in  1876  he  removed  to  Mason  valley  and  purchased  si.x  hundred  acres 
of  land  near  the  town  of  Yerington.  and  since  then  has  devoted  his  attention 
to  farming.  His  principal  crops  are  alfalfa  hay.  barley,  wheat,  antl  he  has 
raised  from  two  hundred  and  fifty  to  five  hundred  tons  of  hay  for  his  herd  of 
from  one  hundred  and  twenty  to  one  hundred  and  fifty  graded  Durliam 
cattle.  Two  men  are  employed  all  the  time  and  during  the  various  seasons 
as  many  as  fourteen  are  required,  liis  annual  income  from  his  farm  aggre- 
gates three  thousand  dollars.  In  jiditics  he  is  a  Democrat,  but  has  sup- 
ported the  silver  movement.  He  has  never  joined  any  .society,  having  too 
much  l)usiness  of  his  own  to  devote  any  time  to  outside  matters.  His  farm 
is  a  tine  one.  he  is  respected  by  his  neighbors,  and  in  addition  to  rearing 
his  own  children  he  has  adopted  his  grandson.  Elmer  Harrison,  son  of  the 
deceased  daughter,  w  ho  has  lived  there  since  he  was  nine  months  of  age.  He 
was  born  February  25.  i8go.  and  is  the  pride  of  his  grandfather's  heart, 
while  the  child  clings  to  the  stalwart  man  in  a  nay  which  is  touching. 

OLIVER  LOXKEY.  Concentration  of  purpose  and  persistently  applied 
energy  rarely  fail  of  success  in  the  accomplishment  of  any  task,  however 
great,  and  in  tracing  the  career  of  Oliver  Lonkey,  a  well  known  lumber 
manufacturer  of  Nevada,  it  is  plainly  seen  that  these  things  have  been  the 
.secret  of  his  rise  to  prominence  in  the  business  world.  Splendid  success  is 
crowning  his  efforts,  and  as  a  result  of  his  enterprise,  broad  experience  and 
l)ersistency  of  purpose  he  is  enjoying  a  well  merited  prosperity. 

Mr.  Lonkey  was  born  in  Canada,  Noxember  5,  1832,  and  is  of  French 
extraction.  He  was  reared  in  the  country  of  his  nativity  and  acquired  the 
greater  part  of  his  education  in  the  dear  school  of  experience.  He  has.  how- 
ever, learned  many  valuable  lessons  there  and  has  become  a  practical,  pro- 
gressive business  man,  capable  of  ably  directing  important  industrial  inter- 
ests. In  the  year  1836  he  went  to  California  by  way  of  the  Isthmus  of 
i'anama  and  began  earning  his  living  in  the  far  west  by  working  as  a  chopper. 
Iveceiving  good  wages,  lie  saved  his  money,  ami  in  1859  was  thus  enabled 
to  purcliase  a  sawmill  in  Grass  Valley.  The  mill  was  operated  by  steam 
and  ecjuipped  with  a  circular  saw.  and  had  a  daily  ca])acity  of  twenty  thousand 
feet  of  lumber.  Mr.  Lonkey  sold  the  product  of  the  mill  for  sixteen  dnllars 
l)er  thousand  feet  at  the  mill  and  pros])crcd  in  this  undertaking. 

lie  thus  continued  the  business  until  iS(i_|.  when  he  removed  his  mill 
to  Washoe  and  there  engaged  in  cutting  lumber  until  1872,  when  he  sold 
Ills  plant  to  H.  M.  Yerington  and  Ca])tain  Hanev .  .Mr.  Lonkey  then  re- 
moved to  Virginia  City,  where  he  owned  a  large  lumber  yard  for  a  number 
of  jears,  but  in  1882  left  that  place  and  took  u])  his  abode  at  Truckee.  where 
he  had  purchased  a  mill  ten  years  before.  In  that  year  he  had  removed  his 
family  to  Verdi,  l)ut  retained  his  lumber  yards  at  Virginia  Cit\'  and  at 
I'rosser  Creek.  The  mill  which  he  now  owns  in  Verdi  has  a  capacity  of 
one  hundred  and   l\\enl\    tliuusand   feet   in   l\\ent\-f(iur  bnnrs.  and   the  com- 


?5 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  527 

pany  nwns  a  Innhci'  tract  <il"  l\\'t'l\c  tlidusand  acres,  dcnsch'  cii\crcil  with 
fine  trees. 

In  Kjoi  Mr.  LoiiUey  incorporated  liis  business,  with  a  capital  stock  of 
thiee  hunch'ed  tliousand  dollars,  under  the  name  of  the  Verdi  Lumber 
C'om]>any.  of  which  lie  is  the  ])resident,  and  here  he  still  continues  in  the 
manufacture  of  lumber,  his  business  ha\'int;  reached  extensive  ])r(>portions. 
Verdi  is  a  nice  little  town  which  has  Ijeen  built  up  around  his  saw  mill 
])lant,  many  of  its  people  being-  those  who  are  employed  in  the  mill,  for 
Mr.  Lonkey  employs  one  hundred  and  fifty  workmen,  and  a  large  number 
of  them  ha\e  become  the  po.ssessors  of  nice  homes  in  Verdi.  Mr.  Lonkey 
has  built  for  himself  a  palatial  residence,  in  which  he  is  now  s])endino-  the 
evening  of  a  \ery  active  and  successful  business  career.  He  ;dso  owns  (|uite 
a  number  of  buildings  in  Verdi,  and  was  practically  the  founder  and  pro- 
moter of  the  town.  The  com]>any,  in  addition  to  the  lumber  plant,  has  a 
large  mercantile  enterprise  in  Verdi,  occupying  a  fine  brick  building  which 
Uiey  ;dso  own. 

In  i860  Mr.  Lonkey  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  May  Cheverefels, 
also  a  native  of  Canada,  and  they  have  now  traveled  life's  journey  happily 
together  for  forty-three  years,  sharing  their  joys  and  sorrows,  their  ad- 
versity and  prosperity.  They  have  long  been  devout  communicants  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  church.  Since  Jjecoming  an  Americrui  citizen  Mr.  Lonkey 
has  been  a  stalwart  advocate  of  the  Republican  party,  having  firm  faith  in 
its  principles.  His  influence  has  ever  furthered  the  cause  of  temperance, 
and  his  labors  have  been  acti\e  in  suppressing  the  liquor  traffic  to  the  full 
extent  of  his  power  in  this  direction.  Such  a  life  is  surely  a  jxvtent  element 
for  good  in  the  community.  His  business  career  has  been  most  honorable, 
and  therefore  the  most  envious  cannot  grudge  him  his  success.  His  course 
lias  not  been  altogether  an  eas}-  one.  for  though  he  is  now  blessed  with  pros- 
perity he  has  had  many  difficulties  and  o1:)stacles  to  encounter.  Seven  times 
he  has  suffered  losses  by  fire,  the  aggregate  sum  amounting  to  quite  a  for- 
tune, luit  with  courageous  heart  and  firm  determination  he  has  set  to  work 
to  retrieve  his  lost  possessions  and  to-day  is  numbered  among  the  men  of 
afllucnce  of  the  community. 


SAMUEL  RIDDELL,  for  over  twenty  years  a  pioniincnl  ,ind  well 
known  resident  of  Star  valley,  Elko  county,  and  now  retired  from  a  life 
of  activity  which  was  so  useful  and  gave  him  a  full  share  of  wordl\-  pros- 
perity, has  been  an  American  citizen  for  fifty-five  years,  and  during  only 
tlie  last  few  years  of  that  time  has  he  given  up  his  industrious  endeavors  in 
order  to  pass  his  remaining  years  in  the  peace  and  comfort  which  he  has  .so 
well  earned. 

Mr.  Riddell  was  born  in  county  Monahan,  Ireland,  in  1826,  the  .son 
of  John  and  Mary  (McMullen)  Riddell  who  were  emigrants  to  America  in 
1852,  and  spent  the  rest  of  their  long  lives  in  Argyle,  Washington  county. 
New  York,  where  the  former  attained  the  age  of  eighty  years,  and  the  latter 
passed  away  only  three  years  previously  to  her  husband. 

Mr.  Riddell  had  jireceded  his  parents  to  this  great  new  world.  ha\ing 


528  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

made  the  voyage  in  1847,  wlien  lie  was  just  of  age.  He  remained  awhile 
in  Xew  York  city,  and  then  took  up  his  residence  in  Argyle.  New  York, 
where  he  spent  a  number  of  years.  He  came  to  Nevada  in  1881,  and 
houglit  the  land  where  his  present  ranch  is  located.  The  improvements 
which  he  effected,  however,  have  m-ade  the  place  quite  different  from  what 
it  was  then.  1x>th  in  point  of  general  appearance  and  in  productiveness  and 
\alue.  His  sons  Eben  and  James  now  have  four  hundred  acres  of  the  place, 
and  have  good  residences  and  are  successful  farmers.  ^!r.  Riddell  has  given 
up  to  these  sons  in  large  measure  the  active  management  of  the  estate,  and 
he  and  his  life  partner  have  a  crmifDrtable  home  in  a  neat  cottage  on  the 
ranch. 

Mr.  Riddell  was  married  in  November,  1852,  to  Miss  Alary  McDonnie, 
a  native  of  England.  Of  their  six  children,  three  have  passed  away.  James 
and  Eljenezer,  the  sons  above  mentioned,  have  nice  homes  near  their  father, 
and  the  daughter  Minnie  is  the  wife  of  N.  B.  Armstrong.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Riddell  have  been  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church  all  their  lives,  and 
are  deservmg  of  the  respect  and  esteem  w'hich  are  everywhere  paid  their 
old  age.  He  is  strong  and  active  even  though  nearing  the  eighty-year  mark. 
;nid  his  long  life  of  usefulness  may  well  be  a  model  and  incentive  to  effort 
for  younger  men. 


THE  REESE  RIVER  REVEILLE,  the  well  known  semi-weekly  journal 
published  at  Austin,  Nevada,  has  the  honor  of  being  the  i)ldest  continuously 
published  paper,  except  one,  in  the  state  of  Nevada.  W.  C.  Phillips,  an 
enterprising  newspaper  man  of  New  York,  came  to  Nevada  in  the  pioneer 
days,  and  when  the  first  mining  excitement  broke  out  at  x\ustin  shipped  in 
a  printing  press,  and  on  the  i6th  of  May,  1863,  ajipeared  the  first  issue  of 
the  Reveille,  redolent  of  pioneer  conditions  and  the  mining  life.  It  was  a 
weekly  with  six  columns  to  the  page.  Mr.  Phillips  was  assisted  in  putting 
up  the  press  and  bringing  out  the  first  paper  by  Mr.  O.  L.  C.  Fairchilds, 
wiio  continued  as  assistant  editor  and  publisher.  The  price  was  fifty  cents 
a  co]w,  or  twenty-four  dollars  a  year.  ])ayable  in  the  gold  coin  of  the  United 
States,  and  as  Austin  was  in  a  high  slate  of  iirosjierity  at  that  time  the  j)aper 
was  correspondingly  successful  and  cnjo)ed  ;i  wide  circulation.  There  was 
l)k'nty  to  stir  the  feelings  then  outside  of  the  stir  and  bustle  of  mining-  centers, 
fur  tlic  Civil  war  was  in  progress,  and  the  paper  was  a  stanch  and  courageous 
ui)holder  of  the  Union  and  freedom,  .\fter  the  third  issue  it  was  decided 
tiiat  on  the  3d  of  June  the  Rei'eille  should  ajipear  thrice  a  week. 

Soon  after  this  O.  L.  C.  and  J.  1).  Fairchilds  leased  the  ofifice.  Adair 
Wilson  was  engaged  as  editor  and  in  December  Myron  .\nge!  became  assist- 
ant. Mr,  Wil.son  continued  in  that  capacity  until  1864.  and  then  Mr.  .\ngel 
was  editor  until  January,  1868.  In  1864  Mr.  Phillips  sold  the  plant  to 
the  I'airchilds  lirothers,  who  enlarged  it  and  on  May  24  issued  the  first 
inmiber  of  the  Daily  Reese  River  Reveille,  a  morning  pai)er  of  ufne  colutnns 
to  the  page.  Mr.  Lf)ckc  was  made  local  editor,  to  be  succeeded  by  Mr.  Wil- 
mington, and  liie  latter  in  1865  by  P..  J.  Burns,  who  was  an  able  ionrnalist 
and  filled  tlie  position  until   1869.     .\  decline  occurring  in  the  mining  opera- 


A  1IIS'J-(JRY  OF  NEVADA.  52!) 

t'ons.  tlie  paper  was  reduced  to  six  columns  to  the  page  and  fifteen  inches 
in  lengtii  on  August  J.  1^04.  and  in  June  of  the  following  year  the  columns 
were  made  seventeen  inches  long,  which  was  the  size  of  the  paper  until 
1881. 

In  Octoher,  186S.  J.  I),  h'airchilds  sold  his  interest  to  his  hn^ther.  and 
on  August  14,  1871.  the  jjlant  jjassed  into  the  control  of  Andrew  Casamayon 
and  John  H.  Dennis.  Sei)temlier  y.  1873,  Mr.  Dennis  sold  his  share  to  John 
IJoothe,  Mr.  Casamayon  taking  the  position  of  editor,  and  on  December  21, 

1875,  the  paper  appeared  under  the  firm  name  of  John  Boothe  and  Company. 
J'^red  H.  Hart  became  etlitor,  and  Mr.  .A.  Maute  (now  state  printer,  1903) 
was  business  manager.  Im-oui  188 i  to  1883  .\lf  Doten  was  its  able  editor. 
On  the  death  of  Mr.  Casamayon,  Mr.  Boothe  Itecame  sole  proprietor  and 
continued  the  ownership  and  ]niblication  until  March  13,  1884,  when  his 
death  occurred.  Mr.  Boothe  was  a  nati\'e  of  luigland,  and  was  a  man  of 
much  ability  and  large  journalistic  experience.  He  had  made  hosts  of 
friends  and  was  one  of  Nevada's  best  known  and  most  esteemed  pioneer 
ciitzens.  He  was  a  memlier  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  was  buried  with 
the  honors  of  that  order. 

After  the  death  of  her  husband,  until  1886,  Mrs.  Boothe  continued  to 
publish  the  paper  with  John  W.  Madrill  as  editor,  (ieorge  W.  Carpenter 
then  had  charge  as  editor  and  managei  until  1888  \Ahen  the  ])lant  was  pur- 
ciiased  by  C.  W.  Hichcliff,  (ieorge  Rutherford  becoming  editor.  In  1890 
A.  F.  Philips  became  editor,  and  filled  the  position  until  June  20,  1893.  when 
the  Re\eille  Publishing  Company  purchased  the  enterprise.  Judge  W.  D. 
Jones  was  its  able  editor  until  the  fall  of  1898,  when  F.  H.  Triplett  was  made 
editor  and  has  continued  to  fill  that  responsible  office  to  the  present  time. 

May  19,  1894,  the  Publishing  Company  sold  the  Rczvillc  to  Dalton  and 
Clitiford,  the  Lander  county  druggists  and  business  men.  These  are  able 
men,  and  the  latter  is  a  practical  printer  and  a  forceful  writer,  and  under 
the  present  management  the  paper  is  receiving  good  patronage  in  subscrip- 
tions, advertising  and  job  work.  The  Rci'cillc  was  continued  as  a  daily 
until  1890,  but  has  since  been  issued  semi-weekly,  a  four-page,  five-column, 
eleven  and  a  quarter  b}-  seventeen  inch  sheet,  and  is  iniblished  intlependent 
in  politics. 

Mr.  Triplett  is  a  native  son  of  Austin,  Nevada,  and  was  the  first  white 
male  child  b(jrn  in  the  town,  which  important  e\ent  occurred  and  was  dulv 
chronicled  in  January,  1864.     He  has  been  connected  w  ith  the  Reveille  since 

1876,  serving  in  all  the  capacities  from  de\il  to  editor  and  manager,  with 
the  exception  of  six  years  spent  in  newspaper  work  in  California  and  other 
parts  of  this  state.  He  has  proved  an  able  worker  at  the  head  of  the  Reveille, 
and  has  done  much  to  maintain  the  paper's  reputation  gained  through  forty 
years  of  continuous  existence. 


ROBERT  C.  SCHEEL,  a  ]M-ominent  farmer  and  sheep-raiser  of  Mason 
valley,  Nevada,  was  born  in  Prussia  December  26.  1840.  and  was  educated 
in  his  native  country  until  he  was  thirteen  years  of  age.  .\t  that  time  he 
went  to  sea,  sailing  before  the  mast  to  the  dififerent  seaports  of  the  world.     In 


5a0  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

the  spring  of  1866  he  sailed  on  an  American  ship  frnin  Iluslcn  liuund  lor 
San  Francisco,  and  nixin  landing  there  he  went  into  the  country  and  worked 
for  wages  until  he  became  a  sheep-owner,  in  1875,  in  Calaxeras  c<iunty.  He 
prospered  in  his  business,  owning  as  many  as  ten  thousand  sheep  at  one  time. 
In  1890  he  removed  to  Xe^'ada.  believing  he  would  hnd  there  better  oppor- 
tunities for  his  sheep-raising.  Two  years  later  he  purchased  his  present  very 
desirable  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixt)-  acres  one  and  one-half  miles  south- 
east of  Yerington,  where  he  has  a  good  liomestead  and  makes  it  his  head- 
quarters, while  his  large  flocks  of  sheep  are  in  charge  of  his  lierders  in  the . 
mountains  as  high  as  nine  thousand  feet.  He  raises  his  own  hay  and  grain 
as  well  as  farm  products,  and  is  very  successful  in  all  he  undertakes.  The 
strain  of  his  slieep  is  fine  Merino.  In  addition  to  this  pro])erty  he  owns  a 
fine  range  of  five  hundred  acres  near  Dayton. 

In  politics  Air.  Scheel  is  a  Repulilican.  and  religiously  was  brought 
up  in  the  Lutheran  faith.  He  is  a  reliable  man.  wlio  by  hard  work  and  thrift 
has  raised  himself  to  his  present  enviable  position.  Among  his  neighbors  he 
bears  a  good  name,  is  recognized  as  a  clean,  lionest  fellow  and  one  whose 
word  is  to  be  relied  upon. 


W'lLLIAxM  .\UGUSTUS  FOGG,  county  clerk  of  Washoe  county  and 
ex-officio  clerk  of  the  second  judicial  district  court  of  the  state  of  Nevada, 
in  and  for  Washoe  county,  maintains  his  residence  in  Reno  and  is  known  as 
a  citizen  of  worth,  well  deserving  to  be  mentioned  among  the  representative 
men  of  this  commonwealth.  He  was  born  in  Missouri  on  the  30th  day  of 
January,  1845,  ^"d  '^  of  English  descent,  his  ancestors,  however,  having 
been  early  settlers  of  New  England. 

The  first  of  the  name  in  the  United  States  was  Samuel  Fogg,  who  came 
from  E.xeter,  England,  in  1630,  and  settled  in  New  Hampton.  New  Hamp- 
shire, in  1638.  About  the  same  date  his  ancestors  on  the  Cleveland  side  of 
his  family  settled  in  the  state  of  Massachusetts,  and  in  colonial  days  were 
participants  in  the  I'Jevolutionary  war.  Rev.  Ebenezer  Cleveland,  the  mater- 
nal great-grandfather  of  Mr.  Fogg,  fought  in  the  battle  of  P>nnker  Hill  and 
liis  remains  now  lie  in  Rockport,  Massachusetts. 

Ivory  Small  Fogg,  the  father  of  W.  A.  I'ogg,  was  birn  in  llic  I'ine 
Tree  state.  He  met  and  marrietl  Hannah  .\ugusta  Cle\eland  at  her  birth- 
place, Rf)ck])ort,  Massachusetts,  and  in  1834  they  removed  to  Ouincy,  Illinois. 
They  afterwards  removed  to  St.  Louis.  Missouri,  and  the  father  died  of 
yellow  fever  in  Selma,  .\labama.  leaving  a  widow  and  four  children  to  mourn 
his  loss.  The  mother  carefully  reared  and  educated  her  children,  doing  every- 
thing in  her  power  to  promote  their  interests  and  welfare,  and  she  now  resides 
in  San  i'"rancisco  in  the  nintlietli  year  of  her  age,  deserving  and  receiving  the 
filial  care  and  attention  of  her  children. 

The  eldest  .son,  Cicorge  II.  l''ogg,  crossed  the  plains  in  1841;,  after  which 
lie  returned  to  the  east,  but  again  made  the  journey  over  the  long  stretches 
of  desert  and  through  the  monntain  passes  to  the  Pacific  coast  in  1853.  In 
i860  he  became  a  resident  of  Virginia  City,  Nevada,  and  he  now  resides  in 


^f^lr^^f. 


A  J11S^UR^    01<    XliVAUA.  531 

l\c'iiii,  where  lie  is  scrvinti  as  deputy  clerk  of  Washoe  county  uuder  his 
hrother. 

Charles  (j.  l^'ogs:;',  another  son  of  ilie  family,  went  to  Cahfoi'uia  in  1S57, 
and  in  iS()0  locatetl  in  Virginia  City.  He  has  engaged  in  mining  and  pros- 
pecting in  the  west,  visiting  ahout  all  of  the  mining  camps  of  California.  Ne- 
vada and  Arizona.  By  trade  he  is  a  carriage  blacksmith  and  a  painter,  and 
he  is  at  this  lime  a  resident  of  Tonopah,  this  state.  The  sister  of  Mr.  Fogg 
is  Mrs.  Irene  ^^'.  Alartell.  who  resiiles  with  her  mother  in  San  Francisco. 

William  A.  Fogg  was  a  student  at  Washington  University.  St.  Louis, 
when  the  Ci\il  war  broke  out.  Study  was  out  of  the  question  when  the  streets 
were  full  of  rioters  and  the  tramp  of  armed  men  passing  in  and  out  of  the 
city  never  ceased  day  or  night,  and  he  left  that  institution  and  during  the  war 
followed  railroading  as  a  passenger  conductor. 

He  went  to  California  in  the  winter  of  1866-7.  ^"'^  ■"  March  of  the 
latter  year  entered  the  service  of  the  S.  F.  &  S.  J.  Railroad,  remaining  in 
their  employ  for  about  three  years.  He  then  engaged  in  the  real  estate  busi- 
ness for  a  short  time  in  San  Franciscf),  and  later  was  connected  with  tlie  United 
States  custom  service,  being  appointed  to  a  position  in  that  service  under 
Thomas  B.  Shannon,  collector,  and  (iiles  H.  Gray,  surveyor  of  the  port.  His 
capabilitv  won  him  promotion  from  time  to  time  through  the  successive 
positions.  He  was  a  "weigher."  "inspector."  "inspector  of  French  and  Chinese 
cargoes."  promoted  to  service  in  the  "bonded  warehouse  department."  and 
was  afterward  transferred  to  the  "ajjpraisers'  store"  as  "recei\-ing  and  seizure 
clerk."  When  the  explosion  occurred  in  the  "Hathaway"  bonded  warehouse 
and  it  was  partially  destroyed  1iy  fire.  Mr.  Fogg  was  made  sj^ecial  storekeeper 
there  and  "discharged"  all  the  goods  therefrom.  This  required  o\-er  a  month's 
time  and  the  services  of  a  small  armv  of  men.  This  was  the  first  "bonded" 
warehouse  e\er  destro\ed  liy  fire  in  the  L'nited  States.  This  being  the  case. 
Mr.  Fogg,  after  a  conference  with  the  collector,  was  instructed  to  follow  out 
his  own  ideas  as  to  how  the  work  should  be  done  and  returns  made  to  the 
government.  This  was  done  by  him  and  the  forms  he  then  made  have  been 
made  the  basis  for  the  forms  used  by  the  government  since,  without  material 
change. 

At  a  later  date  Mr.  Fogg  was  em])lo_\'ed  in  the  athcrtising  ile])artnient 
of  the  San  Francisco  Ez'ciiiiig  Post,  but  failing-  health  caused  him  to  lea\e 
that  position,  and  in  the  hope  of  being  benefited  by  a  change  of  climate  he 
came  to  Nevada.  Here  he  soon  regained  his  health,  and  for  a  number  of 
years  was  a  bookkeeper  for  bis  brother,  who  was  engaged  in 'the  wholesale 
butchering  business  in  Reno.  Once  more.  howe\er.  he  entered  the  public 
service,  this  time  through  an  ap]5ointment  to  the  position  of  clerk  of  the 
Nevada  state  prison,  under  Frank  P.  Bell,  Later  he  was  dqnity  clerk  of 
Washoe  county  under  F.  B.  Porter.  He  was  next  appointed  county  clerk 
by  the  board  of  county  commissioners  to  fill  a  vacancy,  and  subsequently  was 
elected  to  the  office  and  was  again  chosen  for  the  position  at  the  general 
election  in  1902.  He  is  now  acting  in  that  ca])acity  and  is  prompt  and 
faithful  in  the  discharge  of  e\-ery  duty  that  devolves  upon  him. 

While  a  young  man  in  Missouri  at  the  time  of  the  great  Civil  war.  he 
was  a  conductor  on  the  Desoto  Express  in  the  railroad  service,  transporting 


532  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

troops  to  the  fruiit.  This  was  a  \erv  hazardous  umlcrtaking,  and  his  train 
was  wrecked  by  the  reJiels  twenty-eiglit  times.  He  had  many  narrow  escapes, 
and  life  was  filled  with  great  danger  and  excitement,  and  in  e\ery  position 
he  has  filled  he  has  |irn\ed  himselt  tlinrnnghly  reliahle,  capable  and  trnst- 
worthy. 

Mr.  Fogg  was  happih'  married  in  Renn  on  the  gtli  (_la_\-  of  October,  1881, 
to  Miss  Emma  Victoria  (jardner.  a  nati\'e  of  Beloit.  Wisconsin,  and  of  Eng- 
lish lineage.  Two  children  graced  this  marriage:  (irace  Gardner  and  Irene 
Nevada.  The  young  couple  began  their  domestic  life  in  an  attractive  home 
m  Reno  which  thev  vet  occupv.  Mr.  Fogg  is  a  member  of  Reno  Lodge  No. 
i^.  F.  &  A.  M.,  Reno  Chapte'r  No.  7.  R.  A.  M.,  Reno  Lodge  No.  14,  I.  O. 
O.  F.,  is  a  past  grand  master  of  the  grand  lodge.  I.  O.  O.  F..  of  Nevada, 
and  past  chief  ranger  of  Court  Mount  Rose  No.  3854,  .\.  O.  F.  His  genial 
manner,  cordial  disposition  and  deference  for  the  opini(ins  of  others  have 
rendered  him  ixipular,  and  he  may  well  be  termed  a  favorite  and  leading 
citizen  of  Reno. 


HON.  FRANK  L.  WILDES,  the  deput}  slate  treasurer  of  Nevada, 
is  a  native  son  (jf  California,  born  in  Stockton  on  the  i  ith  of  January,  1859. 
He  is  of  F2nglish  ancestry,  and  the  first  representatives  of  the  name  in  Amer- 
ica becanje  prominent  early  settlers  of  New  England.  His  paternal  grand- 
father was  a  chief  justice  of  Massachusetts,  and  his  maternal  grandfather, 
Otis  L.  Bridges,  was  attorney  general  of  the  state  of  Alaine. 

Air.  Wildes'  parents  were  J.  H.  and  Alice  (Bridges)  Wildes,  and  the 
latter  went  to  California  with  her  honored  father  in  the  ye.ar  1837.  The 
following  year  Mr.  J.  H.  Wildes  became  a  resident  of  that  state,  and  after 
their  marriage  they  settled  in  Stockton,  where  he  was  engaged  in  business 
as  a  civil  engineer,  being  in  the  employ  of  the  federal  government  for  forty 
years.  His  course  was  irreproachable  and  was  characterized  by  the  utmost 
fidelity  to  the  interests  of  his  country.  In  religious  faith  he  was  an  Epis- 
copalian, and  in  his  political  views  was  a  i\ci)ul)lican.  l'",\cry  cause  which  he 
espoused  received  his  earnest  endorsement  and  unt'altcring  loyalty,  and  his 
upright  course  was  commended  by  all  who  knew  liim.  lie  died  at  the  age 
of  seventy-six  years  and  his  wife  de])arted  this  life  in  1899.  They  were 
the  parents  of  two  children,  the  daughter  lieiug  now  the  wife  of  WiHiaiu 
Angus,  of  Oakland,  California. 

Frank  L.  Wildes  was  educated  in  ]iri\ate  schools  ;ind  under  the  direc- 
tion of  a  tutor  and,  entering  upon  his  business  career,  was  lirst  employed 
as  a  draftsman,  while  later  he  was  engaged  m  the  insurance  business.  Sub- 
sequently he  became  a  teller  of  the  Nevada  Bank  of  San  b'rancisco  and  from 
tlie  latter  city  removed  to  Virginia  City,  Nevada,  in  1882,  and  became  the 
agent  and  had  charge  of  the  bank  in  that  place.  I'"or  fourteen  years  he  con- 
tinuously filled  tiie  ])osition  in  a  most  capable  and  acce])lable  manner,  and 
for  a  few  years  was  also  engaged  in  the  mining  and  milling  business  in  con- 
nection with  his  father-in-law,  J.  II.  Kinkead.  In  1889  Mr.  Wildes  was 
appointed  dqnity  treasurer  of  the  state,  and  is  now  filling  that  office  with 
credit  to  himself  and  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  commonwealth.     He  was  not 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  533 

apjiointed  because  of  any  ])i)litii-;il  preference  or  because  nf  any  aid  wliich 
lu'  liail  rendered  tn  bis  parly.  l)iil  because  of  bis  fitness  for  tlic  ]M)sition.  He 
is  an  excellent  accountant  and  fniancier  and  jjossesses  tbe  bigbest  business 
integrity,  and  tbus  bis  fiualilications  well  entitle  bini  to  tbe  bonor  wbicb 
was  confen'ed  upon  liini  by  bis  appointment.  He  is  a  .stockbolder  and  director 
in  tbe  Excbanj^e  &  'I'rust  Company  Bank  in  Carson  City  and  for  tbe  \r.\st 
twenty  \'ears  lias  gi\'en  bis  attention  to  tbe  subject  of  linance,  making  it 
bis  close  and  earnest  study. 

In  1S94  b'rank  1..  Wildes  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Minnie 
Kinkead.  and  tbe\'  now  base  a  beautiful  little  daugbter.  .\mie  Livingston 
Wildes.  Tbeirs  is  an  attracti\e  bome  in  Carson  City,  wbere  tbey  have 
luany  friends,  and  this  circle  also  extends  tbrougliout  tiie  state.  Mr.  Wildes 
is  a  memlier  of  tbe  Masonic  fraternitw  of  tbe  Knights  of  Pytliias  and  of 
tbe  W'cKxhnen  of  the  \\'orld.  He  stands  to-da\-  as  a  representative  of  our 
best  type  of  .\merican  manbood  an"d  chivalry,  and  in  wbate\-er  relation  of 
life  be  has  been  found  be  has  ever  lieen  true  to  tbe  trust  reposed  in  him.  In 
his  present  office  be  is  thoroughly  familiar  with  tbe  work  of  bis  department, 
an.d  is  a  man  whose  jiubbc  career  is  indeed  credital^le.  Tbe  good  of  tbe  state 
be  places  above  ])artisanship  and  before  personal  aggrandizement.  '  He  com- 
mands tbe  respect  of  tbe  men  most  prominent  in  political  circles  throughout 
Nevada  and  at  bome,  in  tb.e  city  oi  his  residence,  where  he  is  liest  known. 
He  inspires  personal  friendship  of  unusual  strength,  for  all  who  know  him 
have  the  highest  admiration  for  his  good  ciualities  of  heart  and  mind. 


WILLIAM  A.  COBB.  'I'be  genial  manner  and  jovial  disposition  of 
William  A.  Cobb  ha\e  rendered  him  a  favorite  ni  Verdi  and  throughout  tbe 
surrounibng  district  and  have  made  him  ]xipular  with  the  patrons  of  tbe 
boarding  house  wbicb  is  conducted  in  connection  with  the  Verdi  Lumber 
Company,  and  of  which  Mr.  Cobb  is  now  the  manager.  His  residence  in 
the  state  dates  from  territorial  days,  for  be  arrived  in  Carson  City,  Nevada, 
in  March,  1864,  and  it  was  not  until  tbe  following  autumn  that  tbe  state 
was  admitted  to  the  Union. 

Mr.  Cobb  is  a  nati\e  of  the  I'ine  Tree  state,  his  l)irth  ba\'ing  occurred 
in  Maine,  on  tbe  24th  of  December,  1837.  His  father,  C.  M.  Cobb,  also  a 
native  of  Maine,  caiue  to  Nc\ada  in  1864,  and  spent  his  remaining  days  in 
this  state  and  in  California,  bis  death  occurring  on  the  20tb  of  March,  1894, 
when  he  had  reached  the  very  advanced  age  of  eighty-five  years.  His  wife, 
who  bore  tbe  maiden  name  of  Chmena  Whittier,  and  was  akso  a  native  of 
Maine,  died  on  the  J4tb  of  Juue,  1885.  when  seventy-four  years  of  age.  Mr. 
C.  M.  Cobl>  had  become  a  leader  in  public  affairs  and  batl  taken  an  active 
part  in  molding  public  thought  and  action.  He  served  as  justice  of  the 
peace  for  a  number  of  years  and  his  decisions  were  strictly  fair  and  im- 
partial, "winning  him  golden  opinions  from  all  sorts  of  people."  He  like- 
wise served  as  sheriff  of  bis  county  and  was  ever  promjjt  and  fearless  in  tbe 
discharge  of  bis  duties. 

The  east  remained  the  scene  of  the  activities  of  William  A.  Coljb  until 
he  had  become  a  young  man  of  twenty-seven  years,  when,  ambitious  to  see 


534  A  HISTORY  OF  XE\'ADA. 

something  more  of  the  country  and  tn  investigate  the  business  conditions 
of  tiie  far  west  with  the  hope  of  finding  lietter  oi)portunities  in  this  part  of 
the  country,  he  started  for  the  Pacific  coast  by  way  of  the  Isthmus  of  Pan- 
ama. After  spending  some  time  in  Sacramento,  he  came  to  Nevada  in  1864. 
settling  first  in  Carson  City.  He  worked  for  a  time  on  Barett"s  ranch  in  the 
Carson  valley,  and  in  the  fall  of  that  year  removed  to  Dayton,  while  some 
time  later  he  came  to  the  \\'ashoe  \alley.  Here  he  began  clerking  for  Oliver 
Lonkey.  a  gentleman  with  whom  he  has  maintained  business  relations  con- 
tinually since,  to  the  profit  and  pleasure  of  both  gentlemen.  In  1869  he 
opened  a  mercantile  store  in  Franktown,  where  he  engaged  in  selling  goods 
for  ten  years,  and  in  1880  he  took  the  census  of  Washoe  \allev.  The  fol- 
lowing year  he  again  became  connected  in  business  with  Air.  Lonkey  at 
Prosser  Creek,  and  lea\-ing  that  place  came  to  X'erdi.  Subsequently  he  spent 
a  year  and  a  half  in  Reno,  and  then  returned  tn  \'crdi.  where  he  engaged  in 
selling  merchandise  with  Mr.  Lonkey.  '  He  and  his  wife  are  now  conduct- 
ing the  large  boarding  hou.se  owned  b\-  the  Yerdi  Lumber  Companw  This 
is  a  well  kept  estabiishment.  neat  and  attracti\e  in  appearance  and  an  excel- 
lent table  is  set. 

Mr.  Cobb  was  married  in  Julw  1878.  the  lady  of  his  choice  lieing  Miss 
.Annie  Crowder.  a  native  daughter  of  California,  born  in  Yolo  count\'.  This 
union  has  lieen  blessed  with  a  sun  and  daughter:  Harry  C,  now  a  bright 
young  man  who  is  learning  the  machinist's  trade:  and  Georgie.  who  died 
at  the  age  of  seven  years.  She  was  a  very  beautiful  and  attracti\'e  child, 
and  her  untimely  death  was  deeply  felt  b\-  her  parents.  Mr.  Cobb  has  built 
a  nice  and  commodious  residence  in  Verdi,  and  he  and  his  wife  have  nvanv 
friends  here.  Mrs.  C(ibb  belongs  to  the  Fpiscopal  church.  He  was  made  a 
Mason  in  Bethlehem  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M..  in  i860,  in  .Vugusta.  Maine,  and 
now  affiliates  with  Reno  Lodge  No.  13.  of  which  he  is  a  worthy  exemplar. 
A  stanch  Republican  in  his  political  views,  he  has  held  the  office  of  county 
commissioner  of  Washoe  county,  and  his  service  was  such  that  his  fellow 
citizens  had  no  reason  to  think  their  confidence  in  bini  mis])laced.  He  wins 
friends  where\er  he  goes.  .\  heart\-  laugh  and  a  joxial  disi)osition  arc 
among  his  strongly  m.'irked  characteristics,  and  it  is  such  men  as  Mr.  Cobb 
who  shed  around  them  much  of  the  sunshine  of  life  and  add  to  the  uni\-crsal 
happiness. 


DILLON  ROBERTS,  who  has  one  of  the  finest  stock  ranches  in 
C'lo\-er  valley  and  is  one  of  the  most  successfid  stock  and  grain  raisers  of 
FJko  county,  has  been  in  the  state  of  Nevada  for  over  thirty  years,  ever 
since  be  was  a  young  man.  and  has  resided  at  his  present  place  for  fmutecn 
years.  In  the  early  days  he  was  driver  of  a  stage  over  many  of  the  roads 
of  Nevada,  and  from  that  arduous  occupation  graduall}'  workcil  into  the  stock 
business,  whicii  he  has  followed  so  successfully  e\er  since. 

Mr.  Roberts  comes  of  a  southern  family,  bis  jiareiUs.  Jesse  ;nid  .\ancv 
Caroline  ( AVickersham)  Roberts,  being  natives,  rcspectivelv,  of  .North  ;u)d 
.South  Carolina.  They  were  early  ])ioneers  to  the  state  of  Indiana,  and  also 
later  to   Iowa,  where  they  S]ient  ihc  remainder  of  their  li\cs.      (esse  Roberts 


A   lilSTOin'  OF  NEVADA.  535 

li\c(I  til  !)(.■  ci!L;,litv-llircc'  vcars  nld.  l)in  his  wife  died  at  the  :\'^c  o\  fdrty.  They 
wire  tlie  parents  nf  nine  children,  df  wIkhii  six  are  livin.q;  al  the  ])resent  time. 

Mr.  Rohcrts  was  Ijorii  in  Lee  omiity,  Iowa,  .Xpril  _'Ci.  1S4O.  and  re- 
mained <in  hi.s  fatiier's  farm  and  attended  tlie  neighhcirhnod  schcml  nnlil  he 
was  iif  age.  He  came  to  N'evad.i  in  1871,  and  his  first  work  was  ih-iving 
stage  from  I'ahsade  to  tlie  different  points  then  reached  hy  stage,  and  also 
front  h^lko  u>  Cornnciipi;i.  lie  drove  stage  hetween  Sjiruce  and  Cherry 
creek  for  about  twelve  years,  and  in  1889  purchased  his  present  farm.  He 
has  two  thousand  acres  in  his  ranch,  and  has  raised  much  grain,  which  he 
feeds  to  his  stock.  He  keeps  al)oul  four  hundred  head  of  cattle  and  twenty- 
five  horses,  and  has  every  facility  for  making  his  business  pay  large 
returns.  Large  and  sul)stantial  barns  give  shelter  to  the  grain,  and  protect 
the  cattle  from  the  rigor  of  Nevada  winters.  One  of  the  most  valuable 
adjuncts  is  a  line  streaui  of  mountain  water  which  crosses  the  place  and 
affords  an  unfailing  supply  for  his  cattle  and  other  agricultural  purposes. 
The  farm  is  one  of  tlie  most  valuable  in  the  valley,  and  its  present  condi- 
tion is  largely  the  result  of  Mr.  Robert's  efforts  since  he  took  lx^ssession  twelve 
years  ago.  He  has  an  artistic  brick  residence,  the  only  one  of  that  material 
ill  the  valley,  and  ex'eii  the  general  appearance  of  the  fartii  would  indicate  to 
the  casual  ob.server  that  its  owner  is  a  studiously  enterprising  and  ])rogres.sive 
agriculturist.  To  such  men  farming  in  Nevada  is  a  paying  investment,  and 
in  all  the  fertile  valleys  of  the  state  there  are  no  better  situated  and  prettier 
hoiuesteads  tlian  that  of  Mr.  Roberts. 

Mr.  Roberts  w-as  married  .\pril  3,  1892,  to  Miss  Melinda  Jane  Winchell, 
and  they  have  a  ha]5pv  hoiue  and  many  kind  friends.  He  has  always  voted 
tlie  Republican  ticket,  but  has  ne\er  taken  time  froiu  his  business  to  give  to 
])ractical  poHtics. 

HENRY  BAKER,  one  of  the  successful  farmers  of  Mason  valley,  is 
a  veteran  of  the  Ci\'il  war  and  has  resided  in  the  valley  for  the  past  thirty- 
three  years,  having  corne  to  Virginia  City  in  1870.  He  is  a  native  of  Ohio, 
having  been  l)orn  in  that  state  January  8,  1839,  and  comes  of  Geriuan  an- 
cestry. His  father,  Ignatius  Baker,  was  born  in  Raden,  (iermany,  where 
he  was  reared  to  manhood.  There  he  married  and  then  emigrated  to  Madi- 
son county,  Ohio,  l)riiiging  with  hini  the  three  children  born  to  himself  and 
wife  in  Germany.  He  was  the  father  of  fifteen  children,  twelve  of  whom  were 
reared  to  iuaturit\',  and  seven  are  now  living.  His  death  occurred  when 
he  was  fifty-five  years  of  age,  while  his  widow  lived  to  be  seventy-one  years 
.  of  age.  They  were  industrious  farmers,  and  in  religion  were  Roman 
Catholics. 

When  Henr\-  Baker  was  si.x  years  of  age  the  familv  moved  to  Missouri, 
and  he  was  reared  and  educated  in  the  ]niblic  schools  of  his  new  home,  work- 
ing upon  his  father's  stock  farm.  In  1862  he  enlisted  in  Company  G,  First 
Missouri  Voluuteer  Infantry,  and  participated  in  the  battle  of  Pilot  Knob, 
but  was  retaiued  in  St.  Louis  the  greater  portion  of  the  time  to  protect  the 
country  from  General  Sterling  Price.  For  three  years  he  .served  faithfully,  and 
was  then  honorabl}'  discharged  to  become  a  memljer  of  the  Home  Guards  to 


536  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

protect  Union  men.  During  his  long  service  lie  never  received  a  hurt  of  any 
kind  or  served  in  the  guardhouse  an  hour.  After  the  war  he  remained  in 
Alissouri  until  1870,  when  lie  came  to  Virginia  City.  Nevada,  where  two 
Ijrothers-in-law  had  preceded  him.  For  a  short  time  he  worked  in  that  city, 
and  then  removed  to  ^lason  valley  and  purchased  his  present  fine  farm  of 
one  hundred  and  sixty  acres.  This  property  he  has  improved  and  made 
it  into  one  of  the  best  in  Lyon  county,  devoting  it  to  hay,  grain  and  vegetables, 
while  he  supports  a  dairy  of  twenty-five  cows,  Durham  breed,  and  raises  all 
his  own  cattle  and  horses. 

In  1867  he  was  happil}'  married  to  Miss  Christiana  Hernleben,  born  in 
■Missouri.  They  have  ten  children  living  and  two  deceased.  Mrs.  Baker  is 
a  Methodist  in  religion,  and  a  worthy  lady.  Two  of  the  sons,  Walter  Rowley 
and  Alfred  Lee,  are  at  home.  Mr.  Baker  has  always  been  a  Democrat,  but 
has  never  desired  office.  The  family  stands  very  high  in  the  community,  and 
all  of  the  children  have  established  themselves  and  are  quite  successful. 


HENRY  CHRISTOPHER  HUNKEN  has  had  an  eventful  and  varied 
career.  Born  in  Germany,  a  miner  in  Australia,  a  factor  in  the  business  life 
of  New  York  and  of  Chicago,  and  an  interested  witness  of  the  development  of 
Nevada,  as  well  as  a  participant  in  business  interests  which  ha\e  led  to  its 
substantial  growth,  he  has  gained  broad  knowledge  from  his  various  ex- 
periences, and  also  has  won  a  comfortable  competence  in  the  management 
of  his  farm  in  the  Washoe  valley.  Starting  out  in  life  empty-handed,  he 
now  has  eleven  hundred  acres  of  valuable  land,  his  home  being  situated  only 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  northwest  of  Verdi. 

Mr.  Hunken  is  a  son  of  the  fatherland,  his  birth  having  occurred  in 
Germany  on  the  22(1  of  November,  1838.  He  was  educated  there,  and  in 
1852  came  to  the  United  States,  being  but  fourteen  years  of  age  at  the  time. 
His  cousin,  who  was  proprietor  of  a  grocery  and  provision  store  in  New 
York,  sent  him  the  money  to  pay  his  passage,  and  at  the  time  of  his  arrival 
he  had  but  a  dollar  and  a  half  remaining.  For  five  years  he  resided  in  the 
eastern  metro])olis.  clerking  in  his  cousin's  store.  He  had  no  knowledge  of 
the  English  language  at  the  time  of  his  arrival,  but  with  the  ready  adapta- 
bility of  a  bright  boy  he  .soon  picked  up  the  speech  of  the  new  world.  When 
nineteen  years  of  age  he  left  America  for  the  gold  mines  of  .\ustralia,  and  was 
there  engaged  in  a  search  for  the  precious  metal,  remaining  in  that  country 
for  ten  years,  sometimes  meeting  with  success  and  again  with  failure  in 
die  mines.  The  year  1868  witnes.sed  his  arrival  in  Nevada.  For  six 
months  he  was  employed  in  a  sawmill  in  Truckec.  ;nid  then  came  to  Verdi, 
where  be  was  first  engaged  in  cliojiping  wood  through  the  winter  months, 
while  in  the  summer  seasons  he  worked  in  a  sawmill.  Thus  two  years  were 
passed. 

In  1875  he  went  to  Chicago  and  New  York,  but  returned  later  to  Verdi, 
and  again  worked  in  the  sawmill  for  two  years.  In  1878  he  ])urchased  his 
present  farm,  then  comprising  eighty  acres,  and  has  since  been  identified  with 
agricultural  interests  in  the  state.  He  began  to  improve  his  I;nid  and  ])re- 
])are  it    fnr  culliviUinn.  and    from   lime  id  lime,  as  his  c;L])il;d  h;is  increased. 


A    HISTOID'  OF  NEVADA.  537 

lie  lias  made  addilicmal  invesliiiciits  in  real  estate  until  lie  is  iinw  the  owner 
iif  ele\en  lumdred  acres  of  land,  much  of  wliich  is  covered  with  valualjle 
tiiuher.  When  the  farm  came  into  his  possession  it  was  largely  covered  with 
sagel>rusli,  hut  he  at  once  hegan  to  clear  this  away  and  to  ])repare  it  for  the 
raising  of  crops.  He  has  a  good  orchard  and  many  modern  equipments,  in- 
cluding the  latest  improved  machinery.  His  harns  are  substantial  and  com- 
modious, affording  ample  shelter  for  grain  and  stock,  aiul  he  has  upon  his 
])lace  ten  cows,  some  young  calves  and  several  head  of  good  horses.  He  has 
demonstrated  the  possibilities  of  the  state  as  an  agricultural  district,  and  in 
his  farming  operations  has  prospered. 

In  1877  Mr.  Hunken  was  married  to  Miss  Frances  Melissa  Campbell, 
a  native  of  Missouri,  and  to  them  have  been  l)orn  two  sons  and  two  daughters, 
namely:  May  Elizabeth,  now  the  wife  of  Joseph  Kane;  Annie  Katrina,  the 
wife  of  Charles  Powning;  John  Cliristopher,  who  died  at  the  age  of  seven- 
teen years;  and  George  Henry,  who  is  now  in  school. 

An  advocate  of  the  Democracy.  Mr.  Flunken  always  \'otes  with  that 
party,  whose  platform  contains,  in  his  opinion,  the  best  elements  of  good 
government.  Fraternalh"  he  is  connected  with  the  Ancient  (Jrder  of  United 
\\'orkmen,  and  his  wife  is  a  Baptist  in  religious  faith,  while  he  was  reared 
in  the  Lutheran  church.  He  has  given  his  financial  aid  for  the  furthering  of 
moral  teaching  through  the  work  of  the  church,  but  is  not  now  identified  with 
any  denomination.  His  history  is  a  splendid  illustration  of  what  honest  effort 
can  accomplish  in  a  state  like  Nevada,  and  his  life  record  should  serve  as  a 
source  of  inspiration  and  encouragement  to  others. 


H.  O.  PURSELL,  a  prominent  pioneer  farmer  of  Mason  valley,  who 
settled  in  the  valley  in  1868,  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  where  he  was  born, 
on  the  Monongahela  river,  Washington  county,  June  22.  1829.  He  comes  of 
(lerman  and  Irish  ancestry.  His  father,  Morris  Pursell,  was  born  in  Ohio, 
and  married  Miss  Sarah  ( iormley,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania.  They  were 
farmers,  and  he  lived  to  be  seventy-one  years  of  age.  In  1849  ^i*^  removed 
to  Iowa,  aiul  his  death  occurred  in  that  state.  His  wife  jiassed  away  when 
lorty  years  of  age,  while  they  resided  in  Penns\l\ania.  They  were  the 
parents  of  nine  children,  three  of  whom  are  living,  but  Mr.  Pursell  and  his 
brother  Morris  are  the  only  ones  who  came  to  Nevada. 

H.  O.  Pursell  was  reared  upon  a  farm  and  attended  the  public  schools, 
and  in  the  meanwhile  learning  the  trade  of  blacksmith,  at  which  he  worked 
until  he  came  to  Mason  vallev  and  took  up  two  hundred  acres  of  land, 
[•"rom  the  wild  tract  he  received  from  the  state  he  has  made  one  of  the 
finest  farms  in  the  county,  on  which  he  raises  liarlev.  wheat  and  potatoes. 
His  orchard  is  an  e.Kcellent  one,  and  in  addition  to  that  he  raises  a  variety  of 
,  small  fruits.  Mr.  Pursell  also  keeps  a  herd  of  fifty  cattle,  and  sends  the  milk 
to  the  creamery  in  the  vicinity.  He  has  always  been  a  Democrat,  but  has 
never  sought  or  accepted  oflice,  except  that  of  school  trustee. 

On  July  6,  185S,  he  was  hajipily  married  to  Miss  Harriet  Simpson. 
Tliirteen  children  have  been  born  to  them,  eight  of  whom  are  living,  namely: 
l\osctta   married   l\ichard    Simmons  and    li\'es  in   California:   .Sar.ali    .Mice  is 


538  -         A  HTSTORY  OF  XEVADA. 

Airs.  Hogan,  of  Colorado;  Samuel  is  married  and  resides  with  his  father: 
Melvin  is  also  married  and  lives  with  his  father:  \\'illie  married  and  resides 
in  Mason  vallev :  Emma  married  Homer  Stanley  and  resides  in  Mason 
\alley:  Lam'a  married  D.  J.  Butler  and  li\-es  in  Mason  valley;  Grace  A.  mar- 
ried Alatthew  Penrose.  There  are  twentv-two  grandchildren  in  the  family. 
Mrs.,  Pursell  also  sur\ives-and  takes  great  pride  in  her  fine  family.  Both 
these  most  excellent  ])cople  are  very  highly  esteemed  throughout  the  neighlior- 
hood  where  they  ha\e  lived  for  so  manv  years,  and  wliere  the\'  ha\e  lieen 
so  closeh'  identified  with  the  development  of  the  state. 


F.  J.  SCHKEIDER,  deceased,  was  one  of  Eureka's  most  successful 
husiness  men  and  pioneer  citizens.  He  came  tn  the  state  in  1860,  and  was 
the  pioneer  druggist  of  the  state,  and  was  successfully  engaged  in  that  trade 
in  Eureka  from  1870  until  his  death.  He  was  a  man  of  shrewd  and  fine 
husiness  ahility,  and  though  he  met  with  some  misfortunes  he  was  in  the  main 
ctintinuously  successful,  and,  what  is  more,  gained  the  aliiding  respect  of  his 
fellow  citizens  in  whatever  community  he  cast  his  k)t.  His  husiness  and 
his  home  were  the  centers  of  his  affection  and  his  activity,  and  the  worthy 
l)ei  forniance  of  the  duties  connected  with  these  relations' ga\e  him  the  love 
and  esteem  which  he  always  enjoyed. 

Mr.  Schneider  was  horn  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  October  24.  1834.  and  his 
(lerman  parents  emigrated  tO'  this  country  and  settled  in  Cincinnati  when 
y<iuug  people.  Mr.  Schneider  was  educated  in  his  native  city  and  learned  the 
drug  husiness  there.  For  three  years  he  was  engaged  in  trade  in  New  York 
Citv,  and  then  during  the  fifties  came  to  San  Francisco,  where  he  followed 
his  husiness  for  some  years.  He  was  ne.xt  in  Downiexille.  California,  antl 
came  thence  to  Virginia  City,  Nevada,  in  1860.  Thirty  pack  mules  carried 
his  st(X"k  of  drugs  and  miners"  sujiplies,  and  he  eiuployed  Mexican  drivers. 
lie  set  up  his  establishment,  building  his  own  drug  store,  and  was  the  first 
druggist  to  enter  that  prosperous  mining  center.  He  also  built  another  build- 
ing, which  at  that  time  rented  for  six  hundred  dollars  a  month,  hut  lost  both 
structures  in  the  de\astating  fire  which  swept  the  town.  He  al  once  rebtult 
and  continued  his  business  until  he  sold  out  to  Dr.  .\.  M.  Cole,  who  is  now 
the  oldest  living  druggist  in  the  state.  Mr.  Schneider  went  from  Virginia 
City  to  Mountain  City,  where  he  was  in  business  a  short  time,  was  in  Marys- 
\ille,  Calif(-rnia,  two  years,  then  in  Truckee,  and  from  the  last  named  place 
came  to  Faireka  in  1870.  He  opened  his  store  as  one  of  the  pioneer  Inisiness 
iKHi.ses  of  the  growing  mining  center,  and  in  the  early  <lays  of  the  town  was 
burned  out  twice  within  ele\-en  months.  He  succeeded,  howcxer,  during  the 
great  Hood,  in  keeping  the  water  out  of  his  ])lace  of  business.  .\o  disasters 
disheartened  him  or  caused  more  than  a  slight  check  to  his  jirosperity,  and  he 
enjoyed  a  long  continued  career  of  business  activity. 

Mr.  Schneider  died  in  Eureka  on  Jime  2.  1893.  lie  had  gained  hosts 
of  friends  during  his  connection  with  the  commercial  lite  ot  his  town,  .and 
Iiis  loss  was  deeply  felt  not  only  within  the  family  circle,  to  which  he  was  so 
devolcfl.  but  in  the  entire  community.  lie  was  a  Republican  in  ])olitics.  but 
lind  no  time  for  practical  politics.     I  Ic  had  been  lia]>])ily  m.arried  on  nccembei- 


F*^ 


*^v 


A  HISTORY  OF  XFA'ADA.  539 

lo,  1863.  tn  .Miss  Helen  M .  Chanipney,  who  was  Imrn  in  Massachusetts  and 
came  to  tlie  Pacihc  coast  in  1863.  Two  daughters  were  Ixirn  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Schneider.  Hattie  (i.  is  the  wife  of  John  Clendening',  a  resident  of  Eureka, 
and  Jennie  B.  is  tiie  wife  of  Chester  S.  Batchelder,  of  Spokane,  Wa.shington. 
Mrs."  Schneider  and  her  son-in-law,  Mr.  Batchelder,  settled  the  estate,  and 
for  the  past  seven  years  R/Irs.  Schneider  has  successfully  continued  the  busi- 
ness of  her  late  husband.  She  keeps  a  drug  clerk,  and  spends  much  of  her 
time  in  the  store.  Her  ])leasant  home  is  situated  on  the  hill  in  Eureka,  from 
which  there  is  a  fine  view  of  the  town,  and  she  still  enjoys  the  friendship  of 
the  manv  friends  she  and  her  luisband  lia\e  made  in  the  past  tliirt\-  years. 


WILLIAM  H.  C.M'GHLIX.  Almost  every  country  on  the  face  of  the 
globe  has  sent  its  representatives  to  Nevada,  and  the  stronger  elements  of 
various  nationalities  have  combined  in  the  development  of  a  citizenship  whose 
worth  is  shown  in  tlie  rapid  progress  that  the  state  has  made  along  lines  of 
material  improvement  and  intellectual  and  moral  growth  in  recent  years. 
Mr.  Caughlin  is  a  native  of  Australia,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  that 
country  on  the  18th  of  December.  1847.  Since  1864  he  has  lived  in  Ne- 
vada. He  is  of  Irisli  descent,  lus  father.  John  H.  Caughlin,  having  been 
born  on  the  Emerald  Isle,  whence  he  removed  to  Australia,  while  in  1850  he 
crossed  the  water  to  California,  which  was  then  in  the  height  of  its  mining 
excitement,  gold  having  been  discovered  only  two  years  before.  He  died 
there  in  the  vear  1852.  His  wife,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Honora 
Higgins,  was  also  born  in  the  Green  Isle  of  Erin,  and  she  survived  her  hus- 
band for  half  a  centur\',  passing  away  in  1902,  when  seventy-eight  years 
of  age.  They  were  the  parents  of  eight  children,  four  of  whom  yet  sur- 
vive, but  William  and  Jerry  are  now  the  only  ones  in  Nevada. 

William  Henry  Caughlin  was  only  about  three  years  of  age  when  be 
came  with  the  family  to  the  United  States,  and  in  California  he  acfpiired  his 
education,  while  in  tliis  state  he  learned  tlie  blacksmith's  trade,  which  he 
followed  for  a  numlier  of  years.  He  located  in  Reno  about  the  time  of  the 
establishment  of  the  city,  and  being  an  expert  workman  he  secured  .a  liberal 
patronage  and  made  money  l)y  his  persistent  and  unfaltering  lalxir.  He 
also  did  blacksmithing  in  Carson  City  and  at  White  Pine,  and  he  came  to 
his  present  location  in  1896,  ha\ing  determined  to  put  aside  the  duties  of  the 
smith  and  turn  his  attention  to  the  tilling  of  the  soil.  He  has  a  fine  farm  of 
two  hundred  acres  jileasantly  located  a  few  miles  west  of  Reno,  and  he 
also  owns  a  side  range  of  si.x  hundred  acres.  He  is  now  engaged  in  the  raising 
of  grain  and  stock,  and  upon  his  place  are  large  and  substantial  liarns  for  the 
shelter  of  his  cattle.  The  hay  which  be  cuts  annually  is  fed  to  his  stock,  antl 
the  latter  is  sold  at  a  good  price  upon  the  markets  so  that  bis  labors  bring  a 
good  return  and  make  him  one  of  the  men  of  affluence  in  this  locality.  In 
1900  he  erected  his  fine  residence,  a  modern  home  with  splendid  appoint- 
ments and   pleasing  surroundings. 

A  life-long  Republican.  Mr.  Caughlin  was  elected  sheriff  of  \\'ashoe 
count)-  for  three  successive  terms  upon  the  ticket  of  his  part}-,  and  thus 
filled  the  office  for  six  consccuti\e  }-ears.     Prompt  and   fearless  in  the  dis- 


540  A  HISTORY  OF  XE\'ADA. 

charge  of  his  duties,  lie  became  a  tenor  to  all  evil-doers  and  those  who  do 
not  hold  themselves  amenable  to  law,  and  he  succeeded  in  clearing  the  county 
of  many  desperate  characters,  arresting  a  number  of  men  whose  criminal 
records  were  very  black.  Property  and  life  became  more  secure  during  his 
administration  of  the  office,  and  he  was  accounted  the  most  energetic,  capa- 
ble   and  reliable  sheriff  the  county  ever  had. 

In  1872  Mr.  Caughlin  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Cornelia  J.  Sloan, 
a  native  of  Indiana,  and  to  them  three  children  have  been  born:  Arthur,  who 
is  now  living  in  Reno;  and  Albert  G.  and  Edward.  Ijoth  at  home.  The 
wife  and  mother  died  in  1883.  She  was  a  most  estimable  lady,  devoted  to 
her  family,  faithful  in  friendship,  and  kindly  in  spirit.  Mr.  Caughlin  re- 
mained single  until  1895,  when  he  was  again  married,  his  second  union 
being  with  Miss  Crissie  H.  Andrews,  who  was  born  in  W'ashoe  county,  and  is 
a  daughter  of  George  W.  .\ndrews,  a  most  worthy  and  honored  pioneer 
settler  of  the  state.  This  union  has  been  blessed  with  four  bright  and  inter- 
esting children :  William,  Syrene,  Rowland  and  Elizabeth.  Air.  and  Mrs. 
Caughlin  are  well  known  in  Reno  and  throughout  the  surrounding  district, 
and  their  many  excellent  traits  of  character  and  sterling  worth  have  gained 
them  friendship  and  favor.  .\n  active  business  career,  dominated  by  honor- 
able purpose  and  upright  dealing,  has  brought  to  Mr.  Caughlin  a  fair  measure 
of  success,  and  he  now  has  large  and  valuable  agricultural  interests,  which 
also  demonstrate  the  richness  of  Nevada's  soil  for  farming  ])uri)oses. 


WILLIAM  P..  GIBBS,  a  prominent  farmer  and  stockman  of  Clover 
vallev,  I-dko  county,  is  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Nevada  and  the  west,  and  has 
been  in  this  state  for  over  forty  years.  Like  many  others,  he  got  his  start 
in  the  we.st  by  teaming,  and  from  that  got  into  tlie  stock  business,  which 
he  has  followed  with  most  gratifying  success  up  ti>  the  present  time.  He 
has  had  many  experiences  in  the  early  days  of  this  country,  and  few  men 
arc  more  completely  identified  with  the  ])erio<l  of  development  and  growth 
of  this  commonwealth  than  Mr.  (iibbs. 

The  ancestrv  of  his  family  is  English,  and  is  traced  back  to  early  set- 
tlers on  the  rockd)ound  coast  of  New  England  at  Plymouth,  Massachusetts. 
h'rom  there  this  ])articular  brancii  of  the  family  settled  in  Vermont,  and  the 
grandfather  of  Air.  (iibbs  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolution,  .so  that  the  latter 
might  claim  membership  in  the  Society  of  Sons  and  Daughters  of  the 
American  Revolution.  Lemuel  Gibbs,  the  grandfather  of  William  B.  Gibbs, 
was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  i8ij.  Lemuel  (iibbs,  the  father  of  William 
I'.,  (iibbs,  married  Miss  Joanna  Bennett.  an<l  ibey  resided  in  Vermont  all 
iheir  lives.  He  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-five,  but  she  lived  to  the  ripe  old  age 
of  ninety-four.  He  was  twice  married,  and  l)y  the  lirst  union  had  three 
children,  and  five  by  the  second. 

William  B.  Gibbs,  a  son  by  the  .second  marriage,  w.is  born  in  I'arn.ird, 
Windsor  county,  Vermont,  January  25,  1838,  and  is  the  only  member  of 
the  family  who  took  u])  his  residence  in  Nexada.  1  le  was  reared  in  his 
native  state,  and  at  the  age  of  seventeen  mo\ed  west  to  Wisconsin, 
wiierc    he    worked     on     ;i     f.irm     for     wages     for     li\e    years.      lie     then 


A  IIISTUUV  Ol'"  NEVADA.  541 

cni;a.i;cil  with  a  Mr.  C'uniinings  and  lieli)C(l  l)rini;-  a  (lin\c  n\  Ikh-scs  across 
the  plains  tn  California,  lie  enjoyed  the  trip  excecdin.^ly  .although  he  was 
omipclled  to  stand  guaril  every  night.  His  First  employment  (Hi  arriving 
in  (.'alifornia  was  in  a  livery  stable,  and  he  came  to  Virginia  City.  Nevada, 
in  r86o.  At  first  he  worked  at  whatever  he  could  get  to  do.  and  for  seven 
years  was  in  the  employ  of  William  Steel  at  Glendale,  near  the  present  city 
of  Reno.  He  sa\cd  his  mf>ney,  and  at  the  end  of  that  time  was  able  to  buy 
four  yoke  of  oxen,  with  which  he  began  hauling  freight  to  the  different  min- 
ing camps,  at  Austin.  Surprise  valley  and  BidwcU.  He  did  well  at  this  busi- 
ness, and  never  had  any  .serious  misfortunes  or  troul^le  with  Indians.  It 
was  outdoor  life,  and  he  was  camping  much  of  the  time.  He  always  carried 
a  Henri  rifle  along  for  protection,  for  many  of  the  teamsters  were  killed, 
but  he  was  lucky  in  escaping  injury.  In  1869  he  and  Messrs.  Weeks  and 
Steel  came  to  Clover  valley,  Elko  county,  and  built  a  little  structure  in 
which  they  lived  for  the  first  three  years.  They  each  i)urchased  land  and 
engaged  in  stock-raising.  Mr.  Gibbs  now  has  eight  hundred  acres,  on  which 
he  has  erected  a  good  farm  residence,  has  planted  a  nice  fruit  orchard,  and 
has  as  pretty  and  as  valuable  a  place  as  can  be  found  in  the  neighlwrhood. 
He  has  had  as  high  as  eight  hundred  head  of  cattle  at  one  time,  and  his  stock 
is  now  all  a  good  mixture  of  Durham  and  Hereford  breeds,  of  good  standard 
and  bring  good  prices.  He  also  raises  horses,  principally  for  his  own  use, 
the  Hlack  Hawk  and  Morgan  for  saddle  and  dri\ing  and  the  Xornian  for 
draft  purposes. 

In  December.  1884,  Mr.  Gilibs  married  Miss  Rachel  Weeks,  a  native 
of  Wisconsin,  and  they  have  the  following  children :  William  Henry,  at  home 
assisting  on  the  ranch;  Ethel  Sophia,  in  school  at  Salt  Lake  City;  Sarah 
.\ileen,  at  home;  Lemuel  Hunt,  Lucia  Harriet  and  Seneca  Leroy.  Mr. 
(iibbs  is  a  Republican,  and  during  his  long  years  of  residence  in  Uie  state 
and  count}'  has  gained  the  esteem  of  many  friends  and  associates. 


HON.  FRANK  HONEYMAN  is  one  of  the  best  known  pioneer  citi- 
zens of  Nevada.  For  over  thirty  years  he  has  been  a  farmer  and  stockman 
in  the  beautiful  Clover  valley  of  Elko  county,  and  he  has  had  wonderfully 
good  success  in  his  ventures.  In  the  early  days  he  was  cc.mnected  with  many 
phases  of  fnintier  life,  and  was  an  Indian  fighter  in  the  Union  army  during 
the  troublesome  days  of  the  Civil  war.  All  in  all.  there  are  few  men  who 
have  a  broader  acquaintance  with  Nevada  and  the  west  from  actual  contact 
with  its  early  development  and  industrial  and  civic  growth,  and  he  is  rightly 
regarded  as  one  of  the  most  esteemed  of  Nevada's  residents. 

Mr.  Honeyman  is  an  Irishman  Ijv  birth,  but  fifty-five  years  of  .\merican 
citizenship  have  made  him  thoroughly  American.  He  was  born  in  county 
Leitrim,  November  20,  1832,  and  was  educated  there.  At  the  age  of  sixteen, 
in  1848.  he  came  with  other  members  of  the  family  to  New  York,  and  was 
landed  after  a  five  weeks"  voyage  on  the  5th  of  March.  He  began  work  in  a 
dyeing  factory  at  four  dollars  a  week,  out  of  which  salary  he  had  to  board 
himself  at  two  dollars  a  week.  Seven  years  were  .spent  at  this  employment, 
and  in  1855  he  sailed  for  California.  1:))-  way  of  the  Nicaragua  route.     He 


542  A  HISTORY  OF  XE\'ADA. 

niincil  on  llit  Vulia  river  in  Vulia  oiuiity.  takiiii;-  mU  at  times  truin  tour  to 
ten  dollars  a  day.  but  had  small  success  at  the  work,  and  later  got  a  con- 
tract for  carrying  the  mail  to  Fort  Yuma  on  liorseback.  over  a  desert  stretch 
of  sand  for  a  distance  of  two  hundred  miles,  k'nim  San  Diego.  California, 
he  took  one  hundred  mules  nc^rth  to  (ieneral  Wright,  whose  camp  was  on 
the  Snake  ri\-er  in  Oregon,  and  on  this  trip  he  and  his  companion  camped 
outdoors  all  the  time.  In  1857  Mr.  Honeyman  again  tried  his  fortune  in  the 
mines,  and.  not  succeeding  in  this,  went  to  Vancouver.  There  was  a  serious 
Indian  uprising  at  this  time,  and  he  joined  a  regiment  which  had  been  raised 
b}-  Colonel  Stevens,  and  was  engaged  in  sex'eral  severe  brushes  with  the 
redskins.  In  1858  Mr.  Honeyman  returned  to  California,  and  for  two  or 
three  years  was  in  San  Francisco  and  Benicia. 

\\'hen  the  Civil  war  came  on  and  tb.e  president  issueil  a  call  for  troops 
from  the  west,  he  enlisted  in  Company  I.  Third  California  \'olunteer  In- 
fantry. The  men  were  all  eager  to  hurr\-  to  the  scene  of.  hostilities  in  the 
east,  and  raised  eighty  thousand  dollars  to  pay  their  own  transportation 
anrl  sent  a  telegram  costing  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  dollars  to  the  author- 
ities at  W'asliington.  Imt  the  reply  was  for  the  regiment  to  proceed  to  the 
territory  of  Utah,  where  the  governhient  decided  the  men  could  be  of  most 
use  in  protecting  the  emigrants  and  keeping  the  Indians  in  subjection.  They 
accordingly  marched  across  the  plains  to  the  vicinity  of  Salt  Lake  City, 
starting  from  Stockton  in  July.  1862.  Mr.  Honeyman  was  commissioned 
second  lieutenant  and  two  months  later  was  promoted  to  first  lieutenant.  He 
was  detached  for  special  duty  as  commander  of  a  light  battery,  with  one 
bniidred  men  under  him.  They  fought  the  Indians  at  Beaver  river  and  at 
Spanish  b'ork  canyon.  fi\e  companies  of  cavalry  being  engaged.  Lieutenant 
Honeyman  was  sent  ahead  with  a  mountain  howitzer  and  seven  men.  and 
one  evening  at  sunset  the  Indians,  wearing  only  breech-cloths,  came  une.x- 
pectedly  out  of  the  canyon  and  attacked  him.  He  directed  the  howitzer  to 
be  loaded  with  canister  and  run  out  to  meet  the  Indians,  who  at  first  came 
forward  in  a  solid  mass,  but  they  understood  the  deadly  character  of  the  gun 
and  scattered  as  they  came  on.  He  then  hurried  his  men  to  an  adobe  house 
b\-  the  canyon,  and.  placing  the  loaded  gun  o])posite  the  door,  ordered  the 
men  to  lie  down  and  wait  till  the  enemy  should  approach  the  door,  when 
he  was  ])rei)ared  to  give  them  a  warm  reception.  The  Indians  riddled  the 
door  and  window  with  bullets,  but  with  no  other  clTect.  and  after  the  firing 
had  lulled  Mr.  Honeyman  I'aised  himself  so  as  to  sec  the  location  of  the  red- 
skins. He  then  ordered  the  bnwitzci-  to  be  discharged  at  the  Indians  before 
the  door,  and  two  Indians  and  two  mules  were  killed.  .\t  da_\break  the 
cavalry  came  up. and  in  the  sharp  fight  which  followed  thirtylndians  were  killed 
and  the  rest  escaped  to  the  mountains.  Lieuten.int  I  bmevman  recovered  his 
sal)re,  wiiich  he  had  lost  in  the  fight,  finding  it  mi  the  body  of  an  Indian 
that  liad  been  killed  by  a  piece  of  shell.  Lieuten.int  Honeyman  was  with  his 
regiment  till  the  close  of  the  war,  aufl  resigned  his  commission  at  C;mu]> 
Douglas. 

Following  the  war,  Mr.  I  loncymau  c;nne  tn  Ruby  v.illey,  Nevada,  where 
he  took  up  government  land,  and  lived  there  two  years  and  a  half.  He 
came  to  his  present  home  in  Clover  valley  in   1869.  being  located  eighteen 


A    IIIS•|■(")I^:^■   OI'    XI'AADA.  543. 

miles  (lircTlly  sonlli  nf  Wells  in  l''.Ik(i  ctuiiily.  lie  seeiireil  a  s(|ualter's  right 
at  first.  1ml  lias  conliiiiieil  his  land  aecnnnilatiim  with  the  result  that  he  now 
invns  a  line  raiuh  nf  sixteen  hundred  aeres.  (ine  (if  the  heauliful  farms  in  this 
heautiful  \alle\-.  im  which  wheat,  (lats.  harley.  alfalfa  and  potatoes  are  raised 
in  large  (|uantities;  a  line  a])])le  orrhard  of  his  own  jjlanting  increases  the 
profits  of  a  handsome  estate.  Mr.  lloneyman  has  hrought  about  all  the  im- 
provements by  his  own  industry,  and  there  are  few  farms  in  the  valley  which 
will  equal  his  and  none  that  can  excel  it.  Cattle-raising  has  also  been  an 
important  jiart  of  his. operations,  and  he  has  had  as  many  as  ten  or  twelve 
hundred  head  of  Herefords  at  one  lime.  Ilis  fa\-orite  horses  are  the  Clydes- 
dale and  the  Cleveland  Bays.  He  has  been  very  successful  in  all  these  enter- 
prises, and  the  wealth  and  prosperity  of  b'Iko  county  have  Ijeen  largely  due 
to  such  men  as  Mr.  Honeyman. 

y\v.  Honc_\-man  has  been  a  life-long  Republican,  and  has  shown  his  public 
spirit  by  ser\ing  three  terms  in  the  important  oflice  of  county  commissioner. 
In  1854  he  was  married  in  New  York  city  to  Miss  Julia  McDavid,  who  was 
born  in  Vermont  and  lived  there  until  she  came  to  New  York  to  meet  Mr. 
Honeyman.  She  came  out  to  California  with  lier  husl)and  and  also  accom- 
panied him  to  Ruby  \alle\-,  where  she  died,  in  Xoxember.  1(867.  and  where 
she  is  hiu'ied.  She  was  the  mother  of  four  children,  three  of  whom  are  living. 
The  daughter,  Mary  Emma,  is  now  Mrs.  Wiseman,  of  Wells,  and  has  two 
children.  Walter  and  Julia:  tiie  daughter  Margaret  died  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
eight,  leax'ing  a  son  Frank  lay  her  husliand,  Mr.  Kehoe.  In  1872  Mr.  Honey- 
man married  Mrs.  James  Gale,  formerly  Sarah  Montgomery,  who  was  born 
in  Lexington,  Kentucky,  a  daughter  of  Samuel  Montgomery,  a  pioneer  of 
Kentucky.  Mrs.  Honeyman  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  church,  and  she 
and  her  husband  li\'e  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  highest  regard  of  their  neigh- 
bors and  friends,  among  whom  they  ha\e  passed  thirty  years  of  usefulness 
and  honorable  effort  rewarded  with  prosperity  and  comfort  for  their  later 
years. 


I'^RANK  J.  MATHEWS,  a  successful  farmer  residing  in  Mason  \alley, 
Nevada,  was  born  in  Portugal  m  1858,  and  was  there  reared  and  educated. 
In  1878  he  emigrated  to  New  Bedford,  Massachu.setts,  being  a  young  man 
without  means  and  ignorant  of  the  language  of  the  country.  It  look  all  his 
money  to  pay  his  fare  to  San  Francisco,  where  he  arrived  Jul\-  18,  1878,  but 
he  immediately  obtained  employment  as  a  sheep-herder  and  thus  su])ported 
himself,  in  the  meanwhile  learning  the  English  language.  In  1887  he  brought 
to  Nevada  three  thousand  bead  of  shee]).  He  and  his  brothers,  Joseph  and 
Anton,  purchased  five  himdred  and  twentv  acres  of  land  in  Mason  \alley, 
which  was  first  owned  in  common,  but  is  now  divided,  I'rank  J.  owning  two 
hundred  and  forty  acres,  on  which  he  raises  alfalfa  liay.  ami  feeds  a  herd 
of  seventy-five  head  of  graded  Durham  cattle  and  twenty  head  of  otiier  stock 
and  sells  his  milk  to  the  neighborhood  creamery.  His  flock  of  sheep  is  a  very 
"fine  one  and  nets  him  a  handsome  income. 

In  1884  he  married  Miss  Mary  Freitas,  also  from  Portugal,  and  two 
sons  have  been  born  to  them,  Ernest  and  Nelson,  Ijotb  Iiorn  in  Mason  \-allev. 


oU  A  HISTORY  Ol'    K\LV ADA. 

Mr.  Matliews  is  a  Ivcpuljlican.  and  fraternally  is  a  Woodman  of  the  World. 
His  religious  affiliations  are  with  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  and  he  is 
justly  regarded  as  one  of  the  leading  men  of  the  community. 


h'REDERICK  K.\TZ  is  now  living  a  retired  life  in  Verdi,  with  in- 
\esteil  interests  and  capital  sufficient  to  supply  him  with  all  of  the  comforts 
of  life.  Earnestly  and  long  he  has  lalxired  in  the  acquirement  of  his  com- 
petence, and  at  all  times  he  has  heen  straightforward  in  his  husiness  dealings, 
never  taking  ad\-antage  of  the  necessities  of  his  fellow  men  in  any  trade  trans- 
action. Since  1867  he  has  resided  in  this  state.  He  was  Ixirn  in  Calhoun 
county,  Michigan,  on  the  ist  of  Decemlier,  1828,  and  his  family  is  of  Ger- 
man origin. 

His  father.  Peter  Katz.  was  born  in  Germany,  and  when  a  young  man 
maile  the  long  voyage  across  the  Atlantic  in  a  sailing  vessel  in  order  to 
establish  his  home  m  the  new  world.  He  married  Miss  Reka  Katz,  and  they 
settled  on  a  farm  six  miles  south  of  Ann  Arl^or  on  Lodi  plains.  Later  he 
sold  that  property  and  took  his  famih'  to  Calhoun  county,  Michigan,  pur- 
chasing a  farm  near  the  town  of  Marshall.  To  its  cultivati<Mi  and  improve- 
ment he  devoted  his  labors  until  his  death,  which  occurred  when  he  was 
sixty-seven  years  of  age.  His  wife  survived  him  ten  \ears.  They  were 
the  parents  of  nine  children,  hut  only  three  of  that  number  are  now  living. 
Michigan  was  a  new  state  when  they  settled  within  its  borders,  and  the 
family  homestead  was  in  the  midst  of  the  dense  forest. 

Frederick  Katz  assisted  in  the  arduous  task  of  developing  wild  land 
and  learned  to  be  a  good  woodsman  as  well  as  an  active  and  practical  agri- 
culturist. Init  his  opportunities  to  secure  an  education  were  very  limited, 
and  like  many  another  successful  man  he  has  gleaned  his  knowdedge  from 
reading  and  observation,  also  learning  many  valuable  lessons  in  the  school 
of  experience. 

In  1832  Mr.  Katz  crossed  the  plains  to  California,  driving  a  horse  team. 
1  le  made  a  safe  though  tedious  journey,  being  upon  the  road  for  five  months, 
and  at  Nigger  Hill,  in  Placer  county,  he  had  his  first  ex])erience  in  digging 
for  gold.  PTe  was  quite  fortunate  in  his  work  there,  taking  out  gold  to  the 
value  of  six  thousand  dollars,  but  be  loaned  thirty-three  hundred  dollars  to 
a  Mr.  Plunt,  who  never  rejjaid  him.  He  continued  to  engage  in  mining  for 
several  years,  sometimes  securing  good  finds,  again  meeting  with  losses, 
but  altogether  his  ex])erience  in  mining  was  crowned  with  a  fair  measure 
of  success.  In  1867  he  came  to  Nevada,  and.  settling  first  at  Truckee,  was 
there  engaged  in  hauling  sawlogs  for  the  railroad  company.  He  then  en- 
gaged in  the  lumber  and  wood  business  for  himself  for  about  ten  years, 
during  wliich  time  he  manufactured  fifty-nine  million  feet  of  lumber  in  a 
|)lace  known  as  Dog  Valley,  Sierra  county,  California.  This  lumber,  as 
also  the  wood,  was  run  through  what  is  known  as  a  V-flume,  eight  miles, 
to  the  Southern  Pacific  sidetrack  at  Verdi,  Nevada.  All  of  this  lumber  and 
wood  was  disposed  of  at  remunerative  prices.  Timber  became  exhausted,  and 
he  entered  into  the  cattle  and  farming  business  .and  has  been  very  successful 
in  (he  .same.      He  purchased   his  present   ranch,  a  tract   of  two  hundred  .and 


A  JllS'i'OKV  Ol''  XI'AADA.  .">+;") 

fdftv  acres  of  land  a  slmrl  ilistance  east  nf  Verdi,  and  there  lie  c.'vrried  nn 
I'aianiny  lor  a  number  of  years,  l)ut  recently  lie  sold  his  farm  lor  eight 
thousand  dollars,  and  has  since  resided  in  a  nice  Ikjiiic  in  V'erdi.  lie  has, 
however,  \alua!)le  realty  interests  at  the  present  time,  including  ten  hundred 
and  scventv-two  acres  of  timber  land  north  of  Verdi,  and  also  eleven  hun- 
dred acres  covered  with  timber  in  Uog  valley,  eight  miles  from  Verdi.  As 
timber  is  annually  growing  scarcer  and  the  demaird  increasing,  his  property 
is  continiiall}'  becoming  more  valuable,  and  he  considers  this  as  good  an 
in\estmeiit  as  he  could  make. 

Mr.  Katz  has  been  a  lifedong  Republican,  lie  recei\cd  the  sublime 
degree  of  a  Master  Mason  in  Michigan  l>lutY,  I'lacer  ccjunty,  California,  and 
now  afiiliates  with  Reno  Lodge  Xo.  i_^.  F.  &  .\.  M.  He  was  junior  warden 
of  his  lodge  before  leaving  California,  and  he  is  also  a  member  of  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  considering  these  the  best  of  the  secret 
societies.  He  has  always  been  true  to  their  teachings,  exemplifying  in  his 
daily  life  the  1:)eneficent  spirit  of  the  fraternity.  He  has  made  a  close  study 
of  Masonry,  and  has  a  dee])  attachment  for  the  craft.  In  all  of  his  dealings  he 
has  been  fair  and  honorable,  always  paying  one  hundred  cents  on  the  dollar, 
and  as  the  result  of  well  directed  and  nnllaoging  efforts  he  is  to-day  numbered 
among  the  men  of  affluence  in  the  Washoe  \-alley. 


ROBERT  M.  STEELE  has  the  distinction  of  being  the  first  white 
male  child  born  in  Clover  valley,  Elko  count}-,  Xe\ada.  This  happy  event, 
marking  the  progress  of  civilization  and  the  e.xtension  of  .society's  influence 
over  this  beautiful  section  of  Nevada,  occurred  January  ii,  1873,  and  in 
the  succeeding  thirty  }ears  Mr.  Steele  has  proved  himself  a  worthy  native 
son  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties  of  citizenship  and  indi\idnal  work.  He. 
with  his  brothers,  is  one  of  the  most  extensive  ranchers  ami  agriculturists 
in  this  part  of  the  county,  and  has  shown  enterprise  and  business  ability 
in  the  handling  of  the  large  interests  intrusted  him  b\-  an  honored  and  suc- 
cessful father. 

James  .\.  Steele,  his  father,  an  early  settler  of  the  \alley.  was  l)oni  in 
Ireland,  March  29.  1836.  but  at  the  age  of  nine  years  was  brought  to 
Cleveland,  Ohii>,  where  he  was  reared  and  educated  up  to  his  nineteenth 
year.  He  then  went  to  Waupaca.  Wisconsin,  and  after  residing  there  a 
number  of  y^ears  came  to  Virginia  City.  Xevada.  and  from  there  to  Clover 
\alley  in  the  fall  of  1868.  He  took  up  land,  and  by  his  industry  was  so 
successful  in  his  cattle-raising  and  kindred  \entures  that  at  the  time  of  his 
death  he  owned  a  ranch  of  twent}-two  hundred  and  forty  acres  and  was 
known  as  one  of  the  valley's  wealthy  citizens.  He  was  a  fine  tvpe  of  citizen, 
was  honorable  in  his  business  dealings,  meeting  with  good  success  in  his  under- 
takings, and  his  death  in  1896  was  felt  as  a  loss  to  the  entire  community. 
His  wife  was  Diantha  L.  Randall,  a  native  of  Proxidence.  Rhode  Island, 
and  she  is  still  living,  making  her  home  in  Ogden,  Utah.  Of  their  five  chil- 
dren, four  are  living:  Robert  M.;  Rachel  M.,  the  wife  of  Edward  Haymond, 
of  Ogden;  Stephen  R. ;  and  James  A.  The  sons  are  partners  in  the  large 
ranch  left  them  bv  their  father,  and  have  continued  his  successful  efforts:   Thev 


546  A   HISTORY   OF  Ni'A  ADA. 

raise  high-grade  Xornian  liorses  and  Durham  cattle,  often  having  as  many 
as  six  or  se\en  hundred  head  of  tlie  latter. 

Robert  M.  Steele  was  educated  in  the  common  schools  of  L'Io\er  val- 
ley, and  has  spent  all  liis  life  on  the  ranch.  In  i8<)g  he  married  Miss  Kathryn 
Honeyman.  a  daughter  of  Hon.  Frank  Honeynian.  of  Clover  valley.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  the  family  religion  is  Episco- 
palian and  Presbyterian.  He  and  his  Ijrothers  are  Republican  \i)ters,  and 
in  many  ways  have  proved  their  efficient  citizen.ship.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Steele 
are  ixijiular  members  of  the  society  of  this  part  of  FLlko  county,  and  they 
have  before  them  the  greater  part  of  a  life  of  usefulness  and  esteem. 


H.  J.  GOSSF2.  There  is  no  one  kind  of  business  which  so  quickly 
ilesignates  the  character  of  a  town  as  does  its  hotels,  and  one  of  the  most 
important  factors  in  the  improvement  of  a  citv  is  its  hotel  interests,  which, 
if  in  keeping  with  modern  progress,  attract  the  visitor  and  thus  promote  the 
commercial  acivity  of  the  place.  The  Riverside  Hotel  of  Reno  is  the  finest 
hostelry  of  Xevada.  and  it  is  said  that  there  is  no  hotel  proprietor  in  the 
'^tate  so  [Xjpular  as  H.  J.  (iosse.  the  (jwner  and  manager  of  this  splendiil  in- 
stitution, which  he  has  de\eloped  from  a  pioneer  structure  until  it  stands 
to-day  as  one  of  the  finest  buildings  in  Ueno,  Thoroughly  acquainted  with 
the  needs  and  demands  of  the  traveling  ])ublic,  Mr.  (iosse  has  made  it  his 
study  '.o  entertain  his  patrons  in  a  way  that  will  insure  their  continued  pat- 
ronage, and  that  success  is  attending  liis  efforts  is  indicated  by  the  fact  that 
he  is  now  erecting  an  addition  to  the  Riverside. 

Mr.  fiosse  has  always  lived  in  the  west  and  has  spent  the  greater  i)art 
of  his  life  in  NTevada.  He  is,  therefore,  imbued  with  the  progressive  s])irit 
which  dominates  this  section  of  the  country,  and  seldom  fails  of  acconiplish- 
meiU  in  ;my  undertaking.  He  was  born  in  California  in  1S37,  and  is  of  Ger- 
man descent.  His  father.  Theodore  fiosse,  was  born  in  Prussia,  and  when 
.a  young  man  emigrated  to  the  United  States,  where  he  met  and  married 
Miss  Regina  Moose,  the  wedding  being  celebrated  in  Xew  Orleans  in  1850. 
Site,  too,  was  born  in  the  f.-itherland.  After  their  marriage  they  started  for 
California,  the  F'.ldorado  of  the  west,  for  gold  had  been  discovered  in  that 
stale  and  offered  allurnig  prospects.  They  journeyed  in  an  emigrant  wagon 
dra\\n  by  o.xen,  a  traveling  c(]ui]iment  rarely  seen  at  this  day,  even  in  the 
most  remote  districts.  Three  men  of  their  acquaintance  accomp.inied  them, 
and  l^efore  they  reached  their  destination  thcv  had  but  one  o.\  and  a  siuall 
cart,  which  a  little  later  was  traded  in  order  to  i)ay  their  passage  to  Hang- 
town,  now  I'lacerville,  California.  After  his  arrival  Mr.  Gosse  was  stricken 
with  inflammatory  rheumatism,  but  he  attended  to  business  as  much  as  possi- 
lile,  and  for  a  sliort  time  conducted  a  restaurant.  He  then  remove<l  to  a  ranch 
on  Die  .Sacramento  river,  and  there  liis  four  children  were  born.  He  after- 
ward sold  liial  projjerly  an<l  purchased  a  large  ranch  in  the  Sacramento  val- 
ley, but  in  the  great  ilood  of  1862-3  the  family  were  obliged  to  leave  that 
place,  and  removed  to  Silver  City,  Nevada,  which  was  then  a  booming  mining 
town.  .Again  Mr.  Gos.se  conducted  a  boarding  house,  but  later  he  removed 
to  .San.Lcaiidro.  where  his  death  (recurred  in   1888.  when  be  was  sixtv-seven 


A   IllSrom'  ()[■   NEVADA.  •■'47 

His  wife,  wlio  .shared  with  Iiiin  in  all  the  i)ioneer  exiierienccs 
of  the  west,  still  sur\-ives  and  is  yet  li\'ing  in  San  Leandro.  in  the  ninety- first 
year  of  her  age. 

H.  J.  Gosse,  the  only  re])resentalive  of  the  family  now  lix'ing  in  this  .state, 
was  hnt  six  years  of  age  when  he  renio\ed  with  his  parents  to  Silver  City. 
Nevada  was  then  nnder  territorial  g<n'ernment  and  was  yet  a  frontier  dis- 
trict. When  a  small  hoy  he  attended  school  in  Virginia  City,  and  later 
continued  his  studies  in  Golden  Gate  Academy,  in  Oakland.  California. 
Since  that  time  he  has  been  engaged  in  various  business  enterprises,  and 
has  always  been  an  active  factor  in  the  business  world.  Since  1896.  however, 
he  has  been  proprietor  of  the  Ri\erside  Hotel  in  Reno,  which  he  has  con- 
ducted very  successfully.  This  hostelry  has  grown  with  the  city's  growth, 
and,  in  fact,  has  been  a  leader  in  general  progress  here.  At  first  it  was  little 
ni.'^re  than  a  frame  shack,  but  as  the  town  expanded  the  first  l)uilding  was 
mo\-ed  back  and  a  substantial  frame  building  was  erected,  being  at  that 
time  fully  up  to  the  need  of  the  town.  Under  the  management  of  Mr.  Gosse 
the  Riverside  continued  to  be  the  leading  hotel  of  the  city,  and  in  1901  a 
large,  splendid  brick  structure  was  erected  beside  the  frame  building  and  both 
are  now  fully  occupied,  and  soon  the  frame  section  is  to  be  removed,  and  the 
remainder  of  the  house,  which  will  be  in  the  form  of  a  letter  "H,"  will  be 
erected  of  brick.  The  new  hotel  is  now  modern  in  all  its  equipments  and 
conveniences,  and  great  taste  has  been  disiilayed  in  its  painting  and  deco- 
ration as  well  as  in  the  furnishing.  When  completed  it  will  be  an  ornament 
to  the  city,  and  Mr.  Gosse  deserves  great  credit  for  the  erection  of  such  a 
superior  building.  It  now  has  seventy-four  rooms,  and  will,  when  com- 
])leted.  have  one  hundred  rooms,  with  all  modern  improvements  for  the  con- 
\enience  and  comfort  of  the  guests.  Tt  is  said  that  each  individual  has  a 
talent  for  some  certain  kind  of  work,  and  it  would  seem  that  ^Ir.  Gosse  has 
certainly  entered  the  field  of  laljor  for  which  he  is  best  adapted.  He  has  made 
a  study  of  the  hotel  business,  and  now  manages  the  Riverside  in  a  most  cap- 
able way,  the  entire  work  being  systematized  so  that  it  goes  on  with  the 
smoothness  and  regularity  of  clockwork. 

In  1888  Mr.  Gosse  was  married  to  Miss  Josephine  M.  ^fudd.  a  native 
daughter  of  California  and  a  daughter  of  R.  G.  Mudd.  of  that  state.  They 
now  have  two  children,  H.  J.  and  Margaret. 

Mr.  Gosse  votes  with  the  Rei)uhlican  part}-,  and  he  l)elongs  to  the  Im- 
proved Order  of  Red  Men.  He  has  filled  all  the  chairs  in  the  local  tribe  and 
is  past  grand  sachem  of  the  state.  He  is  also  a  Mason,  belonging  to  the  lodge, 
chapter.  commander\-  and  the  shrine,  and  he  was  prominent  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  Elks  lodge  No.  597.  of  Reno.  In  recognition  of  his  services  in 
that  order  he  has  been  made  an  honorary  life  member,  and  he  is  a  memljer 
of  the  grand  lodge  of  the  state.  .\s  a  hotel  proprietor  he  is  very  popular  and 
has  a  very  wide  acquaintance,  both  in  California  and  Nevada. 


J.  W.  ECKLEY.  who  has  for  many  vears  been  connected  with  the 
Bank  of  California  as  its  agent  and  manager  in  Virginia  City,  is  well  known 
in  financial  circles,  and  his  thorough  understanding;'  of  the  bankiuir  luisiness. 


548  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

his  broad  know  ledge  of  the  money  (|uestions  nf  the  country  and  his  keen 
insight  into  coniphcated  business  prol)lems  lender  liim  well  (|ualilie<l  for  the 
arduous  and  responsible  duties  which  n<i\v  devohe  uixm  him. 

Mr.  Ecklev  was  born  in  Macon,  (ieorgia.  and  is  a  son  of  Levi  Kckley, 
whose  birth  occurred  in  the  state  of  Pennsylvania  in  the  year  1S07.  .\fter 
arriving  at  years  of  maturity  Levi  Eckley  wedded  Miss  Mili'red  Scott  Ket- 
ler.  and  removed  to  ALacon.  Georgia,  whence  in  1845  he  remo\ed  with  his 
familv  to  Illinois,  establishing  his  home  u])on  a  new  farm  in  that  state,  for 
the  localitv  in  which  he  settled  was  tlien  l)ut  slightly  impmxcd.  the  district 
being  a  frontier  region.  In  i84(;,  attracted  b\'  the  disco\ery  of  gold  in 
California  and  the  business  opportunities  thereby  advanced,  he  made  his 
wav  to  the  Pacific  coast  and  was  engaged  for  a  time  in  merchandising  in 
the  city  of  Sacramento.  Later  he  removed  to  Petaluma,  where  he  resided 
continuously  until  his  death.  To  him  and  his  wife  were  born  twelve  children, 
of  whom  eight  are  now  li\  ing.  Joseph  E.  Eckle}-,  one  of  tlie  sons,  is  ;i  resi- 
dent of  Virginia  City,  is  a  printer  by  trade  and  has  been  the  state  printer  for 
two  terms  of  four  years  each. 

J.  \Y.  Eckle}-  acquired  his  education  in  the  public  schools.  He  came  to 
California  and  entered  upon  his  business  career  as  an  employe  of  the  Bank  of 
California.  For  that  corporation  he  came  to  \'irginia  City  in  i86g,  to  lill 
the  position  of  bookkee]3er  in  their  institution  here,  and  later  he  was  pro- 
moted to  the  position  of  cashier,  while  subsec|ucntly  he  was  a])pointed  general 
manager  of  tlie  agenc}-.  He  has  now  served  in  the  last  named  position  for 
eighteen  years,  and  his  course  has  been  entirely  satisfactory  to  tho.se  whom 
lie  represents.  The  l)ank  buys  bullion,  which  is  shipped  to  the  main  l)ank  in 
San  Franci.sco;  they  also  conduct  a  general  banking  l)usiness.  wliich  has 
proved  of  great  benefit  to  the  residents  of  the  city. 

In  1885  Mr.  Eckley  was  united  in  m.arriage  to  Miss  Ida  .\.  ?^lorgan,  a 
native  of  New  York  city,  and  thev  now  ha\'e  foiu"  children — (ieorge,  Mildred, 
Walter  and  Herbert,  all  born  in  Virginia  City.  They  own  and  occujiy  the 
fine  residence  which  was  built  for  I'nited  States  Senator  I'.iir.  and  their 
home  is  celel)rated  for  its  gracious  and  cordial  hospitality.  Mrs.  Eckley  is  a 
valued  member  of  the  Episcopal  church  and  the  family  attend  cliinxh  services 
there.  Mr.  Eckley  is  a  distinguished  and  prominent  IMason.  belonging  to 
the  blue  lodge,  chapter  and  comniandcry.  in  which  he  has  been  honored  with 
the  highest  offices.  His  prominence  in  the  fraternity  in  the  state  h;is  been 
manifest  by  his  election  to  offices  in  the  grand  bodies  of  Masonry.  He  is 
a  past  grand  master  of  the  grand  lodge  of  the  slate,  i)ast  grand  high  priest 
of  the  grand  cha])ter  and  i)ast  eminent  commander  of  the  comniandcry  of  his 
city.  He  has  also  taken  .seventeen  degrees  of  the  .Scottish  Rite  and  has  famil- 
iarized himself  with  the  tenets  of  the  craft  while  e.xcmplit'ying  in  his  life  its 
beneficent  and  liel])ful  .spirit.  He  has  a  very  wide  and  favorable  acquaintance 
tlirougluuit  the  slate,  and  is  one  of  the  distinguished  rei)rcsenlalives  of  its 
financial  interests, 

THE  .\C,ENCY  Oi'  Tllh".  I'.AXK  Ol"  ( '  NLU'ORXI  A  was  estab- 
lished at  Virginia  City  at  a  very  early  dale  in  the  history  of  this  place,  and 
its  business,  as  since  conducted,  has  included  the  ])urchase  of  bullion  and  a 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  649 

general  hanking  Inisiness.  Tliis  is  now  the  only  hanking  estalilisjimcnt  of  the 
city.  The  first  representative  in  cliarge  of  the  hank  was  J.  .V.  Ralston,  wlio 
was  succeeded  hy  Senator  William  Sharon,  who  had  the  management  of  the 
institution  for  fourteen  years.  He  was  then  succeeded  hy  A.  J.  Ralston,  who 
ciiutinued  in  charge  for  eight  years,  and  it  was  then  in  charge  of  J.  P. 
Martin,  wlm  ciccupied  the  position  for  ten  years.  In  1888  J.  W.  Eckley  was 
appointed  and  has  since  heen  its  manager.  During  its  business  career  the 
hank  has  purchased  a  large  amount  of  the  bullion  that  has  been  produced  in 
the  many  rich  mines  in  this  vicinity  and  has  shipped  it  to  the  home  Ijank  in 
San  Francisco,  'ilie  main  institution  also  had  an  agency  at  Gold  Hill  for 
a  number  of  years,  hut  the  business  there  was  consolidated  with  that  of  the 
\'irginia  City  Agency.  The  bank  has  pmved  an  institution  of  \alue  in  this 
locality  and  is  much  appreciated  by  the  ])eo])le  of  Virginia  Cit\'. 


JOSEPH  C.  ]\1AT111'A\'S,  a  prominent  farmer  of  Mason  valley.  Ne- 
vada, was  Ijorn  in  Pdrtui^al,  I\K'U"ch  7,  1861,  and  was  reared  and  educated 
in  his  native  land.  When  a  lad  of  nineteen  years  he  emigrated  to  Cali- 
fornia and  found  cmiilo\inent  as  a  sheep-herder  at  twentv-fi\e  dollars  a 
month,  anil  thus  continued  for  four  years.  sa\ing  his  money.  By  strict 
economy  he  was  enabled  to  go  into  business  on  his  own  account,  and  came 
to  Mason  valley,  Nevada,  in  1888,  with  his  brothers.  In  the  comparatively  few 
years  which  iiave  elapsed  he  has  accumulated  two  hvmdred  and  eighty  acres, 
and  has  about  two  hundred  acres  of  it  in  hay  land  and  pasture,  and  a  fine 
dairy  of  twenty  cows.  On  the  remainder  of  his  land  he  raises  grain  and 
N'egetables,  and  keejis  his  premises  and  farm  in  excellent  condition. 

In  1896  he  was  hap])ily  married  to  Miss  Mar\-  Comas,  a  native  of 
Portugal,  and  four  children  have  been  born  to  them,  namely:  .\nnie,  Alfred, 
Joseph  and  Francis.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mathews  are  consistent  members  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  church,  and  in  politics  Mr.  Mathews  is  a  Republican.  Through 
hard  work  and  unceasing  thrift  he  has  built  up  his  fortune,  and  is  to-day 
one  of  the  most  prosperous  farmers  of  Mason  \alley. 


PION.  A.  E.  CHENEY.  One  of  the  leading  members  of  the  Reno 
bar  is  Hon.  Azro  E.  Cheney,  the  senior  member  of  the  law  firm  of  Cheney, 
Massey  &  Smith.  He  is  also  an  ex-judge  of  the  second  judicial  district  of 
Nevada,  which  included  Washoe,  Humboldt  and  Churchill  counties.  A 
native  of  the  state  of  Ohio,  his  birth  occurred  in  Ashtabula  county  on  the  15th 
of  April,  1854,  and  he  is  descended  from  English  ancestry,  the  family  ha\- 
ing  been  founded  in  New  England  at  a  very  early  epoch  in  the  colonization 
of  the  new  world.  Meml)ers  of  the  family  were  participants  in  the  events 
wliich  shaped  the  early  history  of  the  country,  and  took  pride  in  the  great 
struggle  which  won  indeiDendence  for  the  nation.  His  paternal  grand- 
father, John  Cheney,  removed  from  Vermont  with  his  wife  and  children  to 
the  Western  Reserve  in  Ohio  in  1836.  Harvey  Cheney,  the  father  of  .\. 
I'~.  Chenew  was  born  in  Vermont,  and  when  he  arrived  at  adult  age  wedded 
Miss  Julia  .\nu  l'"\erts,  daughter  of  Calvin  and  Hulda  Everts,  of  New  England 


550  '     A  HISTORY  OF  XK\'ADA. 

ancestry.  He  became  a  carjjenter  and  farmer  and  lived  a  life  of  tlirift  and 
industry.  His  religious  faith  was  that  of  the  Universalist  church.  He  died 
when  in  the  seventy-eighth  year  of  his  age.  while  his  wife  passed  away 
when  the  Judge  was  only  a  year  old.     In  their  family  were  eight  children. 

At  the  usual  age  Judge  Cheney  began  his  education  as  a  student  in 
the  public  schools  of  northeastern  Ohio.  Later  he  became  a  student  in  an 
academy  of  that  state,  and  when  he  had  completed  his  own  course  he  en- 
gaged in  teaching  until  he  tiMik  u|)  the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of  the  Hon. 
S.  A.  Xorthway.  in  Jefferson.  Ashtabula  county.  Ohio.  Subsequently  he 
went  to  Toledo.  Oiiio.  where  he  continued  his  studies  under  the  direction  of 
the  law  firm  of  Scribner.  Hurd  &  Scribner.  B\'  earnest  and  assiduous  atten- 
tion to  the  tasks  assigned  him.  he  gained  a  broad  and  comprehensive  knowl- 
edge of  the  principles  of  jurisprudence  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  by  the 
supreme  court  of  Ohio  in  1877.  He  then  began  practice  in  that  state,  there 
remaining  until  1880.  when  failing  health  and  the  development  of  the  west 
attracted  him.  and.  feeling  that  its  business  opportunities  were  superior  to 
those  of  his  native  state  if  a  young  man  desired  ra])id  advancement,  he 
came  to  Nevada,  settling  in  Eureka.  There  he  was  associated  in  the  practice 
f)f  law  with  the  Hon.  Thomas  \\'ren  for  a  ]wriod  of  ten  years,  during  which 
time  he  served  two  years  as  district  attorney  ()f  Eureka  county.  He  also 
.served  for  one  term  in  the  Nevada  assembly,  and  while  there  was  chair- 
man of  the  judiciary  committee.  In  the  fall  of  1890  he  was  elected  <listrict 
judge,  and  served  so  capably  upon  the  bench  that  he  was  re-elected  in  1894. 
He  acted  in  that  capacity  until  1898.  when  he  resigned  and  resumed  his 
law  practice,  and  was  alone  until  Septemi:)er.  1902,  when  the  present  firm 
of  Cheney,  Massey  &  Smith  was  formed.  This  firm  has  a  ver_\-  large  antl 
important  clientage  and  enjoys  a  reputation  second  to  that  of  no  other  firm 
in  the  state. 

Judge  Cheney  in  1887  was  unitefl  in  marriage  to  Miss  Jennie  W'ethered, 
daughter  of  Thomas  W'ethered  and  Eliza  W'ethered,  and  a  native  of 
Portland,  Oregon,  but  at  the  time  of  lier  marriage  a  resident  of  Eureka. 
Nevada.  To  them  has  been  born  one  son.  Everett,  who  is  now  a  student  in 
St.  Matthews  school  in  San  Mateo.  California.  The  Judge  and  his  wife 
occupy  an  attractive  iionie  in  Reno  ;ni(l  their  residence  is  the  center  of  a 
cultured  society  circle.  He  is  interested  in  \arious  mining  enterprises  in 
W'iiite  Pine  county,  and  his  faith  in  the  future  of  Reno  has  been  indicated  by 
his  in\estment  in  real  estate  here.  He  is  now  the  owner  of  considerable 
property,  anrl  as  a  public-spirited  citizen  jnits  forth  e\ery  effort  in  his 
IKivver  to  advance  the  welfare  and  substantial  progress  of  the  city.  He  has 
l)cen  a  very  active  and  helpful  supi)orter  of  the  State  I'niversity  and  is  one 
of  the  members  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  the  Carnegie  b'ree  Librarv. 

In  his  chosen  profession  he  has  won  high  rank.  An  excellent  presence, 
an  earnest  manner,  marked  strength  of  character.  .1  thorougii  grasp  of  the 
law  and  the  al)ility  to  accurately  ai)ply  its  i)rinciples.  make  him  an  effective 
and  successful  advocate  and  insure  him  high  rank  among  the  furists  of  the 
.state.  His  decisions  indicate  strong  mentality,  careful  analvsis,  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  law  and  an  unbiased  judgment.  The  judge  on  the  bciuli  fails 
more  fre(|uenlly.  perlL-ijis.   from  n  deficiency  in   ih.-u   bro.-id-mindcdiu-^s  ubich 


(1 


A   HISTORY  OI-'  NEVADA.  551 

lint  nnl\-  Cdmpr'flic'iids  the  details  i>f  a  situalinn  (|uickly  l)iit  insures  a  C(jni- 
plete  self-control,  under  even  the  most  exasjierating  conditions,  than  from 
any  other  cause;  and  the  judt;e  who  makes  a  success  in  the  discharge  of  his 
multitudinous  delicate  duties  is  a  man  of  well  rounded  character,  finely 
balanced  mind  and  of  splendid  intellectual  attainments.  That  Judge  Cheney 
is  regarded  as  such  a  jurist  is  a  uniformly  accepted  fact. 


HON.  ROSS  ]J':\\T£RS,  a  representative  of  the  I'.irming  interests  of 
Washoe  valley,  living  near  h'ranktown,  came  to  the  territory  of  Utah  in 
1859,  and  settled  in  what  is  now  Nes'ada. 

He  is  a  native  of  Ireland,  with  the  enterprise,  the  ready  adaptability  and 
progressi\'e  spirit  so  characteristic  of  the  peo])le  of  that  land.  He  was  born 
in  the  county  Armagh  on  the  Olli  of  August,  1S31,  and  is  descended  from 
French  Huguenot  ancestry  who  hy  the  lulict  of  Nantes  were  compelled  t 
flee  from  P'rance  to  escape  ]iersecutuin.  The  name  Lewers  is  derived  from 
the  French  L'Ours.  the  bear,  and  the  coat  of  arms  shows  a  bear  and  tlie 
motto:  Deo  diicc;  virtntc  camitc. 

He  was  educated  in  the  Emerald  Isle,  having  as  instructors  the  late 
President  James  iMcCosh,  of  Princeton,  and  Professor  _David  Masson.  The 
di.scovery  of  gold  in  California  turned  his  attention  away  from  college,  and 
he  came  to  the  United  States  in  1849.  landing  in  New  York  and  immediately 
,sailing  for  San  Francisco  by  way  of  Cape  Horn,  and  arrived  in  California, 
July  28,  i850.  He  at  once  commenced  mining  in  Placer  county,  meeting 
with  fair  success.  He  continued  mining  until  1856,  and  from  Plumas 
county  went  over  into  Honey  Lake  \alley,  in  Lassen  county,  took  up  a  ranch 
and  built  a  sawmill.  Here  he  i)lanted  one  of  the  first  apple  orchards  on  the 
eastern  slope  of  the  Sierras.  The  discovery  of  the  Comstock  caused  him 
to  move  his  sawmill  to  Washoe  valley — the  first  steam  sawmill  in  Nevada — 
and  he  continued  to  manufacture  lumber  until  the  timber  was  used  up.  He 
then  turned  his  attention  to  farming  and  fruit-raising,  and  now  has  one  of 
the  tinest   apple  orchards    in    the   state. 

In  1861  Mr.  Lewers  returned  to  Ireland,  where  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Catherine  Taggart,  of  Belfast.  Se\en  children  came  to  bless 
the  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lewers,  five  sons  and  two  daughters,  all  of 
whom  were  born  in  Washoe  valley.  The  eldest.  Professor  Robert  Lewers, 
is  now  filling  the  chair  of  political  economy  in  the  Nevada  State  Lhiiversity 
and  is  a  native  son  of  the  state,  whose  career  reflects  credit  and  honor  upon 
the  commonwealth.  Henry  Lewers  is  connected  with  the  Bank  of  Nevada 
in  Reno;  Edward  Ross,  the  third  son,  li\-ed  to  be  thirty-five  years  of  age 
and  was  killed  in  a  mining  accident  in  May,  1903,  while  the  younger  daughter, 
]",lleu  Rosa,  passed  away  two  days  later  of  t)i)hoid  fever.  She  was  a  gradu- 
ate of  the  Nevada  State  Uni\ersity  and  was  pursuing  a  post-graduate  course 
in  botany  at  Leiand  Stanford  University.  The  son  and  daughter  w-ere  brilliant 
young  people  of  strong  minds  and  much  capal>ility',  and  their  loss  was 
deeply  deplored  by  many  friends  as  well  as  their  immediate  family.  Katie, 
the  other  daughter,  is  a  teacher  and  artist.  Albert  is  an  examiner  in  the 
division  of  metallurgy  in  the  patent  office  in  Washington,  and  is  a  graduate 


552  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

nf  the  Nevada  State  University,  lieing  the  first  gratUiate  n\  the  Mining 
School.  Tlie  youngest  son.  Charles  Ross,  is  a  graduate  of  the  Xe\ada  State 
L'niversity.  of  the  Leland  Stanford  University  and  of  the  Harvard  Law 
School,  and  is  now  a  member  of  the  law  faculty  of  Stanford  Universit}-. 

Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lewers  are  now  enjoying  excellent  health  and  are 
])rominent  representatives  of  the  pioneer  citizenship  of  Xevada.  They  have 
reared  a  familv  of  which  they  have  every  reascMi  to  he  proud,  and  the  parents 
and  children  are  among  the  most  respected  and  pr(>minent  citizens  of  the 
\-arious  communities  in  wliich  they  li\e. 

Mr.  Lewers  was  reared  in  the  Presbyterian  faith,  and  his  wife  in  the  Meth- 
odist. He  has  been  a  life-long  Democrat,  and  was  elected  and  ser\ed  one 
term  in  the  Xevada  assembly.  For  twenty-seven  years  he  has  been  post- 
master at  Franktown,  and  for  very  many  years  served  as  a  school  trustee, 
taking  an  active  interest  in  education.  Xo  public  trust  reposed  in  him  has 
ever  been  betrayed  in  the  slightest  degree,  and  in  matters  of  citizenship  he  is 
most  faithful,  tloing  everything  in  his  ]io\ver  to  promote  the  welfare  of  the 
state. 


HOX.  ROBERT  L.  HORTOX.  now  deceased,  was  one  of  Nevada's 
well  and  favorably  known  ])ioneer  business  men,  having  conducted  a  Targe 
general  merchandise  store  at  Austin,  and  also  ser\-ed  his  state  in  the  impor- 
tant office  of  state  comptroller.  He  came  to  this  commonwealth  in  1864, 
but  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  liis  birth  occurring  at  Pittsburg  on  the 
I2tii  of  October,  1831,  and  is  of  English  ancestry  on  the  paternal  and  Scotch 
on  the  maternal  side.  His  father,  James  Horton,  emigrated  from  England 
to  Pennsylvania  when  a  young  man,  settling  in  Pittslnu-g,  and  he  was  there 
married  to  Miss  McKuen,  a  native  of  Kentucky  and  of  Scotch  ancestry. 
They  continued  to  make  their  home  in  that  citv  during  the  remainder  of 
their  lives,  the  father  departing  this  life  in  the  fifty-third  year  of  his  age,  but 
the  mother  survived  him  many  years,  ])assing  awa\-  when  seventy-three  years 
of  age.  Both  were  members  of  the  l'".])isco])al  cinuxdi,  and  the  father  was  a 
merchant.  Seven  children  were  burn  Id  these  parents,  four  sons  and  three 
daughters. 

Robert  L.  liorton.  the  only  one  of  his  family  to  locate  in  Xevada.  re- 
ceived his  education  in  his  native  city,  and  in  1850  crossed  the  plains  to 
California,  where  he  engaged  in  the  wholesale  and  retail  butcher  business 
in  Auburn.  Placer  county.  He  there  met  with  good  success,  but,  lured  to 
.\ustin,  Xevada,  by  the  great  mining  excitement  of  1864,  he  in  that  year 
came  to  this  lively  young  mining  town.  Pre\-ious  to  his  removal  here  he  had 
been  engaged  in  the  general  jiroduce  business  in  San  Francisco  for  a  year, 
and  after  his  arrival  in  .\ustin  he  opened  a  general  merchandise  store,  having 
been  one  of  the  early  and  successful  merchants  of  the  town.  He  continued 
this  business  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  which  nccurrcd  in  ^lav.  i>8()7.  in 
bis  sixty-sixtli  year. 

Mr.  Horton  was  a  life-long  Rei^ublican.  and  cm  its  ticket  was  elected 
a  member  of  the  stale  asscm))ly  and  later  as  state  comptroller,  to  which  latter 
imiK)rlant  oflicc  be  gave  his  Itcst  efforts  for  U>uv  vears,  his  business  cxperi- 


¥ 


n^^ 


^fy/^J-y/y^'^ 


A   ITTSTOin'  OF  XF.VAD.N.  553 

cncc  and  excellent  judgment  making  him  eminently  fitted  for  tliat  office  of 
linnor  and  trust.  In  his  fraternal  relations  Mr.  ilorton  was  a  member  of 
the  lnde]jendent  Order  of  Odd  l'"cil(i\vs  and  (if  the  Masonic  fraternity,  in 
which  he  recei\'ed  all  the  degrees  in  the  \'ork  and  Scottish  Rites  up  to  and 
inchiiling  the  thirty-second  degree,  and  was  one  of  the  most  earnest  workers 
in  the  order.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Odd  I'ellnws  at  Austin, 
thus  hecoming  a  charter  niemher  (if  the  order.  In  his  religious  faith  he  was 
a  I'resbvtei-ian,  and  as  a  citizen,  neighhdr,  husband  and  father  was  loved 
.and  h( mured,  his  having  been  an  upright  and  noble  manhood. 

'I'he  marriage  of  Mr.  liorton  was  celelirated  in  iSriCi,  when  Miss 
F.lindr  Curtis  liecame  his  wife.  She  is  a  native  of  Wisconsin,  hut  was  reared 
and  educated  in  Sacramento,  California.  Her  father,  John  Curtis,  was  a 
native  of  England,  Init  became  one  of  the  early  settlers  of  Wisconsin  and 
was  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  church.  The  union  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Horton 
was  blessed  with  two  children  :  Marjorie  H.,  now  the  wife  of  Dr.  J.  J. 
Henderson,  of  San  Francisco,  and  Robert  M.,  who  with  his  mother  is  man- 
aging their  large  mercantile  liusiness  at  Battle  Mountain  and  was  also  deputy 
state  comptroller  during  the  incumbency  of  liis  father  in  that  office  at  the 
capital  of  the  state.  After  the  death  of  her  husband,  Mrs.  Horton,  aided  by 
her  son.  took  up  the  management  of  the  business,  but  in  1901  disposed  of 
their  interests  in  Austin  and  remo\'ed  to  Battle  Mountain,  here  purchasing 
the  large  store  which  she  has  conducted  so  successfully  up  to  the  present 
time.  The  main  building  is  sixty  l>y  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  feet,  is 
filled  with  a  well  selected  and  well  arranged  stock  of  general  merchandise, 
and  in  addition  they  ha\e  several  large  warehouses  and  an  oil  and  jxiwder 
house  located  several  miles  out  of  the  town.  Their  extensive  patronage  extends 
throughout  the  surrounding  country  for  many  miles  in  every  direction,  and 
the  postofTice  is  located  in  their  store,  Mr.  Sterret,  one  of  the  salesmen,  being 
the  present  postmaster. 


CH-VRLES  H.\RRV  l',.\RRETT,  a  prominent  farmer  of  Mason  val- 
ley, is  a  nati\e  of  California,  ha\ing  l)een  born  December  7,  1839.  .\.  J. 
Barrett,  his  father,  was  liorn  in  Maine  in  i8ji,  and  was  a  California  pioneer 
of  1851.  He  placer-mined  on  the  .\merican  river  and  at  other  diggings,  and 
finally  established  a  cooper  shop  in  Sacramento.  In  1861  he  came  to  Lake 
Tahoe  and  built  the  first  sawmill.  His  next  reuK^val  was  made  to  Clear 
creek,  Ormsby  county,  where  he  took  up  land;  then  went  to  Dayton,  where 
he  conducted  a  truck  ranch  of  forty  acres,  and  finally  in  1879  he  settled  in 
Mason  valley,  where  he  became  the  owner  of  fourteen  hundred  acres  of 
land,  improved  it  and  resided  upon  it,  making  it  one  of  the  best  ranches  in 
the  county. 

Before  going  to  California  A.  J.  Barrett  married  Olive  E.  Day,  a  native 
of  Maine,  and  after  he  had  been  four  years  in  California  he  sent  for  her 
and  their  little  son.  She  took  passage  on  the  Central  .\merica  and  was 
fortunate  in  her  choice  of  time,  for  the  next  trip  this  same  ship  sunk  and 
se\en  hundred  passengers  drowned.  Other  children  were  added  to  the 
famih-  on  the  Pacific  coast,  as  follows:    G.  Mav,  now  Mrs.  Charles  Malett,  of 


554  A  HISTORY  Ol'   NEVADA. 

Oregon:  Isaljella  I)ecanie  a  successful  teaclier  and  died  aged  twenty-nine 
years,  liiglily  esteemed  1)y  all  wlm  knew  lier :  I.ettie  is  now  the  wife  of  Hugh 
Gregg  and  resides  in  California.  A.  J.  Barrett  died  l->l)ruary  6.  1903.  He 
had  heen  a  life-long  Republican,  and  was  a  man  of  exalted  character,  whose 
friends  were  numerous. 

The  .son  horn  in  California,  Charles  Henry  Barrett,  now  resides  with  his 
mother  on  the  old  homestead  of  four  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  In  politics 
he  is,  like  his  father,  a  Repulilican.  His  good  mother  is  a  ^lethodist  and 
a  very  highly  esteemed  lady.  The  family  is  regarded  as  very  representati\-e 
of  the  ])ioneers  who  have  made  Xe\ada  what  it  is  to-day,  and  rendered  jiossihle 
tlie  ])r<is])erity  nf  the  Pacific  coast. 


GEORGE  A.  MORGAN  is  a  citizen  of  Nevada  whose  mind  bears  the 
impress  of  the  historic  annals  of  the  state,  for  since  pioneer  times  he  has 
resided  within  its  borders,  dating  his  residence  in  Virginia  City  since  1863. 
He  was  but  a  Ixiy  at  the  time  of  his  arrival,  and  in  the  city  which  has  since 
been  his  home  be  has  risen  to  i)rominence  in  Inisiness  circles,  being  at  the 
present  time  the  cashier  of  the  California  Bank  i\gency. 

Mr.  Morgan  was  Ixjrn  in  New  York  city,  on  the  26th  of  August,  1S53. 
and  is  of  English  and  Irish  ancestry.  His  parents  were  James  Edward  and 
Caroline  Catharine  ^birgan,  the  former  a  native  of  England,  while  the  latter 
was  liorn  in  the  Em])ire  state.  James  E.  Morgan  was  a  member  of  the  volunteer 
fire  department  of  New  York  and  was  killed  in  1862  while  activelv  en- 
gaged in  the  service.  His  good  wife  survived  him  for  some  time  and  lived 
to  the  age  of  sixty-two  years,  hej-  remains  being  interred  in  the  cemetery  at 
Virginia  City.  There  were  two  children  ol  that  marriage,  the  daughter  l>eing 
Ida  E.,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  J.  W.  Eckley.  the  manager  of  the  California 
Bank  .\gency  at  Virginia  City.  The  mother  married  a  second  time,  ■and  bv 
that   union  had  a  daughter  who  is  now   Mrs.   William   McCann. 

(ieorge  A.  Morgan  was  a  youth  of  nine  years  when  be  arrived  in  \'ir- 
ginia  City,  and  in  its  pulilic  schools  he  pursued  his  literar_\-  education.  He 
tlien  leained  telegraphy  and  became  a  telcgrai)li  operator,  acting  in  that 
capacity  until  he  was  promoted  to  a  clerkship,  in  the  bank,  while  later  his 
ability  won  recognitinn  by  a])pointment  to  the  orifice  of  cashier,  which  he  is 
now  satisfactorily  filling.  He  has  thoroughly  mastered  the  details  of  the 
banking  business  and  thus  qualified  himself  to  meet  the  responsible  duties 
which  devolve  ujjon  him.  He  is  known  as  a  systematic  and  correct  business 
man,  and  his  unf.ailing  courtesy  and  agreeable  manner  have  made  him  ix^ju- 
lar  with  the  many  patrons  of  the  institution. 

in  1887  was  celebrated  the  marriage  which  muted  the  destiniesOf  George 
A.  Morgan  and  Miss  Nellie  M.  Kancen.  a  native  daugbiev  ..f  X'irginia  Citv. 
They  have  two  children:  George  A.,  who  was  born  in  I. us  Angeles,  and 
Maud  S.,  whose  birth  occurred  in  Virginia  City,  Nevad.i.  In  his  fraternal 
relations  Mr.  Morgan  is  a  Ma.son  and  has  taken  all  n\  the  degrees  of  the 
^'ork  Rite.  He  is  a  past  master  of  the  blue  lodge,  i)ast  high  jiriest  of  the 
cha])ter  and  past  eminent  commander  of  Ihe  comm;ni<lerv.  lie  is  likewise 
past    grand    master   nf    the   gnnid    lodge    i<\    the    state,    ;ind    is   unw    treasurer 


A  TTISTORV  nv  \F,\'  \D;\.  555 

of  tlie  srand  lodge  and  nf  the  .<;raii(l  chapter  of  Nevada.  Holding  mem- 
bcrshi])  in  the  Mystic  Shiine,  he  crossed  the  sands  of  tlic  desert  with  tlie 
Nobles  of  Islam  Temple,  of  San  I""rancisco.  hi  his  ])olitical  views  he  is  a 
stanch  Republican,  witli  hrni  faith  in  the  jirinciples  of  tlie  party.  He  takes  a 
deep  and  helpful  interest  in  educational  affairs  of  the  city,  doing  everything 
in  his  power  to  adxance  the  cause  of  the  schools,  and  he  is  widely  recog- 
nizetl  as  one  of  the  rei)resentati\'e  men  of  this  portion  of  the  state,  whose  up- 
right life  well  entitles  him  the  high  esteem  in  which  he  is  uniformly  held. 
Affable  and  genial  in  manner  he  has  a  circle  of  friends  th.at  is  almost  co- 
extensive witli  the  circle  <if  his  acquaintance. 


OSC.\R  J.  SMITH.  Concentration  of  purpose  and  persistently  ap- 
l)Iied  energy  rarely  fail  of  success  in  the  accomplishment  of  any  desire 
Iiowever  great,  and  in  tracing  the  career  of  Oscar  J.  Smith,  a  well  known 
lawyer  of  Reno,  it  is  plainly  seen  that  these  qualifications  have  formed  the 
secret  of  his  rise  to  a  position  of  prominence  and  respectability.  Moreover, 
he  possesses  genuine  love  for  his  work  and  is  continually  adding  to  his 
knowledge  of  the  principles  of  jurisprudence  by  reading  and  imestigation. 
He  is  to-day  connected  with  the  well  known  law  firm  of  Cheney,  ]\Iassey  & 
Smith,  whose  extensive  clientage  is  an  indicatiou  of  prominence  and  proficiency 
in  the  practice  of  law. 

Mr.  Smith  is  a  nati\'e  of  Rhode  Island,  his  birth  haxing  occurred  on  the 
15th  of  .\ugust.  1859,  in  that  state.  His  ancestral  history  has  long  been 
connected  with  the  annals  of  the  new  world.  He  comes  of  good  old  Revo- 
lutionary stock,  members  of  [he  family  having  been  connected  with  the 
patriotic  army  as  defenders  of  the  rights  and  liberties  of  the  colonists.  Major 
Cleghorn,  who  was  his  great-grandfather  on  his  father's  side,  served  with 
Massachusetts  troops  through(iut  the  momentous  struggle  which  won  free- 
dom for  the  ])eopIe  of  this  land.  James  A.  Smith,  the  father  of  Oscar 
J.  Smith,  was  Ijorn  in  Massachusetts  and  liecame  a  manufacturer  of^ 
woolen  g<«fls.  He  married  Miss  Harriet  Laraway.  a  nati\e  of  the  state  of 
New  York,  and  they  continued  to  reside  in  Massachusetts  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  in  1894,  when  he  was  sixty-three  years  of  age.  His  wife 
died  in  1902,  when  se\enly  years  of  age.  They  were  the  parents  of  four 
children,  all  of  whom  are  yet  living.  Bert  L.  Smith,  who  is  the  \-ice-president 
and  manager  of  the  I^ureka  County  Bank  of  Eureka,  Nexada,  and  the  suli- 
jcct  of  this  sketch  are  the  only  meml:)ers  of  the  family  living  in  this  state. 

Oscar  J.  Smith  was  educated  in  the  puljlic  schools  of  Massachusetts, 
and  in  early  life  renio\-ed  to  Colorado,  where  he  became  connected  with  the 
smelting  business  in  Pueblo.  He  followed  that  pursuit  for  thirteen  vears  in 
Colorado  and  Mexico.  Determining  to  make  the  practice  of  law  his  life 
work,  he  began  studying  in  Reno  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1897. 
He  then  was  alone  in  practice  until  the  present  firm  of  Cheney.  I^Iassey  & 
Smith  was  organized.  He  is  the  president  and  one  of  the  ])rincipal  stock- 
holders in  the  Eureka  County  Bank  of  Eureka,  Nevada,  and  has  become 
f|uite  heavily  interested  in  real  estate  in  Reno.  He  is  a  man  of  good  Inisiness 
abililv,  of  keen  insight  and  executive  force,  and  at  the  bar  he  has  manifested 


556  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

possession  of  (jiialities  whicli  always  insure  success  to  the  followers  of  the 
legal  profession.  He  is  now  connected  with  a  calling  which  has  imi^Kirtant 
bearing  upon  the  progress  and  stable  prosperity  of  any  section  or  com- 
munity and  one  which  has  long  l>een  considered  as  conserving  the  public 
welfare  bv  furthering  the  ends  of  ju.stice  and  maintaining  individual  rights. 
Earnest  effort,  close  application  and  the  exercise  of  his  native  talents  have 
won  him  prestige  in  the  jiractice  of  the  law  and  now  he  has  a  very  desirable 
clientage. 

Tn  1896  Mr.  Smith  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mrs.  Minnie  D.  F(~iley,  of 
keno.  He  gives  his  political  allegiance  to  the  Rei)uhlican  party,  and  fra- 
ternallv  is  connected  with  the  Renevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  I^Jks. 


CL.\US  SCHOER,  a  representative  and  well  known  farmer  of  Clover 
vallev,  Elko  county,  has  lieen  a  resident  of  this  part  of  the  state  of  Nevada 
for  over  thirty  years,  and  in  that  time  has  made  a  reputation  among  his 
neighbors  for  his  industry  and  successful  efforts  in  making  the  fertile  land 
of  Clover  \-alley  blossom  as  the  rose  and  vield  alnindantlw  He  has  met  with 
obstacles  in  his  career,  liut  with  no  failures,  and  in  the  work  of  his  own 
hrmds,  and  in  the  part  he  has  played  in  maintaining  the  jHiblic  welfare,  and 
in  the  worthy  family  which  he  has  reared,  Mr.  Schoer  fully  deserves  and 
receives  the  esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens,  and  is  conscious  to  himself  of  a 
life  of  duty  well  performed. 

Mr.  Schoer  is  a  son  of  John  Clans  and  Katrina  Schoer,  natives  of 
dermanv.  who  emigrated  to  .\merica  in  I1S5J  and  settled  in  Wisconsin, 
eighteen  miles  from  Milwaukee.  Six  children  accompanied  them  to  the 
new  world.  He  bought  land  at  his  first  location  and  farmed  it  until  1863, 
when  he  .sold  out  and  removed  to  Calumet  county,  settling  on  a  farm  at 
Holstein,  where  he  lived  till  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1901,  in  his 
eightv-eighth  year.  His  wife  had  died  Se])teml)er  19,  iSSi,  when  si.xty- 
. three  years  old.  They  were  members  of  the  i^utheran  church,  and  highly 
esteemed  i)eo])le  in  their  community.  Se\eu  of  their  children  are  living,  and 
of  these  Mrs.  Henrv  Tober.  of  Elko,  Mrs.  Shcrff,  of  Wells,  .and  Clans,  are  the 
ttues  living  in  Nevada. 

Clans  Schoer  was  l)orn  near  Hamburg,  (iermany,  January  i,  1843,  and 
accordingly  spent  the  greater  i)art  of  his  youth  in  the  new  world.  He  got 
what  education  he  could  in  Wisconsin.  ;nid  early  showed  liis  industrious 
disposition  and  ability  to  earn  a  living.  He  came  west  to  Nevada  in  1868, 
and  in  the  following  spring  settled  in  Clover  valley.  He  was  a  single  man, 
and  by  his  continued  diligence  since  that  time  has  made  marked  success 
and  constant  progress.  He  purchased  fuc  hundred  acres  of  land,  but  owing 
to  a  defective  title  he  had  to  pay  for  it  twice  l>efore  he  could  own  it.  He 
at  ])resent  has  a  farm  of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  besides  extra 
range,  and  is  engaged  in  raising  horses  and  cattle,  lie  kee])S  his  farm  in 
fine  sliape,  and  it  is  one  of  the  model  places  of  the  \alley,  made  so  by  the 
liard  work  of  liimself  and  wife. 

Mr.  Scboc-r  married,  in  187J,  Miss  (icrdin.n  Rodenback.  ;dso  ;i  n;ili\e  of 
(iermanw  and  the\-  h:i\e  had  eight   clnldien.  .-dl   born  at   the  houii'  in   Clo\ci' 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  5.57 

\'alle}',  and  of  llifse  nIx  arc  li\iiii;:  julii:  J.,  a  liicoiiinlix  c  cu^iiR-ci'  mi  llic 
Southern  Pacific  Kailroad.  is  six  feel  llncc  and  a  lialf  inches  tall,  and  the 
picture  of  athletic  vit^or;  Henry  A.  had  just  hej^un  his  railroading  career 
when  he  was  accidentally  killed;  (ieori^e  A.,  alsna  .gi.ant  in  stature,  is  likewise 
a  locomotive  engineer:  Claude  P.  is  like  his  hrothers  in  lieight,  hut  in  calling 
is  a  graduate  (jf  the  State  I'niversity  and  is  now  principal  of  a  school  at  Battle 
Mountain:  Mattie  Louise  died  in  her  twelfth  year,  and  Charles  E.,  Gear- 
hard  S.  and  Christian  are  at  home  with  their  parents.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sclioer 
were  reared  in  the  Lutheran  faith:  lie  is  a  Democrat,  and  manifests  his  puhlic 
spirit  especialh"   in  educatinnal  matters.   ha\ing  served   on   the  sciiool  huard. 


GEORGE  W.  WILSON,  one  of  the  most  ])ronu'nent  farmers  of  Mason 
valley.  Nevada,  was  horn  in  Iowa,  .\ugust  9,  i86j,  and  crossed  the  plains  with 
his  father,  David  Wilson,  and  family,  in  1S63.  He  was  reared  in  Mason 
valley  and  was  sent  to  school  in  Car.son  City.  He  is  also  a  graduate  of  the 
Heald's  Business  College,  San  Francisco,  California.  Mr.  Wilson  has  been 
largely  interested  in  mining  projects  with  his  father  and  hrotliers.  the  four 
being  the  owners  of  the  Wilson  mine  at  Pine  Grove,  from  which  has  l)een 
taken  the  enormous  amount  of  six  million  dollars.  Recently  these  partners 
sold  some  of  the  stock.  l)ut  still  retain  an  interest  in  it. 

The  family  crossed  the  plains,  driving  a  number  of  cattle  with  them, 
and  Mr.  Wilson  now  has  as  many  as  eight  hundred-head  in  a  single  season. 
One  season  his  crop  of  alfalfa  amounted  to  six  hundred  t(jns.  His  ranch  is 
one  of  the  best  in  the  valley,  while  his  house  is  substantial  and  comfortable. 

In  1883  he  was  happily  married  to  Miss  Lillian  B.  Tillay,  a  native 
of  California,  and  they  have  two  children.  Queen  and  Earl,  both  of  whom 
are  being  finely  educated  in  California.  Mr.  Wilson  is  a  Republican  and 
takes  an  active  part  in  the  politics  of  his  county  and  state,  and  has  lx;en 
elected  and  served  for  four  years  as  county  commissioner.  During  his 
term  of  office  three  new  bridges  which  were  much  needed  were  built,  and 
many  excellent  public  improvements  made.  He  is  not  a  member  of  any 
society  or  church,  but  takes  the  Golden  Rule  for  his  moral  standard  and 
governs  his  daily  life  according  to  its  teachings.  No  man  stands  any 
higher  than  he  in  the  community,  and  he  is  not  only  prosperous  but  jxjpular. 


D.\.\  11)  WTLSON,  one  of  the  prosperous  farmers  of  Mason  \alley,  was 
born  in  Harrison  county,  Ohio,  June  3,  1829,  and  comes  of  Scotch  and 
English  ancestry.  His  father,  David  Wilson,  was  one  of  the  early  .settlers  of 
Ohio  and  was  married  in  that  state  to  Elizabeth  Farin.  They  removed 
to  Missouri  in  1837  and  engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising,  and  there 
he  died  in  1856,  aged  sixty-three  years.  His  wife  died  wlien  her  son  David 
was  an  infant. 

David  Wilson  was  only  nine  years  of  age  when  he  was  taken  to  Mis- 
souri, and  he  was  reared  to  manhood  there  and  also  in  Illinois  and  Wisconsin. 
In  1850  he  crossed  the  ])lains  to  California,  and  placer-mined  on  the  south 
Yulia   river  and   at   Mount   Citv   for  about  three  vears,   and   then   returned 


558  A  inSTOKV  OF  Xl'.WADA. 

east  by  water  to  take  care  of  his  father,  with  whom  lie  remained  until  the 
latter"s  death.  The  Civil  war  hreakiny  out.  he  entered  the  Union  army 
at  Athens,  Missouri,  and  ser\'ed  under  Colonel  ^Sloore  and  participated  in 
the  battle  of  .\tliens.  but.  receiving  a  sunstroke,  was  honorably  discharged.. 
Once  again  he  crossed  the  plains,  this  time  to  Nevada,  in  1863,  and  located 
in  Mason  \alley,  where  he  had  his  choice  of  the  land",  lieing  one  of  the  first 
to  take  it  up.  lie  chose  two  hundred  and  twenty  acres,  added  to  it,  and  at 
one  time  owned  six  hundred  and  forty  acres,  but  has  sold  some,  and  now 
has  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  This  land  seemed  well  fitted  for  stix'k- 
raising,  and  he  has  largely  devoted  it  to  that  purpose.  His  brother,  William 
\\'ilson,  came  west,  and  the  two  operated  a  very  valuable  mine. 

In  1855  he  was  married  to  Ivliss  Aliigail  Butler,  a  native  of  Ohio,  and 
they  have  had  five  children,  three  sons  and  two  daughters,  namely:  Louisa 
married  George  Plummer  and  died  in  1889;  James  William  is  a  ranchman  and 
flour  mill  operator  in  the  valley:  Joseph  Isaac  is  also  a  ranchman  and  owner 
of  a  mill:  (ieorge  Washington  resides  near  his  father:  Elizabeth  Jane  is 
at  college.  ^Ir.  and  ^Irs.  Wilson  were  L'nited  Brethren.  Init.  there  being 
no  chiu'ch  of  that  denomination  in  the  \alle\ .  thc\-  united  with  the  Methodist 
church.  Mr.  ^\'ilson  is  a  life-long  Republican,  and  is  one  of  the  most  highlv' 
esteemed  men  of  his  countw 


HON.  ANDKIAA"  M.\UTE,  superintendent  of  state  printing  in  Ne- 
vada, has  been  a  resident  of  the  state  since  the  spring  of  1863,  and  is  one 
of  the  best  known  men  throughout  the  commonwealth.  He  was  foreman  of 
the  Nevada  territorial  ])rinting  office  in  1863-4.  and  was  one  of  the  pub- 
lishers of  the  Carson  Daily  Independent.  In  1871-2  he  was  made  foreman 
of  the  Nevada  state  printing  of^ce  and  editor  and  manager  of  the  Reese  River 
Daily  Rci'cillc  in  1875-6;  was  editor  and  proprietor  of  the  Belmont  Courier 
from  lOecember,  1876,  until  December.  1898:  served  as  state  senator  from 
N\\-e  county  during  the  twelfth,  thirteenth,  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  sessions 
of  the  Nevada  legislature,  and  is  the  author  of  the  Union  Label  Law  of  that 
state,  as  well  as  an  intelligent  and  active  factor  in  all  the  legislation  of  the 
sessions  of  which  he  was  a  member.  In  1898  he  was  elected  superintendent 
of  state  printing  in  Nevada,  whicli  position  lie  still  holds,  his  conduct  of  the 
office  being  both  efficient  and  ecoiKnuical.  .So  ihoronghly  modern  is  he  that 
the  quality  of  his  work  is  said  to  be  without  i|ucstioii  the  e(|ual  of  any  in  the 
United  States. 

Su])erintendeut  .Maule  is  a  native  of  h'rauce,  where  he  was  born  June 
28.  1844,  and  is  a  son  of  I'ierre  Maute,  who  was  a  teacher  and  professor 
of  mathematics,  .\ndrew  Maute  was  educated  in  iM'ance.  ;ind  in  i860  emi- 
grated to  the  L'nited  States,  taking  the  sea  xoyage  for  his  health,  but,  upon  his 
rec(jvery.  so  pleased  was  he  with  the  country  that  he  decided  to  remain,  lie 
learned  his  trade  in  the  Transcript  office  in  Nevada  City,  California,  and 
from  there  went  to  Washoe  city  in  186)3.  -.mA  in  the  same  year  associated 
himself  witii  the  Carson  Iiulrpeiuient.  wiiich  under  his  m.in.igemcnt  was  a 
strong  Union  and  Republican  organ  and  bore  a  \-ery  imixirtanl  p.art  in  the 
exciting  history  of  Nevada.    Mr.  Maute  is  a  very  strong  binutallist.  ;ind  w  hen 


^-:%1. 


m  %<: 


A  TTISTORV  Ol'    Xl'AAnA.  /iSO 

llic  sil\(,'r  (|ucslii)n  came  hclorc  the  pciijjlc  he  was  an  aelixe  and  al]le  a<I\i>cale 
of  the  renionetizatidn  of  that  metal,  considering'  tliat  such  action  would  work 
to  the  ultimate  hetttcnnent  of  his  own  state  and  the  entire  country.  He  has 
been  for  many  years  chairman  of  the  Repulilican  central  committee  of  Nye 
county.  However  when  he  became  convinced  that  his  party  had  left  its 
fundamenl.'d  jirinciples  he  was  very  actixe  in  the  organization  of  the  silver 
party,  and  was  elected  the  chairman  of  its  county  central  committee  and 
has  effected  wimderful  changes.  In  his  business  ventures  he  has  been  fairly 
.'-■uccessful,  although  a  man  so  earnest  in  his  endeavors  to  advance  public 
interests  is  apt  to  put  .state  first,  self  .second.  Still  he  has  some  valuable 
mining  property  in  Nye  county  and  owns  a  l^eautiful  home  in  Carson  City. 
In  i<S69  he  was  married  to  Miss  Louise  Van  Derbydc.  a  native  of  Balti- 
more and  who  comes  of  German  ancestry.  Four  children  have  been  born  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Maute.  namely:  Marguerite,  now  the  wife  of  F.  G.  Humph- 
rey; .\delaide,  the  wife  of  Dr.  Fdward  H.  Spieker,  a  professor  of  Greek 
and  Latin  in  the  Johns  Hopkins  University  of  Baltimore:  Therese,  who  be- 
came the  wife  of  E.  P.  Esser  and  resides  in  Carson  City;  George  Edmund, 
of  Carson  City.  Sn])erintendent  Maute  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  frater- 
nity and  of  the  lndci)endent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  of  Nevada,  in  which  latter 
order  he  is  a  past  grand  master.  Few  men  take  such  pride  in  the  success  of 
a  state  as  Mr.  Maute  in  Nevada.  One  of  his  toasts  is  that  the  state  has 
erected  all  her  state  buildings  and  made  the  necessary  improvements  without 
owing  a  single  cent  outside  of  the  state,  and  that  her  future  is  a  very  brilliant 
one. 


HON.  .\.  j.  McDONELL.  .\n  enumeration  of  the  men  of  the  ])resent 
generation  wiio  have  won  honor  for  themselves  and  at  the  same  time  have 
honored  the  state  to  which  they  belong,  w'ould  be  incomplete  were  there 
failure  to  make  prominent  reference  to  Hon.  A.  J.  McDonell.  for  he  has 
become  one  of  the  leading  representatives  of  the  mining  interests  of  Nevada, 
and  at  the  same  time  has  been  prominent  in  its  public  affairs,  molding  its 
legislative  history  during  his  active  connection  lx)th  with  the  house  and  sen- 
ate in  the  general  assembly.  His  residence  in  Nevada  dates  from  its  early 
pioneer  days.  Only  three  years  after  the  organization  of  the  territory  he 
came  to  this  jiortion  of  the  country,  and  has  since  been  one  of  its  actis'e  ])ro- 
nioters.  .\t  i>resent  he  resides  in  Virginia  City  and  is  prominently  con- 
nected with  its  business  affairs. 

Mr.  McDonell  is  of  highland  Scotch  ancestrv  and  was  born  in  Ontario. 
Canada,  on  the  29th  of  December.  1S43.  His  grandfather,  .\rchibald  Mc- 
Donell, w'as  a  native  of  Glengarry.  Scotland,  and  on  lea\-ing  the  land  of 
hills  and  heather  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  new  world.  Locating  in  Canada 
he  there  reared  his  family,  following  the  (xcupation  of  farming  in  order  to 
provide  for  the  wants  and  needs  of  his  wife  and  children.  He  held  member- 
ship in  the  Catholic  church.  His  .son.  Charles  McDonell,  was  born  in  Canada 
and  after  arriving  at  years  of  maturity  wedded  Miss  Ann  Stuart,  a  nati\"e  of 
Scotland.  She  emigrated  to  Canada  with  Lord  Selkirk  and  made  the  \-oyage 
up  the  McKenzie  river.     In  1849  she  departed  this  life,  leaving"  a  family  of 


560  A  HISTOR^'  OF  XFAADA. 

luc  cliiKlreii.  Cliaiies  McDonell  survived  Iier  for  only  seven  years,  pass- 
ing awav  in  1856  in  the  thirty-fiftli  year  of  his  age.  His  son.  Archil)a!(l  J. 
McDoneU.  is  the  only  surviving-  member  of  the  family. 

In  taking  up  the  personal  history  of  this  gentleman  we  present  tn  dur 
readers  one  who  is  widely  known  in  Nevada  and  whose  efforts  in  behalf  of 
the  state  have  been  far-reaching  and  beneficial.  He  was  educated  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  Canada,  pursuing  his  studies  in  a  log  schoolhouse.  His  ad- 
vantages were  somewhat  meager,  yet  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years  he  had  quali- 
fied himself  for  teaching,  and  for  three  or  four  years  followed  that  profession 
with  good  success.  On  attaining  his  majority  he  came  to  the  west,  believing 
that  he  might  ha\'e  better  business  o])]5ortuinties  in  this  newly  developed 
region.  Making  his  wav  to  Nevada,  which  onlx'  three  years  Ijefore  had  been 
organized  under  territorial  government,  he  established  his  home  in  \'irginia 
City,  and  with  pick  and  shovel  began  work  in  the  mines,  being  thus  em- 
ployed for  a  number  of  years.  Gradually  he  advanced  and  has  filled  the 
positions  in  connection  with  mining  from  the  most  Innnble  to  the  most  ini- 
Ijortant.  acting  at  different  times  as  mine  engineer,  foreman  and  su])crin- 
tendent.  He  also  became  president  of  the  San  P'rancisco  stock  and  exchange 
board,  and  he  is  now  devoting  his  time  and  energies  largely  to  the  stock 
brokerage  business  under  the  firm  name  of  McDonell  &  Ryan,  his  partner 
being  the  Hon.  D.  M.  Ryan,  who  is  now  state  treasurer.  Mr.  McDonell  is 
also  the  superintendent  of  Sierra  Nevada  and  the  Union  mines,  which  are 
being  developed  with  good  results.  He  is  an  experienced  ami  practical  min- 
ing man  and  in  this  fine  of  work  has  no  superior.  He  was  connected  with 
the  Comstock  mine  for  forty  years,  and  there  are  few.  indeed,  among  the 
settlers  of  Nevada,  who  have  for  a  longer  period  been  associated  with  the 
de\elopment  of  the  rich  mineral  resources  of  the  state  or  have  achie\ed  more 
creditable  success  in  connection  with  their  work. 

Mr.  ]\IcDonel!"s  friends  speak  of  him  as  "a  perfect  gentleman."  and 
he  is  one  of  Nevada's  citizens  of  the  highest  probity  of  character.  He  has 
been  a  life-long  stalwart  Republican,  and  has  been  honored  with  a  number 
of  ofiicial  positions,  the  duties  of  which  he  has  ever  discharged  with  prompt- 
ness and  fidelity.  He  was  elected  and  served  as  county  recorder  in  the  vcars 
1S75  and  1876.  and  in  1887  was  chosen  to  represent  his  district  in  the  state 
legislature,  where  he  had  the  honor  of  being  elected  speaker  of  the  house 
for  that  term.  In  1891  he  was  chosen  to  represent  his  district  in  the  stale 
senate  and  served  through  that  and  the  succeeding  year.  In  1892  he  was 
clecle<l  as  delegate  to  the  national  con\entiou  at  Minneapolis.  lie  took  a 
very  active  and  helpful  i)art  in  the  legislation  wliicli  cleared  away  the  in- 
de1)tedness  of  the  state  and  placed  Nevada  upon  a  sound  financial  basis.  He 
and  his  associates  in  that  wcjrk  certainly  deserve  great  credit  for  what  they 
accom])lished.  and  Xe\ada  acknowledges  her  indebtedness  to  them. 

Mr.  McDonell  has  for  almost  forty  years  lived  in  the  west  and  is  thor- 
oughly familiar  witii  its  history,  being  actively  connected  with  its  i)rogress 
and  imi)rovement,  while  his  labors  for  the  extension  of  its  business  affairs 
liavc  been  strongly  fell.  He  is  a  man  of  strong  pur])osc.  of  unfaltering  de- 
termination   an<l   of   un(piestioned    honesty,    and    he   cerlainlv    deserves   great 


A    IIISTOin'  <)l-    XI'A'ADA.  ■')f-l 

credit  lor  what  he  has  ddiic.  haviiii^  steachly  worked  his  way  njjward  In  mi  a 
luuiilile  financial  pusitiim  until  he  is  now  accorded  a  place  auKin.i;  the  leadins^ 
husiness  men  of  the  commonwealth. 


G.  W.  SHUTTER  COTTRELL  is  a  representative  of  the  class  of  suh- 
stantial  builders  of  a  great  commonwealth  who  ha\-e  served  faithfully  in 
the  enterprising  west  and  have  taken  an  active  part  in  estahlishing  and  main- 
taining the  material  interests,  the  local  status  and  moral  welfare  oi  the  com- 
munity and  who  has  exerted  a  great  influence  throughout  their  adopted  state. 
A  resident  of  Reno,  Nevada,  he  is  the  general  manager  of  the  Nevada  Mining 
&  Real  Estate  Exchange. 

Mr.  Cottrell  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  the  ]jlace  of  his  nativity  being 
the  town  of  York,  his  natal  day  the  8th  of  December,  1862.  He  is  de- 
scended from  English  and  German  ancestry,  and  the  progenitor  of  the  family 
in  the  United  States  was  Daniel  Cottrell.  who  emigrated  from  England  in 
the  seventeenth  century  and  took  up  his  al.iode  in  the  colony  of  Maryland. 
Later  he  removed  to  Pennsylvania,  where  he  engaged  in  the  practice  of  medi- 
cine and  surgery  throughout  his  remaining  days.  He  was  the  great-great- 
grandfather of  Mr.  Cottrell.  His  son,  James  J.  Cottrell,  the  great-grand- 
father, was  a  Revolutionary  soldier,  who  valiantly  fought  for  independence, 
won  promotion  on  the  field  of  battle  and  <it  the  close  of  tlie  war  was  bre\-- 
etted  a  major  general.  His  son,  Donald  Cottrell,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania 
and  was  the  father  of  George  S.  Cottrell,  who  was  also  born  in  the  Key- 
stone state,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  December,  1834.  The  last  named 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Lydia  Shutter,  also  a  native  of  Pennsylvania 
and  of  German  ancestry. 

George  S.  Cottrell  after  careful  preparation  became  a  ))racticing  physi- 
cian and  surgeon,  and  won  distinction  by  reason  of  his  skill  and  ability  in 
his  chosen  field  of  labor.  He  served  throughout  the  Cixil  war  in  the  Twenty- 
third  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Infantry,  which  regiment  was  assigned  to  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac.  He  enlisted  in  1861  and  was  the  medical  examiner 
for  the  First  Penn.sylvania  Regiment  of  Volunteers.  In  iSC/i  he  received 
an  honorable  discharge  after  rendering  effective  and  valuable  service  to  his 
country  as  a  member  of  the  medical  corps  throughout  the  long  i)eriod  of  hos- 
tilities. When  the  war  was  over  and  the  country  no  longer  needed  his  aid 
he  returned  to  his  home,  and  in  connection  with  the  practice  of  medicine 
engaged  in  merchandising.  His  death  occurred  in  1896.  when  he  was  sixty- 
two  years  of  age,  and  his  wife  passed  away  in  1898  at  the  age  of  fifty-eight 
years.  He  was  reared  in  the  faith  of  the  Episcopal  church,  while  she  was 
reared  in  the  Lutheran  church,  but  later  in  life  both  l)ecame  active  and 
worthy  members  of  the  Methodist  church.  In  their  family  were  five  sons 
and  tw^o  daughters,  but  the  Judge  is  the  only  member  now  living  on  the 
I'acific  coast. 

In  the  schools  of  his  native  county,  G.  W.  Shutter  Cottrell  was  educated, 
and  through  the  period  of  his  boyhood  and  vouth  he  remained  in  his  parents' 
home,  surrounded  by  its  refining  influences.  He  read  law  in  Lancaster, 
Pennsvlvania,  and  was  admitte<l  to  the  bar  in  1880.     Removing  to  St.  Diuis. 


5(32  A  IllSroKV  Ol-    .Xl'A'ADA. 

he  became  connected  with  the  law  (lei)artnient  ui  ihe  Missouri  t\:  Pacific  Rail- 
way Cmnpanv.  Ijeing  retained  ui  that  position  for  hve  years,  at  the  end  of 
wii'ich  time  lie  removed  to  Topeka,  Kansas,  where  he  continued  in  tlie  private 
practice  of  law.  At  a  later  date  he  went  to  Hutchinson  and  was  an  active 
and  influential  member  of  the  bar  there  until  his  removal  to  Nevada.  Be- 
fore establishing-  his  home  in  Reno  he  matle  a  trip  through  Washington, 
Arizona  and  Oregon,  but  was  more  great!}'  pleased  with  Xe\-ada  than  with 
any  other  state,  and  gave  to  Renf)  his  preference  as  a  place  of  residence. 

It  was  in  the  year  1902  that  he  became  general  manager  of  the  Nevada 
Mining  &  Real  Estate  E.xchange.  The  Ijusiness  was  established  in  that  year 
with  |.  A.  Bonham  as  its  secretary.  These  gentlemen  are  interested  in  the 
Mount  Whitney  Gold  Mining  &  Mill  Company  in  Inyo  county,  California. 
They  have  ten  claims  and  a  large  electric  power  plant.  This  is  a  strong 
stock  company  with  Judge  Cottrell  as  its  president.  He  is  also  interested  in 
the  SmUh  liell  .Mining  Cnniijanv,  of  which  he  is  the  first  vice  jjresident  and 
general  manager.  This  is  likewise  located  in  Inyo  county,  and  its  i)ri)])rietors 
lia\e  had  assays  running  as  high  as  one  hundred  and  sixty-eight  dollars  to 
the  ton.  Both  of  the  companies  with  which  Judge  Cottrell  is  connected  are 
buying  and  selling  mines  and  also  dealing  in  real  estate  in  Reno,  and  they 
have  a  number  of  mining  interests  in  Nevada  and  California  for  sale.  Judge 
Cottrell  has  informed  himself  thoroughly  concerning  mining  and  realty 
interests  in  the  west  and  has  thus  been  able  to  make  judicious  investments 
anil  advantageous  sales,  resulting  largelv  to  the  benefit  of  the  stockholders 
of  the  company. 

In  Pennsylvania  in  1881  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  Judge  Cottrell 
and  Miss  Lillie  M.  Miller,  who  was  born  in  Hellam,  Pennsylvania,  a  daughter 
of  Israel  Miller  of  that  state.  They  have  Ijecome  the  ])arents  of  two  sons  and 
two  daughters:  John,  Elsie,  Rewel  and  Donna  Bell.  Judge  Cottrell  is  a 
member  of  several  leading  fraternal  organizations,  including  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
.America,  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  and -the  .\ncient  Order  of  United 
Workmen.  He  and  his  family  are  very  acti\e  and  influential  members  of 
the  Methodist  church  ;md  he  is  now  serving  on  the  uflicial  Imard  and  alsn 
as  class-leader. 

.\  man  of  eiiterjirise,  positive  cliaractcr.  indduiitable  cnerg\',  strung  in- 
tegrity and  liberal  views,  he  has  been  fully  identified  with  the  growth  and 
prosperity  of  the  state  of  his  ado]:)tion  in  recent  years,  lie  has  since  been 
prominent  in  public  affairs,  and  no  one  has  been  more  acti\el\-  or  commend- 
ably  interested  in  the  welfare  and  development  of  this  sectii)n  of  Nevada. 
His  life  is  exemplary  in  many  respects,  and  he  has  the  esteem  of  his  friends 
and  the  confidence  of  those  who  ha\e  had  business  relations  w  ith  him. 


THOMAS  CRII'I'JN,  the  well  known  stockman  of  Carlin.  Nevada, 
has  been  a  resident  of  the  state  for  nearly  thirty  years,  arriving  here  as  a  poor 
young  man,  and  in  the  course  of  that  time  b.is  made  a  record  of  ))ro.sperous 
work  the  cfjual  of  that  of  any  ni;ni  in  this  part  of  the  state.  He  necessarily 
began  on  a  very  humble  scale,  but   the  record  of  his  career  which  follows 


A   lllSlOin'  Ol'   NEVADA.  563 

tells  of  steady  adsance  Irnm  (nie  stage  to  anotlier  until  he  has  gaiiieil  the 
reputation  of  being  one  of  the  most  successful  stock-raisers  and  ranchers, 
and  also  of  being  one  of  the  ])i'cniier  judges  of  stock  ;in(l  an  expert  buyer. 

Mr.  Griffin  was  born  in  county  Kerry.  Ireland,  in  1852,  and  was  reared 
and  educated  in  his  nati\e  land,  lie  came  to  the  United  States  in  search 
of  libei'tx'  and  oijportnnitv  for  gaining  a  due  share  of  the  world's  goods, 
and  arrived  in  Xe\ada  on  the  8th  ol  August,  1874.  He  was  a  shee])  herder 
on  a  ranch  at  a  salary  oi  forty  dcjllars  a  month;  then  chopped  wood  at  two 
dollars  a  cord,  and  after  three  nVonlhs"  hard  work  he  and  his  partner  failed  to 
get  their  pay :  again  Ijegan  ranch  work  at  forty  dollars  a  month.  Benson 
and  Grayson  then  ofifered  him  a  job  as  cowboy,  and  during  his  year's  work 
at  this  occupation  he  gained  considerable  idea  of  the  cattle  business.  He 
made  a  beginning  of  cattle-raising  b\-  buying  a  small  bunch  for  which  he 
was  to  pay  twel\e  dollars  a  head  at  the  round-u]).  He  continued  to  work 
as  cowboy  and  also  had  the  privilege  of  looking  after  his  own  cattle.  He 
bought  a  scjuatter's  right  at  C'arlin.  for  which  he  paid  three  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars  down,  but  owing  to  a  defecti\e  title  lie  had  to  satisfy  other 
claimants  and  in  the  end  paid  double  for  his  land,  besides  the  loss  of  much 
time.  He  paid  the  railroad  three  or  four  dollars  an  acre  for  the  land,  most 
of  wliich  was  meadow,  and  had  to  ]jay  interest  at  the  rate  of  one  and  a  half 
per  cent  a  month.  He  cut  hay  and  sold  it  for  twenty-four  dollars  a  ton,  and 
during  the  winter,  witli  a  haybaler  which  he  purchased,  he  baled  hay  for  his 
neighbors  and  made  se\en  hundred  dollars.  In  the  following  spring  he  re- 
turned to  the  cattle  ranch,  and  tweKe  tkiys  later  was  made  foreman.  He  con- 
tinued this  work  for  three  years,  at  the  same  time  retaining  his  own  ranch, 
but  then  decided  to  gi\'e  his  whole  time  and  attention  to  cattle-raising  on 
his  own  account.  He  fenced  and  impro\ed  his  ranch,  and  his  cattle  increased 
arid  he  was  getting  more  prosperous. 

Alxiut  that  time  Mr.  Barney  Horn,  of  San  Francisco,  engaged  him  to 
buy  cattle  on  commission,  sending  him  one  thousand  dollars  for  a  starter. 
He  bought  stock  to  the  value  of  six  thousand  dollars  and  made  thirteen  hun- 
dred dollars,  and  in  the  following  year  purchased  fifteen  thousand  dollars' 
worth.  He  succeeded  so  well  in  this  that  he  was  given  the  pri\-ilege  of  draw- 
ing thirty  thousand  dollars  at  one  time,  and  bought  the  cattle  of  all  the  lead- 
ing cattle  men  in  this  part  of  the  country.  Iniilding  up  a  large  Ijusiness.  He 
continued  with  Mr.  Horn,  and  engaged  in  shijiping  stock  to  the  east,  and 
then  was  a  partner  of  George  Russell,  .\fter  this  he  came  to  Carlin  and 
built  his  residence  in  this  town,  and  began  buying  land  in  the  \icinit\-.  He 
now  has  about  two  thousand  acres,  and  has  had  as  many  as  twehe  hundred 
cattle  at  one  time.  He  has  purchased  imported  bulls  and  brought  up  his 
stock  to  a  high  standard,  and  in  all  his  operations  is  enterprising  and  pro- 
gressive. His  favorite  stock  is  the  shorthorns.  He  also  has  a  slaugluer 
house,  and  does  nuich  butchering  for  local  trade.  Mr.  Griffin's  long  and  suc- 
cessful experience  has  made  him  one  of  the  best  judges  of  cattle  in  the  state, 
and  he  knows  all  the  ins  anrl  outs  of  the  business. 

In  1885  Mr.  Griffin  was  married  to  Miss  Kate  Welch,  of  Eureka.  Ne- 
vada, and  also  a  native  of  county  Kerry.  Ireland.  They  have  had  eight 
children,  of  whom   Thomas  died  at    the    age    of    twelve,    and    the    others 


564  A  HISTORY  Ol'"  XE\AI).\. 

are  all  living  at  home;  James,  William,  Margery,  jnhn.  X'ugmia,  Georgia, 
and  an  infant  1:H)y,  Charles.  Mr.  (Irifiin  is  a  Democrat,  hut  has  no  time  from 
his  husiness  for  ])artici|)ati(in  in  politics.  He  is  a  meml)er  of  the  Elko  Cattle 
Association,  and  he  and  his  family  are  members  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
church. 


MRS.  EDITH  JENKINS  is  one  of  the  most  extensive  wool  and  sheep 
growers  in  the  state  oi  Ne\ada,  her  home  being  liKated  at  Battle  Mountain, 
Lander  county.  She  is  the  widow  of  \\'illiam  T.  Jenkins,  who  at  the  time  of 
his  death  was  extensi\ely  engaged  m  the  shee])  business.  He  came  to  Ne- 
vada in  1873,  and  was  born  in  South  Wales  in  1851,  and  emigrated  to 
Canada  when  eighteen  years  of  age.  He  was  there  engaged  in  mining"  until 
1873.  when  he  removed  to  Eureka,  Nevada,  which  was  at  that  time  an  active 
mining  tnwn,  and  there  worked  for  wages  in  timbering  the  mines,  but  was 
afterward  robbed  of  his  money,  doing  to  the  I.  X.  L.  district  in  Chiu'chill 
count}-,  Nevada,  Air.  Jenkins  again  went  into  mining  in  company  with 
John  E.  Jones  and  subsequently  went  into  the  sheq:)  business,  purchasing 
his  first  sheep  from  Ch.arles  E.  Kaiser,  He  started  in  a  small  way  but  his 
fifjcks  were  subsequently  increased  to  twent\-  tliousand  head,  and  these  he 
sold  in  1891  and  returned  to  Europe,  remaining  at  his  old  home  near  Port 
Talbot,  South  Wales,  for  one  year. 

On  the  1st  of  June,  1892.  ]\lr.  Jenkins  was  married  to  Miss  Edith  Will- 
iams, a  native  of  South  ^Vales,  her  birthplace  ha\'ing  been  onlv  twenty  miles 
from  the  Jenkins  family  iiome.  After  their  marriage  this  couple  made  their 
way  to  Nevada.  Here  Mr.  Jenkins  repurchased  his  flock  of  sheep,  and  his 
wife  became  interested  with  him  in  his  business,  keeping  his  accounts  and 
in  many  ways  assisting  him  in  the  enterprise.  But  like  many  others  engaged 
in  the  sheep  industry,  they  subsequently  witnessed  hard  times  and  he  also 
liecame  interested  in  a  large  mining  deal  which  proved  a  failure.  Their  good 
management,  however,  enabled  them  Id  surmount  all  the  obstacles  in  their 
path  to  success,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  the  owner  of  twenty- 
two  thousand  sheep  in  Elko,  Lander  and  Humboldt  counties.  He  was 
called  to  his  final  rest  on  the  3Tst  of  July,  1899,  dying  of  heart  disease,  and 
was  buried  with  Masonic  honors  at  Battle  Mountain,  he  having  been  long  a 
member  of  that  fraternity.  His  ]ioIitical  su])port  was  gi\cn  tn  the  Republican 
party,  and  be  was  an  esteemed  and  honored  citi/.en,  a  generuus  ueighhdr  ;ni(! 
a  loving,  kind  and  indulgent  husband  and  father. 

At  his  death  he  left  his  widow  with  fmn-  little  d.'iughtcrs  :  l^'dith,  w  lin 
diefl  in  her  eighth  year,  on  the  30th  of  July,  1902;  Mary;  and  l)orolh\-  and 
1-ouise.  twins.  Mrs.  Jenkins  bravely  took  u])  the  burdens  of  life  alone,  and 
has  carried  on  the  business  in  a  very  successful  manner,  thus  demmst rating 
what  a  woman  can  do  in  the  conduct  of  a  large  and  somewhat  jirecarious 
husiness.  She  now  owns  several  immense  bands  of  sheep,  and  also  has  large 
tracts  of  land,  a  ])ortion  of  which  is  devoted  to  alfalfa.  She  is  the  largest 
taxpayer  in  Lander  county.  The  family  reside  in  a  pleasant  and  commodious 
residence  in  Battle  Mountain,  and  Mrs.  Jenkins  is  a  nR-mher  of  the  Eastern 
.Star  and  of  the  Episco])al  church. 


/^,  ^Ae^t.^z^y^^-^^T^ 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  565 

DAVID  CROSBY,  wlm  is  one  of  tlie  pioneer  merchants  of  Virginia 
City,  has  l)een  cnntinuoiisl)-  engaged  in  Inisiness  here  for  forty  years,  and 
is  now  dealing  in  house  furnishing  goods  and  notions.  He  has  contrihuted 
in  large  measure  to  the  commercial  activity  of  tins  city,  and  it  is  to  the  husi- 
ness  life  and  the  energy  of  its  representati\e  men  that  every  town  owes  its 
pros])erity  and  development. 

A  native  of  Xcw  ^'ork,  Mr.  Crosl)\-  was  horn  in  Syracuse  on  the  30th 
of  July,  1835,  and  is  of  Scotch  descent.  His  parents,  Joseph  and  Sarah 
(Johnston)  Croshy.  emigrated  to  the  Cnited  States,  landing  in  New  York 
in  June,  1835,  just  a  month  hefore  the  l>irth  of  their  son,  David.  From  the 
lMn])ire  state  the}-  removed  to  Detroit,  Michigan,  and  settled  uix^n  a  farm 
in  Wayne  county,  where  Joseph  Crosh)'  cleared  a  tract  of  land  and  impnwed 
his  fields,  there  c;n"r\ing  on  agricultur;ii  pursuits  throughout  the  remaintler 
n\  his  life,  r.iith  he  and  his  wife  were  industrious  and  resjjected  people  and 
were  l'resl)_\terians  in  religious  faith.  He  died  at  the  age  of  fifty-two  years, 
and  his  wife  passed  away  in  the  same  month,  hoth  dying  of  pneumonia,  leav- 
ing a  family  of  eight  children,  of  whom  Dax'id  is  the  eldest.  .\11  the  chil- 
dren are  still  living,  hut  Mr.  Croshy  is  the  only  one  in  Nevada. 

Rcaied  upiin  his  father's  farm,  David  Croshy  attended  the  public  schools 
throughout  the  winter  months,  and  in  the  summer  sea.sons  was  busily  en- 
gaged with  the  labors  of  field  and  meadow.  The  sun  shone  down  upon 
many  a  held  which  he  plowed  and  planted,  and  in  which  he  afterward  gar- 
nered rich  harvests  as  the  reward  of  his  labors.  When  he  attained  his  ma- 
jority, not  desiring"  to  follow  the  plow  any  longer,  he  embarked  in  the 
jewelry  business  in  Detroit,  Michigan,  also  carrying  a  line  of  fancy  goods. 
He  became  a -senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Crosby,  Lovell  &  Company,  and 
conducted  his  enterprise  until  iSdo,  when,  ha\'ing"  dispensed  of  his  business 
interests  there,  he  came  to  the  west.  He  set  sail  for  California,  going  by 
way  of  the  isthmus  route,  and  eventually  landed  at  San  Francisco.  He 
then  went  to  Sacramento,  where  he  was  engaged  in  the  wood,  coal  and 
lumber  business.  He  extended  the  scope  of  his  labors  by  adding  a  trucking 
and  freighting  department,  thus  transporting  g(Kids  from  Sacramento  to  Vir- 
ginia City,  Nevada.  It  was  thus  that  Mr.  Crosby  gained  a  knowledge  of  the 
city  in  which  he  has  so  long  made  his  home.  It  then  required  three  weeks 
to  make  the  round  trij),  and  he  was  paid  from  three  to  twentv-two  cents  per 
pound  for  hauling,  according  to  the  kind  of  goods  which  he  carried  and  the 
season  of  the  year. 

In  1864  Mr.  Cro.sby  opened  a  general  mercantile  store  on  C  street  in 
Virginia  City,  and  he  has  throughout  the  intervening  years  Ijeen  identified 
with  the  commercial  interests  of  the  citv.  On  this  street  he  carried  on  a  suc- 
cessful enter])rise,  and  the  house  has  ever  sustained  an  enviable  reputation 
for  straightforward  methods  and  honorable  dealing  as  well  as  on  account  of 
the  excellent  line  of  goods  carried.  Thev  ha\e  e\'er  been  prompt  in  meet- 
ing obligations,  paying  one  hundred  •  cents  on  the  dollar,  and  their  word 
has  come  to  be  as  goo<l  as  their  bontl.  Prospering  in  his  undertakings  as 
the  years  have  gone  by,  Mr.  Crosby  is  now  one  of  the  capitalists  of  the  city. 
While  promoting  his  individual  success  he  has  also  labored  for  the  public 
welfare,   and   has   done  much    for   the  upbuilding  and   impro\ement  of   the 


o66  A  HISTORY  OF  XEVAIJA. 

town,  giving  liearty  co-operation  to  movements  that  liave  for  tlieir  oliject 
the  substantial  prog'ress  of  Virginia  Cit\-.  He  erected  one  of  tlie  best  Iniild- 
ings  here,  and  is  still  the  owner  of  the  property.  On  the  13th  of  March. 
1865.  Mr.  Crosby  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Isabella  McKinsie.  a  native 
of  Prince  Edward  Island. 

Mr.  Crosby  is  a  jovial,  genial  gentleman,  cordial  in  manner  and  kind- 
hearted  in  disposition.  In  his  younger  da}-s.  howe\'er.  he  possessed  much  of 
the  fire  and  hot  temper  of  \-outh.  and.  Ijeing  fearless,  it  was  well  not  to 
molest  him.  On  a  certain  occasion,  alxnit  ele\-en  o'clock,  near  his  own  home, 
he  was  attacked  by  three  men.  He  shot  two  of  them  and  the  third  esca]>ed 
with  a  bullet  through  the  tail  of  his  coat.  The  grand  jury  made  an  inxesti- 
gation  and  accjuitted  him.  Mr.  Crosby  possesses  not  only  personal  bravery, 
but  also  the  courage  of  his  convictions  and  has  ever  been  fearless  in  defense 
of  what  he  belie\-es  to  be  right.  In  politics  he  says  he  is  a  "black  Repub- 
lican" and  has  been  \ery  acti\e  in  support  of  the  party.  He  ne\er  with- 
drew from  anv  position  through  fear,  and  maintained  his  cause,  if  need  be. 
with  strength  and  muscle.  The  old  daxs  ha\-e  long  since  gone  by.  With  the 
passing  of  the  freighting  period  there  came  the  improvements  known  to  the 
older  east,  and  Nevada  progressed  as  have  the  other  western  states,  Virginia 
City  keeping  pace  with  the  general  ])rogress  and  Mr.  Crosby  doing  his  full 
share  to  make  the  city  a  prosperous  commercial  center  and  a  desirable  place 
of  residence.  He  stands  to-day  as  one  of  the  honored  pioneer  merchants  of 
the  state,  and  in  the  ex-ening  of  his  life  his  labors  are  crowned  with  an 
abundance  of  the  coniforts  and  luxuries  which  go  to  make  life  worth  the 
living. 


PROFESSOR  XATHAXIFL  ESTES  WILSON,  who  occupies  the 
chair  of  chemistry  and  dairying  in  the  Nevada  State  University,  has  built 
up  in  this  institution  a  dei)artment  which  is  most  creditable  and  satisfactory 
in  its  work,  and  he  has  beconie  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  educators  of 
the  state.  He  is  a  native  of  Maine,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Orono, 
Penobscot  county,  on  the  J5th  of  October.  ii<()j.  The  family  is  of  Scotch 
Irish  lineage,  and  the  ancestry  can  be  traced  back  to  Nathaniel  Wilson,  his 
great-grandfather,  who  emigrated  from  the  north  of  Ireland  and  became 
a  resident  of  New  Hampshire.  Nathaniel  Wilson,  the  second  of  the  name, 
was  bom  in  Lancaster,  New  1  lani])shirc.  and  Nathaniel  W'ilson.  the  third. 
the  father  of'the  Professor,  was  a  native  of  Orono.  Maine.  Having  arrived 
at  years  of  maturity,  he  wedded  Miss  Illdefaunce  C.  b'stes.  In  order  to  pro- 
vide for  his  family  he  became  engaged  in  the  lumber  business,  which  ho  fol- 
lowed for  a  number  of  years.  I'oth  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the 
Congregational  church  and  still  maintain  their  residence  in  the  east.  Thev 
were  the  ])arents  of  two  children,  the  daughter,  .\nnie  Louise,  now  the  wife 
nf  Oscar  L.  Crover,  a  resident  of  I  larrisbiug.  Pennsylvania. 

Professor  Wilson,  having  acquired  his  preliminary  edncition  in  the 
public  schools,  became  a  student  in  the  Maine  I'niversitv.  and  after  ;i])plving 
iiimself  assiduously  to  the  mastery  of  the  branches  of  learning  taught  in  that 
instilulion  was  graduated,  and  he  is  also  a  ])osl-gr;idurne  of  Cornell   I'liixer- 


A   HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  567 

sity.  lie  oimplcted  his  nmrse  in  llie  State  University  of  Maine  in  1888, 
and  took  his  post  grachiate  work  m  Cornell  in  1889-Q0.  In  the  following 
year  he  acce])te(l  a  position  in  the  chemical  works  of  the  Standard  Oil  Com- 
jiany,  with  which  he  was  connected  for  fifteen  months.  On  the  expiration 
of  that  period  he  was  offered  the  position  of  professor  of  chemistry  and 
dairying  in  the  Nevada  State  University,  and,  deciding  to  accept  this,  he 
removed  to  Reno.  He  is  continually  adding  to  liis  own  knowledge  through 
lesearch,  study  and  in\'estigation,  and  he  has  the  happy  faculty  of  imparting 
with  clearness  and  conciseness  to  others  the  knowledge  that  he  has  acquired. 
He  has  hnilt  up  in  the  institution  a  department  which  is  a  credit  to  the  uni- 
versity, and  has  won  for  himself  a  \'ery  gTatif}'ing  reiiutation  as  one  of  the 
leading  educators  of  the  state. 

On  the  r)th  of  January,  i8t;o,  I'rofessor  W'iison  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Emil}'  I,.  Tuck,  a  native  of  Maine,  and  they  now  have  three  children  : 
Nathaniel  W'iison  (the  fifth).  Whitman  F.  and  Ruth.  Their  home  is  cele- 
brated for  its  gracious  hospitality,  wdiich  is  enjoyed  by  their  large  circle  of 
friends.  Professor  Wilson  lias  designed  and  erected  a  most  commodious  and 
attractive  home  on  Maple  street  in  the  north  jiart  of  Reno.  He  and  his 
family  are  Congregationalists  in  religious  faith,  and  ha\e  Itrought  to  the  west 
the  culture  and  refinement  of  the  east,  which  has  been  an  important  element 
in  the  intellectual  and  material  development  of  Nevada,  and  yet  there  is 
no  famil}'  in  all  I^eno  so  free  from  ostentation  and  displax-  as  the  one  which 
occupies  the  attractive  home  of  Professor  Wilson. 

Politically  the  Professor  is  a  Democrat  anil  a  believer  in  .bimetalism. 
He  was  elected  a  member  of  the  city  council  of  Reno-,  being  chosen  to  the 
position  on  the  5th  of  May,  1903,  and  now  he  is  heartily  co-operating  with 
the  council  aiifl  the  mayor  in  the  work  of  improving  the  conditions  of  this 
fast  growing  city.  They  lia\e  already  accomplished  much  commendable  work 
and  have  raised  money  enough  to  pay  off  the  floating  indebtedness.  Improve- 
ment has  been  carried  on  along  many  lines,  and  Mr.  Wilson  is  a  co-operant 
factor  in  all  that  tends  to  promote  the  city's  welfare  and  substantial  flevelop- 
nient. 


JACOB  FOSTER  HOLL.WI),  a  well  known  and  respected  resident 
of  Nevada  for  the  past  twcnt\'-nine  x'ears,  and  for  the  greater  part  of  that 
time  one  of  Mason  \alley's  successful  farmers,  first  came  to  the  state  in 
charge  of  the  Indian  reservation  in  southeastern  Nevada.  He  is  a  native 
of  Cieorgia,  where  he  was  born  in  1827,  and  is  descended  from  an  old  South 
Carolina  family.  His  father,  Elijah  Holland,  was  born  in  the  last  named 
state,  and  there  he  married  Sarah  White,  the)-  becoming  the  parents  of  nine 
children.  The  father  died  aged  fifty-three  years  and  the  mother  aged  fifty- 
four  years.  By  occupation  they  were  farmers,  and  they  held  to  the  faith 
of  the  Baptist  church. 

Mr.  Holland  was  reared  upon  his  father's  farm  and  educated  in  his 
native  state.  In  1847  he  removed  to  Mobile,  .\labama.  and  made  that  city 
his  home  until  the  disco\-ery  of  gold  in  California  caused  him  to  go  to  that 
state  in  1850,  via  the  isthmus,  in  a  com])any  known  as  the  Mobile  Company. 


569  ■  A  HISTORY  OF  NE\'ADA. 

This  companv  of  men  settled  in  Xe\ada  county  on  tiie  Vub^  ri\er.  at  Parks 
bar,  and,  turning  the  river  from  its  channel,  had  rich  diggings  and  took 
out  fifty  pounds  of  gold  in  one  day,  but  when  the  rainy  season  came  on  the 
river  rose  and  destrciyed  the  works  and  they  abandoned  the  claims  and  re- 
turned to  Georgia.  Mr.  Holland  remained  in  the  United  States  until  after 
the  war,  in  which  he  was  a  volunteer  under  General  R.  E.  Lee.  and  partici- 
pated in  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  and  was  at  Chancellorville.  He  then  served 
in  the  quartermaster's  department  until  the  close  of  the  war. 

In  1853  he  had  been  happily  married  to  Miss  C.  .\.  Black,  a  native  of 
Lafayette,  Georgia,  daughter  of  Jndge  Black,  a  prominent  la\v\er  of  the 
state.  During  the  war  the  wife  and  little  son  of  Mr.  Holland  remained 
w  ith  her  father.  When  the  war  was  over  he  returned  to  them,  and  in  1867 
he  brought  tiiem  to  the  land  of  promi.se  along  the  Pacific  coast.  At  Sacra- 
mento he  became  mterested  with  his  brother,  James  Holland,  in  a  farm 
and  orchard.  After  some  years  he  was  offered  a  position  with  the  go\-ern- 
ment  as  agent  of  the  Indian  reservation,  and,  selling  out  to  his  brother, 
he  brought  his  family  to  Nevada  to  assume  his  duties.  During  seven  years 
he  served  the  government  faithfulh-.  and  during  three  of  them  he  was  also 
in  charge  of  the  ^Valker  ri\er  reservation.  Alxiut  this  time  he  purchased 
six  hundred  acres  of  land  on  which  he  now  resides.  This  was  but  slightly 
improved,  but  through  good  management  and  untiring  energy  Mr.  Holland 
has  made  it  into  a  fine  home.  Upon  this  fine  proi^erty  he  carries  on  stock- 
raising  to  a  large  extent.  ]\Ian\-  of  the  impnnements  in  this  locality  have 
been  inaugm'ated  and  carried  through  b_\-  him,  among  which  is  the  first 
graded  road.  He  also  introduced  fine  road  horses  and  still  has  a  blooded 
stallion,  Bocks,  now  twent}-three  years  old,  with  a  record  of  2  134  minutes. 

Mr.  Holland  has  been  a  life-long  Democrat,  and  has  held  the  office 
of  county  commissioner  for  two  years.  In  religious  faith  Mrs.  Holland,  a 
most  charming  lady,  is  a  Methodist.  The  son  Charles  is  his  father's  assist- 
ant in  all  his  enterprises.  He  married  Miss  Frances  Byers,  and  thev  have 
four  chddren,  namely:  Harry  F.,  .Mice  L\dia,  .Anna  Louise  and  Frances 
Ethel.  The  younger  ]\lr.  Holland  is,  like  his  father,  held  in  highest  esteem 
throughout  the  neighborhood,  and  they  are  important  factors  in  all  the  im- 
provements of  Mason  \'allev. 


JOIl.V  W.  PUETT,  the  proprietor  of  the  Palace  Hotel  at  Garlin,  Ne- 
vada, is  one  of  the  best  known  business  men  in  the  western  part  of  Elko 
county.  He  has  been  in  the  state  about  fifteen  years,  and  in  that  time  has 
acquired  extensive  business  and  jjroperty  interests  in  Carlin.  The  Palace 
Hotel  is  the  leading  resort  for  traveling  men,  and  under  Mr.  Puett's  manage- 
ment its  standard  of  excellence  will  l>e  maintained  and  increased  so  that  no 
town  of  similar  size  in  the  .state  will  furnish  more  comfortable  entertainment 
for  the  traveling  public  than  Carlin.  The  Palace  contains  forty  large,  well 
furnished  rooms,  and  it  is  a  comparatively  new  structure  and  much  the  best 
building  in  the  town.  It  has  been  rented,  but  Mr.  Puctt  is  now  ]>utting  it 
into  improved  con<lition,  and  it  will  reopen  with  increased  facilities  and  the 
best  of  cuisine  and  arrangements  for  interior  comfort. 


A  TIlSTom'  O].-  NEVADA.  r.fiO 

Mr.  Puett  was  Ixini  in  the  st;ite  of  Soutli  Carolina,  April  13,  1865. 
and  i.s  of  English,  l''rencli  and  Scotch  ancestry.  His  father,  Elijah  I^uett, 
was  lx)rn  in  North  C"arolin;i,  was  a  soldier  in  the  Confederate  army,  and  die<l 
in  i88j,  at  the  early  age  of  thirty-se\en.  His  wife  was  Miss  Sylvia  Martin, 
a  native  of  South  Carolina,  and  she  is  still  residing  on  the  old  homestead  at 
the  age  of  sixty-seven.  Of  their  sex'en  children,  five  are  living,  and  the  two 
in  Nevada  are  Andrew  B.,  a  mining  man  of  Tonopah,  and  John  W. 

John  \Y.  Puett  was  horn  during  tlie  short  residence  of  his  parents  in 
South  Carolina,  hut  was  reared  and  educated  in  North  Carolina,  at  the 
town  of  Shelhy.  T'rom  there  he  went  to  Seattle  and  Tacoma,  Washington, 
and  was  a  fireman  for  al)out  six  months  on  the  Northern  Pacific  Railroad, 
across  the  Cascatle  mountains.  After  ahout  a  vear  in  Washington  he  gave 
up  railroading,  antl,  coming  to  San  Erancisco,  ev.tered  Ileald's  Piusiness  Col- 
lege, from  whicli  he  graduated  in  1S8S.  He  then  entered  the  emplo_\-  of 
Sisson,  Crocker  and  Company,  and  was  witli  them  for  six  years.  He  was 
manager  of  three  of  their  stores,  and  finally  hought  out  the  branch  store 
at  Carlin.  and  is  still  the  owner  of  this  estaljlishment.  He  also  has  con- 
siderable other  town  property,  from  which  he  receives  satisfactory  returns 
in  the  way  of  rentals.  He  was  at  the  outset  of  his  business  career  when 
he  came  to  Carlin  in  1888,  and  he  has  tieen  forging  rapidly  and  steadily  to 
the  front  ever  since,  so  that  he  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  reliable  r\nd 
progressive  business  men  of  the  town. 

Mr.  Puett  afliliates  with  the  Democratic  party,  and  President  Cleveland 
appointed  him  postmaster  of  Carlin.  He  is  now  serving  his  third  term  as 
notary  public.  In  1896  he  was  married  to  Miss  M.  Bruce,  of  Elko,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Alfred  Bruce.  The  three  children  of  this  union  are  Sylvara,  John  W., 
Jr.,  and  Euretta.  ]\[r.  Puett  recei\'ed  the  sublime  degree  of  Master  Mason 
in  Elko  Lodge  No.  15,  E.  &  A.  M.,  in  i8qo,  and  was  S.  D.  of  that  lodge 
for  a  time.  He  is  an  active  worker  in  the  fraternity,  and  is  a  member  of 
the  chapter  and  commandery  at  Eureka,  Nevada. 


HENRY  GENZEL,  a  successful  farmer  of  Mason  valley,  Nevada,  is 
one  of  the  many  Cermans  who  have  located  in  the  United  States  and  helped 
to  make  our  land  what  it  is.  He  was  born  in  Germany  in  1840,  antl  was 
there  educated  and  learned  the  trade  of  a  tanner.  \\'hile  there  he  married 
Miss  Martha  Eeiganspan,  and  eight  children  were  born,  as  follows :  Charles, 
Anna,  Minnie,  Hulda,  Gretchen,  Sadie,  Frank  and  Warran,  the  latter  being- 
killed  in  his  nineteenth  year,  in  1899,  by  an  accident  caused  by  his  team  nm- 
ning  away  in  the  mountains. 

In  1880  Henry  Genzel  with  his  wife  and  family  came  to  the  new  world 
and  coming  to  Ne\'ada  settled  in  Lyon  county  in  Mason  \-alley,  and  rented 
land,  upon  which  the}-  lived  for  six  years,  when  he  was  able  to  purchase  his 
first  ranch  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  This  was  covered  with  sage 
brush,  but  by  constant  industry  he  has  made  it  into  a  good  home,  surrounded 
by  thrifty  trees  of  his  own  planting.  He  raises  hay  and  all  kinds  of  farm 
l)ro<lucts,  and  makes  a  specialt\-  of  cattle,  horses  and  hogs.  Sadie  and  Erank 
have  come  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Genzel  since  their  location  in  Nevada.     In  politics 


570  A  HISTORY  OF  XKVADA. 

;\[r.  Cenzel  is  a  Republican,  and  has  taken  an  acti\e  interest  in  scliruil  affairs. 
having  served  his  district  as  trustee.  In  religious  belief  he  and  bis  family 
are  Lutherans,  and  they  set  an  excellent  e\aui])le  nf  wliat  can  be  accumplished 
through  lionestv,  industrv  and  thrift. 


JOSEPH  EDWARD  STUBBS.  No  compendium  such  as  this  volume 
defines  in  its  essential  limitations  will  serve  to  offer  fit  recognition  of  the 
labors  of  Joseph  Edward  Stubbs,  the  president  of  the  Nevada  State  Uni- 
versity, anil  }et  the  volume  would  be  incomplete  without  mention  of  his 
career.  He  has  had  marked  influence  upon  the  intellectual  development  of 
the  state  and  has  so  advanced  the  standard  of  the  University  that  it  now 
ranks  with  the  leading  institutions  of  this  character  throughout  the  entire 
country. 

Professor  Stubbs  is  a  native  of  Ohio,  his  birth  having  tccurred  in  Ash- 
land on  the  19th  of  March,  1850.  fie  represents  an  -'Id  English  family,  al- 
though many  generations  have  come  and  gone  since  llie  first  of  the  name  in 
.\merica  settled  in  Pennsylvania.  It  was  in  1650  that  his  ancestors  came  to 
the  new  world.  They  were  Quakers  in  religious  faitlc  and  in  their  lousiness 
connections  were  ironmasters,  owning  and  operating  extensive  iron  foundries 
in  the  Keystone  state.  There  resided  the  representatives  of  the  name  until 
John  Stubl)s,  the  grandfather  of  Professor  Stubbs,  removed  to  eastern  Ohio, 
'i'hat  was  at  an  early  date  in  the  development  of  the  Buckeye  state,  and  he 
became  a  leading  pioneer,  leax'ing  the  imijress  of  his  indi\iduality  upon  the 
progress  and  improvement  of  the  locality.  For  several  years  he  served  as 
private  secretary  to  one  of  the  admirals  of  the  United  States  navy. 

Joseph  Deyarmon  Stubbs, .the  father  of  Prf)fessor  Stubbs.  was  born  in 
eastern  Ohio,  and  at  the  time  of  the  inauguration  of  hostilities  between  the 
north  and  the  south  he  volunteered  in  defense  of  the  Union,  becoming  a 
member  of  the  Forty-second  Ohio  Infantry.  He  was  elected  a  first  lieutenant 
and  later  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  captain.  He  was  also  appointed  on  the 
staff  of  (ieneral  James  Garfield,  and  when  the  latter  was  elected  to  Congress 
Ca])tain  Stubbs  was  transferred  to  the  (|uartermaster's  department  in  Nash- 
ville, Tennessee.  Subsequentlv  he  was  breveted  lieutenant  col(inel  and  was 
appointed  superintendent  of  military  railroads  in  both  North  and  South  Car- 
olina. In  all  of  these  different  positions  be  rendered  his  government  valuable 
service  and  was  unfaltering  in  his  lo\alty  to  the  Union  cause  and  his  defense 
of  the  old  Hag.  He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Jane  Gray,  a 
daughter  of  the  Rev.  David  Gray,  an  eminent  Methodist  minister  who  be- 
longed to  the  northern  Ohio  and  to  the  central  Ohio  conferences.  That 
family  was  of  Scotcli  lineage.  After  the  war  Mr.  Stubbs  continued  to 
reside  in  A.shland,  Ohio,  for  many  years,  passing  away  in  1X98  at  the  age 
of  seventy-eight  years.  1  lis  wife  never  recovered  from  the  blow  occasioned 
by  the  death  of  her  husband  and  passed  away  in  less  than  a  vear.  She,  too, 
was  about  .seventy-eight  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  her  demise.  Theirs  had 
been  a  most  happy  and  congenial  married  relation.  They  became  the  i)arents 
of  six  children,  of  whom  five  are  yet  living:  D.  D.,  who  is  general  manager 
(if  the  Oriental  &  Occidental  Steamship  Company  and  resides  in  San  Fran- 


---^^f^-^'^^^-c^^ 


A  TIISTORV  C)l'  XFA'ADA.  571 

Cisco;  Joliii  C,  who  is  tralTic  director  for  tiie  Union  Pacific,  Southern  Pacific, 
tlie  OregTin  Short  Line  and  the  Oregon  Railway  &  Navigation  companies, 
willi  lR'ad(|uartcrs  in  Lhicago;  Mrs.  EHzaljeth  Borland,  who  resides  in  Ash- 
land, Ohio;  and  Mary  N.,  who  is  making  her  home  with  her  lirnther  in 
Chicago.     The  youngest  hrotiier  of  the  family  has  passed  away. 

Mr.  Stuhbs  pursued  his  earlv  education  in  the  public  schools  and  after- 
ward attended  the  high  school  in  Ashland,  Ohio.  He  manifested  special 
aptitude  in  his  studies,  mastering  with  ease  many  of  tlie  branches  therein 
taught.  Idis  classical  course  was  pursued  in  the  Ohio  Wesleyan  Universitj'. 
and  he  was  graduated  in  1873.  While  studying  there  he  also  acted  as  tutor 
in  the  university,  and  after  his  graduation  he  continued  to  teach  in  that 
school  until  1875.  His  strenuous  labor,  however,  undermined  his  liealth  and 
he  was  forced  to  resign  his  position.  After  a  period  of  rest  and  recujieration 
he  entered  the  Drew  Theological  Seminary  in  New  Jersey,  but  again  he 
was  obliged  to  spend  one  year  in  recuperating  his  health,  that  year  being 
passed  in  California.  He  next  returned  to  .\shland,  Ohio,  where  he  took 
charge  of  the  Ashland  Weekly  Times,  and  in  188C)  he  was  called  to  the 
presidency  of  the  Jjaldwin  University  in  Berea.  Ohio,  occupying  that  im- 
portant position  for  eight  years,  or  until  1894.  Professor  Stubbs  then  ac- 
cepted the  presiflency  of  the  Ne\ada  State  University,  and  is  now  serving  in 
his  tenth  vear  as  the  head  of  this  prosperous  and  iiromincnt  institution  of 
learning. 

W^hen  he  entered  upon  the  presidency  the  curriculum  covered  a  four 
years'  course.  There  were  no  foreign  languages  taught  in  any  of  the  high 
schools  of  the  state,  and  at  the  completion  of  the  eighth  grade  work  of  the 
common  schools  jnipils  were  admitted  to  the  freshman  class.  The  present 
requirements  for  admission  rank  with  those  of  any  other  state  in  the  Union, 
and  because  of  the  efforts  of  President  Stubbs  in  this  direction  Latin.  German 
and  French  are  now  taught  in  several  of  the  high  schools  of  the  state  and 
also  in  the  University  high  school.  v\bich  has  a  course  of  study  covering- 
three  years.  The  departments  which  have  been  added  during  the  past  nine 
years  are  ci\il  engineering,  mechanical  engineering  and  a  general  science 
course.  Previous  to  this  time,  and  still  retained,  there  were  the  mining  course, 
the  school  of  arts  and  the  agricultm-al  course,  and  the  training  recei\'ed  in 
these  various  departments  is  now  ecpial  to  that  given  in  any  university  along 
such  lines.  The  campus  of  the  university  has  been  increased  Iw  the  ]5urchase 
of  nine  acres  of  land,  giving  it  a  frontage  on  Virginia  street  and  on  Ninth 
street.  Altogether  the  college  grounds  cover  thirty-five  acres.  The  uni- 
versity is  most  pleasantly  located  and  the  beautiful  canipus  now  ox'erlooks  the 
city  of  Reno.  Seven  new  buildings  have  been  erected  during  the  past  nine 
years  and  two  of  the  old  Iniildings  have  been  improved.  The  experiment 
station  farm  was  obtained  by  gift  from  the  citizens  of  Washoe  county.  This 
comprises  sixty  acres  of  land  adjoining  the  town  of  Reno,  and  has  an  irri- 
gating ditch  with  ninety  inches  of  water.  The  purchase  was  made  by  the 
citizens  at  a  cost  of  twelve  thousand  dollars,  and  by  reason  of  the  rapid  growth 
of  Reno  the  property  is  now  easily  worth  twenty-five  thousand  dollars. 

President  Stubbs  is  an  enthusiastic  educator,  his  interests  centering  in 
educational  matters  and  his  efforts  lieing  continually  exerted  toward  securing 


57-2  A  HISTORY  OF  XK\'ADA. 

tlie  latest  and  l)est  methods  tliat  will  promote  the  progress,  welfare  and 
efficiency  of  the  university.  He  ranks  to-day  with  the  best  educators  of  the 
country  and  has  justly  earned  his  reputation. 

On  the  lotli  of  July.  1S73,  occurred  the  marriage  of  President  Stuhbs 
and  Miss  Ella  Sprengle,  of  Ashland.  Ohio.  She  was  graduated  from  the 
same  university  in  which  her  husband  completed  his  course,  and  has  been 
a  help  and  insi)iration  to  him  in  his  work,  taking  great  interest  in  intellectual 
progress.  Their  union  has  been  a  very  happy  one,  and  to  them  have  been 
born  six  children,  five  of  whom  are  yet  living.  Theodora  is  now  the  w'ife 
of  J.  M.  Fulton,  of  Reno,  who  is  division  freight  and  passenger  agent  for 
the  Southern  Pacific  Railway.  Elizabeth  Spayd  is  now  acting  as  her  father's 
pri\-ate  secretary.  Ralph  Sjirengle  is  asscx'iated  with  .Krmour  &  Company, 
in  Chicago,  in  tlie  transportation  department.  Ruth  Gray  and  John  Christian 
Spayd  are  still  in  school.  The  three  oldest  children  are  graduates  of  the  State 
University. 

President  Stubbs  was  formerl_\-  an  acti\e  adx'ocate  of  the  Republican 
l^arty,  but  since  coming  to  Nevada  has  taken  no  part  in  political  work.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  now  affiliates  with  Reno  Lodge 
No.  13,  V.  &  A.  M.  He  is  likewise  a  member  of  the  Bene\olent  and  Pro- 
tective Order  of  Elks.  .Mthough  he  has  been  a  resident  of  Nevada  for  a 
little  more  than  nine  \cars  he  has  l)een  so  closely  and  prominently  connected 
with  the  educational  and  moral  interests  of  the  town  during  this  time  that 
no  history  of  the  state  would  be  complete  without  the  record  of  his  career. 

It  is  a  widely  acknowledged  fact  that  the  most  important  work  to  which 
a  man  can  direct  his  energies  is  that  of  teaching,  \\Jiether  it  be  from  the 
])ulpit,  from  the  lecture  platform  or  in  the  schoolroom.  Its  primary  object  is 
ever  the  same — the  develoi)ment  of  one's  latent  powers  that  the  duties  of 
life  may  be  bravely  met  and  well  ])erformcd.  Professor  Stul)bs  has  devoted 
his  time  and  energies  and  thought  to  the  work  of  instructing"  the  young 
and  preparing  them  for  the  responsibilities  thai  follow  in  later  years.  His 
efforts  in  behalf  of  the  university  have  Ix^en  of  a  practical  and  far-reaching 
nature,  and  Ne\"i(Ia  acknowledges  its  indebtedness  to  him  for  the  splendid 
work  he  has  acconii)lished. 


S.  JACOPiS,  i>ne  I 'I  ihe  rei)rcsentati\e  merchants  of  Reno,  whose  career 
has  l)een  ecpially  honorable  and  successful,  has  for  a  (piarter  of  a  century 
been  identitied  with  the  interests  of  this  place  and  has  built  up  a  large  and 
pros))erons  business,  dealing  in  clotiiing  and  men's  furnishing  goods.  In 
all  his  undertakings  he  has  l)een  guideil  by  u])right  jjrinciples  and  strict  ad- 
herence to  the  highest  commercial  ethics,  and  thus  has  won  public  confidence 
anil  his  business  has  gmwn  from  year  to  year  with  the  growth  of  the  citv. 
His  stf>re.  which  is  i<icatcd  on  Commercial  avenue,  is  twenty-one  bv  <ine  hun- 
circd  feet,  and  yet  this  sjjace  is  hardly  sufficient  t'or  his  large  and  well  selected 
line  of  men's  clothing  and  furnishing  goods,  lie  h.is  made  a  study  of  the 
demands  and  needs  of  (he  ])ublic  as  well  as  the  <|ualitv  of  goods,  and  he 
pays  cash  fnr  his  pmchases  and  is  thus  enabled  to  sell  at  \ery  reasonable 
prices. 


A   IllS'l'om'   Ol'   XI'lVADA.  573 

Mr.  Jac(il)s  was  l)(ini  in  I'dland  (ni  the  22(1  of  Septeinljcr,  183.^.  and  is 
nf  llcl)rcw  ancestry,  heins^  descended  from  a  family  of  merchants,  lie  was 
i'(hicatcd  in  his  nati\e  cimntry,  and  tlierc  became  familiar  witli  husiness  meth- 
ihIs.  In  the  \ear  iSOtj  he  crossed  the  .\tlantic  to  the  new  world.  l)ein.<;'  then 
in  his  sixteenth  year.  He  had  liut  a  sli,>,dit  knowdedge  of  the  Knglish  languatje 
at  tlial  time  and  only  a  small  amnunt  nf  money,  Init  with  resolute  heart  and 
strong  purpose  he  set  to  work  to  win  a  comfortable  com])etencc  in  the  L-nited 
States.  He  remained  in  New  ^'ork  city  for  a  time,  and  was  there  engaged 
in  clerking  in  a  store.  Later,  ho\\e\'er.  he  fm-ned  his  attention  tfi  the  tailor's 
trade,  and  in  the  year  1(871  he  removed  to  Denver,  Colorado,  where  he 
worked  as  a  journeyman  tailor.  He  next  went  U>  San  Francisco,  where  he 
opened  a  merchant  tailoring  establishment  on  ,his  own  account.  Subse- 
ipiently  he  became  a  resident  of  Hollister,  California,  where  he  also  opened 
a  merchant  tailoring"  business,  but  was  not  quite  satisfied  with  his  jilace  of 
location,  and  in  1878  he  came  to  the  new  town  of  Keno.  It  was  rapidl}'  grow- 
ing, lia\ing  at  that  time  between  twelve  and  fifteen  hundred  people.  Being 
])leased  with  its  prospects,  its  location  antl  its  future  outlook,  he  decided  to 
locate  here  and  has  never  had  occasion  to  regret  this  determination.  Opening 
a  merchant  tailoring  establishment  in  this  city,  he  soon  secured  a  good  busi- 
ness, and  as  the  town  grew  and  his  trade  increased  he  kejit  enlarging  his 
stock  of  goods  until  he  now  has  the  best  men's  clothing  and  furnishing  goods 
store  in  the  city.  Well  does  he  merit  his  success.  Ijecause  it  has  been  won 
along  honoral)lc  methods,  through  close  attention  to  the  trade  and  unflagging 
energy. 

In  1869  Mr.  Jacobs  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Hannah  Hersh,  a 
native  of  Poland,  and  this  union  has  laeen  blessed  with  two  sons :  Philip,  who 
is  now  his  father's  partner  in  business:  and  Morris,  who  was  reared  and  edu- 
cated in  Reno.  Mr.  Jacobs  has  a  fine  residence  in  this  city  and  has  also  in- 
vested in  considerable  realty  here.  Since  coming  to  Reno  he  has  been  fully 
identified  with  the  progress  and  development  of  the  place,  and  has  watched 
its  growth  from  a  town  of  about  fifteen  hundred  inhabitants  until  it  now  has 
a  poimlation  of  nearly  ten  thousand.  In  politics  he  was  a  Democrat,  but  is 
now  independent  in  his  political  affiliations.  He  favors  protection  for  Ameri- 
can industries  and  is  also  an  advocate  of  bimetallism,  and,  thus  endorsing 
some  of  the  i>rinciples  of  both  parties,  he  casts  his  ballot  for  the  men  wdiom 
he  thinks  best  (|ualified  for  the  office.  He  is  a  valued  member  of  the  Indc- 
jieuflent  Older  of  Odd  Fellows  and  is  a  i^ast  grand  master  of  the  state.  He 
also  belongs  to  the  order  of  B'nai  B'ritli,  a  charitable  society  formed  of  lead- 
ing Hebrews  throughout  the  country.  He  adheres  to  the  faith  of  his  ances- 
tors, and  in  all  things  is  a  loyal  American  citizen,  true  to  the  institutions  of 
his  adopted  land.  Coming  to  the  new  world  when  a  young  man  of  only 
sixteen  years,  he  has  steadily  advanced  from  a  humble  financial  position  to 
one  of  affluence,  and  is  deserving  of  much  credit  for  what  he  has  accom- 
plished. 

HON.  GEORGE  HENNING.  a  Virginia  City  pioneer  of  186.1,  ranks 
among  her  rq:)resentative  business  men  and  as  one  who  has  every  right  to 
the  proud  American  title  of  "a  self-made  man."    His  success  in  all  his  under- 


574  A  HISTORY  OF  XEV.VDA. 

takings  lias  Ijeeii  so  marked  that  his  metlicjils  are  of  interest  to  the  commercial 
worlck  He  lias  based  his  business  princi))les  and  actions  upon  strict  adherence 
to  the  rules  which  govern  industry,  economy  and  unswerving  integrity.  His 
enterprise  and  progressive  spirit  ha\e  made  him  a  typical  American  in  every 
sense  of  the  word,  and  lie  well  deserxes  mention  in  the  history  of  his  adopted 
state.  What  he  is  to-day  he  has  made  himself,  for  he  began  in  the  world  with 
nothing  but  his  own  energy  and  willing  hands  to  aid  him.  By  constant 
exertion,  associated  with  good  judgment,  he  has  raised  himself  to  the  promi- 
nent position  he  now  holds,  having  the  friendships  of  many  and  the  respect  of 
all  who  know  him. 

Mr.  Henning  is  a  native  of  Belfast,  Ireland,  born  on  the  4lh  of  May, 
1840.  His  i)arents  were  William  and  Elizabeth  (Coats)  Henning.  the  former 
a  nati\e  of  the  Emerald  Isle  and  the  latter  of  Scotland.  His  mother  died 
in  Belfast  in  1854.  and  his  father  afterward  emigrated  to  Toronto.  Canada, 
but  two  years  later,  because  of  the  impaired  condition  of  his  health,  he  was 
adxised  to  take  an  ocean  voyage  and  accordingly  sailed  to  Scotland  to  visit 
bis  mother  and  brothers,  who  were  then  in  Glasgow,  where  he  died  and  was 
buried.  He  had  left  his  four  children,  (leorge,  Esther.  Joseph  and  William 
James,  in  the  care  of  relatives  in  Toronto.  Canada.  Esther,  now  Mrs.  J. 
Christie,  is  a  resident  of  Manitoba;  Re\'.  Joseph  Henning  died  at  Almira, 
New  York;  William  James  is  a  l.niilder  and  contractor  in  Vancou\er.  British 
Columbia. 

George  Henning.  the  eldest  of  the  family,  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  of  his  native  country.  Since  bis  fourteenth  }ear  he  has  earned  his  ow-n 
living.  He  was  first  a  messenger  b(jy  in  a  grocerv  store,  working  for  four 
dollars  per  month.  He  remained  in  that  business  for  five  years,  became  a 
clerk,  and  from  time  to  time  his  wages  were  increased  as  he  became  qualified 
to  assume  greater  duties  and  responsibilities  in  connection  w  ith  the  store.  In 
1863,  hoping  to  benefit  by  the  broader  business  opportunities  of  the  great 
and  growing  western  section  of  this  country,  he  came  to  Virginia  City.  Here 
he  engaged  in  mining  with  shovel  and  pick,  receiving  four  dollars  per  day 
for  his  ser\-ices.  Me  coiuinued  mining  until  1880.  in  which  year  he  was  nomi- 
nated and  elected  on  the  l\ei)ubilcan  ticket  to  the  jxisilion  of  assessor  of  Storey 
county,  an  office  which  be  lillcd  in  a  most  satisfactorv  manner  for  two  terms. 

On  his  retirement  fnjiii  that  position  Mr.  Henning  turned  his  attention 
to  merchandising,  establishing  a  cigar,  notion  and  stationery  store  on  C 
street,  where  he  has  since  continued  in  business.  He  is  to-dav  one  of  the 
rc])resentative  merchants  of  the  city,  carrying  on  business  along  i)rogressive 
lines  and  enjoying  a  liberal  ])atronagc.  which  he  well  merits  bv  reason  of  his 
determined  and  honorable  effort. 

■In  1873  Mr.  Henning  married  Mrs.  Harriet  Jones,  who  had  two  children 
by  her  former  marriage:  Clara  Etta,  now  the  wife  of  Dr.  C.  !•'.  Sloat,  of 
San  I'Vancisco;  and  Hattie  Priscilla.  who  died  in  1876.  in  the  sixth  vear  of 
her  age.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henning  have  had  five  children,  all  of  whom  it  has 
been  their  great  misfortune  to  lose  by  death.  This  worthy  couple  .ire  valued 
members  of  the  l-'iHscopal  church,  and  in  the  Masonic  order  he  is  a  very  emi- 
nent brother,  being  a  past  master  of  Escurial  Eodge  \'o.  7.  and  secretary  of 
said   lodge  at   the   present   writing.      This  office   iie  has   filled    for   the  past 


A    IIISIOIO'   Ol'    XI'A'ADA.  .575 

fourteen  _\cars.  I  le  is  also  ;i  jiast  sjnind  master,  past  ,i;raii(l  jiatriareli  ami  [last 
grand  representatixc  nf  the  ln(lei)en(lent  Oder  of  Odd  I-'ellows  of  Nevada. 
He  is  tlioroui^id)-  posted  in  tlie  usaj^cs  and  tenets  of  these  two  .greatest  of  all 
the  secret  societies,  and  is  li\in,g  the  upright  and  honorahle  life  which  they 
ad\ocate,  while  as  a  working  nieniher  of  Ixith  he  is  highly  esteemed.  Start- 
ing out  in  life  wlien  hut  fourteen  years  of  age  and  dependent  ujjon  his  own 
resources  since  that  time,  liis  life  has  certainly  heen  a  successful  one,  as  he 
now  stands  in  a  leading  position  among  the  ])rosperous,  inlluential  and  rejjre- 
sentati\-e  residents  of  Virginia  Citv. 


J.  .\.  1S(  )LA,  one  ol"  the  foremost  merchants  and  citizens  of  Carlin, 
Nevada,  is  a  native  of  the  famous  sod  of  Tuscany,  and  his  ancestors  resided 
under  the  Italian  sun  of  that  country  f(jr  many  generations.  Mr.  Isola  came 
to  this  country  jjoor,  friendless  and  unahle  to  speak  the  English  tongue,  and 
in  little  more  than  twenty  years  has  placed  himself  in  the  front  rank  of  the 
business  element  of  western  Elko  county.  For  this  he  has  his  enterprise, 
diligence  and  (|uick  business  instinct  to  thank,  and  these  characteristics  will 
lead  him  to  still  further  success. 

Mr.  Isola  was  born  in  Tuscan)',  December  24.  1859,  and  was  reared  and 
educated  in  the  schools  of  his  native  land.  He  was  twenty-two  }ears  old  when 
he  emigrated  to  San  Francisco  in  1881,  and,  hampered  as  he  was  by  lack 
of  knowledge  of  the  language  and  by  his  poverty,  he  was  not  long  in  getting 
work  in  a  provision  store,  for  which  he  was  paid  twenty-five  dollars  a  month 
and  board.  He  also  engaged  in  mining  to  some  extent.  When  he  came  to 
Carlin  his  first  employment  w'as  shoveling  coal  by  contract,  at  which  he  made 
fair  wages,  and  he  was  then  engaged  for  some  time  in  the  saloon  business. 
He  opened  his  general  merchandise  store  in  Carlin  in  1896,  and  his  close 
attention  to  business  and  honorable  dealings  have  brought  him  good  patron- 
age and  extended  his  trade  out  for  one  hundred  miles  from  the  town.  His 
stock  of  goods  is  first  class,  and  he  is  popular  and  genial  in  manner,  winning 
friends  and  customers  at  the  same  time.  He  owns  his  store  building,  also 
a  good  residence  and  other  town  property,  and  further  discharges  his  duties 
of  good  citizenship  by  taking  a  |)ul)lic-spirited  interest  in  all  matters  of  local 
concern.  Few  American-born  citizens  ha\e  made  a  lietter  record  than  Mr. 
Isola,  and  he  deserves  all  the  more  credit  for  the  obstacles  which  he  has 
o\-ercome  in  his  path  of  progress. 


HERMAN  LEVY.  One  of  the  most  successful  business  men  of  \'ir- 
ginia  City  is  Herman  Levy,  who  is  now  conducting  an  enterprise  of  impor- 
tance to  the  city  whose  prosperity  is  based  upon  its  commercial  activity  and 
u])on  the  effecti\'e  labors  of  its  rejjresentative  business  men.  He  is  a  native 
of  (iermany  and  was  born  on  the  loth  of  April,  1864.  He  was  educateil  in 
his  native  country  and  in  Virginia  City,  having  come  to  the  new  world  in 
his  lx)yho(xl  days.  Having  com])lete(l  his  education,  he  entered  upon  his 
business  career  as  a  salesman  in  the  dry-goods  store  belonging  to  his  uncle. 
Jacob  Morris,  and  in  his  employ  he  became  thoroughly  informed  concerning 


57n  A  HISTORY  Ol'   .\1::V.\1)A. 

all  departments  of  merchandising  botli  in  principle  and  detail.  Mr.  Morris 
had  established  the  business  in  1868  and  by  his  honorable  methods,  capable 
management  and  strong  determination  had  built  up  a  large  business,  which 
constantly  grew  in  extent  and  importance.  He  had  several  branch  stores, 
and  ranked  among  the  most  successful,  enterprising  and  prominent  merchants 
of  the  state.  In  "the  great  conflagration  which  swept  over  Virginia  City  in 
1876  his  business  was  destroyed  by  fire,  but  with  his  usual  enterprise  and 
courage  he  at  once  rebuilt  and  continued  to  engage  in  merchandising  at  this 
])lace  until  his  life's  labors  were  ended  in  death  in  the  year  1881.  He  is  sur- 
vived by  his  wife,  who  yet  retains  her  residence  in  Virginia  City,  where  she 
is  highly  esteemed  Ijy  a  large  circle  of  friends. 

Since  his  uncle's  death,  Mr.  Levy  has  conducted  the  business  in  a  most 
satisfactory  manner,  being  its  manager  since  1890.  This  is  the  oldest,  largest 
and  most  successful  dry-goods  house  in  Virginia  City,  and  as  an  honor  to  its 
founder  the  store  still  bears  his  name,  and  his  upright  and  straightforward 
metlKxls  are  still  being  carried  on.  The  store  and  its  business  is  a  monument 
to  his  industry,  integrity  and  commercial  ability.  ^Ir.  Levy  conducts  his  en- 
terprise along  progressive  lines  that  lead  to  the  continual  broadening  of  the 
scope  of  his  labors  and  to  the  enlargement  of  the  w(jrk  which  he  carries  on. 
He  has  an  extensive  and  well  selected  stock  of  gorxls.  and  his  sales  are  an- 
nually increasing. 

in  1885  Mr.  Levy  was  joined  in  wedlock  to  Miss  Carrie  Cone,  who  was 
born  in  Mokelumne  Hill.  California.  Their  home  is  now  blessed  with  the 
presence  of  three  children  :  Leo,  Paul  and  Harold.  Theirs  is  one  of  the  good 
residences  of  the  city,  and  its  hos])itality  is  enjoyed  by  their  many  friends. 
Mr.  Levy  takes  an  active  interest  in  everything  that  has  pertained  to  the  Iiene- 
fit  of  the  city,'  being  a  co-operant  factor  in  many  measures  for  the  general 
good.  He  is  a  blue  lodge  Mason,  has  also  taken  the  degrees  of  the  chapter 
and  is  the  able  and  well  posted  master  of  the  former  organization.  He  is  also 
serving  as  deputy  grand  high  priest  of  the  grand  chapter  of  Royal  .\rch 
Masons  of  Xevada.  Mr.  Levy's  actions  have  been  such  as  to  distinctively 
entitle  him  to  a  jjlace  in  this  publication,  and  although  his  career  has  not  been 
filled  with  thrilling  incidents,  probably  no  biograjjliy  iniblished  in  this  book 
can  serve  as  a  better  illustration  to  young  men  of  the  power  of  honesty  and 
integrity  in  insuring  success. 


CICORGE  H.  WEDEKIND  has  now  pa.s.sed  the  seventy-fifth  mile- 
stone on  life's  journey,  and  an  investigation  into  his  life  record  will  show 
tiiat  his  has  l)een  an  honoral)le  career,  his  attention  being  given  to  business 
affair.s  through  manv  years,  while  his  methods  in  all  trade  transactions  have 
been  honorable  and  straightforward.  Xow  he  is  enjoying  a  well-earned 
rest,  for  as  the  vears  passed  he  added  to  his  pf)sse.ssions,  and  as  tlic  result 
t.f  his  ecf)nomy  and  industry  he  now  has  a  very  desirable  competence. 

A  native  son  of  Cermany.  he  was  born  on  the  20lh  of  July,  1R28.  and  was 
educated  in  the  fatherland.  .\'ot  long  after  attaining  his  majority  he  re- 
solved to  try  his  f(jrtune  in  .\merica.  for  he  had  heard  favorable  reports  con- 
cerning business  opportunities  liere  for  .\<ning  men.     .\ccordingly  he  crossed 


GEORGE   H.   WEDEKIND. 


A    IllSroin    Ol'"  NEVADA.  577 

tliu  Atlantic  to  New  York  in  i<S5i,  and  then  by  way  of  the  Isthmus  of 
Panama  made  his  way  to  San  l""rancisco.  He  was  sent  there  by  a  piano 
firm,  his  business  lieing  to  repair  and  tune  pianos,  b^ir  about  ten  years 
lie  was  actively  engaged  in  that  h'ne  of  labor  in  San  Francisco,  after  which  he 
came  to  Reno,  Ijut  tlie  city  was  then  a  mere  hamlet  in  the  midst  of  sage 
brush  and  ofYered  but  little  inducement  to  one  in  his  line.  Consequently 
he  went  to  Virginia  City,  where  he  ])rospected  to  some  extent  and  gained 
valuable  information  concerning  mines  and  mining  operations.  He  also 
continued  in  the  piano  business  there.  In  1895  he  once  more  came  to  Reno, 
where  he  was  again  engaged  in  the  tuning  and  repairing  of  pianos,  but. 
retiring  from  that  field  of  activity,  he  turned  his  attention  to  prospecting 
and  was  fortunate  in  the  discovery  of  the  Star  mine,  now  called  the  Wede- 
kind  mine.  He  did  some  develo]>ment  work  in  connection  with  this  mine, 
took  out  ore  to  the  value  of  ten  thousand  dollars  and  then  sold  the  property 
to  Hon.  John  Sparks  for  one  luindred  and  fifty-fi\e  thousand  dollars.  Mr. 
Sparks  has  since  made  large  impro\-ements  and  the  mine  is  still  productive. 

In  i860  Mr.  Wedekind  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Lena  Willhelm. 
a  native  of  Germany,  and  they  now  ha\e  fi\e  children:  John;  Lizzie,  the  wife 
of  Charles  Layton :  Louis:  Henry:  and  Lilly,  the  wife  of  Harry  Ramsey. 
Mr.  Wedekind  owns  a  good  residence  at  the  east  end  of  Mill  street  in  Reno. 
He  had  invested  to  a  considerable  extent  in  city  property,  and  has  built  a 
number  of  houses  here  which  have  added  greatly  to  the  improvement  and 
substantial  de\elopment  of  the  city.  To  each  of  his  children  he  has  given 
a  good  sum  of  money,  and  has  also  retained  a  very  desirable  capital  to  suppl}- 
him  with  life's  comforts  during  liis  declining  years.  Many  a  thoroughly  ex- 
perienced mining  expert  has  not  done  so  well  as  Mr.  Wedekind.  and  the 
saying  that  "It  is  better  to  be  born  lucky  than  rich"  proves  good  in  his  case. 
He  has.  however,  lived  an  active  life,  in  which  he  has  worked  earnestly  and 
persistently,  and  he  well  deserves  the  success  which  has  come  tO'  him  as  the 
result  of  his  efforts.  His  friends  congratulate  him  upon  his  good  fortune, 
and  it  certainly  is  gratifying  that  he  and  his  wife  can  spend  the  evening  of  life 
amid  such  pleasant  surroundings  and  comforts  as  they  now  cnjijy  in  their 
pleasant  home  in  Reno. 


JAMES  JOHNSTON,  who  is  a  well  known  and  highly  respected  1860 
jjioneer  of  Nevada,  and  one  of  1850  in  California,  is  now  one  of  the  prominent 
farmers  of  Mason  valley.  He  w^as  1»rn  in  Ireland,  April  15,  1827,  and  is 
of  old  Scotch-Irish  ancestry,  and  was  educated  in  his  native  land.  In  1847. 
when  in  his  twentietli  year,  he  emigrated  to  the  United  States,  and  landed  in 
New  Orleans  during  the  Mexican  war.  The  discovery  of  gold  in  California 
attracted  him  to  that  state,  to  which  he  went  in  1850.  Soon  the  brave  lad. 
was  digging  for  gold  on  \^'eaver  creek,  eight  miles  below  Caloma,  and  he 
also  mined  at  Smith  Fork,  at  Si)anish  Bar.  Like  many  others  he  took  out 
a  large  cpiantity  of  gold,  sometimes  one  hundred  dollars  in  a  day,  but  spent  it 
as  freely,  and  finally  in  i860  he  followed  the  crowds  pouring  into  Virginia  City, 
Nevada,  and  was  active  in  building  the  Rockey  Point  cpiartz  mill.  Later  he 
went  to  Fort  Churchill,  and  in  the  Carson  \-aliey  he  purchased  a  ranch  upon 


578  A  HISTORY  OF  \E\^\DA. 

which  he  resided  fur  nine  years'.  He  then  snld  liis  jjunperl}-  and  li'cated  in 
^[ason  valley,  where  he  took  up  two  humh'cd  and  forty  acres  of  land  which 
he  has  made  into  one  of  the  finest  farms  in  this  portion  of  the  state.  ni)on 
which  he  has  built  an  excellent  lirick  house. 

In  i860  Mr.  Johnston  was  married  to  iMiss  Elizabeth  Roarke,  a  native 
of  Ireland.  They  have  six  children,  namely:  Annie.  Mrs.  Jacob  Hofheins, 
of  Mason  valley;  Charles,  with  his  father:  Ida,  Mrs.  John  B.  Galligher;  An- 
drew, with  his  father:  Tilary,  Mrs.  Charles  Galligher:  Christina.  ]\Irs.  John- 
ston died  in  igoi.  having  been  a  faithful  wife  anil  mother.  ]\lr.  Johnston 
has  sixteen  grandchildren,  and  six  great-grandchildren,  and  is  \ery  proud 
of  them  all.  He  was  reared  in  the  faith  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  Fra- 
ternally he  is  a  Mason.  He  has  alwavs  lieen  a  Democrat,  but  has  never  sought 
or  accepted  oflice.  Throughout  the  entire  state  INIr.  Johnston  has  many 
friends,  by  whom  he  is  \er}  highl}-  respected  for  his  many  excellent  traits  of 
character. 


HUGH  AUSTIX  SMITH,  for  nearly  forty  years  a  resident  of  Nevada, 
for  over  twenty  years  of  the  city  of  Reno,  and  one  of  the  prosperous  mer- 
chants and  prominent  citizens,  has  had  an  interesting  and  varied  career  from 
the  time  he  was  seventeen  years  oUl.  He  is  the  son  of  Charles  Heston  and 
Sarah  Smith,  who  removed  from  Illinois  to  Iowa  in  1840,  where  the  former 
was  a  worthy  and  res])ected  farmer,  and  where  he  died  in  1859.  His  wile 
survived  him  thirty  years,  and  both  are  buried  in  Agency,  Iowa.  They  were 
members  of  the  Methodist  church.  Se\'en  of  their  eleven  children  are  still 
li\  ing. 

Hugh  Austin  Smith,  the  onh-  one  of  the  family  in  Xev.ada,  was  I)orn 
in  .\gency  city.  Iowa,  January  27,  1847,  ^"'^  remained  at  home,  obtaining 
fair  educational  advantages  and  otherwise  empkning  his  youthful  dax's,  until 
he  was  seventeen  years  old,  when  he  was  offered  a  chance  to  cross  the  plains 
to  California  and  accepted.  A  company  was  going  to  take  a  large  number 
of  horses  to  the  coast,  and  young  Smith  was  allowed  to  accompany  tbcm  for 
tl'ie  serx'ices  he  would  render  in  caring  for  the  animals.  They  were  three 
months  and  nineteei  days  in  making  the  journey,  and  he  enjoyed  its  varied 
exjjeriences  and  hardships  with  all  the  enthusiasm  of  }du(li.  Tbey  came 
through  Virginia  City  and  on  to  Truckee  ])lains,  and  in  the'same  year  (  1864) 
Mr.  Smith  located  in  Virginia  City,  his  first  employment  being  the  hauling 
of  hay  with  oxen  from  Sierra  valley,  California,  to  Virginia  C^ty.  Dining 
the  two  years  that  he  was  thus  engaged  he  received  seventy-five  dollars  a 
month  and  board,  and  for  the  greater  ])art  of  the  time  camped  out  of  doors. 
He  clerked  in  a  hotel  in  Summit,  Plumas  county,  for  a  while,  and  also  got  his 
first  experience  in  merchandising  by  clerking  in  a  store  at  the  same  place.  He 
went  to  Idaho  in  1880  and  was  employed  for  the  next  two  years  as  clerk  in 
the  commissary  store  f>f  the  Oregon  Short  Line  Railroad.  He  then  came  to 
Reno  and  during  the  winter  of  1882-3  worked  for  the  firm  of  Manning  and 
Pierry.  who  sold  their  business  to  W.  O.  II.  Martin.  Mr.  Smith  remained 
with  him  for  eighteen  years  as  clerk.  In  January,  1901,  Mr.  Smith  oi)encd 
his  own  grocery  and  produce  store  in  Reno,  carrying  a  large  stock  of  choice 


.\    IIISroRV   Ol'    XIWADA.  a7H 

groceries,  and  in  llio  past  llirec  \ears  has  succecilcd.  \)y  his  cxccllciil  husincss 
methods  and  liis  populai'  and  winning  ways,  in  l)nil(hng  up  a  good  trade,  most 
of  it  on  a  cash  hasis. 

In  1878  Mr.  Snnlh  manied  Miss  Maggie  Crawtdrd.  a  nalne  of  ( ilas- 
govv.  Scotland.  They  had  four  sons  and  a  daughter,  and  three  of  the  sons 
are  living:  James,  liorn  in  California;  Allison  Clarence  and  Echo  in  Reno. 
Mrs.  Smith  is  a  member  of  the  Seven-Day  Adventist  church.  Mr.  Smith 
has  always  been  a  Democrat,  ])ut  has  never  sought  or  held  office.  He  has 
a  good  residence  in  Reno,  and  also  owns  residence  property  which  he  rents. 
His  long  e.xperience  ni  merchandising  has  made  him  highly  deserving  of  die 
success  he  lias  gained,  and  he  is  always  considered  among  Reno's  representa- 
tive and  public-spirited  business  men. 


JAMES  RL'TLEDCE.  for  the  past  eight  years  justice  of  the  peace  of 
the  town  of  Carlin,  Xe\ada,  lias  been  one  of  the  honored  residents  of  the 
town  for  a  quarter  of  a  century.  He  has  alread)-  passed  three-score  and  ten 
milestones  on  the  road  of  life,  and  his  career  has  been  full  of  dignity  and 
lK)nest  work.  Since  taking  up  his  home  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic  he  has 
readily  adapted  himself  to  the  conditions  of  the  American  democracy,  and 
has  assumed  its  pri\'ileges  and  discharged  its  duties  with  the  spirit  of  his  race. 
His  has  been  a  successful  life  in  both  domestic  and  business  relations,  and  he 
is  full)-  deserving"  of  the  respect  which  his  fellow  citizens  of  Edko  count\-  fee! 
for  him. 

Mr.  Rutledge  was  born  in  the  townland  of  Cre\y.  parish  of  LisacuU. 
county  of  Roscommon,  ]iro\ince  of  C(jnnaugiit,  kingdom  of  Ireland,  in  1829. 
He  w^as  reared  and  educated  there,  and  li\ed  there  almost  forty  years  of  his 
life.  In  April.  1868,  he  arrived  in  the  L'nited  States,  and  for  .some  time 
worked  at  whatever  he  could  find  in  Boston.  He  was  in  flifferent  parts  of  the 
country,  but  in  1877  he  came  to  Carlin.  Nevada,  where  be  was  soon  gi\en 
the  positicMi  of  section  foreman  for  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad  Company. 
This  was  his  principal  occupation  for  the  following  fourteen  )ears,  and  he  was 
very  successful  in  this  as  in  other  ventures.  In  1896  he  was  elected  I'ustice 
of  the  peace  of  Carlin.  and  has  received  tiie  re-election  ever^•  succeeding  }'ear. 
His  judgment  has  been  reversed  by  a  higher  court  but  once,  and  his  con- 
scientious and  well  considered  decisions  inspire  confidence  in  litigants  to  a 
degree  seldom  found  in  justice  courts.  He  desotes  his  best  efforts  to  the 
duties  of  this  office,  and  his  ripe  intelligence  and  seasoned  judgment  make  him 
honored  on  all  sides.  He  has  a  pleasant  home  in  Carlin,  and  is  also  engaged 
in  stock-raising  at  Hot  Springs. 

Judge  Rutledge  was  married  in  1874  to  Miss  Bridget  Mulrenan,  who 
was  born  in  his  native  town  in  Ireland,  and  their  union  has  been  blessed  with 
eight  children,  se\en  of  whom  are  living:  W^iliiam  and  Thonias  were  born 
in  Utah,  and  the  former  is  a  mining  Iilacksmitb  at  Cortez;  Edward,  Mar\-. 
John,  Margaret  and  James  were  born  in  Nevada :  Mary  has  lieen  assistant 
])ostmistress  in  Carlin,  John  is  a  carjjenter  at  Reno,  and  the  others  are  at  home 
with   their  ])arents.     The   family  are  all   members  of   the   Roman    Catholic 


5S(i  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

church,  and  in  their  sucial  and  ilnniestic  rclatiims  arc  a  liappy.  inchistrious 
and  esteemed  circle,  eiijdxin.s;  many  friends  and  perfcirmins"  well  their  share 
of  life's  duties. 

CH.-VRLES  BUCKLE,  a  successful  general  merchant  of  CarHn,  Nevada, 
has  been  doing  business  in  this  place  for  twenty-five  years,  being  one  of  the 
old  citizens.  He  came  here  with  little  capital,  his  princii)al  dependence  l>eing 
his  trade,  and  bv  his  industry,  attention  to  business,  honorable  de:ilings  and 
courteous  ami  genial  manners  has  advanced  to  the  front  rank  of  Inisiness  men 
of  western  Elko  county. 

Mr.  Buckle  was  born  in  the  city  of  Bristol.  England,  l)ecem1)er  22.  1852, 
of  Old  English  ancestry.  His  father  was  killed  in  a  mine  a  short  time  after 
the  birth  of  Charles,  and  his  mother  died  in  iSi)0-  He  is  one  of  two  living 
children,  and  the  only  one  in  Nevada.  He  came  to  America  in  Ajiril,  1867, 
in  search  of  better  opportunities  for  making  a  Hving.  He  had  mastered  the 
shoemaker's  trade,  and  for  the  first  few  months  was  in  Palisade,  Nevada, 
\vhence  he  came  to  Carlin.  He  opened  up  sliop  with  a  small  stock  of  boots 
and  shoes,  and  also  worked  on  tlie  bench  making  shoes.  He  was  attentive  to 
Inisiness  and  did  satisfactory  work,  so  that  it  was  only  a  cpiestion  of  time 
when  he  was  prosperous  enough  to  enlarge  bis  enterjjrise.  In  1887  he  opened 
his  general  merchandise  store,  and  also  continued  to  carry  a  large  line  of  shoes. 
His  store  is  now  fifty  liy  one  hundred  feet,  and  he  also  has  half  of  another 
bkjck.  He  has  done  well,  and  his  patronage  comes  from  everv  direction  about 
Cru'lin. 

Mr.  Buckle  was  married  in  his  native  city  of  Bristol  to  ]\liss  Lena  Car- 
now,  also  a  native  of  England.  They  have  had  five  children,  and  three  are 
living:  Madeline  is  the  wife  of  James  Keckler,  of  Reno;  Sarah  .Ann  is  the 
wife  of  Joseph  Knowles,  of  Winnemucca;  and  Samuel  Albert  is  the  only 
luing  son.  Mr.  Buckle  subscribes  to  the  jirinciples  of  the  Re]niblican  partw 
but  business  aft'airs  engross  his  time  too  much  for  him  to  take  further  interest 
in  politics.  He  was  reared  in  the  Methodist  church,  but  he  and  his  wife  are 
now  members  of  the  Episcopal  church. 

liO.X.  .\X(iL'.S  Mcl^l'X)!).  a  represeiitati\e  Nc\ada  pioneer  of  1857, 
is  one  of  the  oldest  in  the  state,  and  he  .settled  in  his  pre.sent  locality  in  Mason 
valley  in  1862.  He  was  born  in  .Arkansas  in  iS^T),  and  on  the  iiaternal  side 
is  of  Scotch  ancestry,  while  on  the  maternal  side  he  comes  of  Dutch  stock  as 
well  as  ICnglish.  His  father  was  reared  in  North  Carolina,  later  removed  to 
Tennes.see,  where  he  married  ,\nn  Sawyer,  a  native  of  Tennessee.  He  served 
a  year  in  the  United  .States  regulars,  assisting  in  nio\  ing  Indians  out  of  the 
territory,  and  was  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Ark.ansas,  where  he  died  in 
1848,  aged  forty-eight  years.  His  wife  survived  him  onlv  a  few  vears  and 
died  aged  fifty-six  years.  Eight  children  were  born  to  them,  of  whom  .Angus 
McLeod  is  the  only  .survivor. 

Mr.  A'IcLcod  was  reared  ti>  manhood  in  Ai'kansas  on  his  fatliei^'s  farm. 
In  1857  he  crossed  the  plains  to  California  and  made  his  first  stop  in  Mariposa 
'■tiunty,  where  he  engaged  in  mining.     That  winter  he  went  on  to  Calaveras 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  581 

cnunty.  uliere  lie  wnrked  two  seasons  on  a  farm,  and  llien  came  ti)  the  tcrri- 
tor_\-  of  Ne\;Kla  and  took  a  dro\'e  of  cattle  back  to  California.  In  the  fall  ol 
1859  he  removed  to  Carson  valley,  Nevada,  and  for  seven  months  was  em- 
ployed in  freii^iitin.i;  from  .Sacramento  and  l'V)lsom,  Carson,  Virginia  City 
and  Washoe  \alley,  Ijeinj;  jiaid  from  four  and  a  quarter  to  eight  cents  per 
pound.  Owning  several  teams  and  being  largely  jjatronized,  he  made  money, 
and  he  tinally  settled  in  Carson  City  and  clerked  for  Moses  Job  until  the 
following  s]iring.  This  time  he  owned  four  iiig  teams  and  freighted  across 
the  mountains  until  iS()i,  and  in  iSdj  he  located  on  his  present  farm,  on 
which  he  "s(|natted."'  He  located  three  (|uarter-sectiuns  and  now  has  nine 
hundred  and  twenty  acres,  all  of  which  he  has  redeemed  from  the  wildernes.s. 
Tu  i86_^  he  hired  men  and  took  his  teams  to  Aurora  and  engaged  in  hauling 
lumber  from  the  sawmills  to  the  new  town  of  Am-ora,  but  by  the  foll(->wing 
season  he  returned  to  his  ranch  and  de\(ited  himself  to  improving  his  jjroijerty. 
He  has  been  engaged  in  stock-raising  l\)r  a  numl)er  of  years.  All  his  life 
he  has  been  a  l)aii()crat.  was  county  treasurer  of  Esnieralila  count)-  two  terms. 
and  also  served  as  count)  comnussioner,  and  in  1870  was  elected  to  the  Ne- 
vada assembly. 

In  1877  he  married  Marx-  !•"..  i^llis,  a  nati\'e  of  Missouri,  and  the)  ha\e 
had  nine  children,  all  li\ing.  namely:  Charles  .\lexander,  with  his  father; 
Henry  S.,  at  .Sodaville,  in  the  emijloy  of  the  firm  of  Lothrop,  Davis  and  Com- 
panv,  dealers  in  general  merchandise:  Mary  C,  who  married  Bert  Hillygus, 
i>f  Mason  \alle)- ;  Angus,  Jr.:  Neil;  Mason  Ellis;  Belle;  William;  and  Daniel. 
Mr.  McLeod  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  of  long 
standing  and  has  passed  all  its  chairs.  He  is  widely  and  favorably  known  as 
an  enterprising  stockman  and  kwal  and  nublic-S])irited  citizen. 


CHARLES  D.  \\ARR1<:N.  For  a  number  of  years  Charles  D.  Warren 
was  one  of  the  prominent  and  successful  merchants  of  Virginia  City,  Nevada, 
and  since  his  death  his  widow  gained  cjuite  a  reputation  in  the  city  of  Reno  as 
a  court  reporter  and  stenographer,  having  an  office  there  and  being  held  in 
high  regard  for  her  fine  womanly  qualities  and  her  excellent  business  ability. 
Cliarles  D.  W'arren  was  born  in  Somerville,  Massachusetts,  Octolier  23, 
1853,  of  English  ancestry,  and  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  his 
native  state.  He  began  his  business  career  as  a  clerk  in  a  store,  and  first 
became  acquainted  with  Virginia  City  in  the  fall  of  1875,  when  it  was  a  rust- 
ling and  very  prosperous  mining  town.  He  engaged  in  the  meat  market  busi- 
ness, with  excellent  success,  owning  the  property  in  w  hicli  the  market  was 
located  as  well  as  his  nice  resilience.  He  was  regarded  as  one  of  the  leading 
Itusiness  men  of  the  city  at  the  time  of  his' death,  wdiich  occurred  Mav  12, 
78r)i.  Icing  before  he  had  reached  the  full  realization  of  his  powers.  He  had 
been  prominent  in  the  Masonic  and  Odd  Fellow  fraternities,  being  deputy 
grand  master  of  the  state  in  the  latter,  and  both  bo<lies  ]iarticiiiated  in  the 
inu-ial  services  at  Virginia  City. 

In  1887  Mr.  Warren  married  Miss  Anna  Mudd,  who  was  born  in  Pilot 
Hill,  l~.ldorado  county,  California,  and  was  the  daughter  of  George  B.  ami 
\\'ilhelmina   (Marshall)   Mudd,  tlie  latter  a  native  o"f  Scotland.     Mr.  Mudd 


5S2  A  HISTORY  Ol'    XEX'ADA. 

was  a  California  pioneer  of  1850.  and  was  one  of  tliose  who  liad  goxl  success 
in  the  mines.  He  was  killed  in  the  mines  of  Virginia  City  hy  a  fire  in  an  ad- 
joining mine.  He  left  his  widow,  three  daughters  and  a  son.  the  daughters 
lieiiig'iMrs.  \\'arren.  of  Reno;  Mrs.  Gosse.  the  wife  of  the  proprietor  of  the 
Riverside  Hotel  in  Reno :  and  Miss  Lizzie  Mudd.  in  Carson  City.  Mrs.  Aludd 
still  survives,  and  makes  her  home  at  Reud  with  Mrs.  Warren,  heing  one 
of  the  old  and  resi^ected  residents  who  came  to  the  coast  in  pioneer  days. 
Mr.  and  ]\lrs.  Warren  had  two  daughters,  Clara  and  Erma. 

After  the  death  of  her  hushand  Mrs.  Warren  learned  sliorthand  and  he- 
came  a  court  reporter.  Vnr  eight  years  she  was  in  the  office  of  W.  R.  F.  Deal, 
where  she  acquired  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  law,  and  July  29.  1899,  was 
admitted  to  practice  in  any  court  of  the  state.  She  is  still  a  stenographer  and 
typewriter  and  has  a  nice  office  in  Reud.  where  she  is  hoth  successful  and  popu- 
lar, and  her  worthy  efforts  are  much  admired.  She  has  a  nice  residence  on 
Island  a\"enue.  Slie  is  a  memher  of  the  Argenta  Chapter  of  the  Eastern 
Star  at  X'irginia  City,  and  has  passed  all  the  chairs  of  the  order;  and  is  also 
a  memher  of  the  Colfax  Rehekah  Lodge  at  Virginia  City,  and  is  secretary 
of  the  state  assemhlv.  She  Ijelongs  to  the  Episcopal  church,  and  in  every  way 
is  admired  for  her  worth  as  a  true  woman. 


\\'.  R.  CAPELL.  one  of  the  most  prominent  and  hest  known  residents 
of  Wells,  Nevada,  has  had  a  successful  career  in  the  operating  department 
of  railroad  work,  and  i)esides  occupying  a  responsihle  position  in  that  line  at 
])re.sent  is  also  engaged  in  ranching  and  stockraising.  Both  of  his  parents 
were  j)ioneers,  by  different  routes,  to  this  great  Pacific  slope  country,  and 
they  were  most  esteemed  and  worthy  people. 

His  father,  James  R.  Capell.  was  Ixirn  in  the  state  of  Virginia  in  1827. 
He  lost  his  parents  when  he  was  a  cliild,  and  but  little  is  known  of  his  an- 
cestry. He  was  reared  to  manhood  in  Alabama,  and  from  there  enlisted  and 
served  in  the  war  with  Mexico.  Lnmediately  following  this  war  and  the 
subsequent  discoverv  of  the  gold  fields  of  California,  he  set  out  by  the  southern 
route  for  the  latter  country,  and  located  in  Mariposa  county  in  1849.  He  was 
engaged  in  placer  mining  there  for  some  time,  and  then  conducted  a  ranch 
near  San  Jose,  California.  From  there  he  went  to  Oakland.  California.  He 
was  elected  councilman  at  large  for  this  city,  and  was  also  engaged  in  the 
real  estate  business  there.  He  was  a  Democrat  in  politics,  and  a  man  of 
recogm'zed  ability,  wielding  much  influence  for  law  and  order  in  that  early 
day  in  the  west.  He  married  Miss  Sarah  1*'.  Pratt,  who  was  iKirn  in  Ken- 
tucky and  crossed  the  plains  in  1850.  She  passed  through  what  was  then 
tlie  territory  of  Utah,  a  part  of  which  has  since  become  the  larger  part  of 
the  state  of  Nevada,  but  at  that  time  there  was  no  settled  population  in  this 
part  of  the  country,  and  the  region  was  looked  n]xin  as  barren  and  worthless. 
Five  children  were  liorn  to  the  marriage  of  these  pioneers,  and  two  sons  and 
two  daughters  are  still  living,  two  in  California  and  one  in  New  York. 

Mr.  W'.  R.  Cai^el!  is  the  only  one  of  the  family  in  Nevada.  He  was 
Iiorn  in  San  Jose.  California,  March  5.  1837.  and  was  educated  in  Oakland. 
He  began  his  career  by  working  four  years  in  a  pl.-uiiug  mill,  .-ind  then  cng;iged 


{  QyCcM- 


A   IllSrom-   Ol'   NEVADA.  58?> 

in  railrd.-iiliiii;.  lie  started  as  a  locuniolixe  firciium.  and  was  pi^jninted  to  cii- 
t^inccr,  and  is  miw  in  the  responsible  position  of  foreman  of  the  round- 
lionse  at  Wells.  W  liile  lueonioti\-e  engineer  he  was  in  the  Salt  Lake  division, 
lunning-  from  Carlin  to  Ogden.  In  addition  to  his  railroad  work  he  is  now  en- 
gaged in  the  cattle  and  sheep  business  with  the  O'Neal  brothers,  who  are  his 
brothers-in-law,  and  liavc  large  herds  of  sheep  and  cattle  and  some  large 
tiacts   of   land. 

Mr.  Capell  affiliates  with  the  Republican  party,  and  is  a  member  of  the 
board  of  trustees  of  the  Wells  school  district,  taking  an  active  interest  in  the 
educational  affairs  of  his  town.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity, 
and  was  made  Master  Mason  in  Winnemncca  Lodge  No.  19,  F.  &  A.  M.; 
he  also  lielongs  to  the  Order  of  Locomotive  Engineers.  In  1891  Mr.  Capell 
married  Miss  Mice  O'Neal,  the  daughter  of  Richard  C.  O'Neal,  an  early  settler 
of  Xe\ada.  They  have  two  sons,  James  and  William.  The  family  reside  in 
one  of  the  best  homes  in  Wells,  and  on  the  ranch  tliere  are  three  dwellings, 
in  one  of  winch  they  spend  each  summer.  Mrs.  Capell  is  a  devout  member 
cif  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  and  is  a  la(h-  nf  most  agreeable  manners  and 
lias  man\-  friends. 


COL.  FREDERICK  C.  LORD,  of  Virginia  City,  came  to  Nevada  in 
May,  1866,  and  has  since  been  one  of  the  most  favorably  known  citizens  of 
the  state.  In  every  relation  of  life  in  wdiich  he  has  been  found  he  has  made 
for  himself  a  cre(;litable  record,  and  to-day  he  enjoys  the  unciualified  regard 
and  confidence  of  his  fellow  men. 

Colonel  Frederick  Chapin  Lord  is  a  native  of  the  state  of  Connecticut,  his 
liiith  having  occurred  in  Wallingford  on  the  9th  of  October,  1837.  He  comes 
of  English  lineage,  his  ancestors  having  settled  in  New  England  in  the  year 
1636.  Representatives  of  the  name  were  ])articipants  in  all  of  the  imjjortant 
e\'ents  which  formed  the  earh-  histor\-  of  that  section  of  the  country,  and 
also  took  part  in  the  Indian  wars,  the  war  of  the  rebellion,  the  war  of  1812 
and  the  war  with  Mexico. 

hrederick  Lnrd,  the  father  of  the  Colnncl.  was  burn  in  I'^ast  Windsor, 
Connecticut,  in  1778,  and  after  arriving  at  years  of  maturitx'  married  Miss 
b'-lizabeth  Allen,  nf  New  England  ancestry  ec(ually  as  ])rominent  in  the  history 
of  Connecticut  as  his  own.  He  died  in  1867,  and  bis  wdfe  passed  away  in 
1899,  at  the  age  of  eight}'-nine  years.  They  were  both  members  of  the  Epis- 
copal church  and  were  worthy  peo]ile,  whose  sterling  traits  of  character  en- 
deared them  to  a  large  circle  of  friends.  They  had  four  children,  two  sons 
and  two  daughters,  and  both  the  sons,  with  the  blmxl  of  the  Rex'olutionary 
forefathers  flowing  ni  their  veins,  ga\e  tbeir  services  to  the  countrv  as  defend- 
ers of  the  Lhiion  for  the  Civil  war.  Henry  C.  Lord,  the  brother  of  the  Col- 
onel, enlisted  in  the  I'ifteenth  Regiment  of  Connecticut  Volunteers  and  died 
in^the  army  of  yellow  fe\-er  in  the  eighteenth  year  of  his  age.  The  sur\-iving 
sister  is  Mrs.  C.  F.  Lander,  a  resident  of  Connecticut. 

Colonel  Lord  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  his  nati\e  town,  and 
in  response  to  President  Lincoln's  first  call  for  troops  to  put  down  the  re- 
bellion in  its  incipiency  he  enlisted  on  the  18th  day  of  .April,  1861,  five  days 


584  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

heinve.  General  Roliert  E.  Lee  resigned  his  commission  in  tlie  United  States 
army.  He  became  a  member  of  Company  D,  First  Connecticnt  Volunteer 
infantry,  and  afterward  served  in  the  Harris  Light  Cavalry,  the  Thirteenth 
and  Third  Provisional  Cavalry  Regiments  of  New  York.  Three  years  of 
iiis  service  was  in  that  celebrated  raiding  regiment,  the  Harris  Light  Cavalry, 
a  regiment  credited  with  one  hundred  and  eighty-five  engagements,  and  they 
lost  nine  hundred  and  twenty-eight,  dead  and  wounded,  out  of  the  whole  num- 
l)er  of  two  thousand,  eight  hundred  and  thirty-seven  men.  And  it  is  listed  in 
Colonel  Fox"s  roster  of  regimental  losses  as  one  of  the  six  cavalry  regiments 
that  gained  the  distinction  of  being  called  the  fighting  regiments. 

Colonel  Lord  served  successively  as  a  private,  sergeant,  first  sergeant, 
.sergeant  major,  second  lieutenant,  first  lieutenant  and  captain.  He  won  the 
second  lieutenancy  at  a  ponit  twenty-five  miles  south  of  Fredericksburg  on  the 
5th  of  July,  1862.  The  officer  in  command  was  disabled  in  the  first  charge, 
and  .Sergeant  Lord,  lieing  next  in  rank,  took  command  and  brought  the  com- 
bat in  a  successful  termination,  routing  the  enemy  and  capturing  a  number 
of  prisoners.  He  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  captain  after  the  desperate 
c-ivalrv  engagement  at  Aldie  on  the  17th  of  June,  1863.  His  platoon  being 
in  advance,  he  was  ordered  to  charge,  and  his  troops  remained  and  guarded 
the  town  against  a  superior  force,  securing  a  strong  position  and  holding  it 
against  repeated  assaults,  until  General  Kilpatrick  was  alile  to  bring  up  his 
brigade.  The  first  squadron  coming  to  the  support  of  Lieutenant  Lord  lost 
its  five  officers,  and  several  of  its  men  were  killed  and  wounded  in  reaching 
the  position.  Colonel  Lord's  service  in  the  Union  army  was  continuous  from 
the  i8th  of  April,  1861,  until  the  2d  of  October.  1865.  with  the  exception 
of  a  brief  period  of  fourteen  days  which  was  granted  to  him  as  a  furlough 
;ifter  his  re-enlistment.  His  record  is  scarcely  equaled  by  that  of  any  volun- 
teer in  t!ie  Civil  war.  He  was  in  thirty-three  hard-fought  engagements,  yet 
he  escaped  with  onh-  one  wound.  In  a  cavalry  charge  in  a  close  combat  a 
pistol  was  pointed  at  his  head,  but  before  it  could  be  discharged  he  had  thrust 
it  aside  with  his  hand,  and  in  so  doing  he  was  shot  through  the  hand,  the 
wound  leaving  a  great  scar. 

In  May.  1866,  just  seven  months  after  receiving  an  honorable  discharge 
from  the  Union  army.  Colonel  Lord  arri\-ed  in  Virginia  City,  having  made 
the  journey  by  way  of  the  Nicaragua  route.  He  was  at  first  employed  in  a 
quartz  mill,  and  while  thus  engaged  was  appointed  to  a  position  in  the  revenue 
service,  in  which  capacity  he  remained,  discharging  his  duties  in  a  most  cap- 
able manner  for  eighteen  years.  He  was  first  assistant  assessor,  later  dqjuty 
assessor  and  then  assessor,  and  subscf|ucntl\-  collector.  In  1896  he  was  elected 
a  member  of  the  state  senate  and  re-elected  in  lyoj,  so  ;it  this  writing,  in 
1903,  he  is  now  the  rej^resentative  from  his  district  in  the  upper  house  of  the 
state  legislat\u"e.  During  the  Spanish-. \merican  war  he  was  api)ointcd  pav- 
master  of  United  States  volunteers  and  filled  that  position  at  San  Francisco 
until  after  the  close  of  hostilities.  His  superior  officers  in  their  official  re- 
ports accorded  him  with  the  highest  tributes  of  energy,  industry,  promptnes.s, 
economy,  intelligence  and  integrity  in  the  ])erformanco  of  his  duties,  his  ac- 
counts being  in  excellent  shajie  and  entirely  accurate. 

Since  coming  to  Xcvada  Colonel  Lord  h;is  trd<en  ;in  actixc  interest  in  the 


A  TTISTORV  n\'  NF.VADA.  58.^ 

slate  niililia.  lie  ei  immamled  the  liatlery  fur  ("ive  years,  was  cnloiiel  of  the 
old  regiment,  and  on  its  re-organization  in  1892  lie  was  again  eleeted  to  that 
ofiiee,  and  was  in  command  of  both  state  encamjMnents  held  at  the  state  cap- 
ital, lie  was  also  a  member  of  the  rifle  team  in  its  contests  with  the  Cali- 
fornia militia  in  1883  and  1884,  at  which  time  the  records  of  the  Nevada 
team  excelled  all  previons  records  made  in  the  United  States.  This  was 
certainly  very  gratifying  to  Colonel  Lord  and  other  members  of  the  team, 
and  of  their  work  they  have  every  reason  to  be  proud.  Colonel  Lord  was 
also  a  very  active  member  of  the  Republican  party  in  former  years,  and  was 
secretary  of  the  Repuljlican  state  central  committee  for  twelve  years,  render- 
ing his  party  a  valuable  service  in  that  capacity.  lUit  when  the  party  re- 
pudiated its  position  on  bimetallism  he  loelieved  it  to  be  a  great  injustice  to 
his  state  and  to  the  people  of  the  entire  United  States.  He  then  attended 
the  meeting  calleil  to  organize  the  silver  part)-,  was  elected  its  chairman  and 
was  also  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  silxer  and  fusion  movements  which  car- 
ried the  state  of  Nevada  for  William  Jennings  Dr^-an  and  elected  the  Ne\;i(la 
state  officers. 

During  the  past  twenty-six  years  Cokinel  Lord  has  been  agent  of  the 
Giant  Powder  Company,  and  has  .sold  a  large  amount  of  the  giant  ix>wder 
used  by  mining  companies  in  Virginia  Cit\'  an<l  other  mines  in  this  jxirtion 
of  the  state.  At  the  present  time  he  is  timekeeper  for  the  Consohdated  Cali- 
fornia &  Virginia  Mining  Companx'. 

In  1872  was  celelirated  the  marriage  of  Colonel  Lord  and  Miss  Bella 
']'.  Fulsom,  a  native  of  the  state  of  Maine.  Their  union  was  blessed  with  two 
daughters:  Fredericka  C,  now  the  wife  of  Otto  1".  Williams,  of  Elko,  Ne- 
vada, who  is  a  successful  attorney  at  that  place ;  and  Flora,  who  is  now  the 
wife  of  W.  E.  Hansan,  a  druggist  of  Oakland,  California,  .\fter  some  years 
of  happy  married  life  Mrs.  Lord  died,  leaving  to  the  Colonel  the  care  of  his 
two  daughters.  In  1895  he  was  again  married,  his  second  union  being  with 
Miss  Alice  O.  Nye,  a  daughter  of  Emanuel  Nye,  a  California  pioneer  ot 
prominence.  Mrs.  Lord  is  a  lady  of  superior  culture  and  natural  relinement, 
and  is  a  valued  member  of  the  Episcopal  church. 

The  Colonel  is  a  member  of  the  Lo}-al  Legion,  his  certihcatc  for  admis- 
sion to  that  order  having  been  signed  liy  (ieneral  Phil  Sheridan.  He  is  also 
a  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  and  the  Cavalry  Corps  of  the 
Potomac  and  of  the  Harris  Light  Cavalry  Regiment  Association.  He  like- 
wise has  the  honor  of  being  a  member  of  the  Spanish-American  War  Veterans' 
Association.  He  was  made  a  Mason  in  New  York  city,  and  retains  his  mem- 
bership with  the  blue  lodge  and  chapter,  and  is  also  a  Knight  Templar,  be- 
longing to  De\\'itt  Clinton  Commandery  No.  i.  Colonel  Lord  has  made  for 
himself  a  record  as  a  soldier,  public  officer  and  civilian  that  welT  merits  the 
high  commendation  of  all,  and  he  justly  enjoys  the  go(-)d  will,  C(^nfidence  and 
friendship  of  a  very  large  circle  of  acquaintances. 


CH.VRLES  SNYDER,  one  of  the  iMnminent  pioneers  of  Nevada,  ha\ing 
come  to  the  state  in  i860,  is  also  a  successful  farmer  of  Mason  valley.  He  is 
a  nati\-e  of  New  ^'ork,  born  there  h'ebruary  i-2,  1822,  coming  of  German  and 


586  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Xew  England  ancestry.  His  fatlier,  John  Snyder,  was  lunn  in  ("lermany,  1nit 
emigrated  to  America  wlien  a  young  man,  settling  in  Xew  York,  and  l^ecame 
a  farmer.  There  lie  died,  aged  sixty  years.  He  married  and  reared  a  family 
of  eight  children,  all  of  whom  hut  one  are  living.  His  wife  attained  to  a 
ripe  old  age. 

Charles  Snyder  was  reared  upon  his  father's  farm  and  educated  in  his 
native  place.  In  1852  he  went  to  California  to  dig  for  gold,  and  mined 
in  Nevada  county,  making  a  few  hundred  dollars  in  (irass  Valley  and  at 
Downieville.  He  then  prospected  in  the  mountains.  His  largest  piece  of 
gold  was  worth  about  fifty  dollars.  In  i860  he  settled  in  Carson  valley 
and  worked  by  the  day  for  a  year,  when  he  went  to  Virginia  City  tluring  the 
mining  excitement.  I-"rom  there  he  came  on  to  Aurora  ;md  built  a  sawmill 
on  the  I'uckeve  and  operated  it  for  four  years  until  the  town  began  to  run 
behind.  While  he  was  there  he  furnished  nearly  all  the  lumber  used  in  build- 
ing the  place.  In  1865  he  made  his  way  to  Alason  valley,  purchased  one 
hundred  and  si.xty  acres  of  laud  which  was  partly  improved,  and  has  en- 
joyed working  upon  it  e\er  since.  To  it  he  has  added  from  time  to  time, 
and  now  owns  seven  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  He  also  has  four  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  in  another  piece,  all  of  it  being  rich  farming  land.  Mr. 
Snyder  raises  good  horses,  cattle  and  other  stock.  His  horses  are  the  English 
coach,  while  the  stock  are  Durham.  He  has  sold  one  thousand  tons  of  alfalfa 
hav  in  a  single  season,  and  earlier  in  his  career  he  has  driven  a  herd  of 
cattle  to  Oregon  and  received  thirty-five  thousand  dollars  for  them.  In  all 
of  his  undertakings  he  has  greatly  prospered,  and  is  recognized  as  a  good 
farmer,  capable  business  man  and  successful  stockman. 

In  1866  Mr.  Snyder  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Loftus,  and  they  have 
had  li\e  children,  of  whom  three  are  living:  John,  a  farmer  residing  near 
his  father:  Eizzie,  who  married  Charles  Hyronomus,  a  resident  of  Yerington; 
Jeremiah,  in  San  hrancisco:  Emily  married  Orin  Whiting  and  died  leaving 
one  child,  Charles,  who  is  being  reared  by  his  grandfather,  and  is  a  very 
bright,   iiUelligent  little   fellnw. 

Mr.  Snyder  has  been  a  lifc-lnng  Uepublicaii,  but  has  ne\cr  snught  or 
desired  otiice.  While  he  has  nc\ci'  joined  anv  societv,  he  is  very  liberal  in 
his  supixirt  of  the  chrirches  and  all  worthy  enterprises.  The  Colden  Rule 
gives  him  his  standard  of  action,  and  following  its  teachings  he  has  gained 
mail}'  friends  and  fnniK-  established  himself  in  the  coiilideiice  of  the  com- 
munity. 

I).  .\.  D.VWSON  is  a  native  son  of  the  .state  of  Nevada,  and  his  ex- 
cellent record  as  ]irivate  citizen  and  public  servant  has  been  rewarded  by  his 
present  position  as  postmaster  of  Reno,  of  which  town  he  is  one  of  the  popu- 
lar residents,  both  on  account  of  his  own  worth  and  also  for  the  fad  that 
his  father  was  connected  with  Reno  almost  from  its  incei)linn. 

.\.  Dawson,  his  father,  was  born  in  Franklin  county,  Xew  ^'ork,  Sep- 
tember 14,  1851.  lie  came  to  Nevada  in  his  youth  ;ind  was  connected  with 
its  growtii  and  prosperity  from  that  time  till  his  death,  which  occurred  on 
the  14th  of  Sejitember.  1896.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
aiifl  the  .\ncient  Order  of  L'nited  \\'orkmen   fraternities,  and  in  politics  was 


A    IIISTOm'  Ol"   XFA'ADA.  587 

a  Rcpuhlican.  One  (langhlcr  and  one  sun  siii"\i\e  him,  llic  fnrnier  heing  Mrs. 
|(ihn  Slia\er.  of  Reno. 

L).  A.  Dawson  was  horn  in  l\eno,  Xo\enil)ci'  9.  iSj(k  I  lis  ancestral 
stock  is  Scotcli.  He  was  educated  in  the  puhlic  schools  at  Reno  and  in  the 
Nevada  State  Uni\'ersitv,  and  as  so(rn  as  he  left  school  became  connected  with 
the  Reno  postoftice  as  a  clerk.  Mis  faithful  continuance  in  that  position  for 
seven  years  and  the  capable  discharge  of  his  duties  were  rewarded  on  A])ril 
29,  1902,  when  he  was  a]ii)ointed  postmaster  by  petition  of  his  fellow  citizens 
and  Ijy  approval  of  President  I^oose\-elt.  The  business  of  the  office  is  con- 
stantly increasing',  and  his  administration  has  in  ex'er)-  wa\-  been  satisfactory 
to  the  patrons. 

Mr.  Dawson  has  always  been,  it  is  needless  to  say,  a  stanch  Republican, 
and  a  bright  pulilic  career  seems  open  to  him.  Fraternally  he  is  a  nicmbcr 
of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  of  Reno  Lodge  No.   13.  h'.  &  A.  .\1. 


EUREKA  .\ND  P.vLlS.VDK  RAILW.W  COMPANY.  The  Eureka 
&  Palisade  Railway,  narrow  gauge,  runs  from  Palisade  to  T'"ureka,  a  distance 
of  eighty-four  miles.  The  road  was  organized  as  the  Eureka  &  Palisade  Rail- 
road Company  on  No\ember  19,  1873.  The  first  section  of  twenty  miles  was 
built  to  Lodi  (near  what  is  now  known  as  Hay  Ranch  Station),  where  the 
terminal  remained  for  several  months.  Erom  Lodi.  the  road  was  pushed  on 
to  Alpha,  twenty-five  miles  farther,  where  the  terminal  was  again  made  for 
nearly  a  year;  and  it  was  not  until  November,  1S75,  that  it  was  completed 
through  to  Eureka. 

On  June  13,  1900,  the  road  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  a  receiver  by  the 
United  States  circuit  court  of  Nevada.  It  was  sold  at  receiver's  sale  July 
17,  1901,  and  reorganized  as  the  Eureka  &  Palisade  Railway  Company,  the 
new  company  commencing  to  operate  same  on  Feliruary  i,  1902.  The  officers 
are:  M.  L.  Requa,  president,  and  G.  D.  Abbott,  secretary,  treasurer  and  super- 
intendent. The  bcjard  of  directors  are  M.  L.  Requa,  H.  H.  Tavlor,  II.  M.  J. 
McMichael,  all  of  San  Erancisco,  and  Charles  Read  and  C'.  L.  Rood,  of  Salt 
Lake  City. 

The  rolling"  stock  equipment  consists  of  four  locomotives,  four  passen- 
ger cars,  one  baggage  car,  twenty-one  bo.\  cars,  forty-se\'en  flat  cars,  sixteen 
stock  cars,  eight  coal  cars  and  one  caboose. 

The  principal  traffic  of  the  road  consists  of  the  shipment  of  ores  from 
the  mines  in  the  Eureka,  Hamilton  and  Tybo  districts  consigned  to  the  various 
smelters  of  the  country,  about  sixty  per  cent  of  its  freight  traffic  consisting 
of  such  shipments.  .About  seventy-n\-e  per  cent  of  its  total  freight  business 
originates  on  the  road,  the  balance  coming  from  connecting  carriers. 

The  superintendents  of  the  road  have  been  Philetus  Everts,  who  served 
from  its  commencement  to  Sei)temlier,  1882:  Byron  Gilman,  who  ser\-ecl 
until  January  i,  1894:  David  Colton  to  April  i,  1897,  at  which  time  G.  D. 
Abbott  was  appointed  superintendent  and  now  fills  the  position. 

Mr.  Alibott,  to  whose  executive  ability  and  management  the  road  has 
owed  its  successful  operation  f(ir  the  past  seven  years,  was  torn  in  Boston, 
IvTassacbusetts,  February  3,   1866,  and  at  the  age  of  eleven  was  brought  to 


588  A  HISTORY  OF  NE\^VDA. 

Calitiirnia.  where  he  was  reared  and  educated.  In  Octulier,  1885.  lie  liegan 
work  for  the  Central  Pacific  Kaihvay  Company  as  a  l)rakenian.  and  later 
clerked  in  the  superintendent's  ofhce  at  Oakland  Pier,  rose  to  head  clerk,  and 
onlv  left  that  ]ilace  to  accept  his  present  responsible  office. 

In  1896  Mr.  Ahhott  was  married  to  Miss  Florence  (lertrude  Brackett 
wliii  was  horn  in  San  Francisco,  California.  This  union  has  heen  hlessed  witli 
.-I  sun  and  a  daughter,  (iran\ille  P>.  and  Ruth. 


HON.  JOSEPH  R.  RYAN,  Virginia  City,  Storey  county,  Nevada, 
is  the  superintendent  of  the  Consolidated  California  and  Virginia  Mining 
Company;  also  of  the  Hale  &  Norcross  Mining  Company  and  the  Ophir  Min- 
ing Company,  while  of  the  Comstock  Pumping  Association  he  is  the  nian- 
ager.  It  will  thus  lie  seen  that  his  business  interests  are  of  considerable  im- 
portance and  extent,  and  that  his  connection  is  such  as  demands  marked 
capability,  thorough  understanding  of  the  work  and  keen  discrimination  in 
its  control. 

Mr.  Ryan  is  a  native  of  the  state  of  Massachusetts,  his  birth  having 
occurred  at  Brighton.  He  comes  of  Irish  ancestry  and  is  a  son  of  James 
T.  Ryan,  who  married  Miss  Nora  C.  Connolly.  She  was  a  native  of  the 
British  provinces  and  was  of  Irish  descent.  James  T.  Ryan  was  a  con- 
tractor and  builder,  and  was  one  of  the  first  white  men  to  enter  Humlxildt 
Bay.  California,  in  the  year  1850.  He  l)uilt  a  large  sawmill  there  and  did  an 
extensive  business  as  a  manufacturer  of  lunil)er.  He  also  became  a  member 
of  the  firm  of  Donahue,  Ryan  &  Secor,  who  built  the  United  States  monitor 
Comanche,  at  San  h'rancisco,  in  the  }'ear  1864.  He  was  prominently  identi- 
licd  with  the  earl)-  liistor)-  of  the  state  of  California,  taking  an  active  part  in 
l>ronioting  the  Ijest  interests  of  the  voung  commonwealth.  His  devotion  to 
the  public  welfaiT  stood  as  an  unquestioned  fact  in  his  career,  and  his  eff"orts 
were  of  the  most  heli)ful  and  far-reaching  nature.  He  represented  his  district, 
comprised  of  lluniboldt,  Klamath  and  Del  Norte  counties,  in  the  state  legis- 
lature in  the  \e;u's  j8()0  and  18(11,  ,ind  distinguished  himself  as  a  man 
of  un(|uestioned  loyally  to  the  general  g(X)d  as  well  as  in  su])crior  natural  and 
acquired  ability.  He  died  in  San  Francisco  in  1876,  at  the  age  of  fiftv- 
six  years,  and  thus  passed  away  one  who  had  been  long  known  and  honored 
as  one  of  the  ujibuilders  of  tlie  great  west.  His  good  wife  sur\ived  him 
and  departed  this  life  in  1902.  at  the  advanced  age  of  seventy-seven  years. 
and  her  remains  were  interred  by  the  side  of  her  husband  in  Holy  Cross 
cemetery  in  San  b'rancisco.  They  were  the  parents  of  three  sons  and  two 
ilaughters.  and  three  of  the  family  ;ire  now  living,  but  Mr.  Ryan  is  the  only 
one  in  Nevada.  His  sister,  Nora  M.,  is  the  wife  of  ex-Judge  O.  P.  Fvans, 
of  San  Fransciso,  while  Mary  is  the  widow  of  Cajitain  Charles  L.  VVorden, 
of  the  I'nited  States  army,  who  died  from  the  effects  of  the  San  Jurni  cam- 
paign. 

In  his  boyliofxl  days  Hon.  J.  R.  Ryan  w-as  brought  bv  his  ]);ireiits  to 
the  Pacific  coast,  the  family  home  being  eslablished  in  California  in  1851.  I  k' 
|)in'sued   his    ])rcIimiiKiry   education    in   the   iiublic   schools   of   that    state,   and 


A    IllSrom'   Ol-    NF.VADA.  58!) 

afterwaiil  alU'inlcd  Saiila  (lara  (  nlIrL;r,  in  wliiili  Ik-  ci  iin]ilclt'(l  his  course  in 
the  vcar  iSri4.  I'jik'iint;  npnn  his  Inisiness  career  he  l)eeanic  connccleil 
\\i(!i  thr  niannl'aclurc  nt  hiniher  in  llninholdl  CDiinty,  and  I'eniained  a  resi- 
dent 111  (  ahfdinia  niilil  iXyj.  wlieii  he  renimed  to  Nevada,  hehevint;"  llial  this 
state  atfrirded  a  broad  field  of  lalior  to  the  enterprisint;'.  ])r()^ressive  business 
man.  He  enga.gfed  in  minins;  in  I'ioche  for  a  time,  and  in  Jjnuiary,  1874,  eame 
to  Virginia  City,  wliere  he  secured  em|)Ioynient  in  the  assay  office  of  the 
company  with  whicli  lie  is  still  connected.  In  1876  lie  entered  the  stock 
brokerage  office  of  the  firm  of  Driscoil  &  C"oni])an_y,  which  later  l)ecanie  I'".  .\. 
Tritle  &  Co'mpany,  and  subsequently  became  the  success(H-  of  the  latter  firm 
in  the  business.  Two  years  afterward,  however,  he  abandoned  the  brokerage 
business  and  tin"ued  his  attention  to  prospecting  in  Arizona  and  in  l{ldorado 
covnitN'  of  (California.  Returning,  however,  to  Virginia  City,  Nevada,  he- 
was  appointed  superintendent  of  the  .Andes  Mining  Coni])any  in  1890.  Tie 
acce|)ted  the  superintendency  of  the  Hale  &  Norcrt)SS  Mining  Company  in 
iHyj.  and  in  i8gg  was  apjiointed  superintendent  of  the  consolidated  Cali- 
fornia and  Virginia  Mining  Comjiany.  while  in  the  same  year  he  was  made 
manager  of  the  Comstoek  Pumping  .Association,  formed  to  drain  the  mines 
and  permit  of  working  at  still  lower  levels,  all  of  the  work  being  done  through 
the  shaft  of  the  consolidated  California  and  Virginia  Com[)auy.  Three  of 
the  pumps  are  drixen  by  electric  [)ower  and  the  other  by  hydraulic  power. 
This  will  permit  the  mines,  which  have  been  such  jjlienomenal  producers, 
to  be  worked  se\'eral  hundred  feet  deeper  and  thus  add  greatly  to  the  wealth 
of  the  countr}-.  He  resigned  the  superintendency  of  the  Andes  Mining 
Compan_\-  in  August,  1903,  and  on  the  same  date  was  appointed  superin- 
tendent of  the  Ophir  Alining  Company. 

Not  only  in  his  mining  oiierations  has  Mr.  Ryan  been  eminently  suc- 
cessful, but  has  also  become  widely  known  as  a  most  active  and  honorable 
representative  of  political  interests  in  this  section  of  the  state,  nor  have  his 
influence  and  efforts  been  confined  alone  to  Nevada.  He  has  been  a  life- 
long Democrat,  influential  in  the  ranks  of  the  party.  He  served  for  four 
years  as  chairman  of  the  Democratic  state  central  committee,  and  is  now 
a  member  of  the  Democratic  national  committee.  In  the  year  1896  he  was 
one  of  the  presidential  electors  of  the  state,  and  was  the  messenger  sent  from 
Nevada  to  carry  the  state  vote  for  Bryan  to  Washington.  He  has  for  twelve 
years  been  a  delegate  to  all  the  state  conventions  of  his  part)',  and  is  justly 
recognized  as  one  of  its  most  prominent  and  active  rejiresentatives  in  the 
west. 

In  1877  A'Ir.  Rvan  was  joined  in  wedlock  to  Miss  Eleanor  Augustine, 
who  was  lK>rn  in  Siher  City,  Nevada,  and  to  them  has  been  born  a  daughter, 
ATargaret  A.,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  .Alfred  Cellier.  of  San  Francisco.  In 
1889  Air.  Ryan  married  his  present  wife,  who  was  then  F.Iizabeth  H.  Brooks. 
They  have  a  delightful  home  in  Virginia  City,  and  its  hospitality  is  greatly 
enjoyed  by  their  many  friends.  Air.  Ryan  belongs  to  the  Benevolent  and 
Protective  Order  of  Elks  and  to  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen.  As 
an  intelligent  and  progressive  business  man  he  has  few  peers  in  this  state,  and 
is  deserving  of  uniform  recognition  as  such  a  citizen.     By  perseverance,  de- 


590  A  HISTORY  OF  XE\'ADA. 

tcrniiiiation  and  liuiiunilile  effort  he  has  overthrown  all  obstacles  which  luirred 
his  path  to  success  and  reached  the  goal  of  prosperit}-,  while  his  l)road  niintl 
and  public  spirit  have  made  him  a  director  of  public  thought  and  action. 


THE  D.MLV  TERRITORIAL  ENTERPRISE  was  founded  in  Vir- 
ginia City  in  1858.  and  consequently  is  one  of  the  oldest  newspapers  published 
in  the  state.  It  is  a  six-column  journal,  twenty-three  by  thirty-two  inches, 
and  is  devoted  to  the  interests  of  the  Republican  party  and  to  the  dissemina- 
tion of  local  news.  It  has  been  an  important  factor  in  molding  public  opinion 
in  Nevada,  and  is  now  published  b}-  the  firm  of  Blake  &  Craise. 

Frank  A.  Blake,  the  senior  member  of  the  firm,  is  a  native  son  of  Cali- 
fornia, his  birth  having  occurred  in  the  Golden  state  on  the  2d  of  May,  1865. 
He  came  to  Nevada  in  1874.  when  a  lad  of  eight  years,  and  went  into  the 
office  of  the  Enterprise  when  a  young  man  of  sixteen  years.  He  has  filled 
every  office  in  the  business  from  that  of  printer's  devil  to  that  of  editor,  and 
is  now  acting  in  the  latter  capacity  and  at  the  same  time  is  one  of  the  lessees 
anfl  publishers  of  the  journal. 

Mr.  Craise  is  a  native  of  England,  his  birth  occurring  on  the  "merrie 
isle"  in  May.  1865.  He  came  to  Storey  county.  Nevada,  in  1867.  when  about 
two  years  of  age.  and  learned  the  printer's  trade  in  Virginia  City  with  the 
firm  of  Brown  &  ]\Iahaney.  He  was  connected  with  the  Chronicle  for  a  time, 
rmd  later  became  compositor  on  the  Enterprise,  acting  in  that  capacity  from 
1887  until  1 89 1,  when  the  paper  was  discontinued,  but  in  1892  it  was  re- 
established. Mr.  Craise  becoming  a  partner  with  Mr.  Blake  in  its  publication. 
Both  are  practical  and  capaiile  newsj^aper  men,  and  are  making  a  marked  suc- 
cess of  their  enterprise.  They  take  an  active  interest  in  everything  pertaining 
to  the  welfare  of  the  city,  and  through  the  columns  of  this  journal  they  greatly 
aid  in  the  promotion  of  many  interests  for  the  jniblic  good. 

r.\'i"kiCK  GALLAGHER,  ..f  Mason  valley.  Nevada,  is  one  of  the  be.st 
farmers  in  this  locality,  where  he  has  made  his  home  for  the  past  thirty-six 
years.  He  was  born  in  Sandwich.  Canada.  July  8.  1841.  and  is  a  son  of 
.Michael  Ciallagher,  who  was  born  in  county  Mavo,  Ireland,  in  1803,  ;md 
tiiere  married  Miss  Matilda  Kelbourne,  also  a  native  of  Ireland.  One  child, 
John,  was  Ixirn  l^cfore  the  parents  emigrated  in  1839  and  located  in  Michigan. 
'I'lie  father  settled  on  a  farm  in  that  tlien  new  and  undevelojied  state,  near 
Ponliac.  He  liad  a  brother  in  Sandwich,  Canada,  and  he  went  there,  and 
Patrick  was  born  at  the  home  of  his  inicle.  The  family  returned  to  Pontiac 
in  1846,  and  then  to  Wisconsin  that  same  year,  where  the  father  located  on 
the  present  site  of  Kenosha  and  cultivated  a  good  farm.  From  tliere  the 
family  lemoved  to  Monroe,  Wisconsin,  i)urchase(l  a  farm,  ;nid  there  the  father 
li\ed  until  liis  death  in  1879,  aged  sixty-four  years.  His  wife  died  in  1876. 
'i'licy  were  the  ])arents  of  eight  ciiildren,  six  sons  and  two  daughters.  Patrick 
Ciallaglier  is  tiie  only  member  of  the  family  in  Nevada. 

The  education  of  Mr.  Gallagher  was  receivefl  in  Kenosha.  Wisconsin, 
and    later    lie    embarked     in     railroading    and    steamboating    on    the   Mis- 


A  HISTORY  OF  NF.VADA.  591 

sissijuii  ri\L'r.  In  i8(i()  he  ciusscd  the  plains  to  Xcxada  ami  altci'  reniain- 
in£>' llicre  two  years  went  on  Id  C'alifdriiia.  His  lirst  cniployincnt  was  Irciglit- 
ino-  al  Virginia  City  fur  jewett  Adams  between  tliat  place,  (jdicl  Mill  and 
l)a}tdn.  In  iSfiS  lie  Idcated  his  farm  df  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  and 
has  another  tme  hundred  and  sixty  acres  t\\(i  miles  from  his  hduiestead.  He 
lias  redeemed  it  all  from  the  sage  brush,  and  made  the  land  as  good  farming 
land  as  can  he  found  in  Lyon  county.  His  home  is  a  \er_\-  comfortable  one 
and  a  model  to  the  other  farmers  in  Mason  \-allc_\-,  while  his  grounds  are  the 
]iri(Ie  of  his  heart. 

In  I""e])ruary,  1873,  he  was  married  to  Mary  Raferty.  a  nati\e  of  Jersey 
Cit\',  New  Jerse\-,  and  six  children  have  been  born  to  them,  namely :  ,\da. 
Katie,  Mary.  Peter,  Paul  and  John.  They  are  members  of  the  Roman  Cath- 
olic church.  Mr.  Gallagher  has  always  1)een  a  staunch  Re]niblican.  although 
he  now  feels  it  his  duty  to  espouse  the  cause  of  silver.  He  has  served  as 
scliddl  trustee  and  is  a  man  of  intelligence,  integritv  and  ability. 


HON.  THOMAS  G.  HERMAN,  one  df  the  pioneers  df  the  state  df 
Nevada  and  one  of  the  old  and  honored  retired  citizens  of  W'adsworth,  is 
one  of  the  men  who  came  to  this  state  in  |)overty  and  by  his  industry  and 
capable  effort  in  e\'er\thing  he  ]nit  his  hand  to,  esi)eciall\-  in  farming,  made 
such  success  that  he  has  practically  retired  from  acti\e  duties.  Pie  is  of 
German  ancestry,  and  a  son  of  Thomas  and  Mary  (Kimble)  Herman,  both 
natives  of  Pennsylvania,  wdiere  they  were  farmers,  memliers  of  the  Christian 
church,  and  reared  a  family  of  six  children,  five  arriving  at  maturity.  Thomas 
Herman  was  a  Democrat  in  politics,  Init  supported  the  Union  during  the 
Civil  war,  and  was  in  every  way  a  man  worthy  of  the  respect  of  his  fellows. 
He  lived  to  be  seventy-seven  years  old,  and  his  wife  died  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
one. 

Thomas  G.  PTerman,  who  is  tlie  only  member  of  the  family  in  Nevada, 
was  born  near  Williamsport,  Pennsylvania,  October  31,  1830,  and  was  reared 
to  manhood  on  his  father's  farm  and  obtained  his  education  in  the  public 
schools.  Tn  1854  he  went  to  California  by  way  of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama, 
and  engaged  in  mining  in  Plumas  county  for  a  while,  but  with  poor  success. 
He  worked  for  wages,  pros])ected  for  gold,  and  had  a  harfl  time  to  make  a 
living.  He  came  to  Nevada  in  i860,  and  was  on  the  Truckee  meadows  from 
August  to  January,  1861,  when  he  came  to  the  lower  crossing  of  the  Truckee 
river.  There  he  pre-empted  one  hundred  ancl  sixt'S'  acres  of  land,  to  wdiich 
he  later  added  two  hundred  and  from  the  first  became  successful  in  raising 
grain,  \egetables .and  hay,  while  he  also  engaged  in  dairying,  keeping  as  high 
as  seventy-five  cow'S  of  high-grade  Durhams,  and  cross-breeding"  in  such  a 
way  as  to  keep  his  stock  to  the  highest  point  of  perfection  and  efficiency.  He 
sold  both  butter  and  milk,  and  for  thirty  years  w'as  one  of  the  most  success- 
ful men  in  that  line  in  the  state,  such  that,  in  1898,  he  sold  out  and,  in  a 
sense,  retired  from  active  participation  in  business  afifairs. 

.^s  a  life-long  Republican  Mr.  Herman  has  ser\-ed  his  county  as  com- 
missioner, and  also  served  a  term  in  the  state  legislature  in  1889.  where  he 


592  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

was  ail  al)lc  umkcr  ami  ,quanlc-(l  well  the  interests  of  his  cunslitiicnls.  lie 
always  keeps  well  intMrnied  mi  the  affairs  of  the  state  and  county,  and  is  a 
l)ul)li'c-s])irited  and  useful  citizen.  He  resides  in  a  coinnindious  dwellini.;  in 
W  adswurth,  which  he  erected  in  1870. 


W.  T.  .M(  )1\AX.  a  resident  of  \'irginia  City,  is  one  of  the  pniniinenl  civil 
ciit;iiieers  and  surveyors  of  the  state  and  is  the  engineer  of  all  the  Conistock 
inines,  while  for  the  United  States  governnient  he  has  done  a  large  amount 
of  worl<.  The  extent  and  importance  of  the  business  entru.sted  to  him  is  an 
indication  of  his  ability  in  the  line  of  his  chosen  calling.  He  has  a  nature 
tliat  could  never  content  itself  with  mediocrity,  and,  therefore,  he  has  steadily 
advanced  in  his  chosen  calling  until  he  now  occupies  an  enviable  position  in 
the  ranks  of  his  profession  as  one  of  its  most  skillful  representatives. 

Air.  Moran  is  a  native  of  England,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  the  world's 
metropolis.  London,  on  the  nth  of  Alarcli.  1864.  He  was  educated  in  the 
schools  of  England  and  Ireland,  and  came  to  the  United  States  in  i88j,  when 
eighteen  years  of  age.  He  had  learned  surveying  and  civil  engineering  in  the 
best  schools  of  England,  and  was  thus  thoroughly  well  ecjuipped  for  a  busi- 
ness career  at  the  time  he  crossed  the  Atlantic.  He  was  for  some  time  en- 
gaged in  locating  railroads  in  Texas,  and  wa.s  assistant  city  engineer  in  Gal- 
veston, but  his  health  failed  him  in  the  far  south,  and,  lielieving  that  a  change 
of  climate  would  prove  beneficial,  his  physician  ordered  him  to  the  moun- 
tains. He  came  to  Virginia  City,  Nevada,  where  he  was  a  contractor  for 
the  survey  of  public  lands  for  the  government  for  some  time.  He  made  him- 
self familiar  with  e\eiy  county  in  the  state  of  Nevada,  and  the  fact  that  he 
has  so  long  been  in  the  emj^loy  of  the  Comstock  shows  that  he  is  one  of  the 
most  skilled  and  able  representatives  of  the  profession,  for  in  the  development 
of  the  mineral  resources  oi  the  state  much  depends  upon  the  accurate  work  of 
a  competent  surveyor  and  civil  engineer. 

Mr.  Moran  is  a  member  of  the  lunniit  National  Cuards.  holding  the 
rank  of  sergeant,  and  he  also  belongs  to  the  Young  Men's  Institute,  hi  his 
religious  faith  he  is  a  Catholic,  and  in  political  faith  is  a  Republican,  giving 
earnest  sujjport  to  the  party.  He  has  co-operated  in  movements  for  the  gen- 
eral gof)d,  being  a  ])ul)lic-,s])irited  and  jirogressive  citizen,  and  as  op]iortunity 
has  afforded  has  invested  in  .several  mining  properties. 

\\TLL1.\M  SPINNER,  the  jHipnlar  recorder  and  c.x-officio  audilnr  id 
Eureka  county,  Nevada,  has  been  a  resident  of  the  state  and  of  the  county 
for  over  thirty  yeans.  He  has  had  a  highly  useful  career,  beginning  with  his 
service  to  the  Union  in  the  time  of  civil  strife,  and  cspeciall\-  in 
the  county  where  he  has  lived  so  many  \ears  be  has  left  the  impress  i<\  his 
individuality  as  a  skillful  business  man  and  innucntial  factor  in  public  affairs. 
He  began  liis  career  with  the  limitations  of  orphanage  and  lack  of  capital. 
but  has  always  luade  a  go<id  li\ing  and  more,  and  enjoxs  a  place  of  resjiect 
among  his  felknv  citizens. 

Mr.  Spinner  was  born  in  Ulica,  New  York,  October  20,  1842.     He  was 


A  HlS'lOm'  Ol'  \I-:\'ADA.  oitS 

(k'|)ri\c{|  of  l)(ith  his  ])arciils  when  lie  was  a  child,  and  spent  the  i^reatei'  part 
ni  his  \outli  in  Paris,  Canatla.  where  he  received  his  education.  He  returned 
tu  tlie  United  States  in  1861  and  enlisted  in  the  United  States  Telegraph 
Corps,  serving  under  General  jcihn  I 'ope.  He  was  a  skillful  operator,  with 
a  thorough  understanding  of  all  the  details  of  the  husiness,  and  after  the  war 
came  to  Salt  Lake  City,  where  he  was  an  ojierator  for  two  years  and  a  hall. 
For  the  following  two  and  a  half  years  he  was  chief  operator  in  the  office  at 
Memphis,  Tennessee.  In  J 870  he  arri\ed  in  Keno,  Nevada,  at  the  time  the 
repeating  office  was  opened,  Avas  also  at  Cold  Hill  a  month,  and  opened  a 
repeating  station  at  Elko,  whence,  in  Octoher,  1871,  he  came  to  Eureka,  where 
he  has  made  his  home  e\-er  since  with  the  exception  of  a  period  when  he  was 
an  operator  for  the  Southern  Pacific  at  Palisade.  He  was  elected  recorder  of 
Eureka  county  in  1892,  which  office  carries  with  it  the  ex-officio  honor  of 
au<lilor.  He  was  elected  on  the  Democratic  ticket,  to  whose  principles  he  has 
always  adhered,  and  he  activelv  favored  the  movement  for  free  coinage  of 
silver.  He  is  still  manager  of  the  local  office  of  the  Western  Union  Tele- 
graph Company. 

Mr.  Spinner  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  of 
which  he  is  financier.  In  1877  he  was  married  to  Miss  Maria  Kasper,  a 
native  of  Germany.  They  have  three  daughters.  The  eldest.  Mabel  M., 
is  a  graduate  of  the  National  Normal  University  at  Lebanon,  Ohio,  with 
the  degree  of  B.  S.,  and  she  has  also  taken  the  normal  course  in  the  State 
University  and  is  now  a  successful  teacher  at  Eureka :  Alma  Frances  is  a  grad- 
uate of  the  National  Normal  Union  University  at  Leljanon,  Ohio,  with  the  de- 
gree of  B.  S. ;  and  Idela  M.  is  still  in  school.  Mr.  Spinner  was  reared  in  the 
Presbyterian  faith,  and  his  wife  in  the  Episcopal.  They  have  many  friends, 
have  a  happy  home,  and  enjoy  the  confidence  and  regard  of  the  entire  citizen- 
ship of  the  town  and  county. 

JOHN  C.  FARRELL,  an  early  settler  and  one  of  the  largest  land-owners 
of  Mason  valley,  Nevada,  owns  six  hundred  acres  of  choice  farming  land. 
He  came  to  Nevada  in  .Kugust,  1866,  making  his  first  home  in  Mason  valley 
in  January,  1867,  on  what  was  then  called  the  Heston  ranch,  and  settled  on 
his  present  ranch  in  1872.  The  land  was  all  wild  when  he  first  took  it,  but 
it  is  now  very  \-aluable.  and  he  is  raising  large  crops  of  alfalfa  hay  and  grain 
uijon  it.  and  also  devotes  a  considerable  portion  to  raising  liis  stock,  of  which 
he  has  .some  si.xty  liead  of  cattle  and  a  grade  of  Norman  Percheron  horses. 

Mr.  F'arrell  is  a  native  of  .Mabama,  having  been  born  October  16,  1843. 
in  that  state,  of  English-Dutch  stock  commingled  with  Irish.  Llis  father, 
John  Farrell,  was  born  in  Ireland,  but  emigrated  to  Alabama  when  a  young 
man.  and  was  there  married  to  iNIiss  !\Iargaret  Carl,  born  in  the  citv  of  Wash- 
ington, D.  C.  By  accupation  he  was  a  stonecutter.  He  removed  to  Arkansas 
and  crossed  the  i)lains  to  California  in  1852,  making  the  trip  with  oxen  and 
bringing  with  him  his  famih',  including  John  C  who  was  then  but  nine 
\ears  of  age.  He  located  in  Stockton.  California,  and  worked  at  his  trade 
helping  to  build  the  court  house  in  that  city.  He  died  there  in  1859.  aged 
fifty-five  years.     His  wife  made  her  home  with  her  son,  John,   from   1863 


594  A  HISTORY  Ul'    XIAADA. 

until  J 897,  when  she  died,  ageil  eighty-three  years.     She  was  a  Methodist  and 
her  Inisband  a  Catholic. 

Mr.  John  C.  Farrell  married,  in  1873.  Miss  Klizabeth  Kemp,  a  native  of 
London.  England,  and  a  daughter  of  John  Kemp,  wiio  died  wheii  crossing 
the  plains  with  his  family.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Farrell  have  the  following  children, 
all  Hving:  Alary  Ann,  of  Butte,  Montana;  Ida  May;  .Mice  Keliecca,  Mrs. 
George  Martin,  of  Venngton;  Isabella;  John  Henry;  James  C;  William  C. ; 
Joseph;  and  Lillian.  Mrs.  Farrell's  religious  faith  makes  her  a  Methodist, 
but  her  husband  is  not  connected  with  any  church,  although  he  contributes 
liberally  towards  benevolent  enterprises,  and  believes  in  living  an  upright, 
honoral)le  life  and  wronging  nn  one  hv  either  word  or  deed. 


DANIEL  C  WHEELER.  The  great  plains  of  the  west  afford  abundant 
opportunities  to  the  stock-raiser  when  there  is  a  sufificient  water  supply  to 
make  good  pasturage,  and  annually  the  men  who  are  engaging  in  this  line 
of  work  are  meeting  with  success  and  adding  to  their  individual  wealth  and 
the  prosperity  of  the  state  as  well.  Daniel  C.  Wheeler,  of  Reno,  is  a  repre- 
sentative of  this  class,  and  since  1862  he  has  been  a  resident  of  Nevada. 

A  native  of  Ohio,  Mr.  Wheeler  was  born  in  Coshocton  county,  on  the 
5th  of  January.  1840.  anrl  is  of  German  and  Irish  ancestry.  His  early  life 
was  spent  in  his  native  state,  and  in  April,  1858,  when  eighteen  years  old, 
he  started  across  the  plains  to  the  Pacific  coast.  Al)out  a  decade  before,  gold 
had  been  discovered  and  the  development  of  the  mines  of  the  far  west  had 
led  to  the  establishment  of  many  other  industries  and  business  enterprises, 
so  that  this  section  of  the  country  was  the  mecca  of  many  who  wished  to 
rapidly  acquire  wealth  by  taking  advantage  of  the  conditions  on  the  coast. 
Mr.  Wheeler  drove  an  ox  team  and  was  a  night  herder.  Five  months  passed 
before  the  company  with  which  be  traveled  reached  Downieville,  California, 
and  while  cnroute  they  passed  through  the  Truckee  meadows,  not  far  from 
the  present  site  of  the  city  of  Reno.  There  was  just  one  man,  a  Mr.  Dick 
Martin,  living  in  the  entire  valley,  and  he  is  now  owner  of  a  little  store  at  the 
Summit  in  Sierra  valley.  .\s  the  party  journeyed  w^estward  from  Salt  Lal<e 
City  Mr.  Dick  Martin  was  the  only  white  man  they  .saw,  the  plains  seeming 
completely  deserted  that  year,  and  .although  there  were  but  nine  men  in  the 
company  they  were  never  molested  by  the  Indians. 

Mr.  Wheeler's  first  ex])erience  in  the  west  was  at  placer  mining  on 
the  Yulia  river  below  Downic\illc.  but  he  had  little  success  there,  and  in 
the  spring  of  1862  returned  to  the  Truckee  meadows.  Purchasing  an 
ox  team  he  there  engaged  in  buying  and  hauling  hay  to  Virginia  City.  The 
freight  at  that  time  was  twenty  dollars  per  ton,  and  the  hay  sold  for  forty 
dollars  in  the  meadows  and  from  sixty  to  one  hundred  dollars  per  ton  in 
Virginia  City.  Subsccpicntly  Mr.  Wheeler  returned  to  California  and  .spent 
a  year  in  Placer  county  in  the  placer  gold  diggings,  but  again  he  was  un- 
successful in  his  search  for  the  ])rccious  metal,  .\gain  coming  to  Nevada 
he  once  more  turned  his  attention  lo  teaming,  which  he  followed  until  the 
lime  of  the  Meadow  Lake  excitement,  when  he  went  to  tliat  mining  camp, 
but  left  it  worse  ofY  than  when  he  went. 


c^  (^  UA.u.6u^ 


A   IIIS'|■(JK^•  Ol'"  NEVADA.  ottr. 

Ill  llic  fall  of  1^0/  ]\Ir.  Wheeler  made  a  trip  to  Oregon,  purchased  live- 
stock there  and  took  tlieiii  to  the  Virginia  City  market.  For  a  number  of 
years  he  was  thus  engaged,  and  his  sales  of  beef  cattle  brought  to  him  a 
much  higher  degree  of  prosjjerity  than  he  had  ever  realized  in  the  mines.  He 
purchased  his  first  ranch  on  the  Virginia  road  in  1876, — a  tract  of  one 
hundred  and  fifteen  acres, — and  this  he  impro\-ed,  and  as  hi.s  financial  resources 
increased  he  placed  it  under  cuIti\'ation.  and  added  to  it  until  he  now  has 
twelve  hundred  acres  under  irrigation.  He  also  has  a  half  interest  in  the 
Lake  ranch,  comprising  nine  hundred  acres.  For  years  his  attention  has 
been  chiefly  directed  to  the  raising  of  cattle  and  sheep,  the  latter  l>eing  fine 
Shropshire  downs  and  l^'rench  merinos.  He  has  thorouglibred  and  graded 
Durhams  and  has  large  tlocks  of  sheep  and  herds  of  cattle,  making  extensive 
sales  each  year.  He  has  made  and  is  making  a  most  creditable  success  in  his 
stock  business,  and  his  efforts  in  this  line  have  advanced  the  grade  of  stock 
raised  in  the  state  and  thereb)-  added  to  the  prosperity  of  the  agricultural 
class. 

In  1871  Mr.  Wheeler  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  F.  Ridenour. 
a  native  of  Indiana,  and  they  ha\e  become  the  parents  of  six  children:  Ruth 
May,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  Horatio  Selfridge;  Maude,  who  is  a  teacher  in 
the  State  University  of  Xevada ;  Lloyd  P.;  Drury  M. ;  Carl  S. :  and  Donald 
C.  The  family  occupy  a  commodious  and  delightful  home  on  Mill  street  in 
Reno,  and  the  members  of  the  household  enjoy  the  high  esteem  of  those 
with  whom  they  have  come  in  contact,  while  in  social  circles  they  occupy 
an  enviable  position.  The  name  of  Mr.  Wheeler  is  on  the  memliership  rolls 
of  the  Flks  lodge,  and  he  is  also  a  Ma.son.  while  his  political  support  is  given 
the  Republican  party.  He  keeps  well  informed  on  the  issues  of  the  day,  and, 
has  firm  faith  in  the  principles  of  his  ]3art)'.  He  is  a  citizen  and  business  man 
of  energy,  diligence  and  determination,  qualities  which  have  made  him  a  valued 
representative  of  the  agricultural  interests  of  the  state. 


HON.  EUGENE  GRISWOLD,  who  is  one  of  the  successful  and  ener- 
getic business  men  of  the  state  of  Nevada,  and  the  greater  part  of  whose 
career  is  connected  with  the  town  of  Wadswortb,  is  the  descendant  of  English 
and  German  ancestors,  the  former  of  whom  were  early  settlers  in  Ctmnecticut, 
men  of  that  name  l)eing  identified  with  both  colonial  and  Revoluti<inary  his- 
tory.    Roger  Griswold  was  a  g(n-ernor  of  Connecticut. 

Elijah  Griswold.  the  father  of  Eugene  Griswold.  was  a  iiatixe  of  New 
York  state.  He  was  a  very  learned  man,  a  college  professor  in  the  ancient 
languages,  and  attorney-at-law  and  master~in-chancery.  He  made  a  trip  to 
California  in  185 1.  but  soon  returned  to  his  family  in  Illinois.  He  died  at 
Galesburg,  in  the  latter  state,  in  the  eighty-first  year  of  his  age,  and  his  wife, 
who  was  Miss  Esther  Geiger,  a  native  of  New  York  and  a  sister  of  Dr, 
Geiger,  of  Virginia  City,  .still  lives  in  her  ninety-first  year,  residing  in  San 
Diego.  California.  Thev  had  eight  children,  and  four  are  li\ing  at  the  present 
time. 

P'ugene  (iriswold  was  1)orii  in  (Juincv.  Illinois,  Juh-  i-j.,  1848,  and  is  the 
onlv  memljer  of  the  familv  in  Nevada.     Fie  attended  school  at  his  native  citv 


596  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

until  the  loth  of  Ala}'.  1864,  when,  lacking  two  months  of  the  age  of  sixteen, 
he  enlisted  in  Company  A,  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-seventh  Illinois  Volun- 
teers, for  one  hundred  days'  service,  and  was  sent  directly  to  the  front  at 
^Memphis.  Tennessee,  where  he  participated  in  the  battle  of  August  31.  1864. 
He  received  an  honorable  discharge  on  September  24th  following.  The 
spring  after  his  return  from  the  war  he  went  to  Leavenworth.  Kansas,  and 
hired  out  to  drive  an  ox  team  across  the  plains.  He  drove  to  Salt  Lake 
Citv.  being  on  the  plains  a  year,  and  then  returned  to  Leavenworth,  after 
which  he  made  the  iieginning  of  his  liusiness  career  by  engaging  in  the  drug 
business  at  l^eaxenworth  with  a  ]jartner.  Xine  months  later  he  was  in  Nod- 
awav  count\-.  Missouri,  where  he  taught  school  iluring  the  winter  of  1866-7; 
was  engaged  until  May,  1869.  in  train  service  on  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad, 
and  in  the  spring  of  that  year  began  his  business  connection  with  the  town 
of  W'adsworth,  which,  being  a  railroad  jjoint.  was  a  center  from  which  sup- 
lilies  were  sent  to  the  mining  camps  in  e\ery  direction.  He  was  employed  by 
Dr.  Geiger.  his  uncle,  as  clerk  in  the  latter's  general  merchandise  store.  In 
the  fall  of  1869  he  started  a  Inisiness  in  the  California  market  in  San  Francis- 
co; a  little  later  became  a  conductor  on  one  of  the  horse  street  car  lines  of  that 
city;  in  1871  returned  to  Wadsw-orth  and  clerked  in  his  uncle's  store  until 
the  following  _\-ear.  when,  being  one  of  a  party  of  si.x  who  comprised  the 
pitjueer  borax  comi)any  of  the  state,  he  left  the  store  to  manage  the  w-orks  of 
the  company.  Ijuilt  on  the  marsh  at  Hot  Springs,  the  first  works  having  been* 
o|)erated  at  W'adsworth  in  the  \'ear  previous.  This  com])any  was  afterward 
sold  to  a  (ierman  firm,  C.  Hamlight  managing  the  deal,  and  Mr.  Ciriswold 
continued  borax  manufacture  on  his  own  account  in  Churchill  county,  until 
bora.x  fell  from  thirty-three  cents  to  six  cents  per  ])ound.  which  knocked  the 
bottom  out  of  bis  business,  and  be  once  more  began  clerking  in  1874.  In 
1875  he  was  all  over  the  state  of  Nex-ada  selling  hardware  for  a  Sacramento 
firm,  after  which  he  oi)ened  a  small  front  store  in  W'adsworth.  This  has  since 
grown  to  l)e  the  largest  mercantile  establishment  of  the  town.  In  1880  he 
began  the  production  of  carbonate  of  soda  at  Big  .Soda  Lake,  but  was  only 
moderately  successful  in  this  \enture. 

The  year  1884  witnessed  the  destruction  of  the  entire  town  of  W'ads- 
worth by  fire,  including  Mr.  Griswold's  store,  and  when  the  rebuilding  began 
the  railroad  moved  its  shops  across  the  river,  and  the  town  followed.  Mr. 
Griswold  built  a  substantial  brick  store,  in  which  his  business  has  since  been 
continued.  In  1886  he  rented  the  residence  which  he  had  erected  in  W'ads- 
worth. and  mo\'ed  to  San  Francisco  and  established  works  for  the  manufac- 
ture and  sale  of  soda  both  crude  and  refined.  This  business  is  still  continued. 
Soda  is  one  of  the  principal  ])roducts  of  Xevada.  but  its  maiuifactnre  offers 
only  small  jn-ofits  owing  to  the  eastern  com])etilion.  Mr.  Griswold  built  a 
sawmill  and  engaged  in  lumbering  in  and  around  Chico,  California,  which 
enterprise  is  also  still  being  operated. 

Enough  has  been  said  to  show  Mr.  Griswold's  business  enterprise  and 
the  scojie  of  his  ventures,  and  he  is  rightly  clas.sed  as  one  of  the  most  progres- 
sive and  able  citizens  of  the  state  of  his  adoption.  He  has  been  a  life-long 
Republican,  and  in   1878  was  elected  justice  of  the  i)eace  and  was  re-elected 


A  HISTOm-  Ol'    NI<:VA1)A.  597 

at  the  close  nf  his  term.     In   iSSO  he  was  clmscn  a  member  of  the  state  legis- 
lature, where  he  made  a  good,  conservative  record. 

In  December.  1889,  Mr.  Griswold  married  Miss  Eva  D.  Balch,  of  Min- 
neapolis, and  a  danshter  of  Daniel  W.  I>alch.  They  have  two  children, 
(ienex'a  Esther  an<i  lulwin.  Mrs.  (iriswold  is  ;i  member  of  the  Congregational 
church.  The  famih  nnw  reside  in  Oakland,  California.  Mr.  Griswold  is  a 
member  of  the  (irand  Army  nf  the  Republic  and  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  l'"eliows,  and  in  many  ways  is  connected  with  public  and  social  life, 
having  had  a  record  in  his  various  activities  of  which  he  may  well  lie  proud. 


J.  H.  HOE(iIl,  nnw  sei\  ing  his  fourth  term  as  clerk  and  treasurer  of 
Eureka  county,  has  been  in  the  state  of  Nevada  since  1868,  and  during  that 
time  has  made  a  most  enviable  record  in  ])ri\ate  enterprise  and  otflcial  life, 
lie  is  a  natixe  of  that  part  of  Denmark  which  has  since  been  ceded  to  Prus- 
sia, and  he  remained  in  the  old  country  the  hrst  nineteen  vears  of  his  life,  and 
was  educated  in  the  schools  and  in  his  own  language,  tie  was  a  poor  boy 
when  he  set  out  for  .\merica.  not  e\en  knowing  the  language  of  the  country 
for  which  he  was  bound,  and  the  I)est  capital  which  he  possessed  for  his 
future  career  was  his  honesty,  energv  and  willingness  to  work.  Thus  ec^uipped, 
no  man  can  f;iil  to  succeed  in  this  land  of  opportunity,  and  Mr.  Hoegh  has 
been  on  the  u|)  road  to  prosperitx'  e\er  since  his  feet  touched  the  .soil  of  the 
new  world.  Me  has  engaged  in  many  forms  of  work,  that  recjuiring  hard 
labor  and  that  demanding  business  acumen  and  foresight,  and  in  the  thirty- 
five  years  since  he  came  to  this  state  he  has  risen  to  one  of  the  important 
offices  of  bis  count\'  and  is  also  vice  president  of  the  bank  of  Eureka. 

Mr.  Hoegh  first  made  stoj)  in  Illinois,  where  he  was  paid  twenty  dollars 
a  month  and  board  for  farm  work,  and  at  the  end  of  five  months  had  one 
hundred  dollars.  He  was  then  employed  at  St.  Joseph,  Missouri,  for  a  sim- 
ilar period,  thence  went  to  Omaha  to  do  farm  work,  and  was  then  given  a 
job  in  the  construction  work  of  the  Lhiion  Pacific  Railroad  at  forty  dollars 
a  month  and  Ixiard,  being  allowed  Iwn  da\s'  pay  for  each  extra  day.  He 
began  at  Eort  Kearney  and  continued  with  the  construction  until  it  reached 
North  Platte,  and  then  went  to  (irand  Island  and  drove  a  team  during  the 
winter,  hauling  wood  for  the  railroad.  In  the  following  spring  he  went  to 
the  Black  Hills  antl  worked  on  the  grading  for  the  road,  and  in  1867  crossed 
the  plains  on  foot  tO'  Salt  Lake  City.  There  were  alK)ut  forty  wagons  in  the 
company  who  made  this  trip,  and  be  walked  and  drove  an  ox  team,  and  dur- 
ing the  night  herded  cattle,  hor  a  few  months  he  helped  burn  charcoal  at 
a  place  about  si.xty  miles  from  Salt  Lake  City,  and  then  came  on  to  Newark. 
White  Pine  county,  Nevada,  where  he  dro\'e  oxen  at  a  quartz  mill.  He  was 
next  engaged  in  the  performance  of  all  kinds  of  farm  work  at  what  is  called 
Italian  ranch,  lie  came  to  Eureka  just  as  the  town  was  starting  into  being, 
and  he  and  two  partners  l)uilt  one  of  the  first  buildings  in  the  town  for  use 
as  a  livery  stable.  They  conducted  this  for  some  time,  but  one  of  the  part- 
ners was  spending  more  money  than  the  establishment  earned,  and  Mr.  Hoegh 
sold  out  his  interest.  He  then  worked  at  the  mines,  and  in  the  fall  of  1872 
returned  to  Eureka.     He  started  a  draxing  and  li\er\-  business,  and  worked 


598  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

at  the  toriner  for  eight  or  nine  years  at  fmir  dnllars  a  day.  He  was  then  ap- 
pointed revenue  collector  for  the  fourth  district  of  California,  and  while  at- 
tending to  the  duties  of  that  office  ran  a  lumber  yard  at  Eureka  for  the 
Eureka  and  California  Luml^er  Companw  He  finally  bought  out  this  business 
and  conducted  it  on  his  own  account  until  the  winter  of  1K07-8,  when  he  sold 
out. 

Mr.  Hoegh  had  always  espoused  the  cause  of  the  Republican  party  until 
the  silver  agitation  became  uppermost,  and  in  1896  the  silver  party  elected 
him  to  the  office  of  clerk  and  treasurer  of  the  county  by  a  plurality  over  both  the 
other  candidates.  He  has  receixed  four  successi\e  elections  to  this  office,  two 
times  without  opposition,  and  the  last  time  he  was  elected  b_\-  a  majority  of  one 
hundred  and  four  out  of  five  hundred  votes  cast.  Mr.  Hoegh  has  proved  him- 
self a  capable  and  popular  official,  and  has  the  confidence  and  good  will  of 
the  entire  county  constituency. 

In  1889  Mr.  Hoegh  was  married  to  Mrs.  Laura  M.  Xaugiiton,  a  native 
of  Missouri  and  a  daughter  of  Robert  Hager.  The\-  ha\-e  one  son,  Tracy, 
and  the  family  reside  in  one  of  the  nice  homes  of  Eureka.  He  built  the  home 
for  himself,  planted  trees  around  it  and  surroiuided  it  with  comforts  and  con- 
veniences so  that  he  and  his  wife  might  have  a  delightful  place  in  which  to 
pass  the  remaining  years  of  their  lives.  Mr.  Hoegh  is  a  member  of  the  blue 
lodge,  the  chapter  and  commandery.  has  taken  the  Scottish  Rite  degrees  in- 
cluding the  thirtv-second,  and  is  a  Shriner.  l>eing  one  of  the  highest  Masons 
in  the  state,  and  thoroughlv  \ersed  in  its  beneficent  wnrk. 


FR.W'K  E.  FIELDING,  a  prominent  metallurgist  and  chemist,  who 
for  the  past  thirty  years  has  been  the  assayer  for  the  California  &  Virginia 
Mining  Comijany.  is  one  f)f  the  most  ])rominent  re])resentati\es  of  the  min- 
ing interests  of  Nevada,  having  a  most  1>road  and  comprehensi\e  knowledge 
of  the  mining  conditions  of  the  state  and  all  jiertaining  to  the  development  of 
the  mineral  resources  and  their  reduction  to  marketable  bullion. 

Mr.  Fielding  was  born  on  the  3d  of  .\pril.  1851.  in  Lancaster,  Ohio, 
wliich  was  originally  the  home  of  General  Sherman.  The  Fielding  family  is 
of  English  origin,  and  re])resentatives  of  the  name,  leaving  the  mother  coun- 
try, established  homes  ni  .South  Carolina  at  a  \ery  early  ei">och  in  the  coloniza- 
tion and  development  of  that  state.  They  were  related  to  George  Washing- 
ton by  marriage,  and  were  particijjants  in  the  Revolution  as  loyal  ]>atriots. 
Later  meml)ers  of  the  family  became  pioneer  settlers  of  Lancaster.  Ohio,  thus 
carrying  the  civilization  of  the  .\tlantic  coast  into  what  were  then  remote 
western  districts.  The  Kreider  family,  from  whom  Mr.  Fielding  is  descend- 
ed in  the  maternal  line,  came  from  Germany,  and  were  among  the  founders 
f)f  the  city  of  Lancaster,  Pennsyhania,  while  later  they  aided  in  establish- 
ing I^ncaster,  Oliio.  becoming  residents  of  the  latter  place  in  the  year  1800. 

Roth  the  ])atcrnal  and  maternal  grandfathers  of  Mr.  I'iclding  were  cnu"- 
ncnt  ])hysicians  and  surgeons  at  an  early  day  and  were  also  prominent  mem- 
1)ers  of  the  Masonic  fraternity.  Both  were  past  grand  masters  of  the  grand 
lodge  of  the  stale  of  Ohio,  and  enjoyed  in  high  measure  the  rcsjicct  of  their 
bretiu'cn  of  (be  ci'aft,  while  in  i)rofessioual  circles  the  reputation  which  thev 


A   lllSrom'  ()!■    NI'A'ADA.  599 

.Haiiifd  was  an  uninistakal)le  [)nMif  of  their  skill  and  kmiwledge.  Dr.  George 
('.  Kreiiler,  a  maternal  uncle  of  Mr.  l-'ielding,  i.s  also  an  eminent  member  of 
(lie  medical  iirofessioii,  and  is  now  serving  as  tlie  physician  and  surgeon  of  the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad  Com])any,  at  Springfield,  Illinois.  His  motiier,  the 
maternal  grandmother  of  Mr.  Melding,  still  resides  on  the  old  homestead  in 
Lancaster  and  has  attained  to  the  ])henomenal  old  age  of  one  hundred  and 
fifteen  years,  thus  having  witnessed  the  ])rogress  of  the  country  from  the  latter 
jiru-t  of  the  eighteenth  century. 

William  C.  h^ielding,  the  father  of  h'rank  \i.  Fielding,  was  always  a 
\'ery  strong  temperance  man,  and  for  years  a  prominent  and  successful  lecturer 
in  l>ehalf  of  that  cause,  his  forceful,  earnest  utterances  lea\-ing  a  deep  im- 
press on  the  minds  of  many  of  his  auditors.  He  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Mi.ss  R.  L.  Kreider,  of  Lancaster,  Ohio,  who  died  at  the  age  of  thirty- 
one  years,  while  he  attained  to  the  ad\anced  age  of  e'ighty-five  years.  They 
were  \alued  memhers  of  the  Methodist  Lpiscopal  church,  and  he  was  long 
regarded  as  one  of  the  pillars  ot  the  church,  laboring  earnestly  and  effectively 
for  its  progress  and  growlli.  lie  was  also  an  active  and  devoted  luember 
'of  the  Masonic  fraternit}'. 

His  only  child,  Frank  K.  Melding,  luuing  acquired  his  preliminary  etlu- 
cation  in  the  public  schools,  continued  his  studies  in  Oakland  College,  now 
the  State  University,  at  Berkeley.  California,  where  he  was  graduated  on  the 
completion  of  a  course  in  metallurgx-  and  chemistry,  in  1887.  He  then  went 
to  New  York,  where  he  pursued  a  post-graduate  course  in  the  same  studies 
in  Columbia  College.  His  collegiate  work  being  finished,  he  returned  to  the 
west  in  1873  and  became  connected  with  the  Comstock  mining  interests. 
He  entered  the  employ  of  the  firm  of  Mackay  &  b'air,  now  the  Consolidated 
California  &  Virginia  Mining  Company,  and  for  the  past  thirty  years  has 
continuously  been  retained  in  its  service  as  assaver.  His  (pialifications  are 
all  that  could  be  demanded,  for  he  is  skilled  and  accurate  in  the  field  of  his 
chosen  labor,  and  the  fact  that  he  has  for  three  decades  l>een  in  the  employ 
of  a  company  of  such  wealth  as  the  one  which  he  to-day  represents  is  proof 
of  his  superior  ability,  worth  and  his  absolute  fidelity.  During  all  these 
years  he  has  given  to  the  profession  his  close  attention,  continually  advanc- 
ing in  his  chosen  calling  through  stiuK'  and  investigation  and  ne\er  turning 
aside  into  other  fields  of  labor. 

In  1885  Mr.  Fielding  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Maggie  T.  Brophy, 
a  native  daughter  of  California,  Imrn  in  Marysville  and  educated  in  Roxbury, 
Mas.sachusetts.  This  union  has  lieen  blessed  with  a  son  to  whom  they  have 
given  the  name  of  h'rank  F.  Inelding,  Jr.,  and  who  was  born  in  Virginia 
Citw     ( )ne  daughter,  Gladys  L.,  is  now  deceased. 

In  his  ijolitical  affiliations  Mr.  b'ielding  is  a  Republican,  and  was  elected 
engineer  of  the  State  University  of  Nevada.  He  is  also  a  prominent  member 
of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  was  one  of  the  Masons  wdio  assisted  in  laying 
the  corner  stone  of  the  State  University  of  Nevada  and  the  orphans'  home  at 
Carson  City.  Nevada.  He  was  made  a  member  of  the  craft  in  1879,  being 
raised  in  Virginia  Lodge  No.  3,  F.  &  A.  M.  He  became  a  member  of  \'ir- 
ginia  Chapter  No.  2,   R.  A.  M.,  and  is  a  Sir  Knight,  belonging  to  De\\'itt 


r.OO  A  HISTORY  OF  NFA'ADA. 

Clinton  Coniniandery.  K.  T.  He  has  also  crossed  the  sands  of  the  desert  with 
the  Nobles  of  the  Mystic  Shrine.  Iselonging  to  Islam  Temple,  at  San  I-'rancisco, 
and  he  made  a  delightfnl  trip  with  the  Shriners  to  Honolulu.  Air.  and  Mrs. 
h'ielding  reside  at  the  International  Hotel  and  are  prominent  in  society  circles 
in  X'irginia  City,  where  they  have  gained  many  friends. 

HOX.  BENJAMIN  CURLER  is  one  whose  mintl  bears  the  impress 
of  the  earlv  historic  annals  of  Nevada,  and  whose  memory  forms  a  con- 
necting link  between  the  pioneer  past  and  the  progressive  present.  He  came 
to  the  territory  of  Nevada  after  experiencing  the  hardships  and  trials  of  a 
long  overland  journey  across  the  plains.  As  a  witness  of  the  development  of 
the  state  for  forty-five  years,  Mr.  Curler  is  worthy  of  representation  in  this 
\olume;  but  more  than  this,  he  has  been  an  actual  particijiant  in  its  advance- 
ment and  substantial  progress. 

Mr.  Curler  is  a  native  of  Vermont,  liaving  been  born  in  Addison  county, 
September  27.  1834.  He  is  of  Dutch  ancestry.  His  grandfather,  Jacob 
\"an  Cuyler  (.Americanized  to  Curler),  was  born  in  Holland.  Crossing  the 
.\tlantic,  he  settled  for  a  time  in  the  Mohawk  \-alley  in  New  York,  later  finding 
a  home  in  Vermont  on  the  shore  of  Lake  Champlain ;  living  to  an  advanced 
age  of  nearly  a  century.  His  son,  Hiram  Curler,  was  born  in  the  Green 
Mountain  state,  and  was  married  there  to  Miss  Lydia  Hoose,  a  native  of 
the  state.  They  were  farming  people,  and  were  members  of  the  Methodist 
church.  Hiram  Curler  died  at  the  age  of  sixty  years,  and  his  wife,  long 
survi\ing  him,  attained  to  the  age  of  ninety-one  years.  They  were  the 
])arents  of  ele\en  children,  of  whom  five  are  now  living. 

Benjamin  Curler,  the  only  one  in  Nevada,  was  educated  in  \^ergennes, 
Vermont,  and  his  legal  studies  were  pursued  in  Illinois  and  Nevada.  In 
1855  he  removed  to  Rock  Island  county,  Illinois,  where  he  engaged  in  teach- 
ing school  and  reading  law.  In  1856  he  married  Miss  Rhoda  A.  Thompson, 
a  native  of  New  Haven,  Vermont,  and  a  daughter  of  James  Thompson,  of  that 
place,  wdio  was  of  Scotch-Irish  ancestry.  Mrs.  Curler  accompanied  her  hus- 
band across  the  plains,  sharing  innumeraiile  hardships,  privations  and  dangers. 
There  were  many  buffaloes,  antelope  and  other  wild  game,  and  occasionally 
their  scanty  larder  was  enriched  by  fresh  buffalo  steaks,  turtle  and  fish. 

Mr.  Curler's  first  ]iermanent  residence  was  at  Carson  City,  then  con- 
taining only  a  few  houses,  and  there  he  was  engaged  in  building  operations, 
most  of  the  hou.ses  being  cheaply  built.  .\  little  later  he  removed  to  Churchill 
county,  and  while  there  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  first  territorial  legis- 
lature: and  later  was  chosen  district  attorney  of  that  county.  In  1866  he  was 
elected  district  judge  of  the  district  then  comprising  Nye  and  Churchill 
counties,  creditably  serving  on  the  bench  for  eight  years,  at  a  time  when 
many  criminal  cases  were  tried,  as  well  as  some  very  important  mining  suits. 

He  was  twice  elected  district  attorney  and  for  four  years  was  very  suc- 
cessful in  the  prosecution  of  criminals.  In  1867  he  moved  his  family  to  Bel- 
mont, then  an  active  mining  camp,  and  the  county  .seat  of  Nye  county.  After 
liis  retirement  from  office  he  was  called  ui^m  to  defend  many  who  were  ar- 
rested for  criminal  offenses,  and  in  their  defense  he  won  a  very  high  reputa- 


^- 


A  lllSrom'  Ol'    NF.VADA.  601 

tinn  as  a  criminal  law)'er.  His  political  allegiance  was  given  tii  tlie  Re- 
jiuhlican  party  up  to  the  time  the  question  of  himetalism  came  prominently 
jjcfore  the  people,  when  he  became  an  advocate  for  the  free  coinage  of  silver. 
To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Curler  Iiave  been  born  seven  children,  hut  only  three 
are  now  living,  namely:  Benjamin  F.,  who  is  now  district  judge;  Alice,  the 
wife  of  S.  H.  Rosenthal,  of  Reno;  and  Bertha  L.,  the  wife  of  George  Ro1>- 
son.  Mr.  Curler  and  his  family  are  widely  and  ])rominently  known  in 
Reno,  and  indeed  throughout  Nevada.  He  has  made  investments  in  real  estate 
there,  owning  several  go<id  residences  in  the  town ;  also  an  interest  in  several 
ranches,  one  of  wjiich  adjoins  the  famous  ^\'edekind  mine  four  miles  east  of 
the  city  of  Reno.  He  is  a  prominent  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows,  in  all  its  branches,  and  has  been  representative  to  the  Sovereign 
C.rand  Lodge.  He  likewise  belongs  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias  fraternity.  A 
capable  antl  distinguished  lawyer,  a  business  man  of  great  ability,  and  a 
citizen  deeplv  and  acti^'elv  interested  in  the  iiromotion  of  his  town  and  state, 
Nevada  is  fortunate  that  he  allied  his  interests  there,  when  he  sought  a  home 
in  the  far  west. 


CAPTAIN  L.  N.  CARPEXTh'.R,  one  of  the  entcnirising  and  success- 
ful farmers  of  Lo\-el(>cks,  Nevada,  is  also  a  pioneer  of  this  section  of  the  state, 
having  come  here  in  1868,  after  a  gallant  record  as  a  soldier  in  the  Civil 
war.  He  is  of  German  and  English  ancestry,  and  is  the  son  of  David  Car- 
penter, whose  forefathers  had  settled  in  the  state  of  New  York  liefore  the 
Revolutionary  war.  David  Carpenter  married  Miss  Jtilia  Pettebone,  and 
Ihey  removed  to  Chicago  in  1836,  in  the  \icinity  of  which  town  he  purchased 
land  and  farmed.  He  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Congregational 
church.  He  lived  to  be  ninety-two  }ears  of  age,  and  his  wife  died  at  the 
age  of  eighty-six 

Captain  Carpenter,  their  only  child,  was  born  in  Winnebago  county, 
Illinois,  September  17,  1842,  and  was  educated  in  the  pul>lic  schools  of  that 
state.  He  had  t.d<en  up  the  occupation  of  lumbering  in  the  great  forests  of 
Wisconsin  when  the  Civil  war  broke  out,  and  he  enlisted  in  1861  as  a  private, 
in  Company  E,  Eighteenth  Wisconsin  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  was  soon 
elected  second  lieutenant  of  his  company.  His  first  engagement  was  at  the 
battle  of  Shiloh,  where  his  regiment  lost  four  lumdred  men  in  killed,  wounded 
and  missing.  The  captain  of  his  company  was  killed,  and  the  first  lieutenant 
disabled,  and  Mr,  Carpenter,  though  but  twenty  years  old,  was  made  ca]itain 
of  the  company,  and  served  in  that  capacity  till  the  clo.se  of  the  war.  After 
the  battle  at  Shiloh  he  was  at  the  siege  of  Corinth  and  in  the  Vicksburg-  cam- 
paign, and  at  the  relief  of  Chattanoogo  with  General  Sherman.  On  October 
5,  1864.  he  was  captured  at  Allatoona  creek,  Georgia,  wlience  he  was  taken 
to  Columbia,  South  Carolina,  lint  effected  his  escape  on  the  27th  of  the  same 
month,  and  after  fort}'-seven  days  of  traxeling  at  night  anci  resting"  in  the 
daytime  he  reached  the  Union  lines  at  .Mlatoona,  Georgia.  He  re-enlisted 
and  was  gi\en  a  furlough  of  twentv  davs,  after  which  he  rejoined  his  com- 
mand in  South  Carolina,  Sherman  being  at  Gold.sboro,  and  was  at  the  head 
of  his  C(inip:iiiy  until  the  w.-u'  was  sliortly  brought  to  an  end.     He  participated 


G02  A  HISTORY  OF  XK\'ADA. 

in  tlie  grand  review  at  Wasliington.  and  tlien  returned  home  to  remain  fur 
a  year. 

In  1868  he  came  out  to  Nevada  and  located  at  the  recently  founded  town 
of  Lmelocks,  where  he  engaged  in  stock-raising  and  farming.  He  first  took 
a  squatter's  right  to  a  section  of  land  and  proved  up  on  it,  and  as  he  lias 
since  prospered  h.as  added  to  his  holdings  till  he  now  owns  over  three  thou- 
santi  acres.  He  does  general  farming,  and  since  1873  has  l^en  raising  large 
cjuantities  of  alfalfa  hay.  which  he  has  found  to  l)e  one  of  the  most  profitable 
])roducts  of  this  western  soil;  he  usuallv  raises  four  tons  to  the' acre  each 
vear,  and  all  that  he  cannot  feed  to  his  own  stock  he  disposes  of  to  stockmen, 
who  feed  it  from  the  stack  on  his  own  ground,  so  that  the  soil  suffers  no  waste 
and  is  constantly  improving  in  fertilit_\-  and  \alue.  Another  ])r()ducl  of  which 
he  has  raised  considerable  is  S]iring  wheat,  which  is  sold  to  the  mill  in  l.ove- 
jocks  and  in  Keno. 

Captain  Carpenter  has  been  a  life-long  Democrat,  has  been  county  com- 
missioner for  six  vears.  and  attends  the  conventirvns  and  is  otherwise  active 
in  promoting  the  interests  of  iiis  party.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternitw  and  received  his  Master's  degree  during  the  Civil  war.  He  is  now  in 
gooti  standing  in  Humboldt  Ijulge  No.  27,  V.  Sc  A.  M..  at  Lo\elocks.  and 
in  a  meml)er  of  W'innemucca  Cha])ter.  He  is  .nlso  a  (irand  Arni\-  man.  but 
llie  ])ost  in  this  \icinity  has  tlislianded. 

In  1875  Ca))tain  Carpenter  married  Miss  Xellie  Lovelock.  ;i  nati\c  of 
California  and  a  daughter  of  the  founder  of  Lovelocks  and  the  California 
and  Nevada  pioneer  whose  history  is  given  on  another  page  of  this  work. 
Three  sons  and  a  daughter  have  been  born  of  this  marriage:  W.  \\'.  is  with 
his  father  on  the  ranch;  D.  L.  is  on  one  of  the  ranches,  and  C.  C.  is  on  .an- 
other. W.  \V.  and  C.  C.  are  t)oth  married,  and  have  children.  Ella  May, 
the  daughter,  is  the  wife  of  H.  L.  W'hiteman.  Cajrtain  and  Mrs.  Carpenter 
have  four  grandchildren,  and  their  commodious  home  in  Lovelocks  is  the 
abrjde  of  good  cheer  and  family  and  social  joys.  They  are  believers  in  Chris- 
tianit\'  and  their  life  ])rincip;d  is  to  do  \\l);it  is  right  between  tlii'm  .■nnl  their 
fellow   men. 


M.\RCUS  SEGAL,  a  i>roniincnl  .and  leading  nierch.'uit  of  Nerington, 
Lyon  county,  Neva<la,  is  one  of  the  subst.antial  men  of  this  section  of  the 
state.  He  was  lK)rn  April  25,  1863,  in  I'oland,  and  is  a  son  of  S.  Segal,  a 
Polish  merchant  who  tiled  when  Marcus  was  only  twelve  years  of  age.  Tiie 
latter  was  well  educated  in  his  native  land,  and  came  to  Nevada  in  1882 
after  the  death  of  his  grandfather,  by  whom  he  had  l)ecn  reared,  and  who 
had  lived  to  be  ninety-three  years  of  age.  lie  h.id  been  carefully  instructed 
in  tiie  religion  of  his  race,  and  is  a  consi.stent  .idherent  of  the  Jewish  faith. 

When  Mr.  Segal  reached  Carson  City  he  was  worth  eight  dollars  and 
eighty-five  cents,  but  he  immediately  secured  a  clerkship  with  his  brother- 
in-law.  Isador  Colin,  and  notwithstanding  his  ignor;uice  of  the  language  of 
tliis  country  lie  made  rapid  progress  and  was  a  most  efficient  salesman.  He 
saved  his  money,  speculated  successfully,  and  b\-  i8()5  was  able  to  begin 
business  on  his  own  account  in  ^'eringtoll.     His  slock  is  a  well  selected  one 


A    ins  Tom'   Ol'    XI'.VADA.  f.03 

of  general  merchandise,  which  he  sells  in  a  cimvenicnllv  localed  place  of 
business,  and  s>i\-es  all  his  customers  Ihe  most  considerate  attention.  His 
iioiise  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  ])lace,  and  he  stands  \er\'  hii;h  in  the  business 
world. 

Before  lea\iug-  home  he  was  married  to  Miss  Hattie  Cohu.  and  the_\- 
liad  (jue  cliild  Ijefore  the  journey  to  .\merica  was  made,  namel}-,  .S.  (_'.  Segal, 
who  is  now  at  college  in  P>erkele\-,  California.  The  children  born  in  Nevada 
are:  Silver,  Milvy,  Evelyn.  In  polities  Mr.  Segal  is  a  Republican,  but  has 
never  desired  office.  He  is  a  member  of  the  .\ncieut  Order  of  LJnited  Work- 
men, and,  while  his  business  career  has  been  \er\'  successful,  he  has  been 
equalK'  fortunate  in  securing  the  goodwill  and  coulldeuce  of  bis  fellow  citi- 
zens. 

DR.  CYRUS  HAMILTON,  the  pioneer  dentist  of  Eureka,  first  came 
to  Nevada  in  1867,  and  has  been  in  continuous  ])ractic'e  in  this  town  for  thirty 
years.  He  is  one  of  the  California  fort\-niners,  and  his  career  in  the  west, 
Ixith  professional  and  industrial,  has  been  successful  and  higlilv  satisfactor\' 
from  every  standpoint.  For  all  his  years  and  varied  experiences  in  the  world, 
he  is  yet  strong  and  capable,  and  the  citizens  of  luu'eka  ])lace  implicit  con- 
fidence in  his  ]:)rofessional  ability.  He  has  not  only  shown  his  skill  and  thor- 
oughness bv  his  many  years'  practice  in  the  town,  l)ut  he  is  also  one  of  the 
progressive  lights  of  his  art,  keeping  abreast  of  the  times  by  study  and 
empirical  research. 

Dr.  Hamilton  is  of  English  ancestry  on  his  father's  side  and  Scotch  on 
his  mother's.  Bemiss  Hamilton,  his  father,  was  born  in  Massachusetts,  and 
married  Miss  Sarah  Strong,  a  native  of  MidtUetown,  Connecticut.  They  re- 
moved to  Michigan  in  1838,  thence  to  Illinois,  and  in  i860  to  Stanislaus 
county,  California.  Remiss  Hamilton  died  at  the  age  of  se\'enty,  Init  his  wife 
survi\-ed  till  her  eighty-sixth  year,  both  being  active  and  vigorous  specimens 
of  the  human  race  and  transmitting  their  powers  of  mind  and  body  to  their 
children.     They  were  acti\e  members  of  the  Baptist  church. 

Of  the  nine  children  of  these  jiarents.  Dr.  Hamilton  is  the  oulv  survivor 
of  the  sous  and  the  only  one  in  Nevada.  He  was  Ijorn  in  Portage,  ( )hio, 
January  3,  1823.  and  was  educated  at  the  Michigan  State  University  at  Ann 
Arbor.  His  professional  studies  were  completed  at  the  Philadelphia  Dental 
College,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1873.  He  began  the  practice  of  his 
profession  in  Yreka,  California.  He  had  followed  mining  in  that  state  in 
1850  and  1853,  and  did  fairly  well.  He  came  to  Eureka,  Nevada,  in  1873, 
and  opened  his  office.  He  has  given  complete  satisfaction  in  the  subsequent 
years,  and  all  his  competitors  have  left  the  practice  to  him.  He  has  suffered 
loss  from  several  fires  that  have  \isitc(l  Eureka,  and  he  now  has  his  residence 
and  otifice  on  Spring  street. 

Dr.  Hamilton  adhered  to  tlie  Democratic  ])art\-  until  1861,  but  he  was 
an  ardent  I^nion  man  and  then  went  o\-er  to  the  Republican  party,  with  which 
he  remained  until  1892.  He  then  found  that  his  party  would  not  su])port 
the  silver  movement,  and  he  has  since  gi\en  his  vote  and  influence  to  the 
cause  of  liimctallisni.     He  is  a  member  of  tlic  Independent  Oi"der  of  Odd  Fei- 


COl  A  HISTORY  OF  XEVADA. 

lows,  and  is  liberal  in  his  religious  views.  He  is  a  popular  resident  rif  the 
town  with  which  lie  has  been  identified  tor  so  many  years,  and  is  public- 
spirited  and  interested  in  the  oeueral  welfare  and  impro\-ement  of  his  com- 
niunitv. 


GARDNER  CHISM,  now  deceased,  was  for  years  a  respected  and 
worthv  citizen  of  Reno  and  W'ahoe  county.  As  the  day  with  its  morning  of 
hope  and  promise,  its  noontide  of  activity  and  its  evening  of  complete  and 
successful  efforts,  ending  in  the  grateful  rest  and  quiet  of  the  night,  so  was 
the  life  of  this  man.  He  lal»red  earnestly  and  persistently  for  man\-  years,, 
hut  eventually  gained  a  desirable  competence  that  supplied  him  with  the 
comforts  of  life.  He  became  a  California  pioneer  of  1849.  being  in  his 
twenty-fifth  year  when  he  sailed  around  Cape  Horn. 

He  was  bom  in  Dresden.  Maine,  August  29,  1824.  and  was  of  Scotch 
ancestry.  He  pursued  his  education  in  his  native  town  and  there  remained 
until  tw'enty-five  years  of  age.  with  the  exception  of  two  visits  he  made  to 
Xew  Orleans  to  his  lirother.  When  he  started  for  California  the  future  seemed 
bright  with  hope,  for  glowing  stories  were  told  of  the  rich  gold  fields  i>n  the 
Pacific  coast.  Three  different  times  did  he  make  the  long  trip  from  the  east 
to  the  west,  twice  bv  way  of  Cape  Horn  ami  once  by  the  isthmus  route.  After 
reaching  his  destination  he  tried  mining,  but  without  success,  and  he  then  went 
to  Oregon,  where  he  was  engaged  in  lumliering.  He  owned  and  operated  a 
sawmill  and  was  living  in  that  state — then  a  territory — at  the  time  of  the 
Indian  war.  in  which  he  took  an  active  part,  assisting  in  defending  the  set- 
tlers and  their  interests.  He  held  several  claims  against  the  government  for 
losses  sustained  and  su]}plies  furnished,  and  for  one  of  these  he  was  paid 
a  thousand  dollars,  but  the  other  claims  still  remain  unsettled. 

While  in  Oregon  he  engaged  in  the  raising  of  sheep,  which  he  would 
drive  to  the  Virginia  City  market,  at  a  time  when  that  city  contained  a 
large  i)opulation  and  was  at  the  height  of  its  mining  prosperity.  He  there- 
fore coukl  command  good  prices  for  his  sheep,  and  prospered  in  the  imder- 
taking.  For  about  ten  years  he  continued  in  that  business,  and  in  1880  he 
])urchased  a  ranch  of  one  hundred  and  fifteen  acres  just  west  of  the  city  of 
Reno.  The  former  owner  had  made  some  improvements  and  had  planted  an 
orchard,  which  is  still  in  g(xxl  bearing  condition.  Mr.  Chi.sm  planted  still 
other  trees  and  continued  the  work  of  cultivating  and  im])roving  the  place, 
wliich  he  developed  into  a  model  farm.  He  erected  a  good  residence  and  other 
substantial  buildings,  and  the  farm  became  one  of  the  best  in  this  section  of 
the  state.  Half  of  it  was  in  the  sage  brush  at  the  time  it  came  into  jxissession 
of  Mr.  Cliism,  and  its  splendidly  improved  condition  to-day  is  evidence  of  his 
life  of  industry.  In  1890  he  engaged  in  the  dairy  business,  purchased  some 
thoroughbred  Jersey  cows,  which  produced  high-grade  cattle.  Becau.se  of 
the  e.xcellcnt  (|uality  of  the  milk  which  he  sold  he  had  a  very  large  patronage, 
and  the  business  is  still  conducted  by  his  eldest  .son.  John  Chi.sm.  who  has 
tlie  largest  numlicr  of  milch  cows  and  is  the  leading  dairyman  of  the  state. 

In  i87r>  Mr.  Chisni  was  united  in  nt.irriage  to  Miss  .Mice  .\.  Hitchcock, 
a  native  of  New  York  and  a  daughter  ><{  M.  I,.   Hitchcock,  of  Iowa.     Tiiis 


GARDNER    CHISM. 


A   ilLSlUKV  OI<'  NICVAUA.  605 

iinidii  was  hlfsscd  with  seven  diildren,  four  nf  wlioiii  are  livin54 :  John,  wlio 
was  licirn  in  l\en(i,  and  is  a  tinidnale  (if  the  Slate  rnivcrsity;  Ivlward  and 
llar-i'\,  wild  aie  now  attending  the  uni\ersity :  and  ( iardner,  wii"  is  yet  a 
sindi'nt  in  the  |Hil)hc  scliuols, 

Mr.  Chisni  was  a  life-ldn.i;-  I  )eindnat.  and  allhmi.^h  ne\er  a  ])dlitician  in 
the  sense  of  offnce-seeking  lie  at  une  time  ser\ed  as  postmaster  in  Oref^on. 
In  religions  faith  he  was  a  Unitarian.  A  loving  luishand,  a  devoted  father, 
a  faithful  friend  and  a  trnstworthy  citizen,  the  elements  of  his  character 
were  of  a  high  order  and  gained  him  uniform  regard.  He  passed  away  in 
Novemher,  1898,  and  all  who  knew  him  felt  sincere  sorrow  that  this  worthy 
man  liad  heen  called  from  life.  His  widow  still  resides  on  the  fine  home- 
stead which  her  liusband  developed.  She  is  a  lady  of  intelligence  and  ex- 
cellent judgment,  and  slmws  much  ability  in  the  management  of  her  proi>erty 
interests,  in  which  she  is  ably  assisted  by  her  suns.  She  is  a  valued  member 
of  the  Congregational  church. 

HON.  ROBERT  S.  MEACHAM.  America  is  a  self-made  country,  and 
tliose  who  have  created  it  are  self-made  men.  Xo  influence  of  l)irth  or  fortiuie 
has  favored  the  architects  of  her  glory.  Among  those  who  have  achieved 
prominence  as  men  of  ability  and  substantial  worth  in  Nevada,  Hon.  Robert 
S.  Meacham  occupies  a  leading  position.  For  thirty-three  years  he  has  resided 
in  Virginia  City,  where  he  is  engaged  in  dealing  in  lumber  and  building  sup- 
plies, being  the  leading  re]jresentati\e  of  this  line  of  trade  in  his  section  of 
the  state. 

Mr.  Meacham  is  a  native  f)f  New  Hampshire,  born  on  the  loth  of  Sep- 
tember, 1837.  His  ancestors  were  early  settlers  of  Connecticut,  and  his 
parents  were  Seth  and  Matilda  (Farwell)  Meacham,  who  were  also  born  in 
the  old  Granite  state.  His  father  died  when  the  subject  (if  this  sketch  was 
but  four  years  of  age.  and  conseriuently  the  latter  knows  little  (if  the  ancestral 
history  of  the  family. 

Reared  upon  a  farm  in  the  state  of  Vermont,  Mr.  Meacham  was  edu- 
cated in  the  pubb'c  schools  of  Springfield,  of  that  state.  In  i860  he  went  to 
California,  making  the  trip  by  way  of  the  isthmus  and  arriving  at  San  Fran- 
cisco late  in  September  of  that  year.  He  ))roceedeil  direct  t"  Jenny  Lind. 
Calaveras  county,  where  he  engaged  in  placer  mining,  meeting  with  success 
until  the  lloods  of  1861-2  came.  He  next  went  to  the  red  woods,  near  where 
Palo  Alto  now  stands,  and  seciu'ed  work  in  a  sawmill  at  sixty  dollars  per 
month,  being  emploj'ed  at  that  place  until  1864.  when  he  came  to  Nevada, 
(ioing  to  Wa.shoe  county,  he  secured  employment  in  the  timlier  forests  and 
continued  to  work  in  the  wo^ds  and  in  a  lumber  mill  until  187 1.  when  he 
came  to  Virginia  City  and  began  business  as  manager  of  the  Virginia  lumljer. 
wood  and  coal  yard,  in  which  position  he  has  sold  the  greater  part  of  the 
lumber,  wood  and  coal  used  in  Virginia  City  during  the  past  thirty-three 
years.  Because  of  his  honorable  methods  and  unfaltering  diligence  he  well 
merits  and  has  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens. 

On  the  1 6th  of  Decemljer.  1884.  Mr.  Meacham  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Mrs.  Altana  Powers,  a  native  of  Canada,  who  had  a  son  that  has  been 


606  A  HISTORY  OF  XE\'AD.\. 

reared  by  them  ami  wlm  i.s  now  in  tlie  lumber  of  business  with  Mr.  Meaeham. 
Mrs.  Meachani  is  a  valued  meni1)er  oi  the  Ejjiscopal  churcli  anil  is  active  in 
])r()m()ling  tlmse  interests  and  mo\ements  which  are  for  the  benefit  of  the  city. 
Mr.  Meacham's  parents  were  members  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  he  is  a 
beliexer  in  its  tenets.  He  also  belie\es  that  if  the  teachings  of  Masonry  are 
closely  followed  he  will  be  honoraiile  and  u])right  and  liis  life  will  l^e  such 
as  to  command  uniform  confidence  and  respect.  Mr.  Meacham  is  a  member 
of  X'irginia  Lodge  \o.  3,  F.  &  A.  M. :  Virginia  Chapter  No.  2.  R.  A.  M..  and 
HcWilt  Clinton  Commandery  Xo.  i.  K.  T.  He  is  also  a  meml>er  of  Argenta 
Chapter  Xo.  7.  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star,  of  which  his  wife  is  tlie  worthy 
matron.  Me  h.'.s  been  a  life-long  Republican,  and  upon  the  ticket  of  his  ])art) 
was  elected  to  the  state  asseml^ly  in  i8q8.  where  he  proved  an  active  working 
memlier.  .giving  to  each  question  which  came  up  for  settlement  his  earnest 
consideration  that  he  might  su])porl  or  o])])ose  it  as  he  deemed  it  for  the 
welfare  of  the  state,  llis  is  a  most  creditable  record  of  an  honorable  Ijusiness 
man,  lo\al  in  citizenshii)  and  faithful  in  friendship. 


W.  C.  l-vUDDELL.  the  esteemed  and  prosperous  farmer  of  Lovelocks. 
Ne\ada,  and  to  be  counted  among  the  pioneers  to  this  state  since  he  came 
here  in  1864,  is  himself  the  descendant  of  pioneers.  His  great-grand fatlier 
settled  in  Kentuckv  contemixiraneousl}'  with  the  famous  Daniel  Boone,  and 
was  related  to  that  pathfinder  on  one  side  of  the  family,  (jrandfather  Cornelius 
was  a  native  of  Kentucky,  where  also  James  Ruddell.  the  father  of  W.  C. 
Rnddell,  was  lx)rn.  James  Ruddell  came  to  the  state  of  Iowa  when  a  young 
man,  and  there  married  Miss  Parthenia  Fees,  a  native  of  that  state.  In  1864. 
with  his  wife,  two  sons  and  a  daughter,  he  crossed  the  plains  with  an  ox 
team.  He  located  at  .\ustin,  Xe\ada,  where  his  youngest  child.  Minnie,  was 
bfjrn.  and  where  he  was  engineer  in  a  (|uartz  mill.  The  family  afterward 
returned  to  Iowa  for  a  time,  but  then  came  to  Nevada  and  made  it  their 
])erinanent  liome.  They  removed  to  Golconda  Ranch,  fifty  miles  south  cS 
Winnemucca.  and  took  up  and  improved  a  farm,  where  they  lived  until  1S69. 
Mr.  James  Kuddell  and  Mr.  John  \\ca\  then  engaged  in  teaming  with  o.xen. 
hauling  sail  to  Boise  City.  Idaho,  wood  and  salt  to  .\ustin  and  ore  to  the 
.\uslin  mills.  In  1876  the  family  went  to  Lake  countv.  California,  but  in 
1901  returned  to  l.i  velocks,  and  James  Ruddell  and  his  wife  are  now  residing 
with  a  granddaughter  at  Jackson  Creek.  Nevada,  lie  is  sixty-seven  years 
old.  and  she  is  sixty-four,  both  being  held  in  high  regard  for  their  worth 
and  good  citizenship,  and  also  for  the  part  they  took  in  the  settlement  and  de- 
veloimient  of  this  country.  They  are  members  of  the  Christian  church.  Their 
son  W.  C.  is  a  resident  of  Nevada,  and  Mrs.  E.  .\.  Huvivicr  and  l'".mcry  Rnd 
dell  are  at  dolconda. 

W.  C.  Ru'ldell.  the  eldest  child,  was  born  at  Iconium.  .\])i)anoose  county, 
Iowa,  .\ugust  22.  1857.  He  was  but  seven  years  old  when  the  family  crossed 
the  plains,  and  in  such  conditions  he  had  but  little  ojjportunity  to  gain  an 
education.  He  attended  school  in  .Austin,  and  when  the  family  retiu-ned  to 
Iowa  in  1869  he  had  schooling  there  for  a  year.    On  their  return  to  Unionville. 


A  llLSJUlvV   Ul'    XIAADA..  <''07 

I  l\iinl)iil(It  cmiiilx',  Nc'\a(l;i.  lie  went  to  sclioni  fur  al)()nt  a  year,  hut  lie  lias  all 
lliroitj^li  life  been  such  a  studious  and  nhserviuL;  man  that  the  lack  of  earl_\- 
a(l\-antages  is  nmre  than  of^'set  hy  his  nati\e  and  self-ac(|uired  intelligence. 
While  a  younj^'  man  he  was  engaged  in  mining  with  its  usual  ups  and  downs, 
lull  after  his  marriage,  in  iS8o.  to  Miss  Jennie  C.  Lo\elock.  the  daughter  of 
(leorge  Lo\  clock,  the  pioneer  and  founder  of  the  town  of  Lovelocks,  he 
settled  down  to  farming  on  a  fine  estate  of  fi\e  hundred  acres  closely  ad- 
joining the  town  of  Lovelocks.  He  raises  stock'  and  cuts  about  thirteen  hun- 
dred tons  of  alfalfa  hay  each  season,  which  he  feeds  to  his  own  cattle  and 
sells  to  stockmen,  who  feed  it  on  his  own  ground.  He  also  raises.  i)rincipally 
for  his  own  consumption,  vegetables  and  grain. 

Four  children  have  been  Ixirn  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Uuddell,  the  two  eldest. 
Mary  .Mice  and  Imogene,  attending  the  Nevada  State  Ihiiversity  at  Keno, 
Mnvy  .Mice  to  graduate  in  1(104;  and  the  other  two  are  W.  C.  Ruddell.  jr.. 
and  f-^uth.  Mr.  Ruddell  has  always  been  a  Democrat  and  has  taken  an  active 
part  in  public  .affairs.  He  was  one  of  the  deputy  sheriffs  of  Humboldt  county, 
and  as  a  luemher  of  the  board  of  county  commissioners,  to  which  hod\'  he 
has  been  elected  three  terms,  the  last  time  in  1902  for  four  years,  he  has  shown 
his  puljlic  spirit  and  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the  county  hy  doing  all  in  his 
power  for  material  improxeiueul  and  develo])mcnl.  He  has  one  of  the  nice 
liomes  of  Lovelocks,  and  he  and  his  family  are  held  in  high  esteem  by  all 
who  k'uow  them. 

TRUM.\X  ADELBLRT  BURDlClv,  sheriff  of  Eureka  county  in  bis 
third  term  of  efficient  service,  came  to  the  state  of  Nevada  thirty  years  ago 
as  a  poor  young  man  in  search  of  opportunities.  He  found  what  he  was  look- 
ing for,  improved  them,  began  to  rise  in  the  scale  of  individual  prosjierity 
and  in  the  estimation  of  his  fellow  citizens,  and  just  now  in  the  ])rime  of  his 
career  is  performing  satisfactoril_\-  and  well  the  duties  of  one  of  tlie  most 
important  ofifices  of  his  county. 

Mr.  Burdick  is  of  French  and  Pennsylvania  Dutch  ancestry,  early  mem- 
bers of  the  family  having  settled  in  Pennsylvania  in  the  colonial  period.  His 
parents  were  Clark  and  Mary  (Burdick)  Burdick,  of  the  same  family  name 
iiut  not  related,  and  the  former  a  native  f)f  Pennsylvania  and  the  latter  of 
New  York.  'Hiey  came  to  Wisconsin,  and  spent  the  remainder  of  their  lives 
on  a  farm  there.  She  was  a  Baptist  in  religious  views,  and  he  was  liberal, 
and  thev  were  both  esteemed  for  their  worth  and  useful  li\es.  They  were 
the  parents  of  five  children,  and  three  are  living. 

Sheriff  Burdick,  the  only  one  of  the  family  in  Nevada,  was  born  in  Wal- 
worth county,  Wisconsin,  Novem1>er  4,  1853,  'i"^'  ^^''^^^  reared  to  manhood 
in  his  native  state  and  educated  in  the  public  schools.  He  was  twenty  years 
of  age  when  he  arrived  in  Eureka,  and  as  he  came  prepared  for  work  and 
willing  and  diligent  he  at  once  got  a  job  at  hauling  ore  and  charcoal.  He  has 
followed  that  occupation  most  of  the  time  since,  and  has  made  a  good  living 
.and  become  known  to  his  fellow  citizens  as  a  good  reliable  character,  energetic 
and  honorable.  In  i8g8  he  was  elected  sheriff  of  the  county,  and  has  dis- 
chareed  the  duties  of  the  office  so  creditahlv  that  he  has  been  twice  re-elected. 


ti08  A  HISTORY  OF  NE^•ADA. 

TSlv.  LUinlick  lias  ^^iven  his  vote  and  influence  to  the  cause  of  silver.  Ijeliev- 
ing  that  hinietallisni  is  not  only  best  for  his  state  but  for  the  whole  coinitry. 
In  JS87  he  was  married  to  ]\Iiss  .Vlbertina  Parker,  who  was  born  in  San 
iMancisco.  California.  Six  children  have  been  born  to  them  in  Eureka,  as 
follows:  John.  Mar}-.  Walter,  Herbert.  Alnionl  and  Xoko.  They  live  in 
one  of  the  nice  homes  of  Eureka,  and  are  held  in  high  esteem  by  all  their 
numerous  friends  and  acquaintances. 

IIO.X.  SAKDIS  SL\MMERFIELD.  L'nited  States  attorney  of  Nevada, 
residing  in  Reno,  has  l)een  in  Nevada  since  1881.  He  is  a  native  of  North 
X'ernon.  Indiana,  where  he  was  torn  February  8.  1858.  descending  from  a 
Hollantl  family  which  took  up  residence  in  Pennsylvania  and  later  in  Vir- 
ginia. His  father,  Erastus  Summerfield.  was  Ixirn  in  Ohio  and  married  Jane 
Morin.  a  native  of  Clermont  county.  Ohio. 

Sardis  Summerfield  was  educated  in  the  Indiana  public  schools  and  w^as 
graduated  from  the  North  Vernon  high  school,  after  which  he  read  law  with 
Hon.  David  Overmeyer.  and  was  graduated  from  the  Cincinnati  Law  School 
and  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1880.  The  following  year  he  went  to  Nevada,  and 
for  a  few  years  taught  school,  becoming  princi]>al  of  the  schools  of  Genoa, 
.\ustin  and  Empire,  but  in  1890  he  began  the  practice  of  his  profession  in 
Carson  City,  alone  for  three  years,  but  in  1893  he  entered  into  partnership 
with  Hon.  J.  D.  Torreyson  under  the  style  of  Torreyson  &  Summerfield. 
which  still  continues,  the  partners  enjoying  a  ver}-  large  practice.  They  have 
offices  l)oth  at  Carson  City  and  Reno.  Mr.  Summerfield  has  always  been  a 
good  Republican,  and  served  as  clerk  of  the  Nevada  senate  in  1889;  district 
attorney  of  Ormsl)y  county  in  189 1-2;  state  senator  from  Washoe  county. 
1894-7.  He  was  appointed  by  President  McKinley  attorney  for  Nevada  in 
1897,  and  resigned  his  senatorship  to  accejit  that  office,  and  was  re-appointed 
by  President  Roosevelt  in  1901.  He  is  now  serving  his  sixth  year  in  that 
res])onsible  position.  The  firm  of  Torreyson  &  Summerfield  is  very  widely 
known  throughout  the  state.  Mr.  Torreyson  is  ex-attorney  general  of  Ne- 
vada, and  1)oth  are  very  eminent  lawyers  and  pf)lished.  courteous  gentlemen. 

Mr.  Summerfield  is  a  thirty-second  degree  Mason;  is  past  master  of 
Reno  Lodge  No.  13:  is  a  Mystic  Shriner;  a  memlier  of  the  Ea.stern  Star;  the 
Knights  of  P)'thias;  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  the  Modem 
Woodmen,  and  numerous  other  secret  societies,  in  all  of  which  he  is  very 
jiopular. 

In  1888  he  was  married  to  Mary  E.  Douglas,  a  nati\c  of  Nevada,  daugh- 
ter of  George  Douglas,  a  pioneer  of  the  county.  Two  sons  have  been  born 
to  them,  namely  :  Lester  1).  and  Vernon  1,  They  have  one  of  the  comfortable 
homes  in  Reno,  where  their  friends  gather,  and  they  are  very  iniiiorlant  factors 
in  (he  social  life  of  the  place.  Mr.  SummerfieUl  owns  a  hrdf  interest  in  a 
IwcKe-hundred-acre-ranch  which  produces  hay,  grain  and  fruit. 


COLOXi'lL   WILLI. \M    SL'THERL.VXl).      In   ;i    review   of  the  men 
whose  life  work  has  been  creditable  and  beneficial  to  the  state  of  Nevada, 


A  iiisruR\'  OF  NEVy\UA.  cuy 

iiientiiiii  sliould  he  made  of  Colonel  William  SiUlieriand,  whose  husiiiess  aljility 
and  skill  have  gained  him  leatlershi])  in  his  chosen  held  of  endeavor,  while 
his  personal  worth  and  ca|)a1)iht_v  ha\e  won  him  prominence  in  fraternal 
circles.  Honored  and  respected  in  every  class  of  society,  he  is  one  of  Xevada's 
adopted  sons  whose  efforts  have  heen  of  \alue  to  the  state,  while  at  the  same 
time  he  has  carried  forward  to  success  his  individual  husiness  hiterests.  He 
is  now  recognized  as  the  most  com])etent  and  artistic  l^ook  and  job  printer 
in  the  state,  and  his  husiness  has  grown  accordingly  as  his  reputation  has 
become  known  throughout  the  locality. 

Colonel  Sutherland  is  a  son  and  grandson  of  British  soldiers  from  the 
higiiiands  of  Scotland.  His  grandfather,  William  Howatt,  was  born  in  Scot- 
land and  became  a  member  of  the  h'orty-second  Higlilanders,  known  as  the 
Black  Watch.  His  father,  William  Sutherland,  was  a  member  of  the  Ninety- 
third  Highlanders  and  was  stationed  at  Quebec,  Canada.  He  married  Miss 
Eliza  Howatt,  a  native  of  Scotland,  and  their  son.  Colonel  William  Suther- 
land, was  lx)rn  in  the  barracks  at  Quebec,  on  the  _'3th  of  Ajjril,  1S48.  His 
father  died  in  Toronto,  Canada,  in  the  fortv-second  year  of  his  age,  his  wife 
sur\'iving',  however,  until  she  attained  an  advanced  age,  while  both  the  paternal 
grandparents  were  ninety-six  years  of  age  at  the  time  of  their  death.  Imvc 
children  were  l»rn  to  the  ])arents  of  Colonel  Sutherland,  of  whom  four  are 
now  living,  Ijut  he  is  the  only  one  who  resides  in  Ne\ada. 

Colonel  Sutherland  was  reared  to  manhood  in  Toronto,  Canada,  ]nnsned 
his  education  in  its  public  schools,  and  began  to  make  his  own  way  in  the 
world  when  but  a  boy,  since  which  time  all  that  he  has  possessed  and  enjoyed 
has  lieen  ac(|uired  through  his  owii  efforts^  When  fifteen  \ears  of  age  he 
entered  the  office  of  W.  C.  Chewett  &  Company,  a  large  book  printing  firm  of 
Toronto,  with  whom  he  learned  his  trade,  after  which  he  came  to  the  United 
States  in  iSfiC),  working  at  his  chosen  calling  in  Chicago  for  a  year,  and  then 
removing  to  Cialesburg,  Illinois,  where  he  continued  in  the  same  field  of  labor 
for  eight  years.  Suffering  from  lung  trouble,  he  was  then  advised  to  take 
up  his  residence  in  the  mountain  regions  for  the  benefit  of  his  health,  and 
accordingly  came  to  Virginia  Cit\-,  where  in  course  of  time  his  health  has 
been  completely  restored.  When  the  great  fire  of  the  2r)th  of  October.  1875, 
swept  over  the  city,  it  entirely  destroyed  his  household  effects.  He  did  not 
have  a  very  great  capital  to  invest  on  coming  to  the  west,  but  it  was  his  all. 
and  thus  his  loss  proved  a  severe  disaster.  In  December,  1877.  he  formed  a  co- 
partnership with  George  Daley  in  the  job  ])rinting  business,  and  gradually 
the  patronage  increased  until  he  succeeded  in  buikling  up  a  very  large  and 
profitable  business,  which  extends  throughout  the  state.  In  1880  he  purchased 
his  partner's  interest  and  now  has  a  nice  and  well  ajJixiinted  office,  supplied 
with  the  latest  improved  ]>resses.  machinery  and  other  equipments  for  turn- 
ing out  fine  work,  and  no  more  artistic  work  can  be  shown  in  Nevada  than 
that  which  comes  from  his  office.  He  was  not  only  well  jirejiared  when  he 
entered  upon  his  chosen  field  of  lalxir.  but  has  ke]it  in  touch  with  the  progress 
which  has  been  such  a  ijronounced  featiu'e  of  the  printing  business,  and  is  to- 
day one  of  the  leaders  in  his  line  in  this  portion  of  the  west.  He  does  the 
fine  work  for  the  Masonic  and  Odd  Fellows  lodges  of  the  state,  and  his  work 
is  fully  as  artistic  as  can  be  found  anywhere  in  the  country.     His  patronage 


tJlU  A  HISTUR^■  Ul'   XE\ADA. 

comes  from  all  parts  of  Nevada,  and  has  li.my  since  reached  jiruhtahle  pro- 
portions. 

In  1867  occnrred  the  marriage  of  Colonel  Sutherland  and  Miss  Anna 
Sanderson  Walker,  a  native  of  Hull.  England.  They  have  one  son.  J.  Harry, 
who  was  born  in  Galesburg.  Illinois.  Airs.  Sutherland  is  a  \alued  menilier 
of  the  Episcopal  church. 

The  Colonel  was  made  a  Mason  in  1S71.  in  X'cspcr  Lodge  Xo.  584,  F. 
&  A.  M.,  in  (lalesburg,  Illinois,  and  receivecl  the  Royal  .Krch  degrees  in  187,^. 
in  Gale.sburg  Chapter  \o.  42.  R.  .\.  M.  He  continues  his  membership  in  his 
old  lodge,  l)ut  dimitted  from  the  chapter  in  1876  and  joined  Virginia  Chapter 
No.  2,  Virginia  City.  Nevada.  He  has  tilled  every  office  in  this  chapter,  and 
is  still  one  of  its  office-holders  and  active  working  memliers.  He  has  also 
filled  every  office  in  the  grand  chapter  of  the  state,  and  has  the  honor  of  being 
a  past  high  priest  of  the  grand  chapter  of  the  state  of  Nevada.  He  became  a 
member  of  De  Witt  Clinton  Commandery  No.  i,  K.  T.,  in  i88_^,  had  filled 
several  of  its  offices,  and  was  eminent  commander  from  itjoo  to  1903.  He 
also  belongs  to  the  Mystic  Shrine,  his  membership  being  in  Islam  Temple, 
of  San  Francisco,  California. 

He  is  likewise  a  valued  representative  of  the  Odd  Fellows"  society,  having 
joined  Mount  Davidson  I^)dge  No.  3.  while  in  1886  he  took  the  degrees  of 
the  Encampment,  and  is  a  i)ast  noble  grand  of  his  lodge,  which  is  now  con- 
.solidated  with  Virginia  Lodge  Xi>.  i,  of  Virginia  City.  He  is  a  past  chief 
patriarch  of  Pioneer  Encampment  Xo.  1.  was  elected  grand  secretary  of  the 
grand  lodge  and  grand  scribe  of  the  grand  encampment  at  the  annual  session 
in  1898.  and  is  now  serving  for  the  si.xth  term.  He  is  also  a  member  of  Colfa.x 
Rebekah  Lodge  No.  i. 

it  is  but  natural  that  Col'Hiel  Sutherland,  in  view  of  his  ancestral  his- 
tiiry.  should  have  a  deep  interest  in  militar\-  affairs,  lie  has  long  been  a 
member  of  the  state  militia,  was  major  of  the  birst  .\evada  Regiment  of  the 
National  (iuard  for  three  years,  ;md  lieutenant  colonel  f<ir  five  years.  He  is 
also  a  past  honored  chieftain  of  the  Caledonia  Club,  a  Scottish  society  of 
Virginia  City.  During  the  years  of  his  residence  in  this  state  he  has  there- 
fore won  social  as  well  as  business  ])rominence.  and  is  a  most  i)opular  and 
highly  honored  citizen. 

HON.  liORACb:  [T<AXKLIN  BARTiXE,  who  has  .served  in  the 
lower  house  of  the  United  States  Congr-ess  from  the  .state  of  Xevada,  has 
been  a  resident  of  the  state  since  June.  1869.  He  is  a  native  of  New  York, 
having  been  born  in  New  York  city,  March  21,  1848,  and  coming  of  French 
ancestors.  His  father,  Horace  S.  Bartinc,  was  boi-n  in  New  York  and  mar- 
ried Matilda  K.  Casterline.  a  native  of  New  Jersey.  Joseph  Casterline,  iier 
father,  was  a  Revolutionary  soldier  and  .served  under  Washington  at  Valley 
F'orge,  Trenton  and  i'rincetnn.  Horace  S.  Bartine  died  from  the  effects  of  a 
.severe  cold  contracted  in  the  si.xty-fifth  year  of  his  life,  but  bis  wife  sur- 
vived him  and  lived  to  be  eighty-five  years'old.  riic  unly  child  nf  this  worthy 
coui)le  was  Hon.  Horace  iManklin  Bartine. 

The  education  of  Mr.  Bartinc  was  begun  in  the  public  schodls  of  Xcw 


^.       t^Ou^btt^ 


A  lllSTURV   Ui-   MAADA.  611 

York  anil  continued  until  he  was  ten  years  old.  when  his  parents  moved  to 
New  Jersey,  and  he  resumed  his  studies  in  the  puhlic  schools  of  that  state.  When 
he  was  fifteen  years  old  he  was  li\e  feet  nine  inches  in  height,  and  looking 
much  older  than  his  years,  he  enlisted  in  Eighth  Xew  Jersey  Volunteer  In- 
fantry. Jul}'  I,  1863,  representing  th.at  he  was  eighteen  years  old.  This  regi- 
ment had  heen  in  service  since  the  commencement  of  the  war,  and  new  enlist- 
ments were  taken  to  fill  its  de])leted  ranks.  There  were  only  eighty  officers 
and  men  pi-esent  for  dut\-  when  he  was  permitted  to  enlist,  and  as  it  was  a 
veteran  regiment  it  was  then  at  the  front.  Mr.  Bartine  participated  in  four 
hard-fought  battles  up  to  and  including  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness,  where 
he  received  a  gunshot  wnund  in  the  breast.  This  ke])t  him  from  service 
for  three  months,,  but  as  soon  as  possible  be  returned  to  his  regiment,  and  for 
three  months  more  wore  a  pad  over  the  large  hole  in  his  breast.  Following 
this  he  participated  with  bis  regiment  in  all  tiie  battles  of  the  division  until 
the  surrender  of  General  Lee.  At  the  taking  of  Petersburg  his  regiment 
had  the  honor  of  capturing  a  wiiole  regiment  of  North  Carolina  soldiers,  and 
he  was  also  in  the  battle  of  Sailor's  Creek,  which  was  the  last  before  the  sur- 
render. His  regiment  took  ])art  in  the  grand  review  at  Washington,  was 
honorably  mustered  out  July  _'o.  iKO^.  and  be  returned  home  and  engaged  in 
farming. 

Soon  after  his  return  from  the  war  Air.  Bartine  married  Lydia  M. 
Cooper,  a  native  of  New  Jersey,  and  a  daughter  of  David  Cooper,  of  that 
state,  who  was  descended  from  an  old  English  famil}-.  In  1869,  in  search  of 
better  facilities  to  improxe  his  financial  condition.  Mr.  Bartine  came  west  and 
arrived  in  San  Francisco  about  the  middle  of  March  of  that  year.  He  secured 
work  in  a  cjuartz  mill.  In  June  of  that  year  he  came  to  Nevada  and  for 
some  time  was  engaged  in  washing  blankets  at  the  Weston  Mill.  After 
two  years  he  abandoned  that  class  of  work  and  took  charge  of  the  Dayton  & 
Virginia  toll  road  as  toll  collector,  spending  his  spare  moments  reading 
history  and  general  literature.  Three  years  later  be  was  employed  in  the 
manufacture  of  bluestone  at  Daxton  and  in  1874  he  removed  to  Carson  City 
to  continue  that  business  in  the  employ  of  the  Lyon  Mill  &  Mining  Com- 
pany.    During  all  this  time  he  had  continued  his  studies. 

In  the  presidential  cam])aign  of  1876  he  labored  long  and  earnestly  for 
the  Republican  success,  and  his  efforts  were  highly  api)reciated,  especially 
those  made  with  Hon.  Thomas  Wren  when  they  stumped  the  state  on  behalf 
of  the  hitter's  candidacy  for  congress.  This  trii>  through  the  state  brought 
Mr.  Bartine  into  notice,  and  his  speeches  were  quoted,  the  young  ])olitician 
receiving  much  favorable  comment.  Impressed  with  his  el(X|uence  and 
ability.  Mr.  Wren  suggested  to  Mr.  Bartine  that  he  read  law.  and  presented 
him  with  sets  of  Blackstone  and  Kent.  This  advice  Mr.  Bartine  took.  After 
the  close  of  the  campaign  he  obtained  a  position  in  the  United  States  mint, 
continuing  to  hold  it  until  i87().  all  of  that  time  studying  very  hard.  In 
1880  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  by  the  supreme  court  of  the  state  after  a 
public  examination,  and  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  was  elected  district  at- 
torney of  Ormsby  county. 

in  1888  the  Republican  i)arcy  made  him  their  candidate  for  Congress, 
while  the  Democratic  party  i)ut  in  nomination  the  Hon.  G.  W.  Cassady,  a 


612  A  HISTORY  Ul'"  XliYADA. 

vei"}'  strung  man.  Air.  I'.artine  stuniiicd  the  state  ami  was  elected  Ijy  a 
majority  <>f  t\\el\e  linndred  and  tlnrty-two  votes,  and  was  re-nominated 
and  elected  to  sncceed  himself.  When  the  great  financial  (|uesti<in  of  that 
period  came  Isefore  the  lower  Imnse,  Mr.  Bartine  advocated  hinietalism  and 
delivered  verv  able  speeches  in  defense  uf  his  position.  However,  this 
placed  him  upon  unfriendh-  terms  with  the  leaders  of  his  party,  and  in 
1896,  when  the  Repuhhcan  ccin\entinn  declared  for  gold  standard,  he  sev- 
ered his  connection  with  that  party  and  dexoted  his  talents,  time  and  energy 
to  the  support  of  the  siKer  cause,  lirniK-  convinced  that  the  stand  he  was  taking 
was  for  the  best  interests  of  the  entire  country. 

During  the  campaign  of  Mr.  Bryan  Mr.  Bartine  was  one  of  the  most 
effective  speakers  and  workers,  and  finally  became- the  editor  of  the  National 
Binictalist.  published  in  Chicago  and  \A'ashington.  D.  C.  In  1898  and  1900 
he  was  the  mining  editor  of  the  Anaconda  Standard,  owned  1)\'  Marcus 
Daily.  This  paper  was  the  leading  journal  of  Montana.  In  u)oi  Mr.  Bartine 
became  associate  editor  of  the  Washington  Times,  published  at  Washington, 
D.  C,  but  the  following  year  he  returned  to  .\e\ada  and  participated  actively 
in  the  Nevada  state  campaign  on  behalf  of  the  fusion  ticket,  both  his  writings 
and  speeches  being  attended  with  brilliant  results.  Nearly  all  of  the  state 
fusion  ticket  was  elected.  He  delivered  the  oration  on  the  Fourth  of  July 
celebration  of  1903  at  Virginia  City.  Upon  that  occasion  he  surjjassed  himself 
and  fired  his  listeners  with  ])atriotic  zeal  and  pride  in  the  glorious  Union. 
At  present  he  is  engaged  in  ncwspajjcr  work  and  his  law  practice  in  Carson 
City. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bartine  have  three  daughters,  namely  :  Laura  M.,  now 
Mrs.  E.  V.  Mullen  .\my  B.,  unmarried;  and  Liva  C,  now  Mrs.  Thomas  Mc- 
Cabe.  Mr.  Bartine  has  always  taken  an  active  part  in  the  work  of  the  Grand 
.Army  of  the  Repultlic  and  is  one  of  its  prominent  officials.  He  is  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  .Ancient  (^rder  of  L'nited  \\'orkmen. 


JOHN  HILL,  deceased,  was  for  many  )ears  one  of  the  most  respected 
and  influential  farmers  in  what  is  called  the  I'ig  Meadows,  a  few  miles  south 
of  Linelocks,  wdiere  he  had  a  large  ranch,  whose  productivit\'  and  \alne  were 
the  results  of  his  early  toil  when  this  ])arl  of  the  country  was  ;i  wilderness. 
His  life  was  one  of  industry,  and  he  was  not  only  lo\cd  and  revered  in  bis 
immediate  family  circle,  but  had  a  wide  ac(|uaintance  and  a  iironiinent  place 
among  his  fellow'  citizens. 

Mr.  Hill  was  born  in  county  .\ntiim.  Irel.-nid,  .about  six  miles  from  the 
city  of  Belfast,  in  September.  1829,  and  was  reared  to  manhood  in  that 
country.  He  was  married  in  Ireland  to  Miss  Catherine  Smith,  a  native  of  his 
own  town.  In  1863  he  emigrated  to  California,  where  he  was  engaged  in 
various  occu])ations  for  several  years.  In  1868  his  wife  crossed  the  sea  to 
join  him,  and  they  were  reunited  in  Boston,  .Massachusetts,  whence  they  came 
out  to  Nevada  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  T'aradise  valley.  He  farmed  for  a 
while  at  this  location,  and  then  .sold  out  and  came  to  the  l)ig  Meadows.  Xo 
clearing  bad  yet  been  done  in  this  .section,  and  he  had  a  big  task  before  him 
to  make  the  land   yield   its  fruits.     He  bought   and   sold   {\\n  nmchcs  before 


A  lllSruRV   OI>    NEVADA.  G\-i 

he  settled  on  his  present  place,  wliicli  consists  of  eigiit  liundrcd  and  eit^hty 
acres  of  ricli  land,  and  on  which  he  made  all  the  improvements,  huildiny  a 
comfortahle  residence  ami  planting  ;ill  the  shade  and  fruit  trees.  Alfalfa  hay 
wa.s  the  principal  crop  which  Mr.  Hill  raisetl,  and  what  of  this  he  did  not 
iee(\  to  his  own  stock,  which  was  the  main  source  (jf  revenue,  was  sold  and 
\i-t\  lo  other  men's  caitle  on  the  place,  thus  preserving  the  strength  of  the  soil. 
.Mr.  Hill  was  a  Democrat  in  politics,  and  in  religion  a  I'reshyterian.  His 
upi'ight  and  true-l:)Iue  citizenshij)  was  unc|uestioned,  and  he  was  a  kind  and 
loving  husband  and  father,  so  that  his  loss  was  felt  in  the  community  when  he 
departed  this  life  in  .\])ril,  ujoo,  at  the  age  of  seventy-one.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hill  were  the  parents  of  four  children  :  Joseph,  the  eldest,  is  now  one  of  the 
prominent  farmers  and  business  men  ui  Lovelocks;  Joiin  also  has  a  ranch  of 
his  own:  Thomas  is  in  the  Commercial  store  in  Lovelocks;  and  Andrew,  to- 
gether with  his  mother,  is  managing  the  home  ranch.  Mrs.  Hill  shows  much 
ability  in  her  management  of  farm  and  business  atl^airs,  and  she  is  held  in  high 
regard   for  her  strength  of  |)ur])ose  and  industry. 


\\']LLL\M  H.  H.\NlOCK,  who  is  owner  of  the  leading  meat  market 
in  Virginia  Cit}',  has  resided  in  Nevada  since  1866,  covering  a  period  of 
tbirtv-seven  consecuti\'e  years.  He  is  a  natix'e  of  Plattsburg,  Clinton  county. 
New  York,  his  birth  ba\'ing  occurred  on  the  18th  of  No\-ember,  1844.  He  is 
of  English  and  Irish  ancestry,  and  his  parents  were  William  Henry  and  Mary 
(McCuer)  Hancock.  His  father  was  a  farmer  by  occupation,  always  fol- 
lowing that  pursuit  in  order  to  provide  for  the  needs  and  wants  of  his  family. 
He  gave  his  political  sujiport  to  the  Republican  party  and  was  active  and 
earnest  in  its  advocac}'.  Both  he  and  his  wife  held  membership  with  the  Epis- 
copal church.  He  departed  this  life  in  the  si.xtieth  year  of  his  age,  while  his 
wife  was  called  to  her  final  rest  hi  her  seventy-ninth  year. 

U^illiam  H.  Hancock,  their  onl_\-  son,  attended  the  public  schools  in  his 
boyhood  days  and  worked  upon  the  home  farm.  He  was  reared  to  manlnxid 
in  his  native  town  and  continued  to  reside  in  the  east  until  1864,  when,  at 
the  age  of  twenty  years,  be  crossed  the  plains  to  Fort  Lyon,  Mexico.  .After- 
ward he  returned  to  Kansas,  Init  later  again  made  a  journey  across  the  plains 
with  Virginia  City  as  his  destination.  When  he  made  bis  first  trip  there  were 
two  hundred  and  fifty  in  the  escmt  and  the  party  consisted  of  tweh'e  hundred 
people,  and  notwithstanding  this  fact  the  Indians  tried  to  make  awav  with 
their  cattle,  and  they  had  several  skirmishes  with  the  red  men,  but  none  of 
the  members  of  Mr.  Hancock's  party  were  killed.  However,  tbev  met  a 
company  of  emigrants  on  their  way  east  wlio  had  bad  a  severe  hght  with  the 
Indians  and  had  lost  thirteen  of  their  number. 

The  party  with  which  Mr.  Hancock  traveled  to  Nevada  brought  out 
eighteen  head  of  cattle  and  wintered  them  at  Water  Lake.  It  was  a  very 
mild  winter  and  the  stock  did  well  that  season.  The  cattle  were  owned  bv  the 
firm  of  Dirkey  &  Kerr,  bankers  at  Salt  Lake  City.  In  the  year  186^.  when 
Mr.  Hancock  arrived  in  Virginia  City,  hay  was  selling  at  one  hundred  dollars 
per  ton  and  wood  at  sixty  dollars  ])er  cord.  He  was  hired  to  go  out  and  chop 
wood  at  Franktown.  but  a  ver\-  bad  storm  came  on  and  he  worked  for  only 


r.l-t  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

three  and  a  half  days,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  packed  up  his  blankets  and 
returned  to  Virginia  City.  Not  long  afterward  he  secured  employment  in  the 
Savage  mine,  working  as  pick  boy  for  three  and  a  half  dollars  per  day.  In 
that  service  he  continued  for  about  six  weeks,  and  a  little  later  olitained  a 
position  in  the  butcher  shop  of  A.  T.  Waters  at  sixty  dollars  per  month.  Mr. 
Hancock  remained  there  for  several  years,  his  wages  being  increased  from 
time  to  time  untd  he  was  paid  one  hundred  and  twenty-hve  dollars  per  month. 

Saving  his  money  during  that  period,  when  he  had  acquired  sufficient 
capital,  he  invested  it  in  a  1)utcher  shop,  entering  into  partner- 
ship with  a  Mr.  INIerkle.  Mr.  Plancuck  then  went  to  Sacramento 
on  business,  and  while  there  receixed  a  telegram  that  the  shop 
bad  been  destroyed  by  fire,  and  thus  everything  was  lost  that 
iKiil  been  invested.  The  partners  then  liuilt  a  small  shanty  in  which  they 
did  business,  and  in  connection  with  carrying  a  line  of  meats  they  also  sold 
cigars.  It  was  a  struggle  to  carr}'  on  the  business,  for  supplies  were  very 
hard  to  obtain.  The  mutton  was  brought  by  stage  from  Sacramento,  and 
beef  could  only  be  purchased  for  thirteen  cents  per  pound  in  the  carcass,  but 
by  economy,  careful  management  and  enterprise  the  firm  managed  to  gain 
a  good  start  and  make  a  little  money.  They  afterward  purchased  the  meat 
market  owned  by  A.  T.  Waters,  and  later  Mr.  Merkle  sold  his  interest  to  a 
Mr.  Brown.  The  new  partner,  however.  pro\ed  to  be  a  dissipated  man.  and 
en  one  occasion  he  started  with  a  consideralile  sum  of  the  firm's  money  in 
order  to  buy  stock  and  Mr.  Hancock  never  saw  anything  of  him  again. 

In  1879  Mr.  Hancock  purchased  the  market  on  Sixth  street,  where  he 
remained  for  a  year,  after  which  he  removed  to  another  location  across  the 
street,  renting  a  shop  with  living  rooms  overhead.  He  paid  for  the  shop  a 
rental  of  one  hundred  and  twent\--five  dollars  per  month  and  for  the  living 
rooms  sixty  dollars  per  month.  At  that  place  lie  remained  for  fifteen  years, 
at  the  end  of  which  time  he  removed  to  his  present  shop  on  C  street,  where 
he  has  since  been  successfully  engaged  in  business  for  the  past  se\-en  years. 
During  his  long  business  career  in  Virginia  City  he  has  made  an  enviable 
reputation,  and  as  ;ui  upright  and  honest  business  ni;ui  has  won  a  liberal 
patronage. 

In  1874  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  William  II.  Hancock  and  Miss 
California  A.  Johnston,  who  was  born  while  her  parents  were  crossing  the 
plains  to  the  Golden  state.  To  this  marriage  have  been  born  two  children: 
Halcyon,  now  the  wife  of  W.  H.  Long,  a  resident  of  \'irginia  City;  and  Karl 
W.,  who  is  residing  in  San  Francisco,  where  Mrs.  Hancock  is  now  sojourning 
for  the  benefit  of  her  health.  She  is  a  member  of  the  lipiscopal  church  and 
a  most  estimable  lady.  In  his  ])olitical  views  Mr.  llancock  has  been  a  life- 
l(jng  Republican,  gi\ing  an  unfaltering  su]i])ort  to  the  princijiles  of  the  party 
and  having  lirm  faith  in  its  ultimate  trium])h.  He  belongs  to  both  branches 
of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  is  a  past  grand  representative 
to  the  grand  lodge.  He  likewise  holds  membershi]i  with  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity and  exemplifies  in  his  honorable  career  the  beneficent  teachings  of  these 
orders.  In  examining  his  life  record  we  note  that  tiie  salient  jioints  in  his 
history  have  been  strong  purpose,  unfaltering  diligence,  capable  management 
rmd.   above   all,    straight forwru'd    dcnling.      His    caiMiest    desire   to   |)lease  his 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  015 

cusfoiiiers  and  his  honorahle  l)usiness  nictlinds  have  secured  to  him  a  very 
i.',ratifvin.i4'  patnmase,  and  lie  has  for  a  number  of  years  been  known  as  tlie 
])ni])rietor  of  the  lea<lin.L;  meal  market  of  his  adopted  fity. 


HON.  ROIlhdx'r  I-:.  RAI'  TK  !•:.  present  state  senator  from  Eureka 
county,  is  cme  (if  the  must  popular  citizens  of  the  county,  of  which  he  has 
been  a  resident  since  coming-  to  the  state  of  Nevada  over  thirty  years  ago. 
He  had  then  just  arrived  at  manhood,  .md  was  starting  into  life  with  no  par- 
ticular advantages  in  the  way  of  capital  or  preliminary  training.  Industrious 
and  cleardieadeil,  he  in  lime  imi)ressed  his  fellow  citizens  so  that  he  has  been 
several  times  chosen  to  represent  them  in  their  highest  law-making  body. 

Mr.  Raftice  was  born  in  the  city  of  .\'ew  Orleans.  May  8,  1850,  of  Irish 
parents,  Edward  E.  and  .Mary  Ann  (Keefe)  Raftice.  His  mother  died  a 
few  weeks  after  his  birth  and  his  father  died  in  \\'isconsin  on  July  18,  1893. 
He  received  his  early  training  and  education  in  Wisconsin,  and  in  March, 
1870,  came  to  Nevada,  and  on  the  following  16th  of  April  arrived  in  Eureka. 
He  took  a  course  in  Dow's  Commercial  School  at  Eureka,  and  then  engaged 
in  the  coal  and  wikuI  business,  bor  the  jjast  fifteen  years  he  has  been  engaged 
in  the  freighting  business. 

Mr.  Raftice  has  been  a  life  long  Demncrat,  and  on  the  sih-er  Democrat 
ticket  was  elected  to  the  state  assembly  in  1898  and  again  in  1900,  and  was 
chosen  to  the  state  senate  in  1902.  He  made  a  successful  canvass  against  two 
other  can(h(lates  for  this  office,  and  has  been  tilling  his  office  to  the  entiie 
satisfaction  of  his  constituents.  He  is  well  informed  on  all  the  needs  of  his 
county  and  state  and  the  Inisiness  conditions,  and  is  always  eager  to  promote 
the  welfare  of  those  he  represents.  On  Jul\-  3.  [902,  Senator  Raftice  was 
married  to  Miss  Kate  Murphy,  wh(T  was  born  in  Placerville,  Califonn'a.  ■  She 
is  a  lady  of  capability,  and  was  one  of  the  original  publishers  of  the  Catholic 
Tidings  of  Los  Angeles,  California. 


HON.  ER.ANK  H.  NORCROSS,  a  pronnnent  member  of  the  Nevada 
bar,  with  residence  and  office  at  Reno,  is  a  native  of  Washoe  county,  this 
state,  where  he  was  born  Ma}'  1  1,  iSoq,  and  is  descended  from  an  old  Amer- 
ican f.imih',  the  origin  of  which  goes  far  back  in  colonial  history.  His  father, 
Thrimas  Norcross.  was  born  in  Bangor,  Maine,  in  1828,  and  married  Caroline 
Sherman  I'eckbam,  the  daughter  of  Elezer  Sherman,  a  memlier  of  the  noted 
Sherman  family  of  Fall  River,  Massachusetts,  and  a  clergyman  of  the  Uni- 
versalist  church.  Thomas  Norcross  crossed  the  plains  to  California  in  1850, 
and  settled  in  Humboldt  county,  wdiere  he  built  a  saw-mill  and  engaged  in 
lumbering,  and  was  also  interested  in  mining  in  that  state.  In  i860  he  came 
to  Ne\'a(la,  when  it  was  still  a  part  of  Utah  territory,  and  built  a  sawmill  at 
fJalena,  near  the  present  site  of  Washoe.  He  w-as  also  interested  in  farming, 
and  was  one  of  the  originators  of  the  .Agricultural  Society  of  Nevada,  serving 
as  one  of  its  first  directors.  In  politics  he  was  a  stanch  Republican  and  well 
known  as  a  representative  pioneer  of  the  state.     His  wife  died  in   1897,  and 


610  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

she  l.'ore  him  two  sons.  Frank  H..  and  C.  A.  Xorcvoss.  who  t.ir  a  numl)er 
of  \ears  was  enrolling  clerk  of  the  United  States  senate,  but  who  recently 
purchased  the  Reno  Evening  Gaccttc.  of  which  paper  he  is  now  the  editor. 

Frank  H.  Xorcross  was  educated  in  the  Nevada  State  University,  from 
which  he  graduated  in  liSgi.  with  the  first  class  to  complete  the  full  college 
course  in  the  institution.  He  then  entered  the  law  department  of  the  George- 
town University  of  \Vashington.  D.  C.  graduating  therefrom  in  1894.  and 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  l)y  the  supreme  court  of  Nevada  the  same  year.  He 
practiced  law  in  Reno  until  1902.  when  the  law  firm  of  Norcross  &  Orr  was 
formed,  the  junior  memlier  being  Judge  John  S.  Orr.  formerly  county  judge 
of  Klamath  county.  The  firm  continues  in  Reno  and  enjo}-s  a  very  large 
])ractice. 

In  1895  Air.  Norcross  was  married  to  Adaline  L.  ?^Iorton,  a  native  of 
White  Pine  county.  Nevada,  and  they  have  one  child,  a  daughter.  Adele  Cutts. 
Mr.  Norcross  has  been  an  active  Re]niblican  and  was  district  attorney  of 
Washoe  countv  in  1895  and  1896.  also  serving  as  an  assemblyman  in  the 
eighteenth  session  of  the  legislature  of  Nevada.  In  1902  he  was  his  party's 
nominee  for  district  judge,  but  was  defeated  by  a  small  majority  with  the 
balance  of  his  i)arty.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  and  received 
the  degree  of  a  Master  Ma.son  in  Reno  Lodge  No.  13.  of  which  he  is  a  past 
master.  He  has  attained  to  the  thirty-second  degree  of  the  Scottish  Rite,  and 
is  also  a  member  of  Islam  Temple.  Mystic  Shrine,  of  San  Francisco.  Mr. 
Xorcross  is  a  trustee  of  the  Reno  Free  Public  Library,  which  institution  he 
was  largely  instrumental  in  having  estal)!ished.  and  through  his  efforts  fifteen 
thousand  dollars  was  donated  by  Mr.  Carnegie.  He  owns  a  handsome  resi- 
dence on  the  banks  (jf  the  Truckee  ri\-er.  and  there  are  welcomed  with  generous 
hos])itality  the  many  friends  of  his  family. 


LUK'jI  DELL.\  PI.\ZZA.  of  Reno,  one  of  Nevada's  pioneers  and  an 
exceedingly  prosperous  and  public-spirited  mine-owner  and  business  man, 
is  one  of  the  contributions  which  Italy  has  made  to  the  cosmopolitan  citizen- 
ship of  this  country.  He  was  born  in  the  sunny  land  of  the  Italians,  August 
3.  1840.  and  comes  of  a  family  whose  ancestry  goes  back  for  many  gen- 
erations. He  remained  in  his  own  country  during  his  youth  and  received  an 
education  in  the  schools  there.  He  came  to  .\merica  in  1867  and  landed 
in  New  York  on  the  4th  of  August.  He  at  once  took  ship  for  the  west,  by  way 
of  Panama,  and  his  first  enterprise  on  the  Pacific  coast  was  cutting  wood 
for  charcoal.  He  was  in  Grass  Valley,  California,  for  awhile,  and  also  spent 
some  time  in  the  Black  Hills.  He  came  to  Xevada  in  1869,  which  certainly 
entitles  him  to  the  name  of  pioneer,  and  he  has  l)een  a  resident  of  the  state 
e\er  since.  For  varying  ]ieriods  he  was  in  White  Pine,  in  Kureka  and 
finally  located  in  Reno,  where  his  business  interests  have  been  continually  in- 
creasing to  the  ])rescnt.  Besides  other  enterprises,  he  has  been  mainly  con- 
cerned in  mining.  He  Iwcame  half  owner  of  the  Cabinet  Xo.  2  mine,  and 
when  he  sold  to  the  Xevada  Mining  Company  he  rctaine((  a  large  lilock  of  the 
st'K'k.  This  mine  has  proved  to  be  a  stcruh'  ;niil  good  proihicei'.  ;md  is  ;it 
present  being  run  tf)  its  full  capacity. 


^©1^6^  c^ 


^^"•^-^^ 


A   lllS'l'Om-  CJl-   X.h'A  ADA.  filT 

Mr.  Piazza  ha.s  lieen  one  of  llic  active  and  anleiit  adherents  of  tlic  Ke- 
l)ul)lican  party  since  ]^()H.  and  there  are  few  native-born  citizens  who  take 
a  more  interested  part  m  public  affairs  than  this  gentleman,  transplanted  from 
the  shores  of  the  Metlilerranean.  lie  is  well  known  among  the  poHticians  and 
pul)lic  men  of  the  state,  and  is  a  member  of  the  state  Repulilican  central  com- 
mittee and  the  county  Republican  central  committee,  attends  all  the  jjarty 
conventions,  and  gives  all  his  intlucnce  and  efforts  to  the  promotion  of  the 
l>arty  and  its  candidates. 

Tn  1873  Mr.  Piazza  was  married  to  Miss  Susan  Flint,  a  native  of  Ire- 
land. After  a  happy  marital  union  of  thirteen  years  she  was  called  away 
by  death.  His  present  wife  was  Miss  Mary  Farretti.  They  reside  in  a 
])ieasant  home  in  Reno,  and  enjoy  many  strong  friendships  in  the  city.  His 
long  residence  in  Reno  has  made  him  one  of  the  foremost  citizens,  and  althougli 
he  is  now  retired  from  active  l)usiness  affairs  his  interest  in  the  progress  and 
future  prosperity  of  his  city  is  unabated. 

JOHN  BUN  VOX  LANDS,  one  of  the  well  known  and  resi)ected  busi- 
ness men  of  Nevada,  now  dealing  in  general  merchandise  on  the  divide  just 
above  Virginia  City,  was  born,  in  Nova  Scotia  on  the  3d  of  May,  1830,  and 
is  of  Scotch-Irish  and  ( lermany  ancestry.  Plis  paternal  grandfather  was  a 
native  of  the  north  (^f  Ireland,  and  was  of  Scotch  lineage.  On  leaving  the 
land  of  his  birth  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  new  world,  taking  up  his  abode 
in  Nova  So^tia,  where  Harris  Lynds,  his  son  and  the  father  of  J.  B.  Lynds, 
was  ijorn  and  reared.  After  arri\ing  at  }'ears  of  maturity  Harris  Lynds 
wedded  Miss  Abigail  Workman,  antl  in  order  to  provide  for  his  family  he 
followed  the  occupation  of  farming,  which  he  made  his  life  work.  In 
religious  faith  Ixith  he  and  his  wife  belonged  to  what  was  known  as  the 
"hardshell"  Baptist  church.  He  died  in  the  fortieth  year  of  his  age,  and  his 
widow  afterward  came  to  the  west,  s])ending  her  last  days  in  Santa  Cruz, 
California,  where  she  died  in  her  eighty-fourth  year.  This  worthy  couple 
were  the  parents  of  three  sons  and  two  daughters. 

John  B.  Lynds,  the  only  representative  of  the  family  in  Xe\ada,  was 
reared  to  manhood  in  Nova  Scotia  and  pursued  his  education  in  the  public 
schools  there.  He  was  twenty-eight  years  of  age  when,  in  1858,  he  left  his 
native  countrv  and  went  to  California,  sailing  from  New  York  in  the  month 
of  October.  He  arrived  safely  in  San  Francisco,  but  reached  the  Golden 
state  at  a  time  of  great  depression  in  business,  and  he  worked  upon  a  farm  in 
lone  valle\-  for  fortv  dollars  per  month.  He  afterward  went  to  Jackson, 
Amador  county,  California,  and  at  I'iddletown  he  secured  a  position  in  a  hotel. 
Learning  to  cook,  he  was  paid  ninety  dollars  per  month  for  his  services,  and 
remained  in  that  position  for  three  years.  At  the  end  of  that  time  he  rented 
a  ranch  in  lone  vallev  and  engaged  in  the  raising  of  corn,  broom  corn,  wheat, 
hay  and  potatoes.  The  first  year  he  had  a  very  gwid  crop,  including  eighty 
tons  of  corn  and  sixtv  tons  of  potatoes.  He  also  had  considerable  broom 
corn,  which  sold  at  one  hundred  and  forty  dollars  per  ton.  He  had  his  wheat 
ground  into  flour,  and  for  this  received  fifteen  dollars  per  hundred.  Thus 
in  his  agricultural  inu'snits  he  i)rosi)ered.     He  then  paid  two  thousand  dollars 


618  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

for  a  freighting  outfit,  consisting  of  four  teams  of  liorses  and  three  wagons 
and  engaged  in  freighting  across  the  mountains  from  Sacramento  to  Virginia 
City  and  to  Austin,  receiving  from  four  to  fourteen  cents  per  pound  for  the 
goods  which  lie  tlius  transported,  according  to  tlie  commodity  which  he  car- 
ried and  the  season  of  the  year.  He  made  tlie  long  trip  in  ahout  fourteen 
days  and  followed  that  business  for  five  years,  during  which  time  he  slept 
ill  his  co\ered  wagon  over  night  with  the  exception  of  three  nights. 

On  the  expiration  of  that  period  Mr.  Lynds  came  to  his  present  location 
on  the  divide  above  Virginia  City  and  established  a  hay  and  grain  business 
with  Henrv  \'^an  Sickle  as  his  first  jiartner.  .\  little  later,  however,  he  pur- 
chased his  partner's  interest  and  afterward  added  a  stock  (►f  general  mer- 
chandise to  his  business.  By  close  attention,  unflagging"  industr\-  and  hinior- 
;il)le  methods  he  built  up  a  large  trade  and  acipiired  a  small  fortune,  but  was 
induced  to  deal  in  mining  stocks  and  thus  lost  all  his  money.  ?b)wever,  with 
the  courage  of  a  bra\e  ])ioneer  he  began  anew  in  1896,  and  has  gained  a  good 
stock  of  goods  and  is  doing  a  ])rofitable  business,  his  trade  constanth'  in- 
creasing. In  187J  he  purchased  three  hundred  and  se\entv  acres  of  land  in 
iirdcr  to  ha\e  jiasture  for  his  teams  and  also  the  teams  of  transients.  In 
iSSo  he  sold  this  projierty  at  a  good  advance,  and,  in  fact,  he  has  ]>rospered 
ill  all  (if  his  biisiness  transactions  .save  that  of  stocks. 

In  1836  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Lynds  and  Miss  Catherine  Sibley, 
a  native  of  Nova  Scotia,  To  them  have  been  born  four  children,  three  sons 
and  a  daughter.  The  latter  is  Virginia,  now  the  wife  of  Vincent  Chamberlin, 
a  resident  of  Oakland,  California.  One  son.  D.  M.  I.ynds,  is  married  and  is 
engaged  in  business  in  b'orbe.stown.  .\l\iii.  who  was  in  the  Spanish-American 
war,  is  now  in  Sacramento,  and  F.dward  is  with  his  father  in  the  store.  Mrs. 
Lynds  died  in  1884.  She  was  an  excellent  wife  and  mother,  and  her  loss  was 
deeply  de])lored  ]>\  in;iu\'  friends  as  well  as  her- immediate  familw  In  lyoo 
Mr.  Lynds  was  again  married,  his  second  union  being  with  Mrs.  Jennie  Pear- 
son, an  estimable  lady  and  a  leading  member  of  the  Methodist  church. 

In  his  i>olitical  views  Mr.  Lynds  has  been  a  life-long  Republican,  but 
has  never  desired  ofiice,  jireferring  to  de\'ote  his  time  and  attention  to  his 
business  affairs,  in  which  he  is  now  meeting  with  creditable  success.  He  has 
never  joined  any  secret  .societ\\  but  has  gained  man\-  friends  in  the  com- 
munity in  which  he  has  li\ed.  and  through  his  own  efforts  has  made  for 
himself  a  creditable  record  as  ;iii  In  morjible  business  man  and  \\iirth\'  citizen. 


IIO.\.  NELS  NELSON.  The  P.ig  meadows  of  Humboldt  county  are 
the  most  productive  ])art  of  the  county,  and.  although  ;i  few  years  ago  they 
were  a  vast  waste  of  useless  land,  covered  with  brush  .and  w  ild  growih,  the  in- 
dustry of  the  pioneer  has  made  the  entire  section  a  scene  of  beautiful  and 
fertile  fields,  with  homesteads  everywhere,  the  abode  of  pros])erous  and  con- 
tented ])Co|)le.  Six  luiles  west  of  the  town  of  Lovelocks  is  the  home  of  one 
of  the  most  successful  and  influential  of  these  farmers,  and  Nels  Nelson's 
])lace  among  the  citizens  of  llumboldt  niuiilv  is  one  lh;il  commands  respect. 

Hon.  Nels  Nelson  was  born  in  Denmark.  January  j,  1857,  iK^ing  the 
son  fif  Nels  Nelsonscn.  who  was  ;i  ))roniineiil  citi/en  of  his  counlrv  and  served 


A   HISTORY  ()!•   NFA'ADA.  019 

fur  twi)  terms  in  the  Danish  jiarhanient.  His  wife  was  Miss  Dorntli)'  Jolm- 
siin.  In  iSfu  the\'  1)r(iu£;Iit  their  faniih'  to  Ameriea  and  located  in  Omaha, 
Nebraska,  where  lie  was  an  emi)lo\e  of  the  government  for  .some  years.  lie 
died  in  Omaha  in  1S74  at  the  age  of  seventy-two,  hnt  his  wife  still  lives  in 
Omaha  and  is  in  her  seventy-eighth  year.  The}-  were  members  of  the  Lntli- 
er.an  chnrch,  and  were  worthy  and  I'espected  peojiic  in  e\ery  way.  Three  ol 
their  fonr  children  are  living. 

Mr..  Nelson  got  a  fair  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Omaha,  and 
his  first  independent  \'enture  was  clerking  in  an  C^maha  store.  He  afterward 
came  west  and  worked  for  wages  in  Utah  and  Wyoming  for  a  time,  and  then 
came  on  to  the  eastern  ])art  of  the  state  of  Nevada,  wlrere  he  was  engaged 
in  driving  a  team  foi  a  time;  he  was  successiveh-  at  Elko  and  W'innemucca, 
and  came  to  Lovelocks  and  took  up  his  residence  on  his  present  place  in  1881. 
The  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  which  he  bought  w  as  an  unimproved  wilder- 
ness, and  his  own  industry  and  perse\erance  have  made  it  a  fine  place,  planted 
with  fruit  and  shade  trees  and  in  many  ways  a  model  farmstead.  He  also 
has  a  stock  ranch  of  two  hundred  acres  in  Churchill  county.  ?Iay  and  stock 
raising  have  proved  remunerative  to  him.  and  he  may  well  be  satisfied  with 
what  he  has  accomplished  in  this  country. 

As  a  life-long  Democrat  Mr.  Nelson  has  been  acti\e  in  ])romoting  the 
interest  of  his  ]jarty,  and  during  his  two-  terms  in  the  Nevada  state  legislatmx', 
he  did  much,  among  other  things,  in  getting  the  bill  passed  to  prevent  crim- 
inal waste  of  irrigating  water.  Mr.  Nelson  has  two  children  bv  a  former 
mairiage,  Charles,  now  a  student  in  the  State  L'niversity,  and  Dora,  in  Reno. 
In  1898  he  was  married  to  Miss  Laura  .\nderson.  a  native  of  Denmark,  but 
reared  in  this  country.  She  is  a  most  pleasant  and  intelligent  lady,  and  their 
union  has  been  happy.  They  have  many  friends  in  the  community,  and  their 
innuence  is  alwavs  on  the  side  of  right. 


DR.  SAMUEL  C.  GIBSON  is  engaged  in  the  jjractice  of  medicine  in 
Reno  as  a  member  of  the  regular  school,  and  in  recognition  of  the  skill  he 
has  acquired  he  has  now  a  liberal  practice  bringing  to  him  an  excellent  in- 
come. He  has  resided  on  the  Pacific  coast  since  1880,  and  has  alwaysdived 
west  of  the  Mississippi  river,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Steelville,  Mis- 
souri, on  the  9t;h  of  September,  1857.  His  grandfather,  Alexander  Clibson, 
was  born  in  Ireland,  and  when  a  young  man  crossed  the  water  to  the  new 
world,  settling  in  Baltimore,  Maryland,  where  for  manv  years  he  was  a 
prosperous  merchant.  His  son,  who  also  bore  the  name  of  .\lexander  Gibson, 
and  was  the  father  of  Dr.  Ciibson,  became  a  physician  and  surgeon,  and  in 
1846  removed  to  Missouri,  where  be  engaged  in  practice  throughout  his  re- 
maining days,  his  death  occurring  in  1900,  when  he  was  in  his  seventy-second 
year.  His  wife,  who  bore  the  maiden  name  of  Haney  Halbert.  was  a  native 
of  South  Carolir.a.  and  by  her  marriage  became  the  •mother  of  ten  children, 
six  of  whom  are  yet  lixing.  She  died  in  the  thirty-eighth  year  of  her  age. 
Alexander  Gibson  was  a  Democrat  in  his  political  affiliations,  but  was  most 
dc\otcd  ti)  his  ])rofession  and  ncx'cr  circd  to  gi\e  his  time  and  ;ittentiivn   to 


620  A  HISTORY'  OF  NEVADA. 

political  work.  One  of  his  sons,  who  is  Alexander  (iihsnn,  the  thinl,  is  now 
a  ])i"acticing  physician  and  sintjeon  of  Modoc  county,  California. 

Dr.  S.  C.  Cn'hson  is  indehted  to  the  schools  of  his  native  state  for  the 
educational  pri\i]eges  which  he  received.  His  professional  knowledge  was 
al.so  accjuired  there,  for,  deterniining  to  make  the  practice  of  medicine  his 
life  work,  he  was  graduated  from  the  Missouri  Medical  College  in  March, 
1879.  Thus,  well  equipped  for  the  practice  of  his  prrvfession,  he  made  his 
way  westward,  locating  first  in  Ander.son,  Shasta  county,  California,  where 
he  remained  for  five  years.  On  the  expiration  of  tliat  pericKl  he  removed  to 
.\lturas,  Modoc  county.  California,  where  he  practiced  for  ten  years,  and  in 
i8(;5  he  located  in  Reno,  where  he  has  since  remained.  Here  the  public  has 
accorded  him  recognition  of  his  ability  hv  giving  to  him  a  liberal  ])atronage. 
Tlie  knowledge  lie  has  acquired  he  applies  witli  acciiracv  to  the  case  in  c[ues- 
tion.  lie  is  most  careful  in  diagnosing  a  case,  and  his  judgment  is  rarelv, 
if  e\er,  at  fault  in  determining  a  disease  or  predicting"  its  course  and  out- 
come, lie  is  now  the  president  of  the  state  board  of  health,  and  is  tlie  chief 
surgeon  of  tiie  California,  Nevada  &  Oregon  Railroad  Company.  He  is  like- 
wise a  member  of  the  Nevada  State  Medical  Society,  the  .\nierican  Medical 
Society,  and  the  International  .\ssociation  of  Raihvav  Surgeons,  and  thus 
he  keejjs  in  touch  with  the  advance  thought  of  the  [jrofession,  using  his 
knowledge  thus  accpiired  for  the  Itenefit  of  mankind  in  the  alleviation  of  human 
suffering.  fhe  Doctor  is  also  a  member  of  the  board  of  directors  of  the 
Farmers  &  Merchants  Bank  of  Reno.  In  his  political  views  lie  is  a  Demo- 
crat, but  tlie  honors  and  emoluments  of  office  ha\e  little  attraction  to  him  as  he 
prefers  to  devote  his  energies  to  his  profession,  in  which  he  is  meeting"  with 
signal  success.  Hitwever,  he  takes  ;i  deep  interest  in  the  success  of  his 
))art}",  doing  all  he  can  for  its  promotion  outside  of  office,  and  is  now  a  mem- 
ber of  both  the  comity  and  state  central" ct)mmittees. 

Dr.  (jibson  was  married  in  iS8j,  the  lady  of  Itis  choice  being  Miss  Mary 
]•'..  Roycroft.  a  native  daughter  of  California,  liorn  in  Red  Bluff'.  They  now 
Iiave  foiu"  children,  three  sons  and  a  daughter,  the  latter,  .\gnes  Pearl,  being 
a  student  in  the  State  University.  Ihe  sons,  Thomas  U..  Samuel  .\.  and 
Rolierl  Lee.  are  also  students.  The  familv  home  is  one  of  the  elegant  resi- 
dences of  Reno,  and  the  members  of  the  household  are  most  highly  esteemed 
in  this  city  and  state.  The  i^octor  has  been  a  member  of  the  Ma.sonic  order 
since  1881.  and  enjoys  the  warm  regard  of  his  brethren  of  the  craft.  His 
nianner  is  genial,  and  his  cordial  disix>sition  and  sympathetic  natme  make 
him  a  favorite  in  social  circles  as  well  as  at  the  bedside  of  his  patients  in  this 
])ortion  of  the  state. 

EMILKJ  i)0'!"T,\.  From  a  little  home  across  the  .sea  F.milio  Dotta 
made  liis  way  to  the  new  world  and  entered  u])on  a  career  which  seems  most 
marvelous,  hut  whicli  is  the  outcome  of  ambition,  energy  and  good  manage- 
ment, and  he  is  now  numbered  among  Flko's  successful  citizens.  He  is  a 
native  of  Switzerland,  where  he  was  Iwirn  on  the  26th  of  May,  1853,  and 
there  lie  received  his  limited  educational  training.  In  1876  he  emigrated  from 
his   native   land   to   California,    landing  there   without    monev   .uid    with    no 


4^t.^x^za>  y)o^Z^ 


A    1 1  IS  rum'   Ol'    NliVAUA.  r,-2l 

l\ii(i\\ie(li;c'  111'  the  I'ji^li.sli  language.  His  first  occupation  was  at  milking, 
for  which  he  rccei\e(l  twentv-five  dollars  a  month  and  hoarrl,  and  after  a 
tinu'  he  engaged  in  mining,  lint  after  a  da\'  and  a  half  thus  s])ent  abandoned 
ih.il   occnpalion. 

In  i.S/S  he  eanie  to  .\'e\ada,  where  iie  Imned  liis  altenlinn  lo  freighting, 
and  after  three  yeai's  in  the  emplcninenl  of  others  he  purchased  six  small 
mules  and  embarked  in  the  occui)ation  on  his  own  account,  freighting  to 
Tuscarora  for  seven  years.  On  the  expiration  of  that  ])eriod  he  was  able,  as 
the  reward  of  lalior  and  good  business  ability,  t(j  purchase  a  ranch  of  two  hun- 
dred and  twent)'  acres  in  Elko  county,  twelve  miles  from  the  town  of  that 
name,  the  purchase  price  being  twenty-six  hundred  dollars.  He  improved 
this  property,  making  of  it  a  fine  farm,  and  for  it  was  offered  twelve  thousand 
dollars  in  1902.  In  igoi  he  ])nrchase(l  a  ranch  of  two  hundred  and  eighty 
acres,  for  which  he  paid  twenty-fi\e  hundred  dollars,  and  later  became  the 
owner  of  four  hundred  acres.  .\t  the  time  of  purchase  the  latter  tract  was 
producing  twenty-five  tons  of  hay,  and  when  he  sold  it  a  lew  years  later  it 
was  each  season  yielding  its  owner  twenty-fi\'e  hundred  tons.  Mr.  Dotta  has 
since  sold  his  land  at  good  prices,  and  is  now  residing  in  a  pleasant  cottage  in 
Elko,  in  which  city  he  is  now  erecting  a  fine  brick  business  block. 

In  1885  Mr.  Dotta  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Elkalena  Dotta,  who 
was  born  hi  his  own  nat!\e  land,  but  although  of  the  same  name  they  are  not 
related.  They  have  one  son,  David,  who  was  born  in  Elko.  Mr.  Dotta  gives 
his  political  support  to  the  Repnljlican  party,  and  the  family  are  members 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  church. 


C.  L.  BROY,  the  obliging  and  capable  postmaster  of  the  celebrated  old 
mining  town  of  Eureka,  Xc\'ada,  has  been  one  of  her  most  enterprising  citi- 
zens for  over  thirty-four  years,  having  arrived  in  the  state  on  November  20, 
1869.  During  his  life  of  sixty  years  he  has  had  varied  experiences.  Before 
he  had  arrived  at  the  age  of  manhood  he  was  a  soldier  in  the  Union  army, 
and  after  nearly  five  yeans'  service  in  that  great  cause  came  to  the  west  and 
saw  the  ups  and  downs  of  the  miner's  life,  and  has  been  engaged  in  various 
activities  and  especially  identified  with  the  growih  and  jirosperity  of  Eureka. 

Mr.  Broy  is  of  Scotch  and  luiglish  ancestry,  and  the  founder  of  his 
branch  of  the  family  in  this  countrv  was  his  grandfather,  \\'ilh;un  Broy,  who 
was  born  in  England  and  came  to  .\merica  and  settled  in  the  Shenandi^ah 
\a11ey  of  Virginia.  He  had  a  family  of  twenty-one  children,  and  li\ed  to  be 
eighty-six  years  old.  William  Broy,  Jr.,  was  a  native  of  the  Shenandoah 
valley,  and  married  Miss  Julia  Ann  Martin,  a  native  of  his  own  town.  He 
was  a  firm  supporter  of  the  policies  of  the  Re]iublican  party,  and  liecause 
of  his  earnest  opposition  to  slavery  and  his  sympathy  for  John  Brown  was 
unpopular  in  his  state,  and  on  that  account  brought  his  family  to  Indiana  in 
1861.  He  served  as  a  recruiting  officer  for  the  L'nion  army  during  the  Civil 
war,  and  five  of  his  sons  ser\-ed  throughout  that  great  struggle  and  all  came 
out  alive.  He  died  in  the  fall  of  1863,  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight,  and  his  wife 
died  in  1878.     They  had  eleven  children,  of  whom  eight  survive. 

Mr.  C.  L.  Broy  was  born  at  \\'inchester,  \^irginia,  August  27,  1843.  and 


022  A  ITISTORV  OF  NE\^\DA. 

is  llie  «Miiy  nienil)er  of  tlie  family  in  Nevada.  He  was  rearetl  and  educated 
ill  his  nati\e  state,  and  on  July  i,  1861,  entered  the  service  of  his  country 
as  a  niemher  of  Company  K,  Second  Regiment.  West  Virginia  Volunteer 
Infantry,  it  being  later  made  a  cavalry  regiment.  The  regiment  saw  its  first 
service  at  the  Ijattle  of  Cheat  Mountain  and  in  the  Shenandoah  valley,  and  was 
later  sent,  at  the  close  of  the  war,  to  the  plains  to  tight  the  Indians,  going  first 
to  Fort  Lea\enworth,  Kansas,  and  then  to  Jnleshurg.  He  participated  in 
the  battle  at  Cheat  IMpuntain,  at  Be\-erl}-,  Cross  Keys,  Port  Republic,  Win- 
chester, Mount  Jackson,  second  Bull  Run,  Cedar  Mountain,  Waterloo  Bridge, 
Fisher's  Hill,  Rapidan.  Kelly's  Ford,  Floyd's  Mountain,  Rocky  Gap,  and  in 
various  engagements  along  the  line  of  the  Tennessee  railroad.  He  re-enlisted 
in  1864  without  furlough.  He  was  slightly  wounded  but  not  disabled,  and 
was  in  active  service  fur  fifteen  hundred  and  thirty-two  days.  After  the  war 
he  was  presented  with  a  medal  for  meritorious  service  by  the  state  of  West 
\  irginia. 

After  receixing  his  honorable  discharge  ]\ir.  Broy  was  for  some  time 
engaged  in  the  marble  Inisiness  at  Clarksburg  and  F'arkersljurg,  W^est  Vir- 
ginia, but  in  1866  sold  out  and  removed  to  Montana.  He  located  at  Raders- 
bm-g,  Montana,  and  was  engaged  in  mining:  he  built  the  Trcmont  Hotel  at 
Radersburg  and  conducted  it  until  1868,  when  he  went  to  Salt  Lake  City 
and  was  engaged  in  the  restaurant  business.  He  was  carrying  on  a  pros- 
Ijerous  business,  but  the  Mormons  made  things  so  uncomfortable  for  him  that 
he  was  glad  to  get  out  witli  his  life.  He  managed  to  dispose  of  his  holdings, 
and  then  came  to  White  Pine.  Nevada,  where  he  engaged  in  the  restaurant 
lousiness.  He  settled  in  Eureka  in  1869  and  luiilt  the  New  York  chop  house, 
which  he  soon  afterward  sold  to  his  partner.  He  then  engaged  in  ore-freight- 
ing and  mining,  and  has  l.>een  occupied  in  the  latter  pursuit  more  or  less 
ever  since.  He  had  an  interest  in  1)oth  the  Oriental  and  the  Belmont  mines, 
which  have  been  large  producers,  and  also  in  the  Ruby  Hill  mines.  He  has 
had  the  usual  \aried  success  of  mining  men.  and  has  taken  a  deep  interest  in 
the  development  of  this  jiart  of  the  state,  both  industriallv  and  commercially. 
He  has  the  honor  of  having  grub-staked  the  miners  who  made  the  rich  dis- 
coveries in  the  Wood  River  valley  of  Idaho,  resulting  in  the  building  of  the 
tftwns  of  Haily.  Ketchum  and  Belleview.  h^w  men  are  better  informed  as  to 
the  mining  interests  of  Nevada  than  Mr.  llroy.  1  le  is  also  one  of  the  pioneers 
of  luuxka,  there  being  but  a  few  tents  and  a  stockade  here  at  the  time  of  his 
arrival. 

Mr,  Bro_\-  has  been  a  life-long  l\ei)ulilicaii.  and  in  1802  was  elected  countv 
commissioner  of  l'"ureka  county,  and  served  i>\  successi\e  re-elections  for 
eight  years,  only  resigning  to  accejot  his  present  position  of  ]xistniaster,  receiv- 
ing the  a])pointment  from  President  McKinley.  He  has  been  a  very  satis- 
factory official  in  this  ])lace,  and  is  ]X)i)ular  with  iiotli  parties.  He  receives  a 
pensif)n  for  disabilities  caused  by  his  long  service  in  the  war.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  ^b'lsonic  order,  of  the  Inde])endeiit  Order  of  Odd  I'ellows.  of  the 
Kniglits  of  Pythias,  and  is  an  ex-commander  of  I'pton  Post  No.  29,  (i.  .\.  R. 
His  wife  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  church. 

Mr.  Broy  was  married  in  1874  to  Miss  .\nna  E.  Owens.  On  the  24th 
of  July  of  the  .same  year  a  terrible  cloud-burst  descended  on  the  town,  de- 


A  lllSrom    ol'    NIAADA.  623 

sli't))  inj^' a  ,L;rc'ali'i-  ])ai1  of  ihe  Idwii  and  sixteen  li\es.  W  liile  Mr.  Jiroy  and 
liis  wife  weie  in  llieir  Imnie  a  large  Iniilding  swept  dnwu  and  crashed  into 
the  limise,  and  they  were  carried  on  the  Hood  for  lialf  a  mile.  Mrs.  Broy 
was  o\er\\hehiie(l  l)y  the  torrent,  hnt  he  managed  to  escajie  alive.  It  was  an 
awfid  calaniit)-  to  the  town  and  a  ddnhle  li  iss  ti  i  him.  In  1S73  he  married 
his  present  wife,  Miss  Sarah  Mathews,  who  was  horn  in  I'laeerville,  Cali- 
fornia, and  has  heconie  the  mother  of  six  children,  ;dl  horn  in  h^urcka.  'Jdie 
two  eldest  died  in  childiiood  and  the  otiiers  are:  ivaymond  Arthur,  a  graduate 
of  the  San  Francisco  Business  College,  and  now  employed  hy  the  Metro- 
politan Life  Insurance  Com]>any  of  San  Francisco;  Delhert  Mathew,  a  grad- 
uate of  the  Eureka  high  school,  now  attending  the  San  Francisco  Business 
College;  (ieorge  Luther,  also  a  graduate  of  the  luu'eka  high  school,  now 
deputy  postmaster  for  his  father;  the  daughter   lulna  is  still  in  school. 


'rH()M.\S  K.  llN'Mh'RS.  .\mong  tlie  piimeer  husiness  men  of  Reno 
is  numhered  Thomas  K.  1  lymeis,  who  is  widely  and  favorably  known  here 
and  whose  efforts  along  industrial  lines  have  been  of  marked  benefit  to  the 
city  and  at  the  same  time  have  j^romoted  his  individual  prosperity.  He  ar- 
rived in  Carson  county  in  what  was  then  the  territory  of  Utah,  but  is  now 
a  part  of  the  state  of  Nevada,  in  April,  i860,  and  for  twenty-five  years  has 
Iteen  one  of  the  county  commissioners  of  Washoe  count}'.  His  long'  continu- 
ance in  office  stands  in  incontrovertible  evidence  of  his  fidelity,  capability  and 
also  of  the  confidence  rep'osed  in  him  by  his  fellow  citizens. 

.\  nati\e  of  the  Empire  state,  Mr.  Hymers  was  horn  in  ^Meredith,  New 
\'ork,  on  the  20th  of  June,  1833.  His  father,  John  Hymers,  was  a  native 
of  Scotland,  and  in  the  twentieth  year  of  his  age  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  Amer- 
ica, settling  in  Meredith,  where  he  was  afterward  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Elizabeth  y\rmston,  also  a  native  of  the  land  of  hills  and  heather.  He  was  a 
very  industrious  and  active  farmer,  and  during  his  business  career  cleared 
and  improved  three  valuable  farms  in  New  York.  He  lived  to  the  npe  old 
age  of  eighty-eight  years,  and  his  wife  j)assed  away  in  the  seventy-second 
year  of  her  age,  both  being  interred  in  the  cemetery  of  Delhi,  New  Yi>rk. 
In  religious  faith  they  were  Presbyterians  and  were  people  of  the  highest  re- 
.spectability.  Their  family  numhered  four  sons  and  seven  daughters,  of  whom 
eight  are  yet  living,  two  being  residents  of  Nevada — TlK)mas  K.  and  John 
Hymers. 

In  the  town  of  his  nati\ity  Thoiuas  K.  Hymers  |)ursued  his  education  and 
was  reared  to  manhood.  He  remained  a  resident  of  the  east  until  twenty- 
three  years  of  age,  when,  in  1856,  he  determined  to  try  his  fortune  in  the 
west,  and  made  his  wa}'  across  the  country  from  the  east  to  Wisconsin.  In 
1859  he  crossed  the  plains  to  California,  driving  a  team  of  horses,  and  for 
four  months  was  upon  the  road,  crossing  the  long-  stretches  of  hot  sand  and 
desert  or  climbing  the  mountains  as  he  progressed  on  his  way  to  the  Pacific 
coast.  He  first  located  at  Placerxille,  and  was  there  emploved  in  driving  a 
team  in  connection  with  a  sawmill.  The  year  i860  witnessed  his  arrival  in 
Washoe  valley,  but  the  tow-n  of  Reno  had  not  then  sprung  into  existence. 
Mr.  Hymers  operated  a  sawmill  and  engaged  in  driving  logging  teams  for 


rt24  A  IIlST(jm'   oi'   XI".\'.\D.\. 

L'is;lil  years.  In  Octolier,  i86(S,  lie  came  U>  Reno,  the  town  liaviiis;  just  licen 
fiiunded  in  Mav  uf  that  year.  'Hie  following  ye:ii-  he  purchased  lanil  e.xtending 
1(1  tlic  ciirner  upon  which  is  l<Kated  Iiis  fine  lirick  livery  stalile.  That  year 
he  huilt  liis  livery  barn,  which  in  May.  T873.  was  destroyed  by  fire.  l)eing 
burned  to  the  ground.  He  thus  met  with  a  loss  of  fifteen  hundred  dollars 
abo\e  in.surance.  but  with  characteristic  energy  he  set  to  w-ork  to  retrieve  his 
])ossessions  and  erected  his  jjresent  brick  building,  which  is  seventy-five  by  one 
Inindred  and  forty  feet  and  two  stories  in  height.  This  is  one  of  the  best 
livery  stables  in  the  state  of  Xexada.  'Sir.  Hymers  keeps  on  hand  a  large 
number  of  horses,  fine  carriages,  hacks  and  two  hearses,  and  since  1869  has 
carried  on  a  successful  and  satisfactory  business,  putting  forth  every  effort 
in  his  power  to  please  his  patrons,  and  thus  securing  a  very  large  patronage. 

Mr.  Hymers  is  also  the  owner  of  one  of  Reno's  attractive  residences, 
which  he  built  upon  a  lot  seventy  by  one  hundred  and  forty  feet.  He  has 
])lanted  manv  fruit  and  shade  trees,  and  now  has  a  delightful  place  in  which 
to  spend  the  evening  of  an  honorable  life.  Tn  Decemlier.  18C14.  he  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Helen  Hudson,  and  to  them  were  born  a  son  and  daughter, 
(leorge  and  Nellie.  The  son,  who  is  married,  is  now  associated  with  his 
father  in  Inisiness.  while  the  daughter  resides  with  her  parents.  In  religious 
faith  Mrs.  Hymers  is  a  Presbvterian  and  takes  a  deep  interest  in  the  work 
of  the  church.  I'raternally  Mr.  Hymers  is  a  Mason  and  has  attained  the 
Rnighl  Tem]jlar  degree,  -belonging  to  DeWitt  Clinton  Commandery.  His 
jjolitica!  allegiance  is  given  to  the  Re]mblican  jiarty.  and  in  1870  he  was 
elected  on  its  ticket  as  county  commissioner  of  Washne  county,  in  which 
office  he  has  ser\'ed  altogether  for  a  quarter  of  a  century,  his  present  term 
to  continue  for  three  years  longer.  He  has  the  interest  of  the  county  decpl\' 
at  heart  and  exercises  his  official  i^rerogatixxs  in  support  of  every  measure 
or  movement  which  lie  believes  will  cnntribute  to  the  general  good. 


ilO.X.  H1':XRY  r'.\TF.Y  is  one  of  Virginia  City's  highly  respected 
early  settlers,  dating  his  arrival  in  1863,  since  which  time  he  has  l)een  promi- 
nently identified  with  the  wonderful  develo])ment  and  progress  made  in  this 
pro.sperous  metro])olis  of  Nevada.  lie  was  born  in  San  Franci.sco,  California, 
on  December  7,  1854.  I'ud  is  of  I'.nglish  ancestr\'.  his  parents.  Roliert  and  Jane 
i'llizabeth  (IJeelby)  I'atey,  both  being  natives  of  England.  From  that  country 
they  went  first  to  Australi.-i  and  thence  to  California,  landing  at  San  Fran- 
cisco in  July,  1854.  Six  children  were  born  to  them,  the  two  survivors  of  the 
family  being  Mr.  T'atey  and  his  sister.  Mrs.  Hugh  'i'rensbath.  By  a  second 
marriage  five  children  were  born,  four  of  wlioni  are  residents  of  California. 
In   iSr/)  the  father  met  death  in  a  mine  accident. 

ilcnry  Patcy  was  twelve  years  of  age  when  his  father  was  killed,  but 
he  continued  at  .school  until  the  age  of  fifteen,  when  he  began  working  in  the 
mines  in  order  to  provide  for  his  own  support  and  to  assist  in  the  care  of 
the  family.  He  continued  to  follow  mining  initil  1888.  and  then  engaged  in 
assaying  with  Mr.  Fielding  in  the  interests  of  the  Consolidated  California 
and  Virginia  Mining  Comi)any  and  has  ever  since  been  in  its  employ,  this 


A    IIISr()l>;\'   Ol''   XI'AADA.  625 

CDiiipaiiv  Ijcing  one  n\  tlie  threat  prudnccrs  wliirli  has  added  to  tlie  tame  of 
tlie  noted  Conistock. 

Mr.  Patey  lias  been  a  life-lon.i;  l\e])uljlican,  and  has  taken  a  deep  interest 
in  educational  matters  and  inihlic  af^'airs.  The  city  owes  much  to  his  attitude 
in  regard  to  the  public  schools,  and  he  is  a  \ery  popular  citizen.  In  i89<S  thi.s 
was  shown  Ijy  his  election  to  a  seat  in  the  Nevada  state  assemlih".  and  during 
the  session  he  was  particularly  acti\e  in  opposing  any  reduction  of  interest 
on  the  school  bonds.  Mr.  Patey  is  a  piominent  Dlue  Lodge  Free  Mason,  and 
belongs  to  the  higher  orders  of  chapter,  commandery  and  Tslam  Temple, 
Mystic  Shrine,  at  San  Francisco,  and  is  the  i^resent  eminent  commander  f)f 
the  De  \^^itt  Clinton  Commandery.  K.  T.  He  recei\ed  the  higher  rites  at 
the  Virginia  City  lodge. 

In  1897  Mr.  Patey  was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Laura  Stackhouse, 
who  was  born  in  California,  and  one  daughter,  Grace  Adelaide,  has  been 
bom  to  them.  Mrs.  Patey  is  a  mem1)er  of  the  society  of  the  Eastern  Star. 
In  religious  faith  they  are  F])iscopalians. 


HIKAM  JOHNSOX,  one  of  the  pi(jneer  merchants  of  Ivurcka.  where 
he  located  o\'er  thirty  years  ago.  has  been  identified  with  \'arious  enterprises 
on  the  western  plains  for  o\'er  forty  years,  and  lias  enjoyed  a  very  ])ros- 
perous  career.  When  he  first  came  to  Eureka  there  was  little  in  the  way  of 
a  town  here,  and  his  estalilishment  was  among  the  first.  He  has  been  a 
diligent,  acute  man  of  l)usiness.  and  has  won  his  advancement  by  his  own 
efforts,  for  which  reason  he  enjoys  the  resjject  of  his  townsmen  and  is  con- 
scious that  the  si.\tv-five  rears  of  his  life  ha\e  been  well  spent. 

Mr.  Johnson's  Scotch  and  English  ancestors  were  settlers  in  Boston. 
Massachusetts,  in  the  year  1714,  and  his  great-grandfather  John.son  was  a 
soldier  throughout  the  Rexolutiijnary  war  and  was  with  the  army  of  Wash- 
ington and  LaFayette  at  the  surrender  of  Lord  Cornwallis.  Through  this 
honored  forefather  Mr.  Johnson  can  claim  membershi])  in  the  Society  of 
Sons  and  Daughters  of  the  American  Revolution.  Hiram  Johnson,  a  son 
of  this  patriot,  was  born  in  East  Holliston.  Massachusetts,  and  was  a  Con- 
gregationalist  in  religion. 

Mr.  Johnson's  father  was  born  in  Hollist<ni.  Massachusetts,  and  mai'- 
ried  Miss  Experience  P>riggs.  In  1857  he  went  west  to  Atchis(jn.  Kansas, 
and  passed  through  all  the  Ixirder  troubles  incident  tn  the  settlement  of  that 
state.  He  afterward  returned  to  his  native  state,  and  then  went  to  blorida. 
where  he  died  in  1886  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years.  His  wife  died  in 
1872,  aged  fifty-seven.  He  had  been  a  selectman  of  his  town,  a  justice  of 
the  peace,  and  an  incumbent  of  several  similar  i>t-fices.  and  was  an  honored 
and  respected  resident  of  every  community  in  which  he  jiassed  a  part  of 
his  life.  He  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  ^lethodist  church.  They 
had  two  sons  who  are  li\ing,  ^I.  M.  Johnson  being  in  California. 

Hiram  John.son  was  born  in  Ibtpkinton.  ^lassachusetts.  October  3, 
1838.  and  was  reared  and  educated  in  Massachusetts.  \\'hen  about  grown 
he  came  west  and  for  ten  years  was  engaged  in  freighting  across  the  great 


626  A  IHSIOKV  OF  NEVADA. 

plains.  He  caine  to  Nevada  in  1869.  and  for  a  vear  or  sn  Imnglit  sr<i(.ids  in 
San  Francisco  and  disposed  ol  tliem  at  F,lki>.  in  1871  he  came  to  tiie  infant 
town  of  Enreka,  and  for  the  first  six  montlis  was  a  clerk  in  a  general  mer- 
chandise store;  he  then  engaged  in  hnsiness  on  his  own  acconnt.  and  lias 
followed  commercial  pnrsuits  ever  since.  He  was  in  trade  in  Salt  Lake  t'ity 
from  1887  to  1900.  hnt  at  the  latter  date  retnrned  to  Eureka.  He  lias  a 
store  seventeen  by  one  iiundred  feet,  besides  sexeral  other  Iniildings,  all  of 
which  he  owns,  and  carries  on  one  of  the  largest  trades  in  the  town. 

Mr.  Johnson  is  a  Republican  in  politics,  but  with  no  time  or  aspirations 
for  office.  He  is  de\dted  to  Ins  business,  and  tins  persevering  endeavor  is 
largely  responsible  for  his  success.  He  was  made  a  Mason  in  Eureka  Lixlge 
No.  15,  F.  &  A.  M.,  m  1872,  and  is  past  master  and  has  been  for  all  these 
)'ears  one  of  the  most  efticient  workers  of  the  lodge.  In  1876  he  married 
Miss  Josephine  E.  Adams,  a  native  of  his  own  tdwn  in  Massachusetts,  and 
they  are  the  parents  of  three  children  :  .\dams  H. :  .\.  \V.,  in  the  store  with 
his  father;  and  Anna  S.,  a  graduate  of  the  Nevade  State  University  and  a 
successful  teacher.  The  fanii]\-  reside  in  a  pleasant  honie.  and  baxe  a  wid.c 
circle  of  friends. 

ORRIN  C.  ROSS,  who  resides  on  a  fine  farm  a  short  distance  east 
of  Reno,  passed  through  what  is  now  the  state  of  Xe\ada  in  1859,  when  on 
his  way  to  California,  and  in  1863  he  returned  to  make  his  home  in  this  state. 
His  iiirthplace  was  upon  the  Atlantic  coast.  He  was  born  in  Massachusetts, 
October  5,  1838,  and  is  of  Irish  and  Scotch  descent.  His  ancestors,  however, 
emigrated  to  New  England  long  prior  to  the  Revolutionary  war.  His  paternal 
grandfather  was  born  in  Vermont,  followed  merchandising  in  his  business 
career  and  was  also  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church. 

Silas  Ross,  the  father  of  O.  C.  Ross,  was  likewise  a  native  of  the  Green 
Mountain  state,  born  in  1814.  For  a  time  after  attaining  his  majority  he 
resided  in  Massachusetts,  but  later  returned  to  Vermont,  and  in  1850  removed 
to  Illinois.  .\  little  later  be  became  a  resident  of  Iowa,  where  he  made  his 
home  up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  Avhich  occurred  when  be  was  in  the  seventy- 
sixth  year  of  his  age.  Throughout  the  greater  ])art  of  liis  life  he  bad  fol- 
lowed mercandising.  but  in  his  last  years  owned  and  operated  a  farm.  He 
married  Miss  Parncll  Dunsmore,  a  lady  three  months  his  junior,  and  they 
became  the  parents  of  five  children,  but  only  two  are  now  li\ing.  the  brother 
of  Mr.  Ross  jjeing  C.  T.  Ross,  wiio  is  a  resident  of  Iowa. 

O.  C.  Ross  spent  the  first  twelve  years  of  Iiis  life  in  the  .state  of  Vermont, 
and  then  removed  with  his  father  and  family  tf>  Illinois  and  to  Iowa.  He 
resided  in  the  latter  state  for  seven  years,  and  was  reared  in  the  midst  of  pio- 
neer surroundings.  Their  home  was  at  first  ten  miles  from  that  of  any 
neiglibor.  and  the  advantages  for  higher  education  were  very  limited.  The 
training  of  .Mr.  Ross  at  farm  labor,  however,  was  not  meager,  for  like  most 
I)oys  in  a  new  country  he  had  to  assist  largely  in  the  arduous  task  of  develop- 
ing a  new  farm.  However,  the  experiences  brought  to  him  a  good  knowledge 
of  men  and  of  affairs,  and  througli  observation  and  reading  in  later  years  he 
has  become  well  informed  upon  all  topics  of  general  interest.  In  1859  he 
crossed  the  i)lains  to  California.  altlnHigh  he  started   for  Pike's  Peak.     He 


&./a.^s 


&-^l4 


A  ilJSTURV   Ul<   NEVy\UA.  t'27 

l)y  Iiis  fatlier  to  rclurn  if  tliat  part  of  tlic  country  did  not  please 
liiiii,  but  lie  had  heard  of  the  golden  west  and  decided  to  continue  his  journey 
to  the  Eldorado  of  the  country,  stopping  fiVst  at  Forest  city  in  Sierra  county, 
California.  He  was  there  engaged  in  mining  in  the  employ  of  others  for  a 
time,  and  later  entered  into  a  partnershi]j  and  purchased  a  claim  which  gave  a 
moderate  yield  of  the  precious  metal.  The  partners,  however,  were  all  lack- 
ing in  mining  experience,  and  they  spent  in  the  development  of  the  pro])erty 
nearly  all  that  they  took  out  of  it.  Later  Mr.  Ross  secured  a  logging  contract 
and  was  more  successful  at  that. 

In  1863  he  returned  to  Nevada,  having  already  seen  something  of  the 
state  when  journeying  through  it  on  his  way  to  California.  He  became 
one  of  the  pioneers  here,  and  now  for  forty  years  has  been  a  witness  of  the 
progress  and  development  of  this  section.  He  was  first  employed  at  baling 
hay  on  the  Truckee  meadows  east  and  south  of  the  present  site  of  the  city 
of  Reno.  For  seven  years  he  continued  in  that  business,  working  bard  and 
makins;  monev.  He  then  liought  a  half  interest  in  the  stock  ranch  located 
thirty  miles  northwest  of  Reno,  and  bis  partner,  R.  H.  Leigh,  went  upon  the 
range  with  the  cattle,  while  Mr.  Ross  purchased  his  present  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  a  few  miles  east  of  the  city  of  Reno  and 
took  up  his  abode  thereon.  The  tract  was  then  covered  with  sage  brush,  but 
with  characteristic  energy  he  began  its  development,  placed  excellent  im- 
provements upon  it  and  built  a  comfortable  home,  large  barn  and  other  sub- 
stantial outbuildings  for  the  shelter  of  grain  and  stock.  He  also  planted 
the  trees  upon  the  place,  and  now  has  a  splendidly  improved  farm,  which,  in 
fact,  is  one  of  the  best  of  the  country  around  about.  He  paid  twenty-nine 
hundred  dollars  for  this  property,  ami  in  the  first  year  expended  three 
thousand  dollars  in  improxements.  In  1871  his  Iiuildings  were  destroyed  by 
fire,  causing  a  total  loss,  for  he  carried  no  insurance.  ^Many  a  man  of  less 
resolute  purpose  would  have  been  utterly  discouraged,  but  he  at  once  set  to 
work  to  retrieve  his  lost  possessions,  rebuilt  his  home  and  other  buildings,  and 
continued  the  work  of  impro\ing  h\s.  propertx-  until  to-day  his  is  one  of  the 
test  farms  in  Wahsoe  county.  He  is  extensively  engaged  in  the  raising  of 
alfalfa  hay,  which  he  feeds  in  the  winter  to  his  own  stock.  He  still  occupies 
his  range  of  twelve  hundred  acres,  u|xin  which  he  has  about  two  hundred 
head  9f  cattle,  and  in  this  department  of  his  business  he  has  met  with  satis- 
factory success. 

as  married  in  iN^ 

of  California,  born  in  Petaluma.  Four  children  have  graced  this  union,  but 
only  two  are  now  lix'ing :  Charles,  who  is  at  home  with  his  father :  and 
Emma  P.,  now  the  wife  of  A.  G.  Brown,  who  resides  on  a  ranch  south  of 
her  father's  home.  Mrs.  Ross  died  in  1882.  She  was  a  faithful  and  devoted 
wife  and  mother  and  her  loss  was  deeply  mourned  by  the  little  family.  In 
1884  Mr.  Ross  was  again  married,  his  second  union  being  with  Miss  Ellen 
McCormick,  who  was  born  in  Canada.  Their  union  has  been  blessed  with 
two  children :   Silas  Earl  and  Vera,  lioth  attending  the  high  school  in  Reno. 

In  politics  Mr.  Ross  is  independent,  although  in  former  years  he  was  a 
stalwart  Republican.  He  has  never  been  an  aspirant  for  public  office,  yet 
was  elected  countv  commissioner  and  served  in  that  position  in  a  most  capable 


628  A  HISTORY  ()1>"  NEVADA. 

iiianiier.  ( )t  the  jMasnnic  frateniitv  lie  is  a  wditln'  rcprt'senlatisc,  liaviny 
liecome  a  nieniher  in  1868  in  Reno  Lndge  .\i>.  i.?,  I'.  &  A.  Al.  He  lias 
since  taken  an  active  interest  in  the  craft  anil  in  the  inculcation  of  its  principles, 
and  has  held  the  ofilice  of  senior  deacon  in  his  lodge.  His  well  improved  farm 
is  evidence  of  his  life  of  thrift  and  industr\-.  and  his  success  has  hfen  so 
worthily  won  that  the  most  envious  cannot  grudge  him  his  prosi)erity.  His 
wife  is  a  pleasant  and  accomplished  ladv  and  their  home  is  a  happ}'  one. 


WILLIAM  PEARCE.  who  has  been  identified  with  the  mining  in- 
terests of  V^irginia  City,  Nevada,  since  1870,  and  is  now  the  efficient  fore- 
man of  the  Gold  Hill  group  of  mines,  from  the  south  line  of  the  Caledonia 
to  the  north  line  of  the  Belcher,  of  which  Hon.  W.  E.  Sharon  is  super- 
intendent, is  regarded  as  one  (jf  the  most  ca])al)lc  and  trusty  mining  men 
of  this  locality.  This  is  a  rich  section,  as  it  will  he  recalled  that  the  holdings 
of  Senator  Sharon  in  the  Belcher  mine  ha\e  made  him  one  of  the  leading 
capitalists  of  the  great  west. 

Mr.  Pearce  was  l)orn  September  4.  1849.  in  lingland,  and  is  a  son 
of  John  and  Elizabeth  Jane  (Mes.ser)  Pearce,  both  of  whom  are  of  English 
birth.  In  1830  liis  father  went  to  Califor\iia.  worked  there  in  the  drift 
diggings  and  then  went  to  South  America,  where  he  spent  seven  seasons. 
He  then  went  l^iack  to  England,  and,  returning  to  California,  died  in  1874, 
aged  forty-nine  years.  He  was  one  of  the  brave  California  pioneers  who  knew 
no  fear  and  did  his  full  share  in  the  early  settling  of  the  state.  Pie  was 
l^ereft  of  his  wife  in  England,  who  left  four  children,  two  daughters  and 
two  sons,  namely:  Thomas,  now  of  A'irginia  City,  William,  and  two  daugh- 
ters in  San  Francisco. 

William  Pearce  was  the  eldest  of  the  family,  and  was  reared  and  edu- 
cated in  England,  where  he  remained  until  his  seventeenth  year.  His  own 
efforts  for  his  own  support  l^iegan  at  the  age  of  twelve  years,  and  since  he 
was  fifteen  he  has  depended  entirely  upon  himself.  His  education  was 
pursued  under  disadvantages,  and  he  may  be  said  to  have  learned  his  les- 
sons in  the  school  of  experience.  In  1867  he  emigrated  to  New  Jersey,  and 
then  went  to  the  mining  regions  of  Penn.sylvania,  mining  lieing  his  chosen 
N'ocation.  When  he  arrived  in  Virginia  City,  thirtv-three  \ears  ago,  he 
l)egan  work  wMth  pick  and  shovel  in  the  Yellow  Jacket  mine.  He  was  first 
made  shift  boss  in  the  Savage  mine,  of  which  he  had  charge  until  1872. 
when  he  went  to  the  Hale  &  Norcross,  and  in  1875  I'<?came  shift  Ixiss  there, 
and  for  twenty-three  years  was  foreman  and  shift  boss.  He  then  resigned 
this  position  to  become  foreman  of  the  Chollar  and  Potosi  mines.  He  then 
went  on  a  trip  f>f  observation  to  Shasta,  returning  in  igoi,  when  he  was 
made  foreman  of  the  Gold  Hill  group  of  mines.  In  this  jiosition  of  great 
responsibility  .VI r.  Pearce  is  called  upon  to  e.xcrcise  the  knowdedge  which  bis 
years  of  varied  experience  have  given  him.  He  stands  very  high  in  the  esti- 
mation of  skilled  mining  men,  and  his  opinions  carrv  great  weight  with 
them. 

In  1875  Mr.  Pearce  was  married  to  Ida  Gidlcy,  who  was  born  in  Sierra 
county,  California,  and  is  a  daughter  of  William  Gidley,  one  of  the  pioneers 


A  lIIS'rOI>^V  OF  NEVADA.  <i2y 

of  the  state.  The  cliihhcn  of  Mr,  and  Mrs.  I'earce  were  all  l)orn  at  Virginia 
City  and  are  as  follows:  William  J.,  :i  mining  engineer;  Thomas  J.,  a 
traveling  salesman  for  a  .San  h'rancisco  house;  James  Garfield,  an  electrician 
in  the  mines;  .\lhert  Edward,  who  is  a  student  at  Santa  Clara  College; 
and  Ceorge  I'hilip,  who  is  still  in  the  local  schools,  h'rederick  Charles  died 
in  his  fourteenth  year  in  .San  h'rancisco,  California.  Mrs.  Pearce  and  chil- 
dren are  menihers  of  the  Catholic  church.  Mr.  Pearce  is  fraternally  con- 
nected with  the  Odd  Fellows  in  hoth  hranchcs,  and  is  jiast  grand  and  past 
chief,     lu  jxilitics  he  stands  with  the  siKer  wing  ot  the  Reinihlican  ])art\'. 


(iEORGE  F.  'JTIRRITTIN,  president  of  the  Rank  of  Nevada,  of  Reno, 
occupies  a  most  enviahle  position  ii,  financial  circles  in  the  state.  He  is  hon- 
ored and  respected  hy  all,  not  alone  hecause  of  the  desirable  success  that  he 
has  achieved,  but  also  by  reason  of  the  honorable,  straightforward  business 
methods  he  has  ever  followed.  His  life  record  therefore  will  prove  of  in- 
terest to  the  readers  of  this  xolume,  and  it  is  with  pleasure  that  we  present 
his  sketch. 

Mr.  Turrittin  was  born  in  Ireland,  and  when  three  years  of  age  was 
brought  by  his  parents  to  the  Cnited  States,  and  the  family  settled  in  Ohio. 
George  F.  Turrittin  is  th.e  only  meriil)er  of  the  family  living  in  Nevada.  He 
pursued  iiis  education  in  Ih-yan,  Ohio,  and  during  his  early  career  fol- 
lowed the  occupation  of  farming  and  also  the  profession  of  school  teaching. 
In  the  year  1869  he  came  to  Ne\ada,  settling  in  Winnemucca,  where  he 
engaged  in  teaching  school.  Later  lie  turned  his  attention  to  tnerchandising, 
and  while  following  that  calling  was  elected  on  the  Repul:)lican  ticket  to  the 
office  of  County  recorder  of  iiumlioldt  county,  and  later  was  elected  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Nevada  assembly.  i)n  the  election  of  President  Harrison  Mr. 
Turrittin  was  appointed  United  Slates  surveyor  general  for  the  district  of 
Nevada  and  moved  to  Reno.  On  his  retirement  from  that  petition  he  was 
nominated  for  the  office  of  state  comptroller,  but  lost  the  election  by  three 
hundred  and  twenty-one  votes.  .\t  another  time  he  was  candidate  for  re- 
gent oi  the  State  university.  While  not  always  successful  in  political  life 
because  of  the  strong  Deiuocratic  majority  in  this  state  at  that  time,  Mr. 
Turrittin  has  ever  prospered  in  his  business  affairs,  owing  to  his  keen  dis- 
cernment and  the  readiness  with  which  he  forms  and  exercises  his  plans. 
He  has  been  extensively  engaged  vr,  sheep-raising  in  Humboldt  county.  At 
Reno  he  has  followed  general  merchandising,  and  is  now  a  member  of  the 
J.  R.  Bradley  Company,  engaged  in  conducting  a  wholesale  a^d  retail  hard- 
ware and  grocery  business.  He  is  a  man  of  resourceful  ability,  wide- 
awake and  enterprising,  and  w  hate\er  he  undertakes  he  carries  forward  to 
successful  completion. 

The  Turrittin  family  ha\e  an  attractive  home  in  Reno,  its  hospitality 
being  greatly  enjoyed  by  their  many  friends.  Mr.  Turrittin  belongs  to  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  and  is  a  member  also  of  the  Benevolent  and  Protective 
Order  of  Elks.  He  has  made  a  creditable  and  envialjle  recor.l  as  a  success- 
ful business  man,  and  to-day  is  the  possessor  of  business  interests  that  are 
valuable,  returning  an  excellent  income.     He  likewise  sustains  an  unassail- 


(530  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

able  reputation  in  puMic  ofifice,  and  is  now  the  mayor  ni  tlic  city  of  Reno, 
having  lieen  elected  to  that  position  on  the  5th  of  May.  1903.  He  is  doing 
all  in  his  power  to  advance  the  interests  of  the  municipality,  and  his  admin- 
istration is  practical,  business-like  and  progressive.  He  belongs  to  that 
class  of  representative  American  men  who,  while  promoting  individual  suc- 
cess, also  contribute  to  the  general  welfare. 


THE  BANK  OF  NEV.VDA  at  Reno  is  capitalize<l  for  seven  hundred 
and  fift}'  thousand  dollars,  and  does  a  general  banking  l)usiness  in  connection 
with  selling  exchange  on  all  parts  of  the  world.  This  institution  was  organ- 
ized on  the  2 1  St  of  April,  1887,  by  Daniel  Meyer,  of  San  Francisco,  M.  D. 
Foley,  of  Eureka,  and  the  following  gentlemen  from  Reno:  R.  S.  Osburn, 
Sol  Levy,  A.  Benson,  L.  Abrams,  A.  Abrams,  T.  V.  Julien,  M.  E,  Ward, 
J.  N.  Evans  and  C.  C.  Powning.  The  capital  stock  of  three  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars  was  subscribed,  and  of  this  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand 
was  paid  up.  The  trustees  then  elected  were  Daniel  Meyer,  ^L  D. 
Foley,  George  Russell,  J.  N.  iMans,  A.  Benson,  M.  E.  Ward  and  L.  Abrams, 
and  the  following  officers  were  chosen :  M.  D.  Foley,  president,  M.  E. 
Ward,  vice  president,  Moritz  Scheeline,  cashier,  and  C.  C.  Powning,  assistant 
cashier.  Upon  the  death  of  Mr.  Foley  Mr.  George  F.  Turrittin  was  elected 
president.  The  business  of  the  bank  has  steadily  increased  and  the  capital 
stock  has  been  raised  to  seven  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  of  which 
six  hundred  thousand  is  paid  up.  The  officers  at  the  present  writing  arc 
George  F.  Turrittin,  president.  Moritz  Scheeline,  vice  i)resident,  P.  L.  b'lani- 
gan,  second  vice  president,  Eugene  Howell,  cashier,  and  R.  C.  Turrittin. 
assistant  cashier :  and  the  directors  are  Daniel  Meyer,  A.  G.  Fletcher,  George 
F.  Turrittin,  R.  L.  Douglass,  Moritz  Scheeline,  Henry  Anderson  and  P.  L. 
Flanigan,  all  being  of  substantial  financial  worth  and  of  large  business 
interests. 


PETER  ANKEi\  is  one  of  the  most  prominent  farmers  in  Ihc  \icinity 
of  Lovelocks,  Nevada,  and  the  extent  of  his  farming  operations  may  be 
judged  from  the  fact  that  in  Tgo^  his  alfalfa  crop  amounted  to  eighteen 
hundred  tons,  much  of  which  he  fed  to  his  own  stock,  and  the  remainder 
he  sold  to  stockmen  at  six  dollars  a  ton.  He  has  made  a  s])len<lid  record 
since  he  came  to  this  country  cncr  thirty  \-ears  ago,  a  poor  man.  and  his 
industr\'  and  excellent  judgment  in  agricultural  matters  ha\e  been  vewarik-il 
by  the  place  he  now  occupies  among  the  men  of  his  count)'. 

Mr.  Anker  was  born  in  Denmark,  J;nni;iry  7.  1852.  .-ukI  was  educalctl 
in  his  native  countr\-.  He  emigrated  to  this  country  in  1870.  and  after 
landing  in  New  "S'ork  came  on  to  San  b'rancisco,  where  his  worldly  pos- 
.sessions  amounted  to  ju.st  five  cents.  But  he  is  one  of  the  sturdy  .sons  of  the 
north  Europe  countries,  and  he  soon  made  his  wa\'  out  to  Solano  county  ;ind 
obtained  work  on  a  farm,  and  also  got  work  at  the  car|)enter  trade,  hroni 
there  he  came  to  Carson  City.  Nevada,  where  he  was  emjiloyed  at  building 
bridges   for  the  \'irgini;i  i,*v   Truckce   Railroad   and   similar   work,    for   wliich 


A  IJTSTORY  OF  NEVADA.  631 

lie  wris  i)ai(l  from  four  and  a  half  to  fi\'e  dollars  a  {la\' — just  four  times  as 
iiiucli  as  lie  could  make  in  liis  own  cciuntry.  In  January,  it^yy.  lie  was  en- 
gaged to  build  a  l)arn  for  Mr.  Marker  at  Big  Meadows,  and  after  lie  had 
seen  the  land  and  what  could  lie  done  willi  it  he  w'as  so  jileased  that  he 
purchased  a  squatter's  right  and  tnok  up  farming,  lie  later  ])re-enipted  (jiie 
hundred  and  sixty  acres,  and  has  added  to  his  estate  till  he  now  has  eight 
Imndred  acres  of  fine  land,  located  about  (i\e  miles  south  of  Lovelocks.  .\t 
lirst  the  land  was  co\'ered  with  a  dense  growth  of  greasewood  as. high  as  his 
head,  and  ])erhaps  most  men  would  have  been  discouraged  at  the  task  of 
clearing  it  off,  but  Mr.  Anker  persevered  until  he  has  liis  present  fine  place, 
some  of  whose  products  have  been  mentioned  above.  In  1902  he  built  a 
large  and  fine  farm  residence,  and  in  many  ways  has  indicated  that  pros- 
])erilv   has   rewarded   his  labors. 

Mr.  .\nker  is  a  l\e])ublican,  and  as  an  indication  of  the  regard  his  fellow- 
citizens  have  for  him  and  his  'prominence  in  his  locality,  he  was  elected 
and  ser\-ed  im\r  wars  as  cuunty  commissioner.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
lnde]>endent  ( )rder  of  ( )dd  bellows,  and  was  made  a  Mason  in  Humboldt 
Loflge  No.  2j.  \\  &  A.  M.,  at  Liwelocks,  in  wdiich  body  he  is  still  in  good 
fellowship.  In  18S0  he  married  Miss  Julia  Faas,  a  nati\'e  of  the  state  of 
Iowa  and  the  daughter  of  I'bilip  Faas.  Five  children  Iia\e  been  born  of  this 
uninii,  as  fullnws:      llann;ili,   Philip,  Minnie,  Chester  and  Florence. 


THE  EUREKA  COUNTY  BANK,  which  has  been  the  strong  fortress 
of  the  Commercial  and  financial  activity  of  Eureka  county,  and  by  its  hoii- 
iirablc  business  methods  and  sound  conduct  has  wc>n  the  confidence  of  tlie 
business  element  of  the  county  and  the  state,  has  had  a  successful  existence 
for  nearly  twenty  years  and  lias  throughout  this  period  been  under  the  con- 
trol of  men  of  highest  financial  integrity  and  reliability. 

The  institution  was  incorporated  February  21,.  1885,  by  Messrs.  M.  1). 
I'oley,  R.  K.  Morrison,  B.  fiilman,  ^^'.  E.  (iriffin,  all  of  Eureka,  and  Mr. 
Daniel  Myer,  of  San  b'ranciscn.  Its  capital  stock  was  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars,  and  its  first  officers  and  directors  were  M.  D.  Fole\',  president;  R.  K. 
Morrison,  \'ice  president:  II.  T.  Iloadley,  cashier;  W.  E.  (Irit^in,  assistant 
cashier.  The  l)ank  has  done  a  general  banking  business,  and  has  been  the 
foundation  upon  which  many  of  the  business  enterprises  of  the  vicinity  have 
depended.  The  present  officers  are:  Oscar  J,  Smitli,  nf  Reno,  president: 
13ert  T.  Smith,  of  Eureka,  \ice  jiresident ;  J.  H.  I-Ioegh,  second  vice  presi- 
dent;  W.  E.  Griffin,  cashier:  and  H.   I',  (iolding,  assistant  cashier. 

Within  the  ]iast  year  the  liank  has  opened  a  branch  at  Elko  in  charge 
rif  Bert  L.  Smith,  \'ice  jiresident,  and  R.  Ti.  Mallett,  cashier.  Its  Elko  busi- 
ness is  growing  \'erv  rapidly,  and  the  bank  there  is  deservedly  popular. 


JAMES  McKINTY,  foreman  of  the  Consolidated  California  and  \'ir- 
ginia  and  the  Ophir  mines,  has  resided  in  Virginia  City  for  the  ])ast  thirty- 
three  years.  He  was  Ixirn  in  Belfast,  Ireland,  on  Jul}-  7,  1847,  and  his 
parents  were  James  and  Jane  (McNealj  McKinty,  both  of  whom  were  born 


632  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

in  Belfast,  where  the  funiier  was  a  merchant,  and  died  ag'ed  seventy-two 
vears,  wliile  liis  wife  died  aged  eighty-two  years.  They  were  devnnt  nieni- 
i)ers  of  the  CathoHc  church.  'Jdiey  were  the  parents  of  eight  cliil(h-en,  of 
whom  James  was  tlie  only  one  to  come  to  Nevada. 

The  education  «f  James  McKinty  was  secured  in  Belfast,  and  early  in 
life  he  went  to  sea  on  the  .Archibald.  Captain  Delaraga  commanding.  By 
permission  of  the  latter,  while  the  .ship  was  in  the  port  of  San  Juan,  Mr. 
McKinty  gave  up  the  sea  and  went  to  Yuba  City,  California,  in  search  of 
gold,  beginning  as  a  mineral  prospector.  After  working  in  different  places 
in  California,  he  went  to  Idaho  in  1865  and  met  with  excellent  success,  his 
large.st  day"s  work  netting  him  two  thousand  dollars.  In  1868  he  went  to 
British  Columbia  on  the  I-Taser  river,  but  was  not  successful,  and  coming 
to  Nevada  he  worked  first  in  the  Chnllar  mine  at  four  dollars  per  da)-,  and 
later  was  mining  expert  for  llaggin  &  Hearst,  traxeling  for  these  gentle- 
men to  Mexico  and  Alaska  and  prosjjecting  for  mining  ])ro])erty.  .\fler 
this  he  was  for  some  time  engaged  in  several  other  mines,  and  tinallx-  became 
foreman  of  the  Consolidated  California  and  X'irginia  and  Ophir  mines,  which 
are  \ery  \aluable  and  ha\e  \-ie!ded  immense  profits. 

In  1887  Air.  McKinty  was  hajunly  married  to  Marian  Seaman,  a  n.ativc 
of  Calaveras  county.  California,  and  a  daughter  of  Henry  Seaman,  a  jiioneer 
of  California  of  1840.  Three  children  have  been  born  to  them,  Arthur  James, 
Ethel  Marian  and  Searl  Henry.  The  first  two  named  were  born  in  Cali- 
fornia and  the  last  iri  Virginia  City.  They  are  all  members  of  the  Catholic 
churcii.  Mr.  McKintv  is  a  Democrat  in  politics  and  is  a  member  of  the 
Elks,  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  L'nited  Workmen,  and  is  one  of  the  highi\- 
res]iected  and  esteemed  men  of  the  city.  The  family  reside  in  a  beautiful 
home,  wliere  the  many  friends  of  the  family  often  gather  to  enjoy  the  genial 
hnsi)it;dilv  alwavs  ofifered  1)v  the  iileasant  host  and  his  estimable  wife. 


COLONEL  JOSEPH  MARZEN,  one  of  the  western  pioneers,  and  the 
most  prominent  stock-grower  of  Humboldt  county,  Nevada,  whose  exhibits 
have  for  years  been  winning  blue  ribbons  at  the  California  state  fair  at 
Sacramento,  has  been  a  resident  of  the  state  of  Nevada  for  forty  years  and 
now  has  his  large  ranch  near  the  town  of  Lovelocks.  He  is  of  German 
ancestr)'  and  birth,  having  been  born  in  Cermany  on  May  5,  1828.  He  re- 
ceived his  education  and  learned  the  butcher's  trade  in  his  native  land.  At 
the  age  of  eighteen  he  emigrated  to  New  York  city,  where  he  worked  at  his 
trade  for  five  years,  and  in  1851  went  to  California  by  way  of  the  isthmus. 
lie  located  in  Sacramento,  and  was  there  during  all  the  fire  and  floods 
through  which  that  city  passed.  He  bought  cattle  in  Los  Angeles  and  drove 
them  to  Sacramento,  and  after  three  years  of  this  w'ork  opened  up  a  butcher 
business  in  Sacramento,  where  he  had  a  profitable  trade  until  1863.  He 
then  went  to  Virginia  Citv,  Nevada,  where  he  was  in  business  until  the 
mining  excitement  occiu'red  on  the  Comstock  in  1868.  In  that  jear  the 
first  lots  in  Reno  were  sold  at  auction,  and  he  bought  .several  and  built  a 
sho|>,  in  wliich  he  carried  on  the  butcher  business  for  six  months,  after  which 
lie  went  lo  Trnckee.  California,  rmd  engaged  in  butchering  and  packing. 


J^-^     /fe^^o-J^.^,-i-n^ 


A   HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  033 

Colonel  Marzen  became  enj^aged  in  the  stock  Inisiness  in  iS^jC).  and  in  tlie 
following'  }ear  came  to  his  present  location  and  bonght  land  where  he  now 
has  3,480  acres  in  the  rich  IJig  meadows  near  Lo\-elocks.  This  he  has  made 
one  of  the  finest  ranches  in  the  state,  h'or  the  past  seventeen  years  he  has 
lieen  breeding-  high-grade  Shorthorn  and  Hereford  cattle,  and  during  the 
whole  time  he  has  lost  but  three  blue  ribbons  on  his  yearly  e.Khihits  at  the  fair 
at  Sacramento.  He  has  been  a  large  importer  of  stock  from  Scotland,  and 
from  year  to  year  has  graded  and  improved  his  stock  until  his  own  breeds 
have  reached  almost  the  acme  of  perfection  and  he  has  at  the  same  time  greatly 
benefited  stock-breeding  throughout  the  state.  He  is  also  a  breeder  of  Nor- 
man, Percheron,  Clyde  and  Knglish  Shiri'  horses,  and  in  this  dep.artment  also 
he  takes  the  lead. 

Colonel  Marzen  was  married  in  1850  to  Miss  Margaret  Bechtel,  also  a 
native  of  Germany.  They  had  fwa  children,  four  of  whom  are  living,  as 
follows :  Joseph  Marzen,  Jr.,  in  Lo\elocks ;  Amelia,  now  Mrs.  Soule;  Adalena, 
the  wife  of  Mr.  L.  Cozens;  Louisa,  at  home.  Mrs.  Marzen  died  in  1864,  and 
fin  June  24,  1868,  he  married  Miss  Catherine  Hemrich,  a  native  of  Germany. 

Colonel  Marzen  was  a  Republican  until  the  party  divided  on  the  cjuestion 
of  bimetallism,  since  which  time  he  has  su])ported  the  silver  party.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  is  a  Sir  Knight 
Templar  in  the  Masonic  order;  he  received  the  sublime  degree  of  Master 
Mason  in  Tehama  Lodge  No.  3,  F.  &  A.  M.,  at  Sacramento,  in  1853,  and 
filled  most  of  the  ot¥ices  in  the  lodge.  He  now  affiliates  with  Humboldt  Lodge 
No.  27,  at  Lovelocks,  Winnemucca  Chapter,  R.  A.  M.,  and  Dewitt  Clinton 
Comniandery  at  Virginia  City.  He  derives  his  title  of  colonel  from  the  fact 
that  he  has  served  on  the  staffs  of  three  governors  of  Nevada  with  that  rank. 


ENOCH  MORRILL,  a  retired  farmer  residing  in  a  lieautiful  home 
of  his  own  in  Reno,  has  been  a  resident  of  the  state  of  Nevada  from  i:)ioneer 
days,  his  mind  bearing  the  impress  of  its  early  historical  annals,  while  his 
memorv  forms  a  connecting"  link  between  the  primitive  past  and  the  pro- 
gressive present.  He  came  to  the  territory  of  Ne\-ada  in  the  spring  of  i8f)3. 
I'^ar  distant  is  the  present  place  of  his  residence  from  the  ]^lace  of  his  birth, 
for  he  is  a  native  of  Patten,  Penobscot  county,  Maine.  His  natal  day  was 
the  13th  of  March,  1839,  and  his  parents  were  Ichalxid  and  Thankful  Mor- 
rill, who  were  likewise  born  in  the  Pine  Tree  state.  His  father  was  a  farmer 
and  blacksmith,  living  an  industrious,  useful  life,  closely  following  business 
affairs  in  order  that  he  might  pro\'ide  for  his  family,  consisting  of  his  wife 
;uid  nine  children.  Both  parents  lived  to  be  about  seventy-two  years  of 
age,  and  three  of  their  sons  and  two  of  their  daughters  yet  survi\'e.  and  F.li 
and  Enoch  jSlorrill  are  now  resitlents  of  Nevada. 

Mr.  Enoch  Morrill  remained  in  his  nati\-e  state  until  he  arri\-cd  at  years 
of  maturity,  and  in  1862  went  to  California  by  way  of  the  Isthmus  of 
Panama.  At  length  he  arrived  in  San  Francisco  and  thence  proceeded  to 
^'uba,  where  he  secured  employment  at  cho]>ping  wood  by  the  cord.  At- 
tracted by  the  mining  excitement  at  .\urora,  Nevada,  he  came  to  this  state 
in  the  spring  of    1863,  and  after  working  in  the  mines   for  a  time  engaged 


634  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA 

in  shipping  and  hauling  cord  wood,  l:)eing  thus  employed  until  iS()5.  He 
was  therefore  connected  with  much  of  the  arduous  toil  incident  to  the  early 
development  of  a  state.  Removing  to  Washoe  county,  he  engaged  in  logging 
and  teaming,  and  his  new  la1x>r  proved  profitable.  He  made  considerable 
money,  saved  a  portion  of  it  and  then  went  to  Pitt  river,  Modoc  county. 
California,  where  he  engageil  in  the  sheep  and  cattle  business,  remaining 
there  for  three  years,  after  which  he  returned  to  Nevada.  In  Washoe  county 
he  t(X)k  up  a  ranch  of  two  hundred  and  forty  acres  four  miles  south  of  the 
city  of  Reno.  This  was  covered  with  sage  brush,  and  he  at  once  cleared  and 
improved  the  land  and  built  an  irrigation  ditch  at  a  cost  of  forty  thousand 
dollars  in  order  to  supply  water  to  his  own  farm  and  other  places.  This 
was  called  the  Last  Chance  ditch,  and  it  was  a  most  imiwrtant  factor  in 
redeeming  the  land  for  purjxises  of  cultivati(in.  He  continued  U<  larm  with 
g<K)(l  success  until  i8c)4,  when  he  sold  his  ])roperty,  on  which  he  had  erected 
a  nice  brick  residence  and  other  farm  buildings.  He  had  made  of  this  an 
excellent  ranch,  and  it  sold  to  good  advantage,  bringing  to  him  very  de- 
sirable financial  return  for  the  labor,  care  ;uid  attention  lie  had  e.\])ende(l 
upon  it. 

Mr.  Morrill  then  rcmoxed  to  Reno  ;inil  ijurcbased  his  beavitiful  residence 
here  and  also  five-eighths  of  an  interest  in  fi\e  hundretl  and  fifty-five  acre,s 
of  land  on  the  north  side  of  the  city.  A  part  of  this  iiroperty  he  has  platted 
into  valuable  city  lots  called  the  Morrill  &  Smith  addition  to  Reno.  He  has 
a  large  and  costly  warehouse  and  a  valuable  mill  on  the  tract,  and  other 
buidings  have  also  been  erected  there.  The  city  is  growing  rapidly  in  that 
direction,  and  the  land  is  therefore  constantly  increasing  in  value.  His  home 
is  situated  at  the  ci>rner  of  Virginia  and  Liberty  streets,  there  being  .i  frontage 
of  one  hundred  and  six  feet  on  Virginia  street.  This  is  one  of  the  most 
desirable  residence  localities  of  Reno,  many  of  the  most  beautilul  homes  of 
the  citv  being  Icxrated  in  this  neighborhood.  :ind  not  the  least  attracti\'e  of 
these  is  Mr.  Alorrill's. 

In  iS8o  Mr.  Morrill  married  Miss  Mary  .\ddie  Morton,  a  nalixe  o\ 
Iowa  atiil  a  daughter  of  C.  C.  Morton,  of  thai  stale.  Tbe\'  now  ha\e  four 
children:  Cleo  Mabel,  Clarence  Sherwood,  .Ada  and  Harry  ]•'..  .Mrs.  Mor- 
rill is  an  adherent  of  the  faith  of  the  Christian  church,  while  Mr.  Morrill  is 
an  exemi)lary  re])resentative  of  the  Masonic  fraternit}-,  with  which  he  has 
been  identified  since  1861,  l>eing  now  afliliated  with  the  Reno  I,odge,  No.  15. 
V.  &  A.  M.  He  has  been  identified  with  the  Kqniblican  parly  throughout 
his  entire  manhood,  but  never  an  oftice-seeker.  Recognizing  the  business 
possibilities  and  opportunities  in  Nevada,  be  has  here  put  forth  his  best  ef- 
forts in  an  active  and  honorable  business  career  that  has  been  attended  with 
splendid  success,  making  him  one  of  the  substanli.il  citizens  as  well  as  leading 
pioneers  of  the  state. 


llliNRV  W.  b'USS.  I'rominent  among  the  business  men  of  llum- 
1mi1(1i  county  stands  Henry  W.  l-'uss,  wlio  is  extensively  engaged  in  I'.irming, 
stock-raising  and  the  butchering  tra<le,  both  as  a  wholesale  and  let.iil  dealer. 
He  has  been  .'i  i\-sidfnt  of  llu'  "SiKx'r"  State  since   1808.  and  throughout   the 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  035 

long  period  whicli  lias  since  intervened  lie  lias  l)ceii  numbered  .'ununt;-  its 
most  progressive  citizens. 

Mr.  l-'uss  is  a  native  of  tlie  far-nff  land  of  (jervnany,  his  l>irtli  l:a\ing 
tliere  occurred  on  the  17th  of  N()\-eniher,  1H36,  and  his  ancestors  had  lung 
lieen  residents  of  the  fatherland,  where  they  were  engaged  princijjally  in 
mining  and  the  mining  of  gold,  silver,  cnpjier.  lead  and  iron.  In  the  land 
which  ga\'e  him  birth  Henry  ^^^  I'^iss  recei\-ed  his  elementary  education, 
and  after  attaining"  to  vears  of  niatnrit\'  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits, 
thus  continuing  until  his  emigration  to  America.  In  1859  lie  left  his  home 
across  the  sea  and  came  to  this  country,  and  f)n  his  arrival  liere  located  first 
at  Beaverdam,  Wisconsin,  where  he  secured  a  clerkship,  thus  continuing  for 
a  time,  and  later  remo\ed  to  Minnesota  and  engaged  in  merchandising  on 
his  own  account.  A  short  time  afterward,  liowe\'er,  he  sold  bis  ])ossessions 
in  that  commonwealth  and  made  his  way  tfi  California,  journeying  by  the 
Nicaragua  route,  and  he  made  his  way  direct  to  Petahima,  where  he  secured 
a  position  as  clerk  in  a.  store.  In  1866  Mr.  Fuss  arrixed  in  Saint  Clair. 
Churchill  county,  Nex'ada,  where  be  immediately  turned  his  attention  to  uier- 
chandising,  and  was  also  the  pro])rietor  of  a  small  hotel,  and  for  seven 
vears  he  was  one  of  the  leading  Inisiness  men  of  that  place.  On  the  e.\])ira- 
tion  of  that  period,  in  1873,  he  came  to  Lovelocks,  Humboldt  county,  where 
for  the  past  thirty  years  he  has  been  extensively  engaged  in  industrial  pur- 
suits. He  first  purchased  a  section  of  land,  which  he  has  since  improved, 
and  in  addition  to  his  agricultural  pursuits  is  also  e.xtensively  engaged  in 
the  raising  of  cattle.  He  annually  raises  large  f|uantities  of  alfalfa,  and 
in  bis  pastures  he  keeps  as  high  as  fi\-e  hundred  bead  of  Durham  cattle, 
which  be  fattens  and  kills,  shijiping  the  beef  to  San  Francisco  and  also  sup- 
plying railroad  stations,  mining  camps  and  his  home  market  at  Fovelocks. 
He  is  to-day  accounted  one  of  the  re]iresentative  business  men  of  his  ado])ted 
county,  and  his  sterling  characteristics  have  won  for  him  many  friends. 
His  political  support  is  given  to  the  Democracy,  but  he  has  ne\er  desired  the 
emoluments  or  honors  of  a  public  life. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  Fuss  was  celebrated  in  1S83,  when  Miss  M.ary 
Teresa  Dunn  became  his  wife,  she  being  a  native  daughter  of  the  Colden 
state.  Six  children  have  been  born  of  this  union,  namely:  Florence,  Harr)-, 
Frank,  Alvin.  Grace  and  Helen.  Mr.  Fuss  was  reared  in  the  faith  of  the 
Tutheran  church,  and  Mrs.  Fuss  is  a  member  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church. 
In  addition  to  his  commodious  residence  on  his  farm,  Mr.  Fuss  also  owns  a 
jileasant  home  in  Lovelocks,  and  their  home  is  noted  for  its  jileas.anl 
hospitality. 


WATSON  E.  GRIFFIN,  cashier  of  the  Eureka  County  Dank,  has  been 
in  the  state  for  nearly  thirty-five  years  and  is  one  of  Nevada's  prosperous 
and  enterprising  business  men.  He  came  to  the  Pacific  coast  in  young  man- 
hoofl,  and  has  since  been  identified  at  \arious  times  with  merchandising,  the 
express  business,  banking  and  mining,  and  after  an  active  career  of  nearly 
fortv  vears  can  point  with  pride  at  bis  acbie\-ements  in  the  business  woi-ld. 
Eureka    counts    him    among   her    most    honored    iiioneers,    and    he    has    been 


036  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

especially  helpful  in  i>ronK)tino-  the  welfare  of  this  town.  Mr.  Griffin  conies 
of  good  old  Eno'lisli  stiKk.  and  was  horn  in  the  faniilv  home  near  Hamilton, 
Canada,  Septemher  4,  1835.  Several  of  his  Ijrothers  achiexed  success  near 
liome. — Edgerton  Griffin.  M.  D.,  of  Brantford ;  Frank  Griffin,  a  prominent 
lawyer,  also  of  Brantford:  the  Rt.  Rev.  W.  S.  Griffin,  of  Toronto,  Canada, 
and  lames  Griffin,  of  Brooklyn,  New  York,  the  well  known  inventor  of  ihe 
Griffin  mill. 

Watson  E.  Griffin  chose  new  fields,  and  sailed  for  California,  via 
Panama,  in  the  early  sixties.  He  shared  in  the  hardships  and  prosperity  of 
those  days,  and  in  1868  retired  from  the  merchandise  Imsiness  in  Placerville, 
the  placer  mines  there  heing  on  the  decline,  to  remove  to  Nevada.  He 
opened  several  of  Wells  I'^argo  Express  Company's  offices  on  the  line  nf 
what  was  then  known  as  the  Central  Pacific  Railroad,  and  has  heen  agent 
for  that  company  at  Palisade,  Pioche,  Eureka  and  Virginia  City.  l)eing 
identified  in  the  meanwhile  with  banking,  mining  and  stock-raising.  Mr. 
Griflin  is  interested  in  the  Eureka  County  Bank.  Roccn  Homestake  and 
other  mines,  and  also  in  the  Eureka  Live  Stock  Company. 

.Mr.  (iriffin  was  married  in  Canada  to  Ali.ss  Vina  Dudley,  who  was  also 
Ivirn  in  Canada,  of  English  parentage,  and  has  since  Itecome  the  mother  of 
one  daughter,  Minnie  E.,  the  wife  of  Oscar  J.  Smith,  of  Reno,  ami  the 
president  of  the  Eureka  County  Bank.  Mr.  (iriffin  has  always  voted  the 
Ke])ul)lican  ticket,  and  fraternally  is  a  Mason,  having  received  the  degrees 
of  Master  Mason  in  Elko  Lodge  No.  13.  V.  &  .\.  M.,  in  1873;  he  has  received 
all  the  Scottish  Rite  degrees,  including  the  thirty-second,  and  is  an  Imnored 
member  of  tliat  ancient  order.  .\lr.  (iriffin  has  a  residence  in  Reno  ami  in 
luireka,  and  is  well  known  in  both  cities  and  is  jiopular  and  highl\-  esteemed 
both  in  business  and  social  circles. 


HON.  STEPHEN  SPLNDEL,  who  has  resided  in  \irginia  City, 
Nevada,  for  the  past  thirty-seven  years,  and  who  during  all  that  time  has  given 
his  entire  attention  to  the  development  of  the  Comstock  mines  and  is  still 
actively  engaged  in  mining,  being  foreman  of  the  Bestand  Belcher  mine, 
came  to  Nevada  in  1866.  He  is  a  native  of  Middlebury,  Massachusetts, 
where  he  was  born  August  25,  T836.  He  comes  of  English  ancestry,  his 
foreljears  having  emigrated  from  JMigland  to  New  England  at  a  very  early 
date.  His  father,  Nathaniel  Spindel,  was  Ikm-u  at  Cape  Cod.  July  6,  1808, 
and  his  grandfather,  also  Nathaniel,  was  taken  ])risoner  by  the  Engli.sh  in 
1 81 2  and  lived  to  he  eighty  years  of  age.  The  father  married  Roxana  Dean, 
who  was  akso  descended  from  an  old  Mas.sachu.setts  family.  Her  father, 
Abel  Dean,  served  in  the  colonial  army.  Nathaniel  Spindel  was  a  farmer, 
•and  he  and  his  wife  were  excellent  ])eoplc  and  members  of  the  Methodist 
church,  lie  was  a  man  of  intelligence  and  education,  and  a  ready  and  clc\er 
speaker.  He  died  at  the  age  of  seventy-one  years.  His  widow  survived 
him,  dying,  aged  eighty-two  years,  in  ATcdford,  Massachusetts,  where  both 
rue  buried. 

.Stephen  S])indel  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Massachusells  ;md 
his  lirsl   business  \enture  was  the  tending  of  a  stall  in  the  Boston  market 


--^^^--^^-J-^^^J^gL^^ 


A  111  Slum    OF  NEVADA.  '^37 

when  lie  was  sixlccn  yo;irs  of  a!.;e.  In  1856  he  sailed  fur  Califuniia  via  llie 
i'anaina  route  and  landed  in  San  h'rancisco  March  5.  183O.  lie  was  twenty 
years  lA'  a.^e  al  thai  lime,  and  was  filled  with  the  enthusiasiii  of  his  yoiilhfnl 
hopes.  l'"fom  San  I'rajieiseo  he  went  to  San  Andreas  and  Aii.^els  (  aiii]), 
and  mined  in  those  \ieinilies  f(ir  a  nnmlier  of  _\ears.  In  wSfu  he  went  to 
Orej^iin  and  diseoxered  a  elaim  in  which  Mr.  I'air,  Judge  h'alke  and  Air. 
IJoyd  hecaiiie  interested.  Mr.  S])indel  sunk  a  shaft  eis'hty-five  feet  and  ran 
a  luniiel  eleven  hundred  feet  long,  hut  lost  hoth  time  ami  money.  I  le 
returned  to  Angels  C'anip  and.  one  day,  with  a  few  hours"  work,  took  out 
one  hundred  and  eight  dollars  and  found  a  nugget  worth  ninety-six  dollars, 
hut  the  average  was  not  much  over  five  to  six  dollars  per  day.  In  i86f)  he 
came  to  Virginia  City  to  work  for  Mr.  h'air.  who  was  then  su])erintendent 
of  the  Ophir.  and  they  became  very  warm  personal  friends.  Mr.  Si)indel 
attended  Mr.  Fair's  wedding.  Mr.  Siiindel  tended  the  bridge  which  crossed 
the  river  to  the  town  of  Ophir  and  also  assisted  in  building  a  mill  at  Silver 
City.  He  then  returned  to  California  to  visit  his  wife.  In  a  few  months 
he  went  to  the  Comstock  mines,  in  which  he  worked  during  1868-9  and 
1870  as  .shaft  boss  on  the  Hale  &  Norcross  mine,  having  two  hundred  and 
fifty  men  under  him.  A  large  amount  of  bullion  was  ijroduced.  While 
working  in  the  Consolidated  California  and  \'irginia  lie  struck  the  first  ore 
in  the  bottom,  one  thousand  an.d  si.xty  feet  under  ground,  and  following  it 
found  the  ledge,  to  which  they  sunk  a  shaft  and  met  with  \ery  remarkalile 
results.  Mr.  Spindel  continued  with  this  company  and  also  with  the  Ophir 
as  long  as  Mr.  Fair  was  superintendent.  He  also  was  connected  with  the 
Salem  City  mine,  owned  by  Mr.  Saunders,  out  of  which  he  took  thirty 
thousand  dollars.  His  present  position  was  assumed  under  Colonel  L.  H. 
Kinkaed,  and  he  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  efficient  and  thoroughly 
reliable  men  in  his  particular  line  in  the  entire  state. 

In  1858  Mr.  Spindel  was  happily  married  to  Agnes  Davis,  a  native  of 
Paislev,  Scotland,  who  was  Ijrought  to  Maysville,  California,  when  three 
\ears  of  age  and  was  reared  and  educated  in  California.  Two  children  were 
iiorn  to  this  marriage,  namely:  Almira.  who  married  Mr.  Thomas  Dolan 
and  died  when  twenty-three  years  old.  leaving  Alfred  and  Willard  Dolan. 
both  of  whrnu  are  in  California  with  their  father:  Ida,  who  died  aged  eight 
years.  Mrs.  S])indel  died  in  1880,  aged  fifty  years,  deeply  lamented  by  her 
husband  aiul  children.  The  loved  ones  are  interred  at  .\ngels  Camp,  Cali- 
fornia. Mr.  Spindel  was  made  a  meml}er  of  the  Masonic  fraternity.  Lodge 
No.  3,  in  Virginia  City,  in  1872.  Having  been  a  stanch  Republican,  he 
has  served  his  party  faithfully,  and  in  1897  was  elected  to  the  state  asseml)ly. 
where  he  served  two  terms.  He  was  also  elected  to  the  state  senate,  but 
his  seat  was  denied  him.  Mr.  Spindel  is  one  of  the  solid,  responsible  men 
of  Virginia  City,  in  whose  integritv  and  uprightness  all  who  know  him 
ha\-e  the  utmost  confidence.  Personally  he  has  a  ]ileasant,  g-enial  manner 
which  wins  friends,  whom  his  sterling  qualities  retain. 

PETER  DALTON.  More  than  one-third  of  a  century  has  passed 
since  Peter  Dalton  came  to  Nevada,  his  residence  dating  here  from  1866. 
Of  the  industrial  and  agricultural  interests  of  the  state  he  is  a  representative. 


<538  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

He  \\;is  Ixirn  in  cuunty  Fermanagh,  Ireland,  on  tlie  jolh  of  June.  J840,  and 
is  a  son  (jf  James  and  Catiierine  ( AIcMahon)  Daiton,  who  were  also  natives 
of  Ireland  and  were  there  reared,  educated  and  married.  Wishing  to  try 
Uieir  fortune  in  the  new  world,  the}'  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  Canada,  hut 
llie  lather  was  not  long  jjermilted  to  enjoy  his  new  home,  as  he  died  soon 
afterward  of  cholera,  leaving  his  wife  and  son  Peter. 

In  1853  the  mother  and  son  came  to  the  United  States,  landing  in  New 
York.  They  proceeded  westward  to  Minnesota  and  afterward  to  Wis- 
consin, while  later  they  estahh'shed  their  home  in  dalena,  lllin()is.  There 
I'eter  Daiton  hecame  a  teamster  in  connection  with  a  lumhcr  yard,  and  he 
also  hauled  leather  and  hides  to  the  tanner\-  owned  and  operated  hy  the 
father  of  General  Grant.  Hoping  to  more  rapidly  acepiire  a  competence, 
however,  in  the  tar  west.  !\Ir.  Daiton  and  his  niotiier  made  their  way  to 
San  Franci.sco  on  the  jfAh  of  May.  1864,  and  he  assisted  in  the  huilding  of 
tlie  telegraph  line  from  that  city  to  Newcastle.  His  mother  died  in  Sacra- 
mento on  the  8th  of  Januarv,  1901.  She  lia<l  heen  a  dexout  memher  of 
.the  Roman  Catholic  church  throughout  her  entire  life  and  was  a  consistent 
Christian  woman. 

In  the  west  Mr.  Daiton  entered  the  employ  of  the  railroad  comi>any 
and  worked  in  the  freight  house,  remaining  in  this  service  until  he  came  to 
Reno  in  1866.  For  a  year  thereafter  he  was  employed  at  the  English  Quartz 
Mill,  and  then  with  the  capital  which  he  had  acquired  through  his  own  efforts 
he  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land,  upon  which  hut  few- 
improvements  had  heen  made.  With  characteristic  energ)-  he  iiegan  its 
further  develo])ment  and  continued  the  work  of  cultivation  and  im])ro\ement 
until  a  splendid  j)roperty  was  the  result.  He  added  to  this  from  time  to 
time  as  his  financial  resources  increased  until  four  hundred  and  si.xty-fi\'e 
acres  were  comjirised  within  its  herders  and  constituted  one  of  the  best  farms 
in  this  part  of  the  state.  He  engaged  in  the  cultivation  of  hay  and  grain 
and  also  raised  graded  Durham  cattle,  having  some  full-blooded  bulls.  For 
several  years  he  likewise  conducted  a  dair_\-,  keeping  from  thirty-five  to  forty 
cows  for  this  purpose.  Mr.  Daiton  was  also  one  of  the  l)uilders  of  the 
steamljoat  ditch,  hut  in  this  enterprise  he  lost  heavily  because  an  extensive 
law  suit  was  instituted  in  connection  with  it.  In  1902  Mr.  Daiton  sold  his 
farm  at  a  good  jirice,  and  ])utting  aside  agricultural  ,work  came  to  the  city 
of  Reno,  building  a  fine  residence  on  the  hill  on  South  Virginia  street. 

On  the  26th  of  November,  187,^,  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr.  D.-ilton 
and  Miss  Margaret  Welch,  a  nati\'e  of  county  Waterford.  Ireland.  Shi' 
lias  been  to  him  a  faithful  comiianioii  and  helpmate  on  life's  journey  foi"  the 
past  thirty  years,  and  they  now  have  a  |)leasant  home  in  which  to  s])end  the 
evening  r)f  their  lives,  Mr.  Daiton  has  always  been  ;m  earnest  Democrat 
since  becoming  an  .\nierican  citizen,  and  both  be  and  his  wife  are  consistent 
members  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church. 


K.  J.  CfJNWAY.  the  owner  of  a  \'aluable  ranch  of  over  foni'  thousand 
acres  in  Clover  valley,  h^lko  county,  has  been  a  resident  of  Nevada  for 
nearly  forty  years.    He  came  to  the  state  when  he  was  sixteen  years  old,  alone 


i<%. 


A  lllSroin'  OI'    NEVAD/X.  639 

;iii(l  \\ilIioiil  caiiital  nr  I'ricMids.  I  lis  carcor  is  entirely  that  of  a  self-made  man, 
anil  there  are  few  in  the  stale  whn  have  made  more  rapid,  honorable  and 
snhslantial  |)nii;ress  tnuard  the  goal  of  material  prosperity.  Tie  is  one  of 
a  nnmlier  of  stanch  and  \ii;-orons  Irishmen  who  have  made  this  state  their 
home,  and  ;dmost  witlmnl  exception  they  ha\e  made  themselves  esteemed  in 
their  commnnity  for  their  sterling;-  hcmesty  an<l  industry  and  have  become  well 
fixed  in  the  world's  goods. 

Mr.  Conway  was  born  in  King's  cnnnty,  Irelanil,  in  1S4S.  the  son  of 
Daniel  and  Elizabeth  (Parell)  Conway,  who  were  Irish  farmers  and  mem- 
bers of  the  Roman  Catholic  clunxh.  Mr.  Conway  is  the  only  one  of  their 
si.x  children  who  came  to  the  L'nited  States.  He  remained  at  home  and  re- 
ceived a  fair  amount  of  education  in  the  schools  until  he  was  fourteen 
years  old,  and  then  set  out  for  the  new  world,  where  he  had  already  heard 
the  opportunities  were  always  at  hand  for  making  a  place  in  the  world.  He 
first  l(K-ated  in  the  state  of  Illinois,  and  in  1HG4  came  to  Nevada  and  worked 
for  wages  on  the  Truckee  meadows,  near  where  the  city  of  Reno  now  stands. 
.\fter  a  time  he  was  able  to  purchase  six  oxen,  and  with  them  began  teaming 
to  Virginia  City  and  other  points.  He  afterward  substituted  horses  for  his 
slow  oxen,  and  continued  successfully  at  this  enterprise  until  1874.  In  that 
year  he  came  to  the  lieautiful  Clover  valley  and  purchased  a  squatter's 
claim  of  two  hundred  acres,  on  which  he  began  to  raise  stock,  laying  the 
foundation  for  the  industry  which  has  been  so  profitable  to  him  ever  since. 
His  industry  and  sagacious  dealings  paid  well,  and  he  increased  his  prop- 
ertv  until  he  is  now  the  owner  of  forty-two  hundred  acres  in  the  valley,  and  all 
in  one  body.  He  has  planted  a  fine  grove  around  the  farm  buildings,  wdiich 
adds  both  to  the  value  and  the  beauty  of  his  place,  and  his  home  is  one  of 
comfort  and  plentv.  He  has  graded  up  his  stock  by  a  mixture  of  the  Dur- 
ham and  Hereford  breeds,  and  also  raises  Norman  Percheron  horses.  He 
understands  the  stock  business  from  the  ground  up,  and  his  attention  to 
details  and.  careful  management  have  brought  him  to  his  present  position 
among  the  stockmen  of  Elko  county. 

Mr.  Conway  was  marrierl  in  1880  to  Miss  Mary  Jane  McClure,  and  one 
son  was  born  to  them,  Robert  J.,  who  was  educated  in  the  University  of 
Nevada  and  at  Healds  Business  College  in  Cali"fornia,  and  is  now  at  home 
with  his  father.  Mrs.  Conway  died  in  1896,  leaving  her  husband  and  son 
l>ereaved  of  a  wife  and  mother  who  had  been  an  inr.i^iration  and  source  of 
comfort  and  help  which  could  not  be  replaced.  Mr.  Conway  votes  the  Re- 
])ublican  ticket,  but  otherwise  is  not  concerned  with  pfilitics.  He  has  won 
the  esteem  of  many  friends  and  associates,  with  whom  he  has  lived  since 
lK>yhood,  and  who  have  seen  him  rise  from  a  poor  young  man  to  a  place  of 
dignity  and  wealth  in  the  county. 


H.  C.  MARKER  is  the  owner  of  one  of  the  prettiest  and  most  profit- 
al)le  fruit  and  stock  farms  in  the  section  of  Humboldt  county  called  the  Big- 
Meadows,  two  and  a  half  miles  west  of  Lovelocks.  Seven  years  ago  the  two 
hundred  and  eighty  acres  which  now  comprise  this  place  were  covered  with 

greasewood,  and  the  transfornration  which  he  has  effected  m  so  .short  a  time 


♦51U  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

is  only  soinetliing'  sliort  of  wonderful.  His  farm  is  at  tlie  furefmnt  in  all 
its  departments,  and  he  is  contented  with  only  the  very  hest.  In  order  to 
raise  his  stock  to  the  highest  standard  lie  paid  eighteen  hundred  dollars  for 
three  thoroughhred  Durham  liulls.  and  all  his  investments  are  made  on  a 
like  principle.  He  has  planted  tweUe  acres  to  orchard,  raising  a  large  and 
choice  variety  of  apples,  pears,  peaches.  ]irunes,  ])lums  and  other  fruits,  and 
has  demonstrated  that  there  are  few  .<.ections  of  the  country  superior  to  this 
part  of  Ne\ada  for  raising  tine  fruit.  His  place  has  a  numher  of  convenient 
buildings,  there  are  shade  trees  in  alnmdance  around  the  residence  and  along 
the  drives,  and  he  also  has  consideraljle  nursery  stock  of  trees,  which  he 
sells.  One  of  the  most  pleasing  features  of  this  well-kept  farm,  and  which 
would  indicate  at  once  to  the  passing  stranger  the  character  of  the  resident, 
is  the  fact  that  all  the  buildings  and  the  fences  and  woodwork  are  painted 
white,  and  this  with  the  green  setting  of  the  trees  in  summer  gives  a  picture 
that  an  artist  might  well  copy.  And  he  and  his  family  are  "good  livers."  as 
would  be  evidenced  to  the  visitor  on  inspecting  the  capacious  cellar,  with  its 
large  supply  of  canned  fruits  put  up  by  the  industrious  wife  and  daughters, 
its  many  other  stores  of  delicacies  and  ])rovisions ;  among  these  good  things 
is  a  keg  of  pure  old  whiskey  which  was  distilled  in  Copenhagen.  Mr. 
Marker  is  not  one  to  go  to  excess  in  the  enjo)-ment  of  these  things,  and 
his  idea  of  temperance  is  a  moderate  use  of  all  the  things  ])rovided  for  man's 
use  by  a  bountiful  nature. 

The  owner  of  this  fine  place  was  Ixjrn  May  i,  1845,  '"  Denmark,  and 
from  this  country  he  derived  his  skill  in  the  various  lines  of  hnrticulture 
and  other  lines  of  farming.  He  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  near  Copen- 
hagen, and  on  June  23,  1872,  arri\-ed  in  Washoe  county,  Nevada.  He 
joined  with  his  brotlier.  who  had  preceded  him  to  this  state,  in  the  tluniing 
of  wood  down  the  mountain,  and  thence  hauling  it  to  Virginia  City;  on  the 
completion  of  the  \'irginia  and  Truckee  Railroad  they  shipped  their  wood 
1)y  that  means,  and  made  money  at  the  venture.  In  1875  they  sold  the 
flume  to  the  railroad  company,  and  Mr,  H.  C.  Marker  came  to  Lovelocks 
and  ])urchased  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  on  what  is  called  the 
Reservation,  about  five  miles  south  of  Lovelocks.  He  imjirmed  this  pro])- 
erty  and  resided  on  it  until  iSijA.  when  he  came  to  the  |)lace  which  has  been 
described  above,  lie  and  his  brother  at  one  time  had  12.800  acres  of  land. 
l)nt  thev  were  com])clled  to  gi\e  il  up  (hiring;  the  h;ird  limes  in  ("lex  eland's 
administration,  in   1892-93. 

Mr.  Marker  is  a  Repuhiic;'.n  in  politics,  and  in  1878  was  elected  one  of 
the  county  commi.ssioners,  in  which  cajjacity  he  h.id  much  to  do  with  the 
construction  of  the  first  bridge  over  the  Hunibuldi  ww.  In  1878  he  re- 
ceived the  sublime  degree  of  Master  Mason  in  W'inncniucca  Lodge,  No.  19, 
V.  &  A.  M.,  and  now  affiliates  with  Humboldt  Lodge.  No.  27.  I"'.  &  A.  M.. 
at  Lovel''x:ks. 

In  1870  Mr.  ALuker  wms  united  in  ntnriage  to  Miss  Caroline  C.  .Munk, 
a  native  of  iiis  own  town  in  l^enmark.  The  eleven  children  of  th.is  union 
are  all  living  and  resjiected  residents  of  the  state:  Ludwig  is  in  Ihe  lumber 
business  in  Lovelocks:  John  T.  is  in  the  butcher  business  in  Lovelocks: 
Annie  is  the  wife  of  S.  B.  Smart,  of  .'^t.  Clair.  Churchill  countv:  Nellie  is 


A   IIISTOKV  OF  NEVADA,  <;4  1 

now  Mrs.  /\.  M.  I.,ilta;  and  llmsc  at  home  arc  lunily,  Lizzy,  Lena,  Allien, 
Herman.  ()r\ille  and  I'.erl.  Mr.  and  Mr.s.  Marker  were  reared  in  the  faith 
(if  (he  Lutheran  ehnreh,  and  still  adhere  in  that  demiminatiiin. 


LA\VRh:NCl':  WASLHNGTON  CROMER,  one  of  the  l)est  kn.iwn 
and  most  successful  of  the  early  business  men  of  Eureka,  where  he  has  been 
a  resident  for  thirty  years,  lias  had  an  interesting  career  in  various  lines  of 
activity  since  he  came  to  the  west  as  a  young  man.  Lie  was  master  of  a 
good  trade  when  he  arrixed  on  the  Pacific  coast,  hut  had  no  other  cajiital. 
and  what  lie  has  since  gained  in  the  way  of  material  pro.sperity  and  .social 
and  Ijusiness  eminence  is  the  result  of  his  individual  efforts  and  personal 
character. 

Mr.  Cromer  is  a  scm  nf  Jnhn  and  Mary  Ann  (Tran.sue)  Cromer,  who 
in  1837  removed  fnim  Ohio  tn  Chicago,  Illinois,  wiiich  was  then  a  rather 
insignificant  town,  and  tlience  to  Elgin,  Illinois,  and  from  tlicre  to  Wauke- 
gan,  where  tliey  spent  tlie  remainder  of  their  useful  lives.  'I'hev  hotli  lived 
to  old  age,  the  former  attaining  the  age  of  eiglUv-four  and  the  latter  being 
seventy-five  at  the  time  of  her  death.  I'hey  were  memliers  of  the  Bajjtist 
church,  and  esteemed  residents  of  every  community  in  which  thev  jiassed  a 
part  of  their  lives.  They  had  one  son  and  one  daughter,  the  latter  now  Mrs. 
Helen  L.  Williams,  of  Illinois. 

Lawrence  W.  Cromer  was  born  in  the  state  of  Ohio,  August  4.  1836, 
and  was  educated  in  Illinois  and  learned  his  trade  of  tinner  and  plnmlier 
in  Waukegan.  In  1859  he  went  around  by  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  to  Cali- 
fornia, and  for  three  years  followed  his  trade  in  the  employ  of  tlie  firm  that 
is  now  Holbrook,  Merrill  and  Stetson,  of  Sacramento.  On  leaving  tliem 
he  came  to  Austin,  Nevada,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade  for  a  few  vears, 
and  in  1869  went  to  Hamilton,  in  \Miite  Pine  county,  and  engaged  in  min- 
ing. He  and  his  jjartners  were  the  smelters  of  the  first  ore  there.  He 
also  worked  for  wag"es  at  nine  dollars  a  day.  From  Hamilton  he  came  to 
Eureka  to  join  his  father-in-law,  who  had  preceded  him  and  located  mines 
in  Secret  canyon.  After  mining  with  good  success  for  a  time  he  sold  his 
interest  for  fifteen  hundred  dollars,  and  in  October,  1870,  he  and  a  partner 
opened  a  hardware  store  in  Eureka.  In  1876  the  business  was  closed  out, 
and  Mr.  Cromer  was  shortly  afterward  elected  justice  of  the  peace,  which 
office  he  held  by  re-election  mitil  1880.  He  then  worked  at  his  trade  for 
Remington  and  H.  M.  Johnson  during  the  following  foiu"  years,  and  as 
foreman  of  the  business  was  jiaid  twri  hundred  dollars  a  month.  The  firm 
closed  out  the  .tin  and  hardware  business,  and  Air.  Cromer  then  opened  a 
shop  of  his  own.  After  a  year  he  took  in  George  Gavin  as  a  partner  and 
carried  on  the  tin  and  ])lum1iing  business  until  1897,  when  tlie  |)artnership 
was  dissolved,  and  Mr.  Cromer  has  since  conducted  the  Imsiness  alone. 

In  1898  Mr.  Cromer  was  again  elected  to  the  ofifice  of  justice  of  the 
peace,  and  re-elected  in  1900.  In  his  early  terms  of  ofifice  he  did  so  much 
business  that  he  employed  a  clerk,  and  his  judgments  were  so  patently  fair 
that  only  very  few  were  ever  reversed  by  higher  courts.  He  has  Ijeen  con- 
scientious and  higli-minded  in  official  as  well  as  in  business  relations,  and 


G42  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

liis  pujjularitN'  rests  ()n  a  secure  touiulaliuii.  lie  was  a  slaneh  Kepuliliean 
until  the  sil\-er  (|uestion  split  tlie  partv,  and  lie  was  tlien  an  arilent  aihocate 
of  hiiiietallism. 

In  Austin.  Lander  enunty.  Nevada,  in  1SO4.  Mr.  L'ronier  assisted  in 
organizing"  a  militar}-  cunipanx-  known  as  the  i.ander  (iuard.  with  I).  W  . 
Welty  as  captain,  and  Mr.  Cromer  was  orderly  sergeant.  Mr.  Weltw  after 
serving  as  captain  a  short  time,  resigMied.  and  Mr.  Cromer  was  elected  cap- 
tain four  successi\e  yearly  terms.  During  that  time  he  was  also  commis- 
sioned as  major  on  General  Page's  staff. 

In  1866  Mr.  Cromer  was  married  to  Miss  Nellie  Basey,  and  five  chil- 
dren have  been  horn  to  them,  those  living  lieing:  John  James,  in  Cliicago: 
Mrs.  Florence  Kautz,  of  Tybo,  Nye  county:  and  Rollin  E.  Cromer,  in  Provi- 
dence. Rhode  Island.  Mrs.  Cromer  died  in  1884.  She  was  a  woman  of 
strong  character,  and  impressed  her  good  intluence  on  her  children.  In 
1894  Mr.  Cromer  married  Mrs.  Marv  Price.  She  is  .\  meml)er  of  the  Epis- 
copal church,  Init  the  Judge  is  liberal  in  bis  faith  and  a  belie\er  in  just  and 
conscientious  living. 


-GEORGE  SCHAFFER.  Although  George  Schaffer  has  departed  this 
life,  he  is  yet  remembered  by  many  residents  of  Nevada,  and  the  part  which 
he  took  in  the  pioneer  de\-elopnient  of  the  state  makes  it  necessary  that  he  lie 
represented  in  this  volume.  He  arri\-ed  in  the  territory  in  1861.  His  bii^th 
had  occurred  in  Hessen,  Germany,  on  the  26th  of  November,  1828,  his 
parents  being  ^^'illiam  and  Elizalietb  (Witsel)  Schaffer,  who  were  likewise 
natives  of  the  same  country.  In  the  year  1849  they  emigrated  to  the  new- 
world,  settling  in  Pennsylvania,  and  subsecjuently  tliey  removed  to  Mus- 
catine, Iowa,  and  afterw'ard  to  .St.  Louis,  Missouri,  where  they  resided 
until  1870,  when  they  went  to  Truckee,  California.  There  W'illiam  Schaffer 
died  at  the  very  advanced  age  of  ninety-six  years  and  four  years  pre\-iously 
his  wife  had  passed  away  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight  years.  They  A\ere  Luth- 
erans in  their  religious  faith  and  were  ])eople  of  tine  highest  respectability. 

George  Schaffer  was  educated  in  the  schools  of  Germany,  and  in  the 
fatherland  learned  the  trades  of  a  carpenter  and  a  milUvright.  .\fter  coming 
to  America  he  was  married  in  Muscatine,  Inwa,  to  Miss  Margaret  1-fersh- 
man,  a  native  of  liyan,  (iermany,  born  on  the  ist  of  December,  1833.  With 
her  parents  .she  came  to  America  when  a  little  maiden  of  five  summers,  the 
family  home  being  established  in  Muscatine,  Iowa,  where  she  was  educated 
in  the  iiublic  schools.  Her  father  and  mother  were  industrious  farming 
people,  held  mcmbcrshi])  in  the  Lutheran  church  and  were  highly  esteemed 
in  the  communities  where  they  resided.  Tn  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schaffer  were 
born  five  children,  and  in  1861  they  crossed  the  plains  with  their  faniily, 
being  five  months  in  making  the  journe\'.  Ihev  met  with  nn  niisha])S.  how- 
ever, on  the  tri]),  and  were  not  ti'oublcd  liv  the  Indians,  although  other  emi- 
grants in  that  year  were  attacked  bv  the  red  men.  On  reaching  the  west 
Mr.  Schaffer  chose  Emi)ire  city,  Nevada,  as  a  i)lace  of  residence.  He  built 
a  shingle  mill  on  Clear  creek,  and  in  the  conduct  of  his  enterjirise  made  large 
profits.     Later  he  removed   with   his   family   to  Truckee,   being  one  of  the 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  643 

])ioiiccr  settlers  of  (liat  tnwn.  lie  liiiilt  tlie  first  sawmill  there,  and  when  llie 
Snuthern  I'aeific  Railroad  was  being  ennstnicted  he  furnished  to  the  com- 
pany many  of  its  ties,  telegrapli  ])oles  and  also  the  lumher  for  the  snow  sheds, 
lie  did  a  large  amount  of  husiness  with  that  company,  and  with  thirty  yoke 
of  oxen  he  hauled  the  first  locomotive  across  the  summit  at  a  time  when  the 
snow  was  from  Cwe  to  ten  feet  in  <leplh.  'I'his  was  a  great  undertaking  as 
the  road  had  to  he  broken  rdl  the  way  llirongli  the  deep  snow,  hut  Mr.  Schaffer 
was  a  man  <if  strong  determination  and  of  excellent  executive  ability,  and  he 
accomj)lished  the  task  without  serious  accident.  He  also  built  the  first  bridge 
across  the  Truckee  river  and  was  one  of  the  prominent  factors  in  the  up- 
building and  improvement  of  the  town  of  Truckee. 

In  the  year  1888  Mr.  Schaffer  came  to  Reno,  purchasing  forty  acres 
of  land  on  the  east  side  of  the  city.  Upon  this  property  he  made  extensive 
impro\-ements  and  erected  a  commodious  and  attractive  residence  in  which 
Iiis  widow  still  resides.  The  land  was  utilized  for  the  production  of  hay, 
fruit  and  vegetables,  and  a  i^ortion  of  it  was  also  used  as  pasture  for  his 
stock.  The  family  now  owns  in  addition  to  the  home  property  two  hundred 
and  si.xty  acres  of  land  a  mile  and  a  half  east  of  Reno,  and  the  estate  still 
includes  a  sawmill  at  Truckee,  a  hotel  ;nid  se\'eral  dwellings  there.  Mr. 
Schaffer  was  not  only  an  able  business  man,  but  was  kind-hearted  and  gener- 
ous, and  wherever  he  went  he  won  a  host  of  warm  friends.  He  died  of 
pneumonia  January  20,  1903.  after  an  illness  of  only  ten  days.  His  funeral 
was  conducted  by  the  Masonic  fraternity,  of  which  he  was  a  leading  and 
honored  meml>er.  It  was  the  largest  e\-er  held  in  Reno,  a  fact  which  indi- 
cates the  uniform  confidence  in  which  he  was  held  by  all  who  knew  him. 
He  had  for  forty  years  been  a  member  of  the  Masonic  lodge  at  Truckee,  and 
was  also  connected  with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  held 
membership  with  the  uniformed  rank  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias.  Mr.  Schaf- 
fer had  made  a  will  whereby  he  left  all  of  his  property  in  the  hands  of  his 
wife,  who  had  been  his  most  efficient  helpmate,  and  their  married  life  had 
been  a  most  fortunate  and  hajipy  one.  Bntli  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schaffer  were 
models  of  industry  and  thrift,  and  she  is  nn\y  managing  the  ])ropert\-  with 
excellent  ability. 

Their  children  wei'e  as  follows:  Mrs.  y\nnie  Byrne,  a  resident  of 
Truckee;  William  Schaffer,  of  Reno,  wlio  married  Miss  Etta  McNeese; 
Marv  P)arton,  of  this  city;  Heiu'y,  wlnj  died  in  1901  ;  Susie  Barton,  who  was 
born  in  iMnpire  City  three  monllis  ;ifler  the  arrival  of  the  family  tbei'c  and 
now  resides  in  Reno;  Cieorge,  who  married  Miss  Katie  Long  and  lives 
with  his  mother;  Mrs.  Flora  Jacobs,  who  is  living  in  California;  Mrs.  Emma 
Irish,  of  Reno ;  and  Mrs.  Minnie  Peak,  who  is  living  on  the  ranch.  They 
also  lost  two  sons  in  childhood.  Mrs.  Schaffer  and  her  daughters  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Eastern  Star  and  ha\e  also  taken  the  Rebekah  degrees  in  tiie  Odd 
I'Y'llows"  society,  and  they  enjo\    the  high  esteem  of  their  many   friends. 


PROFESSOR  GILBERT  C.  ROSS,  principal  of  the  Virginia  City 
public  schools,  and  one  of  the  leading  educators  of  Nevada,  is  a  native  of 
the  "Sagebrush  State,"  having  been  born  on  the  Comstock,  June  5,   1878. 


644  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

He  comes  of  Scotch  and  Irisli  ancestry.  His  father.  I  high  h'raser  Ross,  was 
superintendent  of  the  Gold  HiU  foundry,  and  cliief  engineer  of  the  Crown 
Point,  Yellow  Jacket.  Belcher,  and  otlicr  famous  Comstuck  mines.  His 
death  occurred  in  I1S93.  His  widow  and  two  children,  (Jilhcrt  C.  and  Reine 
X'irginia,  survive.  Hugh  Ross  was  a  prominent  memher  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  an  upright,  honorable  man,  and  one  of  the  hest  known  and  most 
skilful  engineers  on  the  Pacific  coast. 

Professor  Ross  began  teaching  at  an  early  age.  After  four  years  of 
service  in  the  Virginia  public  schools,  first  as  a  teacher,  then  as  principal  of 
the  first  ward  school,  he  was  honored  by  being  put  at  the  head  of  the  city 
schools.  L'nder  his  administration,  the  Virginia  schools  are  among  the  best 
and  most  pn)gressi\e  in  the  state,  and  the  graduates  of  the  high  school  ha\e 
attained  more  than  a  local  reputation  for  thoroughness.  Of  the  men  direct- 
ing citv  schools,  Mr.  R(jss  is  one  (.)f  the  youngest'in  the  country. 


H(JX.  W.  I).  J<JXES,  of  Austin,  is  one  of  tiie  leading  citizens  of 
Nevada.  He  was  born  December  24,  1850,  in  Jackson  county,  'i'ennesste. 
where  his  father  was  an  overseer  of  negroes  on  a  plantation.  In  iS^S  his 
father  left  Tennessee  intending  t(j  go  to  Texas  and  build  a  cabin  on  the 
prairie  in  which  he  might  have  a  home  for  his  wife  and  live  children.  .\t 
Natchez  on  the  Afississippi,  while  crazed  with  drink,  he  leaped  from  the 
steamboat  and  found  a  gra\e  in  the  great  Mississippi.  W.  D.  Jones,  who 
was  the  oldest  of  the  children  and  at  that  time  eight  years  old,  took  the 
place  of  the  father  of  the  family,  and  struggled  with  all  his  Ijoyhood  strengtli 
to  maintain  his  mother  and  brothers  and  sister.  He  was  afterward  taken  into 
the  family  of  ?kIajor  Joseph  Harlan,  who  li\-ed  six  miles  from  (iallatin  on 
the  Hartsville  turnpike,  in  Sumner  count\',  Tennessee.  Miss  Sue  P.  Harlan 
became  his  adopted  mother,  and  a  strong  affectioii  existed  between  the  or])han 
l)oy  and  the  head  of  the  Harlan  familv  in  the  person  of  Miss  Harlan.  Miss 
Harlan  died  in  1S77.  and  her  remains  are  resting  in  the  garden  of  the 
Harlan  homestead. 

Leaving  Tennessee  in  ]H()f),  )oung  Jones  came  lo  Austin,  Xexada,  on 
January  26,  1868,  and  has  made  his  home  here  c\er  since.  l'"or  a  year  or  so 
he  was  a  clerk,  and  was  then  a  cowboy  and  rancher.  In  1871  he  was  com- 
mittee clerk,  ami  in  1881,  assistant  chief  clerk  of  the  assembly  of  Nevada, 
He  w^as  elected  district  attorney  of  Lander  county  in  1886.  He  was  then 
thirty-six  years  old,  and  without  any  .school  education,  having  lived  the 
rough  uncultured  life  of  a  cowboy  for  many  year^.  lie  had  begun  the 
reading  of  law  at  such  intervals  as  he  could  find,  and  ihen  began  the  practice 
of  law  at  Austin  without  any  equipment  or  Ijooks.  By  his  great  industry 
and  keen  judgment  he  at  once  attracted  public  notice,  and  was  immediately 
recognized  as  a  formidable  opijonent  at  the  bar.  He  filled  the  office  of 
district  attorney  for  ten  years  with  marked  ability  until  he  w;is  elected 
attorney  general  of  Nevada  in  1898.  In  December  of  that  year  he  moved 
his  family  to  Carson  City,  and  was  installed  in  the  office  on  the  first  Mondav 
in  January  of  the  following  year.  lie  continued  in  that  position  for  two 
years,  and  his  success  is  indicated  by  the  large  number  of  state  and  other 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  045 

cases  which  were  tried  1)y  him  and  which  are  given  in  the  Nevada  reports. 
Jn  1901  Governor  Sadler,  recof^rii/.ing  judge  Jones's  ahility,  tendered  him 
tlie  office  of  judge  of  tlie  third  judicial  district  of  Nevada,  composed  of 
Lander,  Nye  and  Eureka  counties.  }u(\i:v  jnncs  resigned  his  other  position, 
and.  removing  back  to  his  old  Iiouk-  in  Austin,  served  as  district  judge 
(hn-ing  the  term,  refusing  to  he  a  candidate  for  election  in  19OJ.  lie  then 
resumed  his  successful  practice,  and  since  his  retirement  from  the  bench  has 
enjoyed  a  splendid  private  clientage  and  is  one  of  the  leading  lawyers  ot 
the  Nevada  bar.  While  he  was  attorney  for  the  state  he  won  tlie  celebrated 
tax  cases  against  the  C.  P.  Company;  the  Ixumdary  line  case  between  liureka 
and  Lander  counties;  convicted  A.  Vaughan  of  the  murder  of  the  two  Ulster 
hoys,  three  times  in  succession,  after  two  years  cjf  almost  constant  labor;  v/as 
senior  counsel  for  Senator  Ernst  in  the  tax  case  in  the  district  and  supreme 
courts,  which  was  finally  decided  in  favor  of  Ernst  on  the  \ery  point  first 
raised  by  his  senior  counsel. 

January  3,  1876,  Judge  Jones  married  Miss  Laforga  E.  Birchim,  the 
adopted  daughter  of  John  C  and  Adaline  C.  Birchim,  who  were  pioneers  to 
Nevada  from  California,  living  on  Reese  ri\er  near  .\ustin  from  i<Sr)4  till 
their  death,  ^^rs.  Jones  was  but  twcKe  years  old  when  her  foster  ])arents 
made  the  trip  from  California,  and  slie  beli)ed  drive  the  cattle  from  Sacra- 
mento county,  oftentimes  on  fool.  Mrs.  Jones,  who  is  a  nati\e  of  Ohio  and 
but  two  months  younger  than  her  husband,  was  two  years  of  age  when  her 
parents,  whose  name  was  Allison,  died  of  the  cholera.  They  were  on  the 
plains  on  the  way  to  the  west,  and  her  uncle  cared  for  her  until  she  arrived 
in  Placerville,  California,  when  he  gave  her  to  the  Birchims.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Jones  have  a  son  and  two  daughters,  all  born  in  Lander  county  and  all 
grown.  The  son  is  Dr.  J.  B.  Jones,  a  gra.dnate  from  the  Lhiiversity  of 
Nevada  and  from  the  tiental  de])artment  of  the  University  of  California ; 
he  is  a  model  young  man,  and  is  now  located  in  a  successful  dental  practice 
at  Reno,  Nevada.  The  two  daughters,  .\(ldie  J.  and  Edna  T.,  are  briglit, 
handsome  young  women,  and  are  jiopular  with  all  who  know  tliem.  'Idiere 
is  a  gra\e  in  the  Austin  cemetery  that  marks  the  spot  of  a  lox-ely  daughter's 
resting  place,  and  if  living  slie  would  now  be  twenty  years  of  age. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jones  are  both  pioneers  of  Nevada,  and  each  jmssesses 
in  a  marked  degree  the  strongest  attributes  of  gcxKl  citizenship,  being  leaders 
in  every  charitable,  social  and  public  movement.  Mrs.  Jones  is  a  lady  of 
great  force  of  character  and  ability  to  do  things,  and  is  one  of  the  ])illars 
of  strength  in  the  Methodist  church,  of  which  she  has  long  been  a  devoted 
member,   and  she  is  a  noble  wife  and   mother. 

Judge  Jones  is  a  thirty-second  degree  Mason  and  a  member  of  the 
Eastern  Star,  is  past  grand  chancellor  of  the  order  of  Ivnights  of  Pythias  of 
Nevada,  and  is  the  supreme  representative  of  the  Grand  Domain  of  Nevada 
to  the  Knights  of  Pythias  supreme  lodge  of  the  world,  and  is  a  member  of 
tlie  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  of  the  Elks,  and  the  Rathbone  .Sis- 
ters. He  has  as  wide  and  favorable  acr|uaintance  in  Nevada  as  an}-  man 
in  the  state,  and  his  neigliliors  say  that  he  is  one  of  the  best  politicians  in 
tlie  state.  i\s  a  life-long  Democrat  be  has  done  all  in  his  power  to  promote 
the  interests  of  the  party ;  he  has  frequently  stumped  the  state  during  the 


640  A  HISTORY  OF  NE\^\DA. 

campaigns,  and  was  witli  Hon.  George  W.  Cassidy  in  the  latter's  last  com- 
paign  for  Congress.  He  is  a  supporter  of  the  silver  cause,  and  has  done 
effective  work  in  the  organization  of  party  lines.  For  nine  years  he  was 
editor  of  the  People's  Advocate  and  of  the  Rez^eille. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jones  are  the  highest  type  of  the  kind  of  material  used 
to  make  the  high  standard  of  citizenship  found  tliroughout  the  state  of 
Nevada.  Judge  Jones  has  had  a  remarkal)le  career.  Oidy  wonderful  will 
power  and  tenacity  of  purpose  comhined  with  a  strong  mentality  and  fine- 
grained character  could  effect  a  rise  from  a  poor,  hard-working  orphan  at 
the  age  of  eight,  through  subsequent  years  when  he  had  no  opportunity  for 
gaining  education  and  the  equipment  with  whicli  most  boys  start  tlieir 
careers,  carry  him  through  the  hard  struggles  for  a  living  at  the  rough  work 
of  rancher  and  cowboy,  then  give  him  courage  for  the  unaccustomed  digging 
necessary  for  the  mastery  of  the  jealous  mistress  of  the  law,  and  thence  to  the 
courts,  to  higher  offices  and  one  of  the  most  important  judicial  positions  in 
the  commonwealth,  from  which  he  has  retired  with  \\ealth  of  honor  and  the 
esteem  of  all  his  fellow  citizens. 


HON.  THOMAS  E.  HAYDON,  of  Reno,  Nevada,  is  one  of  the  oldest 
practicing  attorneys  of  the  state.  His  arrival  in  the  state  dates  back  to  June 
lo,  1861,  soon  after  the  organization  ot  the  territory.  He  is  a  native  of 
Bardstown.  Kentucky,  born  Jamiary  25,  1826,  and  is  a  descendant  of  an 
old  southern  family.  His  father.  Edward  Haydon,  was  born  in  Maryland 
and  married  Mary  .\nn  McManus  a  member  of  (^ne  of  the  historic  families 
of  Pennsylvania.  She  was  liorn  in  Lancaster,  that  state.  Her  father,  who 
was  of  Irish  extraction,  was  killed  l)y  the  Indians  in  1797,  while  lioating 
down  the  Ohio  river.  Edward  llaydon  and  wife  both  died  at  the  age  of 
alxjut  seventy-eight  years.  They  had  six  children,  of  whom  a  daugliter, 
Mrs,  Margaret  Queen,  of  .San  l''rancisc;),  and  Judge  Haydon  are  the  only 
survivors.  Mrs.  Queen  and  her  sons  are  the  ])roprietors  of  the  famous  "Fig 
Syrup"  which  has  become  a  household  remedy  all  over  the  country. 

Judge  Haydon  was  educated  in  .St.  Joseph  College,  Bardstown.  Ken- 
tucky, and  read  law  under  several  attorneys,  among  them  being  Hon.  Ben- 
jamin  Hardin,  and  he  was  admitted  to  the  liar  in  1849  '"  Kentuckx'.  Lhider 
the  law  of  that  state  he  was  examined  by  two  circuit  judges,  so  that  the 
examination  was  a  vigorous  one.  In  1850  the  gold  excitement  in  California 
caused  him  to  cross  the  plains  to  th.it  st.ite  in  company  with  Zachary  Mont- 
gomery and  others,  and  to  go  direct  to  the  gold  diggings  in  Ne\ada  county, 
l-'or  three  or  four  years  these  educated  gentlemen  mined  in  different  por- 
tions of  tlie  state.  The  largest  find  of  Jndge  Haydon  was  a  nugget  worth 
twenty-eight  dollars.  He  also  operated  a  whipsaw  for  a  lime,  and  was  the 
])r()i)riet()r  of  the  Slate  Creek  Hnu.se  with  P.  O.  Hur.dley.  In  1854  he  was 
nominated  by  l)Otb  Whigs  and  Democrats  for  justice  of  the  ])eace,  was  elected 
and  held  court  on  alternate  weeks  at  (iil)son\ille  and  L.'iporte,  in  Sierra 
county.  In  1855  the  Judge  and  Hon.  P.  O.  Hundley  formed  a  law  part- 
nersbi])  in  Plumas  comity,  which  continued  until  1861,  they  meeting  with 
marked  success.     In   1861  Judge  Haydon  came  to  Carsi)n  City,  Nevada,  and 


J^^  CpQ^o^Ja^ 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  647 

practiced  until  1868.  wiicn  lie  crist  his  lnt  with  the  newly  established  town  nf 
Reno,  where  he  has  since  made  his  home.  While  residing  in  Carson  City 
he  was  for  two  and  one-half  years  district  attorney  of  the  county,  and  in 
1887  had  the  honor  of  receiving  from  President  Cleveland  the  appointment 
of  United  States  district  attorney  for  the  state  of  Nevada,  and  so  continued 
mitil  the  admini.stratinn  of  President  Harrison.  Since  then  he  has 
devoted  his  time  to  his  law  jiractice.  Judge  Haydon  was  first  a  Whig 
and  then  became  a  Denmcr.-U.  and  so  cmtinues.  In  religious  faith  he  is  a 
J^oman   Catholic. 

Judge  Havdon  married  Miss  Eugenia  .\nn  Story,  a  native  of  Louisiana, 
and  eight  children  were  born  to  them,  six  of  whom  are  living,  namely: 
.Archibald  Edward,  residing  on  the  ranch :  Mary,  an  artist,  with  a  studio 
in  Reno;  Margaret,  who  married  Charles  L.  Watsnn  and  lives  in  ?Iumboldt 
county.  California:  Cirace.  unmarried  and  li\'ing  with  her  ])arents;  I'Jichard. 
in  California:  and  the  youngest  daughter  is  now  Mrs.  R.    ).  Reed,  of  Reno. 

Judge  Haydon  owns  the  Bullion  mine  in  Mohaw'k  valley,  Plumas  county, 
California,  and'  its  assays  average  $34.46  in  gold.  He  also  has  a  half  interest 
in  the  Cleopatra  and  Mazuma  mines  on  Truckee  river,  and  owns  one  thou- 
sand two  liundred  and  eighty  acres  of  land,  which  ranch  he  conducts  as  a 
dairy  farm.  His  home  is  located  on  a  thirty-acre  tract  adjoining  the  town 
of  Reno,  and  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  in  the  county. 

Of  such  a  man  as  Judge  Haydon  it  is  difficult  to  write,  for  his  life 
speaks  louder  than  any  words  could  of  the  character  of  the  man.  No  one 
attains  to  honors  and  riches  as  he  has  done  without  being  far  beyond  the 
average  in  every  respect,  and  deser\'ing  of  and  retaining  the  confidence  of 
those  high  in  authority.  .\s  long  as  the  town  of  Reno  lives,  or  the  county 
itself,  the  name  of  Judge  Hayflon  will  be  cherished  as  one  of  the  loyal,  big- 
hearted,  generous  and  eminently  capable  men  who  made  possible  the  great 
prosperity  of  the  west  and  redeemed  it  from  waste  land  and  <lreary  forests. 


JOSEPH  ELY  JONES.  L'pon  the  memory  of  Joseph  Ely  Jones  is 
impressed  the  storv  oi  the  growth,  progress  and  development  of  Nevada. 
Ere  the  organization  of  the  territory  he  became  a  resident  of  the  section  of 
the  country  that  is  now  embraced  within  the  boundaries  of  this  state,  and  as  a 
pioneer  settler  he  has  borne  a  helpful  part  in  the  work  of  development  arid 
improvement,  aiding  in  laying  broad  and  deep  the  foundation  upon  wbicli 
has  been  l)uilt  the  present  prosperity  and  adxancement  of  Nevada.  His 
birth  occurred  in  Gallatin  county,  Kentucky,  on  the  13th  of  September,  1830, 
and  he  is  a  represeiitati\'e  of  one  of  the  old  pioneer  families  of  that  state, 
his  paternal  grandfatlier  having  l)een  one  of  the  ea'"liest  settlers  upon  tlie 
"dark  and  bloody  grcumd."  Josepli  Jones,  his  father,  was  born  in  Kentucky, 
and  there  wedded  Miss  Mary  Elliston.  also  a  native  of  that  state  and  a  mem- 
ber of  an  old  southern  family.  Joseph  Jones  died  when  his  son  was  but 
six  years  of  age,  leaving  nine  children  to  the  care  of  his  widow.  She.  how- 
ever, ke])t  her  familv  together  ;uid  reared  her  sons  and  daughters  to  maturity. 
She  did  a  noble  part  by  them,  winning  their  love  and  gratitude,  and  in  the 
si.xtv-fiftli  year  of  her  age  she  was  called  to  her  final  rest. 


048  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

His  father  had  been  a  tanner  ami  stock  dealer,  ar.d  Mr.  Jdiies  remained 
upon  the  home  farm  until  twenty  years  of  age.  During  that  time  he  attended 
the  public  schools  of  the  locality  and  became  familiar  with  all  the  work 
incident  to  the  development  of  the  fields.  When  twenty  years  of  age  he 
began  learning  the  blacksmith's  trade,  which  he  afterward  followed  in  his 
native  state  until  1854.  when  he  went  to  Red  Bluff.  California,  where  he 
continued  to  engage  in  blacksmithing  until  1859.  recei\ing  one  hundred  dol- 
lars per  month  and  board  for  his  services.  He  was  very  industrious  and 
energetic,  and  his  work  in  tlie  shops  proved  profitable  to  his  employers  as 
well  as  to  himself.  His  health  failed,  however,  and  in  1859,  h()])ing  to  be 
benefited  thereby,  he  took  a  trip  to  the  Sandwich  Islands,  spending  a  year 
ill  that  tropical  district.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  returned  to 
California,  settling  in  Marysville,  and  while  he  was  living  there  a  friend 
persuaded  him  to  remove  to  \'irginia  City,  Nevada,  telling  him  of  the  splen- 
did opportunities  for  making  money  in  that  booming  mining  town. 

On  visiting  the  place,  however,  Mr.  Jones  did  not  feel  that  it  would 
be  an  advantageous  location  and  decided  to  go  to  Washoe  city.  He  became" 
the  ])ioneer  lilacksmitb  of  that  town  and  conducted  his  shop  for  a  year,  after 
which  he  sold  out,  and  in  connection  with  a  Mr.  Mitchell  engaged  in  buying 
and  delivering  lumber.  In  this  way  be  made  money  rapidly,  but  abdul 
this  time   Mr.   Jones   says   he   unfortunately   got   into   politics. 

A  native  of  Kentucky,  he  was  a  strong  Democrat,  and  during  the  period 
of  the  Civil  war  was  in  sym]xithy  with  his  people  in  the  south.  Notwith- 
standing that  the  countv  was  Republican,  however,  he  was  elected  sheriff  and 
served  for  four  years.  The  count}-  seat  was  then  removed  to  Reno,  and, 
receiving  a  re-election,  he  removed  to  that  place.  Hon.  James  H.  Kinkead. 
a  Reijublican,  acted  as  his  deputy,  and  they  worked  together  in  the  utmost 
harmony,  although  differing  so  widely  concerning  political  views.  The  official 
record  of  Mr.  Jones  was  most  commetidable,  and  his  labors  were  ably  supple- 
mented by  those  of  Mr.  Kinkead.  Agreeing  so  well  in  official  life,  they  deter- 
mined to  engage  in  business  together,  and  in  Reno  estalilished  a  bank  under 
the  firm  style  of  Jones  &  Kinkead.  In  this  they  did  a  large  and  satisfactury 
business  for  four  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  Mr  Jones  retired,  selling 
his  interest.  He  then  removed  to  Modoc  county,  California,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  merchandising  for  six  years,  and  when  he  disposed  of  bis  store  be 
purchased  a  ranch  and  turned  his  attention  to  the  stock  Imsiness.  in  which  he 
was  successfully  engaged  for  three  years:  but  a  very  severe  winter  followed 
and  his  stock  were  com])letely  co\ered  over  with  the  dee])  snow,  and  out  of 
a  herd  of  four  hundred  head  only  thirty  were  left  in  the  spring.  This  was 
a  most  unfortunate  cK])erience.  for  in  this  way  he  lost  nearly  all  that  he  had 
accumulated  through  former  years  of  toil  and  activity. 

Following  this,  Mr.  Jones  returned  to  Reno  and  became  superintendent  of 
the  Riverside  P^louring  Mill,  which  lie  continued  to  operate  in  that  cai)acity 
for  eiglit  years.  During  this  time  he  .somewhat  recuperated  from  liis  financial 
losses,  and  on  the  ex])iration  of  that  period  he  o])ened  a  grocery  store,  which 
he  has  since  conducte<l.  He  now  owns  the  building  as  well  as  ;i  large  .stock 
f)f  stai)le  and  fancy  groceries,  and  is  now  engaging  in  the  business  witli  an 
extensive  patronage  because  of  his  honorable  business  methods  and  his  earnest 


h 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  649 

desire  to  please  his  customers.      He  likewise  has  a  good   residence,   wliicli 
lie  built,  it  lieing  the  second  home  erected  on  the  south  side  of  the  river. 

The  Democratic  relations  of  Mr.  Jones  have  ever  been  maintained,  in 
1863  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  L.  Allen,  a  native  of  Missouri. 
and  a  representative  of  a  noble  soutliern  family.  Their  union  has  been  blessed 
with  two  children.  They  gave  to  their  son  Charles  A.  Jones  a  liberal  edu- 
cation, and  he  became  an  attorney  of  marked  ability.  He  Inad  received  the 
appointment  of  United  States  attorney  for  Nevada,  when  he  was  shot  and 
killed,  being  then  in  his  twenty-fifth  year.  A  young  man  of  much  natural 
talent,  of  strong  force  of  character  and  unfaltering  determination,  it  seemed 
that  a  brilliant  future  was  before  him.  and  his  friends  took  great  pride  in 
what  he  had  already  accomplished.  The  other  son,  Dwight.  is  now  the 
private  secretary  to  Senator  Piatt  of  New  York. 

As  age  advanced  Mr.  Jones's  party  ardor  has  waned,  and  he  now  takes 
little  interest  in  politics,  voting  for  the  best  man,  however,  in  local  jjositions 
He  is  a  Knight  of  Pythias,  and  in  1854  he  was  raised  to  the  sublime  degree 
of  a  Master  Mason  in  Kentucky.  He  has  undergone  all  of  the  varied  experi- 
ences of  the  Nevada  pioneer  and  has  been  an  active  factor  in  the  sul)Stantial 
improvement  and  de\'elopment  of  this  state.  He  is  widely  and  fax-orably 
known  among  the  jiioneer  residents  of  Nex'ada  as  well  as  among  the  later 
arrivals  here,  and  all  entertain  for  him  warm  regard,  the  circle  of  his  friemls 
being  almost  coextensixe  witli  the  circle  of  bis  ac(|uainl;nices. 


ANDREW  KLEINHAUS,  who,  after  a  successful  career  as  a  merchant 
in  Winnemucca.  Nevatla,  for  over  thirty  years,  recently  retired  from  business 
and  is  speniling  his  leisure  in  a  happy  home,  has  been  a  resident  of  .\merica 
since  he  was  twelve  years  of  age,  and  his  history  is  a  record  of  steady 
progression  toward  high  aims  and  a  worthy  goal,  tlis  parents  were  J.  J.  and 
May  Elizabeth  (Ewalt)  Kleinhaus,  both  natives  of  Germany,  and  the  former 
was  a  cabinet-maker  by  trade,  and  in  religious  faith  a  Lutheran.  They  brought 
their  family  to  America  in  1834  and  settled  in  Gabon,  Ohio,  where  J.  J. 
Kleinhaus  opened  a  cabinet-making  and  furniture  establishment.  They  spent 
the  remainder  of  their  lives  there,  the  father  dying  in  1885,  al  the  age  of 
seventy-six,  and  his  wife  on  August  9,  1902,  at  the  age  of  eighty-six.  Six 
of  their  children  survive,  and  all  are  at  the  old  Ohio  home  except  .\ndrcw. 

Mr.  Kleinhaus  was  born  in  Germany,  h^bruary  22,  1842,  and  fmni  the 
time  he  settled  in  Ohio  until  he  was  fifteen  years  of  age  he  attended  the  public 
schools.  At  that  age  he  began  his  career  as  a  merchant  by  clerking  in  a  store, 
and  followed  that  occupation  until  he  was  ready  to  retire  from  active  duties. 
In  the  fall  of  1869  he  came  to  Nevada  and  opened  up  business  on  a  small 
scale,  conducting  a  fruit  store,  but  his  industry  and  business  acumen  assiu'ed 
his  success,  and  he  kept  on  increasing  his  stock  to  a  general  merchandise 
establishment,  which  he  carried  on  till  1902,  when  he  retired. 

Mr.  Kleinhaus  built  several  liusiness  structures  on  Main  street,  which  he 
still  owns  and  rents,  and  in  1889  erected  a  tasteful  and  commodious  residence, 
which  is  surrounded  with  trees  and  Howers  of  his  own  cultivation,  and  is  a 
most  delightful  place  in   which  to  sjiend.  the  close  of  an  eventful  life.      In 


650  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

1884  he  was  married  to  Miss  Margaret  F.  Stephens,  a  native  (if  Ohin  and  of 
German  and  Trisli  stuck,  and  slie  came  to  Nevada  in  1882.  Tliey  were  liotii 
reared  in  tlie  Lntheran  faith,  l^int  as  there  is  no  society  of  that  denomination 
in  W'innemucca  they  are  members  of  the  Afethndist  church,  tn  which  tliev 
gi\e  their  corcHal  support  and  in  which  Mr.   Kleinhaus  is  a  trustee. 

Mr.  Kleinliaus  has  always  lieen  (|uite  independent  in  pohtical  matters, 
but  lias  been  identified  with  the  silver  party  during  the  last  decade.  He  has 
never  sought  or  held  of^ce,  and  only  his  interest  in  educational  progress  led 
him  to  accept  a  place  as  school  trustee,  which  he  held  for  a  number  of  years. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen.  He  is  exceed- 
ingly public-spirited,  and  matters  affecting  the  general  welfare  of  his  town 
always  receive  more  than  a  passing  interest  from  tliis  Idwal  and  wdrthv  (ler- 
man-born  .\merican  citizen. 


J.\COB  GOODLXd.  The  residence  of  Jacob  Gooding  in  Xexada  dates 
from  the  year  1862.  he  having  arrived  in  Virginia  City  on  the  27th  of  July 
of  that  year.  He  crossed  the  plains  from  St.  Joseph,  Mis.souri,  and  at  times 
there  was  much  high  water,  and  he  was  first  to  swim  the  streams.  At 
length,  h()\\e\er,  he  reached  his  destination,  ami  full  nf  the  hope  and  courage 
which  usually  attend  young  men  he  l^ega'n  life  in  the  west.  He  was  at  that 
time  about  twenty-six  years  of  age,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Prussia  on 
the  15th  of  October,  1836.  He  was  descended  from  German  ancestrw  In 
1842,  when  si.x  years  of  age,  he  was  brought  to  the  I'nited  States  bv  his 
parents,  Nicholas  and  Elizabeth  (Sanders)  Goodiyg,  who  crossed  the  .\t- 
lantic  accom])anied  1)\'  their  fi\'e  children.  Makin-g'  their  way  into  the  interior 
of  the  country  they  settled  in  Jennings  count}'.  Indian.a,  and  six  children  were 
added  to  their  family  while  the\'  were  living  in  that  state.  The  ydungest  of 
the  number  is  now  forty-four  years  of  age.  In  the  Hoosier  state  the  father 
secured  a  tract  of  l;\nd  which  he  cultivated  and  ini])roved  up  to  the  tiiue 
of  his  death,  which  occurred  when  he  was  si.xty-three  years  of  age.  His 
wife  passed  away  when  fift\--sc\en  years  old.  Roth  were  dex'oted  members 
of  llie  l^oman  Catholic  church. 

Jacob  Gooding,  the  only  member  of  the  family  in  Ne\'ada,  was  reared 
u])on  the  home  farm  in  Indiana,  and  in  his  youth  worked  hard,  aiding  in 
plowing,  planting  and  harvesting  through  the  months  of  summer.  In  the 
winter  seasons  he  attended  the  jniblic  school,  the  little  temple  of  learning 
l>eing  a  log  building.  In  fact,  all  of  the  houses,  barns  and  other  buildings 
in  that  frontier  district  were  constructed  of  logs,  and  ])ioneer  conditions  existed 
on  every  hand.  The  land  was  covered  with  a  nati\e  growth  of  iimber,  and 
it  was  necessary  to  cut  down  the  trees  and  clear  away  the  brush  ere  the  fields 
could  be  tilled.  When  Mr.  Gooding  att;iined  his  maturity  he  learned  the 
mason's  trade,  and  was  actively  employed  in  different  kinds  of  wnrk  in  Indi 
ana  until  1852,  when  he  sought  a  home  in  the  west,  lie  li\cd  (en  years  in 
St.  Joseph,  Missouri,  and  then  started  for  the  I'acitic  coast.  The  journey 
was  a  difficult  and  arduous  one,  but  at  length  was  safely  completed,  for  on 
the  27th  of  July,   1862,  he  reached  Virginia  City. 

Here  lie  .secured  employment  at  bricklaying,  and  in  the  spring  of   1865 


^ 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  651 

engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  I)rick  at  Tuiiijirc.  'I'lie  following  winter  he 
made  shingles,  thus  adapting  liis  labors  to  the  different  seasons  of  the  year. 
He  made  and  laid  the  brick  for  the  Spanish  Mill  at  Empire,  and  afterward 
he  went  to  the  Reese  ri\er,  attracted  hy  the  mining  excitement  in  that  localitw 
hut  his  searcli  for  the  precious  metal  was  unavailing.  Later  he  went  to 
Lander  and  afterward  to  Nye  county,  and  in  the  latter  he  located  a  rancli, 
coiulucting  a  stock-raising  business  and  also  devoting  some  time  to  mining. 
He  l(x:ated  a  tpiartz  mine  in  lone,  but  it  did  not  prove  profitable.  In  icS68, 
however,  he  became  the  (iwner  of  the  Manhattan  mine  and  ship]5ed  ore  to 
Austin  which  paid  three  hundred  and  thirty-two  dollars  per  ton  net,  after 
the  payment  of  eighty  dollars  per  ton  for  freight  and  forty-five  dollars  for 
the  working  of  the  metal.  After  taking  cnit  ore  to  the  value  of  eight  thousand 
dollars  from  his  mine,  Mr.  Gooding  sold  the  property  for  forty  thousand 
dollars.  He  then  went  to  San  h^rancisco,  where  he  learned  assaying,  and 
since  that  time  has  made  mining  his  chief  business.  He  has  been  very  suc- 
cessful as  a  pro.spector  since  tb.e  early  years  of  his  residence  in  Newida  and 
has  located  seven  good  mines,  among  which  was  the  Athens,  which  he  sold 
for  two  hundred  and  thirty  thousand  dollars.  The  lowest  price  which  he 
ever  received  for  a  mine  was  fifteen  thousand  dollars,  and  his  various  mining 
properties  have  brought  an  average  price  of  forty  thousand  dolhus.  To  a 
considerable  e.xtent  he  dealt  in  mining  stocks,  but  often  lost  in  this  wav,  and 
his  capital  was  at  length  reduced  to  about  twenty  thousand  dollars.  When 
that  condition  prevailed  he  wmild  tin^n  his  attention  to  prospecting  again, 
and  would  do  some  develo])ment  work,  after  which  he  would  sell  his  mine 
and  again  turn  his  attention  to  stocks.  This  course  he  repeated  o\er  anrl  o\er 
again  with  about  the  same  results.  He  has,  however,  resolved  never  again 
to  engage  in  speculation  in  mining  stock,  and  has  retired  with  a  comfortable 
competence  of  about  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  to  supply  him  with  the 
necessities  and  comforts  of  life.  He  has  not,  however,  given  up  prospecting 
altogether,  for  at  times  he  goes  upon  a  search  for  valuable  veins  of  ore.  He 
now  owns  si.x  acres  of  good  land  and  a  comfortable  home  just  west  of  the 
city  of  Reno,  and  be  likewise  has  a  ranch  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres, 
six  miles  from  the  city,  which  he  leases.  This  is  an  impro\ed  farm,  con- 
stituting a  valuable  agricultiu\al  pnipertv. 

Li  1861  Mr.  Gooding  was  iniited  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  E.  Hiener, 
a  native  of  Louisville,  Kentucky,  and  they  now  have  a  daughter,  Josephine, 
who  was  born  in  Louisville,  became  the  wife  of  Thomas  Peterson,  of  Lander 
county,  and  died  in  February,  1903,  leaving  three  children,  all  of  whom 
were  born  in  Reno.  One  of  her  daughters  married  Frank  I'erguson,  and 
they  have  a  daughter,  .so  that  Air.  Gooding  is  now  a  great-grandfather.  Mr. 
G(X)ding  was  a  stanch  Repuljlican  until  1896,  when  his  views  differed  from 
the  principles  of  the  party  upon  the  money  question  and  he  joined  the  ranks 
of  the  new  silver  party  which  was  formed,  and  he  has  since  been  independent 
in  his  political  affairs.  At  one  time  he  was  the  candidate  of  his  party  for 
the  general  as.sembly,  hut  the  entire  ticket  was  defeated  that  year,  h'raternally 
he  is  connected  with  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  were  reared  in  the  faith  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church  and  still 
adhere  thereto.     Mr.  Gooding  has  firm  faith  in  Nevada  as  a  rich  mining  dis- 


052  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

trict,  believing  that  there  are  vast  quantities  of  treasure  hidden  lieneath  the 
earth's  surface  in  this  state.  His  has  been  an  eventful  and  varied  career,  and 
■few  men  are  more  thoroughly  informed  concerning  the  mining  development 

of  this  jiortion  of  the  country. 

M.  E.  R\'.\.\,  deputy  sheriff  of  Lander  cnunly,  w  ith  residence  in  Austin, 
has  been  a  resident  of  the  Silver  state  since  1864,  when  he  came  direct  to 
Austin.  He  is  a  native  of  Utica,  New  York,  where  he  was  lioru  on  the  i6th 
of  August,  1852,  and  is  of  Irish  ancestry.  His  father.  Bartholomew  \\\ 
Ryan,  was  born  in  county  Cork,  Ireland,  but  in  1829  emigrated  to  the  L'nited 
States  and  took  u])  his  abode  in  New  'S^irk.  where  he  was  engaged  in  \arii)us 
enii)loyments  until  1864.  In  that  year  he  crossed  the  plains  to  Nevada, 
locating  at  Austin,  which  he  made  his  permanent  home.  .Securing  a  ranch 
in  Reese  river  \'alley,  he  added  to  his  possessions  until  he  became  the  owner 
of  si.x  hundred  and  forty  acres,  which  he  im])ro\ed.  and  there  engaged  in 
the  stock  business.  His  death  occurred  in  1897,  at  the  ri])e  old  age  of  ninety- 
two  years.  He  had  married  Miss  Mary  Manning,  also  a  native  of  the 
Emerald  Isle,  her  birth  occun^ing  in  Tipperary  county,  and  their  union  was 
blessed  with  three  sons  and  a  daughter.  The  son  James  resides  on  the  old 
homestead,  which  he  owns  in  partnership  with  our  subject.  The  daughter, 
Mary  Jane,  married  John  Cozzens  and  resides  in  \\  eiser,  Idaho.  John  E. 
died  recently  in  Oregon.  The  mother  of  this  famiiv  was  sumniined  into 
eternal  rest  in  1893,  and  both  she  and  her  husband  were  de\i>ul  members 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  church.     They  are  buried  at  Austin. 

M.  K.  Ryan  received  his  education  in  the  schcxils  of  Oakland,  California, 
and  for  some  }ears,  in  addition  to  assisting  with  the  work  on  his  father's 
ranch,  was  engaged  in  prosi)ecting  on  his  own  account.  He  was  the  locater 
of  the  New  Pass  mining  district  in  1886.  He  developed  this  property  and 
remained  its  owner  for  about  si.x  years,  when  he  sold  it  for  twenty  thousand 
dollars.  He  also  went  to  Tonopah  and  made  se\eral  locations  there,  and  is 
still  the  owner  of  a  number  of  gold  and  silver  mining  properties  which  will 
later  be  placed  ujion  the  market.  Mr.  Ryan  is  now  de\dting  a  jiortion  of  his 
time  to  the  stock  business,  and  in  addition  to  the  ol<l  Rvan  ranch  Ihe  l)rothers 
own  an  e.xtensive  run  for  their  cattle. 

In  his  political  afhliations  Mr.  Ryan  has  been  a  life-long  Democrat,  but 
(luring  the  silver  movement  worked  In  favor  of  the  remonetizatiou  of  siKer. 
I'"or  a  time  he  served  as  the  deputy  under  .Sheriff  George  Watt,  and  is  now 
deputy  sheriff  under  M.  J.  Murphy,  both  of  whom  are  givmg  ibe  utmost 
attention  to  the  duties  of  the  office,  and  since  their  administration  the  countv 
has  been  comparatively  free  from  the  criminal  element.  Mr.  Rvan  adheres 
to  tlie  faith  of  his  parents,  the  Catholic,  an<l  is  not  only  a  good  cili/.en  but  .1 
\cry  promi)t  and  energetic  public  official. 

CilCORCiE  H.  HESTT'lR,  who  is  one  of  the  represenl;ili\e  business  men 
and  fancy  grocers  of  Virginia  City,  Nevada,  is  a  native  of  this  citv,  where 
he  was  \)r>vu  March  6,  1871,  coming  of  Iri.sh  ancestry,  although  two  of  the 
generations  of  this  family  have  been  born  in  the  Ignited  States.     Mis  p.nents 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  05:^^ 

were  lluf;li  A.  ami  Alary  Ann  (  Ixuddy)  Hester,  and  ihey  .settled  in  \'iri;inia 
Citv  in  i(Sf>().  Hugh  Hester  was  a  California  pioneer  of  1851  and  en.L^Mged 
in  mining  <|uite  extensively  for  ;i  time,  hut  after  his  arrival  in  \'irginia  City 
he  hecame  a  contractor.  His  de.ath  occur-|-ed  in  i8c;i,  when  he  was  in  his 
sixtieth  year.  His  widow  snr'\i\ed  him  four  years  and  died  aged  sixty-one 
years.  They  were  hoth  de\du(  memhers  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church.  He 
was  a  leader  in  the  councils  of  the  Democratic  party.'  Nine  children  were 
horn  to  these  parents,  of  whom  Ceorge  was  the  youngest. 

George  H.  Hester  was  educated  in  the  puhlic  schools  of  Virginia  City, 
and  l)e,gan  his  hnsiness  career  as  a  clerk,  and  like  all  his  hrothers  engaged 
in  the  grocery  trade.  Among  his  other  occupations  his  father  had  conducted 
a  store  ahout  1875,  and  his  sons  thus  acquired  a  liking  for  and  knowledge 
of  th;it  hranch  of  commercial  industry.  Mr.  Hester  opened  his  present  estah- 
lishment  in  .\])ril,  1900,  and  has  since  ihen  made  a  s])ecialty  of  fancy  groceries, 
selling  only  the  best  goods  at  rates  within  tiie  reach  of  all.  It  is  the  motto 
of  his  estalilishment  to  satisfy  exeryone  no  matter  at  what  cost,  ;md  hy  its 
])ractice  a  very  large  trade  has  heen  built  up,  which  is  constantly  growing. 

Mr.  Hester  is  a  strong  Democrat,  and  is  \-ery  active  in  ])arty  matters, 
heing  a  prominent  member  of  the  state  Democratic  central  committee  and 
of  the  Storey  county  T^emocratic  central  committee.  He  has  also  taken  an 
active  interest  in  educational  matters  and  was  elected  a  member  of  the  school 
Ix.iard  without  any  op]Kjsition,  and  is  now  the  chairman  of  the  hoard.  Fra- 
ternally he  is  a  member  of  the  Elks,  and  is  very  popular  in  that  organization. 
He  was  brought  up  in  and  adheres  to  the  faith  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church. 
Virginia  City  owes  much  to  its  energetic,  pul)lic-spirited  business  men,  and 
among  them  all  Mr.  Hester  occupies  a  very  prominent  position. 


HON.  G.  W.  SUMMERFIELD.  one  of  the  prominent  business  men  of 
Winnemucca,  h.as  the  honor  of  being  a  natixe  son  of  Nevada,  which  is  a  dis- 
tinction that  can  be  claimed  by  Init  few  who  have  arrived  at  middle  age,  for 
the  state  has  been  the  scene  of  civilization's  march  for  only  about  a  half  cen- 
tury. His  father,  Bennet  Summerfield,  was  Ijorn  in  Germany,  and  in  1848 
emigrated  to  the  United  States  and  settled  on  a  farm  in  the  state  of  Illinois, 
wdience  he  came  to  the  territory  that  is  now  Nevada,  in  1858.  He  spent 
a  short  time  on  the  site  of  the  present  city  of  Carson,  and  then  went  to  F^rank- 
town,  v^'here  he  engaged  in  the  stock  business,  after  which  he  removed  to 
Moscow,  Idaho,  and  bought  a  farm,  on  which  he  spent  the  balance  of  his 
life,  his  death  occurring  in  1896,  at  the  age  of  sixty-two  years.  His  wife, 
who  was  Miss  Julia  Ann  Galoway,  a  native  of  Iowa,  came  out  to  Nevada  in 
1859,  and  they  were  married  in  this  state.  She  died  in  1885,  at  the  age  of 
forty-five  Their  daughter  Belle  married  Judge  William  Perkins,  now  e.x- 
pro1)ate  judge,  residing  in  Moscow,  Idaho. 

G.  W.  Summerfield,  the  other  member  of  iiis  father's  familw  was  liorn 
in  Humboldt  county,  Nevada,  April  3,  1862,  and  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools  of  Winnemucca.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  he  began  business  on  his  own 
account,  and  for  many  years  has  been  engaged  in  the  livery  and  coal  business 
in  \\'innemucca.     He  is  the  leading  lix'erv  man  of  the  town,  owns  two  barns. 


654  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

plenty  of  Imrses  and  rigs,  and  liis  lionorahle  dealings  and  genial  nature  have 
wiin  him  a  large  patronage.  He  is  also  a  cattle  buyer  and  shipper,  and  is  the 
medium  by  which  a  large  amount  of  the  stock  of  Huml)oklt  count}-  finds  its 
way  to  market. 

Mr.  Summerfield  has  espoused  the  siher  cause  in  Nevada,  and  in  1896 
was  elected  a  member  of  the  state  senate  on  the  silver  fusion  ticket.  His 
fraternal  connections  are  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Ancient  Order 
of  United  Workmen.  In  1883  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  C.  hawing,  a 
native  of  New  York  city,  and  their  home  is  now  blessed  with  the  presence 
of  two  children,  Georgia  and  Ray.  They  have  one  of  the  most  delightful 
homes  in  the  town,  and  all  its  members  stand  high  in  the  estimation  of  their 
man\-  friends  and  acquaintances. 


HON.  HERM.AN  R.  COOKE,  a  prominent  young  attorney  with  oftice 
and  residence  in  Reno,  and  also  a  member  of  the  state  legislature,  to  which 
he  was  elected  in  1902,  is  a  native  of  Bastrop.  Texas,  torn  on  the  31st  of 
January,  1873.  His  father,  H.  W.  Cooke,  was  Iwrn  in  England,  and  in 
that  country  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Matilda  Vittell.  a  ladx-  of  Scan- 
dinavian ancestry.  Since  coming  to  the  United  States  they  have  resided  in 
Utah,  Texas  and  Nebraska,  and  are  now  residents  of  Mountain  View,  Cali- 
fornia. H.  W.  Cooke,  who  is  now  in  his  sixty-sixth  year,  is  a  gentleman  of 
strong  religious  views,  whose  life  has  l)een  guided  bv  Christian  principles, 
and  therefore  he  commands  the  respect  of  all  with  whom  he  has  been  brought 
in  contact.  In  his  family  were  five  children,  but  Herman  R.  Cnoke  is  the  only 
one  in  Nevada. 

Mr.  Cooke  ])ursued  his  education  in  Bishop  Hughes'  school  and  in 
Einpire  College  at  Walla  Walla,  Washington,  and  when  he  had  obtained  broad 
literary  knowledge  upon  which  to  Iniild  professional  learning  he  took  up 
the  .study  of  law  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  Boise,  Idaho,  on  the  16th 
of  December,  1895.  For  three  years  he  practiced  his  profession  in  Boise, 
and  then  removed  to  Tuscarora,  Nevada,  practicing  there  and  in  Elko  until 
his  removal  to  Reno.  Here  he  entered  into  partnership  with  Mr.  Ayres 
luider  the  firm  style  of  Cooke  &  Ayres,  and  they  have  gained  a  creditable 
])osit-ion  among  the  strong  law  firms  of  the  state.  They  take  a  special  in- 
terest in  the  defense  of  criminals,  and  they  are  the  Nevada  attorneys  for  the 
Renters'  Eoan  &  Trust  Company  of  San  I'rancisco,  doing  an  extensi\e  bu.si- 
ness  for  them  in  this  state.  Mr.  Cooke  is  a  young  man  of  determination, 
firm  purix)sc  and  laudable  ambition,  and  already  has  won  success  which 
augurs  well  for  the  future,  lie  prepares  his  cases  with  great  thoroughness 
and  exactness,  and  in  argument  he  never  fails  to  make  a  strong  impression 
on  court  and  jury  anfl  seldom  fails  to  gain  the  verdict  desired. 

In  1894  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Cooke  and  Miss  Katie  .\.  Messerly, 
a  native  of  I'ennsylvania,  and  their  home  has  been  blessed  with  the 
])resence  of  a  little  daughter,  iMilalie.  who  was  born  in  Boise,  Idaho.  Theirs 
is  rjne  of  the  attractive  homes  of  Reno,  and  is  the  center  of  a  cultured  society 
circle.  Mrs.  Cfxjke  is  a  valued  member  of  the  Methodist  church,  while  Mr. 
Cooke  affiliates  with  the  Modern  W'oodmen  of  the  World  and  the  Independent 


^  J^^d^^c^_ 


A    IIISTom'   Ol'"  NEVADA.  r.55 

()nkT  ni  \\vi\  Men.  I  lis  pdlitiral  allej^iance  is  gi\eii  the  I  )(.'niiicr;K-\-,  ami 
in  tlif  work  ol'  llio  ])arl\'  lie  takes  an  acti\'e  and  lielpfnl  interest.  In  \^<)2 
lie  was  elected  a  nieniher  nf  the  ;.;"eneral  asscnilily  of  Nevad'i  and  is  now 
ser\in.n'  in  the  Ikhisc.  Tlis  stnd\  of  jiolitical  (|nestions  and  his  undtTstandintj 
(if  the  laws  alrcaih'  existing;  in  the  state  make  him  well  (inalified  to  aid  in 
the  framing  of  new  laws,  and  his  inlUience  is  wideiy  felt  in  the  les'slatixe 
iiiuneils,  where  his  efforts  are  strongly  ])nt  forth  in  liehalf  of  the  enactment 
ol   wise  statntes  of  "•eneral  lienellt   t(i  the  CMmninnwealtli. 


RICHARD  NASH.  Since  the  exciting  days  of  "49  this  gentleman  has 
made  his  home  on  the  Pacific  slope,  and  since  1863  he  has  been  a  resident  ol 
Nevada.  He  is  now  serving  as  justice  of  the  peace  of  Reno,  a  position  he 
has  tilled  for  ten  vears  with  credit  to  himself  and  satisfaction  to  his  con- 
stituents. A  native  of  Indiana,  he  was  horn  in  Plymouth.  Marshall  county, 
that  state,  on  the  7th  of  July.  1837,  and  on  the  paternal  side  is  of  Irish  ancestry 
and  on  the  maternal  side  of  Scotch  extraction,  hut  hoth  families  were  estab- 
lished in  this  country  at  an  earl_\   da)'  in  its  lhst(_)ry. 

James  Nash,  his  father,  was  burn  in  Virginia,  and  w  lijen  a  young  man 
wedded  Miss  ]Mary  Scott,  a  nati\e  of  Pennsyhania.  In  1849,  accompanied 
by  his  wife  and  three  sons,  he  crossed  the  plains  to  California  and  settled  in 
Yuba  county,  wdiere  he  engaged  in  jilacer  mining  with  fair  success,  liecoming 
treasurer  of  the  Ohio  Mining  Conij^any,  but  he  was  only  spared  to  his  family 
two  years  after  going  to  California,  dying  in  185 1,  at  the  age  of  fifty-fi\-e 
years.  His  brave  pioneer  wife  long  survived  him  and  departed  this  life  in 
Grass  Valley,  Nevada,  in  1S83,  when  in  her  eighty-eighth  year. 

Judge  Nash  was  a  lad  of  only  twelve  years  when  he  accompanied  his 
parents  on  their  removal  west,  Init  he  drox^e  one  of  the  ox  teams  across  the 
plains.  He  had  previously  attended  school  in  Indiana,  and  for  three  months 
continued  his  studies  in  a  California  school,  that  being  the  only  opportunity 
he  had  of  attending  school  after  coming  to  the  Pacific  coast.  He  studied 
at  night,  however,  and  in  the  dear  school  of  experience  has  gained  much 
valuable  information,  so  that  he  is  now  a  well  informed  man,  especially  in 
matters  pertaining  to  the  early  history  of  California  and  Nevada.  He  has 
been  an  eye  witness  of  the  entire  (]evel(i])ment  of  the  west,  and  in  tlie  work  of 
im])rovement  he  has  ever  borne  his  jiart. 

In  1863  Judge  Nash  came  to  Virginia  City,  Nevada,  and  from  there 
went  to  Star  City,  Humboldt  county,  where  he  was  engaged  in  quartz  mining, 
serving  as  foreman  of  the  Sheba  Mining  Company  for  six  years.  During  his 
residence  there  he  filled  the  ot^ice  of  sheriff  of  Humboldt  county  in  1875  and 
1876,  and  during  those  years  arrested  many  noted  criminals  and  did  much  to 
rid  the  county  of  the  criminal  class.  On  first  coming  to  Reno  he  was  actively 
engaged  in  the  grocery  business  for  two  years,  and  during  the  following  two 
years  was  interested  in  mining  at  Peavine.  In  1882  he  was  elected  constable 
in  Reno  and  filled  that  riffice  satisfactorily  and  well  for  four  years,  after  which 
he  received  the  appointment  of  night  watchman  in  the  town  and  served  in  that 
capacity  for  fifteen  years.  One  night  while  making  his  rounds  at  one  o'clock 
he  heard  a  shot,  and  as  he  ruslied  to  the  spot  he  received  a  shot  in  the  abdo- 


t^.o6  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

men  and  carfies  tlie  hall  tci  this  day.  Alth(iug;h  woiuided.  he  sncceeded  in 
arrestin.ti'  the  man  whci  he  tlKinght  did  tlie  sJKjoting,  and  placed  him  in  custody 
lietore  he  himself  l)ecame  faint.  The  man,  whose  name  was  Ortey,  was  taken 
from  the  jail  and  hanged  hy  the  citizens  of  Reno  the  next  niglit.  In  January, 
1893,  Mr.  Xash  was  elected  justice  of  the  ])eace  of  Reno  township,  and  is 
still  filling  that  office.  He  is  thoroughly  impartial  in  meting  out  justice,  his 
opinions  being  unhiased  hy  either  fear  or  fa\'or,  and  his  fidelity  to  the  trust 
reix>sed  in  him  is  above  question. 

Judge  Nash  was  married  in  1866.  the  lady  of  his  choice  being  Miss 
Margaret  Jane  Olcorn.  a  native  of  Boston.  Massachusetts,  and  to  them  were 
born  fi\e  children,  as  follows :  Mary  Estella :  Charles  Howard ;  Frances 
Maljel,  now  the  wife  of  Dr.  E.  C.  Phelps;  Emma  Maude;  and  Guy. 

Socially  the  Judge  is  a  veteran  Odd  Fellow  and  a  member  of  the  Ancient 
Order  of  United  Workmen.  His  political  support  is  given  the  men  and 
measures  of  the  Republican  ])arty.  with  which  he  has  always  affiliated  since 
attaining  his  majorit\'.  He  has  undergone  all  ui  the  u]  s  and  down  of  pioneer 
life  in  this  state  and  in  California,  has  proved  himself  to  be  a  lirave  and 
honorable  frontiersman,  and  is  justly  deserving  the  high  regard  in  which  he 
is  held  by  his  fellow  citizens. 


THOMAS  C.  MALLOY,  the  present  county  clerk  of  Lander  county 
and  e.x-o'fficio  clerk  of  the  district  court,  is  a  native  son  of  ,\ustin,  where  his 
l)irth  occurred  on  the  9th  of  July,  1867.  His  father,  Michael  Malloy,  a 
native  of  county  Clare,  Ireland,  emigrated  to  the  L'nited  States  in  185 J, 
and  a  number  of  years  afterward,  on  the  14th  of  .May,  1863,  arrived  in 
Austin,  Ne\ada.  He  was  a  stonemason  by  trade,  and  built  many  of  the 
early  buildings  in  Austin,  wiiich  still  stand  as  monuments  to  his  skill  and 
ability.  He  married  Miss  Aim  Doyle,  a  native  also  of  Ireland,  and  their 
wedding  w-as  celebrated  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  After  their  marriage  they 
crossed  the  plains  on  their  way  to  California,  Init  stopped  at  Austin,  Nevada, 
intending  to  stay  for  a  short  time,  and  here  the  father  passed  away  in  death 
in  1870.  The  mother  still  survives,  having  now  reached  the  age  of  seventy- 
si.x  years,  and  is  a  worthy  re])resentativc  of  the  brave  pioneer  women  of 
the  Silver  state  and  a  devout  member  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  with 
which  Iier  husband  also  aCliliated.  They  l)ecanie  the  jiarents  of  six  children, 
of  whom  four  are  living,  three  sons  and  one  daughter.  One  son,  J.  J.  Malloy. 
is  also  a  resident  of  Austin  and  an  ex-counly  clerk  of  Lander  county,  lie 
was  but  two  years  of  age  when  brought  by  his  pare;its  across  the  plains  to 
Nevada.  Another  son,  M.  W.  Malloy,  resides  on  a  ranch  on  Reese  ri\er, 
where  with  his  brothers  above  mentioned  he  owns  ii\c  thousand  acres  of 
grazing  and  hay  land  and  also  a  large  range  of  about  eight  thousand  acres, 
where  they  raise  large  quantities  of  hay  and  stock,  their  cattle  l)eing  of  a 
high  grade  of  Durham.  They  also  raise  their  own  saddle  and  road  horses. 
The  daughter,  Mrs.  S.  A.  Crescenzo,  is  now  living  with  her  mother  and 
l)rfithers,  her  husband  being  dead. 

Thomas  C.  Malloy  received  his  education  in  the  i)ublic  schools  of  .\ustin, 
and   for  a  number  of  years  served  as  the  deputy  county  clerk   under  his 


A    IllSrolO'  ()['    XI'A'ADA.  657 

hrdlhci.  ill  uSijS  he  was  (.•Iccte'd  tn  that  dflicc,  in  which  he  is  nn\\  serving 
liis  third  term.  He  has  a  th(jr(iuii-h  knowledge  of  the  duties  of  liis  position, 
and  is  proving  an  efficient  and  cciinpclciit  official.  ^Tr.  Malloy  holds  to  tlic 
faith  of  liis  parents. 


JAMES  n.  McCULLOLUili.  I'rominent  among  the 
seeing  and  successful  husiness  men  of  Ne\'ada  is  James  B.  McCullougli.  of 
Reno.  His  life  history  most  haiipily  illustrates  what  may  be  attained  by 
faithful,  continued  effort  in  carrying  out  an  honest  purpose.  Integrity, 
activity  and  energy  have  been  the  crowning  points  of  his  success,  and  his 
connection  with  \'arious  Inisiness  enterprises  and  industries  ha\e  been  of 
decided  advantage  to  this  section  of  the  country,  promoting  its  material 
welfare  in  no  uncertain  manner.  He  came  to  Nevada  in  Seiiteiuber,  1865, 
and  is  now  engaged  in  the  drug  business  in  Reno. 

Mr.  McCullough  was  born  in  Harrison  county,  Ohio,  on  the  J4th  of 
March,  1843,  '^^'^'^  '^  of  Scotch  descent.  His  grandfather,  William  McCul- 
lough, was  a  native  of  Scotland  and  in  1804  emigrated  to  Nova  Scotia, 
whence  he  removed  to  Harrfson  county.  Ohio.  He  was  a  farmer  liy  occupa- 
tion and  a  Scotch  Presbyterian  in  religious  belief.  He  departed  this  life 
in  the  eighty-sixth  year  of  his  age.  His  son,  Wilham  McCullough,  Jr., 
was  only  six  years  of  age  on  the  remo\-al  of  the  family  to  Ohio,  where  he 
grew  to  manhood  and  married  Miss  .\nn  Wells,  a  native  of  Baltimore. 
Maryland.  She  Ijelonged  to  a  family  of  English  origin  which  was  founded 
in  the  Carolinas  at  an  early  day.  and  Ixith  of  her  grandfathers  fought  for 
American  independence  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  William  ]\[cCullough 
took  part  in  the  battle  of  New  Orleans  during  the  war  of  181^.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  died  in  that  faith  in  1874. 
at  the  age  of  eighty-two  years.  His  w  ife  jiassed  away  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
six,  and  both  were  buried  at  Deerville.  Ohio.  This  worthy  couple  were  the 
parents  of  ten  children,  six  of  wdiom  reached  years  of  maturity  and  fi\e 
are  still  living. 

Mr.  James  B.  McCullough  is  the  only  member  of  the  family  living  in 
Nevada.  He  was  reared  and  educated  in  the  cotinty  of  his  nativity  and 
remained  at  home  until  the  Civil  war  loroke  out.  Feeling  that  his  country 
needed  bis  services,  he  responded  to  Tresident  Lincoln's  call  for  troops  to 
put  down  the  rebellion,  enlisting  in  Conijiany  E.  Ninety-eighth  Ohio  Volun- 
teer Infantry,  which  was  assigned  to  General  Sherman's  command.  He 
])articipated  in  the  battle  of  Perryville,  his  regiment  entering  the  engagement 
eight  hundred  strong  and  three  hundred  and  seventy-two  being  either  killed 
or  wounded.  \\'hile  in  the  service  Mr.  McCullough  was  taken  with  hemor- 
rhage of  the  lungs,  and  his  left  lung  was  entirely  destroyed.  He  was  con- 
fined in  the  hospital  for  some  time  and  was  later  transferred  to  Company  G. 
Eleventh  Veteran  Reserve  Corps,  which  was  stationed  at  Point  Lookout. 
Maryland,  where  twentv-two  thousand  and  fi\-e  hundred  rel)el  prisoners  were 
confined.  He  was  there  when  the  news  came  of  President  Lincoln's  assas- 
sination. The  war  having  ended  and  his  services  being  no  longer  needed, 
he  was  bonoraljiv  discharged  at  Albany,  New  York,  on  the  "th  of  July.  1865. 


658  A  IIISTURY   UF  XE\"AUA. 

Mr.  McCul lough  tlieii  returned  to  liis  lionie  in  Oliio.  and  on  the  28tli 
of  August  of  tliat  year  took  passage  on  a  steamer  for  San  Francisco.  He 
entered  the  Golden  Gate  on  the  20th  of  September,  1865.  and  came  direct  t(j 
\'irginia  City.  Nevada,  where  for  two  years  lie  was  engaged  in  a  (|uartz  mill 
at  the  W'indfield  mill  and  for  ten  years  at  the  Land  mill  in  Se\en  Mile 
canyon.  Later  he  engaged  in  dri\-ing  stock  from  Oregon  and  northern  Cali- 
fornia to  Virginia  City  and  later  to  Reno,  and  is  still  interested  in  the  sheep 
husiness,  owning  about  ten  thousand  hernl.  In  1890  Mr.  McCullough  i)ur- 
chased  a  dnig  store  at  Reno,  which  he  has  since  carried  on  with  marked 
success,  dealing  in  drugs,  paints,  oil  and  glass,  and  also  in  all  kinds  of  secd*^, 
both  at  wholesale  and  retail.  By  fair  and  honorable  dealing  he  has  built  up 
an  excellent  trade,  which  is  constantly  increasing. 

In  1868  ]\Ir.  McCullough  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Eaton, 
who  was  born  in  his  own  native  town  and  educated  in  the  same  school. 
After  leaving  school  she  engaged  in  teaching  until  hei  marriage,  which  was 
celebrated  in  Ohio.  Two  children  were  born  to  them,  but  only  one  is  now- 
living,  Amo  M.,  at  home  with  his  parents. 

Mr.  McCullough  keeps  up  his  act|uaintan.ce  with  his  old  army  comrades 
by  his  membership  in  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  and  is  ])ast  com- 
mander of  his  post.  He  was  made  a  Mason  at  Virginia  City  Lfxige  Xo.  3. 
in  1886,  and  has  since  taken  all  the  degrees  in  the  York  Rite,  being  a  Sir 
Knight  in  Dewitt  Clinton  Commandery.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Mystic 
Shrine.  In  early  life  he  affiliated  with  the  Republican  party,  but  is  now  a 
Populist  and  was  a  delegate  to  the  convention  of  his  party  at  St.  Louis, 
where  he  cast  the  vote  of  his  state.  Since  coming  west  lie  has  risen  to  a 
position  of  prominence  in  business,  political  and  social  circles,  and  stands 
deser\'edly  high  in  the  esteem  of  his  fellow-citizens.  Besides  his  property 
in  Nevada  he  owns  land  in  California,  and  his  success  is  but  the  just  reward 
of  honorable  dealing,  untiring  industry  and  well-directed  effort. 


HON.  GEORGE  H.  THOMA,  M.  D.  Alany  regard  the  practice  of 
medicine  as  the  most  imjiortant  work  to  which  man  can  direct  his  energies. 
and.  indeed,  the  responsibilitv  whicii  rests  u])on  the  ])hvsician  is  perhaps 
l)aramount  to  that  which  falls  to  the  lot  of  any  other  professional  nian.  In 
this  calling,  also,  acKancement  must  be  sought  and  W';rthih-  won:  not  by 
gift,  by  purchase  or  by  inheritance  may  one  gain  pr  luiinence  as  a  medical 
l)ractitioner,  but  by  skill,  ability,  untiring  energy  and  ckjse  adherence  to  the 
ethics  of  the  ))rofcssion.  That  Dr.  Thoma  is  to-day  one  of  the  ohlest  ])hysi- 
cians  and  surgeons  in  years  of  continuous  connection  with  the  profession  in 
Nevada  and  that  he  has  long  maintained  a  I'oremost  jjlace  in  the  ranks  of 
the  medical  fraternity,  are  proofs  of  his  marked  capability  and  also  indicative 
of  the  confidence  reposed  in  him  by  the  general  ])ublii-. 

A  native  of  Montgomery  county,  New  '^'ork,  Dr.  '!"h  nia  was  born 
on  the  14th  of  October.  1843.  ^'I'l  'S  of  German  ancestry  in  the  ]iati'rnal 
line,  while  on  the  maternal  side  he  is  of  Holland  lineage.  His  father.  Albin 
Thoma.  was  born  in  Ciermany.  and  when  a  boy  came  to  the  L'nited  .States. 
settling  in  Monlgomcr)-  c(iunty.   Xcw    \'iirk,   where  he  wcjrked  at  the  tiadc 


a^ 


A  HISTOI^N'  Ol'"  NIAADA.  05<» 

(if  cldck  and  watch  iiiakiui;'.  when  ah  tinic'])icccs  were  made  hy  hand  lie 
continued  to  reside  in  New  ^'nrk  thi'i)nL;hout  his  remaining'  days,  and  died 
in  Schenectady  in  iHgiS,  at  the  adxanced  atje  of  ninety-tln'ee  years.  His 
wife,  who  liore  tiie  maiden  name  of  Bnnn  Lydia  Maria,  was  horn  in  Mont- 
jjomery  connty  and  was  of  Ilnlland  descent,  her  ancestors  ha\in,L^'  located 
in  the  Empire  state  in  colonial  days.  To  these  parents  were  burn  six  children, 
of  whom  four  are  living,  but  Dr.  Thoma  is  the  only  one  of  the  family  on  the 
racific  coast. 

Dr.  Thoma  ])ursued  his  literary  education  in  Amsterdam.  Xew  York, 
and  ])repared  for  his  professional  career  in  the  Albany  Medical  College, 
from  which  he  was  graduated  with  tiie  class  of  1864.  Immediately  afterward 
he  joined  the  Union  army  as  assistant  surgeon  of  the  Second  New  York 
Heavy  Artillery,  and  served  with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  until  the  sur- 
render of  Lee's  forces  at  Appomattox.  He  saw  the  flag  of  truce  when  it  was 
first  sent  out  by  General  Lee.  the  symbol  that  tbe  war  was  drawing  to  a  close. 

After  the  cessation  of  hostilities  Dr.  Thoma  resided  in  his  nati\e  town 
for  a  year  and  then  came  to  th.e  west,  crossing  tbe  plains  with  a  freigbt 
team  and  walking  from  Salt  Lake  City  to  Austin,  Nevada,  wbich  was  then 
a  town  of  much  activity.  For  a  time  be  was  engaged  in  mining  in  Austin, 
and  then  went  to  Wbite  Pine,  where  be  resumed  tbe  practice  of  his  profession. 
Later  be  estalilisbecl  an  office  in  Eureka,  where  be  remained  in  successful 
practice  fourteen  years.  In  1887  he  came  to  Reno,  where  he  has  since  re- 
mained, enjoying  a  large  and  lucrative  practice.  His  business  has  constantly 
grown  as  be  has  given  evidence  of  bis  ability  to  cope  witb  tbe  intricate 
l)roblems  that  continually  confront  the  profession,  and  be  has  to  bis  credit 
a  succesful  record  as  a  general  practitioner. 

Dr.  Tboma  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Alice  W'ilsey.  a  native 
daughter  of  California,  born  in  Sacramento.  Mrs.  Thoma  comes  from  Qua- 
ker and  Holland  ancestry.  Her  fatber  was  Levi  Wilsey.  To  this  union  have 
been  born  two  daughters :  Bonnie  Katie  and  Roxey  Bigelow,  and  lx)th 
are  in  school.  The  Doctor  has  erected  a  beautiful  home  in  one  of  tbe  finest 
residence  portions  of  the  city,  standing  on  the  south  side  of  the  river.  In 
addition  to  this  property  he  has  some  very  valualile  mining  interests  and  has 
comjileted  tbe  building  of  the  Thoma  &  Bigelow  brick  Imsiness  block,  a 
structure  one  hundred  by  one  hundred  and  forty  feet  and  three  stories  in 
height  with  basement,  a  block  which  is  a  monument  to  the  owner's  enter- 
prise and  an  evidence  of  bis  faith  in  the  future  of  Reno.  In  Masonry  be  has 
taken  the  degrees  of  tbe  blue  lodge,  chapter  and  commandery  and  also  has 
attained  to  tiie  thirty-second  degree  of  the  Scottisb  Rite.  He  has  the  greatest 
admiration  for  tbe  craft  and  its  principles  and  is  one  of  its  exemplary  repre- 
sentatives. He  has  been  a  life-long  and  active  Republican,  and  in  1884  was 
elected  a  member  of  tbe  Nevada  state  senate  from  Eureka  county.  He  had 
charge  of  tbe  Nevada  State  Insane  Asylum  from  1890  until  1894,  which  was 
an  ajipointive  office.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Loyal  Legion  of  Honor,  a 
member  of  General  O.  A.  IMitcbell  Post  No.  69,  G.  A.  R.,  and  is  past  com- 
mander of  the  post  and  takes  great  interest  in  Grand  Army  matters. 

The  salient  elements  in  the  career  of  Dr.  Thoma  are  tbe  careful  prepara- 
tion which  he  made  for  bis  profession  and  bis  devotion  thereto,  bis  close  ad- 


060.  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

herence  to  principles  in  whicli  he  believes  and  his  hdelily  in  friendship.  He 
has  therefore  won  advancement  in  the  walks  i;f  life  in  which  he  has  directed 
his  energies,  gained  the  athniration  and  respect  of  his  fellow  men,  and  well 
deserves  representation  in  the  historv  of  the  state  in  which  he  has  so  long' 
lived  and  labored  to  goodly  ends. 


E.  REINHART  AND  COAHWNY,  Incorporated,  wholesale  and 
retail  dealers  in  general  merchandise  at  Winnemucca.  ha\e  what  is  probably 
the  most  extensive  establishment  of  its  kind  in  the  state  of  Ne\ada,  certainly 
the  neatest  and  best  arranged  department  store  to  be  fonnd  in  this  part  of 
the  conntry.  Their  retail  storeroom,  in  which  all  the  goods  are  arranged  in 
departments,  is  sixty-five  by  one  hnndred  and  twenty-five  feet,  and  has  a 
gallery  all  aronnd  the  main  room,  which  afifords  a  great  ammnit  of  space  in 
which  to  show  ofif  the  goods.  The  lighting  is  from  an  electric  jilant  of  the 
W'innemncca  \\'ater  &  Light  Companv.  of  which  the  Reinhart  brothers 
contnjl  the  stock.  The  company  are  the  builders  and  owners  of  the  Winne- 
mucca water,  light  and  power  plant,  carrying  out  a  comi)lete  service  in  this 
line.  All  their  goods  are  shi|)ped  to  them  by  tlic  carload  lot.  and  two  teams 
are  constantly  employed  in  moving  the  goods  from  the  dei)ot  and  about  the 
town  to  the  different  stores.  One  fif  the  firm  is  almost  continually  on  the 
road  between  New  York  and  San  T'^rancisco.  engaged  ni  liuying  merchandise 
to  the  best  ])0ssible  advantage. 

The  company  has  a  p(nvder  house  three  miles  from  town,  in  which 
are  stored  large  quantities  of  giant  powder;  and  they  also  have  an  oil  house 
in  the  suburbs.  Just  across  the  street  from  the  main  store  is  a  large  ware- 
house, in  which  is  carried  a  full  stock  of  wagons,  carriages  and  farm  imple- 
ments, and  the  entire  ujjper  floor  is  devoted  to  household  furniture.  Near 
the  store  is  a  lumber  yarrl.  with  long  rows  of  sheds  for  the  ])r()tection  of  the 
stock  from  sun  and  rain,  and  here  everything  in  the  way  of  wood  ]3roducts 
may  lie  obtained.  Back  (jf  the  store  is  a  large  grain  house,  where  flour  and 
grain  of  all  kinds  are  ke])t.  The  department  has  a  complete  stock  of  gro- 
ceries and  produce,  also  wines  and  liquors  in  hulk  and  case,  and  th.e  following 
lines  of  merchandise  are  represented  there:  Harness  and  saddles,  boots  and 
shoes,  dry  goods  and  notions,  and  every  kind  of  furnishing  and  clothing  for 
men,  women  and  children,  crockery,  hardware  and  builders'  tools  and  su])- 
plies  of  all  kinds,  etc.,  etc.  In  connection  with  the  establishment  is  a  tin 
and  plumbing  shop  in  charge  of  a  competent  foreman  who  also  atter.ds  to 
the  electric  light  work.  The  company  also  oj^erate  a  branch  store  at  Gol- 
conda,  where  a  .satisfactory  business  is  carried  on,  and  they  also  own  several 
large  farms  in  iiumboldt  cf)unty. 

The  Reinhart  brothers  who  first  established  ibis  extensive  mercantile 
business  in  Nevada  were  Benjamin  ixcinharl,  born  in  Bavaria.  Germany, 
and  came  to  .America  in  1S59:  Simon  Reinhart.  Sr..  who  came  shortly  after- 
ward; and  Eli,  who  came  in  1865.  lienjamin  laid  the  nucleus  of  the  mer- 
cantile enter]irise  in  Elko,  but  .soon  came  to  Winnemucca,  where  he  was 
joined  by  his  brothers,  and  they  carried  it  on  successfully  until  the  sons  of 
a  brother  who  lived  in  Germany  succeeded   to  the  business.     Simon  Rein- 


A  TIlSTOm'  OF  NEVADA.  601 

liart,  Sr.,  now  resides  in  San  I'^rancisco,  retired  from  active  life,  and  his 
brothers  have  passed  away-  Tlic  three  lirotliers  who  now  control  tlie  busi- 
ness and  compose  tlie  com])any  were  likewise  all  torn  in  Bavaria,  (jermany. 
Moses  came  to  Winnemncca  in  1876,  Edward  in  i87<S,  and  Simon,  Jr.,  in 
1887.  They  were  all  educale<l  in  the  (.)ld  country,  and  on  comint^'  to  this 
country  acquired  their  thoroui^h  business  training"  and  experience  under  the 
eyes  of  their  uncles,  so  that  they  \vd\c  been  entirely  qualified  to  carry  on  the 
great  concern  built  up  before  them.  The  two  older  brothers  ;uc  luarried. 
Edward  is  now  traveling  in  Euro])e  for  his  health.  Theirs  is  the  model 
business  of  the  state,  and  there  are  un  more  enterprising  and  reliable  men  in 
the  state  than  the  Reinh.art  brothers. 


THOMy\S  H.  DALTON.  Numbcref!  among  the  representative  busi- 
ness men  of  eastern  and  central  Nevada  is  Thomas  H.  Dalton,  a  citizen 
since  1863,  and  as  a  member  of  the  fn-m  of  Dalton  &  Clifford,  proprietors 
of  the  Red  House  drug  store,  tlie  only  drug  and  variety  store  in  the  county, 
and  as  the  treasurer  of  Lander  county,  he  is  Ijoth  widely  and  fa\-orably 
known.  He  is  a  nati\-e  of  Pennsylvania,  born  in  Sharpsburg  on  the  31st 
of  October,  1862,  and  is  a  son  of  W.  T.  Dalton,  who  crossed  the  plains  to 
the  Silver  state  in  1863.  The  latter  is  a  native  of  England,  was  married  in 
his  native  land,  and  in  1860  emigrated  to  the  United  States,  bringing  with 
him  his  young  bride.  Throughout  the  period  of  his  residence  here  Mr. 
W.  T.  Dalton  has  been  engaged  in  farming  and  stock-raising,  and  is  the 
owner  of  a  ranch  at  East  Gate,  Churchill  countv,  Nevada,  where  he  and  liis 
wife  reside.  He  has  been  a  life-long  Republican.  In  the  family  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  \\\  T.  Dalton  were  three  sons  and  a  daugliter,  of  wliom  Thomas  is  the 
eldest  in  order  of  birth,  the  others  lieing:  W.  E.,  who  is  engaged  in  the  Ixjot 
and  shoe  business  in  \\'adsworth :  V.  .\.,  residing  on  the  old  homestead: 
and  Mrs.  Luella  Butler,  a  widtnv. 

Thomas  H.  Dalton  is  indebteil  to  the  i)ublic  school  system  of  .\ustin 
for  the  educational  privileges  he  received  in  his  youth,  and  at  the  age  of 
fifteen  years  began  perfecting  hiniself  in  the  mercantile  business,  at  which 
he  worked  for  others  until  the  ist  of  February,  1888.  At  that  date  he 
formed  a  partnership  with  O.  J.  Clifford  and  opened  a  drug  and  variety 
store  in  Austin,  which  they  have  e\'er  since  successfully  conducted,  and  both 
are  business  men  of  the  highest  integrity  and  ability.  They  are  also  the 
owners  of  the  Reese  River  Reveille,  one  of  the  leading  newspapers  of  the 
state.  In  political  matters  Mr.  Dalton  was  for  many  years  identified  with 
Republican  principles,  and  on  its  ticket  was  elected  treasurer  of  Lander 
county  in  1890,  being  retained  in  the  office  at  each  succeeding  election  until 
he  is  now  serving  his  seventh  term.  During  the  silver  movement  he  took 
the  liimetal  side  of  the  question  and  did  all  in  his  power  for  the  remonetiza- 
tion  of  silver.  He  is  now  independent  in  his  political  views.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows, having  passed  the  chairs  in  b<ith  orders,  and  is  a  memlier  of  the  grand 
lodges  of  the  state. 

In   1884  Mr.  Dalton  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Clara  O'Donnell, 


6fi2  A  HISTORY  Ol-   XE\'ADA. 

a  native  daughter  of  California,  her  l)irtli  occurring  in  Nevada  City,  tliat 
state,  and  their  liome  lias  been  lirightened  and  blessed  by  the  liirth  of  one 
son.  \\'illiam  D.,  who  was  born  in  Austin.  The  family  reside  in  one  of 
Austin's  pleasant  homes. 


JOHN  McGRATH  is  one  of  the  most  prominent  merchants  of  \'ir- 
ginia  City,  where  he  is  engaged  in  clealing  in  groceries  and  provisions,  his 
establishment  having  both  a  wholesale  and  a  retail  department.  Honored 
and  respected  liy  all.  there  is  no  man  who  occupies  a  more  enviable  position 
in  commercial  circles  than  does  he,  not  alone  on  account  of  the  splendid 
success  he  has  achieved,  lint  also  b.ecanse  of  the  hon.orable.  straightforward 
policy  he  has  ever  followed. 

IMr.  McGrath  came  to  Xexada  in  1871,  at  which  time  lie  took  up  his 
alxKle  at  Gold  Hill..  He  is  a  native  of  the  .state  of  Penn.sylvania,  his  birth 
having  occurred  in  Dauphin  county  on  the  ist  of  November,  1856.  He  is 
of  Irish  descent,  and  is  a  son  of  Dennis  McGrath.  who  was  born  in  county 
Donegal,  Ireland,  whence  he  emigrated  to  the  new  world  in  early  manhood. 
He  established  his  home  in  Pennsylvania  and  began  business  life  in  the 
United  States  as  a  coal  miner.  \\'hile  in  Pennsylvania  he  was  united  in 
marrage  to  Miss  Jane  Byrne,  a  native  of  his  own  country.  In  the  year  1858 
he  went  to  California,  locating  in  Placer  county,  where  he  was  engaged  in 
mining  and  met  with  fair  success.  Being  pleased  with  the  state,  its  pros- 
pects and  his  own  business  opportunities,  he  sent  for  his  wife  and  son  the 
following  year,  and  Mrs.  McGrath  came  td  the  west  with  her  little  boy.  John, 
who  was  then  three  wears  of  age. 

Dennis  McGrath  continued  his  residence  in  California  until  1871.  in 
which  year  he  brought  his  family  to  Nevada,  settling  at  Gold  Hill.  There 
he  continued  mining  until  1874,  when  he  was  called  to  his  final  rest.  His 
good  wife  long  survived  him  and  died  in  1894.  at  the  age  of  se\enty-cight 
years.  Thev  were  both  de\()ted  members  of  the  Cathnlic  chuicli  and  en- 
joved  the  high  regard  of  many  friends. 

John  Mc(irath,  their  only  son,  w'as  a  student  in  the  public  schools  in 
his  early  boyhood,  but  when  still  very  young  began  to  ])rnvide  for  his  own 
supi)ort.  When  sixteen  years  of  age  he  became  connected  with  mercantile 
interests  as  a  clerk  in  the  store  of  V'.  Laniery.  where  he  remained  continu- 
ously for  ten  years,  or  until  1883,  being  jjromoted  from  time  to  time  and 
given  a  corresponding  increase  of  wages.  He  became  thoroughly  familiar 
with  the  business  in  every  department,  and  in  1883  ])urchased  the  store, 
which  was  then  conducted  as  a  retail  grocers'  and  pro\ision  establishment. 
Mr.  McGrath  continued  successfully  in  business  there  until  i8()7.  when  he 
formed  a  ])artnershi])  with  J.  1'.  Mallon  in  X'irginia  City,  and  they  continued 
in  business  together  until  kjoo,  when  Mr.  Mallon  died  and  Mr,  McGrath 
y)urchased  his  ])artner's  interest  from  tiie  heirs.  He  has  since  been  sole 
proi)rietor  of  the  store,  which  is  now  one  of  the  leading  commercial  enter- 
prises of  the  city.  He  continued  to  reside,  however,  at  Gold  Hill  nniil  ii)oi. 
when  be  removed  to  Virginia  City,  where  he  still  makes  his  home  In  hjoj 
he  closed  out  bis  business  in  (iold   I  fill  but  still  continues  his  establishment 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  663 

in  Virginiri  City,  and  his  entire  tinif  and  attention  are  devoted  to  tlic  man- 
agement of  his  mercantile  interests.  He  has  won  \ery  creditaljle  and  grati- 
fying success,  and  at  the  same  time  lias  e\er  maintained  a  reputation  for 
being  an  upright,  honorable  business  nvni,  whose  methods  ha\e  gained  for 
him  the  confidence  and  respect  of  the  business  world. 

In  1H85  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  bibn  McClrath  and  Miss  Maggie 
Kenealy,  a  natix'e  of  .\urora,  Nevada,  and  a  daughter  of  John  Kenealy,  one 
of  the  early  settlers  of  this  state.  They  now  ba\e  five  children,  all  born  at 
Gold  Hill,  namely:  May,  John,  Clarence,  M\rtle  and  Harold.  The  family 
are  highly  esteemed  memljers  of  the  Catholic  church,  and  occupy  a  tine  resi- 
dence at  the  corner  of  Taylor  and  F  streets  in  Virginia  City.  In  his  political 
views  Mr.  McGrath  has  always  been  a  Democrat,  and  fraternally  is  con- 
nected with  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks.  He  thoroughl_\- 
enjoys  home  life  and  takes  great  jjleasure  in  the  society  of  his  family  and 
friends.  He  is  always  courteous,  kindly  and  affaljle,  and  those  who  know 
him  personally  have  for  him  warm  regard. 

A  luan  of  great  natural  ability,  his  success  in  business,  from  the  be- 
ginning of  his  residence  in  Nevada  was  uniform  and  rapid.  As  h^s  been 
truly  remarked,  after  all  that  may  be  done  for  a  man  in  the  way  of  giving 
him  earlv  opi)ortunities  for  obtaining  the  requirements  which  are  sought 
in  the  schools  and  in  books,  be  must  essentially  formulate,  determine 
and  give  shape  to  his  own  character;  and  this  is  what  Mr.  McCJrath  has  done. 
He  has  persevered  in  the  i)ursuit  of  a  persistent  pur]:)ose  and  gained  the  most 
satisfactorv  reward.  His  life  is  exemplary  in  all  respects,  and  be  has  ever 
supported  those  interests  which  are  calculated  to  uplift  and  benefit  humanity, 
while  his  own  high  moral  worth  is  deserving  of  the  highest  commendation. 


WILLIAM  A.  BURNS,  a  prominent  resident  of  Virginia  City,  Nevada, 
has  lived  in  the  .state  for  the  past  twenty-nine  years.  He  is  a  native  of  Cali- 
fornia, having  Ijeen  born  in  Grass  Valley  in  1867,  and  is  of  Irish  ancestry. 
His  parents,  James  and  Mary  (Donahue)  Burns,  were  both  born  in  Ireland, 
but  emigrated  to  Grass  \'alley,  C'alifornia,  in  1849,  am!  James  Burns  worked 
in  the  various  mining  camps  in  that  ])art-of  the  state,  and  from  that  locality 
walked  to  .\ustin.  Nevada,  and  hack  to  (irass  Valley,  and  was  successful 
in  taking  out  gold.  In  1873  he  was  attracted  to  N'irginia  City,  and  located 
here  in  that  vear,  mining  in  the  different  mines.  V>y  trade  he  was  a  stone- 
mason and  bricklaver,  and  after  the  great  Inre  fouiul  plenty  of  em])loyment 
in  rebuilding  the  town.  His  death  occurred  I'ebruary  6.  i88j,  when  he  was 
fifty-three  years  of  age.  His  wife  survi\es  and  is  now  sixty-three  years  of 
age.  In  politics  he  was  a  Democrat,  while  he  and  nis  estimable  wife  early 
became  members  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church.  The  cbildi-en  born  t<i  theiu 
were  as  follows:  iMary,  Nellie,  Maggie,  Lizzie,  W'illir.m  .\.,  James.  Hannah, 
Kate,  Charles  and  John. 

William  A.  Burns  was  educated  in  the  public  schcols  of  Virginia  City, 
and  when  he  was  onlv  fourteen  vears  of  age  he  began  the  struggle  of  life  for 
himself,  engaging  first  in  the  wood  and  co:d  yards  of  the  mines  and  later  in 
the  mines  themselves,  thus  becoming  a  practical  mining  man,  and  later  an 


00 1  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

electrical  engineer  of  the  Belcher  mine  at  Gold  Hill.  He  is  an  active  niem- 
l)er  of  the  Miners'  Union,  of  which  he  has  served  four  terms  as  president, 
and  is  now  president  of  the  Storey  County  Lalx)r  Union  and  a  memher  of 
the  Mechanics"  Union.  Mr.  Burns  \vas  the  organizer  of  the  Western  Federa- 
tion of  Miners  of  Nevada  and  of  the  American  Lahor  Union.  In  politics  he 
is  a  Democrat,  and  stumped  the  state  in  IQ02  with  Congressman  Van  Duser. 
He  accomplished  much  good,  as  the  lahor  union  vote  returned  Mr.  Van 
Duser  to  Congress. 

Mr.  Burns  was  happily  married  in  i8g6  to  Miss  Myrtle  Kennedy,  a 
native  of  Michigan,  and  a  daughter  of  Andrew  Kennedy,  of  that  state. 
Four  children  have  come  to  them,  namely:  Marian  Ella.  Doris  Margaret, 
Edith  Kate  and  Rohert  James,  all  hnrn  in  \"irginia  City.  The  family  reside 
in  a  l)eautiful  home  in  Virginia  Cily.  and  all  are  highly  respected.  The 
influence  wielded  by  Mr.  Burns  among  his  fellow-workmen  is  very  powerful, 
and  his  counsel  is  sought  upon  all  matters  affecting  tlie  union,  for  he  is 
recognized  as  a  strong  factor  in  labor  organizations. 


A.  SPENCER.  The  industrial  life  which  adds  so  much  to  the  devel- 
o])ment,  progress  and  prosperity  of  any  community  finds  a  worthy  repre- 
sentative in  Reno  in  A.  Spencer,  the  president  of  the  Nevada  Planing  Mill 
Companv.  who  since  1876  has  resided  in  this  state.  He  was  born  in  Canada. 
Sejitember  9,  1858.  and  is  of  English  and  Dutch  ancestry,  who  were  early 
settlers  of  New  York.  A  granduncle  of  Mr.  Spencer  fought  in  the  war  of 
1812,  but  his  brother,  Mr.  Spencer's  grandfather,  was  a  Royalist,  believing 
in  the  right  of  England.  Accordingly  he  removed  to  Canada  and  there 
Edward  Spencer,  the  father  of  A.  Spencer,  was  born.  Having  arrived  at 
years  of  maturity,  he  wedded  Miss  Sarah  Gorssline,  a  native  of  Ontarii), 
and  in  the  earlv  sixties  he  removed  to  San  Francisco  and  subsequenlly  to 
Virginia  Citv,  Nevada.  In  the  last  named  place  he  entered  the  employ  of 
Wells.  I'argo  &  Company,  then  conducting  the  pony  express  between  Virginia 
City  and  Reno.  He  was  a  ])rominont  representative  of  the  ])ioneer  life  in 
Nevada  and  aided  in  laying  the  foundation  for  the  present  progress  and 
advancement  of  the  state.  His  death  occurred  in  Virginia  City  in  1887.  and 
his  widow  still  lives  there  in  the  sixty-fourth  year  of  her  age.  They  had 
two  sons.  Toll"  Spencer  being  a  conductor  on  a  railroad  in  Colorado. 

A.  Spencer  was  reared  to  manhood  in  Canada  and  attended  the  public 
schools  until  reaching  his  eighteenth  year,  when  he  became  a  resident  nf 
Virginia  City,  where  for  six  years  he  was  a  drug  clerk  in  a  store  <f\  W.  .\. 
Perkins.  He  then  entered  the  employ  of  the  Virginia  &  C.old  llill  Wi'.tcr 
Company  as  collector,  and  later  had  charge  of  the  office.  He  continued 
with  that  company  for  eighteen  years,  a  fact  which  is  indicative  (^f  his  capa- 
bility and  fidelity  to  duty.  au<l  during  that  jieriod  he  also  did  business  for 
the  Sierra  Nevada  Wood  &  Lumber  Company.  While  thus  long  and  act- 
ively connected  with  business  affairs  in  Virginia  City,  he  became  widely 
ac(|uainte(l  there  and  won  the  regard  and  fricndshi]<  of  its  re|)rcsentative 
citizens,  for  whom  he  still  cherishes  a  most  cordial  feeling.  In  Ajjril,  hjoj. 
in  connection  with    .\.   iMcncb.  he  established  the  Nevad.i    Planing   .Mill   at 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  665 

Reno.  The  company  has  built  a  good  plant  and  is  doing  a  flourishing  busi- 
ness, and  Mr.  Spencer  lias  a  well  equipped  office  on  Virginia  street  in  Reno, 
wliere  he  gives  his  undivided  attention  to  the  development  of  the  enterprise 
and  its  successful  control. 

In  1887  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Spencer  and  Miss  Sarah  A. 
Squier,  a  native  daughter  of  California.  They  have  a  nice  home  in  Reno, 
and  the  hospitality  of  the  best  residents  here  is  freely  accorded  them.  In 
politics  Mr.  Spencer  is  a  Republican,  and  fraternally  is  connected  with  the 
Masonic  order,  having  received  the  sublime  degree  of  a  Master  Mason  in 
Escurial  Lodge  No.  87  of  Virginia  City.  He  also  belongs  to  Virginia  City 
Chapter  No.  2,  R.  A.  M.,  and  DeWitt  Clinton  Commandery  No.  i,  K.  T. 
This  is  one  of  the  five  mounted  conimanderies  of  the  United  States.  Mr. 
Spencer  is  also  a  Shriner,  belonging  to  Islam  Temple  at  San  Francisco. 
His  business  career  has  ever  been  characterized  by  close  application,  a  thor- 
ough mastery  of  the  work  in  hand,  a  progressive  spirit  and  a  bright  outlook 
for  the  future  as  well  as  the  present,  and  these  qualities  have  made  him  a 
pnimincnt   re])resentati\'e  of   industrird    interests   in   Nex'ada. 


NEVADA  PLANINC^,  MILL  COMPANY.  The  Nevada  Planing 
Mill  Company,  at  Reno,  was  incorporated  on  the  12th  uf  Ajjril,  IQ02,  witli 
A.  Spencer  as  the  president  and  .\.  French  as  vice  president  ;nid  manager. 
The  former  is  an  experienced  business  man,  the  latter  an  experienced  mill 
man,  so  that  they  form  a  strong  combination,  Mr.  S])encer  superintending 
the  trade  interests,  while  Mr.  French  has  charge  of  the  operation  of  the  mill. 
They  also  ha\e  an  interest  in  a  sawmill  in  Plumas  county,  California,  and 
are  manufacturing  all  kinds  of  lumber  and  box  materials,  their  business 
having  grown  to  very  large  proportions,  so  that  it  taxes  the  ca])acity  of 
their  plant.  Both  of  the  jjartners  are  men  of  well  known  business  reliability 
and  enterprise,  and  have  succeeded  in  building  up  an  industry  which  is  a 
valued  addition  to  the  city's  industries,  furnishing  employment  to  a  large 
force  of  workmen  and  thus  keeping  considerable  money  in  circulation. 


HON.  CHARLES  A.  RICHARDS.  Numbered  among  Austin's  rep- 
resentative business  men  is  Hon.  Charles  A.  Richards,  who  is  engaged  in 
general  merchandising  and  the  ctmduct  of  a  meat  market.  His  residence  in 
this  commonwealth  dates  from  1867.  and  he  is  a  natixe  of  Pennsylvania 
born  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia  on  the  3th  of  October,  1845.  His  father, 
James  Richards,  was  a  native  of  Wales,  and  in  i860  made  the  journey  by 
way  of  the  isthmus  to  California.  He  was  a  butcher  by  trade,  and  in  1866 
he  came  to  Austin  and  o])ened  a  meat  market  on  Cedar  street.  He  was 
accidentally  shot,  and  died  in  1899,  in  Reno,  Nevada.  He  had  married 
Miss  Ann  Evans,  who  survived  him  and  reached  the  age-  of  ninety-four 
years,  passing  away  in  death  in  1902,  at  the  old  home  in  Pennsylvania.  In 
their  family  were  fourteen  children,  seven  sons  and  seven  daughters,  five 
of  whom  are  still  living. 

Charles  A.  Richards  spent  the  days  of  his  boyhood  and  youth  in  Schuyl- 


666  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

kill.  PennsvKania,  and  wlien  fnurteen  ^■ears  of  age  he  liegan  ihe  liattle  of 
life  on  his  own  accoimt.  In  up]iei"  Austin,  adjoining  the  store  of  General 
J.  R.  Williams,  he  engaged  in  hnsiness  in  1869,  and  since  his  residence  here 
he  has  made  four  trips  to  the  east  to  visit  his  aged  mother.  In  political 
matters  he  has  heen  a  life-long  Repulilican,  but  \vas  active  in  the  movement 
to  remonetize  silver,  and  in  1890  was  elected  a  member  of  the  state  assembly, 
to  which  position  he  was  re-electfed  in  1892.  In  1894  he  was  made  a 
member  of  the  senate,  ser\-ing  as  such  during  a  four-vear  term  with  credit 
to  himself  and  to  his  constituents. 

In  1875  Mr.  Richards  was  united  m  marriage  to  Miss  Letitia  Brown, 
who  was  born  in  the  cit_\'  of  London  hut  was  reared  in  Austin,  Nevada. 
Two  children  have  blessed  their  home,  the  elder  of  wlmm,  Charles  L.,  a 
native  son  of  Austin,  is  a  graduate  of  the  law  department  of  Stanford  Uni- 
versity and  is  now  serving  as  district  attorney  of  Nye  county,  Nevada.-  The 
daughter,  M.  Letitia,  is  a  graduate  of  Mills  Seminary,  and  is  now  in  Oak- 
land, California.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Richards  reside  in  one  of  .Xustin's  ])leasant 
homes,  and  she  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  church.  Mr.  Richards  affiliates 
with  the  Knights  of  Pythias  fraternity,  and  in  his  business  relations  it  may 
be  truthfidly  stated  that  he  is  "sixteen  ounces  to  the  pound  and  one  hundred 
cents  on  the  dollar,"  and  has  a  wide  and  favorable  acquaintance  thriugliout 
this  ])ortion  of  the  state,  both  in  business  and  pc^litical  circles. 


HON.  JAMES  RUSSELL,  a  well  known  resident  of  Elko,  Nevada. 
has  the  honor  of  being  a  California  jiioneer  of  1851  and  a  Ne\'ada  pioneer 
of  1859.  He  is  a  native,  however,  of  Irelanfl,  where  his  birth  occurred,  in 
Bangor,  in  1836,  ruid  his  early  educationrd  training  was  received  in  his 
native  place.  When  fourteen  years  of  age  he  went  to  sea,  sailing  before  the 
mast  for  seven  vears,  during  which  time  he  visited  all  the  ])rincipal  seaports 
of  the  world  and  became  an  expert  seaman,  baxing  been  ser\ing  as  first  mate 
at  the  close  of  his  work  cm  the  sea.  In  1S50  he  sailed  arimnd  the  Horn  to 
California,  landing  at  .San  hrancisco  in  January  of  the  fnllowing  \car,  after 
which  he  engaged  in  ]ilacer  mining  near  .\uburn  and  kuck  Creek',  and  in 
this  \-enture  met  with  moderate  success.  In  1855  Mr.  Russell  went  to 
.Australia  and  resumed  his  mining  operations,  remaining  there  for  eighteen 
months,  on  the  expiration  ni  which  period  he  retnrnei!  tu  p'orest  llill,  Cali- 
fornia. There  he  remained  until  the  inauguration  of  the  Civil  war,  when 
he  enlisted  in  Comi)any  B,  l'"ourth  California  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  was 
engaged  in  (|uelling  the  Indian  u])ris)ngs  in  Arizona,  being  also  stationed  for 
a  time  at  The  Dalies,  Oregon.  DmHng  his  services  he  was  ])romoted  to  the 
position  of  corporal,  but  declined  the  honor. 

After  the  close  of  lioslilities  Mr.  Russell  recei\ed  an  honorable  dis- 
charge at  l""ort  Drum  and  (hen  joineil  his  brother  (ieorge  at  Cortez,  where 
they  were  enga^ged  in  mining  and  learning.  In  ihc  fulldwing  S|)ring  he 
made  his  way  to  Montana  and  was  the  disccneri'i-  nf  tlie  mines  ,il  ll(i])e 
(iulch.  and  while  there  took  out  considerable  .gold.  During  the  fulldwing 
winter  he  was  stationed  on  the  Mussel  Shell,  where  he  was  engaged  m  limit- 
ing  and    trajiping,   having  killed   many    deer  and    lra))])ed    bear   and    liea\er. 


^^.^^^'f^i^e^  r^iL^^iA^jp^^^^ 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  607 

This  was  the  winter  oi  1865-6.  .mkI  fmm  tliere  he  returned  to  Cnrtez  and 
opened  a  store,  and  his  brotlier  had  a  stage  line  from  Cortez  to  Austin,  a 
(Ustance  of  sixty  miles.  When  the  White  Pine  excitement  occurred  Cortez 
was  almcjst  deserted,  and  Mr.  Russell  sold  his  possessions  there  and  removed 
to  Mineral  Hill,  where  he  continued  his  prospecting'  and  mining  operations 
for  a  time.  The  year  1876  witnessed  his  arrival  in  Elko,  and  in  this  cnunly 
he  purchased  one  liundred  and  sixty  acres  of  his  ])resent  home  farm,  hut  as 
the  years  liave  since  gone  by  he  has  added  to  his  property  until  he  is  now  the 
owner  of  si.x  hundred  acres,  on  which  he  has  a  pleasant  and  commodious 
residence  and  all  necessary  farm  buildings.  His  homestead  is  located  one- 
half  of  a  mile  west  of  Elko.  He  is  also  the  owner  of.  tlie  yards  in  which 
the  cattle  from  the  mountains  are  fed  before- being  ship])ed  to  the  different 
markets,  and  for  a  numljer  of  years  he  was  successfully  engaged  in  rlairving, 
supplying"  the  citizens  of  Elko  with  fresh  milk,  keeping  as  high  as  sixty  head 
n{  cows  of  the  Durham  and  Hereford  breed 

Tlie  marriage  of  Mr.  Russell  was  celebrated  in  i86(j.  when  Miss  Mary 
Teresa  Ward  became  his  wife.  She  is  a  native  daughter  of  the  state  of 
New  York,  but  had  resided  in  California  froni  an  earlv  date.  The  children 
born  of  this  union  are  as  follows:  Mamie,  at  home;  Robert  James,  who  is 
engaged  in  buying  and  shipping  cattle;  Ella,  at  home;  William,  who  is  as- 
sisting his  father;  and  George,  a  printer  in  Elko.  The  last  named  served 
in  the  Spanish-. \merican  war.  and  during  his  term  of  service  nearly  lost  his 
life  by  sickness  while  stationed  in  Florida.  After  the  close  of  the  struggle 
he  returned  home  and  began  the  iniblication  of  the  East  Golconda  Nnvs, 
and  later  served  as  a  guard  in  the  state  penitentiary. 

In  his  political  aftiliations  Mr.  Russel!  has  been  a  life-long  Republican, 
and  in  1895  ^^'^^  elected  to  represent  bis  county  in  the  Nevada  assembly. 
Fraternally  he  is  a  memebr  of  the  Masonic  order,  having  received  the  sublime 
degree  of  a  Master  Mason  in  Hill  Hall  Lodge,  county  Down,  Ireland.  .\ 
few  years  ago  he  made  the  return  \-oyage  to  Ireland,  where  he  visited  rela- 
tives and  the  home  of  his  childhood.  He  is  now  an  active  member  of  Elko 
Lodge,  A.  F.  &  A.  M.  Mrs.  Russell  is  a  member  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
church,  and  Mr.  Russell  was  reared  in  the  Preslnterian  faith. 


ATWELL  F.  TROUSDALE,  one  of  the  representative  ranchmen  and 
farmers  of  Humboldt  county,  near  the  town  of  Winnemucca,  has  been  a 
resident  of  the  state  ever  since  1865,  when,  at  the  age  of  eleven  years,  he 
arrived  in  company  with  his  parents  and  the  other  children.  He  was  born 
in  White  county,  Illinois,  Augu.st  30,  1854,  and  is  a  descendant  of  Scotch 
ancestors  who  settled  in  the  state  of  Tennessee.  William  .\lexander  Trous- 
dale, his  father,  was  born  in  Madison  county,  Illinois,  July  20,  1832,  was 
educated  in  his  native  state,  and  was  married  to  Miss  Eliza  Latimer,  who 
was  born  in  White  county,  Illinois,  in  1829.  In  1865  they  crossed  the  plains 
to  Nevada,  .\twell  being  the  eldest  of  the  children,  and  the  others  were: 
Sarah,  now  Mrs.  O'Neal,  of  San  Jose,  California;  Charles  H.,  a  resident  of 
Everett,  W'asbington;  Eugene  W^.  in  Reno,  Nevada;  Lora,  now  the  wife  of 
Mr.  Jefifers  of  Seattle,  W^ashington;  and  W^illiam  Arthur,  of  Tacoma,  Wash- 


6(;.S  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

ington,  tlie  latter  hurn  after  their  arriwil  in  Nevada.  The  family  located, 
after  their  long  journey,  in  Paradise  Volley,  Humholdt  county,  where  the 
father  took  up  a  farm  and  was  engaged  in  tilling  it  until  1873,  when  he  re- 
turned to  Illinois  for  a  short  time.  On  his  return  he  continued  ranching 
and  stock-raising,  and  died  on  Jidy  4.  1882.  in  San  Jose,  California,  at  the 
age  of  fifty  years.  He  was  a  member  and  a  minister  of  the  Presbyterian 
church,  and  occasionally  preached,  although  he  was  not  in  the  regular  min- 
istry. His  wife,  who  was  also  of  the  same  faith,  died  in  1873,  in  Para- 
dise Valley. 

Atwell  F.  Trousdale  was  reared  and  educated  in  Humhnklt  county,  but 
from  1873  to  1875,  he  attended  school  in  Illinois,  during  the  residence  of 
his  father  there.  His  first  regular  wages  were  earned  as  a  f;u-m  hand,  but 
a  little  later,  in  connection  with  his  father,  he  Ixiught  a  ranch  three  miles 
west  of  Winnemucca.  He  later  became  sole  owner  of  this  handsome  prop- 
erty of  six  hundred  and  forty  acres,  and  increased  it  to  eight  hundred  and 
fifty-five  acres,  its  present  size.  He  raises  great  quantities  of  hay  on  this 
productive  soil,  and  feeds  it  to  his  high-grade  Hereford  and  Durham  cattle, 
of  which  he  sometimes  has  as  many  as  three  hundred  and  fifty  head.  He 
also  raises  some  Nc^rman  Perch.eron  draft  horses,  and  all  in  all  has  been  one 
of  the  most  successful  men  in  his  line  in  this  part  of  the  countv. 

Mr.  Trousdale  is  affiliated  with  the  Democratic  party,  and  has  served 
Huml)oldt  county  as  county  commissioner  for  ten  years  altogether,  two  terms 
of  four  years  and  one  of  two,  during  which  his  great  pulilic  spirit  was  dis- 
played in  the  many  ways  by  wdiich  he  undertook  to  build  uji  the  county's 
interests  and  give  it  stable  improvements.  He  has  filled  all  the  chairs  in 
the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  and  in  fraternal  and  religious  work 
has  ex'inced  his  kindness  of  heart  ami  willingness  to  help  others. 

March  4,  1877,  ^^^'-  Trousdale  married  Miss  Ella  G.  Dickinson,  a  native 
of  Illinois,  and  they  have  three  children:  Pearl  E.,  the  wife  of  Henry  .\. 
Gilbert,  of  Winnemucca;  and  Roy  E.  and  Glenn  A.,  at  home.  They  have 
one  of  the  many  commodious  and  pleasant  residences  of  Winnemucca,  and 
are  genial  and  hap])y  peo])le  in  society,  much  esteemed  b_v  their  many  friends. 


EDWARD  WILLIAMS.  As  a  meml)cr  of  the  firm  <il  Williams  &• 
Son,  of  Austin,  Nevada,  blacksmiths  and  carriage-makers,  Edward  Williams 
has  conducted  a  successful  business  in  this  town  for  the  ]iast  twenty-eight 
years.  He  is  a  native  of  England,  born  on  the  3tli  of  March,  1850.  and 
when  twenty  years  of  age,  in  1S70,  came  to  the  United  States,  while  five 
years  later,  in  September,  1875,  he  arrived  in  Nevada,  here  s])ending  the 
liest  part  of  his  business  career.  I'j-c  leaving  his  nati\e  Land  he  liad  m.irricd 
Miss  Emma  Ferstbrook,  also  a  native  of  England,  and  after  arriving  in  the 
United  States  they  located  first  in  PcnnsyKania,  where  for  [\\c  years  Mr. 
Williams  worked  at  bis  trade.  He  then  came  by  rail  and  stage  to  Austin, 
Nevada,  where  he  first  workerl  for  wages,  receiving  from  fi\e  to  six  dollars 
a  day  in  compensation  for  his  services.  In  1884  he  opened  his  own  slto]), 
and  since  that  time  has  done  the  greater  part  of  the  business  in  his  line  in 
the  town,  giving  general  satisfaction  to  bis  many  patrons. 


A   IIISTom'  (  )!■■   XI'A'ADA.  669 

Five  cliildren  were  born  to  Mess  Uie  uninn  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Williams, 
of  whom  two  are  li\'ing,  the  elder  being  W.  J.  Williams,  who  was  Iml  two 
and  a  half  years  of  age  when  brought  tn  Austin,  and  is  now  his  father's 
]iartner  in  business.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  this  city, 
and  learned  his  trade  in  his  father's  sliop,  having  ne\er  worl<ed  for  wages. 
As  a  business  man  he  is  a  credit  to  the  city  in  which  be  was  reared  and 
educated.  He  was  married  in  .April.  1900,  to  Miss  May  Caroline  TJradley, 
wlio  was  1)orn  in  San  Francisco,  California,  and  the)'  ha\e  one  daughter, 
Emma  Lucille.  Ivlward  A.,  the  second  son  of  Mr,  arid  Mrs.  Williams,  was 
born  in  .\ustin.  and  is  udw  with  the  Reno  Mercantile  Company.  He  mar- 
ried Miss  Jenetli  J'ierce,  a  natix-e  of  Virginia  City.  Nevada. 

In  his  i)olitical  afifiliations  Mr.  Williams  has  been  a  life-long  Repubhcan 
and  although  never  desiring  office  has  rendered  his  jiarty  much  good  service. 
I'^raternallv  he  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and 
was  made  a  Mason  in  Lander  Lodge  No.  8,  in  1883,  ha\'ing  since  been  one 
of  its  worthy  and  useful  members,  well  jK)Sted  in  the  tenets  of  the  f)rder, 
and  is  e.Kemplifying  its  noble  ijrincijiles  in  his  cvery-day  life.  He  is  also  a 
member  of  .\ustin  Chajiter  No.  _^,  K.  .\.  M..  and  of  .Austin  Lodge  of  the 
Odd  I'"ellows.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  W'illiams  and  their  family  are  l"4jisco])alians 
in  their  religious  faith,  and  they  have  one  of  the  jileasant  homes  in  Austin. 


HARRY  M.  MARTIN.  On  the  roll  of  the  leading  business  men  in 
Reno  appears  the  name  of  Harry  M.  Martin."  whose  identification  with  busi- 
ness affairs  here  has  been  of  benefit  to  the  city  as  well  as  a  source  of  revenue 
to  himself.  Born  in  Nevada,  he  claims  Empire  as  the  place  of  his  birth, 
where  on  the  17th  of  I'ebruary,  1874,  he  first  opened  his  eyes  to  the  light 
of  day. 

His  father,  Hon.  W^  O.  H.  Martin,  was  one  of  Nevada's  most  dis- 
tinguished citizens  and  representative  business  men.  For  thirty-two  years 
be  resided  in  this  state,  following  merchandising  an.d  banking,  and  at  the 
time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the  14th  of  Sejitember,  1901,  he  was 
the  president  of  the  W^ashoe  County  Bank.  In  1877  '^^  l^^'l  represented 
Ormsby  county  in  the  state  senate  and  bad  proved  an  able  member  of  the 
upper  house.  gi\ing  to  each  question  which  came  up  for  settlement  his 
earnest  and  thoughtful  consideration.  For  ;i  number  of  years  he  was  the 
owner  {)f  the  enterprise  conducted  under  the  name  of  the  Reno  Mercantile 
Company.  He  made  of  it  one  of  the  prominent  mercantile  enterprises  of 
the  state,  developing  it  through  iionorable  methods  and  along  progressive 
lines.  During  his  presidency  of  the  liank  that  institution  also  enjoyed  great 
growth  and  prosperity.  He  succeeded  in  all  of  bis  undertakings :  every  en- 
terprise which  enjoyed  his  co-operation  and  assistance  was  profited  thereby. 
His  name  was  a  synonym  for  integrity,  straightforward  dealing  in  both 
commercial  and  financial  circles,  and  over  the  record  of  his  entire  career 
there  falls  no  shadow  of  wrong  or  suspicion  of  evil.  He  left  to  his  family 
the  priceless  heritage  of  an  untarnished  name.  In  manner  and  disposition 
he  was  modest  and  unassuming,  seeking  no  public  notoriety,  but  his  fellow- 
townsmen  agree  in  pronouncing  upon  him  high  encomiums.     His  word  was 


670  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

as  good  as  any  lx)iul  l!iat  was  ever  solemnized  1)y  signature  and  seal,  and 
liis  devotion  to  the  general  good  as  well  as  to  individual  business  interests 
stands  as  an  unquestioned  fact  in  his  career.  Early  in  the  year  1873  he  had 
married,  and  he  left  a  widow  and  seven  children.  The  family  has  one  of 
the  Ijeautiful  homes  of  Reno,  and  the  circle  of  his  friends  is  very  e.xtensive. 
Harry  IM.  Martin  was  educated  in  Nevada  and  in  San  Francisco,  and 
when  he  had  prepared  for  a  business  career  by  thorough  mental  training  he 
became  a  stockholder  and  director  in  the  Reno  Mercantile  Company,  doing 
business  along  both  wholesale  and  retail  lines.  The  company  handles  large 
quantities  of  heavy  and  shelf  hardware,  all  kinds  of  building  materials  and 
groceries.  Mr.  Martin  is  likewise  a  stockholder  and  director  in  the  Washoe 
County  Bank.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican  and  is  now  serving  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  citv  council  of  Reno. 


COLONEL  JAMES  H.  KINKEAD.  In  the  year  in  which  the  ter- 
ritorial organization  of  Nevada  was  efifected.  1861,  Colonel  James  Henry 
Kinkead  become  one  of  its  citizens,  casting  in  his  lot  with  the  pioneer  settlers 
who  ha\e  aided  in  reclaiming  the  wild  region  for  the  purposes  of  civilization 
;nid  who  have  laid  broad  and  deep  the  foundation  for  its  present  prosperity 
and  its  future  advancement.  Few  men  are  better  informed  concerning  the 
mining  interests  of  Nex'ada.  for  Colonel  Kinkead  has  been  very  active  along 
this  line  of  business  activity.  He  belongs  to  that  class  of  representative 
American  citizens  who,  while  promoting  their  individual  success,  have  also 
contributed  to  the  general  welfare  in  large  measure. 

A  native  of  the  state  of  Ohio,  the  Colonel  was  born  in  Lancaster  on  the 
20th  of  March.  1843.  '^"f'  '^  "^  Scotch  and  German  lineage.  His  paternal 
grandfather.  William  Kinkead,  was  born  in  Scotland,  and  when  a  young 
man  sought  a  home  in  the  new  world,  establishing  his  residence  in  Pennsyl- 
vania. He  was  there  married  and  became  a  contractor  and  builder,  making 
a  specialty  of  the  construction  of  bridges,  and  nearly  all  of  the  Ijridgcs  on 
the  government  national  ])ike  were  built  by  him. 

His  son,  William  Kinkead,  Jr.,  the  father  of  Colonel  Kinkead,  was 
born  in  Pennsylvania,  and  after  arriving  at  years  of  maturity  wedded  Miss 
Catherine  P>arrack,  who  was  born  in  Maryland  and  was  of  (lerman  ancestry 
Mr.  William  Kinkead  was  an  active  factor  in  the  building  of  the  national 
pike  through  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio,  and  established  his  home  in  Lancaster 
of  the  latter  state,  where  he  reared  his  family  and  s]jent  his  remaining  days. 
He  always  carried  on  contracting  and  building,  conducting  a  business  of  con- 
siflerable  volume  and  importance,  lloth  he  and  his  wife  were  consistent 
members  of  the  Methodist  church,  and  in  his  political  views  he  was  a  Whig, 
acting  for  many  years  as  one  of  the  trustees  of  Lancaster,  Ohio.  His  co- 
operation in  movements  for  the  general  good  was  widely  felt  and  proved  a 
])(>tent  force  in  the  (leveloi)ment  and  progress  of  his  community.  His  deatii 
ficcurred  in  the  year  i85(').  when  he  had  attained  the  age  of  fifty-seven  years. 
His  good  wife  survived  him  and  reached  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-two 
years.  In  1871  she  had  removed  to  Carson  City,  Nevada,  where  the  evening 
of  her  life  was  spent,  and  in  the  cemetery  at  that  place  her  remains  were 


„^. 


% 


U^^^J^^^^. 


A    IIISr()m'  Ol'    Nl'AADA.  671 

inlLTifd.  1(1  lliis  worth}-  cijujilc  weru  Imni  six  chiklrcii,  lour  of  whom  ;irc 
still    li\iiij;. 

( 'olonei  Kinkead  was  educated  in  the  |H'1)lic  selioi.ils  of  l,ancaster,  (Jliio. 
and  in  Kenx'on  College,  at  (ianiliier.  that  sta.te.  lie  also  pursued  a  business 
course  in  Duff's  Commercial  L'ollege,  and  when  hut  eighteen  years  of  age 
came  to  \e\-ada  in  order  to  try  his  fortune  in  the  west  with  its  Iiroader  op- 
])ortunities.  The  journey  was  made  liy  the  water  route,  and  he  spent  a 
short  time  in  Marysville.  California,  acting  as  bookeeper  and  accountant. 
On  the  expiration  of  that  period,  however,  he  came  to  the  territoiy  of  Ne- 
vada, arriving  in  the  year  1861.  He  was  first  engaged  in  merchandising  in 
the  city  of  Washoe  in  Washoe  county,  where  he  remained  in  business  for 
a  numl^er  of  vears.  securing  a  liberal  ])atronag"e  and  meeting  with  gratifying 
success.  Later,  however,  he  sold  out  and  turned  liis  attention  to  the  dis- 
■  charge  of  official  duties.  He  was  appointed  deputy  sherifif  of  Washoe  county, 
filling  that  office  in  an  acceptable  manner  for  eight  years,  after  wliich  he 
returned  again  to  private  life.  He  then  liecame  interested  in  mining,  which 
he  followed  at  Pyramid  lake,  pro.specting  in  both  the  silver  and  co])])er  dis- 
tricts. For  about  eight  years  he  was  the  owner  of  mines  there.  The  year 
1885  witnessed  his  arrival  in  Virginia  City,  and  for  several  years  he  was 
the  su])erinten(lent  of  the  Best  and  Belcher  mines,  also  the  Utah.  Occidental 
and  Kentuck.  Later  he  invented  a  mill  known  as  the  Kinkead  ]M'ocess  for 
^vorking■  low-grade  ores  at  a  profit.  This  proved  a  success,  and  mills  of  this 
character  have  been  in  operation  for  the  past  se\'en  years.  The  Colonel  now 
owns  the  Kinkead  Mill  at  Virginia  City,  which  he  is  operating  night  and 
day.  It  extracts  \-alues  at  about  one-third  the  cost  of  other  methods,  and 
ore  yielding  from  two  and  a  half  to  three  dollars  per  ton  can  Ije  worked  b}- 
this  jjrocess  at  a  profit.  He  is  now  working  large  cjuantities  of  low-grade  ore 
from  which  good  \-alues  can  ])e  obtained,  because  of  the  method  which  Mr. 
Kinkead  has  introduced  and  also  because  of  the  fact  that  the  material  is 
taken  from  the  top  of  the  ground  without  the  expense  of  mining.  Colonel 
Kinkead  has  patented  his  mills,  which  are  manufactured  by  a  San  Fran- 
cisco company  and  are  on  sale  and  in  generaj  use  throughout  the  mining 
states  of  this  country  and  also  in  Mexico  and  Africa. 

In  March,  1864,  Colonel  Kinkead  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary 
Jane  Allender,  a  native  of  Iowa,  and  they  have  four  children,  all  of  wdiom 
were  born  in  Ne\'a(la.  namely :  Catherine,  who  became  the  wife  of  E.  C. 
Davis  and  is  now  a  widow  residing  in  San  h'rancisco ;  Allan,  who  is  in  South 
Africa,  where  he  is  acting  as  manager  of  the  ,\nge!o.  a  deep  gold  mine  of 
that  C(juntry :  Minerva,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  Hon.  Frank  L.  \\'ik!es,  deputy 
state  treasurer  of  Nevada:  and  H.  J.,  who  is  oijcrating  a  mill  at  Tonopah. 
Both  the  Colonel  and  Mrs.  Kinkead  are  members  of  the  Episco])al  church, 
and  are  people  of  the  hi.ghest  respectability,  enjoying  the  warm  regard  of 
many   friends. 

Colonel  Kinkead  was  for  many  years  a  stalwart  Republican,  but  since 
that  party  has  declared  against  bimetallism  he  has  \-oted  independently  of 
political  ties.  A  \alued  member  of  tlie  Masonic  fraternity,  he  holds  mem- 
ijership  in  the  blue  lodge  and  chapter  and  in  the  former  is  a  past  master.     He 


672  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

is  now  jiulge  advocate  general  on  the  staff  of  Governor  Sparks  with  tiie  rank 
of  colonel. 

His  invention  is  highly  commentled  anil  is  proving  of  \-alue  to  all  owners 
of  mines  producing  knv-grade  ore.  He  has  keen  insiglit  into  business  affairs, 
marked  capacity  and  enterprise,  and  his  vvell  directed  lalxirs  have  resulted  in 
bringing  to  him  a  handsome  competence.  Coming'  to  the  west  in  his  early 
manhootl,  he  has  witnessed  almost  the  entire  development  of  this  state,  and 
his  efforts  have  been  helpful  in  its  work  of  improvement  and  upbuilding  as 
the  years  have  gone  by. 


!•".  C.  ROBINS,  at  present  a  prominent  merchant  of  Winnemucca,  but 
for  a  number  of  years  publisher  of  one  of  the  influential  newspapers  of  this 
part  of  the  state  and  also  engaged  in  an  official  capacity  in  service  to  the 
people,  has  been  a  resident  of  the  state  of  Nevada  since  the  fall  of  1870.  His 
ancestry  on  the  paternal  side  is  Scotch-Irish  and  on  the  maternal  side  is 
German.  l)oth  liranches  having  settled  in  Peims\'l\ania  at  an  earlv  day. 

John  and  Caroline  S.  (Drinkle)  Robins,  the  parents  of  F.  C.  Robins, 
were  iMith  born  in  Pennsylvania,  but  in  1856  removetl  to  Ohio  and  ■settled 
in  Seneca,  Tififin  county,  where  they  lived  till  1868,  when  they  came  to  the 
Sweet  Water  country  in  Wyoming.  Mr.  John  Robins  was  engaged  in  min- 
ing there  until  driven  nut  by  the  Indians,  and  then  the  family  came  or.  to 
Nevada.  Here  be  became  publisher  of  the  Humboldt  Register,  which  was 
one  of  the  leading  Rep-ublican  papers  of  the  state,  and  he  was  likewise  among 
the  ])ioneers  of  journalism  in  Nevada.  He  was  a  resident  of  Winnemucca 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1899,  when  he  was  sixty-seven  years  of 
age;  his  wife  had  died  in  188.^,  at  the  age  of  fifty-two.  They  were  the  par- 
ents of  seven  children,  but  only  two  are  living,  James  H.,  of  Reno,  Nevada, 
and  F.  C.  Robins. 

Mr.  F.  C.  Robins  was  born  in  Puttsville,  Pennsylvania,  April  17,  1852, 
but  spent  most  of  his  youthful  days  in  Ohio,  where  he  was  educated  and 
learned  the  printer's  trade.  After  coming  to  Nevada  in  1870  he  was  the 
publisher  of  the  Humboldt  Register  for  a  few  years,  was  postmaster  at  Win- 
nemucca for  sixteen  years,  under  the  adnnnistrations  of  Grant,  Hayes,  Gar- 
field and  Cleveland.  He  afterward  ga\'e  up  his  newspaper  work  to  engage 
in  merchandising,  and  his  industry  and  good  judgment  in  tliis  line  have 
paid  him  well,  and  he  has  a  good  liusiness.  He  carries  a  large  stock  of  gen- 
eral merchandise,  which  occupies  his  brick  block,  fifty  by  eiglity  feet,  in 
the  central  ])art  of  the  business  district,  and  he  has  a  good  patronage  in  the 
town  and  surrounding  country.  He  is  also  the  owner  of  several  other  busi- 
ness buildings  of  Winnemucca.  and  in  additinn  to  these  interests  has  some 
valual)lc  mining  properties. 

Mr.  i-Jobins  upholds  the  doctrines  of  the  Republican  parl\-,  and  has 
taken  some  part  in  practical  ])olitics.  He  is  an  esteemed  member  of  Winne- 
mucca Lodge  No.  19.  F.  &  A.  M.,  in  which  he  has  filled  several  offices,  and 
is  also  a  member  of  the  Eastern  Star.  On  May  !''>,  1880,  Mr.  K'obins  mar- 
ried Susan  P>.  Wilkinson,  a  native  of  Vernon,  lndian;i.  Thcv  were  the 
parents  of  nine  children,  of  whom  six  are  living:     C.  E.  Robins    justice  of 


A  HISTORY  OJ<    NICVADA.  (173 

the  peace  in  W'imieiiiucca ;  \c'iii(iii,  l.iuia  1!.,  Hazel,  Laura  I),  and  ( irace. 
The  Kohiiis  liomestcad  is  uiic  of  ihe  nicest  residences  in  the  town.  Mr. 
Robins  lias  surrounded  it  witli  shade  and  fruit  trees  and  llowers,  all  of  iiis 
own  planting,  and  lias  made  a  most  delightful  home  for  his  family.  June 
21,  1898,  the  family  were  bereaved  by  the  death  of  Mrs.  Robins,  whose  kind 
and  lox'ing  disposition  and  amiable  character  are  still  in  the  hearts,  thoughts 
and  memories  of  those  left  behind.  She  was  past  worthy  matron  of  Sih'er 
State  Chapter  No.  6,  Eastern  Star,  and  was  a  po])ular  and  much  respected 
lady  throughout  the  county. 


MICHAEL  J.  MCRl'in-,  The  .subject  of  this  sketch  was  deputy 
.slierifT  of  Lander  county  for  three  years  jirior  to  1903.  At  the  general  elec- 
tion of  1902  he  was  elected  the  sheriff  of  the  county  against  one  of  the 
most  popular  men  in  the  county  and  has  filled  the  office  with  marked  ability 
and  full  satisfaction  to  bis  constituency.  He  is  well  known  throughout  the 
state  in  various  capacities.  He  first  developed  his  ability  as  a  peace  officer 
in  his  capacity  as  cowboy  on  ranches  on  the  Humboldt  rixer,  where  he  be- 
came an  accomplished  horseman,  rider,  roper  and  camper,  and  where  he 
had  the  most  alnnidant  oiiportunity  to  study  the  traits  and  character  of  all 
kinds  of  men  from  almost  e\ery  country,  and  where  he  became  largely  ac- 
quainted with  the  most  appro\'ed  metliods  of  moving  cjuickly  and  adapting 
himself  to  conditions  that  surround  one  often  in  the  western  states. 

Mr.  Murphy  is  the  son  of  Michael  Murphy,  deceased,  of  .Sacramento, 
California,  and  of  Mary  (Sullivan)  Murphy,  both  parents  having  been  born 
in  county  Cork,  Ireland,  whence  they  emigrated  to  Kentucky,  and  after- 
ward meeting  in  Sacramento  were  married  there.  Grandfather  John  Murphy 
and  his  family  had  also  emigrated  to  Kentucky,  and  in  1853,  in  company 
with  the  late  George  ^\^  Crum,  of  Battle  Mr)untain,  from  Cincinnati,  Ohio, 
crossed  the  plains  to  California,  bringing  their  Kentuckv  horses 

Michael  sold  his  first  team  to  Leland  Stanford  and  engaged  in  farming 
and  stock-raising  near  Sacramento.  Grandfather  Mnrphv  was  one  of  the 
owners  of  the  old  half-mile  race  course  at  San  Francisco,  which  is  still  re- 
called 'by  the  old  pioneers.  Sheriff  Murphy's  father  died  in  Sacramento 
at  the  age  of  fifty-eight,  and  his  motlier  ;it  the  age  of  forty-lwo  in  San  Fran- 
cisco. 

Sheriff  Murph}'  was  born  at  Lexington,  Kentucky,  \ugn4  1.  1870, 
and  at  the  age  of  two  years  came  to  California  by  wagon,  this  being  his 
father's  third  trip  to  Kentucky.  He  recei\-ed  his  education  at  Santa  Clara 
College.  After  his  education  was  completed,  he  for  a  while  kept  books  for 
an  uncle,  John  W.  IMurphy,  who  kept  a  livery  stable  in  San  Francisco;  then 
came  to  Nevada  and  for  several  years  was  in  the  employ  of  R.  Farrell,  super- 
intendent of  the  Dunphy  estate,  as  foreman. 

On  .\ugu.st  15,  1901,  Mr.  Murphy  was  married  to  Miss  Kathrine 
Laugblin,  at  the  residence  of  her  mother  in  Austin,  in  the  presence  of  a 
large  circle  of  friends.  The  bride  was  and  is  one  of  the  most  popular  ladies 
in  Austin,  having  resided  here  from  her  infancy,  being  a  native  of  the  state 
of  New  ^'ork.     She  is  an  excellent  nnisician,   taught  in  the  public   schools 


674  A   HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

of  Lander  with  marked  aliilitx'.  a  standi  lrien<l,  an  excellent  n.eigiilRH".  and 
a  natural  born  and  educated  leader  in  all  work  with  which  she  becomes  in- 
terested, and  is  kind  and  eliarital)le  to  a  t'anlt. 

Tlie  sheriff  is  a  life-long  Democrat,  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Order  of 
United  Workmen,  and  is  at  present  the  master  wdrkman  of  Hope  Lotlge  No. 
II,  of  Austin. 


LOUIS  BERKl'M  is  a  well  known  citizen  of  Reno  who  has  made  a 
success  of  the  stock  business.  The  possibilities  that  .\merica  oti'ers  to  her 
citizens  he  has  utilizeil,  and.  though  he  came  to  this  cnuiitry  in  limited  cir- 
cmiistances,  he  has  steadily  and  perseveriugly  worked  his  wa}'  ujjward,  leav- 
ing the  ranks  of  the  many  to  stand  among  the  successful  few. 

Mr.  Berrum  was  born  in  Germany  on  the  i6th  of  June,  1858,  and  was 
educated  in  Denmark  in  tlie  Danish  language.  Reared  upon  his  father's 
farm,  he  early  acquired  a  good  knowledge  of  general  farming  and  stock- 
raising.  His  father  never  came  to  this  country  and.  is  now  (in  HJ03)  in 
the  eighty-sixth  year  of  his  age.  The  only  representatixes  of  the  family 
living  in  America  are  Mr.  Berrum  and  his  brothers,  Paul  and  Hans. 

It  was  in  1887  that  Louis  Berrum  crossed  the  Atlantic  and  came  to 
Rena,  Nevada.  After  ]iaving  his  ])assage  and  other  ex)jenses  of  the  tri]) 
he  found  that  he  had  onl\'  twcnt)'  dollars  remaining,  but  he  was  young,  am- 
bitious and  enter])rising  and  was  not  afraid  to  work.  Such  traits  of  char- 
acter are  a  fortune  to  any  young  man  possessed  of  them.  Mr.  Berrum  had 
been  only  a  short  time  in  this  countrv  before  he  accepted  a  position  to  herd 
sheep  at  thirty-five  dollars  ]jev  month  and  board,  his  wages  lieing  subse- 
quently increased  to  fifty  dollars  per  month.  Cbeaii  clothing  was  all  that 
was  necessar\-  for  him  to  buv  when  he  engaged  in  that  business,  and  be 
was  able  to  save  most  of  bis  monev.  At  the  end  of  three  years  he  had 
thoroughly  mastered  the  Inisiness  as  carried  on  in  .\nierica.  and  had  also 
gained  an  excellent  knowledge  of  the  customs  and  language  of  tlic  country. 
He  then  took  charge  of  three  thousand  sheep  on  shares:  be  Ijought  one  thou- 
sand at  the  end  of  the  first  year  and  two  thousand  at  the  end  of  the  second 
year.  In  this  way  he  ke])t  adding  to  his  stock  initil  at  one  time  he  Irad  si.x 
tliousand  shee]).  Ju.st  as  it  liecame  ai)parent  that  free  trade  was  proving  dis- 
astrous to  the  sheep  business,  Mr.  Berrum  sold  out.  He  bad  already  met 
with  considerable  lo.ss,  but  not  so  much  as  he  would  ha\e  experienced  had 
he  held  on  to  the  business  any  longer. 

1  fc  then  returned  to  his  native  land  to  \-isit  bis  relati\'es  and  to  claim 
the  bride  who  was  waiting  for  him  tbe'^e.  In  i8f)4  be  married  Miss  Karo- 
line  Berrum,  a  distant  relatixc  of  the  f;nnil\-,  and  their  wedding  journe\- 
was  their  tri])  to  the  new  world.  Retiu'uing  to  i'ieno,  Mr.  iierrum  engaged 
in  bu\ing  mutton  sheep  for  a  butcher  in  .San  b'rancisco  for  two  years,  and 
in  tliat  venture  met  with  good  success.  .\t  the  end  of  that  time  lie  again 
eml^arkcd  in  the  sheep  business  on  bis  own  account,  buying  six  thousand 
hearl,  and  be  has  steadily  increased  bis  operations  tnitil  be  has  had  as  high 
as  twche  thousand.  His  s])ccialt\'  is  a  breed  of  sheep  that  has  recently 
been  imported  from  England,  called  the  Hampsbires,  which  arc  large,  strong. 


A  HISTORY  Ol'   NEVADA.  675 

Iicaltliy  slicep.  i^ood  tOr'liotli  \vo(il  and  luuttnii,  and  lie  fref|iiently  sells  as 
liigli  as  four  thdusand  slieep.  He  is  the  owner  of  a  good  rancli  of  two  Inm- 
dred  and  forty  acres  a  short  (hstance  south  of  Reno,  and  owns  a  fiftli  in- 
terest in  Last  Chance  chtch,  used  for  irrigating  jiurposes.  In  tlic  town  lie 
has  a  nice  home  on  South  Virginia  street.  occu])ying  a  lot  one  hundred  and 
thirty-two  by  one  hundred  and  si\t\'  feet.  I  lis  residence  is  surrounded  Ijy 
(lowers,  fruit  and  shade  trees,  all  of  his  own  planting,  and  it  is  one  of  the 
most  attractive  homes  of  the  place. 

Mr.  Berrum's  success  has  come  to  him  as  the  result  of  his  own  indus- 
trious efTorts.  and  has  all  been  accom])lished  in  sixteen  years,  and  it  is  a 
credit  to  the  state  of  his  choice  that  such  success  is  jiossible.  In  Inisiness 
affairs  he  is  jjrompt.  energetic  and  reliable,  and  usually  carries  forward  to 
successful  completion  whatever  be  undertakes. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Berrum  are  also  rich  in  a  family  of  four  bright,  healthy 
children,  all  born  in  Reno,  namely:  Anna  Maria,  Louis  W'.,  Caroline  M.. 
and  Tlieodore  Roosevelt,  who  was  so  named  as  he  was  born  the  day  Presi- 
dent Roosevelt  was  in  Reno.  Both  were  reared  in  the  Lutheran  faith.  In 
politics  Mr.  Berrum  is  a  Republican,  ami  was  once  the  nominee  of  his 
party  for  the  state  legislature,  but  the  ticket  met  with  defeat  that  year  as 
Nevada  has  recently  elected  the  fusion  candidates.  He  takes  a  deep  in- 
terest in  everything  ])ertaining  to  the  public  welfare,  and  withhrilds  his  sup- 
port from  no  enterprise  calculated  to  prove  of  public  lienefit. 


DAVID  GIROUX.  The  W'innemucca  Hotel  is  the  most  popular  pub- 
lic bouse  in  the  town,  and  has  earned  its  excellent  reputation  through  thirty- 
three  years  of  management  and  ownership  Ijy  Da\-id  Giroux,  who  is  the 
oldest  public  host  in  \\^innemucca.  Mr.  Giroux  is  Canadian  French  liy 
birth,  and  his  parents.  Peter  and  Leonora  (  Ruelyea)  Giroux,  were  Canadian 
farmers  and  the  parents  of  sixteen  children,  of  whom  fourteen  are  still  living. 

Dax'id  Giroux,  who  is  the  only  one  of  this  large  family  in  the  state 
of  Nevada,  was  born  in  Montreal,  Canada,  in  1835.  ■  He  had  six  months 
of  schooling  in  Canada,  but  the  remainder  of  his  mental  training  has  been 
left  to  his  naturally  shar])  intellect  and  the  school  of  exjierience,  where  he 
has  learned  his  lessons  better  than  the  majority  of  men,  and  is  now  to  be 
classed  among  the  shrewd  and  (|uick'-mindcfl  business  men  of  the  west.  At 
the  age  of  seventeen  he  began  lif-e  on  his  own  account,  taking  passage  in 
1S55  for  California.  \-ia  the  isthmus,  and  for  fifteen  years  after  his  arrival 
followed  mining  in  California.  In  1870  be  came  to  Xe\ada.  directly  to 
Humboldt  county.  He  had  been  saving  and  iuflu.strious,  and  arrived  with 
about  forty-five  hundred  dollars.  The  eight  acres  whicli  now  comprise  the 
site  of  the  ^^'innemucca  Hotel  bad  on  it  a  small  building  used  as  a  hotel, 
but  was  a  property  of  no  considerable  value,  and  Mr.  Giroux  bought  it  at  a 
price  far  below  its  present  worth.  He  Iniilt  a  first-class  buikling  on  these 
grounds,  with  large,  airy  Ijedrooms,  a  large  office,  dining-room,  and  has 
given  such  careful  attention  to  all  the  details  of  his  business  that  his  success 
has  Ijeen  an  assured  fact  for  many  years.  His  most  excellent  characteristic 
as   a   landlord    is   his   cordial    welcome  and   hospitality,    which   are   no   doubt 


07<;  A  HISTORY  OF  XE\'ADA. 

inherent  in  liis  I'rencli  hloixl,  and  wliicli  make  all  his  patrims  feel  ])ei'fectly 
at  home  and  insure  their  patronage  as  long  as  they  remain  in  the  town.  The 
rates  are  moderate,  and  the  guests  are  conveyed  to  aid  from  the  depot  free 
of  charge.  There  are  forty-eight  bedrooms,  well  furnished,  and  the  entire 
building  and  grounds  are  kept  in  the  best  of  order. 

Mr.  Giroux  was  married  in  Oakland,  California,  in  187J,  to  Miss 
Remillard.  a  native  of  Canada  and  of  French  ancestry.  Their  one  son. 
David  E..  is  now  a  physician  and  surgeon  of  Winnemucca.  In  1875  this 
happy  union  was  liroken  by  the  death  of  Mrs.  Giroux.  In  1884  Mr.  Giroux 
married  Miss  Luthean  Remillanl.  a  sister  of  his  former  wife.  They  have 
had  four  children,  Edna.  Alma,  Dora  and  \'ictor.  The  far.iily  arc  members 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  and  are  faithful  workers  in  its  cause.  Mr. 
Giroux  is  a  Democrat,  and  ga\e  Humlioldt  county  four  years  of  service 
as  a  county  commissioner,  during  which  period  he  was  instrumental  in  se- 
curing the  erection  of  the  first  bridge  across  Humboldt  river  near  the  town. 
He  is  a  meml)er  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  of  the  .An- 
cient Order  of  l/nited  Workmen,  and  his  wide  ac{|uaintance  and  genial 
nature  make  him  one  of  the  most  no])ular  men  in  this  countv. 

HEXk\'  klTl^R.  the  owner  of  Riter's  Elite  steam  brewery  in  ReiU), 
is  a  native  of  German}',  his  birth  having  occurred  in  the  fatherland  October 
8.  1863.  He  was  reared  and  educated  there,  and  when  sixteen  years  of  age 
went  to  California,  where  he  was  engaged  in  the  butchering  business,  also, 
following  other  pursuits  that  would  yield  him  an  honest  living.  On  the  i  ith 
of  March,  1884,  he  came  to  Nevada  and  established  the  Elite  saloon,  a  ])lace 
that  was  furnished  and  maintained  in  accord  with  its  name,  enjoying  the 
])atronage  of  the  prominent  people  of  the  cit}-.  In  1895  ^^^-  Riter  iiurchased 
the  lirewery  and  also  gave  to  it  the  name  of  "Elite."  In  it  he  manufactures 
steam  beer  and  porter,  and  the  product  is  very  popular,  the  demand  being 
fully  equal  to  the  capacity  of  the  brewery.  He  is  also  the  owner  of  the 
Bowers  mansion,  situated  on  the  \'irginia  and  Truckee  Railroad  twenty 
nn'les  south  of  Reno.  This  propcrtv  he  has  transformed  into  a  lieantiful 
summer  resort  with  beautiful  grounds  and  lakes  for  swimming.  The  man- 
sion was  built  1>y  Sandy  Bowers,  who  began  it  in  1862  and  completed  it  in 
1864.  It  was  erected  for  a  summer  residence  at  a  cost  of  three  hundred  ami 
fifty  thousand  dollars,  lieing  the  most  su])erb  residence  in  the  state.  All  of 
the  glass  in  the  mansicMi  was  of  the  heaviest  [•"rench  plate,  as  clear  as  the 
most  perfect  c/ystal.  The  handles  on  all  the  doors  were  solid  bullion  and 
the  door  knobs  were  all  an  aiualgam  of  silver  and  gold.  Mr.  Bow  ers  was  the 
bonanza  king,  and  took  from  twenty-one  feet  of  ground  five  million  dollars. 
Mr.  Bowers  died,  and  some  years  later  the  widow  k^st  the  pro])erty.  It 
had  several  owners  afterward.  Init  little  was  done  vith  it  until  Mr.  Ritcr 
became  conxinced  of  its  great  value  for  an  outing  resort  for  the  citizens  of 
Reno.  Making  the  purchase  be  has  done  much  to  restore  the  i)roperty  to 
its  original  beauty,  and  it  has  been  a  very  popular  resort,  large  e.xciu'sinns 
being  made  to  it  throughout  the  months  of  summer.  The  grounds  comprise 
seventy-five  acres,  and  u]3on  the  jilacc  are  both  hot  and  cold  sjirings  and 
two  large  sw  imnn'ng  ponds. 


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A  ilLSTURY  01'   NliVADA.  677 

Mr.  Riter  was  married  on  the  i.V.li  of  June,  i8S8,  to  Miss  Lilian  Dixo;!, 
of  Piacerville,  California,  and  they  have  a  nice  residence  in  Reno,  where 
their  circle  of  friends  is  extensive,  lie  votes  with  the  Democracy,  having 
always  given  his  (xilitical  allegiance  to  that  party,  and  he  is  a  memher  of 
the  Knights  of  Pythias  fraternity  and  the  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles.  A 
prepossessing,  ohliging  and  progressiyc  husincss  man,  he  li;is  attained  success 
in  all  that  lie  lias  undertaken. 


FRANCIS  P.  VAN  PATTEN,  the  leading  lumber  dealer  of  Austin, 
Nevada,  has  been  acquainted  with  this  state  for  forty  years,  ever  since  it  was 
admitted  to  the  sisterhood  of  sovereign  commonwealths,  and  there  is  hardly 
a  man  li\'ing  to-day  in  the  state  who  is  more  familiar  w^th  the  history  from 
primitive  times  to  the  present  and  with  all  the  resources,  commercially,  min- 
erally  and  agriculturally,  than  Mr.  Van  Patten.  He  has  employed  his  years 
in  various  ])ursuits,  which  ha\e  taken  him  all  o\-er  the  western  country, 
and  his  life  teems  with  incidents  which  in  years  to  come  would  be  valuable 
to  the  state  archives  from  an  historical  stand])oint.  He  is  now  approaching 
the  se\'entieth  milestone  of  his  career,  and  his  unflagging  industry  and  Imn- 
orable  and  useful  endeavors  of  the  past  give  him  a  i)lace  of  high  esteem 
among  his  fellow  citizens. 

The  ancestors  of  Mr.  Van  Patten  came  from  Holland  many  generations 
ago,  settling  in  the  typical  new  world  Dutch  state  of  New  York,  where  this 
particular  branch  of  the  family  remained  tO'  Mr.  Van  Patten's  time.  He 
was  born  in  Bridgewater,  Oneida  county,  New  York.  March  i6.  1835,  and 
was  reared  and  educated  in  the  city  of  Rome,  New  N'ork,  wliere  he  gradu- 
ated from  the  Rome  Academy  and  was  in  that  excellent  institution  at  the 
same  time  with  ex-Secretary  of  the  Treasury  Gage  and  others  who  have 
since  become  eminent  before  the  country.  School  days  ended,  Mr.  Van  Pat- 
ten was  for  seven  years  in  the  employ  of  Hayden,  Lewis  &  Company,  dry- 
goods  merchants  of  Rome.  In  r86o  he  went  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  got 
out  of  funds,  and  then  footed  it  to  b^irt  Smith,  Arkansas,  and  from  there 
to  the  Rio  Grande  river,  where  he  was  employed  f(jr  a  time  by  the  0\'erland 
Stage  Compau)'.  In  the  summer  of  i860  lie  went  to  Visalia.  California. 
His  first  work  in  this  slate  was  with  a  threshing  laitfit  in  the  Sacramento 
valley,  and  he  was  the  only  one  of  the  men  whi.i  was  not  worn  out  l)v  the 
heat.  For  this  lalior  he  was  paid  twn  dollars  and  a  half  a  day.  After  this 
he  was  receiving  clerk  for  Peters  and  Jackson  at  the  dock  in  Stockton,  tak- 
ing in  wheat  and  barley.  In  the  fall  of  1861  he  went  to  San  Francisco, 
and  did  whatever  work  he  could  find.  1'he  cellars  were  flooded  at  the  time, 
and  he  got  a  rotary  chain  pump  and,  with  the  help  of  a  number  of  China- 
men, worked  at  taking  the  water  from  the  cellars.  The  city  was  crowded 
with  unemployed  workmen  at  that  time.  an(1  he  sometimes  worked  for  as 
little  as  ninety-five  cents  a  day. 

7\lx)ut  this  time  the  Reese  river  mines  were  struck  in  Nexada,  antl 
on  August  1,  1862,  Mr.  Van  Patten  set  out  for  this  new'  territory.  He 
got  a  horse  and  a  mule  at  Stocktiin,  and  stojiped  on  the  way  at  Piacerville. 
Thence  he  came   o\er   the   mountains    .and   arri\ed    in    the   territory   on    Oc- 


078  A  HISTORY  OF  NE\'ADA. 

tober  II.  1863.  At  Carson  City  he  snld  liis  mule  an;l  liought  a  wagon  and 
some  horses,  and  (h'dve  to  Jacoljs  Springs,  \\iiere  lie  worked  for  Wash 
Jacobs  on  his  ranch,  in  company  with  William  Talcot,  wlio  afterward  dis- 
covered the  Pony  Ledge  which  caused  the  excitement  in  Austin.  Mr. 
Van  Patten  then  employed  his  energies  at  cr)oking.  and  at  the  overland 
station  on  Reese  ri\er  was  cook  and  messenger  agent  vmtil  the  following 
spring,  when  he  took  the  position  of  deputy  postmai'ter  and  deputy  express 
agent.  He  conducted  this  business  until  the  receijits  ^f  the  office  dwindled 
to  almost  nothing,  and  after  the  removal  of  the  court  house  to  Austin  he 
pros])ected  in  Churchill  county  and  uncovered  a  number  of  good  iirospects 
there  and  in  the  vicinity  of  Austin,  from  one  of  which,  the  Silver  Lode,  be 
sold  seventy-fi\e  thousand  dollars  of  non-assessable  stock.  The  ore  was 
good,  but  expenses  d*  o])eration  were-  so  high  that  the  mine  was  later  sold 
for  taxes. 

After  his  marriage  in  1866  he  went  to  Smith  creek  station  in  Church- 
ill county,  and  was  in  business  there  for  a  time  and  was  also  engaged  in 
ranching  in  1868-9,  until  the  oxcrland  stage  was  discontinued,  wdiich  so 
fle])reciated  Mr.  Van  Patten's  property  that  he  decided  to  move.  He  then 
went  to  Jacobsville  and  took  the  Lander  House,  which  he  conducted  until 
the  spring  of  1873.  at  which  time  he  went  to  Waim  Springs,  in  Lander 
county,  now  called  the  Van  Patten  Warm  Springs.  He  resided  there  for 
fourteen  3'ears,  and  was  in  the  stock  business  and  handled  wootl  and  cual, 
also  in  various  other  enterprises.  During  the  hard  winter  of  1878-9  he 
lost  three  hundred  and  fifty  cr.ttle.  and  after  that  he  sold  out  to  Tom  Tri))- 
lett  and  went  into  ])artnershi|)  with  William  Clark.  They  conducted  a  gin 
mill  for  twenty-two  months  and  had  thirty-six  luuidred  dollars  on  their 
books  when  they  quit.  From  that  time  until  a  cold  November  morning  in 
1884  Mr.  \'an  Patten  was  a  roustaliout  on  the  Hill  at  a  salary  of  four  dol- 
lars a  day,  and  he  then  decided  he  had  had  enough  of  such  em])loyment, 
and  for  the  following  two  years  worked  about  the  town  and  fnr  the  county. 
]n  1886  he  ran  for  the  office  of  sheriff  on  the  Democratic  ticket  but  was 
defeated.  Two  years  later,  however,  he  was  up  again,  and  this  time  was 
elected  and  filled  the  office  efficiently  for  two  years.  During  that  time  he 
sold  the  Manhattan  pro])erty.  signing  the  deeds  to  John  L.  Beveridge,  of 
Chicago.  .\t  the  close  of  his  term  of  office  he  opened  a  livery  and  feed 
stable  in  Au.stin,  and  conducted  it  until  be  decided  to  return  to  California 
He  took  eight  horses  and  two  wagons,  and  with  bis  wife  and  six  children 
and  with  a  good  amount  of  .supplies,  set  out  on  the  old  overland  -nage  route, 
going  through  Carson  City.  Placerx'ille,  to  Stockton.  h'or  three  nmnths 
lie  worked  with  his  teams  on  llie  construction  of  the  San  Joacpiiu  \  alley 
Railroad,  and  then  returned  to  Nevada.  I'or  ;i  lew  uioiiths  he  rented  a  jilace 
on  the  chemical  yards  al  Carson  City  and  hauled  and  soM  wixxl,  .after 
which  lie  and  the  family  returned  In  Austin.  In  the  fnlldwing  spring  be 
opened  his  lumber  yard,  where  he  also  handles  b;i\,  wnod  and  coal.  ,nid 
has  since  continued  at  this  w  illi  good  success. 

November  ic;,  1866.  Mr,  \'an  I 'alien  was  mrnrieil  tn  .Miss  kufilia 
Decring.  a  native  d.augbter  of  California,  l-'levcn  children  have  been  born 
to  them:     l'"rank  .\.,  sn])erinlendent  of  the  Comet  mine  in  L'tali ;  Ccorge  F., 


A  llJSTUkV  OF  NEVADA.  079 

a  mining'  man  of  T()no])ali ;  William,  who  has  an  agency  in  Carson  City; 
Clarence;  Clyde;  George  Corden  ;  Xettie.  tlie  widow  of  W.  Highy;  Matilda. 
the  w'ife  of  I'.  H.  Triplett.  editor  of  the  Reiuillr:  Anna  Clara,  wife  of  l"'red 
McMahon ;  Agnes  F.  and  Amelia  V..  who  arc  both  at  home  with  their  ])a- 
rents.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Van  Patten  ha\-c  a  nice  home  at  Anstin.  They  are 
mcmhers  of  the  Episcopal  chin"ch,  and  he  hclongs  to  the  Episcopal  chnrch 
mission  and  is  one  of  the  Influential  memhers  of  the  church  and  takes  an 
acti\'e  ])art  in  its  work. 


FION.  GEORGE  \\l  1  ITEFIELr)  DALE.,  one  of  the  most  prominent 
of  the  old-time  citizens  of  Austin,  has  been  in  the  state  of  Nevada  for  over 
forty  years,  in  fact  there  was  neither  state  nor  territory  of  that  name  when 
lie  came,  for  the  entire  region  was  classed  ;is  the  territory  of  Ctah.  He 
has,  accordingly,  witnessed  the  state's  de\clo])ment  and  growth  from  its 
infant  days  to  the  present,  and  he  has  been  a  large  part  of  all  he  has  seen. 
He  is  a  true  representati\e  of  the  western  ])ioneer,  a  hardy  race  now  ra])i(lly 
thinning  out  through  the  relen.tless  h.and  of  time  and  known  only  in  their 
age.  Fie  came  to  the  c<iast  country  over  half  a  centnrv  ago,  and  during 
the  greater  part  of  the  subsecjuent  tnne  h.as  followed  the  occupation  which 
first  attracted  emigrants  to  this  i)art  of  the  country.  He  has  made  a  fine 
record  as  a  citizen  of  Nevada,  and  has  Iseen  honored  bv  being  sent  as  a 
representative  of  the  sovereign  people  to  their  state  asembly. 

]\Ir.  Dale  was  horn  in  Wfiodford  county.  Kentucky,  May  26,  183J, 
and  is  of  English  ancestry.  His  ]5arents  brouight  Inni  to  Illinois  when  he 
■  was  three  years  old,  and  he  was  reared  to  nianhood  on  his  father's  farm. 
His  education  was  received  in  the  same  sort  of  primitive  schools  in  whicli 
Al)raham  Lincoln  gained  his  education,  and  he  was  a  child  while  that  young 
statesman  was  forging  to  the  front  in  the  same  state.  In  1852  he  joined 
a  company  of  twenty-six  men  and  one  woman  and  started  from  Carthage. 
Illinois,  with  ox  teams  to  cross  the  plains  to  California.  They  passed  manv 
who  were  sick  on  the  mad,  but  they  were  fortunate  in  losing  none  of  their 
number  nor  anv  of  their  stock,  and  they  had  no  trou.ble  with  the  Inrlians. 
'ihey  stopped  in  Solano  cou.nty,  California,  and  Mr.  Dale  worked  in  the 
redwood  timber  for  the  next  twd  }ears.  In  1854  lie  engaged  in  mining, 
with  the  usual  ups  and  downs  of  the  professi'on,  at  one  time  i)ein.o-  possessed 
of  six  thousand  dollars.  He  arrixed  in  Sihxr  City,  Ne\'a(la,  on  the  7th  of 
July,  1862,  just  at  the  time  when  the  mining  excitement  was  fully  under 
way.  He  was  paid  fi\e  dollars  a  day  for  timbering  work  in  the  mine  at 
Gold  Hill,  where  he  remained  se\eral  years.  In  1863  the  mines  were  dis- 
covered in  .\ustin.  and  it  was  one  of  the  liveliest  niinhig  towns  in  the  state. 
Mr.  Dale  came  there  in  1866,  and  this  has  been  his  permanent  home  e\-er 
since.  He  worked  for  a  time  as  a  stationary  engineer,  and  also  did  much 
])ros]3ecting.  He  leased  some  mines,  :md  took  out  a  great  deal  of  valuable 
metal,  some  of  his  assavs  running  as  high  as  three  and  fi\-e  thousand  dol- 
lars a  ton.  He  has  since  dis]K)sed  of  his  claims,  and  is  now  living  retired 
from  acti\e  pursuits  in  the  main. 

On   August   6,    1857,   ^Ir.    Dale   was  married    in    Sonoma   county.    Cali- 


CSO  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

fornia,  to  Miss  Mary  Ellen  Hardin.  Their  srni.  William  Henry,  was  born 
in  Healdsburg.  Sonoma  county,  and  is  now  in  Los  Angeles:  Charles  E. 
was  born  in  San  Francisco  and  also  resides  in  Los  Angeles.  Mr.  Dale  was 
a  Whig  in  his  early  political  career,  and  gave  his  lirst  presidential  vote 
to  \\'infield  Scott  in  1852  and  his  second  to  Fillmore  in  1856.  Tn  1864  he 
voted  for  Lincoln,  and  continued  his  allegiance  to  the  Republican  party 
until  it  refused  to  remcnetize  siher.  since  wiiich  time  he  has  cast  his  influ- 
ence for  silver  and  voted  for  Bryan.  He  has  alwa\"s  done  his  own  think- 
ing, and  is  independent  of  party  when  its  principles  do  not  accord  with  his. 
In  1882  Mr.  Dale  was  elected  to  a  seat  in  the  state  legislature,  and  was 
again  elected  in  1886,  making  a  creditalile  record  during  these  two  terms. 
He  is  a  veteran  Odd  Fellow,  having  joined  the  organization  in  1856,  and 
is  a  past  representative  to  the  grand  lodge  of  the  state  and  is  also  a  member 
of  the  Rebekahs.  ^Ir.  Dale  has  a  comfortable  residence  in  Austin,  where 
he  spends  his  old  age  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  good  things  of  life  and  the 
esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens.  He  loves  the  town  where  he  has  spent  so 
many  years  and  where  the  iirincipal  scenes  of  his  part  in  life  have  been 
played,  and  he  is  bapp}'  and  cdntcntcd  -.vith  the  present  and  with  the  con- 
templation of  the  past. 


W.  E.  SHARON.  No  history  of  Nevada  would  be  complete  without 
mention  of  the  gentleman  \\hose  name  initiates  this  rex'iew,  for  through 
more  than  thirty  years  he  has  been  actively  identified  with  the  develo])ment 
of  the  rich  mineral  resources  of  the  state,  which  are  the  foundation  of  the 
greater  part  of  Nevada's  wealth  and  a  valued  source  of  much  nf  the  mineral 
yield  of  the  country.  Thoroughly  informed  concerning  the  vocation  he  has 
chosen  as  a  life  work,  Mr.  Sharon's  opinions  are  largely  received  as  authority 
in  mining  circles  and  he  has  s])ared  no  effort  whereby  he  might  become 
familiar  with  the  best  methods  of  mining  ;is  practiced  throughout  the  world. 
He  is  now  acting  as  superintendent  of  all  the  mines  in  Gold  Hill  mining 
district  of  Story  countv,  which  were  consolidated  by  Senator  Sharon,  D.  O. 
Mills  and  R.  F.  Mormw. 

William  F..  Sharon  came  Uy  Nevada  in  1872.  Fie  is  a  native  of  the 
state  of  Ohio,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  Jefferson  county.  His  ancestral 
history  is  one  of  close  connection  with  the  country  from  early  colonial  days, 
the  line  being  traced  back  to  the  I'ilgrims  who  landed  from  the  Mayflower- 
at  Plymouth  Rock  and  founded  the  colony  of  Plymouth.  Smily  Sliaron,  the 
father  of  William  E.  Sharon,  was  born  in  Ohio  in  1826,  and  now.  in  the 
seventy-seventh  year  of  his  age,  is  residing  in  Wheeling,  West  Virginia. 
In  early  manhood  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  .\nn  Ilnrford,  a 
native  of  his  own  state.  l>olh  were  representatives  of  families  that  ha\e 
been  connected  with  the  Society  of  l*"riends  or  Quakers  through  mrmy  gen- 
erations. An  uncle  of  Mr.  W.  F.  Shanm  was  the  Hon.  William  Sharon,  now 
deceased,  ex-L'nitcd  .States  senator  and  one  of  the  most  ])romi>ient  mining  men 
in  the  entire  country.  He  is  mentioned  :i(  Icnglb  in  liancroft's  History  of 
the  I'acific  Coast. 

.Since  his  arrival  in  \('\:id;i   W  illi.ini   I''..  Sharon  h;is  been  conslanlK'  en- 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  681 

gaged  in  mining,  and  is  now  tlie  superintendent  of  tlie  large  group  of  mine? 
in  Gold  Hill  which  have  added  one  hundred  million  dollars  to  the  wealth  of 
the  country  and  are  still  large  producers.  These  mines  include  all  from  the 
Imperial  to  the  Caledonia.  The  deepest  of  these  is  now  three  thousand  feet, 
at  which  depth  the  water  prevented  further  work,  hut  at  present  new  methods 
in  watering  these  low  levels  are  1)eing  put  into  successful  oj^eration,  which 
are  expected  to  permit  of  working  for  a  depth  of  five  thousand  feet,  which 
is  as  deep  as  the  deepest  mine  known. 

During  his  long  experience  in  the  development  of  mines  and  in  the 
])roduction  of  gold  and  silver,  Mr.  Sharon  has  made  mining  his  constant 
study  and  has  accjuired  the  reputation  of  being  an  excellent  authority  on 
subjects  pertaining  to  what  has  been  his  life  work.  The  position  which  he 
occupies  is  a  very  important  one,  involving  the  care  of-  mammoth  interests 
in  the  operation  of  the  mines.  .Ml  these  extensive  properties  are  now  owned 
by  one  corporation. 

In  Virginia  City,  in  1876,  William  K.  Sharon  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Lillian  Nygatt,  who  was  burn  in  Iowa  and  is  a  daughter  of  Milton 
Nygatt,  a  gentleman  of  Scotch  ancestry  descended  from  the  Mayflower 
emigrants  who  made  the  first  settlement  in  New  England,  while. lH>th  sides 
of  the  family  were  represented  by  active,  participants  in  the  Res'olutionary 
war.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sharon  have  been  born  children  as  follows :  Claude, 
who  is  now  assayer  of  the  mines  of  which  his  father  is  manager,  and  who 
married  Miss  Evans,  a  daughter  of  Alvaro  Evans;  Florence,  now  the  wife 
of  Peter  C.  Allen  and  is  a  resident  of  New  York  city,  Blanche,  the  wife  of 
Harry  Farr,  a  resident  of  San  Francisco ;  Robert,  Ruth,  Esther  and  Hurford, 
all  of  whom  are  attending  school. 

Mr.  Sharon  is  a  strong  bimetallist,  and  gives  his  allegiance  to  the  polit- 
ical party  which  embodies  his  ideas  on  this  subject.  He  belongs  to  the 
Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  and  keeps  well  informed  on  the 
rjuestions  of  the  day,  political  and  otherwise,  and  is  an  accomplished  gentle- 
man, a  splendid  representative  of  the  Nevada  mining  men. 


ROBERT  L.  FULTON,  one  of  Nevada's  representative  citizens,  came 
to  this  state  in  187 1  and  settled  in  Reno  in  1875.  He  is  a  native  of  Ohio, 
his  birth  having  occurred  in  .\shland,  March  6,  1847.  H^  comes  of  Scotch- 
Irish  ancestry.  His  father,  Robert  Fulton,  was  Iwrn  near  the  noted  his- 
torical city  of  Londonderry,  Ireland,  and  in  1830  emigrated  to  Ohio.  He 
was  married  in  Pittsburg  to  Miss  Margaret  Lardin,  a  native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. In  1855  he  went  to  California,  engaging  in  placer  mining  in  the 
Blue  banks,  but  with  little  success.  He  then  returned  to  Ohio,  where  he 
continued  to  make  his  home  until  his  death  in  1894,  when  eighty-three  years 
of  age.  He  was  in  many  respects  a  remarkable  man.  and  his  sterling  cjual- 
ities  gained  for  him  the  confidence  and  good  will  of  .ill.  His  wife  departed 
this  life  in  the  eightieth  year  of  her  age.  They  were  of  the  old  Covenanter 
stock,  but  joined  the  Methodist  church,  and  for  many  years  were  among 
its  consistent  members.  Of  their  family  of  five  children,  three  reached 
years  of  maturity,  and  one  of  the  sons,  lohn  M.  Fulton,  is  now  district  pas- 


682  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

senger  and  freight  agent  for  the  Smitlitrn  Pacific  Railroad,  rnniiing  l)e- 
tween  Colfax  and  Ogden.  and  makes  iiis  home  in  Reno.  A  sister,  Margaret, 
became  the  wife  of  Thomas  W'oggoner,  who  served  in  the  regiment  com- 
manded by  Major  William  McKinley  during  the  Civil  war. 

Roljert  L.  Fulton  attended  the  public  schools  of  his  native  state,  but  his 
knowledge  has  been  largely  accjuired  in  the  school  of  e.xperience  and  through 
his  own  reading,  investigation  and  observation.  In  early  life  lie  was  em- 
ploved  as  a  clerk  in  a  store,  and  while  thus  engage;!  l3eo"an  learning  teleg- 
raphy. He  began  railroading"  on  the  Erie  road  as  telegraph  operator,  and 
when  al)ont  twenty  years  of  age  was  serving  as  conductor.  Later  he  en- 
tered the  employ  of  the  L'nion  Pacific  Company,  and  was  for  three  years 
train  dispatcher.  On  the  expiration  of  that  period  he  ■•vent  to  Minnesota  and 
had  charge  of  tlie  .St.  Paul  and  Duluth  road  mitil  the  failure  of  Jav  Cook 
parah-zed  their  business.  In  1874  he  made  his  way  to  Calif'irnia  and  was 
train  dispatcher  at  Lathrop  and  also  the  first  su])erintendent  of  the  \'isalia. 
While  thus  engaged  General  Reddmg  ofTered  him  a  position  in  the  land 
department  of  the  company,  and  he  entered  u])on  the  duties  of  that  office 
July  15,  1875,  since  which  time  he  has  been  actively  engaged  in  inspecting 
and  exhibiting  land  and  making  .sales  of  railroad  Iruids  along  the  entire 
line  of  the  road  from  Colfax  to  Ogden. 

He  has  written  many  valuable  articles  setting  forth  the  a'!\•antagc^  and 
resources  of  Ne\-ada  and  of  the  adaptability  of  the  soil  for  agricultural  pur- 
suits. This  originally  included  a  letter  to  the  New  York  Tribune,  in  which 
lie  wrote  of  the  farming  possibilities,  the  healthfulness  of  the  climate  and 
the  moral  worth  of  the  state.  The  I'vilumc  gave  this  article  the  title  of  an 
"Elo([uent  Plea — Ne\ada  Only  Assailed  by  Ignorance  and  Malice."  Re- 
cently he  has  finished  an  able  address  to  be  read  before  the  Forestry  .\ssi,- 
ciation,  one  of  the  allied  bodies  of  the  American  .\ssociation  for  the  .\d- 
vancement  of  Science.  The  p.aper  is  an  exha.ustive  argument  showing  t'nal 
the  irrigation  and  reclamation  ol  the  arid  west  wduld  pro\'e  of  immense 
value  to  the  entire  country.  lie  was  iu\'ited  to  deliver  an  adi'.ress  before 
the  students  of  the  State  l'ni\ersil\ .  and  spoke  to  them  uiion  the  subject 
of  "How  to  Build  a  State."  This  was  greeted  with  much  api^lause  and 
received  favorable  comment  from  the  press.  The  commissioner  to  the 
Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition  will  distribute  a  handsome  book  on  Nevada 
during  the  summer  of  igo4,  the  article  on  the  state  at  large  being  written 
l)y  Mr.   luilton. 

Mr.  Fulton  has  taken  a  most  .active  and  helpful  jiart  in  adxancing  the 
farming  interests  of  the  state,  lie  was  likew'ise  one  of  the  organ.izers  of  the 
state  board  of  trade.  He  also  owned  and  conducted  the  Reno  Gazclli'  for 
eight  years,  wiiich  he  made  the  leading  news])a])er  of  the  state,  with  a  wide 
circulation  tlu-oughout  Nevada.  lie  published  this  ii;  the  interests  of  the 
Repul)lican  party,  having  always  been  one  of  its  stalwart  supporters,  and. 
while  he  has  labored  effectively  for  the  good  of  the  party,  he  has  ne\er 
sought  or  desired  public  oflice  for  himself,  lie  is  stronglv  opj)osed  to  mis- 
rule in  ])nlilic  affairs,  and  in  all  ol  his  wurk  has  been  ])ronipteii  b\-  a  patriotic 
interest  in  his  county,  state  and  nation,  lie  was  a  delegate  to  the  n.ational 
convention  which   nominated   McKinlev  and   Roosevelt  as  the  candidates  to 


A   IllSTOUV  Ol'-  NEVy\DA.  C83 

lead  the  national  ticket  in  lyoo.  W'lien  in  Wyoming  Mr.  Inilton  was  made 
a  Mason  at  the  age  of  t\vent)-one  years,  and  he  received  tlie  Royal  Arch 
degree  in  Duluth,  Minnesota,  and  tlie  Kniglit  Templar  degrees  in  Minne- 
apolis. He  has  had  the  honor  of  serving  as  the  grand  high  ])riest  of 
Nevada. 

On  the  nth  of  January,  1877,  ''^"Ix'rt  L-  Fulton  was  married  to  Miss 
May  Alice  Bragg,  a  nati\-e  of  Maine  and  a  daughter  of  Captain  Charles 
A.  Bragg,  who  is  descended  from  English  ancestry.  They  have  three  chil- 
dren: John  A.,  a  graduate  of  the  Nevada  State  University  and  now  a  civil 
engineer  in  Africa :  Helen  and  Margaret,  at  home.  Mr.  Fulton,  accompanied 
by  his  wife  and  children,  recently  made  a  trip  to  Alaska  and  later  to  Japan, 
which  tour  proxed  of  much  interest.  They  have  a  beautiful  home  in  Reno, 
and  as  he  has  abiding  faith  in  the  growth  and  development  of  the  west 
he  has  made  a  number  of  \aluable  real  estate  investments  in  this  section  of 
the  country.  In  all  of  his  life  work  he  has  been  actuated  jjy  high  principles 
and  honoral)le  m(5ti\es,  and  Nevada  owes  much  to  him  because  of  his  efforts 
for  her  advancement,  growth  and  the  de\eloi)ment  of  her  natural  resources. 
His  labors  in  this  directinn  ha\e  nut  been  without  result,  ruid  to-day  he 
stands  as  a  typical  representati\e  of  our  best  American  manhood  and  as  a 
patriotic  citizen,  whose  de\iition  to  the  general  good  is  abo\e  (piestion. 


HON.  PAUL  LAVEACA.  a  long-prominent  citizen  of  Winnemucci 
and  Humlx)ldt  county,  a  resident  of  the  state  of  iCe\ada  since  1866,  is  of 
Spanish  and  Mexican  ancestry.  It  is  quite  according  to  the  natural  fitness 
of  things  that  among  the  gold-seekers  of  the  past  century,  who  peopled 
the  western  coast  of  our  country  almost  in  a  night,  that  there  .should  be 
some  of  that  same  race  and  clime  whence  came  the  earliest  explorers,  con- 
querors and  adventurers  in  quest  of  the  fabulous  treasures  of  the  Incas  and 
the  Montezumas.  One  of  tlie  famous  forty-niners  to  California  was  J.  N. 
Naveaga,  the  father  of  our  Ne\ada  resident.  He  was  born  ui  Spain,  and 
when  be  came  to  the  Pacific  coast  he  brought  with  him  his  wife  and  son 
Paul,  then  a  boy  of  eight  years.  He  s])ent  the  rcn.iainder  of  his  life  in 
mining  in  the  various  camps  of  the  west,  but  only  managed  to  make  a 
living.  He  died  in  San  Francisco  at  the  age  of  eighty-three  years,  and 
bis  good  wife  passed  away  in    1873,  aged  seventy-two. 

Paul  Laveaga  was  born  in  Mexico,  January  15,  1841,  and  is  the  only 
member  of  the  family  in  Nevada.  When  he  came  to  this  state  in  1866  he 
worked  for  wages,  and  also  mined  some  in  Unionville,  Humbo'dt  county. 
In  this  place  he  opened  up  a  lodging  house  and  restaurant  in  1868,  and 
continued  that  up  to  1884,  when  he  came  to  Winnemucca.  He  has  been 
a  very  successful  business  man,  and  has  earned  a  g<x)d  competency  as  well 
as  an  honorable  j^lace  among  liis  fellow  citizens. 

Mr.  La\-eaga  has  lieen  a  Republican  since  casting  his  first  vote,  and 
has  taken  a  more  than  ordinarilv  acti\e  part  in  jniblic  affairs.  Ht  was  jxjst- 
master  of  Unionville  for  many  years;  in  1874  he  was  elected  to  the  state 
assemblv,  where  he  served  four  terms  with  great  usefulness  to  his  con- 
stituents, and  he  was  also  treasurer  of   Himiboldt   count\-   for  eight   vears. 


684  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

His   pul)lic   career   is    a   record    nf   I'lioroughh'    n|)rigiit    aiul    lionest    service, 
and  is  creditalile  to  him  in  every  sense  of  tlie  word. 

In  1869  he  was  married  to  Dolores  Gomez,  a  nati\e  of  ^Fexico.  Two 
cliildren  were  born  of  this  union:  Paul.  Jr..  a  resident  of  Reno,  and  Frank, 
who  was  killed  in  the  App  mine  in  1900.  In  April,  1875,  ^f''-  Laveaga 
was  married  to  Miss  Isabelle  Mendoza,  a  native  of  Sonora,  Tuolumne  county. 
California.  They  have  two  daughters  and  two  sons:  Inez  S..  Lucy  L.. 
A.  C.  and  \'.  J.  Mr.  La\-eaga  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows,  and  recei\-ed  the  degree  of  Master  Mason  in  1873,  and  is  also 
a  member  of  W'innemucca  Chapter  No.  9,  R.  A.  M.  He  and  his  family 
reside  in  a  comforta!)le  and  pleasant  residence,  and  they  en  joy  the  esteem 
and  association  of  many  friends. 


ANDREW  JOSEPH  C.XX.WAX,  the  popular  foreman  of  the  Jus- 
tice mine  at  Gold  Hill.  Ne\ada.  and  one  of  the  state's  most  intelligent,  pro- 
gressiye  and  enterprising  mining  men.  was  born  in  San  Francisco.  California. 
on  the  i8th  of  January,  1872.  and  has  spent  his  entire  life  in  the  west.  His 
father,  Mathew  Cana\an.  was  a  nati\e  of  county  I'ermanagh,  Ireland,  and 
left  there  at  the  age  of  seven  years  for  .\ustr;dia.  In  1852  he  emigrated 
to  California,  and  was  married  in  San  I'^rancisco  io  Miss  Maggie  Farrell, 
who  was  bom  in  New  York  City,  .^s  a  contractor  and  builder  he  was  en- 
gaged in  business  in  California  for  many  years,  and  erected  the  courthouse 
at  Jackson,  Amador  county.  He  was  a  prominent  jx'litician  and  a  man  of 
marked  influence,  and  took  a  \ery  active  part  in  pulMic  affairs,  serving  as 
a  member  of  the  California  state  legislature  from  the  San  Francisco  dis- 
trict. He  was  instrumental  in  introducing  the  bill  for  the  e.Kclusion  of 
Chinamen  from  the  state  and  was  recognized  as  an  important  factor  in 
political  circles  in  California  during  his  residence  there.  In  1872  be  came 
to  (iold  Hill.  Nevada,  and  accepted  the  iJ(«ition  of  su])erintendent  of  the 
Rhode  Island  (|uartz  mill,  which  was  a  large  plant  crushing  much  of  the 
ore  taken  from  (iold  Hill  mines.  He  continued  his  actixc  connection  with 
the  Demtxrratic  ]);u"ty  after  coming  to  this  state,  ruid  served  as  county  com- 
missioner in  Storey  ccnmty  and  was  a  deleg.ate  to  t!ie  national  conx'ention 
which  nominated  Grover  Cle\-eland  for  ])resident  of  the  L'nited  States.  When 
rjii  his  WAX  hiinie  from  that  convention  he  contracted  a  cold,  which  resulted 
in  his  death  in  1884,  when  in  bis  fifty-fourth  year.  His  estimable  wife 
still  survives  him  and  resides  in  San  I'^rancisco.  To  ihcm  were  born  eleven 
children,  five  of  whom  are  still  living,  four  being  lesidents  of  Californi;i, 
while  Andrew  J.  makes  his  home  at  Gold  Hill.  Xex'ada. 

Mr.  Canavan  received  his  early  education  in  the  public  schools  of 
Gold  Hill  and  is  now  taking  a  course  at  the  University  of  i\e\ada  in  mete- 
orology, chemistry,  free-hand  drawing,  assaying  and  sm'veving.  to  better  fit 
him  for  his  chosen  occupation.  He  is  an  cx])ert,  ])iactical  miner,  having 
followed  that  vocation  continually  since  his  early  manhood,  and  as  foreman 
of  the  Justice  mines  has  met  with  very  gratifying  success. 

In  1893  Mr.  Canavan  was  ha])pily  married  to  Miss  .\nnie  Healey.  a 
native  of  New  Urunswick,  Canada,  and  they  have  become  the  parents  of  five 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADy\.  685 

cliililfen  :  KD^jer.  Mary.  Maliel.  I'laiulc  nid  Thelma.  all  burn  in  (inld  Hill. 
Mr.  Canasan  is  an-  ardent  Dcnincrat.  and  is  a  prominent  meni1)cr  of  the 
Klks  and  the  .\ncicnt  Order  of  l^nited  Workmen,  V-eing"  ])ast  foreman  in 
the  latter  organization.  Tie  and  his  family  are  worthy  members  of  the 
Roman  Catholie  church  and  .are  held  in  high  regard  by  all   who  know  theni. 


PiAL'L  .\.  PINSON.  who  has  a  large  ranch  near  (jolconda  and  is 
one  of  the  snccessful  raisers  of  high-grade  stock,  first  came  to  the  territory 
of  Neyada  in  1863,  and  fur  the  greater  part  of  the  subsequent  forty  years 
has  been  engaged  either  in  mining  or  ranching  in  this  great  commonwealth. 
He  \vas  born  in  France,  Noyember  2,  1845,  ^^'^^  son  of  A.  and  Josephine 
(Ijeaurin)  Pinson,  also  natiyes  of  that  country.  The  uarents  and  their 
four  children  all  came  to  California  in  1850,  and  the  father  died  in  France 
at  the  age  of  eighty,  and  his  wife  ]iassed  a\\a\-  in  San  Francisco  at  the  age 
of  si.xty-seyen. 

Paul  .\.  Pinson  is  the  unly  member  uf  the  family  residing  in  Neyada, 
the  others  making  their  home  in  California.  He  received  a  large  part  of 
his  early  education  in  San  Francisco,  and  upon  his  arrival  in  Nevada,  in 
November,  1863,  he  engaged  in  mining,  and  also  in  Idaho.  In  Idaho  City 
he  had  an  excellent  run  of  luck,  taking  out  as  much  as  five  hundred  dollars 
a  day,  liut,  after  the  manner  of  most  miners,  he  reinvested  all  his  earnings 
in  prospects  and  did  not  arrix'e  at  any  stalile  status  of  wealth.  In  1884  he 
came  to  the  site  of  his  present  ranch  and  acquired  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land,  covered  with  sage  Ijrush  and  otherwise  unimproved,  and  here 
Ills  industry  and  well  directed  efforts  in  time  repaid  him  handsomely.  He 
has  been  adding  to  his  property  till  he  now  owns  over  a  thousand  acres.  His 
principal  industry  is  the  raising  of  fine  Durham  cattle,  of  which  he  some- 
times has  as  many  as  seven  hundred  head. 

Mr.  Pinson  has  always  affiliated  with  the  Republican  party,  and  is 
a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fello^i'S.  He  was  married  in 
1880  to  Miss  Mary  J.  Polkow,  who  \y?s  born  in  New  York  City  but  was 
reared  in  Illinois.  Seven  children  have  been  torn  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pinson, 
all  in  Neyada,  as  follows :  Josephine,  Ella,  Clovis,  Victor,  Bertha,  Ger- 
trude and  Camille.  The  family  are  members  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church, 
and  Mr.  Pinson  is  a  good  representative  of  the  sterling  citizens  who  came 
to  the  western  country  in  the  pioneer  days  of  last  century. 


W.  H,  INGHi\.M,  the  liarness  and  saddle  manufacturer  of  Austin, 
Nevada,  has  been  a  resident  of  this  state  for  over  a  charter  of  a  century, 
and  is  one  of  the  most  esteemed  and  popular  of  the  citizens  of  Lander 
county.  He  has  built  up  his  business  so  that  he  has  the  trade  of  the  entire 
county  in  his  line,  and  his  diligent  and  successful  prosecution  of  this  in- 
dustry has  put  him  in  the  front  rank  of  the  business  men  of  Austin,  \\1iile 
he  has  de\-oted  himself  attentively  to  business,  he  has  also  performed  a  full 
share  of  the  duties  devolving  upon  him  as  a  citizen,  and  is  now  one  of  the 


fi86  A  HISTORY  OF  NEX'ADA. 

county  officials  and  cndeaxoring'  to  iironiote  the  welfare  of  his  conmiunity 
with  all  the  zeal  which  has  marked  his  efYorts  as  a  pri\-ate  citizen. 

Mr.  Ingham's  father.  Joseph  Ingham,  was  born  in  Englanil.  and  was 
brought  from  his  native  land  by  his  father.  Aaron  Ingham,  to  New  York 
when  he  was  two  years  of  age.  He  married  Miss  Miranda  Childs.  a  native 
of  New  York  state.  He  and  his  wife  went  to  California  in  i860  by  way 
of  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  and  they  resided  in  San  Jose  from  that  time 
till  his  death,  which  occurred  when  he  was  si.xty-fi\e  years  of  age.  He 
was  a  wagon  and  carriage  maker  by  trade,  and  was  conscientious  and 
faithful  in  his  work  and  was  a  good  man  in  business  and  with  his  family. 
His  wife  still- survives,  and  resides  with  her  son  in  Austin. 

Mr.  Ingham  is  the  only  one  of  the  four  children  of  his  parents  residing 
in  Nevada.  He  was  born  in  Monroe  county.  New  York,  February  19, 
1855.  and  was  reared  and  educated  in  San  Jose,  California.  He  learned 
his  trade  of  joiner  there  and  worked  at  it  for  several  years,  until  he  came 
to  Nevada,  which  as  one  of  the  jirincipal  events  of  his  life  occurred  in  1876. 
He  followed  his  trade  in  different  parts  of  the  state  until  the  spring  of  188 1. 
and  in  the  fall  of  that  year  came  to  Austin,  where  he  began  work  at  his 
trade  at  three  dollars  and  a  half  a  day.  He  continued  this  wage  work  until 
1899.  at  which  time  he  opened  his  own  shop.  He  now  has  the  entire  har- 
ness and  saddler)'  trade  of  Lander  countv.  and  is  everywhere  recognized 
as  a  man  of  shrewd  business  and  executive  ability  and  capable  of  carrying 
out  whatever  he  undertakes. 

Mr.  Ingham  has  always  been  a  Republican  in  jKjlitics  except  during 
the  silver  movement,  when  he  gave  his  allegiance  to  bimetallism.  He  was 
elected  to  the  important  office  of  county  commissioner  of  Lander  county 
in  the  fall  of  190J,  and  is  now  doing  all  in  his  power  to  promote  the  best 
interests  of  the  county.  He  affiilates  with  the  In(le))endent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  and  is  popular  in  that  order  as  he  is  in  all  social  L-ircles.  He  is 
still  a  single  gentleman,  and  the  time  which  he  would  otherwise  devote  to 
domestic  duties  is  now  gi\cn  to  his  business  and  office.  He  owns  his  busi- 
ness building  and  his  residence,  besides  several  town  lots,  and  is  a  good  rep- 
resentative of  the  ])rogressive  young  business  men  of  Austin. 


HON.  .\X1)RIA\'  W'l'.STb'ALL,  a  representative  farmer  near  Love- 
locks, Iliunboldt  county,  Nevada,  and  the  only  one  of  the  first  residents  oi 
that  valley  now  living,  is  a  ])ioneer  to  the  state,  having  crossed  the  plains 
from  Illinois  in  1861.  He  is  of  German  ancestry  and  the  son  of  James 
and  Malissa  (Waite)  Westfall,  who  removed  from  Ss'ew  ^'ork  state  to  Illinois 
in  1838,  where  they  assisted  in  the  early  (levelo])ment  of  that  state,  and  they 
later  removed  to  and  resided  in  Harrison  and  Hancock  counties,  Illinois. 
James  Westfall  was  an  influential  man  in  the  difYerent  communities  where 
he  i)assed  his  life,  and  held  the  offices  of  postmaster  and  justice  of  the  peace 
of  his  town.  lie  died  when  ("ifty-two  jears  of  age,  and  his  wife  had  passed 
away  when  Andrew  was  but  six  years  of  age.  Of  their  five  children,  three 
are  still  living.  I'erry  Westfall  is  in  Montana,  and  Mrs.  Hannah  .\ndcrson 
is  in  Kansas. 


A  JllSrom'  Oh'   Nl'.VADA.  C87 

Andrew  West  fall  was  hnni  in  Allej;:nn'  county.  New  York,  l'"cljruary 
J.  iS^^d,  aiKJ  was  only  Iwo  years  old  when  his  i)arents  took  him  to  Illinois. 
He  was  ediicaletl  in  a  little  \ug  sciioolhouse  in  Illinois,  and  worked  liard  on 
his  father's  farm  in  the  interims  hetween  instruction,  in  iSdi  he  (h"o\e  an  o\ 
team  across  the  ])lains,  and  located  at  his  ])resent  place  when  all  the  count I'y 
round  was  a  wilderness.  He  took  u])  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  the 
\irgin  soil,  and  lias  enjoyed  a  steady  prosperity  since  that  time.  He  now 
lias  a  splendid  farm  of  two  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  on  which  he  raises 
alfalfa  and  hreeds  and  feeds  slock  for  the  market.  His  success  is  iiuhcated 
hy  the  general  appearance  of  his  ranch,  on  which  he  has  one  of  the  1)e.st  resi- 
dences in  the  valley. 

Mr.  W'estfall  has  recenth'  purchased  one  hundred  and  sixt\'  .acres  of 
land  adjoining  his  present  farm,  and  on  Imth  farms  he  cuts  .ahout  tweKe 
hundred  tons  of  alfalfa. 

Mr.  Westfail  has  also  lieen  prominent  in  the  puhlic  life  of  his  county 
and  state,  and,  although  he  has  never  sought  office  and  has  never  resorted 
to  any  of  the'  questionahle  metliods  to  gain  promotion  in  politics,  his  fellow 
citizens  ha\-e  several  times  placed  him  in  positions  where  he  might  serve 
them,  and  he  has  never  disappointed  their  confidence.  He  has  served  as 
county  commissioner  for  eight  years  in  all,  and  in  the  fall  of  1884,  on  the 
Democratic  ticket,  which  has  always  heen  the  jiartv  of  his  choice,  he  was 
elected  to  the  state  legislature,  where  he  did  much  to  [jromote  the  interests 
of  county  and  state.  One  of  the  most  im])ortant  rneasnres  to  which  he  gave 
his  earnest  ad\'ocacy  was  the  bill  to  insure  l.iona  fide  settlement  of  gcjvern- 
ment  land,  and  which  provided  that  the  land  must  he  actually  settled,  paid 
for  at  government  prices,  and  the  settler  should  ha\e  no  title  thereto  until 
he  had  put  water  facilities  upon  it. 

Mr.  Westfail  was  the  circulator  of  the  petition  to  ask  the  Congress  of 
the  United  States  to  pass  the  Desert  Land  act,  and  the  l)ill  was  introduced 
hy  Congressman  \^^illiam  Woodhurn,  of  Carson. 

In  1876  Mr.  Westfail  married  Miss  Frances  Wash,  a  native  of  Mis- 
souri, and  they  had  two  children,  Loraine  A.  and  Lillie,  both  residents  of 
Reno.  In  1884  he  married  Miss  May  Bahcook,  and  of  this  union  there  are 
two  children,  Vernon  A.,  now  in  his  third  year  in  the  State  University,  and 
Nola  Melissa,  at  home.  Four  decades  ha\'e  passed  since  Mr.  Westfail  came 
to  this  part  of  Nevada,  and  his  honorable  record,  has  placed  him  among  the 
esteemed  citizens  whose  worth  has  been  tried  and  pro\-ed. 


XLliFRT  M.  WARD.  The  great  prairies  of  the  west  afford  splendid 
o])portunities  to  the  stock-raiser,  and  in  this  line  of  business  many  fortunes 
have  been  made  by  men  of  business  enterprise  and  ready  adaptability  who 
have  come  to  the  west  and  pastured  large  herds  of  cattle  upon  the  jirairies 
Of  this  class  Albert  AI.  Ward  is  a  representati\e,  and  he  is  widely  recognized 
as  a  man  of  great  energy,  diligence,  persistency  of  purpose  and  sound  jndg- 
nieiit.  He  came  to  the  territory  of  Nevada  in  the  year  1864.  and  three 
years  previous  to  that  time  he  had  become  a  resident  of  California. 

Although  now  li\iiig  upon  the  Pacific  coast,  he  is  a  native  of  one  of 


688  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

the  Atlantic  states,  liis  birtli  liaving  occurred  in  tlie  citv  of  Augusta.  Maine, 
on  the  i6tli  of  July  1840.  He  is  of  English  and  Irish  tlescent.  His  pa- 
ternal grandfather  took  up  his  abode  near  the  mouth  of  the  Kennebec  river 
in  JMaine,  and  Martin  Ward,  his  father,  was  born  there.  \\'hen  the  latter 
had  reached  years  of  maturity  he  wedded  Miss  Susan  Spratt.  a  daughter 
of  David  Spratt.  a  pioneer  resident  of  Maine  and  one  of  the  patriots  of 
the  Revolutionary  war.  Martin  Ward  was  a  devoted  Christian  man  and 
served  as  a  circuit  preacher  of  the  Methodist  church,  devoting  many  years 
of  his  life  to  the  ministry.  He  endured  all  the  hardships  and  privations  of 
the  early  circuit  rider,  and  died  firm  in  the  faith  in  1843,  ''^  the  fortieth 
year  of  his  age.  His  wife  passed  away  in  1857  at  the  old  home  in  the 
Pine  Tree  state,  leaving  behind  her  a  memory  which  is  yet  enshrined  in 
the  hearts  of  her  children  and  those  who  knew  her.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Martin  Ward  were  born  five  cliildren,  all  of  whom  are  yet  living.  Martin 
E..  the  eldest,  born  in  1833,  went  to  California  in  1856  and  for  a  nimiber 
of  years  was  engaged  in  mining.  He  then  became  a  partner  of  his  brother, 
Albert  M.,  in  the  stock-raising  business,  and  is  now  a  promilient  resident 
and  one  of  the  wealthy  citizens  of  Reno.  Olin  W^.,  born  in  1837.  is  on 
the  ranch  owned  by  the  Ward  brothers  in  Lassen  county,  California.  Sarah 
Jane  is  the  widow  of  J.  A.  Oilman  and  resides  in  Reno ;  she  went  to  Cali- 
ffirnia  in  1861,  and  has  since  lived  in  the  west.  The  entire  family  are  held 
in  high  esteem  by  those  who  ha\-e  the  pleasure  of  their  acquaintance. 

Mr.  Albert  M.  W'ard  was  educated  in  his  native  state,  and  when 
twenty-one  years  of  age  sought  a  home  in  the  far  west,  sailing  from  New 
York  for  San  Francisco.  While  on  the  voyage  the  vessel  was  constantly 
in  danger  of  being  captured  by  a  rebel  man-of-war,  but  escaped,  although 
the  North  Star,  a  vessel  which  followed  them,  was  captured.  Mr.  W^ard 
arrived  in  San  Francisco  in  November,  1861,  and  went  direct  to  Tuolumne 
county,  where  he  was  engaged  in  placer  mining,  but  he  made  only  mod- 
erate wages  in  that  way.  Subsecpiently  he  removed  to  Calaveras  county, 
and  thence  made  the  journey  on  foot  to  .\l|)ine  county,  carrying  his  blankets 
with  him.  There  he  was  engaged  in  lumbering  for  wages,  the  logs  being 
sent  down  the  Carson  river  to  the  Virginia  City  market.  In  1865  Mr. 
Ward  returned  to  California,  and  tliere  embarked  in  business  on  his  own 
account  as  a  sheep-raiser,  having  his  sheep  pasture  in  San  Joa(|u.in,  Stanis- 
laus and  Alpine  counties. 

In  T870  the  range  was  mostly  occupied  by  actual  owners,  and  with 
his  brother.  M.  E.  W'ard.  who  was  his  partner,  he  drove  four  th.ousand  of 
his  sheep  to  Nex'ada,  pasturing  them  in  Churchill  and  Lander  counties. 
After  running  the  sheep  for  two  or  three  years  on  the  same  ground  they 
sold  ten  thousand  head  for  four  dollars  per  head.  He  then  decided  to  give 
his  attention  to  the  raising  of  cattle,  and  in  Humboldt  county  he  and  his 
brother  purchased  the  ranch  of  Bass  &•  Derby  on  the  Granite  creek  range, 
thus  becoming  owners  of  one  thousand  head  of  cattle  located  on  a  good 
range.  The  Ward  brothers  prospced  in  this  undertakir.g  and  contiiuied 
in  the  cattle  business  there  for  tw-elve  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  they 
.sold  out  to  the  firm  of  Fi.sk  &  Gerlack,  of  Stockton.  .\l  that  time  the'brothers 
purchased  the  Thomas  Bare  ranch  in  Surprise  valley  in  Lassen  county.  Cali- 


A  lilSTURV   UF  NEVADA.  G89 

fnniia,  coniprisiiii^-  almut  five  tlioiisaiid  acres,  and  in  1S85  liicy  l)ini.<;i)t  the 
\\  illiam  U.  'rodhuntcr  ranch  in  Long'  Valley,  Washoe  coirnty,  paying  one 
hundred  and  lifly  llmnsaiKl  dollars  and  securing  six  thousand  head  of  cattle 
in  addition  to  the  land.  This  large  and  valuable  ranch  they  still  own  and 
they  have  had  as  high  as  se\en  thousand  head  of  cattle  upon  it  at  one 
time.  They  are  breeding  a  h.igh  grade  of  Durham  stock  and  are  also  im- 
porters and  breeders  of  Norman  horses.  They  likewise  give  some  atten- 
tion to  the  sheep  industry  in  California  and  in  Nevada,  and  in  the  spring 
of  1903,  following  the  shearing,  they  sold  fifteen  thousand  head  of  sheep. 
Their  ojierations  have  been  on  a  very  extensive  scale,  and  they  are  regarded 
as  among  the  leading  stock  dealers  of  the  west.  Mr.  Ward  is  the  youngest 
member  and  the  secretary  of  the  Ward  Land  &  Stock  Company.  His 
Ijrother,  O.  W.  Ward,  is  jiresident.  They  are  the  principal  owners,  and 
some  idea  of  the  extent  of  their  ranch  and  the  volume  of  their  business  can 
be  gathered  from  the  fact  that  they  cut  for  their  own  stock  two  thousand 
tons  of  hay  each  year. 

Albert  M.  Ward  was  ha])pih'  married  on  the  30th  of  January,  1885. 
to  Miss  Clara  Stanley,  a  native  of  Maine  and  a  daughter  of  Colonel  Nathan 
.Stanley,  of  that  state.  This  union  has  been  1)lessed  with  one  child :  Clara 
Belle,  who  is  at  home  with  her  parents.  They  have  a  nice  residence  on 
Mills  street  in  Reno,  and  their  friends  are  legion  here.  Both  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Ward  are  valued  memljers  of  the  Methodist  church,  contribute  gen- 
erously to  its  support  and  take  an  acti\e  part  in  its  work.  Mr.  Ward  has 
always  given  his  political  allegiance  to  the  Republican  party,  and  while  he 
has  never  sought  or  desired  office  he  has  ever  put  forth  helpful  effort  in  be- 
half of  general  progress  and  impro\'ement.  His  business  affairs  have  been 
capably  conducted.  He  has  based  his  business  principles  and  actions  upon 
the  rules  governing  unfaltering  diligence  and  strict  unswerving  integrity. 
Realizing  that  the  present  and  not  th.e  future  is  the  time  for  action,  he  has 
so  labored  that  his  work  has  been  crowned  with  a  high  measure  of  success 
and  he  is  to-day  one  of  the  leading  stock  dealers  of  the  west. 


J.  WARNE  ITIILLIPS.  Pmnnnent  among  Ihe  representative  mill 
men  of  Silver  City,  Nevada,  is  numbered  J.  Warne  Phillips,  who  l(jr  several 
years  was  identifned  with  e<hu-;itionaI  affairs,  but  now  gives  liis  attention 
wholly  to  his  business  interests.  Being  a  man  of  marked  ability,  enterpris- 
ing and  progressi\e,  he  is  meeting  w'th  well  merited  success  in  bis  chosen 
field  of  labor. 

Mr.  Phillips  was  born  in  Xew  Jersey  <in  the  7th  of  August,  1863.  and 
is  of  English  ancestry,  the  progenitor  of  the  family  in  America  having 
emigrated  to  the  new-  world  with  (lovernor  Winthrop  of  (lie  Massachusetts 
colonv.  He  was  a  Congregational  minister,  being  one  of  the  very  first  of 
that  faith  in  the  old  Bay  state.  There  were  representatives  of  the  family 
in  all  the  earlv  wars  of  this  country,  including  the  Revolution,  in  wdiich 
our  subject's  great-great-grandfather.  Captain  John  Phillips,  bore  a  promi- 
nent part.  He  i)artici]);ited  in  the  battles  of  Trenton  and  Princeton  and  suc- 
ceeded in  capturing  a  quantity   of  the  redcoats"   supplies,   which  he  turned 


<'90  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

over  to  General  Washington,  who  was  in  coniinainl.  After  tlie  war  he 
made  his  home  in  Princeton,  Xew  Jersey,  throughout  the  remainder  of 
his  life.  His  grandson.  Henry  D.  Phillips,  who  was  the  son  of  Theophilus 
Phillips  and  Air.  Phillips"  grandfather,  hecame  an  extensive  landowner,  hav- 
ing over  one  thousand  acres  in  New  Jersey,  and  he  was  not  onK-  one  of  the 
wealthy  citizens  of  his  community  Imt  was  a  man  of  influence.  iJe  attaincii 
the  age  of  eighty-four  years. 

John  I'".  Phillips,  the  father  of  J.  W'arne  Phillips,  was'  horn  in  Prince- 
ton and  was  educated  at  the  Princeton  L'ni\ersit\'.  Inheriting  iiis  fath.e''"s 
farm,  he  spent  his  entire  life  upon  the  old  homestead  and  died  there  at  the 
age  of  si.xty-se\en  years.  His  wife,  wh.o  hore  the  maiden  .name  of  Hannah 
Warne  and  was  also  a  native  of  New  Jerscw  survives  him  and  is  now  in. 
the  si.\ty-sec(jn<l  year  of  her  age.  They  had  h\e  children,  four  of  whom 
are  still  li\ing. 

The  early  life  of  J.  Warne  Philliiis  was  jjassed  in  the  east.  aiul.  like 
his  father,  he  was  educated  at  Princeton  L'niversity.  graduating  with  the 
class  of  1884  '^ntl  afterward  taking  a  ])ost-graduate  course  at  the  same  in- 
stitution. From  1886  until  1889  he  occupied  the.  chair  of  mor])lio!ogy  if 
the  vertehrates  and  physiological  ])svchology  there,  and  was  chemist  on 
the  board  of  health  at  Trenton.  Xew  Jersey.  Going  abroad,  he  studied  in 
Germany  for  a  time,  and  receixed  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Science  from 
Princeton  University  in    1889. 

Coming  to  Nevada  in  iS8(>.  Mr.  Philli])s  first  located  at  Reno,  where 
he  filled  the  chair  of  chemistry  and  physics  in  the  Nevada  State  L'ni\ersity 
for  eleven  years.  He  removed  to  Sdver  City  in  1900.  forming  a  partner 
shi])  with  R.  D.  Jackson  in  the  Dazet  cpiartz  mill  and  Jackson's  cyanide  plant, 
which  they  now  ha\e  in  successful  operation.  The>;  also  own  two  good 
mines,  the  Powder  House  and  the  Stu'plus,  and  besides  crushing  their  own 
ore  they  do  considerable  custom  work  for  other  miners.  Theirs  is  a  ten- 
stamp  mill,  and  is  run  by  electric  power.  Mr.  Philli].s  is  not  only  a  man  of 
good  l)usiness  ability,  but  by  education  and  practical  training  he  has  be- 
come thoroughly  familiar  with  e\-ery  de])artment  of  mining,  and  is  there- 
fore meeting  with  success  in  this  venture.  He  was  reared  in  the  faith  of 
the  Presbyterian  church,  to  which  his  parents  belonged,  and  he  affiliates 
with  the  Rei)ublican  party.  Fraternallv  he  is  a  member  of  the  Rene\"ol-;,'.i 
and  ]'rotecti\-e  Order  of  Elks  and  stands  high  socially. 


HON.  CHARLES  KAlSIiR.  The  life  record  of  H.m.  Charles  Kai.ser 
is  one  which  reflected  credit  upon  the  state  of  his  ado])tion.  1  le  was  a  promi- 
nent citizen  and  pioneer  of  both  California  and  Nexada.  and  there  was  no 
more  loyal  natixe  son  of  .\merica  than  was  this  adopted  son,  for  Mr.  Kaiser 
was  a  native  of  I'laden,  (jermany.  His  birth  occiured  in  the  fatherland  on 
the  8th  of  December,  1829,  and  he  was  educated  in  that  country.  When  a 
young  man  of  about  eighteen  years  he  re.solved  to  seek  his  fortune  in  the 
new  w'orld,  and  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  United  States  in  1847.  He  then 
made  his  home  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  until  1850.  when,  interested  in  the 
news  concerning  the   discox'ery  of  gold   in   California   and   hoping   that    he 


i)fiaAAj  ^^uJsJ 


A  IILSTORY  OF  NEVADA.  691 

miglit  benefit  l)y  tlie  |iri)(hicti\eness  of  llie  mines  on  tlie  Pacific  coast,  he  niaile 
his  way  to  tiiat  district  and  for  a  time  engaged  in  piacer  mining. 

Later  lie  estabHshed  a  general  mercantile  store,  and  in  adihtion  to  deal- 
ing in  such  goods  as  are  usually  found  in  an  establishment  of  that  character 
he  also  jnirchased  the  gold  dust  from  the  miners,  carrying  on  business  in 
both  Placer  and  Nevada  counties.  In  this  way  he  made  money  rapidly  for 
a  time,  Init  a  disastrous  fire  occurred,  in  which  he  lost  about  thirty  thousand 
dollars.  He  then  turned  his  attention  to  teaming,  owning  a  number  of  large 
trams  which  he  used  in  hauling  ties  for  the  Iniilding  of  the  Southern  Pacific 
Railroad.  In  this  connection  he  was  associated  with  the  firm  of  Crocker, 
Stanford,  Huntington  &  Hopkins.  They  desired  him  to  take  stock  in  the 
enterprise  and  join  them  in  the  building  of  the  road,  but  he  thought  it  too 
great  an  undertaking  to  build  a  trans-continental  line,  believing  that  they 
could  never  raise  money  enough  to  complete  it  and  that  the  effort  would 
therefore  end  in  failure. 

Mr.  Kaiser  ne.xt  turned  his  attention  to  freighting  between  Sacramen.to 
and  Virginia  City  and  Austin.  Nevada.  He  next  established  his  home  in 
Churchill  county,  \\here  he  had  a  large  store,  his  goods  being  hauled  by  his 
own  teams  from  the  nearest  railroad  point,  which  w-as  Wadsworth.  He  also 
became  a  meml^er  of  the  land  and  water  company  owning  a  large  amount 
of  land,  and  in  partnership  with  Senator  W.  W.  Williams  he  became  en- 
gaged in  the  sheep  and  cattle  business,  raising  large  numbers  of  cattle, 
sheep  and  also  horses  in  Churchill  county.  He  recognized  the  business  possi- 
bilities of  this  section  of  the  country  and  took  advantage  of  them.  His 
straightforward  Inisiness  methods  commended  him  to  the  confidence  and 
support  of  the  public,  and  in  his  \-arious  undertakings  he  met  with  gratifying 
success.  The  trade  in  his  store  reached  a  large  annual  figure,  and  as  a  stock- 
dealer  he  also  prospered. 

The  year  1896  witnessed  the  arrival  of  Mr.  Kaiser  in  Reno.  Here  he 
purchased  a  nice  home  in  which  his  widow  still  resides,  and  having  remodeled 
the  property,  he  transformed  it  into  a  commodious  and  delightful  residence. 
Here  he  became  interested  in  the  management  of  the  Water,  Light  &  Power 
Company,  in  which  he  was  largely  interested  before  adopting  Reno  as  a 
place  of  residence,  being  owner  of  much  of  the  stock,  and  was  then  elected 
its  president.  He  was  also  interested  in  the  Washoe  County  Bank  and  occu- 
pied a  very  enviable  position  in  financial  circles.  He  possessed  tireless  energy, 
strong  purpose  and  ready  adaptability,  and  carried  forward  to  successful 
completion  whatever  he  undertook.  Both  as  a  citizen  anrl  business  man  he 
occupied  a  prominent  and  influential  ])osition,  and  fluring  his  active  career 
he  aided  largely  in  the  promotion  of  the  general  welfare  along  lines  of  sub- 
stantial progress  and  improvement.  A  man  of  broad  sympathy  and  marked 
generosity,  he  did  much  to  hehi  the  ]joor  and  needy,  and  was  so  lenient  with 
those  whom  he  assisted  financiallv  that  he  lost  a  fortune  by  not  collecting 
the  debts  which  were  due  him.  However,  his  kindnesses  have  endeared  him 
to  many  and  developed  in  him  a  character  whose  sterling  qualities  are  well 
worthy  of  enudation.  As  a  husband  and  father,  too,  he  was  most  loving, 
kind  and  indulgent,  and  his  many  admirable  traits  endeared  him  to  all  who 
knew  him. 


692  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

[n  1877  occurred  llie  marriage  of  Mr.  Kaiser  ami  Miss  Emma  Beanier, 
a  native  of  Canada  and  a  daugliter  of  Esc|uire  Jolm  Wesley  Beamer,  who 
was  a  noted  magistrate  for  many  years  in  Canada.  On  her  mother's  side, 
Mrs.  Kaiser  is  a  direct  descendant  of  a  queen  of  Holland.  ]\lrs.  Kaiser  was 
highly  educated  and  was  a  very  successful  teacher  hoth  in  California  and 
Xe\-ada.  She  won  the  highest  grade  certificates  both  in  her  natixe  country 
and  in  the  United  States,  and  her  culture  and  innate  refinement  have  made 
her  a  valued  factor  in  social  circles.  The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kaiser 
was  blessed  with  two  children,  but  only  one  is  now  li\-ing:  Charles  E.,  who 
was  born  in  San  Rafael,  California,  on  the  9th  of  June,  188 1.  He  is  now 
engaged  in  the  sheep  business  in  Elko  county,  Nevada,  the  ])ersonal  super- 
vision of  which,  after  his  father's  death,  necessitated  his  withdrawal  from 
Stanford  College.  He  is  a  most  promising  young  man,  already  developing 
the  many  noble  traits  of  character  which  are  his  by  right  of  birth. 

Mr.  Kaiser  gave  his  political  allegiance  to  the  Republican  party,  of 
which  he  was  a  very  stanch  advocate,  and  upon  its  ticket  he  was  elected  and 
served  for  twenty  consecutive  years  in  the  Nevada  state  senate,  throughout 
which  time  he  ])ut  forth  every  effort  in  liis  power  to  advance  the  best  interests 
of  the  commonwealth  and  of  his  constituents.  He  departed  this  life  on  the 
i8th  of  October,  1901,  and  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  Odd  Fellows  cemetery, 
where  his  wife  has  erected  a  fine  mausoleum  to  lii^  memory.  Xotuitlistanil- 
ing  the  many  losses  which  he  met  through  bis  leniency  to  those  who  owed 
him,  his  business  judgment  and  management  were  yet  so  good  that  he  left 
his  wife  and  son  in  very  comfortable  circumstances,  and  Mrs.  Kaiser  is  now 
managing  the  estate  in  a  most  capable  and  satisfactory  manner. 

No  compendium  such  as  the  province  of  this  work  defines  in  its  essen- 
tial limitations  will  ser\e  to  offer  fit  memorial  to  the  life  and  accomplish- 
ments of  tlie  honored  subject  of  this  sketch — a  man  who  was  remarkable  in 
the  breadth  of  bis  wisdom,  in  bis  in(lomita!)le  perseverance,  his  strong  in- 
dividuality, and  yet  one  whose  entire  life  had  not  one  esoteric  phase,  being 
an  open  scroll,  inviting  the  closest  scrutiny.  Truly,  his  were  "massive  deeds 
and  great"  in  one  sense,  and  yet  his  entire  life  acc()m])lisbments  but  repre- 
sented the  result  of  the  fit  utilization  of  the  innate  talent  which  was  his,  and 
the  directing  of  his  efforts  in  those  lines  where  mature  judgment  and  rare 
discrimination  led  the  way.  There  was  in  Mr.  Kaiser  a  weight  of  char- 
acter, a  native  sagacity,  a  far-seeing  judgment  and  a  fidelity  of  purpose  that 
commanded  the  respect  of  all.  .\  man  of  indcfatigalile  enterpri.se  and  fertility 
of  resource,  he  carved  his  name  deeply  on  the  record  of  the  political  and 
business  history  of  the  .state,  which  owes  much  of  its  advancement  to  his 
efforts. 


A.  (..  MJ':TCHEI<  was  a  sohlier  boy  of  the  Civil  war,  \\'hcn  hv\ 
a  youth  he  offered  his  services  to  the  government,  joining  the  army  long 
before  he  attained  his  majority,  and  yet  there  was  no  braver  or  more  lnyal 
follower  of  the  old  flag  than  .\.  d.  Fletcher.  He  is  now  connected  with 
hanking  circles  in  Reno  and  is  one  of  the  Imndrc.!  and  respected  business 
men  and  citizens  of  this  |)lacc.      Ili'^  ])rcsenl   liume   is   far  distant    from  his 


A  TTTSTORY  OF  NEVADA.  693 

hirlliplace,  wliicli  is  Waldn  cminly,  Maine.  Iiis  natal  day  hciny  ilic  r=;tli  of 
October,   1845. 

l'\-ir  hack  in  the  liistory  cif  America  can  tlie  ancestry  of  tlie  family 
he  traced.  In  fact,  the  family  was  founiled  in  the  new  world  l)v  emi,q;rants 
who  landeil  n]ion  the  shores  of  Massachnsetts  in  1620.  'idiere  for  nian\- 
generations  representatives  of  the  name  resided.  ,\ndrew  T'^Ietcher,  the  father 
of  A.  G.  Fletcher,  was  burn  in  Massachusetts,  and  married  Miss  Elvira 
Shaw,  a  native  of  his  own  state.  In  1868  they  removed  to  Missouri,  and 
there  spent  their  remaining  days.  He  was  a  carpenter  and  contractor,  and 
throughout  his  business  career  was  identified  with  building  interests.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  held  membership  in  the  Methodist  cliurch  and  were  deqjly 
interested  in  its  growth  and  progress.  Mr.  Andrew  Metcher  died  of  pneu- 
monia in  1881,  at  the  age  of  seventy-four  years,  \vhile  his  wife  survived 
him  and  de]3arted  this  life  in  1895,  ''^  the  age  of  eight\'-four  years.  Thev 
were  the  parents  of  nine  children,  of  whom  six  are  yet  living. 

Upon  the  home  farm  .\.  G.  I'letcher  spent  the  days  of  his  boyhood 
and  youth,  his  attention  being  given  to  the  work  of  field  and  meadow 
through  the  summer  months,  while  in  tlie  winter  he  acquired  a  knowledge 
of  the  common  branches  of  English  learning  in  the  public  schools.  Three 
of  his  brothers  volunteered  for  service  in  the  Union  army,  and  his  patriotic 
spirit  was  aroused  so  that  he  too  desired  to  join  the  forces  on  the  field. 
As  soon  as  he  was  recei\-ed  by  the  enlisring-  officer  he  donned  the  blue  uni- 
form, lieing  but  seventeen  years  of  age.  In  Septem]:)er,  1863,  he  was  en- 
rolled as  a  member  of  Company  B,  Twenty-ninth  Regiment  of  ]\laine  Vol- 
imters.  He  served  first  with  the  .Army  of  the  Gulf  and  later  with  the  .Army 
of  the  Potojnac.  and  participated  in  engagements  at  Sabine  Cross  roads. 
Pleasant  Hill  and  Marksxille  Plains,  Louisiana.  Mv.  Fletcher  was  also 
in  the  battle  at  Ced.ar  Creek,  but  about  that  time  was  disabled  and  taken  to 
the  hospital,  where  he  remained  I'or  a  n.umber  of  weeks,  after  which  he  re- 
turned to  the  army  and  remained  until  the  close  of  the  war.  Notwithstand- 
ing his  youth  he  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  corporal.  All  three  of  the 
lirothers  went  through  the  war  without  receix'ing  a  wound,  and  they  ren- 
dered valualile  aifl  to  the  country  liecause  they  were  brave  and  loyal  sol- 
diers, never  faltering  in  the  performance  of  any  duty  assigned  them. 

W'ith  a  creditable  military  record  Mr.  Fletcher  returned  to  his  home 
in  the  Pine  Tree  state,  and  was  then  engaged  in  merchandising  in  Burn- 
ham,  Maine,  continuing  in  business  there  for  seven  years.  For  two  years 
thereafter  he  was  upon  the  road,  selling  groceries  and  flour,  and  in  1875 
he  sought  a  home  in  the  west,  coming  direct  to  Reno,  Nevada,  where  he 
was  engaged  in  building  flumes  to  carry  wood  to  the  railroad  for  the  Com- 
stock  mines.  At  a  later  date  he  forsned  a  partnership  and  engaged  in  the 
sheep-raising  business.  The  firm  had  as  iiigh  as  nine  thousand  .sheep,  and 
pastured  them  in  Humboldt  county,  Nevada,  and  in  southern  Oregon,  meet- 
ing with  good  success  in  the  undertaking.  They  sok'  out  before  President 
Cleveland's  free-trade  policy  in\-olved  the  country  in  a  financial  depression, 
and  thus  realized  a  good  return  from  their  in\-estments.  Mr.  bletcher  after- 
ward t(X)k  stock  in  the  Nevada  Bank  at  Reno,  and  has  since  been  connected 
with  it  as  a  director  and  stockholder.     This  liank  is  one  of  the  strong  finan- 


694  A  HISTORY  OF  XFA'ADA. 

cial  institutions  in  this  part  i^f  tlie  cmintrv  and  has  a  \-ery  successful  in- 
surance department,  rejjresenting  eighteen  nf  the  strongest  insurance  com- 
panies in  the  world.  Over  this  department  Mr.  Fletcher  now  presides,  and 
annually  writes  a  large  amount  of  husiness. 

In  1870  was  celebrated  the  marriage  of  A.  G.  Fletcher  and  Miss  L.  O. 
Cook,  a  nati\-e  of  Massachusetts.  Thev  have  a  delightful  liome  at  501 
Lake  street,  and  it  is  now  graced  with  the  presence  of  two  children:  Lottie 
M.,  the  wife  of  A.  C.  Helmold.  and  Hazel  N.  Mrs.  Fletcher  is  an  attendant 
of  the  Baptist  church,  and  Mr.  Fletcher  maintains  pleasant  relations  with 
his  old  army  comrades  through  his  memhershii^  in  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic.  He  is  a  charter  niemljer  of  General  O.  M.  J^Iitchell  Post,  No. 
69,  and  has  served  as  its  C|uartermaster  «ince  its  organization  in  1885.  In 
politics  he  has  always  been  a  stanch  Reput)lican.  and  uiion  that  ticket  he 
was  elected  and-  served  as  assessor  of  Washoe  county,  filling  the  position 
for  four  years  in  a  most  capalile  and  satisfactory  manner.  He  is  to-day  as 
true  and  loyal  to  his  duties  of  citizenship  as  when  he  followed  the  old  flag 
upon  southern  battlefields.  In  his  business  affairs  he  has  manifested  marked 
enterprise,  strong  purpose  and  keen  insight  into  business  situations,  and 
by  the  improvement  of  opijortunity  he  has  steadily  advanced  until  he  has 
now  reached  a  gratif\-ing  [usition  on  the  ])Iane  of  affluence. 


GEORGF  BERK,  for  over  thirty  years  the  leading  Initcher  of  Win- 
ncmucca.  Xevada.  has  been  engaged  in  the  husiness  of  butchering  and  retail- 
ing meats  since  his  youth,  and  nearly  forty  years  of  that  time  has  been 
])assed  in  this  state.  He  was  liorn  in  Germany.  September  22,  1834,  and 
was  educated  there  and  also  learned  his  trade  of  Ijutchei"  in  that  country,  in 
the  thorough  manner  in  which  a  trade  is  taught  in  the  old  country.  In  1852 
he  emigrated  to  America,  and  for  the  first  }-ear  worked  at  his  trade  in  New 
York  city  at  a  salary  of  eight  dollars  a  month.  From  there  he  went  to 
Cincinnati.  Ohio,  where  he  worked  for  a  while,  was  also  engaged  in  work  at 
St.  Louis,  after  which  he  began  husiness  on  his  own  account  in  Lea\enworth, 
Kansas,  where  he  remained  during  the  years  1855-6. 

In  1857  Mr.  Berk  went  to  San  Franci.sco,  California,  by  way  of  the 
Isthmus  of  Panama,  and  nu  his  arrival  there  he  accepted  the  position  of 
butcher  on  the  old  steamer  Sonora.  running  lietwcen  San  Francisco  and 
Panama.  After  several  voyages  on  this  steamer  he  engaged  in  his  business 
at  Gold  Mill.  I'lacer  county,  California,  and  later  in  Greenwood  valley, 
California,  in  1861  he  came  to  Virginia  City.  Xevada.  and  was  the  leading 
butcher  and  purveyor  of  meat  there  during  the  mining  excitement  for  the 
following  two  years.  In  1864  he  opened  :\  shop  at  German  GnKli.  Mon- 
tana, and  from  there  returned  to  California,  conducting  a  shop  in  C'olfa.x, 
I'lacer  county,  for  some  time.  In  1868  Mr.  Berk  came  to  Reno,  Nevada, 
shortly  after  the  town  was  started,  and  after  following  his  business  for  a 
while  removed  to  Wadsworth,  where  he  bad  a  market,  and  later  had  one  in 
Rye  Patch,  Humboldt  county.  In  1872  he  started  the  business  in  W'inne- 
nnicca  which  has  since  been  continued  .so  successfully,  and  bis  market  has 
a  large  and  high-class  patronage.     His  .success  in  this  line  of  business  may 


A  TIlSroKV  OF  NEVADA.  695 

he  ;ittril)utc(l  largely  In  liis  idcntilicat'cm  with  it  all  his  life,  and  he  deserves 
especial  commendation  inv  fullowiiig'  unc  trade  <le\()tcdly  and  nnreservedly 
for  a  half  century. 

Mr.  Berk  has  been  a  Democrat,  and  has  adhered  to  the  silver  divisidn 
of  that  party,  being  still  a  thorough  binietalist:  Ijut  he  has  given  no  attention 
to  office-seeking,  and  has  been  content  to  perform  his  duty  to  the  .public  by 
supplying  it  with  good  meat.  We  became  a  Mason  in  Winnemucca  Lodge 
No.  19,  F.  &  A.  M. ;  received  the  Royal  Arch  degree  in  Winnemucca  Chapter 
No.  9,  and  is  a  member  of  Eureka  Commandery,  K.  T.  In  1S87  Mr.  Berk 
was  married  to  Miss  Louisa  Heller,  a  nati\e  of  Germany.  I'hey  have  two 
children,  Georgina  and  Henry  P.  They  have  a  nice  residence  in  Winne- 
mucca, and  always  have  a  genial  social  welcome  for  their  friends.  They 
were  both  reared  in  the  Lutheran  faith,  but  in  consequence  of  the  absence 
of  any  church  of  that  dennmination  in  this  town  they  atteufl  an<l  support 
the  Methodist  church. 


GEORGE  N.  SFL\LLENBFR(iFR,  a  prominent  mercliant  and  busi- 
ness man  of  Golconda,  Nevada,  has  been  a  resident  of  the  state  since  Sep- 
tember 6,  1885.  He  is  descended  from  go'.d  I'ennsyh-ania  Dutch  ancestry, 
his  great-grandfather  being  the  iu^st  emigrant  and  the  progenitor  of  the 
family  in  America.  His  grandfather,  Christian  Sliallenberger,  was  born  in 
Westmoreland  cinnitv.  I'eniis\l\ania.  lie  carried  on  a  number  of  enter- 
prises, was  a  farmer,  a  blacksmith,  a  wagon-maker  and  carriatie-maker,  and 
also  had  a  distillery  and  a  shad  lisbery. 

Isaac,  the  son  of  Christian  atid  the  father  of  (ieorge  N.  Sliallenberger. 
was  lx)rn  in  1800,  in  Pennsjhania,  and  married  Miss  Catharine  Floward, 
who  was  born  in  Lancaster  county,  Pennsybania,  in  1805.  He  lived  to  be 
seventy-seven  years,  eleven  months  and  twenty-two  days  old,  and  his  wife 
was  the  same  age  at  her  death,  lacking  elexen  days,  which  is  a  rather  remark- 
able coincidence  both  in  tlie  fact  that  the  ages  are  almost  identical  in  length 
and  that  the  numbers  expressi\-e  of  the  age  are  all  multiples  of  ele\-en.  They 
are  both  buried  in  Canton,  l-'ulton  county,  Illinois.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  and  his  sister,  Mrs.  R.  E.  Baylor,  bcitli  of  Golconda,  are  the  only 
members  of  the  family  in  Nevada. 

George  N.  Shallenberger  was  born  in  I'a^-ette  count}',  Pennsybania, 
May  26,  1839,  and  was  reared  and  educated  in  Canton,  Illinois,  to  which 
place  the  family  had  removed  in  1S45.  ^''^  early  years  alternated  between 
the  school  and  his  father's  farm,  and  he  later  engaged  in  general  mer- 
chandising and  also  had  a  butciier  shop.  In  1885,  in  consequence  of  the 
impaired  health  of  his  wife,  he  thought  if  necessary  to  leave  Illinois,  and 
accordingly  sold  out  his  business  there  and  arrived  in  Golconda,  Nevada. 
September  6.  1885.  March  ist  of  the  following  year  he  opened  up  to  the 
public  a  small  store,  and  since  then,  by  his  good  management  and  close 
attention  and  honorable  methods,  he  has  conducted  a  general  merchandise 
establishment  with  ever  increasing  success.  His  stock  is  a  large  one,  and  is 
well  selected  for  the  varying  demands  of  the  trade.  He  also  conducts  a 
liverv  stable,  and  raises  cattle  and  horses,  liaving  alxnit  fifty  of  the  former 


096  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

and  five  luindrecl  of  the  latter.  This  latter  hranch  of  the  husiness.  however, 
he  has  placed  in  the  hands  of  his  son. 

In  1862  ]Mr.  Shallenherger  was  married  to  Miss  Charlotte  Baylor,  a 
native  of  New  Jersey,  and  they  had  three  children.  The  two  living  are 
Elizabeth,  now  Mrs.  F.  J.  Batton.  who  resides  near  h.er  father  in  Golconda, 
and  Nora,  the  wife  of  C.  W.  ^Muller.  deputy  sheriff  of  Humboldt  county. 
Mrs.  Shallenherger  (bed  in  1872.  and  two  years  later  Mr.  Shallenherger 
married  ]\Iiss  Addie  Long,  a  :iative  of  Iowa.  It  was  for  the  lienefit  of  her 
health  that  the  family  came  and  made  their  resilience  in  Nevada.  They 
have  had  three  children,  but  Charles  alone  survives,  a  boy  of  twelve  years. 

Mr.  Shallenlierger  has  been  a  life-long  Rei)ublican.  casting  his  first  vote 
for  Lincoln.  He  held  the  office  of  township  assessor  of  Buckhart  township, 
and  the  office  of  township  commissioner  for  six  years  and  township  treasurer 
for  four  years;  during  a  short  residence  in  the  state  of  Nebraska  he  held 
the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace.  He  was  made  a  Master  Mason  in  Illinois 
in  1873,  and  has  lieen  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen 
for  the  past  twenty-five  years.  He  has  made  an  excellent  record  in  business 
and  social  life,  and  besifles  his  own  residence  owns  other  real  estate  and 
dwelling  property  in  the  citv  of  his  choice,  where  he  enjoys  the  reputation 
of  a  first-class  Inisiness  man  and  ]3ublic-spirite(l  citizen. 


W  ILLI.^M  THOMPSON  ONYON,  the  ticket  and  freight  agent  of 
the  .Southern  Pacific  Railroad  and  also  the  agent  of  the  Wells  Fargo  Express 
Company  at  Battle  Mountain,  Xevada,  is  one  of  the  efficient  and  trusted 
employes  of  these  great  corporations,  .nid  in  the  ]jerlormance  of  his  duties 
at  this  station  has  gi\en  the  fullest  satisfaction  to  both  the  patrons  of  the 
road  and  the  company's  officials.  The  nature  of  his  duties  has  made  him  a 
resident  of  several  towns  along  the  Southern  Pacific  road  both  in  this  state 
and  elsewhere,  and  everywhere  he  has  been  a  popular  citizen,  and  while  his 
work  ])recludes  active  participation  in  ))ublic  aff'airs.  as  far  as  possible  he 
has  done  his  part  in  the  social,  intellectual  and  material  progress  of  each 
community.  Mr.  Onyon  has  thus  far  made  only  a  good  start  in  his  career, 
luit  he  has  given  ijnmnsc  of  full  fruition  of  the  ideals  with  which  he  began 
life's  work. 

Mr.  Onyon  is  of  I'rench  and  Scotch  anccstr_\-.  ami  his  father.  William 
Thomp.son  Onyon,  Sr..  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  was  a  soldier  in  the 
English  army  during  the  Crimean  war.  in  which  he  saw  many  of  the  hard- 
slii])S  of  that  bloody  conflict.  He  emigrated  to  California  in  1870,  and 
settled  in  Gilroy,  Santa  Clara  county,  where  he  followed  his  business  of 
florist  during  the  remainder  of  his  life.  His  death  occurred  in  1902,  when 
he  was  sixty-six  years  of  age.  He  married  Miss  Ellen  Mcllrny.  a  native 
of  Canada,  and  she  is  still  living  at  the  old  home  in  (lilroy  in  the  sixtieth 
year  of  her  life.     They  were  the  parents  of  four  sons  and  four  d.nughtcrs. 

Mr.  Onyon  was  born  at  the  home  in  Ciilroy,  California,  March  12. 
1875,  and  is  the  only  member  of  the  family  in  Nevada.  He  was  educated  in 
the  public  school  of  his  native  town,  and  during  his  boyhood  days  learncil 
the  printer's  trade,  working  on  the  Gilroy  Adi'aucc,  the  Gilroy  Gacctic  and 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  097 

tlie  San  Lucas  Herald.  lie  alsn  learned  tclegrapliy  in  tlic  office  of  tlie 
Soutliern  Pacific  at  Gilroy  and  acquired  liis  knowledge  of  railroading  at 
tlie  same  place,  and  after  he  had  proved  himself  comjjetent  he  was  stationed 
at  Millhury  in  1893,  since  which  time  he  has  gained  the  complete  confidence 
of  the  company  by  his  readiness  and  efficiency.  For  three  years  he  was 
relief  agent  on  the  coast  division,  and  during  this  time  served  at  several 
points.  He  was  then  appointed  night  ojjerator  at  Elko,  was  the  ticket  and 
freight  agent  at  Toana,  Nevada,  for  five  years,  and  from  there  came  to 
Battle  Mountain,  where  he  is  attending  to  all  the  business  of  the  railroad 
company  at  this  point  as  well  as  the  business  of  the  Wells,  Fargo  and  Com- 
pany's Express. 

In  1900  Mr.  Onyon  was  married  to  Miss  Nettie  Jolley,  of  Salt  Lake 
City,  Utah,  and  two  children  have  been  torn  to  them,  William  and  Dorothy. 
Mr.  Onyon  is  a  member  of  Rattle  Mountain  Lodge  No.  23,  F.  &  ,\.  M.,  and 
in  politics  is  a  strong  Republican. 


HON.  GREELEY  FRENCH.  Since  April,  i860,  Greeley  I'rencb 
has  been  a  resident  of  Nevada,  and  now  makes  his  home  in  Silver  City, 
being  recognized  as  one  of  the  most.ijrominent  citizens  of  that  place.  He 
is  distinctively  a  man  of  affairs  and  one  that  has  wielded  a  wide  influence. 
A  strong  mentality,  an  in\-inciljle  courage,  a  most  determined  individuality 
ha\-e  so  entered  into  his  make-up  as  to  render  him  a  natural  leader  of  men 
and  a  director  of  opinion.     The  state  may  well  accord  honor  to  him. 

Mr.  French  was  born  in  Salisbury,  Merrimack  county.  New  Hamji- 
shire,  February  12,  1837,  his  ancestors  being  among  the  New  England  Puri- 
tans that  came  to  this  country  ;it  a  \ery  early  day  in  its  history.  Repre- 
sentatives of  the  family  fought  for  the  freedom  of  the  colonies  in  tlie  Revo- 
lutionary war  and  have  participated  in  the  other  wars  in  which  the  nation 
has  been  engaged.  On  the  maternal  side  Mr.  French  is  related  to  the 
Greeley  family,  of  which  Horace  Greeley  was  one  of  the  most  distinguished 
representatives.  His  paternal  grandfather,  Henry  Francis  French,  was  a 
native  of  New  Hampshire,  and  that  state  was  also  the  birthplace  of  his 
father,  who  also  bore  the  name  of  Henry  Francis  French.  The  latter  was 
born  in  1785,  and  married  Miss  Mary  Greele)',  who  was  born  in  Salisbury, 
New  Hampshire,  in  1804.  They  were  respected  farming  people,  and  in 
religious  faith  were  Congregationalists.  The  father's  life  was  terminated 
by  an  accident,  and  his  wife  long  survived  him  and  attained  the  age  of 
eighty-five.     They  were  the  parents  of  five  sons  and  one  daughter. 

Of  this  family  Greeley  French  is  the  only  one  living  in  Nevada.  He 
was  educated  in  his  native  state  and  grew  to  manhood  upon  his  father's 
farm,  remaining  under  the  parental  roof  until  eighteen  years  of  age,  when 
he  started  out  in  life  on  his  own  account,  being  conductor  on  a  New  York 
city  railroad  for  two  years.  With  the  hope  of  acquiring  a  fortune  more 
rapidly  in  the  west  he  started  for  San  Francisco,  California,  in  1859,  going 
by  way  of  the  isthmus.  On  reaching  the  Golden  state  he  proceeded  at  once 
to  the  placer  gold  diggings  in  Nevada  county  and  met  with  gratifying  suc- 
cess in  his  operations  there.     In    i860,  during  the  great  mining  excitement 


698  A  HISTORY  OF  XEWVDA. 

at  Virginia  City,  lie  came  to  tliis  state  and  was  engaged  in  mining  for  two 
years.  During  the  following  four  years  lie  conducted  a  store  in  that  then 
very  lively  mining  town,  and  in  this  mercantile  venture  he  also  met  with 
success.  Subsequently  he  purchased  the  Petaluma  twenty-stamp  mill,  which 
he  operated  for  two  years  and  then  disposed  of  at  a  good  advantage.  He 
then  removed  to  Reno,  where  f(ir  two  years  he  engaged  in  the  freighting 
business  in  partnership  with  M.  D.  Howell,  and  at  the  end  of  that  time 
returned  to  \'irginia  City  and  emliarked  in  the  grain  and  flour  Inisiness. 
which  jiroved  quite  profitable.  In  1874  he  removed  to  Silver  City  and  built 
the  French  five-stamp  mill,  giving  his  attention  to  the  milling  and  mining 
l)usiness  until  his  ])lant  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1900.  which  was  a  serious 
loss  to  iiim.  Mr.  I'rench  is  now  the  owner  of  fourteen  hundred  acres  of 
very  heavily  timliered  land  in  Douglas  county.  Nevada,  and  is  engaged  in 
furni,shing  the  state  buildings  and  others  with  wood  and  timber. 

In  1871  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mrs.  Ellen  .\llman  {iicr  Ellen 
(iriffin),  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  their  uni(5n  has  been  blessed  with  two 
daughters:  ]\[ary  Elizabeth,  now  the  wife  of  Homer  Bonham.  of  Silver 
City:  and  Laura  F.,  who  is  at  home  with  her  parents  and  is  one  of  the  suc- 
cessful teachers  of  Lyon  c  unty.  The  family  stand  high  socially  and  ha\-e 
a  beautiful  home,  where  they  delight  to  entertain  their  many  friends.  Mrs. 
b'rench  and  her  children  are  members  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church. 

Since  attaining  his  majority  Mr.  French  has  been  prominently  identified 
with  the  Democratic  party  and  has  taken  an  actix'e  part  in  its  work.  He 
served  as  county  commissioner  in  Lvon  county  for  four  years,  and  has 
alw.ays  taken  a  deej)  interest  in  the  educational  affairs  of  liis  county.  For 
many  years  he  has  been  an  influential  member  of  the  conventions  of  his 
p.arty.  and  was  a  popular  candidate  for  governor  of  the  state  in  the  con\-en- 
tion  of  1902.  Iiut  was  defeated  by  Governor  Sparks,  who  received  the  nom- 
ination and  was  elected.  Mr.  French  is  now  a  member  of  the  Democratic 
state  central  committee,  and  has  been  an  im])ortant  factor  in  securing  the 
success  of  his  part\-  in  this  state.  He  is  a  ])rominent  member  of  the  .Ancient 
Order  of  United  \\'orkmen  and  has  served  as  recorder  of  bis  lodge  for  the 
last  ten  years. 

Mr.  French  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  National  (iuards  of 
Nevada,  which  w.as  called  out  during  the  Civil  war  to  suppress  the  secession 
uprising  here.  and.  notwithstanding  so  many  of  his  party  were  disloyal  to 
the  country  at  that  time,  he  stood  firmly  by  the  Union  and  did  all  in  his 
power  to  maintain  and  defend  the  government  at  U'ashington.  He  lias 
alwavs  lieen  found  true  to  every  trust  reposed  in  him  whether  public  or 
l)rivate.  and  his  life  record  is  above  reproach. 


HON.  THOMAS  HUNTER,  who  is  well  kn.iwn  throughout  this  sec- 
tion of  the  state  because  of  his  effective,  earnest  labor  in  behalf  nf  bis  chosen 
locality,  has  been  a  resident  of  the  commonwealth  since  1869.  He  is  a  native 
of  Nova  Scotia,  where  he  was  born  im  the  -'olb  of  July,  1851,  and  is  of 
Scotch  ancestry.  His  father,  John  Hunter,  was  born  in  Scotland,  and  was 
tiiere  married  tn  Miss  Esther  Casey,  a  lady  of  Scotch  and  English  ancestry. 


I 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  r,99 

in  i8()i  Jiiliii  Ilunter  removed  to  California,  locating  at  Oroville,  Butte 
county,  where  he  met  with  a  fair  degree  of  success  at  placer  mining.  He 
was  suhsequently  joined  by  his  wife  and  their  nine  children,  the  son  Thomas 
being  then  in  his  eighth  year,  and  they  made  the  long  voyage  around  Cape 
Horn  in  safety.  They  made  their  home  at  Oroville,  where  the  father  was 
engaged  in  mining  and  later  in  farming,  and  in  1864  he  removed  to  the 
territory  of  Washington,  there  taking  up  the  occupation  of  teaming.  In 
1869  he  took  up  his  abode  in  Elko,  but  had  previously  removed  to  Idaho 
City,  Idaho,  and  continued  his  mining  o]jerations,  and  there  his  wife  died 
in  1866,  aged  forty-eight  years.  He  is  now  principally  living  retired  from 
the  active  duties  of  a  business  life,  enjoying  the  fruits  of  former  tc)il.  Three 
of  their  sons  and  two  of  their  daughters  came  to  Nevada,  and  of  this  family 
two  .sons  and  two  daughters  are  still  living:  William,  residing  in  Elko; 
and  Mrs.  H.  L.  Byrne  and  Mrs.  L.  A.  Par.sons,  of  San  Franci.sco. 

Thomas  Hunter  was  reared  principally  in  the  territory  of  Washington, 
but  his  eflucation  was  in  the  greater  part  received  in  Stockton,  California. 
Since  attaining  to  mature  years  he  has  been  engaged  in  the  .stock  business  in 
Oregon  and  Nevada,  in  addition  to  which  he  is  conducting  a  mercantile 
enterprise  in  Elko  and  has  extensive  mining  interests.  He  owns  a  ranch 
of  four  thousand  acres  nine  miles  west  of  Elko,  on  which  he  raises  large 
quantities  of  alfalfa  hay,  which  he  feeds  principally  to  his  own  stock, 
usually  obtaining  about  three  tons  of  hay  to  the  acre  and  has  cut  as  high  as 
two  thousand  tons  in  a  season. 

In  politics  Mr.  Hunter  has  been  a  life-long  Democrat,  and  on  its  ticket 
was  elected  to  represent  Elko  county  in  the  Nevada  state  senate,  in  which 
important  position  he  has  served  during  one  session  and  is  now  on  a  four 
years'  term,  and  is  doing  all  in  his  power  to  advance  the  interests  of  his 
county  and  the  state.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the 
Masonic  fraternity,  in  which  he  recc'ved  the  Master  degree  in  Elko  Lodge 
No.  15,  in  1875,  and  is  now  a  past  master  of  his  lodge. 

In  1878  Mr.  Hunter  was  happily  married  to  Miss  Adda  May  Lytton,  a 
native  of  California  and  a  daughter  of  G.  W.  Lytton,  of  Grass  Valley,  that 
state.  Five  children  have  been  born  of  this  union,  as  follows:  J.  George, 
at  home;  Edith,  the  wife  of  H.  Wallace  and  a  resident  of  Elko:  and  .Mice, 
Irene  and  Hattie.  The  family  are  members  of  the  Episcopal  church,  and 
they  reside  in  a  pleasant  brick  residence  in  Elko.  Mr.  Hunter  and  his 
family  enjoy  the  high  esteem  of  hosts  of  friends. 


JOHN  M.  FULTON,  a  native  of  Ohio,  born  in  Ashland  on  the  6th 
of  December,  1849,  is  of  Scotch  ancestry.  He  is  a  brother  of  Robert  L. 
Fulton,  also  a  resident  of  Reno,  represented  on  another  page  of  this  work, 
and  in  connection  with  his  life  record  appears  the  family  history.  Mr. 
Fulton  pursued  his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  town,  and 
at  the  age  of  eighteen  years  entered  upon  his  railroad  career,  in  which  he 
has  continued  for  more  than  a  third  of  a  century.  He  first  entered  the 
services  of  the  .\tlantic  &  Great  Western  Railroad,  in  which  he  served  at 
various  times  in  the  different  capacities  of  brakeman,  fireman,  engineer  anrl 


700  A  HISTORY  OF  NE\\\D.\. 

conductor,  and  tlius  for  years  was  actively  connected  witli  the  running  of 
trains. 

At  a  later  date  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Southern  Pacific  Railway 
as  a  locomotive  engineer,  and  later  as  a  master  mechanic.  The  year  1884 
witnessed  his  arrival  in  Xevada.  He  came  to  this  state  to  take  charge  of 
the  motive  power  and  car  department  of  the  Nevada-California-Oregon  Rail- 
road Company  and  was  afterward  appointed  master  of  transportation  for 
this  road  with  full  charge  of  the  maintenance  of  way  and  all  matters  per- 
taining to  traffic. 

He  severed  his  connection  with  the  company  on  account  of  the  demands 
which  were  made  upon  his  time  by  his  personal  interests.  He  has  again 
taken  up  railroad  work  and  is  giving  his  entire  time  and  attention  to  the 
duties  required  by  his  present  position  of  division  freight  and  passenger 
agent  for  the  Southern  Pacific  Company. 

In  February,  1903,  Mr.  Fulton  w-as  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Theo- 
dora Waters  Stubbs,  daughter  of  Dr.  J.  E.  and  Ella  S.  Stubbs.  Dr.  Stubbs 
is  the  president  of  the  Nevada  State  University.  Mr.  Fulton  is  not  only  a 
thoroughly  posted  railroad  man,  familiar  with  the  bu.^iness  in  all  its  details, 
but  is  also  a  luisiness  man  of  ability,  keen  foresight  and  great  force  of  char- 
acter. He  is  an  enthusiast  on  the  subject  of  the  development  of  Nevada, 
having  great  faith  in  its  mineral  and  agricultural  resources,  believing  that 
no  state  in  the  Union  possesses  such  diversified  and  important  possibilities 
as  does  Nevada.  He  is  therefore  using  his  influence  and  aid  for  its  up- 
building and  progress,  and  is  one  of  its  valued  representatives  and  honored 
citizens. 

HON.  GEORGE  S.  BROWN  is  now  serving  as  judge  of  the  fourth 
judicial  district  of  Ne\ada.  including  Elko,  White  Pine  and  Lincoln  coun- 
ties, his  jurisdiction  thus  including  about  one-third  of  the  entire  common- 
wealth. He  is  a  native  fif  the  state  of  New  York,  l)orn  in  Brooklyn  in 
1865,  and  is  of  English  and  Scotch  ancestry,  who  on  the  paternal  side  were 
early  settlers  of  New  Jersey,  while  on  the  maternal  side  they  were  eciually 
early  settlers  of  New  England.  His  father,  the  Re\'.  Thomas  Edwin 
Brown,  D.  D.,  was  born  in  Washington,  D.  C  in  1841.  He  married  Miss 
I'dizabeth  Campbell  Sampson,  a  native  of  the  city  of  Boston,  and  he  has 
spent  his  life  in  the  Baptist  ministry,  preaching  in  Brooklyn,  Rochester  and 
I'Vanklin,  Pennsylvania,  also  in  Providence,  Rhode  Island  Rev.  and  Mr.s. 
J'.rown  liecame  the  i)arents  of  five  children,  fnur  of  whom  are  still  living. 

Judge  Brown,  the  only  representative  of  his  family  in  the  west,  re- 
ceived his  literary  education  in  Brown  University  at  Providence,  complethig 
the  course  with  the  class  of  1888,  and  his  legal  knowledge  was  obtained  in 
the  Columbia  Law  School,  from  which  institution  be  was  graduated  in  1890. 
In  that  year  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  New  ^'ork,  and  coming  west  to 
Tacoma,  W^ashington,  entered  into  the  actix'e  practice  of  his  ])rofession.  In 
1897  he  came  to  Elko,  Nevada,  where  he  was  an  active  practitioner  at  the 
bar  until  the  ist  of  January,  1903.  Judge  Brown  has  been  a  life-long  Dem- 
ocrat, and  in  1902  was  elected  to  his  present  high  office,  the  duties  of  which 
he  has  filled  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  all  concerned. 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  701 

In  iSy5  Judge  JJrowii  was  luiiteil  in  marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth  ]'. 
JMistcr,  a  native  of  Brooklyn,  New  Ynvk.  liul  their  marriage  was  celebrated 
in  E\'erett,  Washington.  Their  home  is  brightened  and  blessed  by  two 
children,  Philip  T^oster  and  Margaret  Cami)bell.  The  family  reside  in  a 
pleasant  and  attractive  Imme  in  I'^lkn.  and  are  attendants  at  the  Episcopal 
church,  of  which  Mrs.  Brown  is  a  \alued  member.  Since  their  residence  in 
Nex'ada  they  ha\'e  made  many  warm  friends,  and  the  hospitality  of  their 
home  is  enjoyed  by  many. 


HON.  CHARLES  FRANKLIN  LITTRELL,  the  efficient  and  oblig- 
ing postmaster  of  Austin.  Nevada,  has  been  a  resident  of  the  state  h>r  over 
a  quarter  of  a  century,  and  in  that  time  has  taken  rank  as  one  of  the  prom- 
inent business  men  of  the  state.  Lie  has  successfidly  engaged  in  mining  and 
commercial  enterprises  since  coming  to  the  state,  and  is  indebted  to  his  own 
efforts  for  the  prosperity  he  has  won  since  beginning  work  here  at  the  age 
I  if  nineteen  years.  Besides  this  worthy  business  career,  he  has  also  acfpiitted 
himself  with  honor  in  the  public  life  of  his  town,  and  his  popularity  in 
Lander  county  may  be  judged  frcmi  the  fact  that  he  is  the  only  Republican 
from  this  part  of  the  state  who  has  licen  placed  in  the  legislature,  and  that 
too  by  a  big  majority. 

Mr.  Littrell  is  of  French  and  English  ancestry,  and  is  the  son  of  Robert 
and  Matilda  (Reed)  Littrell,  the  former  a  natix'e  of  Louisiana  and  the  latter 
of  Kentuck)-.  They  settled  in  the  state  of  Missouri  al)out  1840,  where  he 
followed  farming  and  stock-raising.  They  were  1:)oth  members  of  the  Cum- 
berlantl  Presbyterian  church,  in  which  faith  they  died,  he  in  1870  at  the 
age  of  sixty-six  years,  and  she  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight.  He  was  a 
stanch  Union  man  during  the  Civil  war,  but  his  family  exemplified  a  fact 
wdiich  so  often  occurred  in  that  fratricidal  conflict — two  of  his  sons  were 
arrayed  on  the  side  of  the  Union,  while  one  gave  loyal  service  to  the  cause 
of  the  Confederacy.  J.  Calvin,  the  eldest  son,  was  a  captain  under  General 
F.  M.  Cockrell  in  the  Confederate  army,  and  is  now  a  minister  of  the  Cum- 
berland Presb\-terian  church.  The  second  son,  Johnson  Grant,  was  in  the 
Pinion  armv  under  General  Sigel,  and  William  Robinson  served  with  the 
Missouri  .state  militia  on  the  federal  side.  Of  the  other  children,  Roljert  S. 
is  a  physician  in  Colorado:  Elizabeth  is  the  wife  of  Jacob  Eppright ;  Amanda 
is  the  wife  of  Richard  Ridenhoiir,  of  New  Mexico;  and  Matilda  married 
lulius  H.  Woodford  and  resides  at  the  old  luimestead  in  Missouri. 

Charles  Franklin  Littrell,  who  com[)letes  the  family,  was  born  on  the 
farm  in  Johnson  county,  Missouri,  August  22,  1856,  and  spent  his  school 
days  in  his  native  state.  At  the  age  of  nineteen  he  came  to  Nevada,  and 
for  the  following  three  years  held  the  responsible  position  of  superintendent 
of  the  New  Pass  gold  mine.  After  this  he  had  charge  of  the  Austin  Com- 
pany's mill  for  two  years,  and  also  of  the  Maidiattan  mill,  and  he  has  made 
mining  and  milling  the  princijial  objects  of  his  endeavor.  He  is  now  a 
stockholder  in  the  Austin  Commercial  Compan.y,  a  large  wholesale  and  retail 
grocery  and  provision  firm,  of  which  the  other  stockholders  are  Mr.  Chris- 
tian,  the  manager,   and   Mr.    :\liller,   the   Austin   banker.     The  company    is 


"02  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

building-  up  a  good  l)usiness  in  Austin  and  tlie  surrounding  country.     Mr. 
Littrell  also  has  some  interests  in  silver  mining  property. 

In  1885  Mr.  Littrell  was  married  to  Miss  Flora  Burchfield,  a  native 
of  Austin,  and  two  daughters  have  been  lx)rn  to  tiiem  in  .\ustin :  Hazel 
Matilda  and  Mabel  Irene.  Mr.  Littrell  affiliates  with  the  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  I'^llows.  in  which  he  has  passed  all  the  chairs,  and  is  a  representative 
to  the  grand  lodge  of  the  .state,  and  also  with  the  .\ncient  Order  of  United 
W^orkmen.  He  has  been  a  stanch  Republican  all  his  life,  and  on  the  ticket 
of  that  party  was  elected  to  the  state  assemlilv  in  IQ02,  l)eing  now  one  of 
the  capable  meuibers  from  Lander  county  and  doing  creditable  work  among 
his  associates.  As  has  been  mentioned,  he  is  the  only  Republican  who  has 
succeeded  in  gaining"  election  to  this  office  from  Lander  county,  and  he  ran 
far  ahead  of  his  ticket  in  the  county  and  his  own  town.  He  was  ap|X)inted 
postmaster  of  Austin  on  March  18,  1903,  and  is  giving  the  town  good 
service,  in  keeping  with  the  methods  which  he  has  pursued  in  his  business 
career  with  so  much  adx'antage  to  himself. 


HON.  JOHN  LOTHROP.  Whatever  else  may  be  said  of  the  legal 
fraternity,  it  cannot  be  denied  that  members  of  the  bar  have  been  more 
prominent  actors  in  public  affairs  than  any  other  class  of  American  citizens. 
This  is  but  the  natural  result  of  causes  that  are  manifest  and  require  no 
explanation.  The  ability  and  training  which  qualify  one  to  practice  law 
also  qualify  him  in  luany  respects  for  duties  which  lie  outside  of  the  strict 
path  of  his  profession  and  which  touch  the  general  interests  of  society.  The 
subject  of  this  biography  is  a  man  who  has  brought  his  keen  discrimination 
and  thorough  wisdom  to  bear  not  alone  in  professional  paths  but  also  for 
the  benefit  of  the  city  and  county  which  has  so  long  been  his  home  and  with 
whose  interests  he  is  thoroughly  identified.  He  holls  and  merits  a  place 
among  the  representative  legal  practitioners  and  citizens  of  Davton,  and  is 
now  serving  as  district  attorney  and  ex-officio  superintendent  of  instruction 
in  Lyon  county.  He  is  one  of  the  pioneers  of  this  state,  having  made  his 
home  here  since  the  23d  of  April,  1861. 

Mr.  Lothrop  was  horn  in  Atchison  county,  Missouri.  July  25.  1842, 
and  on  Ixdh  the  paternal  and  maternal  sides  is  of  English  tlescent,  his  an- 
cestors being  among  the  early  New  England  colonists.  His  great-grand- 
father. Rev.  Ruel  Lothro]),  was  chaplain  in  the  Continental  army  in  the 
struggle  of  the  colonies  for  indei)endence,  and  participated  in  the  battle  of 
Brandywine  and  various  other  engagements,  undergoing  great  suffering  in 
the  cause  of  freedom.  Mr.  Lothrop's  father,  Ruel  Lothrop,  Jr.,  was  born  in 
New  Haiupshire  and  was  reared  and  educated  in  his  native  state,  whence 
he  removed  tf)  Missouri  in  i8.:)o.  P>y  trade  he  was  a  carpenter,  and  he 
there  engaged  in  contracting  and  building.  He  married  Miss  Mary  M. 
I'owler,  a  descendant  of  Thomas  Fowler,  who  emigrated  from  England  to 
Virginia  in  1^)97.  Her  grandfather.  Captain  John  I'^jwler,  coiunianded  a 
coiupany  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  His  people  were  rd!  residents  of 
the  .south. 

In  185J  Ruel  Lothrop  and  his  laniily  joined  a  band  of  brave  pioneers 


A  HIS'r()l<\'   Ol'   NEVADA.  "  703 

ill  tlicir  pcrildiis  jdiinicy  across  llic  plains  lo  Califdniia.  but  lie  was  ncx-cr 
pcniiittcil  til  rt-acli  liis  (lestinatiim,  as  lie  died  while  -v.i  the  Platte  ri\cr,  June 
I  I.  1852.  (if  chdlcra,  which  was  ejiideniic  that  year  and  made  terrible  ravai^cs 
among  the  emigrants  on  the  ])lains.  The  brave  wife  and  her  six  small  chil- 
dren were  thus  left  without  husliand  or  father  there  on  the  |ilains.  It  being 
impossible  for  her  to  ivlurn  to  her  friends.  .Mrs.  Lothrop  and  her  children 
continued  on  to  the  land  of  ]ii'oniise.  John  was  at  that  time  a  bright  bov 
of  ten  years,  and  has  a  \i\i<l  recollection  of  the  journey  and  the  trials  and 
discomforts  they  were  lorced  to  endure.  fhe  mother  first  stopped  at 
Oro\ille.  California,  but  not  long  afterward  reniox'ed  to  Marysville,  where 
she  washed  for  the  miners  in  order  to  sniiport  her  famil\-.  Later  she  re- 
turned to  Oro\ille  and  oiiened  the  ()]iher  Ihitel.  which  she  conducted  until 
1861,  that  year  remox'ing  with  hci'  famil\'  to  Dayton,  Nevada.  In  187S  she 
married  N.  W.  Siles,  and  on  the  Jjtb  of  March,  i8gi,  departed  this  life  at 
the  age  of  al)nut  se\enty-eight  years.  She  had  carefully  reared  and  edu- 
cated her  children,  and  was  a  lirax'e  and  noble  woman,  a  pioneer  of  three 
different  states  where  for  many  years  were  lacking  those  comforts  to  which 
she  had  been  accustomed  in  her  youth.  Her  son  has  no  words  of  praise  too 
high  for  such  a  faithful  and  self-sacrilicing  mother. 

Mr.  Lothro])  was  about  nineteen  years  of  age  rr.i  his  arrival  in  Dayton, 
which  has  been  the  scene  of  his  entire  business  life  and  his  creditable  ofiicial 
career.  He  received  a  good  public-school  education  and  was  graduated  at 
the  high  school  of  Oroville,  California,  in  1857.  He  studied  law  at  Dayton 
under  the  direction  of  Hon.  W.  H.  Sewell  and  Hon.  Richard  Txising,  and 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  on  the  ist  of  July,  1891, 

In  politics  Mr.  Lothrop  has  no^  been  a  strict  partisan,  but  has  voted 
with  the  party  that  held  his  views  on  great  political  questions,  and  was  an 
ardent  supporter  of  the  government  during  tlie  Civil  war..  Since  the  age  of 
twenty-two  he  has  held  some  official  position  of  honor  and  trust  in  his  city. 
In  1864  lie  was  appointed  deputy  county  clerk;  was  later  deputy  county 
assessor  and  still  later  deputy  sheriff,  succeeding  wdiich  he  served  as  dei)ut\' 
countv  treasurer  for  a  time.  In  1874  he  was  elected  county  recorder  and 
auditor,  which  office  he  faithfully  filled  for  six  years.  He  was  also  post- 
master of  Dayton  for  four  years,  and  in  1888  was  elected  district  attorney, 
to  which  office  he  has  been  re-elected  every  succeeding  two  years  and  is  still 
filling  the  position  most  creditably  to  himself  and  to  the  entire  satisfaction 
of  his  fellow-citizens,  who  have  the  fullest  confidence  in  his  integrity  and 
ability.  His  public  record  is  one  of  which  lie  may  be  justly  proud,  and  it 
is  a  question  whether  it  has  been  equaled  by  any  other  resident  of  the  state. 

Mr.  Lothrop  was  married  on  the  10th  of  May,  1864,  to  Mrs.  Emma 
A.  Britton,  and  to  them  have  been  born  six  sons  and  s'x  daughters,  but  three 
of  the  little  ones  were  taken  from  them  by  death  in  early  childhood.  Those 
still  living  are  as  follows:  Mary  is  now  the  wife  of  R.  B.  Davis,  a  merchant 
of  Tonopah ;  Jason  Franklin  is  a  resident  of  Sodaville,  Esmeralda  county, 
Nevada:  Susue  E.  is  now  Mrs.  Braun,  a  resident  of  Dayton :  James  D.  is 
in  business  in  Tonopah:  Lilly  is  a  teacher  of  Dayton;  Ida  May  is  the  wife 
of  Thomas  Peppril :  and  Daisy  E.,  Lawrence  and  Henry  Richmond  are  all 
at  home      The  wife  and  mother  is  a  member  of  the  Presln-ferian  church. 


704  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

l)ut  Mr.  Lotlinip  is  a  Baptist  in  religioi..s  lielief.  lia\ing  Ijeeu  rearcl  in  tliat 
churcli.  to  wliich  liis  parents  belonged.  He  is  an  active  and  valued  member 
of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  has  passed  all  the  chairs  in  toth 
branches  of  the  order  and  is  past  grand  patriarch  of  the  state  of  Nevada. 
He  is  also  a  prominent  member  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen 
and  is  chairman  of  the  finance  committee  of  the  grand  lodge  of  the  state. 
His  is  one  of  the  very  pleasantest  homes  of  Dayton,  and  he  and  his  family 
are  held  in  high  esteem  by  a  very  wide  circle  of  friends.  Over  his  life 
record  there  falls  no  shadow  of  wrong;  his  public  service  has  been  most 
exemplary:  and  his  private  life  has  Ijeen  marked  1?y  the  utmost  fidelitv 
to  duty. 


MR.  P.  B.  ELLIS  has  been  an  active  and  prominent  factor  in  connec- 
tion with  the  development  of  the- rich  mineral  interests  of  Nevada  and  Cali- 
fornia for  twenty-one  years,  and  his  residence  in  the  former  state  dates 
from  1861.  His  career  has  been  one  of  activity,  full  of  incidents  and 
results.  In  every  sphere  of  life  in  which  he  has  been  called  upon  to  move 
he  has  made  an  indelible  im])ression,  and  by  his  excellent  public  service  and 
upright  life  has  honored  the  state  in  which  he  has  been  honored  with  official 
preferment.  The  history  of  Nevada's  development  has  been  an  open  book 
to  him  since  1861,  in  which  year  he  took  up  his  abode  in  the  territory. 

Mr.  Ellis  is  a  native  son  of  California,  his  birth  having  occurred  there 
on  the  13th  of  October,  1853.  He  is  of  English  descent,  his  ancestors 
having  settled  in  Virginia  in  the  early  days  of  its  colonization.  Robert  B. 
Ellis,  his  father,  was  born  in  Sussex  county,  that  state,  and  was  a  jihysician 
and  surgeon  of  marked  ability  and  broad  learning.  In  1850  he  l>ecame  a 
resident  of  California,  and  was  the  president  of  the  first  medical  society  in 
that  state.  He  long  maintained  a  foremost  position  as  a  representative  of 
his  chosen  calling  in  the  west,  his  laliors  proving  of  the  greatest  benefit  to 
the  sick  and  suffering.  He  also  took  an  active  part  in  the  affairs  of  Cali- 
fornia, aiding  in  molding  its  public  policy  and  shaping  its  history.  He 
was  elected  to  the  general  assembly,  in  which  he  served  for  .several  terms, 
leaving  the  im])ress  of  his  individuality  and  luidoubted  loyally  upon  the 
legislation  enacted  during  that  i^eriod.  He  was  also  active  in  the  public 
affars  of  the  .state  of  Nevada  after  his  removal  thither,  and  his  lal)ors  were 
of  direct  public  benefit.  He  married  Miss  Sarah  J.  Buckner,  a  native  of 
Illinois  and  a  daughter  of  James  Buckner,  who  was  also  a  pioneer  settler  of 
California.  Their  union  was  blessed  with  five  children,  rdl  born  in  Cali- 
fornia, while  four  of  the  number  are  still  living. 

Brought  to  Carson  City  in  his  early  toyhood.  1'.  l'>.  I'"llis  obtained  his 
education  in  the  ]nil)lic  schools  here.  The  rich  mineral  resources  of  the 
west  furnish  the  basis  of  the  prosperity  of  this  section  of  the  country,  and 
throughout  his  business  career  he  has  been  connected  with  a  line  of  business 
bearing  upon  the  development  of  the  mines.  For  twenty-seven  years  he 
has  lieen  engaged  in  assaying.  He  has  had  charge  of  the  Eureka  cyanide 
plant  on  the  Carson  river,  and  has  had  charge  of  the  State  Line  mill  and 
mine  is  Esmeralda  county.     He  has  been  assayer  in  the  L^nited  States  mint 


I 


0^.1111x4/. 


A  HISTORY  CJF  NI':VADA.  705 

at  Carson  City  for  a  numljer  of  years,  and  was  assaycr  in  cliief  under  Presi- 
dents Harrison,  Cleveland  and  McKinley.  He  is  splendidly  equipped  for 
his  work,  thoroughly  understanding  the  best  methods  of  assaying  ore,  and 
his  capability  has  heen  the  means  of  securing  to  him  ])ositions  of  much 
responsihilil)'. 

He  is  now  secretary  of  the  State  Agent  and  Transfer  Syndicate.  This 
company  was  formed  under  the  ]iro\isions  of  the  general  corporation  law 
of  Nevada,  approved  March  i6,  1903,  and  is  empowered  to  act  as  the  resi- 
dent or  fiscal  agent  of  any  state,  municipality,  body  politic  or  corporation, 
and  in  such  capacity  to  receive  and  disburse  money,  to  transfer  and  register 
certificates  of  stock,  Ixjnds  nr  other  c\'idences  of  indebtedness,  and  to  act  as 
the  agent  of  any  curporation,  foreign  or  domestic,  for  any  pur]jose  now  or 
hereafter  reciuircd  by  the  statute  or  otherwise.  After  the  discovery  of  th.e 
mines  of  Tonopah  it  was  noted  that  a  great  many  of  the  corporations  of 
Nevada  were  going  to  the  states  of  Delaware  and  New  Jersey  for  the  pur- 
pose of  organization,  the  corjioration  laws  then  in  force  in  Nevada  1)eing 
inadequate  to  the  times  and  ccjiiilitions  then  existing.  A  committee  was 
appointed  to  draft  a  law  that  would  allow  incorpf)rators  the  same  privileges 
that  were  to  be  obtained  in  other  states,  and  at  the  same  time  to  eliminate 
such  provisions  as  were  inimical  to  corporations,  the  desire  being  to  allow 
incorporators  the  same  rights  and  prix-ileges  that  indviduals  might  be  entitled 
to  enjoy,  at  the  same  time  protecting  the  state  and  the  public  from  unjust 
discriminations.  The  present  law  of  Nevada  offers  more  inducements  to 
corporations,  whether  operating  within  its  jurisdiction  or  transacting  its 
l)usiness  wholly  witliout  the  state  of  Nex-ada,  than  any  other  commonwealth. 
The  State  Agent  and  Transfer  Syndicate  numbers  among  its  clients  corpora- 
tions from  Alaska  to  the  Philippine  Islands  and  from  New  York  to  Cali- 
fornia, and  promises  to  be  one  of  the  important  and  lasting  institutions  of 
the  state  of  Nevada.  Mr.  Ellis  is  connected  with  the  Nye  and  Orms1)y 
County  Bank,  one  of  the  strongest  financial  institutions  of  Ne\'ada.  and  lie 
is  one  of  its  board  of  chrectors. 

In  1886  occurred  the  marriage  oi  Mr.  Ellis  and  Miss  Lou  A.  Spencer, 
a  native  of  Bangor,  Maine.  They  now  ha^e  a  daughter,  Annie  Louise,  born 
in  Carson  City.  Theirs  is  an  attracti\-e  home,  and  its  hospitality  is  greatly 
enjoyed  by  the  many  friends  of  the  family.  Prominent  in  Masonry,  Mr. 
Ellis  belongs  to  Carson  Lodge  No.  T.  F.  &  A.  M.  He  has  since  taken  all 
the  degrees  of  the  York  Rite,  becoming  a  memljer  of  Lewis  Chrqjter  No.  i, 
R.  A.  M.,  and  DeWitt  Clinton  Commaudery,  K.  T.  He  is  likewise  a 
member  of  Islam  Temple  of  the  ]\Iystic  Shrine  at  San  Francisco,  and  belongs 
to  the  Knights  of  Pythias  fraternity.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican,  and 
has  served  as  deputy  secretary  of  the  state  tmder  John  M.  Dormer.  His 
activity  in  mining  interests  and  his  genial  manner  and  cordial  disposition 
win  him  friends  wherex'er  he  goes. 

HENRY  H.  GREER,  one  of  Nevada's  pioneer  settlers,  has  resided 
upon  the  Pacific  coast  since  i860.  He  was  born  in  Belfast,  Waldo  county, 
Maine,  the  12th  of  A])ril,  1830.  The  Greer  family  is  of  Scotch  origin,  and 
James  Greer,  the  grandfather  of  ]\Ir.   Greer,  was  born   in  the  land  of  the 


T(n;  a  history  of  NEVADA. 

heather,  but  when  a  httle  lad  (if  six  summers  was  liroui^ht  i>y  his  parents 
to  the  new  world,  the  faniil\-  home  being  established  in  Connecticut,  while 
this  country  was  still  numl)ered  ani<iny  the  colonial  jxissessions  of  England. 
When  the  coloni.sts  atteni])ted  t.i  throw  off  the  yoke  of  British  oppression 
James  Greer.  ha\ing  gro^^■n  to  manhood,  joined  the  patriot  army  -md  served 
in  the  war  for  independence.  He  lived  to  be  more  than  eighty  vears  of  age, 
and  thus  enjoyed  for  a  long  period  the  liberty  for  which  be  bad  fought. 
His  death  occurred  in  Maine. 

John  (Ireer.  the  father  of  H.  H.  (ireer.  was  born  in  Stafford.  X'ermont, 
in  1800.  and  wedded  Miss  Sarali  Kemhle.  a  native  of  Saco.  Maine  born  in 
tlie  year  1805.  The  young  cou])le  l;egan  their  domestic  life  in  Waldo  county, 
Maine,  where  the  husband  carried  on  farming  and  llacksmithing.  As  the 
years  passed  four  sons  and  two  daugiiters  were  added  to  the  household,  and 
four  of  the  number  are  yet  living.  Mr.  John  (ireer  nassed  away  in  tiie  year 
1875.  and  his  wife  survi\-ed  him  iov  only  about  a  \-e;M". 

At  the  usual  age  Henry  H.  (ireer  entered  the  public  schools,  and  through 
the  winter  months  continued  to  pursue  .his  studies,  while  m  the  summer 
seasons  he  was  engaged  at  work  upon  the  home  farm  or  in  his  father's 
blacksmith  shop.  In  that  way  he  learned  the  lilacksmith's  trade  and  ren- 
dered much  assistance  to  his  father  in  tiie  conduct  of  the  shop  and  in  the 
cultivation  of  the  fields.  When  eighteen  years  of  age,  however,  he  liade 
adieu  to  home  and  friends  and  went  to  sea  upon  the  schooner  Majestic, 
sailing  for  five  seasons  along  the  .\tlantic  coast.  Eventually,  however,  he 
became  tired  of  the  sea-faring  life  and  then  journeyed  to  the  interior  of  the 
country,  locating  first  in  Chicago,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade  as  journey- 
man blacksmith.  Later  he  remo\"ed  to  (jreen  l!a\',  Wisconsin,  where  he 
engaged  as  blacksmith  in  the  em])loy  of  a  lumljer  company  for  five  years, 
following  which  he  crossed  ibe  peninsula  to  the  Lake  Superior  region,  where 
he  worked  for  two  )-ears.  It  was  al)out  that  time  that  the  development  of 
California,  following  tlie  discovery  of  gold,  was  attracting  wi<le-s])read 
attention  and  drawing  to  the  western  countrx'  many  men  of  business  capa- 
bility and  enter])rise  who  were  ambitions  to  win  success. 

In  18O0  Mr.  (ircer  sailed  from  .\'cw  \'ork  on  the  .\ordi  St;ir  bound 
for  jVspinwall,  and  .afterward  for  San  l''i'ancisco.  On  arri\ing  :it  the  Cali- 
fornia port  he  continued  bis  journey  to  Marysville  and  to  Crass  V'alley.  He 
was  employed  at  llumboldt  Bay  and  at  Red  Bluff,  and  the  year  i8r)_>  wit- 
nessed Iiis  arrival  in  Nevada.  He  went  to  X'irginia  City,  where  he  was 
employed  in  job  shops  for  two  years,  after  which  he  spent  three  years  in 
Dayton,  and  then  went  to  .\ustin,  where  he  remained  for  a  year  Llis  next 
place  of  residence  was  Eureka,  Nevada,  where  he  li\ed  for  a  decade,  con- 
ducting a  shop  of  his  own  in  that  ])lace  for  three  \ears.  At  different  times 
he  visited  Idaho,  Oregon,  Montana  and  Arizona,  and.  in  fact,  has  traveled 
extensively  over  the  greater  part  of  the  western  cotmtry.  He  then  came  to 
Reno,  and,  purchasing  |)ro|)erty  here,  erected  both  a  blacksmith  sboi)  and  a 
good  residence,  .\fter  conducting  this  shop  for  a  few  years  he  retired  from 
active  business  life,  and  is  now  resting  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  comfortable 
comjietence  that  he  has  earned. 

In  1864  Mr.  Greer  chose  as  a  companion  ami  helpmate  fur  life's  journey 


A  lllSTom'  i)V  Xl'.VADA.  To" 

Miss  Elizahclli  /\.  Buadle,  a  iiati\'c  "f  llar])er's  Ferry,  Virginia.  They  have 
two  chilch^en :  Horace,  ;i  liiconiolixe  engineer  residing  in  Wadsworth, 
Nevada;  and  Anlell,  now  the  wife  of  j.  A.  dregory,  a  grocer  of  Dayton. 
Mr.  Greer  lias  supported  t!ie  J\epulilic;m  party  and  its  principles  since  attain- 
ing his  majority.  He  is  a  sjilendid  rei)resentati\'e  of  the  west,  and  has  not 
feared  the  hard  labor  incident  to  the  accumulation  oi  a  competence  and  to 
the  uplniilding  of  a  new  country.  Wliatev'er  success  he  has  achieved  has 
come  as  the  direct  reward  of  his  own  labors,  and  his  has  l)een  an  honorable 
career,  making  him  worthy  of  the  respect  and  good  will  of  .all  with  whom  he 
has  been  associated. 


HON.  EDVV.VRl)  S.  l'AkKl.\(,TUX,  one  of  Nevada's  leading  repre- 
sentatives at  the  bar,  has  been  a  resident  of  the  state  since  1880  and  has 
practiced  law  during  nearly  all  the  subse(|uent  years.  He  has  gained  a  large 
clientage  in  Elko  county,  and  his  jirominence  in  legal  and  political  circles 
placed  him  as  his  party's  choice  for  congressional  honors.  He  holds  a  place 
of  great  esteem  among  the  citizens  of  Elko,  antl  as  a  native  son  of  the  great 
west  has  shown  marked  talent  and  ability  in  his  profession. 

Mr.  Farrington  comes  of  one  of  the  oldest  American  families.  He  is  of 
the  seventh  generation  in  direct  descent  from  Deacon  John  I-'arrington,  who 
came  from  England  and  settled  in  Dedham,  Massachusetts,  in  1646,  and 
was  the  progenitor  of  the  Earringtons  in  America.  Edward  S.  Earrington 
was  born  in  Yreka,  Siskiyou  county,  California,  Se|)tember  6,  1856,  and  on 
the  removal  of  the  family  back  to  Maine  completed  his  edncati'-n  at  Amherst 
College,  and  prepared  for  the  practice  of  law  at  the  Hastings  Law  School. 
He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  before  the  su])erior  court  of  the  state  of  Cali- 
fornia. He  taught  school  in  Elko  county  for  a  year  and  a  half,  and  then 
l:)ecame  the  law  partner  of  Judge  Talbot,  with  whom  he  remained  for  four 
years.  Since  tiiat  time  he  has  been  alone,  and  has  enjoyed  an  increasing 
and  high-class  patronage,  with  good  standing  among  the  legal  fraternity 
of  the  state.  He  has  been  a  su]5poiter  of  the  Republican  party,  and  was 
twice  nominated  for  Congress.  He  luade  a  str(]ng  canvass,  bul.ihe  ticket 
was  in  hopeless  minority. 

In  1892  Mr.  Farrington  married  Mrs.  Celia  Taber,  of  Austin.  Nevada. 
Mr.  Earrington  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Od<l  Fellows  and 
of  the  I'resbvterian  church,  while  Mrs.  barrington  belongs  to  the  Roman 
Catholic  church. 


CH.ARLES  L.  KNOX,  one  of  the  leading  young  attorneys  of  the 
Nevada  bar,  being  engaged  in  ])rofessional  practice  and  also  connected  with 
business  interests  of  Reno,  has  made  a  good  record  for  himself  in  the  few- 
years  that  he  has  been  launched  on  an  independent  career.  He  has  had  con- 
sideraljle  experience  in  all  departments  of  his  work,  and  his  excellent  prac- 
tical and  theoretical  training  place  liim  in  a  position  to  gain  more  than 
ordinary  prominence  in  the  legal  circles  of  the  state. 

Mr.  Knox  is  a  son  of  the  well  known  contractor  and  business  man  of 


708  A   HISTORY  OF  XFA'ADA. 

this  part  (if  tlie  state.  11.  L.  W.  Knox,  wlm  was  liorn  in  Jacksun.  Mississippi. 
August  II.  1S41.  He  went  to  California  in  tlie  days  when  tiiat  state  was 
the  center  of  the  mining  wcjrld.  liut  he  lias  heen  principally  engaged  in  rail- 
road huilding.  He  came  to  Nevada  to  fultill  a  contract  for  huilding  part 
of  tlie  Carson  and  Colorado  Railroad,  and  he  was  also  a  huilder  of  the 
Nevada.  California  and  Oregon  road  from  its  inception  until  it  was  com- 
pleted. He  later  contracted  for  ])art  <if  the  construction  work  on  the  Sierra 
and  Mohawk  Railroad.  He  has  been  a  life-long  Democrat,  and  is  an  Odd 
Fellow.  He  married  Miss  Teresa  Manus.  a  uati\'e  of  Florida,  and  six  chil- 
dren were  horn  to  them.  Mrs.  J.  W.  l':\rker  is  n^w  residing  in  San  I'ran- 
cisco:  Mrs.  James  Morris  li\es  in  Tonopah :  Miss  Minnie  is  :n  I'lorida : 
Cyril  H.  is  attending  the  .\e\;i(]a  State  L'nivcrsit\' ;  and  Harrv  k.  is  a  con- 
tractor and  huilder.  The  parents  ha\'e  a  nice  residence  in  i\eno.  where  they 
enjoy  the  resjiect  and  esteem  of  many  friends. 

Charles  L.  Kno.x,  who  completes  the  faniil\-  of  children,  was  horn  in 
Reno,  Nevada,  Septemher  13.  1873.  He  was  educateil  in  the  puhlic  schools, 
and  received  his  legal  preparation  in  the  National  College  of  Law  in  Wasli- 
ington,  1).  C.  from  wliicli  he  was  graduated  in  1899.  He  was  admitted  to 
the  bar  of  his  home  state  cm  July  29.  1899.  He  was  tlie  private  secretary 
of  Representative  Francis  J.  Newlaiids  for  the  three  years,  and  was  in  Wash- 
ington with  that  legislator  during  this  period.  Jn  addition  to  his  constantly 
increasing  law  practice,  ^Nlr.  Knox  is  manager  of  the  Washoe  County  Title 
and  Guaranty  Company,  and  in  all  his  business  rebtions  he  has  gained  a 
reputation  for  executi\'e  ahilitv  and  thorough  reliability  and  integritv.  Tn 
])olitics  he  is  a  Ii)emocrat.  and  he  affiliates  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the 
Dramatic  Order  of  Knight'^  of  K'hor;issan.  ami  .\lo(lcrn  Woodmen  of 
.America. 

HON.  S.VML'EL  PLATT,  f;ne  of  the  prominent  attorneys  of  Nevada, 
is  a  nati\-e  of  Carson  City,  that  state,  where  he  was  born  November  17.  1874. 
His  father.  Joseph  Piatt,  was  born  in  Germany  and  came  to  the  United 
States  in  1851.  becoming  ;ui  honored  and  successful  merchant  of  Carson 
City,  where  he  located  in  1861.  He  married  Mal\-ina  P>asli.  a  n.ati\-e  of  New- 
^'ork.  who  came  of  German  ancestry. 

Samuel  Piatt  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  his  nati\e  city  ami 
in  .Stanford  University.  Californi:i.  ;md  ]iursiK'd  his  law  studies  in  Columhi.i 
I>aw  College.  Washington.  D.  C,  from  which  he  was  gradn.iled  in  1897. 
He  had  read  law  and  heen  admitted  to  the  bar  of  the  supreme  court  of 
Nevada.  May  28.  1896.  ])rior  to  his  graduation.  He  is  now  one  of  the 
most  successful  lawyers  in  the  entire  locality,  and  holds  the  office  of  referee 
in  bankruptcy  under  Judge  Hawdey. 

Since  casting  his  first  vote  Mr.  Piatt  has  been  a  Re])ublican  and  in  1900 
stumped  the  state  with  the  Republican  candidates  for  Congress  and  made 
many  effective  speeches  which  were  highly  spoken  of  by  both  parties.  In 
1901  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  Nevada  state  assembly  and  received 
the  Republican  complimentary  vote  for  speaker.  In  1902  he  was  the 
nominee  of  his  party  for  the  office  of  attorney  general  of  the  state,  .ind  made 
a  powerful  and  l)rilliant  cami)aign,  hut  his  ticket  was  beaten  by  the   fusion 


V)  o^^-.^v»^-,.a_jlJL  ^^^'vxxjCC 


A    IllSrom'  Ol'    NFA'ADA.  70'J 

party  and  General  Sweeny  was  elected,  he  being-  another  very  prominent 
lawyer  and  a  native  of  Carson  City.  On  July  J,  1903,  Mr.  Piatt  was  ap- 
pointed deputy  secretary  of  state.  Mr.  Piatt  is  now  actively  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  his  profession  and  is  building  up  a  very  de.sira1)le  practice.  In 
addition  to  other  interests  he  is  owner  of  some  valuable  mines. 

Fraternally  he  is  master  of  Carson  lodge  No.  i,  A.  V.  &  A.  M.,  and 
grand  orator  of  the  grand  lodge  of  the  state  of  Nevada,  having  held  various 
])ositions  in  the  order  from  junior  warden  up.  He  is  very  prominent  in  the 
Masonic  fraternity  and  has  been  largely  instrumental  in  bringing  it  tn  its 
present  condition  of  excellence.  Carson  City  has  reason  to  be  ])roud  of  iier 
brilliant,  enterprising  and  talented  vming  attorney  and  politician,  whose  past 
has  been  so  honorable  and  l)ef(ire  w  JKim  so  promising  a  future  stretciies 
forth. 

IfON.  WILLIAM  A.  HAWTHORNE.  No  history  of  Nevada  would 
be  complete  without  mention  of  tiie  Hon.  William  A.  Hawthorne,  one  of 
tiie  pioneers  of  the  state,  dating  his  residence  here  from  1860.  He  nnw 
makes  his  home  in  .San  h'rancisco,  but  has  been  so  closel)'  associated  with 
the  business  development  of  this  state  that  his  life  record  forms  an  integral 
part  of  its  annals.  He  still  has  valuable  mining  interests  in  this  state,  and 
his  efforts  have  been  effective  in  advancing  the  material  improvement  of 
Esmeralda  and  other  counties. 

Judge  Hawthorne  is  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  was  liorn  in  Mercer. 
Mercer  county,  July  14,  18^3.  His  grandfather,  James  Hawthorne,  a  nati\-e 
of  Scotland,  settled  in  Mercer  county,  on  the  Sharon  road,  where  he  resided 
for  many  years.  His  son,  Samuel  Hawthorne,  the  father  of  the  Judge,  was 
born  in  \Vestmoreland  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  married  Matilda  Black, 
of  W'estfield,  New  York.  He  died  in  Venango  county,  Pennsylvania,  at  the 
age  of  sixty-four  years,  and  his  wife,  surviving  him  four  years,  departed 
this  life  at  about  the  same  age.  Tliev  were  the  [larents  of  eight  children, 
of  whom  only   four  are  now  living. 

Judge  Hawthorne,  the  only  one  of  the  faniilv  on  the  Pacific  coast,  was 
reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  X'enango  county,  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools,  and  when  a  young  m;ni  was  engaged  in  lumbering  and  merchan- 
dising in  Warren  county,  Pennsylvania.  There  he  was  happilv  married 
to  Miss  Sarah  Jane  Tate,  a  native  of  Ireland,  l)ut  wdio  was  reared  and  edu- 
cated in  the  United  States.  They  had  two  children,  W.  W.  and  L.  A.  Haw- 
thorne,  and  with  this  family  Judge  llawtlmrne  came  to  California  l)y  way 
of  the  isthmus  route  in   1836. 

Soon  after  his  arrival  he  ])urchased  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of 
land  on  Pleasant  Grove  creek,  and  engaged  in  its  improvement.  He  had  a 
good  garden  and  orchard  and  a  wheat  crop  of  thirty  acres,  but  the  grass- 
hoppers came  and  destroyed  every  spear  of  grain  or  green  leaf  on  his  place, 
and  he  was  forced  to  drix-e  his  cattle  and  sheep  to  the  momitains  to  keep 
them  from  starving.  He  traded  his  land  for  a  few  head  of  cattle,  but  did  not 
prosper  in  that  undertaking.  He  then  settled  in  Lake  valley,  in  Eldorado 
county,  where  he  purchased  a  sawmill   and  also  Iniilt  a  shingle  mill  and  a 


710  .\  HISTORY  OF  XKNADA. 

liiitel.  the  place  lieing'  called,  in  his  honor.  Hawthorne  station.  There  he  was 
extensively  engaged  in  the  mannfacture  of  Inmher  and  shingles,  which  were 
sold  in  Virginia  City,  then  one  of  the  greatest  mining  towns  in  the  United 
States.  Prices  were  high,  and  Judge  Hawthorne  made  money  rapidly. 
Stibsequentl}'  he  started  a  luml>er  yard  at  Austin,  Nevada,  did  his  own  haul- 
ing, and  continued  to  do  a  prosperous  business  there  for  a  considerable 
])eriod.  He  was  also  the  owner  of  a  toll  road  extending  from  Salt  Wells 
to  Sand  Springs,  a  distance  of  twenty-two  miles,  and  this  he  continued  to 
operate  until  the  railroad  was  built  in  that  Icx'ality.  In  these  various  under- 
takings he  prospered.  He  next  built  a  shingle  mill  at  ]\Iartis  creek  and  also 
one  at  W'ebljer  lake,  supplying  lumber  to  the  mines  and  the  people  through- 
out the  surrounding  district. 

Alxiut  this  time  Jvidge  Hav>thorne  wa=  notified  that  three  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  of  land  that  he  had  in  the  oil  regions  of  Pennsylvania  had 
Ijeen  jumped,  that  se\eral  oil  wells  had  been  sunk,  and  that  the  property 
was  worth  half  a  million  dollars.  He  engaged  a  good  lawyer  and  went 
east,  put  the  parties  under  bond  for  one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  dol- 
lars and  Ijegan  suit  for  the  possession  of  the  property.  The  parties  would 
have  given  him  fifty  thousand  dollars  for  a  settlement,  but  he  was  advised 
not  to  settle.  The  suit  was  appealed  h\  the  defendants  from  time  to  time 
until  it  liad  l>een  in  the  courts  for  twenty  years,  and  finally  through  the 
neglect  of  his  counsel  the  case  was  thrown  out  of  court  and  he  was  defeated. 
At  that  time  the  oil  companies  in  Pennsylvania  were  charging  two  dollars 
and  sixty  cents  per  barrel  for  running  the  oil  through  their  pipe  line.  Judge 
Hawthorne  with  other  good  citizens,  resolved  to  make  a  fight  against  such 
an  exorbitant  price,  and  a  committee  of  sixt\'  of  the  best  citizens  was  formed 
to  ai)pear  before  the  state  legislature  and  annul  the  charter  of  the  oil  com- 
panies and  pass  a  state  law  regulating  them.  Judge  Hawthorne  was  ap- 
pointed one  of  the  committee,  and  the  result  of  their  ;iction  was  th;it  the 
oi!  comi)anies  reduced  their  charges  one-half. 

Judge  Hawthorne  then  returned  to  the  west  and  made  his  home  for  a 
numlaer  of  years  in  Carson  City.  Nex-ada.  where  as  a  Republican  he  held 
various  offices,  serving  several  terms  ;is  deputy  sheriff,  police  judge  and 
as  register  of  voters.  Later  he  came  to  the  present  site  of  Hawthorne,  and 
located  lands  and  mines  at  Cat  creek.  He  built  a  quartz  mill,  incorporated 
the  business,  of  which  he  himself  held  fifty  thousand  shares,  while  Messrs. 
Toby.  Knapp  and  Laws  had  the  remaining  fifty  thousand.  The  management 
(jf  the  business  so  displeased  Mr.  Hawthorne  that  he  sold  his  stock  in  the 
projierty.  In  parlnershij)  with  J.  h".  ilolland  he  had  ])urch;ise<l  nine  hun- 
dred and  eighty  acres  at  the  south  end  of  Walker  lake,  and  entered  into 
a  contract  with  the  Carson  and  Colorado  Railroad  to  locate  the  town  there. 
The  railroad,  however,  did  not  keep  its  agreement.  ;niil  located  the  town 
where  it  now  stands,  about  four  miles  from  the  lake.  I  le  was  gixeu  several 
blocks  of  the  site,  and,  unsolicited  by  him.  the  compan\-  named  the  i)lace 
!  I;iwlhorne.  These  blocks  he  .sold  when  he  disjxised  of  his  quartz  mill.  The 
Land  which  he  and  Mr.  Holland  h.id  ]iurchasc(l  from  the  government  was 
lilt  in  the  Indian   reservation,   and    the  officials  at    Washington   have   nexxr 


A    llisrom'  OF  NF.VADA.  711 

rc'inil)iirsL'(l  liini  for  liis  pnrcliaso  ninney.  I  !iis  land,  if  placed  under  irriga- 
tion, would  prove  very  valual)le  property,  judge  Hawthorne  now  has  several 
very  valuahle  mines  in  the  Co]>])er  Mountain  j^roup,  in  the  Silver  Star  district 
in  F.smeralda  county,  two  claims  of  tweiil}-  acres  each  covering  a  numher 
of  different  ledges  of  line  ore.  S.  (".  1  )enison  and  Don  Ray,  of  San  l'"rau- 
cisco,  are  his  partners  in  the  o\\nerslii]i  of  this  property,  of  wliich  the  Judge, 
h<i\ve\-er,   has  charge. 

To  Judge  and  Mrs.  Hawthorne  were  born  the  following  children: 
W.  W'.,  now  in  Alaska;  Lloyd,  of  Truckee,  California;  Mrs.  Ida  Chitten- 
den, of  Santa  Cruz,  California;  Millard,  of  Cook  county,  Oregon;  Mrs. 
Mary  Ciih'er,  of  San  Francisco;  Lillic,  who  became  the  wife  of  Frank  Smith 
and  died  at  the  birth  of  her  son;  (irant,  who  resides  in  Los  Angeles, 
California;  and  Sadie,  the  wife  of  Flmer  Lee,  of  Watsonville,  California: 
and  Mary  Bell,  the  wife  of  Fniest  Harris,  San  Francisco.  The  other  children 
])oru  to  them  ha\e  passed  awa_\',  and  .Mrs.  Hawthorne  dejjarted  this  life 
December  7,  1897.  She  was  a  most  loving  and  de\oted  wife  and  mother, 
and  her  loss  was  deeply  felt  by  her  husband  and  children.  The  Judge  re- 
mains true  to  her  memory,  hruing  never  married  again,  for  he  feels  that 
the  ])lace  of  his  hrst  wife  can  nc\er  be  filled. 

Judge  Hawthorne  was.  an  acti\e  l\e])ubhcan  until  the  money  cpiestion 
came  before  the  peojjle,  at  which  time  he  allied  himself  with  the  silver  party, 
but  is  now  a  Republican.  He  belongs  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  has 
been  an  official  member  of  the  Methodist  church  f(;ir  many  years.  .\s  a 
pioneer  of  Nevada  he  has  been  a  most  active  and  helpful  worker  in  develop- 
ing tlie  state  and  its  natural  resources,  and  in  promoting  its  substantial 
progress.  A  splendid  marksman  with  the  rifle,  he  finds  great  delight  in 
hunting,  and  annually  spends  his  \ac;itions  in  this  way.  Fie  has  killed  many 
deer  and  bears,  killing  sixty-three  deer  in  a  single  season.  He  has  many 
friends  in  Nevada  who  apjjreciate  his  good  qualities,  and  he  has  made  an 
excellent  record  as  a  business  man  and  citizen. 


JAMFS  COMERFORD  is  one  of  Virginia  City's  respected  early  set- 
tlers, his  location  here  dating  from  1863,  and  during  the  past  forty  years 
he  has  been  actively  concerned  with  some  of  the  city's  leading  industries. 

Mr.  Comerford  was  born  near  W'aterford,  county  Kilkenny,  Ireland, 
December  25,  i8-|2,  a  son  of  Th<imas  and  Bridget  (Grant)  Comerford.  In 
1852,  the  parents  with  their  children  emigrated  to  Canada,  making  their 
home  in  Belle\'ille,  where  Thomas  Comerford  was  engaged  in  an  expressing 
business.  James  Comerford  attended  school  in  Belleville  and  assisted  his 
father  in  the  express  business  during  boyhood. 

He  afterward  went  to  the  upper  peninsula  of  Michigan,  where  his  first 
experience  in  mining  1>egan.  in  the  copper  mines  on  Lake  Superior  and  in  the 
iron  mines  at  Marquette.  In  the  spring  of  1863,  he  came  to  the  Virginia 
Citv  and  began  his  life  work  in  connection  with  the  mines  of  Nevada.  He 
was  emploved  for  seventeen  years  by  the  Gould  and  Curry  Comi)any,  and 
has  the  distinction  of  lieing  one  of  the  men  who  first  broke  ground  for  the 


712  A  HISTORY  OF  NEWVDA. 

Osbiston  shaft.  Later  he  went  to  Tombstone,  Arizona,  and  engaged  in 
mining.  Upon  the  shnt-down  of  those  mines  he  returned  to  the  Comstock, 
and  worked  in  tiie  Hale  and  Xorcross  mine  for  several  years.  He  was 
connected  with  the  Chollar  and  Julia  mines  as  shift  boss,  and  in  later  years 
assumed  the  foremanship  of  the  .\lpha  and  Union  mines.  He  is  now  the 
capable  and  experienced  foreman  of  the  Brunswick  mine  under  the  manage- 
ment of  Mr.   Gorham. 

Mr.  Comerford,  by  his  careful,  intelligent  and  painstaking  efforts,  has 
always  met  with  the  approbation  of  his  employers.  He  has  had  the  experi- 
ence of  a  mining  expert,  and  much  confidence  is  placed  in  his  opinions  on 
mining  matters. 

Air.  Comerford  has  always  Ijeen  a  Democrat  in  national  politics,  but 
in  local  matters  votes  for  the  man  who  in  his  judgment  is  best  fitted  for  the 
ofiice.  j\lr.  Comerford  is  an  ui>right,  honest  and  industrious  citizen,  and 
is  res]iectcd  \\here\'er  known. 


HON.  JAMES  D.  TORREYSON,  ex-attorney  general  of  the  state  of 
Nevada,  and  one  of  its  ablest  and  most  widely  known  attorneys,  has  been  a 
resident  of  the  state  since  August.  1863.  He  is  a  native  of  \\'ell&burg,  state 
of  West  \'irginia,  where  lie. was  born  on  the  T4th  day  of  February,  A.  D.  1S54. 
His  father,  William  Duncan  Torreyson,  was  born  in  Union,  Loudoun  county, 
state  of  Virginia  on  the  3th  day  <if  September,  A.  D.  1821.  He  married 
Statira  Catherine  Brown,  who  was  born  near  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania.  By 
trade  he  was  a  blacksmith,  auvl  in  the  year  1855  went  via  the  isthmus  to 
California,  settling  in  Dnwnie\i]le,  where  for  five  years  he  carried  on  his 
1)usiness  very  successfully,  and  then  nidxed  to  Carson  City,  Nevada,  in  the 
winter  of  i860.  In  this  place  be  lucatcd,  carried  on  his  business  and  made 
it  his  liome  until  his  death  in  18(^4.  Although  self-educated,  be  was  a  man 
of  strong  character  and  of  great  general  knowledge,  and  was  .sometimes  re- 
ferred to  as  the  "learned  blacksmith."  I  le  was  one  of  the  most  highly  re- 
spected citizens  of  the  city  as  well  as  of  the  entire  state.  A  strong  Republi- 
can, a  lover  of  liljerty  and  a  man  who  took  great  interest  in  the  success  of 
his  ])arty.  both  in  national  and  state  iiolitics. 

The  only  son  is  our  subject.  Mc  was  reared  in  Carson  City,  where  he 
attended  the  public  schools,  and  later  entered  Yale  College,  from  which  he 
graduated  in  the  class  of  1879.  Returning  home  he  read  law  with  the  Hon. 
R()l)crt  j\I.  Clarke,  a.nd  also  at  the  Hastings  Law  Schot>l  in  San  Francisco, 
California,  and  was  admitted  to  the  i)ar  by  the  supreme  court  of  the  state  of 
Nevada  on  the  4th  day  of  January,  1882,  ;md  in  November  of  that  year  was 
nominated  by  the  Republican  ]iarly  for  the  oflicc  of  district  attorney  of 
Ormsby  county  and  elected.  He  served  eight  years,  four  consecutive  terms, 
and  in  1890  was  nominated  b\'  the  Ivepublican  \ydviy  for  attorney  general  of 
the  state.  He  was  elected  and  faithfully  discharged  the  duties  of  that  im- 
])ortant  office  for  four  years,  and  since  his  term  of  ofiice  expired  has  devoted 
liimself  to  his  large  jjrivate  iiractice.  Mr.  Torreyson  has  assocfated  witli 
him  in  his  practice   Mr.   Sumnu'rlicid.  ibc  lirni  living  Torreyson  iK-   S\nnnier- 


A    IIISTOKV  OF  NEVADA.  713 

field,  and  tliey  liavc  been  lngellier  in  the  ])ractice  of  tlieir  profession  for  over 
ten  years,  Mr.  Snnimerfield  being  the  United  States  attorney  for  Nevada. 

Mr.  Torreyson  is  a  meml)er  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  the  Order  of  Elks 
and  a  Knight  of  Pythias,  and  is  a  snjireme  representative  of  the  Knights  of 
Pythias.      He  is  a  married  man  with  a  wife  and  two  children. 


C.  H.  CRONANT,  former  agent  of  the  luireka  and  Palisade  Railroad 
at  Eureka,  met  his  death  on  February  22,  1904,  by  the  accidental  discharge 
of  a  pistol,  which  was  kept  in  the  safe  at  the  Eureka  and  Palisade  depot 
for  self-defence  in  case  of  attempted  robbery.  The  weapon  was  accidentally 
discharged  by  himself,  just  how  it  occurred  is  not  known,  as  there  was  no 
one  ])resent  when  it  happened.  Ht  lived  forty-eight  hours  after  the  acci- 
dent, and  his  statement  was  to  the  effect  that  in  rqilacing  the  weapon,  which 
had  been  reiuo\'ed  from  its  place  in  the  safe  to  put  some  nione}-  in  a  drawer, 
he  grasped  it  in  such  a  manner  as  to  cause  it  to  be  accidentally  discharged. 

Mr.  Cronant  was  one  of  the  well  known  early  pioneers  of  the  state 
of  Nevada,  witli  which  he  became  acquainted  as  a  resident  in  1866.  He 
had  been  in  the  west  since  Ixiyhood,  and  his  career  of  acti\'ity  has  known 
ups  and  downs,  but  was  in  the  main  very  successful,  and  he  fully  deserved 
the  esteem  which  he  enjoyed  among  the  business  men  of  Eureka  county. 
He  had  lieen  connected  with  the  Eureka  and  Palisade  Railroad  for  a  number 
of  years,  and  ga\e  uni\'ersal  satisfaction  both  to  his  em])lo\'ers  and  the 
patrons  of  the  road. 

Mr.  Cronant  was  Ixirn  in  Buffalo,  New  York,  March  28,  1845.  of  Scotch 
and  German  ancestry,  and,  having  lost  his  parents  when  he  was  a  child,  in 
1858  he  joined  an  emigrant  train  i>reparing  to  crciss  the  i>lains  to  California. 
Tliis  was  an  eventful  journey  to  him.  They  employed  oxen  to  pull  the 
wagons  as  far  as  Salt  Lake  City,  and  from  there  on  the  sturdy  American 
mule  was  brought  into  service.  They  had  some  trouble  with  the  Indians, 
and  one  redskin  was  killed  and  several  others  wounded.  Judge  Harrison, 
of  Red  Bluff,  California,  who  had  crossed  the  plains  liefore.  was  in  com- 
mand of  the  trrnn,  and  knew  just  how  to  meet  the  Indians,  so  tliat  when  they 
attempted  to  run  oft'  with  the  stock  they  met  an  unexpected  rebuff'  and 
withdrew  without  accomplishing  their  object.  The  trip  was  very  success- 
ful from  every  standi>oint,  one  of  the  valuable  precautions  that  were  taken 
to  guard  against  disease  being  to  require  every  human  being  in  the  com- 
pany to  take  a  bath  once  a  week,  which  salutary  provision  kqjt  them  all 
well.  The  journey  was  Ijegun  on  the  Tith  of  May,  and  Sacramento  was 
reached  on  the  6th  of  October. 

Mr.  Cronant  was  thirteen  years  old  when  he  came  to  California,  and 
most  of  his  education  was  obtained  in  that  state.  He  was  sent  to  school 
in  Placerville,  and  for  two  \ears  was  employed  in  a  butcher  shop.  He 
had  brought  three  horses  across  the  plains,  and  these  brought  him  fourteen 
hundred  dollars,  with  which  money  he  liought  a  mule  team  and  a  wagon. 
He  hired  a  man  to  drive,  and  together  they  made  a  good  thing  of  their 
teaming,  and  he  attended  school  part  of  the  tiiue.     In    1869  he  arri\ed  at 


714  A  HISTORY  OF  XI-\'.\D.\. 

W'liite  I'ine,  Xevada.  duriiit;  llic  mining  excitement,  and  he  and  his  partner 
ran  a  feed  stal)le  tliere,  l)ut  in  the  end  lust  all  they  had,  aljout  seventeen 
thousand  dollars.  He  was  afterward  foreman  for  W.  S.  Pritchard,  and  filled 
that  jX)sition  for  four  years.  He  had  iieen  in  the  employ  of  the  Eureka 
and  Palisade  Railroad  since  1877.  was  outside  foreman  and  ticket  agent 
until   1884.  and  since  then  efficiently  filled  the  position  of  agent  at  Eureka. 

Mr.  Cronant  was  a  valued  memher  of  the  Indeiiendent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows  since  he  was  twenty-two  years  of  age,  and  passed  all  the  chairs 
in  h(nh  hranches  of  the  order  and  was  a  memher  of  the  grand  lodge  of  the 
state.  He  took  an  active  part  in  Republican  jxilitics,  attended  the  conven- 
tions, and  was  always  willing  to  lend  his  help  and  influence  to  promote  party 
interests.  He  was  also  zealous  for  the  good  of  Eureka  schools,  and  was 
school   trustee  for  eight  years. 

In  1884  Mr.  Cronant  married  Aliss  Xettie  F.  ^\'ait.  a  native  of  the  state 
of  Wisconsin.  They  lia\'e  had  six  children :  Charles  Raymond,  horn  in 
Eureka;  Henry  Harrison,  liorn  in  Reno;  \\ 'alter  L.,  in  Reno;  and  Lloyd,- 
Cora  M.  and  Lenore,  horn  in  Eureka.  All  except  Cora  and  Lenore  are  now 
attending  school  in  Reno.  The  widow  has  a  nice  residence  at  Reno,  where 
the  family  are  residing  at  jiresent,  and  their  Eureka,  home  is  the  house  which 
in  earl\-  (hn's  was  the  residence  of  Hon.  Thomas  \\'ren. 


XATE  \\'.  ROFF,  for  many  years  one  of  the  prominent  and  best 
known  citizens  of  Reno,  Ne\ada,  connected  with  \arious  enterprises  and 
departments  of  public  life,  is  of  English  and  (ierman  ancestry,  and  is  a 
descendant  of  the  famous  old  family  of  Rolfe  (one  brancli  of  the  family 
later  adoi)ted  the  name  of  Roff).  Amos  T.  Roff,  grandfather  of  Nate  W. 
Roff.  was  born  in  South  Reading,  Massachusetts,  July  3,  1799.  He  was  a 
steamlioat  captain  on  the  Mississippi,  also  figured  as  a  pioneer  in  Missouri 
and  Illinois,  and  in  1852  crossed  the  plains  to  California,  taking  with  him  his 
two  younger  sons,  uncles  of  Nate  W.  Roff.  Amos  T.  i\oft'  died  in  1859, 
when   sixty  years  old. 

Nathan  J.  Roff.  the  son  of  the  last  named,  was  born  in  Westfield.  Massa- 
chusetts, Octol)er  14,  1823.  He  married  Miss  Elizabeth  C.  Moore,  a  native 
of  Pennsylvania,  both  at  that  time  being  residents  of  St.  Louis,  Missouri, 
and  brougiu  his  wife  and  infant  son  out  to  California,  where  a  daughter  was 
born  to  them,  now  Mrs.  Mary  Lemery,  of  Pomona,  California.  Nathan 
J.  Roff  came  to  Nevada  in  i8C)3  and  was  engaged  in  the  harness  and 
saddlery  business  in  Washoe  city,  at  the  jieriod  of  that  town's  high-tide  of 
prosperity.  He  remained  there  until  1868,  when,  at  the  public  auction  sale 
of  lots,  he  j)iuxdiased  four  lots  and  thus  became  one  of  the  earliest  settlers 
and  founders  of  the  city  of  Reno,  where  he  remained  until  his  de.itli,  in 
1897.  He  and  liis  wife  were  Ixith  lipiscopalians  in  religion,  and  the  latter 
is  still  living,  in  the  seventieth  year  of  her  age.  iionored  rmd  respected  as 
one  of  the  pioneer  women  of  the  west. 

Nate  W.  Roff  was  born  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  i'"ebruary  4.  1852,  and 
was  very  young  when  l)rought  to  tlie  west.     He  graduated  from  the  College 


i 


A   IllSIOm'  Ol-    NI'.VADA.  715 

f>f  California  in  tlie  class  of  1870,  after  wliicli  he  returned  to  Washoe  city, 
Nevada,  and  learned  telegraphy.  For  sfmie  time  he  was  in  the  employ  of  the 
Western  Union  Telegraph  Company,  and  later  of  the  V'irginia  and  Truckee 
Railroad  Company,  at  the  time  that  road  was  heing  hnilt.  '  Mr.  Roff  is  a 
musician,  being  a  performer  <in  a  numher  of  band  instruments,  and  fcjr  a 
while  he  trained  and  managed  bands,  meeting  with  inuch  success  in  this 
\cnture.  For  a  number  of  years  he  was  manager  for  Mr.  William  Thom[)- 
son  in  the  settlement  of  the  Lake  estate;  later  became  interested  in  the 
gas  works  and  the  electric  light  plant  of  Reno  and  for  a  time  was  general 
agent  for  the  Oregon  Stage  Line,  which  had  a  terminal  at  Reno;  he  was  also 
associated  with  C.  C.  Powning  on  the  Nevmhii  State  Journal,  and  subse- 
quently with  Messrs.  Kelly  and  Webster.  For  five  years  he  was  deputy 
land  register  at  Carson  City.  He  has  been  a  clerk  in  the  Nevada  legislature 
at  nearly  every  session  for  the  past  twenty-fi\e  years,  was  chief  clerk  of  the 
assembly  twice  and  clerk  of  the  senate  three  times,  and  has  in  various 
ways  been  connected  with  the  lawmaking  body  of  the  state.  He  is  now  .state 
senator  from  W^ashoe  county. 

Mr.  Rof¥  was  a  foremost  Republican  in  his  part  of  the  state  until  the 
silver  issue  split  that  party  into  two  factions,  when  he  became  one  of  the 
organizers  of  the  silver  party  in  the  state.  He  has  been  secretary  of  the 
state  central  committee  for  the  past  eight  years,  and  has  a  complete  record 
of  the  organization  and  subsequent  history  of  the  party.  He  is  now  in  the 
employ  of  United  States  Senator  Newlands,  and  is  a  meml>er  of  the  New- 
lands  Real  Estate  Company,  which  is  platting  an  addition  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  to  the  city  of  Reno,  and  ]ilacing  it  on  the  market  at  \ery 
liberal  terms. 

Mr.  Rofif  was  married  in  July,  1875.  to  Miss  Edwina  Jamison,  a  native 
of  California  and  a  daughter  of  S.  M.'  Jamison,  one  of  the  pioneers  to  this 
state  and  one  of  the  first  merchants  of  Reno.  Two  sons  have  been  born 
to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Roff  in  Reno,  Eldred  A.  and  Clare  E.,  lx)th  students.  Mt. 
Roff  is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  order,  in  which  he  has  filled  all 
the  chairs  and  for  ten  years  was  grand  keeper  of  records  and  seals,  and 
now  ranks  as  past  grand  chancellor  and  is  a  member,  by  virtue  of  his  ser- 
vices, of  the  supreme  lodge.  He  has  a  wide  acquaintance  with  all  the  public 
men  of  the  state,  and  his  record  in  many  lines  of  activity  gives  him  a  position 
of  honor  and  respect  with  ail.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rofif  were  reared  in  the  faith 
of  the  Episco]ial  church,  and  are  interested  in  the  various  forms  of  philan- 
thropic work.  They  have  a  commodious  residence  in  Reno,  and  their  home  is 
the  ah^de  of  hospitality  and  happiness. 

ABNER  HENRY  WTSEMAN,  one  of  the  progressive  and  esteemed 
farmers  of  Clover  valley,  Elko  county,  is  a  son  of  a  late  pioneer  citizen  of 
Nevada,  and  is  himself  almost  a  life-long  resident  of  the  west.  He  has  lived 
in  this  state  for  over  thirty  years,  and  his  large  ranch  of  over  a  thousand  acres 
is  good  evidence  of  the  enterprise  and  industry  which  he  has  displayed  since 
arriving  at  years  of  maturity.  He  is  just  now  in  the  prime  of  his  active 
life,  and  is  one  of  the  men  to  whom   Elko  countv   is  alreadv  indebted   for 


716  A  HISTORY  OF  XE\AI)A. 

niucli  wealth  and  progress,  and  who  will  be  increasing!}-  itlentified  with  its 
interests  and  welfare  in  the  future. 

Mr.  \\'isenian  is  a  son  of  Isaac  Wiseman,  now  deceased,  who  was  horn 
in  Kentucky.  June  i,  1827,  and  was  of  German  ancestry.  From  Kentucky  he 
was  taken  to  Iowa,  where  he  was  reared,  and  in  1859  he  crossed  the  plains 
to  California  with  oxen.  He  located  in  Sacramento  valley,  where  he  ob- 
tained one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land,  and  also  engaged  to  some  extent 
in  mining.  He  remained  in  the  Golden  state  about  ten  years,  and  in  1869 
came  to  Clover  valley,  Nevada,  where  he  was  one  of  the  pioneer  farmers. 
He  Ixjught  of  Marshall  J.  Bell  four  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land,  and 
he  was  l)usied  with  the  improvement  of  this  property  for  tne  rest  of  his 
life.  He  favored  Democratic  principles,  and  as  the  candidate  of  his  party 
was  elected  to  the  state  assembly  in  1888,  giving  his  service  conscientiously 
and  public-spiritedly  to  the  welfare  of  his  county  and  state.  He  was  a 
man  of  nnich  native  aljility,  honorable  and  industrious,  and  his  life  was 
exemplary  and  useful  both  to  the  pulilic  and  personal  interests.  He  died 
in  Jiuie,  1889,  at  the  age  of  sixty-two,  but  his  wife  is  still  lix'ing  at  the 
age  of  sevent}'-three.  one  of  the  much  respected  pioneer  women  of  the  state. 
They  were  the  parents  of  the  following  children:  Abner  H.,  who  is  the 
owner  of  the  old  homestead;  M.  F.  Furlong,  residing  in  Ogden,  Ctah ; 
Helen,  the  wife  of  Mr.  .Vngel,  postmaster  ;it   Wells,   Flko  countv. 

.Vbner  H.  Wiseman  was  born  in  Davis  county,  Iowa,  May  1,  1858, 
and  \\;is  a  year  old  when  tlie  family  came  across  the  plains.  He  spent 
his  youth  in  California  and  Clover  valley.  He  was  educated  at  the  public 
schools,  and  in  1882  took  a  course  at  the  San  Jose  Business  College.  Since 
then  he  has  de\'otcd  his  time  to  farming  and  stock-raising,  with  excellent 
results.  He  owns  one  thous;uid  and  eighty  acres  of  rich  land,  on  whicli  he 
has  built  a  comfortable  farm  residence.  His  principal  cro]xs  are  oats,  wheat 
and  hay,  and  he  raises  high-grade  Diu'liani  cattle.  His  large  interests  keep 
him  \'ery  busy,  and  he  gives  his  vimlh  .-uid  energy  without  reserve  to  the 
useful  and  ])rolitable  work  which  he  has  undertaken. 

Mr.  Wiseman  was  married  May  i.  188,^,  to  Miss  Mary  .\ngel,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Fernando  C.  .\ngel.  l-'our  children  h.ive  been  lx>rn  of  this  marriage: 
Isaac  F.,  Edith  M.ay,  I'ertha  F.  and  Pearl  11.  Mr.  Wiseman  afliliates  with 
the  Democratic  ])arty,  and  has  held  the  office  of  justice  of  the  peace  for 
six  years  and  has  been  school  trustee  for  a  number  nf  years,  lie  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen  and  the  Knights  of  i'vthias. 
Mrs.  W'iseman  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church,  and  they  are  Ixith  mem- 
bers of  the  Good  Templars. 


NICHOLAS  i'l\.\TI'".l\.  ;i  prominent  business  m.'in  and  wholesale  and 
retail  grocer  of  Virginia  City,  Nevada,  came  to  the  state  in  1S70.  He  is  a  na- 
tive of  England,  coming  of  very  old  luiglish  ancestr\'.  His  parents  were  Nich- 
olas and  Elizabeth  (Collins)  I'rater,  the  former  nf  whom  w.'is  ;i  miner 
by  occupation.     They  are  both  Methodists  in  i-eligions  faith. 

Mr.  Nicholas  Prater  was  educated  in  luigland  in  the  jjublic  schnols.  and 


I 


^^-i[)  .(fficJ:^ 


A  iiisioin'  oi'  i\i':v.\i).\.  717 

when  oiilv  nineteen  \'ears  of  a,t;e  cnnj^raled  tn  the  L-Tnited  States.  I  fe  first 
engaged  in  coal  mining  in  l'enns\'l\ania,  which  he  continued  lor  nine  years. 
In  1870  lie  came  to  \'irginia  City,  .Vevada,  and  worked  in  the  Crown  Point 
mine  for  tv\el\e  years,  being  paid  four  and  fi\e  dollars  per  day.  He  then 
became  foreman  in  the  Coma  Eureka  mine  at  Coma,  after  w'lich  he  was  in 
the  saloon  busmess.  The  year  1892  was  an  important  one  to  him  in  several 
respects,  for  it  was  then  that  he  was  married  and  about  the  same  time  al.so 
opened  his  present  large  business  house. 

The  lady  he  married  was  Mrs.  John  S.  Wcrrin.  who^e  hushaml  had 
located  in  Grass  valley,  Humboldt  county,  Nevada,  in  iStxj,  and  had  later 
established  himself  in  business  in  Virginia  City.  He  died  in  1890,  and  his 
widow  was  left  with  a  comfortable  fortune  and  three  sons,  lamest,  John  S. 
and  Wallmgton,  the  last  named  now  assisting  Mr.  Prater  in  his  establish- 
ment. In  addition  to  their  business;  house,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Prater  have  sev- 
eral large  ranches  and  are  extensively  engaged  in  stock-raising  and  selling, 
owning  in  all  some  thirty-four  lunnhcd  acres  of  land.  They  also  own  a  very 
comfortable  home  in  Virginia  City.  In  rehgi(ius  faith  they  are  both  Meth- 
odists, and  give  liberally  towards  its  support.  Not  only  have  both  these 
most  excellent  peo])le  been  successful  financially,  hut  they  have  made  a  host 
of  friends  whom  they  welcome  at  tlieir  delightful  home  with  true  western 
hospitality. 


HON.  FR.\N'CIS  G.  NEWLAND.S.  L'pon  the  pages  of  the  nation's 
history  is  engraven  the  name  of  the  Hon.  Francis  G.  Newlands,  for  through 
many  terms  he  re])resented  his  state  in  Congress  and  is  now  a  member  of 
■the  highest  lawmaking  tody  of  the  country,  the  United  States  senate.  His 
public  career  has  been  an  honor  to  the  state  which  has  honored  him.  and 
no  man  in  the  legislative  councils  of  the  nation  has  done  more  practical  or 
progressive  work  for  the  lienefit  of  the  great  west  than  Francis  G.  Newlands, 
\vhose  thorough  understanding  of  conditions  prevailing  here  and  whose 
devotion  to  the  general  good  have  resulted  in  the  passage  of  a  measure 
whose  substantial  influence  cannot  be  gauged  by  any  known  standard.  Xo 
adequate  memorial  can  therefore  be  written  until  the  movements  which  he 
instituted  cease  their  fruition  in  the  world,  but  there  is  much  that  can  be 
profitably  set  down,  as  showing  the  foi-ce  of  enterprise  and  energy  and  the 
value  of  character  in  the  world. 

Mr.  Newlands  has  lived  in  Neva<la  since  1889.  and  is  now  a  valued 
resident  of  Reno.  He  was  born  in  Natchez,  Mississippi,  and  comes  of  Scotch 
descent.  His  father.  Dr.  James  Birney  Newlands,  was  born  in  the  land  of 
the  heather,  and  was  a  graduate  of  lulinburg  University,  winning  there 
the  degree  of  M.  D.  Recognizing  the  possibilities  and  opportunities  of  the 
new  world,  he  resolved  to  make  his  home  on  tliis  side  of  the_  .Atlantic  and 
crossed  the  water  to  New  York  city.  Later  he  was  extensiVely  engaged 
in  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  the  south,  where  he  won  distinction  as 
an  eminent  member  of  the  medical  fraternity,  but  his  career  of  usefulness 
and  honor  was  cut  short  in  the  prime  of  life,  his  death  occurring  when  his  son 


718  A  HISTORY  OF  XI'AADA. 

Francis  was  liut  three  years  of  age.  He  left  a  w  iduw  and  l'i\e  cliildren. 
She  carefully  reared  her  family,  and  lived  to  he  sixty-eight  years  of  age. 

Senator  Xewlands  is  the  only  memljer  of  the  family  in  Nevada.  He 
completed  his  education  within  the  classic  walls  of  Yale,  and  prepared  for 
his  profession  as  a  student  in  the  Columbia  Law  School  at  Washington, 
D.  C.  After  thorough  and  careful  [preparation  he  was  admitted  to  the 
l>ar  in  1870,  and  entered  u])on  his  chosen  field  of  lalx)r  as  a  member  of 
the  bar  of  San  Francisco.  He  practiced  there  until  1889,  when  he  came 
to  Reno.  Nevada,  where  he  has  since  made  his  home.  His  practice  ha.s 
been  extensive  and  of  an  important  character,  and  he  is  reiuarkable  among 
lawyers  for  the  wide  research  and  care  with  which  he  prepares  his  cases. 
Nature  bountifully  endowed  him  with  the  peculiar  qualifications  that  com- 
bine to  make  a  successful  lawyer.  Patiently  persevering,  possessed  of  an 
.analytical  mind,  and  one  that  is  readily  receptive  and  retentive  of  the  funda- 
mental principles  and  intricacies  of  the  law,  gifted  with  a  spirit  of  devotion 
to  wearisome  details ;  quick  to  comprehend  the  most  subtle  problems  and 
logical  in  his  conclusions ;  fearless  in  the  advocacy  of  any  cause  he  may 
esix)use;  and  the  soul  of  honor  and  integrity, — few  men  ha\e  been  more 
richly  gifted  for  the  achievement  of  success  in  the  arduous,  difficult  profes- 
sion of  the  law. 

It  is  a  well  known  fact  that  the  lawyer  is  more  often  the  leader  in 
political  circles  than  any  other  man,  and  the  reason  is  obvious,  for  the 
analytical  mind  that  enables  him  to  thoroughly  understand  and  master  his 
case  also  enables  him  to  understand  the  interests  affecting  all  classes.  Be- 
cause of  his  fitness  for  leadership  and  his  well  known  patriotic  devotion  to 
the  general  good,  Mr.  Newlands  has  many  times  been  called  to  position.s 
of  marked  trust  and  responsibilit}-.  He  endorsed  the  measures  of  the  Dem- 
ocracy until  President  Cleveland's  second  campaign,  when  he  voted  for 
Benjamin  Harrison.  In  1892  he  was  made  the  candidate  of  the  silver  party 
for  Congress.  He  made  a  splendid  canvass,  was  elected,  and  served  with 
such  distinguished  ability  that  for  four  con.secutive  terms  he  was  Nevada's 
representative  in  the  house,  elected  by  the  silver  and  Democratic  parties. 
During  his  service  in  Congress  he  was  a  memlier  of  the  banking  and  cur- 
rency committee,  the  committee  on  ways  and  means,  and  the  committee  on 
foreign  affairs.  ?Te  introduced  the  Nevada  irrigation  bill,  providing  for  the 
irrigation  of  arid  and  semi-arid  lands.  This  bill  was  pas.sed,  and  is  now  being 
jmt  into  effect  throughout  the  arid  and  semi-arid  di.stricts  of  the  state. 
Already  it  has  proved  of  incalculable  benefit  to  Nevada  in  |)roviding  water 
for  millions  of  acres  f)f  rich  land,  which,  when  well  watered,  are  highly 
productive  and  very  va!ual)le,  while  without  irrigation  the  tracts  are  almost 
w(jrthless.  It  is  believed  that  l>ecause  of  this  law  the  ])opulation  of  the 
state  will  be  increased  threefold  witiiiu  a  very  short  space  of  time.  Already 
it  has  had  the  effect  of  advancing  realty  s.ales.  and  its  worth  in  ihc  future 
will  be  immeasuralile. 

In  igo2  Mr.  Newlands  was  elected  to  the  United  States  .senate,  and 
look  the  oath  of  ofifice  March  4,  1903.  His  previous  service  in  the  house 
of  representatives  is  a  guarantee  of  what  his  senatorial  career  will  be.     He 


A    IMS  Tom'  Oh'   .\I':\A1).\.  719 

lias  cliiscl)  .sUuliC'il  llie  social,  ijnlilifal  and  cii  iiidiuic  cuiuliliDUS  of  llic  cwuiilry, 
and  his  support  ol'  any  measure  in  wliicli  lie  believes  is  most  hearty  and 
effective,  and  liis  (jpjxisilion  is  just  as  pronounced  wlicn  he  l>eh'eves  it  will 
jjrove  detrimental  to  the  nation  or  to  any  ])art  of  the  country  where  its  effect 
will  he   felt. 

In  1874  Senator  Newlands  was  unite<l  in  marriage  to  Miss  Clara  .\de- 
■laide  Sharon,  a  daughter  of  L'nited  States  Senator  William  Sharon,  of 
Nevada.  This  union  has  heen  hlessed  with  three  children:  Edith  became  the 
wife  of  Charles  H.  L.  Johnson,  an  instructor  in  the  School  of  Technologx- 
in  Boston,  Massachusetts;  Janet  is  the  \\ife  of  Dr.  William  V.  Johnson,  a 
physician  and  surgeon  of  Washington,  and  a  brother  of  her  sister's  husband: 
Frances  Clara  is  at  home.  Mrs.  Newlands  dq:)arted  this  life  in  1880,  and 
in  1888  Mr.  Newlands  was  again  luarried,  his  second  union  being  with  Miss 
Edith  McCallister.  a  daughter  of  Hall  McCallister,  of  San  F'rancisco,  Cali- 
fornia. They  l>ecanie  the  parents  of  two  children,  but  lx:>th  have  passed 
away.  Mrs.  Newlands  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  church,  and  an  estimalile 
lady  who  is  a  recognized  leader  in  the  social  circles  of  Reno.  The  Senator 
has  built  a  beautiful  home  on  the  heights  o\erlooking  the  ri\er  and  the 
city-,  and  commanding  a  sjjlendid  view  of  the  surrounding  country.  He 
has  two  hundred  acres  of  land,  and  his  home  is  surrounded  by  picturesque 
grounds. 

Mr.  Newlands  has  great  faith  in  the  future  of  Nevada,  and  has  made 
many  investments  in  city  property  in  Reno  and  the  surrounding  country. 
No  man  is  more  worthy  of  the  gratitude  of  the  people  of  this  state  for  efforts 
put  forth  in  their  behalf.  As  a  lawyer  he  has  won  distinction  that  ranks 
liim  with  the  leading  legists  of  this  part  of  the  country,  and  in  political  cir- 
cles he  has  gained  honors  that  are  richly  merited.  He  has  a  statesmanlike 
grasp  of  affairs,  and  is  a  fine  si>eaker,  fluent  and  forcible,  having  rare  ora- 
torical gifts.  He  has  already  engraved  his  name  high  on  the  national  arch 
of  fame  as  a  meuiber  of  Cougress  from  Nevada,  and  popular  o])inion  hesi- 
tates not  to  prophesy  that  he  will  leave  a  still  mf)re  lasting  impression  on 
the  legislative  history  of  the  n;ition. 

WILLIAM  I).  COTTRELL,  blacksmith  and  carriage-maker  in  Carson 
City,  has  been  identified  with  the  industrial  and  civic  life  of  Carson  City  for 
over  a  quarter  of  a  century.  He  was  horn  in  Oconomowoc,  Wisconsin, 
July  26,  1852,  a  son  of  Cleorge  W.  and  Laura  (Pierson)  Cottrell,  the  former 
a  native  of  England  and  the  latter  of  Scotland.  His  parents  came  to 
America  in  childhood,  and  they  passed  most  of  their  lives  in  the  state  of  New 
Jersey,  where  they  l>oth  now-  lie  buried,  in  the  town  of  \\'heatland.  They 
both  li\e<l  to  advanced  age,  his  father  dying  at  the  age  of  eight_\'-seven  and 
his  mother  at  the  age  of  eight\--three. 

William  D.  Cottrell  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Wisconsin, 
where  he  also  learned  his  trade  ot  blacksmitlhng  and  carriage-making.  He 
came  to  Carson  City  in  1877,  ami  he  has  had  a  shop  in  tliis  city  ever  since, 
at  which  he  does  everything  in  his  line,  and  has  the  reputation  of  being 
a   very   reliable   and   successful    man. 


720  A  HISTORY  OF  XEVAD.X. 

Mr.  Cottrell  was  married  in  Xew  Jersey  in  1873  to  IMiss  Lizzie  C'liub- 
Ivnck,  a  native  of  Massacliusetts  and  a  representative  of  an  old  New  England 
family.  They  have  four  children,  F^lora,  Elsie.  Carrie  and  Charles.  Mr. 
Cottrell  has  a  good  home  of  his  own  in  Carson  City,  and  he  has  always  l)een 
thrifty  in  the  management  of  his  business  afifairs.  In  politics  he  is  a  Demo- 
crat, and  has  fraternal  affiliations  with  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees  and 
the  Woodmen  of  the  World,  lie  has  served  as  a  school  trustee,  and  in  1900 
was  elected  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  citv. 


HENRY  ANDERSON,  fanner  and  sheep-raiser,  of  Reno,  Nevada,  is 
thoroughly  representati\e  of  the  class  of  men  who  ha\e  done  most  for  the  state 
of  Nevada.  From  comparative  poverty  at  the  lieginning  of  his  career  in 
this  commonwealth  over  thirty  years  ago,  he  has  progressed  through  obsta- 
cles, always  working  with  the  true  western  courage  and  the  determination 
of  the  race  from  which  he  sprung,  until  he  is  now  toth  aflluent  and  influen- 
tial, not  only  in  the  business  world,  but  in  matters  of  citizenship.  In  no 
state  of  the  Union  has  the  fiscal  policy  adopted  as  the  ground  planks  of  the 
two  great  political  parties  affected  so  vitally  as  in  Nevada  the  prosperity  and 
welfare  of  its  two  great  producing  classes  of  citizens — the  miners  and  the 
stockmen.  Between  the  free-trade  policy  of  the  Democrats  on  the  one  hand,- 
and  on  the  other  hand  the  casting  out  of  silver  as  a  money  standard  by  the 
Republicans,  the  Ne\ada  wool-grower  and  the  silver  producer  have  con- 
stantly felt  themselves,  as  it  were,  between  "the  devil  and  the  deep  blue  sea." 
As  one  of  the  foremost  sheep-raisers  of  this  state  Mr.  Anderson  suffered 
great  losses  during  the  incumbency  of  a  Democratic  president  and  Congress 
in  the  seats  of  legislation.  But  to  the  energetic,  persevering  and  shrewd 
man  of  the  west  there  is  no  such  word  as  fail,  and  while  losses  have  retarded 
his  progress,  he  has  never  lost  sight  of  his  goal  and  has  in  praiseworthy 
measure  accomplished  his  best  ideals  in  life.  His  readiness  to  adapt  him- 
self to  circumstances  and  to  take  advantage  of  offered  opportunities  has 
brought  him  success  and  won  him  a  place  among  the  leading  men  of  his 
community.  His  prosperity  is  the  more  commendable  to  both  himself  and 
his  sturdy  race  because  he  came  to  this  country  from  a  foreign  land  and  with. 
a  f')rcign  education  and  ideas,  and  it  was  no  easy  matter  to  overcome  this 
initial  difficulty  of  mastering  a  new  lungue  and  accustoming  himself  to 
American  ways  and  manners.  His  native  thrift  and  industry  and  perse- 
verance have  brought  him  through  all  these  early  trials,  and  at  middle  age 
have  given  him  a  prominent  ])lace  among  the  men  of  mark  of  the  great  com- 
monwealth of  Nevada. 

Mr.  Anderson  was  bnrn  in  Dmmark  in  1852.  and  was  reared  upon  a 
farm  and  educated  in  the  ])ublic  scliools  of  his  nati\-e  land.  With  the  hope 
of  bettering  bis  financial  condition,  he  came  to  the  United  States,  of  which 
he  had  heard  so  much,  in  1872.  when  a  yrning  man  of  twenty  years.  He 
was  in  limited  circumstances,  with  his  best  capital  in  his  strong  body  and  his 
willing  hands,  and  while  be  was  able  to  read  and  write  English  to  some  ex- 
tent, he  was  almost  an  utter  stranger  t(j  the  life  and  thought  of  this  republic. 


A    lllSTOm'  Ol-'   Xl'AADA.  721 

Aftep  spendint;'  one  year  in  Illinois  1k>  came  Id  Xcsada.  and  sunn  aflcrward 
embarked  in  the  stock  Imsiness.  1  k-  ac(|uircd  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  land  near  Reno,  and  made  this  the  nucleus  of  his  futiu'e  operations.  He 
engaged  in  baling  hay  for  some  timo.  and  in  this  way  got  a  start.  Early  in 
the  eighties  he  turned  his  attention  to  the  sheep  Inisiness,  and  met  with  in- 
varia1)le  and  increasing  success  for  .'^(jme  years.  In  1893,  however,  the  finan- 
cial panic,  which  prostrated  business  all  over  the  country,  and  the  Wilson 
tariff  bill,  which  even  then  l)ecame  in  fcjrce  and  militated  especially  against 
the  wool-growing  interests  of  the  country  by  the  reduction  of  the  necessary 
protection  for  a  profitalile  comijetition  with  foreign  imports,  for  several  years 
lield  up  all  financial  progress  and  occasioned  great  losses  in  ])articular  to  the 
sheep  men  of  Nevada.  With  tliose  conditions  Mr.  Anderson  figured  his 
losses  on  mutton  sheep  alone  as  about  thirty-seven  thousand  dollars.  Tn  the 
latter  months  of  1893  and  early  in  1894  he  was  feeding  about  twelve  thou- 
sand head,  and  these  were  almost  unsalable.  \Vhen  he  did  get  them  to  the 
low  market,  after  ha\'ing  for  si.x  or  eight  months  previous  purchased  most  of 
them  at  the  rate  of  three  dollars  a  head,  he  did  not  get  enough  from  sale  to 
repay  the  cost  of  feeding  alone.  Other  losses  in  the  same  year  on  his  stock 
sheep  and  through  the  hankrujitcy  of  others  amounted  to  at  least  fifteen  thou- 
sand dollars,  so  that  his  disasters  during  the  year  totaletl  o\-er  fift_\'  thousand 
dollars. 

Furtliermore,  sheep  did  not  ])-'\  expenses  again  until  1897,  but  since 
that  time  the  business  has  been  profitable,  and  he  has  met  with  excellent  suc- 
cess as  a  dealer  in  sheep.  In  jjartnership  with  others  he  now  owns  many 
thousand  head  of  fine  wool  sheep.  He  has  a  rancli  nf  twenty  thousand,  five 
hundred  and  thirty  acres  in  Elko  county,  and  there  is  also  a  large  tract  in 
Lander  county  and  some  land  in  Eureka  county,  besides  se\eral  bands  of 
sheep  in  Oregon.  He  also  owns  considerable  \'aluable  property  in  W^ashoe 
county  and  in  the  fast  growing  city  of  Reno,  and  is  a  stockholder  and  a 
director  in  the  Ne\ada  Bank  of  that  place.  He  has  built  a  \ery  handsome 
residence  on  the  hill  just  o])pr;site  the  camims  of  the  Nevada  State  Uni\'er- 
sity,  and  this  beautiful  home  is  now  occupied  by  himself  and  family. 

In  1892  Mr.  Anderson  was  married  in  Reno  to  Miss  Bartine  Kirstine 
Jensen,  and  four  children  bless  their  union,  namely:  Henry  T.,  Bartelle 
Kirstine,  Frederick  Holbeck  and  Dagomar  Glorio.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  .\nderson 
were  reared  in  the  Lutheran  faith,  and  still  adhere  to  that  church.  He  is 
a  prominent  Mason,  ha\'ing  taken  the  thirty-second  degree  in  the  Scottish 
l^ite,  and  is  a  member  of  Islam  'rcni])]e  of  San  Francisco.  In  politics  he  has 
always  been  identified  with  the  Republican  ymrtv. 


J.  M.  LAMB.  While  the  mineral  resources  of  Nevada  ha\'e  I)cen 
extremely  rich  and  have  added  greatly  to  the  wealth  of  individuals  and  to  the 
prosperity  of  the  nation,  it  is  not  alone  in  this  direction  that  Nevada  ofTers 
good  opportunities  to  her  citizens.  It  is  found  that  through  irrigation  and 
cultivation  her  lands  are  extremely  rich  and  productive,  and  to-day  some  of 
the  finest  farms  of  the  country  are  to  l)€  seen  within  the  borders  of  this  state. 
Mr.  Lamb,  who  is  residing  in  Franktown  and  who  came  to  Nevada  about 

46 


7-22  A   HISTORY  OK   XIAADA. 

i866,  is  now  the  pussessor  .)f  a  \er_\'  line  ranch  of  li\e  hniuh'eil  and  sixty 
acres  in  the  Fraiiktcnvn  (hstrict.  .\s  he  is  witlely  and  faNorably  known, 
the  record  of  his  career  will  prove  of  interest  to  many  of  nur  readers,  and 
it  is  with  pleasure  therefore  that  we  present  it. 

A  native  of  Iowa,  Mr.  Lanih  was  horn  i>n  the  i  ith  of  .March.  iS4_'.  and 
is  of  Irish  descent.  Mis  paternal  grandfather,  John  Lamb,  who  was  horn 
on  the  Emerald  Isle,  crossed  the  Atlantic  to  the  colonies  during  the  period 
of  the  Revolutionary  war.  He  settled  in  the  state  of  Tennessee,  where 
James  Lamh,  tlie  father  of  J.  M.  Lamh.  was  horn.  During  the  hitter's  boy- 
hood, howexer,  the  family  remo\ed  to  Kentucky,  and  he  was  there  reared 
and  educated.  \\'hen  a  young  man  he  went  to  Missouri,  where  he  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Crow,  a  native  of  Kentucky.  By  occupa'tion 
he  was  a  farmer  and  followed  tliat  ]nn"suit  in  ^lissouri  until  1850,  when 
he  crossed  the  plains  to  California.  .\11  who  then  came  to  the  Pacific  coast 
were  eager  to  win  wealth  in  the  mines,  for  the  disco\"ery  of  gold  on  the 
Tacific  coast  had  aroused  the  entire  countr\-.  Mr.  James  Lamb  engaged  in 
mining  at  Placer\-ille  and  afterward  in  Mariposa  county.  Resolving  to 
continue  his  residence  in  the  west  he  was  joined  by  his  family,  who  crossed 
the  plains  in  1853,  and  they  remained  in  California  until  he  was  called  to  the 
home  lieyond,  his  death  occurring  in  San  Erancisco  in  the  year  1890.  His 
wife  li\-ed  to  be  si.xty-three  years  of  age.  Four  of  their  children  now  sur\ive, 
namely:  Mrs.  May  X'ash,  a  resident  of  San  Erancisco:  John,  whu  is  living 
in  Mariposa  count\-.  California  :  Ella,  who  is  now  traxeling  in  .*>witzerl:uid  : 
and  J.  I\I. 

When  a  lad  <<{  abnut  ten  summers  J.  M.  l^:uub  came  with  his  mother, 
his  brothers  and  sisters  to  California,  and  in  the  public  schools  of  that  state 
was  educated.  He  began  tn  earn  his  li\'ing,  ln)\vever,  at  an  early  age,  and 
followed  mining  in  Mariposa  countw  but  met  with  cmly  umderate  success. 
He  resolved  therefore  to  seek  a  hnmc  elsewhere,  and  on  the  4th  of  July, 
1866,  he  arrixed  in  limpire,  .\c\ada.  There  he  was  connected  wilh  ihc 
o])eration  of  a  sawmill  and  of  a  cpiartz  mill,  receiving  from  three  and  a  half 
to  four  dollars  per  day  for  his  sersices.  l'"or  fifteen  years  he  was  emi)loyed 
in  the  llrunswick  mill  near  h',m])ire,  receiving  four  and  foin-  ;ind  a  half  per 
day.  He  worked  earnestly  and  indefatigably,  and  his  ciVicicnl  labdi-  there- 
fore enabled  him  to  command  good  wages. 

In  1873  Mr.  Lamb  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Mary  Sullixan,  a 
nati\e  of  Massachusetts,  and  to  them  were  torn  seven -children,  namely: 
Ella  J.,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  Walter  Newcomb:  Clara  I''..:  Crace  M. ; 
.\da  .\.,  the  wife  of  Jarson  Libby :  James  H. ;  Mary  Iv ;  and  Charles  \'. 

In  his  ]K)litical  views  Mr.  Lamb  is  a  Democrat  and  kgeps  well  informed 
on  the  tpiestions  and  issues  of  the  day.  but  has  never  been  an  a.spirant  t'or 
])ublic  office.  He  has,  however,  taken  aw  active  interest  in  educational  mat- 
ters, and  has  served  as  school  trustee  for  a  number  of  years,  putting  forth 
effective  and  helpful  effort  in  behalf  of  the  advancement  of  the  educational 
interests  of  this  locality.  In  i88(;  he  was  called  ujion  to  mourn  the  loss  of 
liis  wife,  to  whom  he  was  devotedly  attached,  their  m.irried  life  having  been 
a   most   ha])])y  and  congenial  one.     ( )n   Octnber   jj,    1903,   Mr.    L.imb   was 


A    IJJSIOm'  ()!■■   XI'AAUA.  723 

united   in  marriage  willi   Mrs.    ]■'..   A.   May,  of   iMnpire.     'I'liey   were  married 
in  Carson  City. 

Mr.  Lam1)  is  engat^ed  in  the  raising  of  graded  Hereford  cattle,  lie 
also  has  a  fine  orchard  upon  his  ]ilace.  in  wliich  he  raises  apples,  ])ears,  plums 
and  other  fruit.  His  farm  is  s])lendi(lly  located  and  is  a'  valuable  property. 
He  has  placed  upon  it  many  excellent  improvements,  has  followed  practical, 
progressive  methods  in  his  work  and  has  e\-er  been  straightforward  and 
trustworthy  in  his  business  affairs.  Mr.  Lamb  may  well  be  called  a  self- 
made  man,  and  deserves  all  the  praise  which  that  term  implies.  Starting 
out  in  life  at  a  ver)-  early  age  with  no  family  or  pecuniary  assistance  to  aid 
him,  he  has  gradually  worked  his  way  upward,  and  his.  career  proves  that 
success  is  not  the  result  of  talent  'or  f(jrtunate  circumstances,  but  may  Ije 
gained  through   earnest,   persistent   effort   when   guided   by   sound   judgment. 

HON.  W.  E.  F.  DI-i.VL.  of  Virginia  City,  dates  his  residence  here  from 
the  26th  (jf  Ma}',  1863,  and  he  has  become  one  of  the  most  prominent  attor- 
neys of  the  state.  Professional  advancement  in  the  law  is  proverbially  slow. 
The  first  element  of  success  is,  perhaps,  a  persistency  of  purpose  and  effort 
as  enduring  as  the  force  of  gravity.  But,  as  in  any  other  calling,  character 
and  indi\idualit)-  are  the  qualities  which  differentiate  the  usual  from  the 
unusual,  the  v(.)cation  from  the  career  of  the  lawver.  Possessing  all  the  essen- 
tial characteristics  of  the  successful  lawxer,  Mr.  Deal  has  advanced  to  a 
])rominent  position  in  the  legal  fraternity. 

.\  native  of  Maryland,  he  was  born  in  Cahert  county  on  the  ISth  of 
March,  1840.  On  the  ]iaternal  side  his  grandfather  was  of  English  descent 
and  his  grandmother  of  German  lineage,  while  on  the  maternal  side  both 
grandparents  were  of  English  ancestry.  The  faniil\-  was  founded  in  the  south 
pri(jr  to  the  eighteenth  century,  and  for  m;niy  _\-ears  were  residents  of  Mary- 
land and  Pennsylvania. 

Mr.  Deal's  father,  Dr.  William  (irave  Deal,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania, 
but  spent  several  years  in  M.aryland  during  his  early  life.  On  the  9th 
of  May,  1849,  fit  Baltimore,  he  took  ])assage  on  the  schooner  Saratoga  bound 
for  California.  Crossing  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  he  jiroceeded  u])  the 
Pacific  coast  t(j  San  Francisco  and  settled  in  Sacrrunento,  where  he  was 
engaged  in  the  practice  of  medicine  for  some  )ears.  ha\ing  graduated  at  the 
Uni\ersity  of  Maryland  -with  the  degree  of  M.  D.  He  l)ecame  prominently 
identified  with  public  affairs,  and  was  elected  to  the  first  legislature  of  Cali- 
fornia. In  185 1  he  liecame  the  owner  of  Sutters  Fort  Ijy  purchase,  and 
established  a  hospital  there  at  his  own  expense,  conducting  it  all  through 
the  cholera  epidemic.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  war  he  went  to  \\'ash- 
ington,  D.  C,  and  offered  his  services  to  the  government,  rendering  effective 
service  to  the  Union  cause  as  a  surgeon  in  the  army,  until  hostilities  ceased, 
when  he  received  an  honorable  discharge.  After  the  war  he  engaged  in 
the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Louisiana  until  his  death,  which  occurred 
in  1892,  when  in  his  seventy-eighth  year.  Pie  rose  to  an  eminent  position 
in  his  profession,  and  was  extremely  devoted  to  it,  his  highest  ambition 
being  to  alleviate  the  sufferings  of  his  fellow  men. 


72-t  A    lIlSrORV  OF   .\I':\AD.\. 

In  early  nianliood  I^r.  Deal  was  united  in  niarriaiie  In  .Miss  Janctle 
Suttini.  a  daughter  ot"  Rev.  James  antl  Martha  Suttnn.  Their  marriage  was 
a  most  happy  one.  They  were  valued  members  of  the  Methodist  church, 
and  were  people  of  the  highest  worth  in  society.  Mrs.  Deal  died  in  San 
Francisco  in  the  eighty-first  year  of  her  age.  In  their  family  were  eight 
children,  six  of  whom  are  living,  and  all  the  sons  are  prominent  in  profes- 
sional life  and  all  residents  of  the  state  of  California  -with  the  exception  of 
W.  E.  F.  Deal,  who  has  made  his  home  in  Virginia  Citv,  Xc\'ada,  for  over 
forty  years,  and  takes  a  just  pride  in  the  place  which  was  the  scene  of  his 
early  successes,  though  he  also  has  an  office  and  Iiome  in  San  Francisco, 
where  he  spends  a  portion  of  his  time. 

i\Ir.  Deal  was  graduated  from  Dickinson  College,  Carlisle,  Pennsylvania, 
in.  the  class  of  1859.  after  ha\  ing  completed  the  full  college  course,  and  on 
his  graduation  he  receixed  the  degree  of  A.  B.  and  later  the  degree  of  A.  M. 
from  his  alma  mater.  On  the  12th  of  September,  1859,  we  find  him  in 
California,  where  his  first  occupation  was  that  of  scIukiI  teacher  in  Oakland. 
He  remained  there  until  March,  i860,  and  from  that  time  until  the  following 
Jul}'  taught  at  Colusa.  He  then  went  to  Nevada  City,  California,  where  he 
oi)ened  a  ])ri\ate  school,  o\er  which  he  presided  until  May,  1863,  when  he 
came  to  Virginia  City,  Nevada.  Soon  after  his  arrival  lie  entered  the  law 
office  of  D.  W.  Deare}'  and  Charles  E.  De  Laney,  where  he  was  clerk  and 
student  until  his  admission  ti  the  bar  in  1865.  before  the  supreme  court 
of  the  state,  and  since  then  he  has  engaged  in  the  ])ractice  of  his  chosen 
profession.  In  1869  he  formed  a  iiartnershi])  with  Curtis  J.  Ililher  and 
W.  S.  \\'ood,  that  connection  continuing  until  1871.  in  1870  Mr.  Deal 
became  the  candidate  of  the  Democratic  party  for  the  office  of  district  judge 
of  the  fourth  judicial  district,  l)ut  his  ticket  was  defeated,  though  he  lost 
Ijy  only  the  narrow  margin  of  ninet}-seven  xotes.  Two  years  later  the 
law  firm  of  Lewis  and  Deal  was  formed,  and  they  soon  built  up  a  large 
practice  in.  both  California  and  Nevada. 

In  1878  Mr.  l^eal  received  the  nomination  for  Congress  at  the  hands 
of  his  ]>arty,  but  his  ticket  was  again  defeated,  not  withstanding  the  fact 
that  he  made  a  brilliant  cam])aign.  He  was  made  chairman  of  the  Demo- 
cratic state  central  committee  for  the  campaign  of  1880,  which  resulted  in  the 
election  of  Democratic  nominees  for  presidential  electors.  .Mr.  Deal  l)eing  one, 
aufl  the  ])arty  was  successful  in  the  election  of  a  member  of  Congress,  a 
justice  of  the  state  supreme  court  and  a  Democratic  legislatiu'e.  which  elected 
a  United  States  senator  for  Nevada.  Since  that  time  Mr,  Deal  has  given 
his  attention  almost  wholly  to  his  jirofessional  duties,  and  to-day  enjoys 
a  large  and  lucrative  ])ractice.  He  makes  a  specialty  oi  mining  rights  and 
water  rights,  and  stands  at  the  head  of  the  Icga.l  jirofession  in  the  two  states 
where  he  practices. 

Tn  T875  ^'I*"-  '^'^■''  ^^''^  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Roberta  Criffith, 
of  i'rdtimore.  Maryland,  a  native  of  that  state  and  a  daughter  of  Robert 
Critfith,  a  |jrominent  merchant  of  l>altimore.  'i'hey  hrixe  one  son  and  three 
daughters,  -namely :  William  (Iriffith,  who  is  now  studying  l;iw  in  his 
father's  office  in  San  Francisco;  (iladvs  !•".,   lanettc  1.  and  Roberta  V. 


A    IllS'lom'  Ol'"   NF.VADA.  725 

Mr.  Deal  is  an  active  and  ]ir(iniinenl  inenil)ei"  (if  St.  I'aul's  Protestant 
Episcopal  clinrch  of  Virginia  City,  in  winch  lie  is  serving  as  senior  warden, 
and  is  also  a  vestryman  of  Trinity  chnrcli  of  San  Francisco.  Fraternally 
he  is  a  Knight  Temi)lar  Masmi.  lie  has  served  as  one  of  the  commissioners 
for  the  insane  of  the  state,  and  in  T894  was  elected  regent  of  the  Nevada 
State  Uni\-ersity,  mid  was  re-elected  in  i8(jS,  serving  in  that  position  most 
acceptalily  until  the  1st  of  Jul)-.  1903.  .Socially  he  is  deservedly  ix)pular. 
as  he  is  affahle  and  courteous  in  manner,  and  jjossesses  that  essential  quali- 
fication to  success  in  puhlic  life,  that  of  making  friends  readily  and  of  strength- 
ening tlie  ties  of  all  friendshijis  as  time  ad\ances.  He  is  held  in  the  highest 
esteem  hy  memhers  of  the  hench  and  har  huth  in  this  state  and  in  California, 
and  justly  deserxes  the  prominence  he  has  won  in  i)rofessional  as  well  as  in 
social  life. 

GEORGE  ELMORE  is  perha]>s  nmre  intimately  connected  with  the 
material  uphuilding  of  the  town  of  h'.lko  than  any  other  man,  for  he  has 
manufactured  the  material  of  every  lirick  huilding  in  the  town  and  has  also 
erected  many  of  the  husiness  and  residence  structures.  He  has  heen  in  the 
west  for  over  forty  years,  thirty  v'ears  of  that  time  in  Elko,  and  has  success- 
fully prosecuted  his  )>nsiness  of  contractor  and  builder  and  brick  manu- 
facturer ever  since  crossing"  the  plains.  He  has  gained  the  reputation  in  Elko 
of  being  a  first-class,  reliable  business  man,  and  is  highly  esteemed  for 
his  honorable  dealings  and  strict  integrity  in  all   the  relations  of  life. 

Mr.  h'lmore  is  of  an  old  Kentucky  family.  His  grandfather,  Dolson 
Elmore,  was  a  soldier  in  the  war  of  18 12  for  three  years.  Johnson  Elmore, 
his  father,  was  horn  eight  miles  from  Louisville,  Kentucky,  and  after  his 
marriage  to  Miss  Jemima  Dobson  mo\ed  to  Illinois  in  1833.  They  were 
pioneers  in  their  part  of  the  state,  and  for  .some  years  their  nearest  neighbor 
was  twenty  miles  away.  They  made  annual  trips  to  lay  in  their  year's 
supply  of  provisions,  and  as  an  example  of  their  simple  fare  it  is  related  tliat 
on  Sundays  flour  biscuit  were  on  the  menu,  hut  on  other  days  corn  Johnnie 
cakes  were  the  principal  food.  The_\'  spent  all  their  lives  in  Illinois,  and 
lived  to  see  it  outgrow  its  primiti\e  condition  and  be  supplied  with  all  the 
con\'eniences  of  civilization.  Mr.  Johnson  Elmore  died  at  the  age  of  fifty, 
but  bis  wife  attained  the  ad\anced  age  of  ninety-two  vears.  Of  their  eight 
children,  but  twc)  survi\e,  George  and  Elizabeth  Miller,  the  latter  in  Illinois. 

George  Elmore  was  l^orn  in  Fetersburg,  Menard  county,  Illinois,  July 
4,  1838,  and  was  educated  in  the  jjulilic  .schools  there.  He  began  learning 
the  mason's  trade  while  a  boy,  and  worked  for  a  time  at  that  occupation 
in  Illinois.  In  i8r)i  he  set  out  across  the  plains  to  California,  and  as  he 
tra\-eled  down  Hnmlioldt  river  in  what  afterwaril  became  the  state  of  Nevada 
there  were  two  houses  along  the  river,  and  Elko  and  Reno  had  no  existence. 
In  California  he  tegan  making  brick  and  contracting  and  building  in  Jack- 
son, Volcano  and  Sutter  Creek,  and  carried  on  the  business  for  ten  or  twelve 
years.  In  1872  he  came  to  Elko  and  established  a  brick  yard,  which  has 
since  continued  as  the  sole  enterprise  of  the  kind  in  the  town  and  has  fur- 
nished all  the  lirick  used  in  the  vicinitv.     Mr.  Elmore  has  built  the  founda- 


720  A  HISTORY  OF  XE\'ADA. 

tions  fur  the  iron  lirid^es  in  the  CDuntry  arounil.  also  tlie  Hot  Springs  Hotel 
and  man-\-  of  the  brick  Iniildings  in  the  town. 

In  1868  Mr.  Elmore  was  married  in  lone.  Amador  county,  California, 
to  Miss  Mildred  Cecil,  a  native  of  Missouri,  hjght  children  have  Ijeen 
lx>rn  to  them,  and  three  are  living:  \\alter,  who  is  at  home  in  business  with 
his  father:  Grace,  the  wife  of  \\'illiam  Shaveler;  and  Cecil,  tlie  wife  of  Mr. 
Clubine.  Mrs.  Elmore  is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  churcli.  Mr.  Elmore 
affiliates  with  the  Democratic  part)',  and  bears  a  worthy  part  in  public  affairs 
of  his  town  and  comity. 

ALFRED  C.  KYLE.  In  a  re\iew  of  the  men  who  have  Ijeen  active  in 
connection  with  the  mining  interests  nf  this  great  "silver  state,"  it  is  impera- 
tive that  due  recognition  l:e  accorded  Alfred  C.  Kyle,  of  V^irginia  City,  who 
is  now  the  superintendent  of  the  lUiIlioii.  the  Exchequer,  the  New  York,  the 
Silver  Hill  and  other  mines.  He  has  been  a  resident  of  Nevada  since  1868, 
and  during  the  thirty-five  years  that  have  since  come  and  gone  he  has  not 
only  watched  with  interest  the  progress  of  the  state,  but  has  aided  in  the  ex- 
pansion of  its  lousiness  opportunities  and  in  its  substantial  growth  and  ma- 
terial progress. 

He  is  a  nati\'e  of  Huntingdon  count)',  Pennsylvania,  where  he  was 
born  on  the  23d  of  June,  1846.  Of  Scotch  lineage,  his  paternal  great-grand- 
father, Robert  Kyle,  was  a  native  of  Scotland,  whence  he  emigrated  to  the 
new  world,  settling  in  Greenbrier  county.  Virginia,  thus  becoming  the  founder 
of  the  Kyle  family  in  the  Lhiited  States.  Both  the  grandfather  and  the  father 
of  Alfred  C.  Kyle  bore  the  cognomen  of  Robert  and  were  lioth  natives  of 
Virginia.  The  latter  Robert  Kyle  married  Miss  Rosana  Murphy,  and  after 
their  marriage  the  \onng  couple  mo\'ed  to  the  state  of  Pennsvlvania,  where 
Robert  Kyle  was  employed  as  the  manager  of  an  iron  foundry,  being  thus 
closely  associated  with  the  industrial  development  of  that  locality.  In  !iis 
early  manhood  he  was  a  Whig,  and  ui)(in  the  dissolution  of  the  party  joined 
the  ranks  of  the  Rejiulilican  ])art)'.  linth  he  and  his  wife  were  valued  niem- 
l)ers  of  the  Methodist  chnrcli.  1,'iking  ;i  nn  ist  helpful  interest  in  its  work  and 
doing  everything  in  their  junver  to  extend  its  growth  and  promote  its  mis- 
sion aniong  men.  Robert  K)lc  was  called  to  his  final  rest  in  1871,  when 
seventy-five  years  of  age,  and  his  wife  departed  this  life  in  her  fortieth  year. 
They  were  the  parents  of  eight  children,  of  whom  six  are  now  living,  lint 
.Alfred  C.  Kyle  and  his  brother,  .Silas,  are  the  only  ones  of  the  f.amily  now  in 
Nevada. 

Under  the  parental  roof  .Mfred  C  .  l\)lc  spent  his  Ijoyliood  ila)'s.  and  when 
in  his  seventeenth  year  he  crossed  the  ])lains  with  oxen  to  California,  being 
five  nionths  upon  the  jonrne)'.  At  tl'.e  end  of  that  time  the  ]iarty  with  which 
he  tra\'eled  were  gladdened  l)y  the  sight  of  the  fertile  district  ;u'ound  San 
Bernardino.  The  Ci\'il  war  was  at  that  time  in  ])rogress,  and  a  rebel  Hag 
was  seen  flying  in  the  town,  but  as  soon  as  ilie  I'liited  States  soldiers  made 
their  entrance  into  the  city  it  was  taken  down  and  the  stars  ;ind  stri])es  un- 
furled. Mr.  K\le  made  his  way  to  Mariposa  count\',  .uid  there  learned 
the  trade  of  an  engineer.     He  aflerw;ird   went   to   Montana,   where  he  en- 


A  iiisTom'  oi'  .\'i':v.\i).\.  727 

Cjag'ed  in  placer"  miiiiii!;"  in  (Icild  (Vcck,  near  the  mining;'  camp  of  F'ioneer. 
Although  he  paid  inn\  dollars  a  day  for  water  obtained  from  the  Rock  Creek 
Ditch  Company,  he  e\en  then  made  some  money.  On  leaving  that  locality 
he  went  to  Virginia  City,  where  he  remained  for  a  time,  later  ])roceeding  to 
the  gold  diggings  on  the  .Salmon  n\er  in  Idaho.  In  J870,  attracted  by  the 
Snake  Creek  excitement,  he  again  changed  his  place  of  labor;  and  wdiile  work- 
ing there  made  from  eight  to  ten  dollars  ])er  da>-.  .\fterwards  returning  to 
Nevada,  he  was  for  some  time  emi/loyed  in  a  mill  in  Belmont,  but  later  re- 
moved to  T'laccr  coinit\',  (.'aliforni.i,  where  he  worked  in  the  St.  Patrick 
mine. 

lie  also  engaged  in  jirospecting,  from  Denver,  Colorado,  to  Alaska,  and 
thence  to  .Sonora,  in  Mexico.  He  was  not  pleased  with  Alaska  because  of  the 
short  season,  this  affording  hut  \'ci"y  limitdl  r.jiportunity  for  the  miners  to 
accom])lish  ;my  work.  Pie  was  likewise  C(]nnected  with  Tomlistone  mining 
excitement,  and  all  his  experiences  and  ad\entures  as  a  mining  man  on  tlie 
Pacific  coast  and  in  .\laska  would  make  a  thrilling  story  if  given  in  detail. 
There  ha\'e  lieen  e.xciting  ei)isodes  in  his  life  Ihstorv  which  would  hardly  be 
credited  in  a  book,  l)ut  truth  is  stranger  than  fiction,  and  there  are  chapters 
in  Mr.  Kyle's  life  that  have  been  of  most  intense  interest. 

In  1894  he  returned  to  Virginia  City,  Nevada,  to  occupy  the  position 
formerly  filled  by  Rogers  Pendergast,  and  has  been  superintendent  of  the 
Sierra  Nevada,  Union  and  Union  Shaft,  the  Piulletin,  the  Exchequer,  the 
New  York,  the  Sih'er  Hill  and  others..  Out  of  the  Sierra  Ncxada  he  took 
se\-enty-five  thousand  dollars,  and  out  of  the  Siher  Hill  twenty  thousand 
dollars.  _  He  has  purchased  all  the  ground  around  these  min.es,  which  has 
now  been  worked  down  to  the  dei)th  of  seven  hundred  feet.  He  has  pros- 
pected all  the  r}ther  mines,  and  feels  that  there  are  some  excellent  paving 
properties  in  this  locality.  The  Silver  Hill  Company  was  in  deljt  and  dis- 
couraged when  Mr.  Kyle  assumed  the  management,  but  he  urged  the  pro- 
prietors to  allow  him  to  do  a  little  developing  at  a  different  place,  and  he  has 
made  of  this  a  good  property,  not  ordy  clearing  the  comjiany  of  all  its  finan- 
cial obligations,  but  also  leaxing  twentv-fi\'e  thousand  dollars  in  its  treasury-. 
He  de\'otes  his  entire  attention  to  the  su]jerintendencv  of  tlv,-  mines  in  his 
care,  and  is  undoulitedly  the  right  man  in  the  right  ])lace. 

He  has  been  a  Reiniblican  since  becoming  a  \dter,  but  has  never  been 
active  in  politics,  nor  has  he  become  identified  with  any  secret  societies.  His 
sterling  purpose  and  many  excellent  characteristics  are  widely  recognized  and 
commended,  and  have  gained  for  him  the  friendshiji  and  fa\'or  of  manv  with 
whom  he  has  come  in  contact. 


.\LBERT  WILD,  proprietor  of  the  only  meat  market  in  Hawthorne, 
has  been  a  resident  of  Nevada  for  more  than  a  third  of  a  century.  He  is 
a  native  of  Germany,  born  on  the  20th  of  April,  1846,  and  is  of  German 
lineage.  His  father.  Rudolph  Wild,  emigrated  to  the  United  States,  settling 
in  Pittsburg-,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  followed  merchandising-,  although  he 
had    learned    the  brewer's    trade   in    iiis   nati\e    country.      Pie    continued    to 


728  A  HISTORY  OF  XIAAl  ).\. 

reside  in  Pittsburg  until  his  deatii,  wliich  ciccnrred  in  the  seventy-fourtli 
year  of  his  age.  His  wife  survived  liim,  hving  to  the  age  of  eighty-eight 
}-ears.  Tiiey  were  members  of  the  Lutheran  church,  and  were  very  worthy 
])eople.     They  had  a  family  of  eleven  children,  of  whom  six  are  living. 

Albert  \\'ild,  the  only  one  in  Nevada,  was  educated  in  the  fatherland, 
and  came  to  the  United  States  in  1858.  His  youth  was  spent  with  his 
grandfather  in  New  York.  Philadelphia,  Baltimore  and  Pittsburg,  antl  he 
learned  the  butcher's  trade  in  the  last  named  city.  .\t  one  time  he  drove 
twent_\-two  hundred  head  of  cattle  across  the  plains  from  New  Mexico 
to  Humboldt,  where  the  cattle  were  sold.  After  coming  to  the  west  he 
followed  his  trade,  took  care  of  stage  stock,  and  later  engaged  in  the  butcher- 
ing business  in  Columbus.  Esmeralda  county,  in  the  employ  of  Heiu'v 
Williams  until  1873.  .Subsequently  he  established  a  shop  of  his  own  in 
Auror;i.  where  he  remaineil  for  a  year,  after  which  he  worked  at  Sweetwater 
for  Air.  Williams.  When  he  removed  to  Hawth(M'ne  there  were  two  shops 
in  the  town.  He  opened  a  market  with  Mr.  Sherwood  as  a  partner,  but 
soon  afterward  purchased  his  interest  and  has  since  been  alone  in  business. 
For  the  past  thirteen  }-ears  he  has  been  the  proprietor  of  the  only  meat 
market  of  the  town,  and  his  upright,  conscientious  business  methods  and 
fair  dealing  have  giAen  fullest  satisfaction  to  the  people,  whose  good  will  he 
enjoys,  while  a  liberal  patronage  is  also  extended  to  him.  He  thoroughly 
understands  his  work,  is  skilful  as  a  butcher,  and  is  gi\'ing  his  entire  atten- 
tion to  his  business. 

Mr.  Wild  was  haiiiiil}-  married  in  181)3  to  Miss  I'diza  P>ennett,  a  native 
of  Cornwall.  England.  hYaternally  he  is  connected  with  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  fratenrity.  and  gi\es  his  jxilitical  support  to  the  men  and  measures 
of  the  Kepublican  jiart}-.  He  owns  his  residence  and  shop  in  Hawthdrne. 
and   is  a  substantial   anil   trustwnrtlu'   business   man. 


JOHN  C.  WOOD,  a  prosperous  rancher  and  business  man  of  Clover 
valley,  has  lx;en  identihed  with  western  life  for  over  fifty  years  and  has 
resided  in  Nevada  fur  forty  \ears,  coming  here  in  the  early  times  of  develop- 
ment and  growth.  He  has  had  s^muc  successful  experiences  as  a  miner  and 
prf)spector,  but  for  thirty  years  or  more  has  l)een  engaged  in  the  great  !>asic 
industry  of  farming  and  stock-raising,  upon  which  ])ursuit  depends  the 
future  greatness  of  the  state. 

Mr.  Worxl  is  oi  English  ancestry,  only  three  generations  removed,  for 
his  grandfather  was  an  luiglishnian  and  founded  this  branch  of  the  family 
in  America.  .\mos  and  S.  (Lester)  Wood.  Mr.  Wood's  parents,  were  both 
natives  of  hidiana.  and  spent  their  lives  there  as  farmers  and  members  of  the 
Christian  church:  the  former  died  ni  1846.  when  forty-six  years  (jld.  ami 
the  latter  survived  him  tt>  her  fifty-fifth  year.  The)-  had  se\en  chililren. 
and  there  were  also  three  others  by  a  former  niarriage. 

fohn  C.  Wood  was  born  in  Parke  county.  Indiana.  January  u,  i8j(), 
and  spent  onlv  the  lirst  years  of  boyhood  ;U  his  ])arental  home,  where  he 
received  hi^  ])rciiaratiou   for  life.     At  tlic  ai^e  of  fourtceu  he  left  home,  wilii 


I 


A  HISTORY  OF  NF-VADA.  729 

a  cheap  suit  of  clothes  and  twenty-five  cents  in  casli,  and  arri\ini^  in  lUinois 
worked  for  wages  for  some  years.  He  then  returned  to  IncHana,  where  lie 
was  confined  h}-  sickness  for  a  time,  and  in  1850,  when  twenty-one  years 
old,  set  out  across  the  plains  to  California.  He  was  one  of  the  gold  hunters, 
mining  at  Woodville,  Placer  count),  and  :it  Angels  Canij),  Calaveras  county, 
and  on  some  days  took  out  as  much  as  five  hundred  dollars'  worth  of  gold, 
the  largest  nugget  being  worth  forty  dollars.  He  was  married  in  1S54. 
;nid  a  few  years  later,  his  wife  having  died,  he  returned  to  the  east,  in  1S59. 
with  his  daughters,  taking  the  water  route.  In  the  following  year  he  was 
again  married,  and  in  iHfu  he  hrought  his  family  across  the  plains.  The 
Indians  attacked  the  company  on  the  way,  using  their  aboriginal  bow  and 
arrow  weaix)ns,  and  were  beaten  back  by  the  firearms  of  the  emigrants,  who 
had  elected  Mr.  Wood  as  their  captain  Ijecause  of  his  former  experience  as 
a  plainsman.  In  the  fight  one  horse  of  the  company  was  wounded  and 
several  Indians  killed.  Mr.  Wood  and  his  family  spent  the  first  winter 
in  Stockton,  California,  but  he  then  came  to  Carson  City,  Nevada,  where 
he  discharged  a  contract  to  the  Belcher  Company  for  getting  out  timl>ers 
for  the  mines.  In  ^Sf)^J  Mrs.  Wo(]d  returned  to  Iowa  for  a  time,  and  he 
then  went  to  White  Pine  county  and  worked  on  contracts  and  also  prospected 
on  Spruce  Mountain.  For  one  of  the  prospects  which  he  disco\-ered  he 
was  paid  one  thousand  dollars.  In  1S70  he  came  to  Clover  valley,  where 
he  took  a  squatter's  right  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,  and  also  acquired 
a  soldier's  right,  to  which  tracts  he  has  since  added  until  he  is  now  the  owner 
of  seven  hundred  ajid  sixty  acres  in  that  beautiful  and  fertile  valley.  His 
land  produces  good  crops  of  oats,  wheat,  barley,  hay,  vegetables  and  apples, 
and  he  also  has  a  fine  herd  of  horses  and  cattle.  This  di\ersified  plan  of 
farming  pays  g(X)d  and  sure  returns,  and  he  is  engaged  in  the  most  profit- 
able and  dependable  jjursuit  which  this  great  state  offers.  He  has  made 
his  farm  by  his  own  efforts,  and  its  orchard  and  groves  and  well  tilled  fields 
present  a  wide  contrast  to  the  spot  as  it  was  thirty  years  ago. 

Mr.  Wood  was  married  in  1834  to  Miss  Eliza  Webb,  and  they  hail 
two  daughters  and  a  son.  Martha  is  now  the  wife  of  Samuel  Weeks,  of 
Clover  valley.  Mrs.  Wood  died  in  California,  and  in  i860  he  married,  in 
Van  Buren  county,  Iowa,  Miss  Jennette  .Simons,  a  daughter  of  Elihu  Simons. 
Eleven  children  were  born  of  this  union,  and  fi\'e  are  living,  as  follows: 
Ernest,  Mabel,  Malinda,  Fred  and  Cinner.  Mrs.  Wood  is  a  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  church.  Mr.  Wood  has  voted  the  Democratic  ticket  for 
fifty  years,  and  fraternally  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows.  He  is  a  worthy  and  respected  citizen,  and,  with  more  than  three 
score  and  ten  years  of  life  to  his  credit,  has  had  a  career  full  of  interest, 
of  high  personal  endeavor  and  hapjiy  and  ])raiseworthy  culmination  of  hopes 
formed  in  youth. 

DANIEL  BOCKIUS  BOYD,  (heat  are  the  changes  that  have  oc- 
curred since  Daniel  BiX'kius  Boyd  came  to  Nevada.  Pioneer  conditions 
then  existed  throughout  the  state,  lands  were  largely  unclaimed  and  unculti- 
vated, and  the  natur;d   resources  of  the  state  were  undeveloped.      Progress 


730  A  PIISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

and  iniprrnenient  lav  in  the  future,  anil  it  remained  lor  such  men  of  enter- 
prise as  ^Ir.  Bovd  to  utilize  tlie  opportunities  of  this  section  of  the  country 
and  enjoy  as  the  result  of  their  lal^or  the  rewards  of  honest  toil.  No  history 
of  Washoe  county  would  lie  complete  without  mention  of  Mr.  Boyd,  who 
through  a  quarter  of  a  century  has  filled  the  ixisition  of  county  treasiu'cr  of 
Waslioe  county,  Nevada. 

His  birth  occurred  on  the  17th  of  November,  1S34.  in  Mercer  county, 
Pennsylvania.  His  father,  \\'illiam  J.  Boyd,  was  born  in  the  niirth  of  Ire- 
land and  came  of  Scotch-Irish  lineage.  When  he  had  attained  man's  estate 
he  married  Miss  Amanda  M.  Bockius,  who  was  lx>rn  in  the  city  of  Phila- 
delphia and  was  of  German  descent.  When  the  west  was  opening  up,  and 
civilized  and  enterprising  men  of  the  older  east  were  going  into  the  wild 
regions  west  of  the  Mississippi  valley,  he  too  journexed  toward  the  setting 
sun  and  took  u])  his  abode  in  the  state  of  Iowa.  He  owned  and  operated  a 
iarni  there,  but  by  trade  was  a  stone-cutter  and  mason,  and  to  some  extent 
followed  these  pursuits.  In  religious  faith  both  he  and  his  wife  were  Meth- 
odists, and  they  shaped  tlieir  lix'es  in  harmony  with  their  faith.  Of  their 
four  children  three  are  now  living.  William  Boyd  died  in  1S38  at  the  age 
of  fifty-eight  years,  and  his  wife  passed  away  in  1S8S  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
fix'e  years. 

Daniel  Bockius  Boyd  is  the  only  member  of  the  family  in  Nevada.  The 
days  of  his  Ijoyhood  and  youth  were  passed  in  the  state  of  his  nativity,  and 
to  its  public  school  system  he  is  indebted  for  the  educational  advantages 
he  enjoyed.  When  he  was  fifteen  years  of  age  he  accompanied  his  parents 
on  their  remo\;d  to  Iowa,  where  the  succeeding  three  years  of  his  life  were 
passed.  In  1853  he  crossed  the  plains  to  California,  there  being  fifteen  men 
and  three  women  in  the  jiarly.  They  drove  cattle  and  made  the  journey 
in  live  wagons.  Week  after  week  ])assed  until  five  months  had  elapsed 
before  their  eyes  were  gladdened  b\'  the  sight  of  the  fertile  fields  of  the 
Pacific  coast.  Mr.  Pioyd,  then  a  \dung  man  in  his  nineteenth  year,  paid 
fifty  dollars,  as  did  two  other  voung  men,  for  the  use  of  their  team  and  the 
]>rivilege  of  journeying  with  the  companw 

When  they  reached  what  is  known  as  Thousand  Springs  valley  they 
sold  their  outfit  and  continued  the  joiu'nex'  on  foot,  arri\ing  in  Sierra  county. 
California,  on  the  ist  of  Septemlier,  1853.  Mining  was  then  the  principal 
industry  of  the  state,  and  the  emigrants  were  turned  to  the  coast  in  the 
hope  of  ra]iidly  acquiring  wealth.  Mr.  Boyd  was  first  engaged  in  i)lacer 
mining,  but  he  h.ul  only  moderate  success  and  .spent  what  he  had  in  prospect- 
ing. Because  of  his  misfortune  in  this  direction  he  abandoned  mining  in 
1857,  and  l)egan  cutting  out  timbers  I'or  mines.  This  ])rove(l  a  more  profit- 
able labor,  and  thus  lie  gained  a  start  in  the  west.  Removing  to  .\lleghany. 
Sierra  county,  California,  he  accepted  a  clerkship  in  a  store,  in  which  he 
was  employed  up  to  the  time  of  his  removal  to  Nevada  in  October,  1861. 
The  west  with  its  almost  limitless  opjiortunities  was  before  him.  .nid  in 
making  choice  of  a  location  in  this  state  he  decided  upon  Cold  Hill,  then 
a  very  active  mining  town,     {'or  a  time  he  again  worked  in  a  mine,  but  siH)n 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  731 

afterward  engaged  in  clerking  in  a  hardware  store,  remaining  at  Gold  Hill 
nntil   T3ecemlier,    1863,   when  he  removed  to  Washoe  county. 

The  county  seat  was  tiien  at  Washoe  city,  and  in  that  place  he  held 
a  position  as  salesman  until  1873,  when  he  w^as  elected  to  public  office  by 
his  fellow  townsmen,  who  recognized  his  w'orth  and  ability  and  because 
of  his  loyalty  in  public  affairs  chose  him  for  the  position  of  assessor  on  the 
union  ticket.  He  served  in  that  office  for  two  years,  and  retired  from  tlie 
place  as  he  had  entered  it,  with  the  confidence  and  good  will  of  all  concerned. 
He  then  came  to  Reno,  and  in  connection  with  business  affairs  in  tiiis  city 
began  as  a  salesman  in  the  hardware  store  of  Manning  and  Duck,  remaining 
in  their  employ  until  November,  1878,  when  he  was  again  chosen  for  a 
position  of  public  preferment,  being  elected  treasurer  of  Washoe  county. 

Again  and  again  has  he  Ijeen  re-elected  to  that  position  of  honor  and 
trust,  being  chosen  at  each  biennial  election,  and  on  four  different  occasions 
lie  has  had  no  opposition.  At  the  time  of  his  first  nomination  he  made  a 
strong  canvass,  but  in  later  years  has  made  no  effort  to  secure  the  office, 
his  previous  excellent  service  lieing  all  the  recommendation  he  needs.  That 
the  business  of  the  treasurer's  office  has  greatly  increased  is  shown  by  the 
fact  that  in  1879  '^^  handled  for  the  county  the  sum  of  $98,774.06.  while  in 
1902  the  county  funds  amounted  to  $198,940.01.  This  is  certainly  indica- 
tive of  the  wonderful  increase  in  the  property  of  the  county  in  twenty-five 
years.  The  total  amount  of  money  which  has  passed  througli  Mr.  Boyd's 
hands  in  this  long  period  is  $3,456,112.29.  Mr.  Boyd  gives  his  entire 
attention  to  the  business  of  the  office,  and  is  a  capable,  painstaking  and 
conscientious  officer.  Over  his  record  there  falls  no  shadow  of  wrong  or 
suspicion  of  evil. 

In  October,  1874,  Mr.  Boyd  was  united  in  marriage  to  Mrs.  Mary  Allen 
Raynous,  a  native  of  Canada  and  a  daughter  of  Charles  K.  Allen,  who  in 
1861  came  with  his  family  to  Nevada.  Two  children  have  been  born  of  this 
union:  Addie  M.,  now  the  wife  of  Joseph  Durkee,  a  native  of  Johannes- 
burg, South  .\frica;  and  Dell  B.,  who  is  at  home  with  her  parents,  assisting 
her  father  in  the  treasurer's  office.  Both  were  Ijorn  in  Washoe  county, 
and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Durkee  are  graduates  of  the  Nevada  State  University. 
Mr.  Boyd  and  his  family  are  members  of  the  Methodist  church,  of  which 
he  has  l>een  a  valued  representative  since  coming  to  Reno.  He  has  taken  an 
active  and  helpful  part  in  its  work,  and  contributed  generously  to  its  sup- 
port. It  has  been  said  that  "an  honest  man  is  the  noblest  work  of  God," 
and  those  who  know  I\Ir.  Boyd  well  and  are  familiar  with  his  career  say 
that  no  one  is  more  entitled  to  lie  called  an  honest  man  than  he.  Every  cent 
of  public  money  that  has  e\er  passed  through  his  hands  has  been  fully 
accounted  for.  A  public  office  is  to  him  a  public  trust,  and  no  trust  of  any 
character  ever  reix)sed  in  him  has  been  l>etrayed  in  even  the  slightest  degree. 
Honesty  is  the  keynote  of  his  character,  and  fidelity  to  duty  has  been  the 
salient  element  in  his  official  record.  As  a  pioneer  of  the  state  he  is  also 
worthy  of  honorable  mention  in  this  volume,  for  through  almost  forty-three 
years  he  has  witnessed  the  growth  and  development  of  Nevada,  taking  a  just 
pride  in  all  that  has  been  accomplished  here. 


732  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

A.  M.  COLE.  No  history  of  Nexacla  would  lie  conijilete  witlmut  men- 
tion of  A.  M.  Cole,  who  is  imdoubtedly  the  oldest  merchant  of  the  state. 
As  a  pioneer  drug^gist  he  Ijegan  business  in  Virginia  City  in  1861,  having 
arrived  here  on  the  loth  of  August  of  that  year.  It  was  the  year  in  which 
the  territory  was  formed,  and  from  its  inception  down  to  the  present  time 
Mr.  Cole  has  been  deeply  interested  in  its  welfare  and  growth,  contributing 
by  his  efforts  in  its  behalf  to  its  improxenient  and  progress.  He  is  so  w'idely 
known  that  his  record  cannot  fail  to  prove  of  interest  to  many  of  our  readers, 
and  it  is  therefore  with  pleasure  that  we  present  this  history  of  his  career. 

He  is  a  native  of  the  state  of  New  York,  his  birth  having  occurred  in 
Penn  Yan  on  the  9th  of  February,  1833.  He  is  of  English  descent,  his  an- 
cestors having  been  early  settlers  of  the  Empire  state.  Three  brothers  of  the 
name  of  Cole  emigrated  together  from  England  to  the  new  world,  and 
Erastus,  the  direct  ancestor  of  Mr.  Cole,  settled  in  N'ates  county,  Xew  York. 

Hiram  Cole,  the  father  of  Mr.  Cole,  was  born  at  the  foot  of  Seneca 
Lake  in  the  Empire  state  in  iBoB.  He  afterward  removed  to  Yates  county, 
and  was  there  married  to  Miss  Sarah  Cole,  who  was  very  distantly  related 
to  him,  being  a  descendant  of  one  of  the  three  lirothers  who  had  established 
the  family  in  America  and  who  had  settled  in  Rhode  Island.  Hiram  Cole 
w-as  a  farmer  by  occupation,  and  spent  the  years  of  his  active  luisiness  career 
in  the  pursuit  of  agriculture  in  New  York.  He  died  in  1886,  at  the  age  of 
seventv-eight  vears,  and  his  wife  dejiarted  this  life  at  the  age  of  eighty  years, 
the  remains  of  both  being  interred  in  the  cemetery  of  I'enn  Yan.  They 
were  the  ])arents  of  four  sons  and  a  daughter,  two  brothers  of  Mr.  Cole  now 
living  in  the  old  home  town  in  New  ^'ork, 

A.  M.  Cole,  the  only  memlier  of  the  family  in  Nevada,  was  educated 
in  I'ranklin  .\cademy  in  Plattsburg,  New  York,  and  thus  by  a  lil)eral  educa- 
tion was  well  fitted  to  meet  the  responsible  duties  of  a  luisiness  career.  He 
had  worked  at  the  drug  trade  in  the  cast  prior  to  his  emigration  to  the  Pa- 
cific coast.  It  was  in  1854  that  he  proceedeil  by  steamer  to  California,  where 
for  two  years  he  was  engaged  in  mining  in  the  "N'uba  country  with  only  fair 
success.  He  then  went  to  Petaluma  and  was  engaged  in  the  drug  business 
with  S.  ii.  Wagner,  now  a  resident  of  San  Jose,  California.  In  iHC)\  he 
remox'cd  from  that  ])lace  to  Nevada,  establishing  his  home  in  X'irginia  City 
on  the  loth  of  .\ugust.  The  town  was  then  just  entering  upon  an  era  of 
ra])id  development  and  progress.  Mr.  Cole  was  cmijloyed  as  a  clerk  for  a 
year  where  his  own  store  is  now  l(K"ited.  and  at  the  end  of  that  time  he 
iKHight  out  his  employer,  and  for  forty  years  has  conducted  a  successful 
drug  business.  He  has  never  turned  aside  into  other  fields  of  lalio'-,  but  has 
devoted  his  energies  to  this  line  of  commercial  acti\ity,  and  by  straightfor- 
w;ard  methods,  earnest  desire  to  please  his  customers  and  honorable  dealing 
he  has  secured  a  very  liberal  and  gratifving  ])alronagc.  whcrebx-  be  h-A< 
gained  for  himself  a  comfortable  com])etencc. 

In  1868  Mr.  Cole  was  united  in  miuriage  to  Mrs.  Ivllen  Stoughtonburg, 
who  by  her  former  marriage  had  a  son,  Edwin,  whom  she  and  Mr.  Cole 
have  reared  and  who  is  now  an  electrician  in  Virginia  City.  Mr.  Cole  and 
his  wife  have  a  nice  home  in  this  place,  where  they  reside  in  the  enjoynicnl 
of  peace  and  i)k'iity.     He  is  a  Rc])nblican.  but  not  an  active  party  luan,  and 


rf^ej 


^A^^rr^ 


A  IIlSTOm'  OF  NEVADA.  733 

at  liii'al  c'k-cttiiiis  lie  Mippori^  the  camlidales  whom  he  lliinks  best  (|ualilk"(I 
t'or  ollice.  regardless  of  part}-  al'I'ilialions.  lie  is  now  one  of  the  (jldesl  living 
Mas(.)ns  in  Nevada,  having  joined  Vifginia  Lodge  No.  3,  ¥.  81  A.  M., 
(hiring  the  early  years  of  his  residence  here.  He  is  likewise  a  member  of 
Virginia  Chapter  No.  2,  R.  :\.  M.,  and  of  DeWitt  Clinton  Commandery  No. 
7,  k.  T.  He  has  also  become  a  noble  of  the  Mystic  Shrine,  holding  mem- 
l>ersliip  in  the  Lslani  Teniijle  of  San  i-'rancisco.  He  now  has  the  honor  of 
being  one  of  the  oldest  merchants  coiitiimously  engaged  in  Imsiness  in  the 
state  of  Nevacla.  and  his  life  has  been  one  of  continuous  activity,  in  which 
has  1)een  accorded  due  recognition  of  labor,  sn  that  lo-day  he  is  numbered 
among  the  substantial  citizens  of  iiis  ado])ted  state.  His  interests  are  thor- 
oughly identified  with  those  of  the  west,  and  at  all  times  he  is  ready  to  lend 
his  aid  and  co-operation  to  any  movement  calculated  to  benefit  this  section 
of  the  country  or  advance  its  wonderful  development. 


LORENZO  DANII'.L  SMiril,  ,1  pioneer  farmer  of  the  Washoe  val- 
ley, who  came  to  the  territory  of  Nevada  in  1858,  is  a  native  of  iMigland, 
born  near  London.  Pfe  accompanied  his  father's  family  to  .America,  a  set- 
tlement being  made  in  the  ])ortiori  of  the  country  that  is  now  within  the 
borders  of  Nevada,  but  was  then  a  part  of  the  territory  of  Utah,  in  1854. 
Mr.  Smith  now  owns  the  farm  upon  which  his  father  settled  in  1858.  For 
four  years  they  had  resided  in  Salt  Lake  before  removing  to  this  property. 
Mr.  Smith  purchased  the  entire  valley  and  gave  ranches  to  the  people,  who 
would  settle  upon  and  improve  them.  It  was  in  June  that  the  family  ar- 
rived, taking  up  their  abode  upon  a  ranch  on  wliich  was  a  little  cabin,  while 
two  acres  had  been  planted  to  vegetables.  There  was  much  good  pasturing 
ground  in  this  locality,  and  the  father  liegan  the  work  of  cultivating  and 
developing  a  farm,  continuing  one  of  the  leading  agriculturists  of  the  dis- 
trict for  many  years.  He  died  in  the  year  1893,  when  seventy-nine  years 
of  age    and  his  wife  passed  away  in  1894. 

Earlv  in  his  youth  Lorenzo  D.  Smith  became  familiar  with  the  work 
of  plowing,  planting  and  harvesting,  and  throughout  his  life  he  has  carried 
on  agricultural  pursuits.  .\  number  of  years  Isefore  his  father's  death  he 
came  into  ])ossession  of  the  old  homestead,  and  with  the  aid  rif  his  sons  he 
has  made  splendid  improvements  on  the  property,  setting  out  a  fine  orchard, 
erecting  good  buildings  and  adding  other  modern  equipments  and  acces- 
sories such  as  are  found  upon  a  model  farm  of  the  twentieth  century:  in 
fact  the  Smith  ranch  is  to-day  one  of  tiie  best  farms  in  the  Washoe  val- 
ley. One  of  the  good  residences  which  have  been  erected  thereon  was 
destroyed  by  fire  in  189J,  and  Mr.  Smith  thus  lost  two  thou.sand  five  hun- 
dred dollars  aliove  the  insurance,  but  he  at  once  erected  another  goofl  resi- 
dence, in  which  he  and  his  wife  and  family  are  now  living.  It  is  situated  in 
the  midst  of  his  good  farm  of  two  lumdred  and  eighty  acres,  and  the  house- 
hold   is   a    most   hospitable   one. 

In  1882  Mr.  Smith  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Sarah  .\.  Jones, 
a  native  of  Car.son  valley.  Eight  children  have  been  Iwrn  to  them,  all 
on  the  old  homestead,  namely :    David  Roy,  William  Oliver,  Mabel  Esther, 


734  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Ellen  Vina,  George  Ciiester  and  Mora  Edna.  The  last  two  are  with  the 
grandparents  in  Carson  valley ;  the  others  are  at  home.  Owen  Leonard  died 
when  nine  months  old.  Mrs.  Smith  died  at  the  birth  of  Sarah  Ann,  in  1894. 
She  was  a  lady  of  amiable  disixjsition.  a  faithful  wife  and  mother,  and  the 
marriage  had  been  a  most  happv  one.  Five  years  later,  in  September.  1899, 
Mr.  Smith  was  united  in  marriage  I0  his  present  wife,  who  bore  the  maiden 
name  of  Florence  Connell,  and  was  torn  in  Antelope  valley  in  California. 
Mr.  Smith  usually  votes  with  the  Democracy,  and  yet  is  largely  inde- 
pendent in  his  political  views,  giving  his  support  to  tiie  men  whom  he  thinks 
tost  qualified  for  office.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows  for  fifteen  years,  after  which  the  lodge  gave  up  its  charter, 
and  he  has  not  placed  his  membership  with  any  other  society.  He  has 
made  1  record  as  a  prosperous  farmer  and  good  citizen  which  is  a  credit 
to  the  state  in  which  he  has  resided  continually  since  1858.  and  Nevada 
owes  much  to  his  efforts  in  her  behalf. 


HON.  E.  D.  VANDERLIETH,  second  a.ssistant  cashier  of  the  State 
Bank  and  Trust  Company,  at  Carson  City,  came  to  the  state  of  Nevada 
with  his  father  in  1872,  when  a  mere  toy,  so  that  he  has  practically  grown 
up  within  its  confines.  He  was  born  in  Nevada  county,  California,  .\ugust 
19,  1 86 1,  and  is  of  German  and  Dutch  ancestry.  His  grandfather  was 
a  participant  in  the  Napoleonic  wars,  and  for  distinguished  military  services 
was  honored  by  the  title  of  "Van  Der." 

Jacob  Vanderlieth,  Mr.  Vanderlieth's  father,  was  born  in  Germany, 
near  Hanover,  .\ugust  10,  1828.  and  came  round  the  Horn  to  California 
in  1849.  heing  mate  of  the  vessel.  When  they  landed  in  San  Francisco  the 
crew  (hsbanded  to  go  to  the  gold  fields,  and  as  it  was  impossible  to  get 
another  crew,  the  ca])tain  and  mate  were  authorized  to  sell  the  ship  at  what 
price  it  would  bring.  Jacob  X'anderlieth  mined  on  the  ^'uba  river  and  in 
Nevada  county  and  the  adjoining  country,  and  thus  continued  until  1872, 
when  lie  removed  to  Eureka,  Nevada,  at  the  time  of  the  nu'ning  excitement 
there.  He  continued  his  mining  operations  until  .\i)ril.  .1887,  when  he 
ilied  at  the  age  (jf  nearly  sixty  years.  He  was  a  Lutheran  in  religious  faith. 
He  had  married  Netta  F>lizabeth  Sommers,  a  native  of  Holstein,  Germany, 
and  a  daughter  of  Hon.  Hans  Sommers,  judge  of  his  home  borough  of 
Langeloh.  1"hey  had  three  children,  two  daughters  and  one  son.  Mrs. 
Jacob  Vanderlieth  still  survives,  and  resides  with  her  son  and  daughter. 
Miss  Emma  (]..  in  Carson  City.  The  other  daughter  is  Mrs.  A.  M.  Welles, 
of  Denver,  w  ho  is  prominent  in  the  club  and  charitable  work  of  her  city. 

b'dward  1).  Vanderlieth  attended  the  South  Cosmopolitan  Scliool  of 
.San  I'rancisco.  California,  until  he  arrived  in  luu'eka,  where  he  entered 
and  graduated  from  the  high  school.  He  then  went  to  Hcald's  r.usii^css 
College  in  San  Francisco,  and  was  graduated  therefrom  with  the  degree 
of  Master  r)f  .Accounts.  .After  completing  his  course  he  spent  a  year  in 
Europe,  and  on  his  return  spent  two  years  in  Emerson  Institute,  a  classical 
school  in  W.ishington.  D.  C..  and  then  for  two  years  studied  law  in  the 
law  dcparlmenl   of  the  ("olumbian    l'ni\ersity.   of  the  saiue   city,   receiving 


1 


A  llJSrc^KV  OF  JsTEVADA.  735 

liis  (lui^iX'e  (it  \A..  11.  lie  rclunieil  tn  \e\;iiI,L  ami  was  (k'])Ulv  chuiiIv  clc-rk 
of   luircka  cnuiily  and  clerk  nf  the  district   court   for    four  years. 

His  mind  beinin'  directed  to  literary  affairs,  lie  hecanie  editor  of  the 
luu'eka  K\-eniu<^'  I, coder,  a  l\e]iuhlicaii  paper,  .and  conductv'il  it  very  ahlv 
tor  two  years.  lie  was  then  de])nty  district  attorney  under  Judg'e  Cheiicv, 
new  of  Reno,  and  in  iSSij,  upon  oming'  to  Carson  City,  he  was  assistant 
chief  clerk  (jf  tlie  legislature.  I  le  was  then,  made  Register  of  Dejxi.sils  in 
the  United  States  mint  at  Carson  Cit)'.  and  filled  that  position  until  (lovernor 
Colcord  was  elected  to  the  governorship  of  Nevada,  at  which  time  Mr.  Van- 
derlieth  hecame  the  (jovernor's  private  secretary.  During  i89i-(j2-(j,^-(;^ 
he  most  acceptahly  tilled  this  important  position,  and  during  i893-c)4  was 
also  secretary  of  the  State  Board  of  Ecjualization.  In  1894  he  was  nominated 
by  the  Republican  ]iarty  for  Secret.'iry  of  State.  He  made  a  thorough  can- 
vass with  other  nieml)ers  on  the  ticket,  liut  the  party  was  defeated  owing  to 
its  stand  on  the  siK'er  question.  Mr.  Vanderlietb  then  returned  to  the  ])ractice 
of  his  profession,  but  was  soon  ai)])ointed,  liy  Judge  Thomas  P.  Hawley  of 
the  Lhiited  States  I^istrict  Court,  Referee  in  Bankruptcy  for  Kexada.  He 
served  as  such  until  August,  1900,  when  he  was  appointed  chief  clerk  of  the 
United  States  mint  at  Carsnn  City,  which  office  he  tilled  until  called  to 
the  more  responsible  one  he  now  holds. 

Like  his  father,  Mr,  Vanderlietb  has  always  been  a  stanch  I-Jeijublican, 
and  since  1896  has  been  secretary  of  the  Republican  State  Central  Com- 
mittee. Fraternally  be  is  a  member  of  Carson  Lodge  No.  i,  F.  &  A.  M. 
On  December  6,  1894,  he  was  elected  secretary  of  his  lodge,  and  is  still 
holdin.o'  that  ofifice.  He  is  a  member  of  Lewis  Chapter  No.  i,  and  is  its 
scrilie.  Li  the  Grand  Cha]iter  of  the  State  he  is  Master  of  Third  Vail,  and  is 
chairman  of  the  Committee  of  Correspondence  of  the  Grand  Lodge  and 
Grand  Chapter.  For  many  years  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  \-estry  of  the 
Episcopal  church,  and  is  a  man  highly  esteemed  liy  his  wide  circle  of  ad- 
mirinsf  friends. 


WILLLS  R,  JONES,  foreman  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  Union  Shaft 
Company,  has  Ijeen  intimately  connected  with  the  mining  interests  of  Vir- 
ginia City  for  the  past  se\enteen  years.  He  was  bnrn  Decemljer  13.  1851.  at 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  is  a  grandson  of  Thomas  Jones,  who  was  born  in 
Wales  and  emigrated  to  Cleveland  at  a  very  early  date  in  the  history  of  that 
city,  becoming  the  progenitor  of  many  of  the  name  in  that  locality.  He 
located  there  in   1826.     He  was  the  father  of  Lhiited  States  Senator  Jones. 

William  Jones,  the  father  of  Willis  R.  Jones,  was  Ixirn  in  Wales,  in 
tS-'o.  and  w'as  but  six  years  old  wlien  the  family  settled  in  Cleveland.  He 
learned  the  granite  and  marble  busi.iess,  and  during  the  greater  |)art  of  his 
life  c(jntinued  to  follow  it.  He  married  Helen  A.  Root,  who  was  born  in 
Otsego  county.  New  York,  near  Cooperstown,  and  two  sons  were  born  to 
this  marriage:  Herbert  S..  who  is  general  passenger  agent  of  the  Chicago. 
Burlington  and  Quincy  Railroad  at^  'jurlington.  Iowa:  and  Willis  R. 

Willis  R.  Jones  was  educated  in  Cleveland,  and  learned  the  marble 
business  with  his  father.     In  1872  he  started  out  as  a  sailor,  making  a  trip 


736  A  HISTORY  OF  f^EVADA 

ill  the  sailing  vessel  Xe  Plus  Vhv;\  lo  the  West  Indies  and  Eiu'Dpe  and  then 
ijack  to  New  York.  After  this  adventurous  experience  he  accepted  a  posi- 
tion as  freight  clerk  on  the  Panama  Railroad  for  two  years,  and  then  went 
to  Arizona  and  engaged  in  mining  in  Mojave  county,  also  carrying  on  mill- 
ing operation?  and  making  that  his  home  for  fourteen  years.  He  then 
located  at  X'irginia  City,  and  has  hcen  connected  with  a  numher  of  the  lead- 
ing mines,  the  Crown  Point,  the  Chollar.  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  the  Union, 
and  has  been  foreman  of  the  latter  for  the  past  eight  years.  He  is  a  good 
and  efficient  officer,  possessing  the  confidence  of  his  employers  and  the  good 
will   of   the  employes. 

In  1886  Mr.  Jfines  was  happily  m;uried  to  Martha  Phillips,  who  was 
horn  in  Arkansas,  and  a  son  and  daughter  have  been  tern  to  this  union : 
Helen  A..  l)oni  in  Arizona,  and  Walter  P.,  lx)rn  in  Virginia  City.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Jones  have  one  of  the  most  comfortal)le  homes  in  Virginia  City,  and 
are  most  highly  esteemed  people. 

In  politics  Mr.  Jones  has  always  teen  identified  with  the  Repuljlican 
party,  and  served  at  one  time  as  s'.ieriff  in  Arizona.  He  is  now  in  accord 
with  the  silver  l)ranch  of  the  party.  Fraternally  he  is  an  Odd  Fellow  and 
a  member  of  the  grand  lodge  of  the  state,  and  is  also  affiliated  with  the 
Ancient   Order   of   United    Workmen. 


HON.  H.  H.  BECK.  Before  the  territory  of  Nevada  was  organized 
Hon.  H.  H.  Beck,  now  living  in  Reno,  became  a  resident  of  this  section  of 
the  country.  Industrial  and  commercial  interests  have  felt  the  stimulus  of 
his  business  activity  and  keen  foresight,  and  while  he  has  met  some  reverses 
in  his  career  he  has  persevered  in  the  pursuit  of  a  competency  by  honorable 
methods,  and  is  to-day  one  of  the  substantial  citizens  of  \\'ashoe  county. 

He  was  born  in  Ohio,  near  the  \-illage  of  Jefferson,  on  the  21st  day  of 
April,  1835.  He  comes  of  German  lineage,  as  both  his  paternal  and  mater- 
nal grandparents  came  from  Germany,  whence  they  emigrated  to  the  United 
.States  in  1770  and  settled  respectt\ely  in  Dauphin  and  Lancaster  counties. 
l'enns\l\ania.  the  maternal  grandfather  lieing  Henry  Lehman.  William 
Heck,  the  father  of  our  subject,  was  Ixirn  in  l^auphin  county  in  1779.  and  the 
mother  in  Lancaster  county  in  1801.  In  1829  both  the  l>eck  and  Lehman 
families  moved  to  Ohio,  buth  settling  near  Wooster  in  Wayne  county.  In 
1830  William  Beck  married  Mary  Lehman,  and  thus  cstabli.shed  a  family 
of  which  H.  II.  Beck  is  a  member.  Both  parents  lived  to  a  ripe  old  age, 
the  father  dying  in  1864,  at  the  age  of  eighty-five  years,  and  the  mother  in 
1890,  at  the  age  of  eighty-nine  years.  To  them  were  tern  five  children,  all 
of  whom  sur\'ived  their  ])arents,  namely:  Martin,  Henry  H.,  Benjamin, 
Eliza  and  .Annie.  Both  ])arents  and  all  the  children  except  Henry  H.  were 
and  are  consistent  members  of  the  Baptist  church,  and  lived  in  harmony  with 
its  teachings,  while  both  brothers.  Martin  and  Benjamin,  as  ministers,  have 
each  preaclied  its  gosjiels  for  more  than  forty  years. 

Henry  Hudson  Beck  is  the  only  member  of  the  family  west  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi river.  To  the  common  schools  of  Ohio  he  is  indebted  fur  the  edu- 
cational privileges  he  received  in  his  youth.     He  was  reared  to  the  age  of 


Ji^./i^./^-c^C., 


A  niSTORV  OF  NEVADA.  737 

iiiiK'lfcu  \ears  in  the  I'lUckcyc  state,  and  tlicrc  learned  the  trade  of  shoemak- 
iiig"  at  a  time  when  nearly  .all  snrh  wnrk  was  done  by  hand.  In  1854.  the 
lioiiie  nest  being  too  f\dl  for  cdnil'nrl.  he  followed  the  injunction  of  Horace 
(ireeley  and  started  for  the  ever-growing  west.  Having  engaged  himself 
to  work  his  passage,  b.e  assisted  in  driving  a  drove  of  cows  to  Minnesota. 
So,  on  January  31st,  \vith  a  suit  n\  w.irm  clothes  and  three  dollars  in  money, 
together  with  the  blessings  of  fathei-  and  mother,  he  left  home  to  seek  a 
fortune  among  strangers,  d'hrough  Ohicj,  Indian;i,  Illinois  and  Iowa  to 
Minneapolis,  he  walked  the  entire  distance.  But  not  liking  the  country  he 
returned  to  Iowa  and  settled  in  West  Union,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade 
for  six  years.  Ho])ing  that  he  might  uKjre  rapidly  acf|uire  a  com])ctence  in 
the  west,  he  ci"ossed  the  ])lains  in  i860,  walking  most  of  the  entire  distance 
to  Carson  -City,  then  L'tah  territory.  He  traveled  with  a  compan\-  number- 
ing one  hundred  and  nineteen  men,  women  and  children  and  command.eil 
by  Captain  Short. 

At  the  time  Mr.  Beck  arrixed  in  Carson  City  there  was  a  great  demand 
for  shingles,  and  lie  took  ad\antage  of  that  need  in  the  business  world  and 
manufactured  shingles  in  the  mountains  near  Carson  Cit}-,  but  the  purchaser 
did  not  pay  him  and  he  thus  Uxst  all  in  that  ventiu'e.  In  1861  he  assisted 
in  building  the  Ophir  works  in  Washoe  valley,  and  after  the  mill  was  com- 
pleted and  placed  in  operation  he  acted  as  an  amalgamator  for  h\e  months, 
being  paid  one  hundred  dollars  per  month  for  this  service.  On  the  expira- 
tion of  that  period  he  went  to  California,  where  he  purchased  supplies,  atul 
then  returned  to  Ophir  and  established  a  shoe  business,  which  gradually 
merged  into  a  general  mercantile  establi.shment.  He  sold. goods  in  Ophir, 
AV'ashoe  city  and  Franktown  for  fifteen  years,  and  in  1876  removed  to  Reno, 
where  he  continued  in  merchandising.  He  also  became  a  factor  in  the  in- 
dustrial life  of  the  town,  for  in  company  with  M.  C.  Lake  he  built  a  flouring 
mill,  operated  by  water  power  and  known  as  the  "Lake  Mills."  This  he 
continued  to  operate  until  1892.  In  that  year  Mr.  Beck  reluiilt  the  Reduc- 
tion Works,  which  had  been  destroyed  by  fire,  and  operated  this  for  eight 
years,  doing  a  custom  business  for  all  parts  of  the  state.  His  loss  in  con- 
nection with  the  Reduction  Works  amounted  to  over  thirty  thousand  dol- 
lars, a  part  of  which  was  caused  by  the  shrinkage  in  the  price  of  silver. 
Mr.  Beck  has  also  lieen  connected  with  flour-milling  at  Genoa,  and  now,  in 
connection  with  his  son,  Flenry  L.  and  others,  he  is  operating  a  flouring  mill 
in  Reno.     Plis  son  is  an  expert  miller  and  will  run  the  mill. 

In  1869  occurred  the  marriage  of  Mr.  Beck  and  Miss  Merren  I'arker. 
a  native  of  Nova  Scotia  and  a  (laughter  of  John  Parker,  of  Scotland.  They 
have  four  children,  as  follows:  Henry  L.,  Annie  A.,  Jessie  P.  and  Wayne 
Lincoln.     The  daughter  Jessie  is  a  teacher  in  the  schools  at  Reno. 

In  1862,  while  residing  in  Ophir,  Mr.  Beck  was  elected  a  justice  of 
the  peace,  and  served  for  one  year.  In  1863  he  was  elected  a  county  com- 
missioner of  \Vashoe  county,  and  in  September.  1864,  was  chosen  to  repre- 
sent his  district  in  the  territorial  legislature.  In  November  of  the  same  year 
he  was  elected  to  the  first  state  assemlily,  the  work  of  which  was  very  im- 
portant in  connection  Avitii  the  organization  of  the  new  commonwealth,  the 
session  lasting  ninety  days.     In  1865,  1870,  1874,  1888  and  1894  Air.  Beck 


73S  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

was  re-elected  to  the  legislature,  and  is  one  "i  the  ilistinguished  representa- 
tives of  the  state,  having  taken  a  very  acti\e  and  helpful  part  in  furniing  its 
policy.  He  has  left  the  :mi)ress  of  his  indixiduality  upon  the  legislation 
enacted  during  his  connection  with  the  assemjjly,  and  at  all  times  his  course 
has  been  actuated  hy  ini faltering  honestx-  in  raililic  welfare.  In  i8<)6  he  was 
again  elected  a  countv  (;oniniissioner.  l)ut  resigned  from  that  position  after 
serving  two  and  a  half  years. 

He  was  reared  in  the  faith  of  the  Democratic  i)arty,  hut  when  the  Civil 
war  began  he  liecame  a  Repulilican  and  a  strong  Union  man.  Me  was  asso- 
ciated with  that  party  until  i8f}J.  and  wa-;  a  conscientious  worker  in  its 
ranks.  However,  differing  from  the  partv  on  the  question  of  bimetallism,  he 
assisted  in  the  organization  (if  the  silver  party,  and  has  since  lieen  active  as 
one  of  its  members.  He  lias  taken  a  fearless  stand  in  defense  of  whatever 
he  believes  to  Ije  right,  and  has  ])ut  forth  every  effort  in  his  power  to  ]jro- 
mote  the  welfare  of  the  state  as  well  as  the  county.  He  has  been  a  writer 
for  the  local  papers,  setting  forth  his  \iews  on  many  questions,  and  these 
articles  have  not  been  \\  ithcjut  influence  in  molding  public  thought  and  action. 
He  is  ever  found  cm  the  side  of  justice  and  progress,  and  has  been  most 
fearless  in  denouncing  fraud  or  corru]Jtion  in  jniblic  office. 

Mr.  Beck  was  reared  in  the  Baptist  faith,  Jnit  he  and  his  faniil)-  are  not 
now  connected  with  any  church,  but  make  the  (iolden  Rule  the  motto  of 
their  lives.  In  1876,  upon  his  removal  to  Reno,  he  erected  the  residence  in 
which  he  and  his  family  are  now  living.  During  his  long  public  service  the 
most  male\'olent  has  never  tried  to  utter  a  \\-ord  against  his  integritv  or  piu'- 
pose  or  his  tidelitv  to  his  duty  as  he  sees  it.  The  opposition  accord  him  the 
highest  respect,  for  he  has  ever  been  faultless  in  honor,  fearless  in  conduct 
and  stainless  in  reputation.  His  public  record  covers  a  long  period,  and  it  is 
one  which  has  reflected  credit  and  honor  upon  the  state  which  has  honorefl 
him. 


B.  F.  LEETE.  the  president  ui  the  Eagle  .S.ilt  Works  and  a  resident 
of  Reno,  has  developed  an  industry  of  the  ulnmsl  importance  to  Nevada 
and  the  west,  and  in  business  circles  has  made  for  himself  a  ])rominent  and 
honorable  place.  His  diligence,  foresight  and  pcrse\er;ince  liave  been  the 
foundation  of  the  gratifying  ))rosi)erity  which  he  is  now  enjoying,  and 
he  l)elongs  to  that  class  of  representative  .\merican  men  who,  while  advanc- 
ing individual  success,  also  promote  the  welfare  of  the  locality  with  which 
they  are  identified. 

When  Nevada  was  still  a  part  of  the  territory  of  I'tah,  Mr.  Eeete 
located  within  its  borders,  dating  his  residence  from  1859.  He  was  lx)rn 
in  Deruyter,  Madison  county.  New  York,  on  the  25th  of  l-'ebruary.  183 1, 
and  traced  his  ancestry  in  the  iiaternal  line  back  to  William  I^eetc,  at  one 
time  governor  of  the  colonies  of  Hartford  and  Branford,  and  the  progenitor 
of  the  family  in  the  United  States.  I'.ijaphrous  Nott  Leete,  the  father  of 
B.  I"".  Leete,  was  born  in  Rutland  county,  Vermont,  on  the  28th  of  June, 
1789,  .md  died  at  Eock])<irt,  New  "S'ork,  in  1873,  at  the  advanced  age  of 
eighty-four  years.     His  mother,  who  in  lur  maidenhood  was  Miss  Polly  Nott. 


-  A  IIIS'I'ORV  OF  NEVADA.  73!) 

belDHged  to  a  wx-ll  k-iinwii  family  nf  Sclieiiectacly,  New  York.  After  arri\- 
ing  at  years  of  niaturitv  Mr.  I'".  X.  I.eote  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Harriet  Welthy  Thompson,  a  rcsitU'nl  of  Deruyter.  They  made  their  liome 
at  Lockport,  New  ^'ork.  In  e;;rly  Hfe  E.  N.  Leete  was  a  Democrat  in  his 
political  views  and  sup])orled  I'ackson,  hut  on  the  organization  of  the  new 
Repul)lican  party  lie  joined  its  ra.iks,  giving  his  allegiance  to  l'"remont. 
Lincoln  and  the  other  grand  men  who  have  been  its  standarddjearers.  In 
religious  faith  he  was  a  L'uitarian.  and  his  wife  held  membership  with  the 
Baptist  church.  They  were  the  jKirents  of  thirteen  children,  but  only  three 
are  living  at  the  time  of  this  writing,  1903,  and  B.  F.  Leete  is  the  only  one 
in  Ne\'ada. 

In  the  Empire  state  Mv.  V>.  V.  Leete  spent  the  days  of  his  boyhood  and 
youth,  and  ha\ing  obtained  a  good  literary  education  he  then  took  u])  the 
study  of  civil  engineering,  and  in  that  capacity  was  employed  in  connec- 
tion with  the  construction  of  the  New  York  Central  Railroad.  In  1S58  he 
took  passage  for  California  on  the  Moses  Taylor,  carrying  fifteen  hundred 
passengers.  He  crossed  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  and  com])leted  bis  journey 
l)y  .steamer,  arrivin.c  at  San  Franci.sco  on  the  ist  of  August,  1858.  The  rail- 
road from  Folsom  to  Maysville  was  then  being  built,  and  for  some  time  he 
was  employed  as  engineer  in  its  construction.  Later  he  went  to  Dayton, 
Nevada.  There  he  was  engaged  in  the  survey  and  construction  of  the 
mountain  wagon  roads,  and  from  Dayton  he  went  to  a  district  tifty  miles 
east  of  Reno,  where  be  secured  a  large  amount  of  salt  lands  and  some  salt 
springs.  In  1870  he  began  the  erection  of  the  Eagle  Salt  Works,  which 
he  has  since  operated,  having  for  tlie  i)ast  thirty-three  years  been  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  salt.  The  springs  from  which  the  salt  is  taken  are 
perfectlv  pure,  and  the  Eagle  .Salt  Vv'.rks  turn  out  a  practically  pure  jjroduct, 
this  salt  being  one  and  thirt\'-nine  Inuidredtbs  ]iurer  than  the  famous  Li\-er- 
pool  salt,  and  as  there  are  no  freight  charges  to  be  paid,  the  salt  produced  by 
Mr.  Leete  is  much  cheaper  for  the  residents  of  the  state  than  that  shipped 
from  long  distances.  He  manufaclures  salt  for  all  the  purposes  for  which 
salt  is  used,  and  has  a  large  demand  for  his  product.  He  also  manufactures 
sulphurized  salt,  crystalizing  the  sulfur  into  the  salt,  to  be  feil  to  cattle  and 
sbee]i,  and  it  is  found  very  ef¥ecli\e  in  preventing  annoying  skin  diseases, 
such  as  mange  in  horses  and  cattle  and  scab  in  sheep.  He  has  the  credit 
of  being  the  first  manufactiu'er  of  suphurized  salt,  and  has  given  to  .stock- 
raisers  a  very  valuable  article.  In  recent  years  Mr.  Leete  incorporated  the 
Eagle  Salt  Works,  his  sons  being  bis  partners  in  the  enterprise,  while  he  is 
the  president  and  manager.  In  connection  with  his  plant  Mr.  Leete  has 
built,  owns  and  operates  thirteen  miles  of  standard  gauge  railroad,  extend- 
ing from  the  salt  works  tf)  the  Southern  Pacific  Railroad,  which  facilitates 
the  shipment  of  the  product  of  the  '^alt  works,  and  also  provides  a  convenient 
outlet  for  the  traffic  of  that  section  of  the  stae.  In  addition  to  his  enterprise 
here  he  owns  mining  propertv  in  Plumas  and  Sonoma  counties  in  Cali- 
fornia, and  he  has  a  comfortable  residence  at  411  Virginia  street,  in  Reno, 
surmunded  bv  flowers,  shrubs  and  trees  of  his  own  planting. 

On  the  27tb  of  November.  1861,  Mr.  Leete  was  united  in  marriage 
to   Miss    Isabelle    McNeal   of    Lockport,    New   York,    and   they    now    have 


740  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

three  sons:  William  McXeal.  horn  at  Sacramento.  California.  Jannar)'  i, 
1863;  Ben  McNeal.  horn  in  Dayton.  Nevada,  in  1867:  and  Xott.  horn  in 
Dayton,  in  1870.  They  are  now  associated  with  then'  father  in  Inisiness  and 
are  enterprising  young  men  of  husiness  habits. 

Mr.  Leete  was  an  acti\'e  Republican  until  the  siher  cjuestion  became 
the  dominant  issue  Ijefore  the  people  of  this  country,  when  he  became  active 
in  the  organization  of  the  new  silver  party,  and  is  now  one  of  its  stanch 
advocates.  In  1856,  while  in  Lockport,  New  \\)rk.  he  was  raised  to  the 
subhme  degree  of  a  Master  Mason  and  has  e\er  been  an  exemplary  repre- 
sentative of  the  craft.  .\n  honored  pioneer  of  Nevada,  he  lias  witnessed 
its  development  from  territorial  days  and  has  been  deeply  interested  in  its 
welfare  and  progress,  so  directing  his  eiiforts  that  they  have  many  times 
been  of  marked  value  in  the  development  and  improvement  of  the  section 
of  the  state  with  which  he  is  connected.  His  business  career  has  been  marked 
l)y   integrity. 

A.  K.  POLLARD,  one  of  the  representative  null  men  'A  Silver  City. 
Nevada,  and  who  stands  high  in  i)usiness  circles,  is  a  native  son  of  Cali- 
fornia, his  birth  ha\ing  occurred  in  Placerxille  on  the  4th  of  Decemlier, 
1872.  The  pollard  family  trace  their  ancestry  back  to  England,  the  tirst  of 
the  name  to  come  to  America  being  among  the  Pilgrims  that  landed  on 
Plymouth  Rock.  Representati\-es  of  the  name  took  an  active  part  in  the 
settlement  of  New  England,  and  participated  in  the  early  wars  of  the  coun- 
try, including  that  of  the  Revoluti(.n.  .\nios  Pollard,  Mr.  Pollard's  grand- 
father, was  a  farmer  b}-  occupation  and  a  man  of  sterling  Christian  char- 
acter.    He  li\'ed  to  a  ripe  old  age. 

.\ddison  S.  Poll.-ird,  the  father  of  A.  K.  Pollard,  was  born  ni  Plymouth. 
Vermont,  in  i83_^.  and  went  to  California  in  the  early  fifties,  living  on 
Michig.in  bar  and  in  that  vicinity  until  1865,  when  he  came  to  \'irginia 
City,  Nevada,  and  commenced  his  mining  operations  in  this  state.  In  1875 
he  came  to  Silver  City  and  worked,  in  the  Imperial  mines  for  a  time,  after 
which  he  became  foreman  of  the  old  Sucker  mill.  In  1880  he  built  the 
Pollard  McTegue  mill  at  Silver  City,  it  being  at  first  only  a  ten-stamp 
mill,  but  as  the  business  increased  it  was  enlarged  to  a  fifteen-stam]i  mill. 
For  twenty-three  years  it  has  been  in  operation,  doing  a  large  amount  of 
custom  work,  and  crushing  ore  for  most  of  the  mines  in  the  locality.  The 
business  is  now  under  the  management  of  Mr.  A.  K.  Pollard.  The  hitter's 
father  was  a  \'ery  energetic  and  progressive  business  man.  ;nid  did  much 
toward  the  develo]iment  of  the  mineral  resources  of  this  part  of  the  country. 
He  owned  antl  o]-erated  se\'cral  good  mines,  inchiding  the  Santiago  and 
North  .America,  and  met  with  good  success  in  his  undertakings.  In  his 
political  affiliations  he  was  a  ivepublican.  and  was  elected  and  served  as 
county  commissioner  and  also  as  justice  of  the  ])eace.  showing  that  his 
fellow  citizens  had  a  high  appreciation  of  his  good  judgment  and  business 
integrity.  After  a  useful  and  well  spent  life  he  passed  away  on  tlie  ist  of 
October,  1900.  at  the  age  of  sixty-seven  years.  He  had  been  made  a  Mason 
in  California,  and  had  risen  to  tln^  Roy;d    Arch   degree,  being  an  esteemed 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  741 

nicmlicr  of  (idlil  llill  riiaplcr.  hi  iSdi;  lie  married  Miss  Susie  Taylor,  a 
nati\e  of  Ludlow,  Venuont,  and  llicy  liecaine  the  ])aretits  of  three  ciiil- 
(Iren,  namely:  Clara  S..  now  Mrs,  Angel,  residing  in  Capitola,  California: 
Amos  K. :  and  Mary  .\..  a  successful  teacher  residing  in  Vermont.  Mrs. 
T'ollard,  who  was  a  (]e\-ote(l  wife  and  a  lo\-ing  mother  to  these  children,  and 
a   faithful  meinher  of  the  Ba])tist  church,   died   in    1875. 

Amos  K.  Pollard  was  .educate<l  in  the  Black  River  Academy  at  Ludlow, 
Vermont,  and  after  leaving  school  went  to  Kansas,  where  he  took  up  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  government  land,  .\fter  improving  the  place 
he  sold  it  to  a  good  advantage  in  1895  '"^'l  came  to  Silver  City,  Nevada, 
to  he  with  his  father  in  his  declining  years  and  assist  in  the  management  of 
the  mill,  of  which  he  is  now  in  charge  and  of  which  he  is  ]3art  owner. 
He  is  a  man  of  goiid  husiness  and  executive  aliihty.  is  practical  and 
progressive,  and  although  still  young  has  already  gained  a  good  start  in  life. 

In  1901  Mr.  Pollard  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Lovine  Herdwick, 
who  was  born  in  Virginia  City,  and  two  children  have  blessed  their  union : 
James  A.  and  Amos  H.,  both  burn  in  SiKer  Citv.  Mrs.  Pollard  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Catholic  church  and  is  a  most  estimable  lady.  Politicallv  Mr. 
Pollard  supports  the  Repubh'can  party,  and  fraternally  is  identified  with 
the  Masonic  order,  serving  as  treasurer  of  his  lodge  at  the  present  time. 
In  social  as  well  as  in  Ijusiness  circles  he  stands  bigli.  and  his  friends  are 
many  throughout  his  adopted  state. 


FRANK  R.  LEWIS,  who  is  tiie  secretary  and  auditor  of  the  Nevada, 
California  &  Oreg.m  Railroad,  having  his  headquarters  and  his  home  in 
Reno,  is  a  native  of  the  Golden  state,  his  birth  having  occurred  in  the  city  of 
San  Jose  on  the  22d  of  March.  iSh2.  The  family  was  founded  in  America 
by  natives  of  Scotland,  who  leaving  the  land  of  hills  and  heatlier  located  in 
y\merica   at  an   early   period    in    its   colonization. 

l-'rank  Lewis,  the  father  of  iMv.nk  R.  Lewis,  was  born  in  Boston,  Mas- 
sachusetts, and  in  1852  went  to  Califfjrnia  liy  way  of  the  isthmus  route. 
Reaching  the  Pacific  coast  he  settled  in  Santa  Clara  county  and  became 
interested  in  real  estate  dealing,  farming  and  stock-raising.  He  was  a 
])ioneer  in  the  introduction  of  blooded  sheep  and  .\ngora  goats,  and  did 
much  to  improve  the  grade  of  stock  raised  in  that  part  of  the  country.  He 
was  also  active  in  public  affairs  in  San  Jose,  ser\ing  as  a  member  of  the 
city  council  and  taking  a  deep  interest  in  all  that  pertained  to  the  material 
improvement  and  .substantial  upbuilding  of  the  new  town.  His  political 
support  was  given  the  Republican  party  from  the  time  of  its  organization, 
and  during  the  ])eriod  of  the  Civil  w  ar  he  was  a  stanch  advocate  of  the  Union 
cause  and  of  the  policy  of  President  Lincoln.  He  wedded  Miss  M.  J.  Reed, 
who  when  a  girl  came  to  the  west  with  her  father.  James  F.  Reed,  who 
passed  over  the  present  site  of  the  city  of  Reno  in  1843.  They  were  mem- 
bers of  tiie  Donner  jiarty  and  experienced  the  hardships  of  that  fearful  winter 
spent  near  Donner's  Lake,  when  the  suft'ering  of  the  emigrants  was  so 
great  as  to  make  their  trip  a  matter  of  history  (refer  to  the  detailed  account 
in  the  general  history  of  this  work).     Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frank  Lewis  became 


■4-2  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

the  parents  of  seven  cliildren.  Tlie  father  died  at  his  home  in  San  Jose, 
at  the  age  of  forty-eight  years,  respected  liy  all  who  knew  him,  and  his 
widow  is  still  living  at  the  old  home  there,  heing  now  sixty-four  years  of 
age.  She  is  one  of  the  few  li\'ing  residents  of  California  who  can  claim 
residence   in  the  state  from   1846. 

In  the  public  schools  of  San  Jose  Iwank  R.  Lewis  pursued  his  education 
and  later  he  engaged  in  leaching  in  a  commercial  .school  in  his  native  city. 
In  18S7  he  came  to  Nevada  to  accept  his  present  position  as  secretary  and 
auditor  with  the  Nevada,  California  &  Oregon  Railroad  Company,  and 
for  si.xteen  vears  has  discharged  the  duties  of  the  office  in  a  most  satis- 
factory manner,  his  good  l>usiness  judgment  and  enterprise  proving  im- 
portant factors  in  his  faithful  and  highly  commendable  service. 

Mr.  Lewis  is  a  public  spirited  citizen,  deeply  interested  in  Reno  and 
her  welfare,  and  has  been  a  witness  of  much  of  her  growth,  for  her  progress 
has  been  very  rapid  in  recent  years.  His  co-operation  has  also  l)een  felt 
as  a  helpful  factor  along  lines  of  social,  intellectual  and  moral  advance- 
ment, and  he  enjoys  the  good  will  and  confidence  of  his  fellow  citizens  tO'  a 
high  degree. 

In  1890  was  celelirated  the  n;arriage  of  ^Ij-.  Lewis  and  Miss  Jessie 
Finlay,  a  native  of  Canada,  hern  01'  Scotch  parentage.  This  union  has  been 
blessed  with  two  children,  Leslie  Reed  and  Florence  Ellen,  both  bom  in 
Reno.  Airs.  Lewis  is  a  valued  member  of  the  Congregational  church,  and  is 
a  most  estimable  lady,  her  innate  culture  and  refinement  and  natural  graces 
of  character  winning  her  a  large  circle  of  friends.  jMr.  Lewis  is  identified 
with  the  Indei)endent  Order  of  Oc'd  Fellows,  and  in  fraternal  as  in  business 
circles  is  widelv  known  as  a  man  of  high  integrity  and  aliility. 


HON.  EUGENE  HOWELL,  former  secretary  of  state  of  Nevada  for 
eight  years,  and  clerk  of  the  supreme  court  and  state  librarian  during  that 
time,  is  a  native  of  the  state  of  California,  and  is  of  English  ancestry.  His 
father,  M.  D.  Howell,  the  well  known  mining  man.  was  born  in  New  Jersey 
in  1 83 1,  and  is  one  of  the  early  pioneers  of  California  and  a  member  of 
tliat  order,  he  having  come  to  that  state  in  the  year  1849.  making  the  trip- 
around  the  Horn  in  the  steamer  Senator  as  messenger  for  .\dams  &  Co.'s 
Express,  He  has  ever  since  his  arrival  in  California  in  1849  followed  the 
business  of  mining  on  the  coast  with  varied  success.  Mr.  M.  D.  Howell 
was  at  one  time  one  of  the  original  owners  and  sui^erintendent  nf  the  cele- 
brated Plumas  Eureka  mine,  and  also  of  llie  Crescent  mines  in  Plumas 
countv.  In  1862  he  was  elected  to  the  California  legislature  from  his  dis- 
trict. In  1863  he  had  branched  nut.  and  was  one  of  the  ])ioneer  merchants 
of  X'irginia  City,  Nevada,  doing  an  extensive  business  under  the  firm  name 
of  Howell,  Black  &  Brothers.  He  was  also  one  of  the  early  business  men 
of  Reno,  and  was  associated  with  S,  C,  Fogus  from  1868  to  1871,  They 
erected  the  first  Hour  mill  on  the  Truckee  river  at  Reno  and  carried  on  a 
large  mercantile  business  in  Reno  with  branches  in  Verdi,  Wadsworth, 
Elko  and  Hamilton.  He  was. later  superintendent  of  the  'i'chania  Mining 
Companv  in  Sclu-cl  Creek,  White  Pine  ciunty,  one  nf  the  first  CMni])anics  in 


\^j<hlOy^\f\}>&l  %DoJLX^iW 


A  IFlSTOin'  O].'  NEVA ny\.  743 

that  section.  In  1874  and  1S75  Ik-  was  ccmnocicil  with  the  Richmond 
Mining  C(>in])any.  Linnte<I,  nf  h'.nreka,  and  from  iHjU  to  iH/cS  lie  was  general 
su])erinten(lent  of  the  TnIio  Consolidated  Mining  Company,  and  also  of  the 
Gila  Mining  Company  of  N'_\'e  connty,  Nevada.  From  1S79  to  1881  he  was 
general  manager  of  the  Hillside  Mill  &  Mining  Comjiany,  and  Day  Minnig 
Company  of  Lincoln  connty. 

Later  we  find  him  in  the  mercantile  and  mining  Inisiness  in  San  Ber- 
narth'no  county,  California,  ^'rom  there  he  transferred  his  residence  and 
time  to  Arizona  where  he  was  su]icrintendcnt  of  the  f'rince  George  and 
C.  O.  D.  mines  in  Mohave  count)'.  In  the  nineties  he  was  operating  in 
Siskiyou  county,  California,  .and  later  in  Calaveras  county,  where  he  was 
superintendent  of  the  Carson  Creek  and  San  Juan  companies.  .\t  this 
writing  he  is  interested  in  some  valnahle  gokl  ]iro])erties  in  Sierra  county, 
California. 

Mr.  M.  D.  Howell  is  hale  and  vigorous  and  still  possesses  the  indom- 
italile  and  untiring  energy  characteristic  of  the  t}']jical  pioneer  of  earlv  days 
in  California.  He  married  Nannie  A.  Turner,  a  native  of  Alahama  and 
daughter  of  Hon.  Charles  Calvin  Turner,  during  his  lifetime  state  senator 
and  adjutant  general  of  Alahama.  By  their  union  they  have  five  children. 
Alice  May.  wife  of  the  late  Dr.  John  V.  M()rse.  of  San  Francisco;  Hattie  1'"., 
wife  of  Judge  George  ;\.  Cahaniss,  of  .San  h'rancisco :  Lizzie  Louise,  antl 
Edna  Lucille,  unmarried. 

Eugene  Howell,  the  oldest  and  only  son,  was  educated  in  the  schools 
of  California  and  Nevada,  and  finished  in  the  State  Mining  College  of 
California.  He  has  heen  a  resident  of  Lincoln  and  White  Pine  counties 
since  he  came  to  Nevada,  and  has  heen  many  times  honored  l)y  his  con- 
stituents. He  represented  Lincoln  countv  with  credit  and  ahilit\'  in  the 
ele\-enth  session  of  the  Nevada  legislature. 

Professionally  he  has  engaged  in  mining  and  milling,  and  has  followed 
in  his  father's  footsteps  hy  heing  connected  with  various  and  large  mining 
operations  in  eastern  Nevada  as  superintendent  and  manager,  where  his 
ahility  as  a  metallurgist  and  experience  in  mining  and  mil!  work  has  heen 
of  great  value  to  his  associates. 

When  the  great  silver  question  was  put  liefore  the  country  he  espoused 
the  cause  very  enthusiastically,  and  was  active  in  the  organization  of  the 
silver  party,  heing  one  of  its  charter  memliers.  In  1894  he  was  elected  by 
the  silver  party  secretary  of  state,  clerk  of  the  supreme  court  and  state  libra- 
rian, these  otifices  heing  placed  under  him  during  his  first  term.  He  was 
again  re-elected  secretary  of  state  in  1898,  and  also  to  the  same  offices,  thus 
serving  the  state  of  Nevada  in  those  capacities  for  eight  years,  from  1895 
to   1902   inclusive. 

The  intricate  and  complex  tluties  of  his  offices  were  managed  with 
decided  success  by  Mr.  Howell,  and  he  effected  a  large  saving  to  the  state 
in  the  running  expenses  of  those  offices  by  his  careful  business  management. 
Mr.  Howell  was  always  a  courteous  officer,  aft'able  and  accommodating. 
His  mterest  and  work  in  the  state  library  has  largely  increased  its  value  and 
efficiencv  to  the  public,  and  the  law  library  ranks  among  the  very  first  on  the 
Pacific  coast.     Mr.  Howell  during  his  administration  finished  and  added  the 


744  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

new  north  room  to  tlie  library  and  also  added  ten  thousand  more  \-olumes 
and  left  a  library  fund  containing  several  thousand  dollars. 

\\'hen  Carson  City  in  1901  decided  to  give  a  street  fair  and  carnival 
^Ir.  Howell  was  invited  by  the  citizens  to  accept  the  presidency  of  the  car- 
nival, and  the  great  success  of  which,  financially,  and  as  an  attraction,  has 
in  no  small  degree  been  due  to  his  untiring  energy  and  executive  ability,  it 
being  the  first  of  its  kind  ever  undertaken  in  Nevada.  After  all  bills  were 
paid  a  large  surplus  was  left  on  hand  which  was  donated  to  the  Business 
College  and  to  the  Xevada  State  Band  of  Carson  City. 

Mr.  Howell  was,  in  December,  1902,  regularly  admitted  to  the  bar  by 
the  supreme  court  as  an  attorney  and  counselor  at  law  to  practice  in  all  the 
courts  of  that  state.  Wr.  Howell  is  not  at  present,  however,  following  the 
law  as  a  profession,  but  is  dexoting  his  atterition  to  mining,  where  he  has 
valuable  interests  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  state. 

Fraternally  he  belongs  to  the  order  of  Native  Sons  of  California :  to 
the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  with  headquarters  at  Reno ; 
to  the  Knights  of  Pythias  lodge  of  Carson  City,  and  to  other  orders. 

On  the  loth  of  December,  1901,  Mr.  Howell  married  Maude  Wallace 
Haines,  a  native  of  Genoa,  Nevada,  and  a  graduate  of  King's  Conservatory 
of  Music  of  San  Jose,  California.  She  is  the  only  daughter  of  the  late 
Hon.  James  W.  Haines,  who  was  one  of  Nevada's  most  prominent  and  wide- 
awake citizens,  an  early  pioneer  of  California,  and  ex-mayor  of  Sacramento. 
One  son,  Ijorn  October  6,  1902,  in  Carson  City,  has  blessed  this  union,  who 
bears  the  name  of  Eugene  Haines  Howell. 


J.  \V.  KINNIKIN,  who  died  in  December,  1903,  and  whom  his  many 
friends  and  associates  of  Virginia  City  and  Storey  county  laid  to  rest  with 
])rofound  sorrow  and  regret  for  his  early  taking  off,  had  held  for  nearly 
two  years  the  office  of  recorder  ;ind  auditor  of  Storey  county  and  was 
numbered  among  the  most  iironiinent  and  useful  citizens  of  the  community, 
lie  liad  made  Nc\ada  his  home  for  o\er  a  quarter  of  a  century,  and  his 
identification  with  mining  as  well  as  his  career  as  a  public  official  made  him 
known  to  ncirly  everyone  in  the  county.  F-[e  was  a  man  of  genial  char- 
acteristics, making  friends  wherever  he  went,  and  his  character  and  true 
personal  worth  enabled  him  In  hil  a  place  of  usefulness  and  honor  ;unong  his 
fellow  citizens. 

Mr.  Kinnikin  was  born  in  Sncramento,  California,  August  24,  i860, 
l)eing  one  of  the  three  children,  iione  of  whom  are  now  lixing,  Ixirn  to 
fiilles  and  Julia  ( ICdwards)  Kinnikin,  the  former  of  Ccrmrm  ancestrv  and 
a  native  of  the  south,  and  the  latter  a  native  of  Louisville,  Kentucky.  (iiUes 
Kinnikin  was  a  ship  carpenter  in  St.  Louis,  and  was  killed  there,  .\fter  his 
death  his  widow  went  to  California  to  reside,  and  died  there  in  1876. 

Mr.  Kinnikin  was  educated  in  the  ])ublic  schools  of  his  natixe  city  and 
also  had  pri\ate  instruction.  Losing  his  mother  when  he  was  sixteen  years 
old.  he  was  tlu^own  on  l.is  own  resources,  .-md  :il  tlie  age  of  se\-enteen  came  to 
Nevada.  In  1879  he  began  work  in  the  Sierr;i  Xevada  mine  at  X'irginia 
City,  and  also  worked   in   the  Cold   Hill  mines  uj)  to    1S87.      In   that   vear 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  745 

he  met  witli  a  severe  accident,  Ijeing  crushed  hetween  tlie  cage  and  the  side 
of  tlie  shaft  and  had  a  narrow  escape  from  death.  He  recovered  eventually, 
and  then  continued  his  mining  in  the  Bonanza  and  the  Consolidated  Cali- 
fornia and  Virginia  Company.  In  1902  he  was  elected  to  the  office  of  re- 
corder and  auditor  of  the  county,  a  position  for  which  he  was  eminently 
fitted,  being  an  excellent  bookkeeper  and  accountant  and  a  fine  penman. 
His  administration  was  eminently  satisfactory,  and  his  deaMi  deprived  the 
county  of  one  of  its  most  trusted  and  efficient  officials.  He  had  been  elected 
to  the  office  on  the  IJemocratic  ticket,  and  was  a  life-long  adherent  of  the 
])rinciples  and  policies  of  that   part}. 

Mr.  Kinnikin  leaves  his  widow  and  five  children.  He  married,  in  1887, 
Miss  Kate  Fogerty,  who  is  a  native  of  Virginia  City,  and  is  held  in  high 
esteem  for  her  own  personal  worth  and  character.  The  chiklren  are  I. ovine, 
Mervin,  Mildred,  William  and  Claire.  They  are  meml>ers  of  the  Catholic 
church.  Mr.  Kinnikin  was  secretary  of  the  local  miners'  union,  and  also 
affiliated    with    the    .\ncient    Order    of    United    \Vorkmen. 


ENOCH  GRAY,  who  has  a  large  ranch  and  is  engaged  in  stock- 
raising  at  the  north  end  nf  Star  valley,  I"21ko  county,  has  been  a  resident 
of  Nevada  for  thirty  years  and  on  his  present  place  since  iS8r.  His  farm 
presents  a  far  different  appearance  from  what  it  did  when  he  first  took  it, 
and  his  successful  and  enterprising  efforts  have  bad  the  result  which  such 
efforts  always  have  in  this  great  state-^prosperous  condition  in  worldly 
affairs  and  a  fine  estate  whose  lieauty  and  \alue  will  increase  with  the  passing 
years. 

Mr.  Gray  is  of  Scotch  ancestry,  and  is  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Sarah 
(Scott)  Gray,  the  former  a  natixe  of  England  and  the  lattter  of  a  Scotch 
family.  They  removed  to  Canada,  and  thence  to  Utah,  in  1854,  where 
they  settled  at  Provo  and  were  industrious  farmers  the  rest  of  their  lives. 
He  died  in  1895,  ba\-ing  attained  the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty-six,  while  bis 
wife  lived  to  be  ninety-seven.  They  bad  embraced  the  Mormon  faith,  and 
were  worthy  and  respected  people.  Se\en  children  were  in  their  family, 
and  five  are  living  at  the  present  time. 

Enoch  Gray,  the  only  representative  of  the  family  in  Nevada,  was 
torn  in  New  Brunswick,  Canada,  .Vugust  26,  1847.  '^^^^  was  reared  and 
educated  in  Utah.  I'^ir  a  number  of  years  he  was  engaged  in  the  work 
of  teaming,  making  trips  with  large  loads  of  freight  to  Montana,  Lower 
California  and  to  Can.ada.  This  was  outdoor  life,  exposed  to"  all  the  beats 
of  summer  and  the  rigors  of  wintei ,  and  dangers  by  man  and  beast.  The 
men  usually  f(irmed  companies,  cami)ing  out  at  night,  and  they  never  had 
any  trouble  with  the  Indians.  In  1881  Mr.  Gray  took  up  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  land  which  forms  a  part  of  bis  present  place,  and  gradually 
Ixiugbt  more  until  be  now  has  six  hundred  and  forty  acres,  well  improveil 
and  cultivated  in  an  uji-to-date  manner.  He  raises  wheat,  oats,  barley,  po- 
tatoes and  a  number  of  high-grade  cattle  and  horses,  keeping  bis  stock  up  to 
a  high  standard  by  breeding  to  thoroughbred  animals. 

Mr.  Gray  has  alwavs  given  hi-;  allegiance  to  the  Republican  party,  but 


746  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

ne\er  manifested  enniioh  interest  in  i:)(ilitics  to  care  for  office.  He  give.s 
his  whole  attention  to  liis  constantly  increasing'  agricultural  interests,  and  In* 
his  thrift  and  painstaking  industry  is  making  the  thing  pay  well.  He  was 
married  in  1879  to  Miss  Mary  Jane  O'Brien,  a  native  of  the  state  of  Wash- 
ington, and  the  following  children  were  horn  to  them :  Rohert.  Bertha, 
Joseph,  ^lyrtle  and  Hazel,  P>ertlia  heing  her  father's  housekeeper.  Mrs. 
firav.  after  a  happ\-  unimi  of^twenly  years,   died   in   Octuher.    1898. 


W.  H.  CAVELL,  D.  D.  S.,  the  leading  dentist  of  Carson  City,  Nevada, 
is  also  one  of  the  highly  respected  native  sons  of  the  city.  He  was  Ixirn 
September  11,  1869.  and  is  of  English  ancestry.  His  father.  John  Cavell, 
was  born  in  England  and  was  brought  to  the  United  States  when  only  tw(T 
years  of  age.  In  1861  he  came  to  Carson  City,  and  for  some  years  fnl- 
lowed  the  occupation  of  painter.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat  and  a  man 
of  liberal  ideas,  and  at  the  present  time  makes  his  home  in  Modesto,  Cali- 
fornia, aged  sixty-seven  years.  The  maiden  name  of  his  wife  wa.s  Grace 
Wren,  and  she  was  also  1  orn  in  England.  Four  children  were  Imrn  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Ca\ell,  three  of  thejn  burn  in  Carson  City  and  one  in 
California. 

William  Henry  Ca\ell  was  educated  in  the  pul)lic  schools  of  Modesto, 
California,  and  in  the  dental  department  of  the  State  University  of  Cali- 
fornia, from  which  latter  institution  he  was  graduated  in  1894.  After  his 
graduation  Dr.  Ca\ell  returned  to  tiie  city  of  his  birth  and  began  the  active 
l)ractice  of  his  profession,  meeting  with  a  most  gratifying  success.  In  man- 
ner he  is  genial  and  courteous,  and  is  an  expert  in  his  profession. 

In  politics  Dr.  Cavell  is  indejiendent,  voting  for  the  man  and  the 
principles  he  deems  liest  for  the  co-iimunity  at  large.  Fraternally  he  is  a 
mcml>cr  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the  BencNulcnt  and  Protectixc  Order 
of  Elks,  and  is  a  prominent  Mason,  heing  both  a  blue  lodge  and  a  chapter 
Mason,  and  has  been  honored  by  office  in  both  degrees,  .\lthough  yet  a 
young  man.  Dr.  Cavell  has  jinned  himself  capable,  enterprising  and  one  who 
can  be  thoroughly  trusted,  and  his  micccss  as  a  professinnal  man  .•ind  sucial 
factor  is  assured. 


JOllX  I'LDWAKDS  BR.\^■,  one  nf  the  foremo.st  men  in  educational 
work  in  the  state  of  Nevada,  and  who  has  with  eminent  ability  filled  the  posi- 
tion of  superfntcndent  and  princijial  of  schools  in  Reno  for  over  twehe  vears, 
is  of  Irish  stock  and  is  the  son  of  .Michael  Bra\',  whose  parents  were  emigrants 
to  this  country,  and  Michael  was  b.imself  born  in  t8i8  in  Ciranby,  Canada. 
He  married  Miss  M;iry  .\.  l'"arrell,  a  nati\e  of  his  town,  'idiey  removed 
to  the  state  of  Vermont,  where  he  was  for  many  years  ,i  successful  farmer 
and  stock-raiser.  'I'here  was  born  to  them  a  lar.ge  family  of  boys  and 
girls.  The  parents  lived  to  celebrate  their  golden  wedding,  surrounded  by 
children,  grandchildren,  and  great-grandchildren.  They  were  cxemijlary 
Christian  jieople.  much  respected  fi  r  their  solid  \irtnes  and  honest  citizen- 
ship. 


A  HISTORY  Ol'   NEVADA.  747 

Professor  Bray  is  one  of  ten  cliildren  and  llie  only  one  of  tlie  family  in 
Nevada.  He  was  born  in  Danville,  Vermont,  October  8,  1852,  and  was 
educated  at  the  public  schools,  in  tlie  Danville  Academy  and  St.  Johnsbury 
high  school.  After  leaving  these  fine  old  schools  he  taught  f(jr  a  part  of 
two  years,  and  then  finished  his  education  in  Cornell  University.  He  de- 
serves especial  credit  for  this  prei)aration,  as  he  worked  and  earned  nearly 
all  the  money  that  paid  for  it.  In  determining  to  carry  out  the  famous  lit- 
tle aphorism  of  Horace  Cireeley  Mr.  Bray  selected  what  was  then  the  great 
gold  and  silver  producing  .state  of  the  I'nion,  Nevada.  lie  hrst  taught  in 
Virginia  City,  whose  many  inhabitants,  tlmugh  mainly  nnners,  were  de- 
sirous diat  all  possible  advantages  sh<iuld  be  given  the  children.  He  also 
taught  at  Sutro,  quite  a  town  started  at  the  mouth  of  the  tunnel;  was  then 
principal  of  the  Cold  Hill  grammar  .schodl;  for  five  years  he  was  principal 
of  the  Dayton  schools,  and  for  a  part  of  that  time  superintendent  of  the 
schools  of  Lyon  county.  In  June,  1884,  he  was  elected  principal  of  the  Gold 
Hill  high  school.  In  July,  1885.  lie  was  elected  principal  <,i  the  Winne- 
mucca  schools.  Wiiile  at  the  latter  place  he  was  elected  principal  of  the 
high  school  at  Virginia  City  and  superintendent  of  the  city  schocjls,  which 
position  he  held  for  five  years.  At  the  conclusion  of  his  term  in  Virginia 
City  Professor  Bray  accepted  the  position  of  principal  of  th,;  high  school 
and  superintendent  of  the  city  schools  in  Reno,  where  he  has  c'uring  his  long- 
incumbency  brought  these  institutions  up  to  a  \ery  high  standard  of 
efficiency,  both  in  the  amount  and  character  of  the  work  done  and  in  the 
increasing  of  the  influences  of  morality  and  good  placed  around  the  young. 

Professor  Bray  is  an  aggressive  reformer  in  his  work,  and  through  his 
work  in  the  teachers'  institutes  of  Ihe  state,  and  his  own  indi\-idual  efforts 
in  the  schoolroom  he  has  largely  contributed  to  make  the  school  system  of 
Nevada  as  thorough  and  advanced  as  that  of  any  of  the  western  states.  En- 
thusiasm has  been  one  of  his  most  marked  characteristics,  and  he  has  been  a 
pi>tent  factor  for  good  in  that  he  has  lieen  able  to  mingle  freely  with  the 
l)oys  and  girls,  without  loss  of  personal  dignity  and  jiower  to  himself,  and 
thus  exert  the  most  powerful  of  influences  on  the  voung,  that  of  s\nipathetic 
personal  contact. 

In  atldition  to  his  school  work  Rrofessor  Bray  has  recently  accepted  the 
agency  of  the  Equitable  Life  Insurance  Company  of  New  York,  and  is 
also  concerned  with  other  business  enterprises.  On  Christmas  day,  1888, 
he  was  happily  married  to  Miss  Minnie  M.  Leslie,  of  Dayton,  who  had  pre- 
viously been  a  successful  teacher,  and  had  been  his  able  assistant  at  Dayton 
during  his  five  years  of  work  there  Two  children  have  been  born  to  them, 
Florence  Leslie  and  Mildred  Nevada.  The  family  reside  in  one  of  the 
beautiful  homes  t)f  Reno  and  enjoy  nne(|ni vocal  esteem  from  all.  Mrs.  Bray 
is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal  church,  and  is  highly  esteemed  by  all  classes 
for  her  sunny  disposition,  and  her  gracious  goodness  and  helpfulness  to  the 
young;  and  he  is  a  memljer  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  in  all  its  branches, 
and  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  in  politics  is  a  bimetallist 
Democrat. 


TiS  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

GEORGE  S.  HENDERSON,  the  jHoneer  carriage-maker  of  Eureka, 
where  he  has  resided  and  liad  his  shop  for  over  twenty  years,  has  been  engaged 
in  the  various  departments  of  his  trade  in  the  west  for  nearly  forty  years.  He 
has  lieen  a  very  successfid  man,  and  has  reared  a  family  of  young  men  and 
women  who  are  themselves  following  honorable  pursuits  in  life  and  rellect 
credit  on  their  parents. 

Mr.  Henderson  is  of  English  and  Scotch  ancestry,  and  his  parents, 
James  and  Mrs.  (Shanks)  Henderson,  were  emigrants  to  Toronto,  Canada, 
where  the  former  was  accidentally  drowned  in  the  sixty-fourth  year  of  his 
life,  but  the  latter  lived  to  be  more  than  eighty  years  old  and  passed  away 
at  the  old  home  in  Onondaga.  Of  th.eir  family  of  thirteen  children  George 
S.  Henderson  is  the  onl}-  one  in  Nevada.  He  was  born  at  Mount  Pleasant, 
Canada,  August  22,,  1843,  '^"''  ^^'''^  educated  there  and  learned  his  trade  of 
blacksmith  and  carriage-maker.  When  twenty-two  years  old  he  went  to 
California,  and  sharpened  the  first  drills  that  were  used  in  the  construction 
of  the  Southern  Pacific  tunnel  on  the  summit  of  the  Sierra  mountains.  He 
was  employed  for  some  time  along  the  line  of  this  railroad  while  it  was  in 
process  of  construction,  and  after  that  went  to  X'irginia  City  and  was  jiaid 
six  dollars  a  day  as  a  journeyman  blacksmith,  i'rom  there  he  went  to  Shell 
Creek  and  did  the  shoeing  of  the  Salt  Lake  stage  horses  and  of  the  Wells- 
Fargo  Company's  horses.  He  was  then  employed  in  a  similar  capacity  hy 
Woodruff  and  Ennor,  who  had  a  stage  route  from  Elko  to  White  Pine,  and 
next  entered  the  employ  of  the  Eureka  and  Palisade  stage  line,  doing  the 
work  for  that  company  until  tiie  luu'eka  and  Palisade  Railroad  was  built. 
He  o])ene(l  up  his  shop  in  Eureka  in  18S0,  and  has  done  general  blacksmith- 
ing  and  carriage  work  ever  since.  He  has  the  oldest  establishment  of  the 
kind  in  the  town,  and  has  also  done  the  largest  and  most  ])rofitable  business. 

In  1864  Mr.  Henderson  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Scott,  a  native  of 
Paris,  Canada,  and  they  have  had  six  children,  as  follows:  James,  now 
assistant  foreman  nn  the  .San  b'rancisco  Examiner ;  John,  who  was  educated 
in  the  public  schools  and  is  now  in  business  with  his  father;  J.  W.,  who  is 
running  a  store  in  Delamar;  h'rank,  in  a  store  at  Tonopah :  .Mbert,  a  graduate 
of  the  State  I'niversity  and  now  teaching  school;  .Mice  I'".,  in  school  at 
home.  Mr.  llendeison  has  been  a  life-long  Republican,  and  he  and  his  wife 
were  both  reared  in  the  T^resbyterian  faith.  They  lia\e  one  of  the  comfortable 
and  cheerful  homes  of  Ein^eka.  and  are  fine  citi/tens.  gofxl  neighbors,  and 
do  wliat  is  right  in  their  home  and  a1)road. 


S.\Ml'b:L  Mc.ML"LLb:.\.  who  has  a  large  ranch  near  Dccth,  in  l':iko 
county,  and  also  large  land  interests  in  i-iuby  \alle\\  h;is  made  :i  line  record 
as  a  farmer  and  stockman  in  Nevad:>..  and  in  the  earlier  years  of  his  residence 
in  this  country  was  engaged  in  many  successful  cnter])rises.  lie  is  one  of 
the  men  who  hel])ed  b\uld  the  .Southern  Pacific  Railroad  through  this  state. 
He  was  at  the  head  of  lilt)'  Chinese  laborers,  and  for  two  \'ears  assisted 
in  laying  the  main  track  from  Colfax,  California,  .nul  all  ihe  side  tracks  at 
Palisade.  Tic  was  present  at  Gra\elly  I'ord  when  sixteen  Imndred  kegs  of 
black  powder  e.\])loded   with  a  niiglil)'  thunder  that   shook  the  earlh,  killing 


A  HIS r( Jin'  oi'  Nevada  749 

six  nic'ii  ami  iniurini;  ollicrs.  Ik'  lias  had  a  xarieil  career,  slartiiiy  in  when 
he  came  In  the  slate  withniii  a  hiiinli'eil  ddllars  In  his  name,  and  his  industry 
and  perseverance  and  husiness  judgment  ha\e  placed  him  in  the  front  rank 
of  farmeiw  and  stockmen  of  the  state. 

Mr.  McMullcn  was  horn  in  Ireland,  and  liis  parents  were  natives  of 
county  iMi.nahan,  afterward  comin.i.^-  to  this  country  in  iSjj,  and  they 
located  on  Li:  d  in  Nevada  which  Sanuicl  had  taken  up  some  time  before. 
Samuel  came  to  tl.is  country  and  was  a  resident  of  New  \uvk  state  for 
some  time,  then  coming  to  the  west  and  working  at  railroad  liuilding  and 
other  enterprises  for  some  vears.  He  continued  to  work  for  wages  until 
.  1877,  but  after  his  marriage  in  the  spring  of  1S78  he  bought  his  ]>resent 
farm  of  Ru.ssell  and  Hradley.  lie  has  increased  his  property  much  since 
then,  and  now  owns  nine  thousaml  icres  near  Deeth.  His  ]jrincipal  product 
is  hav.  which  he  feeds  to  his  own  high-grade  shorthorn  cattle.  He  also  has 
five  thousand  acres  in  Kul)\'  \alle\'.  and  lias  had  as  many  as  eight  hundred 
cattle  at  one  time. 

Mr.  McMullen  has  been  a  life-long  Republican,  and  cast  his  first  vote 
for  John  C.  Fremont,  while  li\ing  in  Washington  county.  New  York.  When 
he  first  came  to  Star  \alley,  Ne\ada,  there  were  only  four  houses  in  the 
locality,  and  at  the  first  election  he  cast  the  only  Republican  ballot  against 
nine  straight  Democratic  votes.  There  are  now  one  hundred  and  twenty 
votes  in  the  valley,  and  they  are  considerably  more  e\'enly  divided.  Mr. 
McMullen  has  taken  much  interest  in  educational  affairs,  and  has  held  the 
office  of  school  trustee. 

In  the  spring  of  1878  Mr.  AIcMullen  was  married  to  Miss  Annie 
Brennen,  a  native  of  England,  and  they  are  now  the  parents  of  the  follow- 
ing children  :  Deborah,  a  graduate  of  the  business  college  at  Elko ;  Annie, 
who  was  educated  in  the  high  school  at  Elko  and  is  now  a  successful 
teacher:  Rosa  and  Kate  are  attending  the  State  University  at  Reno;  Sadie 
is  at  home:  and  L.  P.  is  in  the  high  school  at  Elko.  Mrs.  McMullen  is  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  church.  Mr.  McMullen  was  made  a  Mason  in  1863 
in  Fort  Edward  Lodge  No.  267,  T'".  &  A.  M.,  at  Fort  Edward,  New  York, 
thence  dimitted  to  Dutch  Flat,  California,  and  at  present  affiliates  with  Elko 
Lodge  No.  15,  of  which  he  is  a  charter  member.  He  has  a  fine  residence 
on  his  ranch,  and  he  and  the  family  are  popular  in  the  social  circles  of  t'.ie 
valley,  and  manv  friends  find  the  home  a  delightful  place  to  spend  an 
hour  in  good  coiupanionshi]!  and  i^leasant  converse.  Mr.  McMullen  is  in- 
terested in  the  raising  of  high-grade  horses,  and  his  carriage  team  have  trot- 
ted a  mile  in  2  :^2. 

HON.  JOHN  SPENCER,  deceased,  was  one  of  the  prominent  citizens  of 
Austin  from  the  pioneer  days  of  that  mining  center  until  his  deatli.  His 
life  span  covered  three-quarters  of  the  last  century,  and  was  filled  with  useful 
and  honorable  efifort  from  his  early  age  until  death  called  him  to  lay  down  the 
Inirdens  he  had  carried  so  long  and  so  well.  He  was  one  of  the  early  seekers 
after  the  gold  of  California,  and  from  that  state  came  to  Nevada,  where 
the  remainder  o£  his  life  was  given  to  ranching  and  to  public  service.     He 


750  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

belonged  to  tliat  class  of  citizens  who  did  so  much  for  the  dexelopnient  of 
the  resources  of  Nevada  and  brought  that  state  before  the  world  as  one  of 
the  richest  of  the  Union  in  mineral  and  agricultin-al  means.  His  life  was 
simple,  upright  and  honorable;  he  had  a  sincere  desire  to  help  others  while 
lie  was  increasing  his  own  prosperity,  and  his  record  as  a  man  and  citizen  and 
father  of  a  family  is  a  heritage  of  gc)od  both  for  his  children  and  for  the  state. 

He  was  born  in  Maryville.  Missouri.  March  17.  1818,  three  years  before 
that  sovereign  state  was  admitted  to  the  Union  under  the  Compromise  act. 
He  was  of  English  ancestry.  He  was  reared  and  educated  in  the  state  of 
Illinois  amid  the  primiti\-e  surroundings  of  that  day.  He  crossed  the  plains 
to  California  in  1850,  close  in  the  wake  of  the  earliest  forty-niners,  and 
on  his  way  passed  through  the  country  which  afterward,  as  a  state,  he  so 
adorned  as  a  citizen.  After  a  safe  arrival  in  California  he  mined  with  good 
success  in  several  of  the  placer  diggings,  and  in  1868  came  to  Austin,  Ne- 
vada, whither  he  was  attracted  b)-  the  mining  prospects  uncovered  there. 
Three  years  later,  in  1871.  he  settled  upon  a  ranch,  and  for  the  remainder  of 
his  life  devoted  himself  to  what  is  perhaps  the  most  \-aluable  industry  of 
Nevada,  notwithstanding  its  mineral  wealth.  He  was  a  successful  stock- 
raiser,  and  added  to  his  land  until  he  was  the  owner  of  some  large  and  valu- 
able tracts,  comprising  several  ranches,  on  each  of  which  he  had  residences, 
besides  his  pleasant  home  in  Austin,  where  he  nominally  li\ed. 

Mr.  Spencer  was  a  life-long  Democrat  in  politics,  and  as  such  was 
elected  to  the  state  legislature  and  gave  a  term  of  creditable  service  in  that 
capacity.  Mr.  Spencer  died  in  Januar)-,  1891.  in  the  seventy-fourth  year  of 
his  life,  and  his  death  was  sincerely  mourned  as  the  occasion  of  the  loss  of 
an  intelligent,  pul)lic-spirited  citizen,  and  a  man  regarded  with  deep  venera- 
tion by  his  wide  circle  of  friends  and  by  his  family. 

He  was  happily  married  in  1872  to  Mrs,  S.  E.  ]\Ioxley,  a  daughter  of 
William  Huber,  who  was  a  nati\e  of  the  state  of  Pennsylvania  and  an  early 
settler  in  Iowa.  Mrs.  Spencer  liad  a  daughter  t)y  her  former  marriage. 
F.niina  Mo.xley,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  John  Pollock.  Two  sons  were  born 
to  .Mr.  and  Mrs.  Spencer,  John  H.  and  George  S.,  both  now  married,  and 
tlu-y  and  their  mother  are  now  engaged  in  the  management  of  the  large  estate 
left  by  their  father.  Mr.  Spencer  had  done  much  during  his  lifetime  for  the 
raising  of  the  standard  of  cattle  in  this  state,  and  l)y  the  introduction  of 
blooded  Durham  cattle  made  this  industry  more  ])rofitable  both  to  himself  and 
to  the  community.  He  was  always  willing  to  gi\-e  his  hand  to  any  public 
enterprise,  and  he  is  especially  remembered  in  the  county  for  his  efforts  in 
this  direction.  He  was  reared  in  the  faith  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  while 
Mrs.  Spencer  is  a  Methodist,  and  she  enjoys  the  esteem  of  many  friends  in 
the  city  anfl  count)'  where  she  has  spent  .so  many  of  her  years. 


W.  C.  OWENS,  the  efficient  ticket  and  freight  agent  of  the  Southern 
Pacific  Railroad  at  Carlin,  Nevarla.  has  lived  in  this  state  since  boyhood, 
and  has  harl  a  most  busy  career.  I'or  the  last  twelve  years  he  has  been  con- 
tinuallv  in  the  cmijloy  of  the  railroad,  and  by  his  diligent  work  and  attention 
to  business  and  coiu-teous  treatment  of  patrons  of  the  road  has  won  the 


A  HiSTURV  OJ'   NEVADA.  751 

esteem  of  (illiciaN  ami  lellnw  citizens,  lia\'iug"  been  a  puinilar  resident  uf 
e\cry  ti>\\  ti  in  wliicli  lie  has  been  located. 

His  fatber,  I'atrick  Owens,  was  liorn  in  Ireland,  and  came  to  the  United 
States  when  a  boy.  He  was  married  in  New  Jersey  to  Miss  Sarah  Ann 
Daily,  a  native  of  that  state.  In  1865  he  went  to  California  by  way  of  the 
Isthmus  (jf  Panama,  and  after  eight  years  spent  in  that  state  came  to  Nevada. 
He  wa.s  a  railroad  man  by  nccupation.  and  was  made  the  first  roadmaster  at 
Toana.  Late  in  life  he  returned  to  California,  and  lost  his  life  by  drowning 
in  the  Stockton  channel  in  1H83.  He  left  his  wife  and  six  children,  three 
sons  and  three  daughters,  the  daughters  lieing  as  follows:  Mary  E.,  now 
Mrs.  Joseph  Gonegle.  of  Utah,  and  her  husband  is  the  first  conductor  who 
has  receivefl  a  ])ensi(}n  for  old  age,  getting  forty  dollars  per  month;  Nellie 
is  the  wife  of  W.  C.  I3w\er.  yard  master  at  Winnemucca:  Annie  is  the  wife 
of  Alfred  Card,  a  conductor  on  the  Southern  Pacific  with  residence  at  Win- 
nemucca. 

W.  C.  Owens  was  born  in  West  Brooklyn,  Massachusetts.  January  25. 
1858,  and  in  consecfuence  of  his  conn'ng  to  California  at  the  age  of  seven  years 
and  making  many  moves  in  youth,  he  had  to  pick  u])  his  education  as  best 
he  could  by  his  own  efforts.  He  was  but  a  boy  when  he  entered  the  railroad 
station  at  \\'innemucca  as  messenger  boy  and  also  learned  telegraphy.  He 
was  emjiloyed  in  the  freight  department  at  Palisade  in  1876,  and  for  the 
following  fifteen  years,  till  1891,  was  in  the  county  recorder's  oftice  as  deputy, 
and  principal  seven  years  of  the  time.  In  1891  he  returned  to  railroading, 
and  has  been  in  most  of  the  stations  from  Boca  to  Halleck. 

Mr.  Owens  was  married  in  1893  to  Miss  Lizzie  i\L  Dow,  a  daughter 
of  D.  W.  Dow,  of  Red  Blufif,  California,  but  now  residing  in  Austin,  Nevada. 
Mr.  Owens  joined  the  lodge  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  at  Battle  Mountain 
in  1895;  in  ]3olitics  he  is  a  Democrat,  and  gave  liearty  su])))ort  to  the  sil\-er 
movement  of  a  few  years  ago.  He  is  a  bright  and  capable  business  man, 
and  has  made  a  good  record  in  the  work  in  w  hich  he  has  been  engaged,  with 
especial  credit  because  he  started  in  at  the  \'ery  bottom  and  in  the  most 
subordinate  position  and  b\'  Ins  diligence  wnn  iir.iniotion  to  more  responsi- 
ble duties. 


JAMES  DEWAR,  one  oi  the  enterprising  and  representative  citizens  of 
Elko,  has  been  a  resident  of  the  state  of  Nevada  for  over  a  cpiarter  of  a 
century,  and  has  advanced  from  a  wage-earner  to  one  of  the  prosperous  men 
of  Elko  county.  He  is  a  good  example  of  wliat  honest  Scotch  effort  can 
accomplish  in  this  state  of  opportunities.  He  came  to  the  United  States 
when  tw  enty-two  years  old,  and  inr  some  years  worked  by  the  day  or  month, 
after  which  his  tln'ifty  and  economical  habits  enabled  him  to  start  in  the 
stock-raising  business,  in  which  he  has  met  with  his  greatest  success,  although 
he  has  also  made  mone)'  at  several  other  enterprises. 

Mr.  Dew'-ar  was  born  in  Scotland.  November  17.  185 1.  of  highland 
Scotch  ancestry.  He  was  reared  and  educated  in  the  fair  old  city  of  Perth, 
and  in  1873  came  to  the  new  world.  For  two  years  he  worked  as  a  farm 
hand  in  Pennsyh'ania  for  eighteen  dollars  a  month,  and  in  1875  took  passage 


752  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

for  California,  wliere  he  tliought  opportunities  for  a  man  like  him  would 
he  hetter.  On  the  journey  a  traveling  acquaintance  persuaded  him  that 
there  were  already  too  many  working  men  in  California,  and  that  a  hetter 
stopping  place  for  him  would  he  Nevada.  He  accordingly  decided  on  Reno 
as  a  permanent  location,  and  he  has  never  regretted  his  choice.  He  first 
worked  as  a  cowboy  on  a  ranch  for  thirty-five  dollars  a  month  and  lx)ard,  and 
at  the  end  of  three  years  had  saved  enough  to  buy  a  few  cattle  and  start 
himself  in  the  sttjck  business.  He  soon  had  accumulated  a  good  Ininch,  but 
in  one  hard  winter  lost  about  a  quarter  of  them.  It  was  his  good  fortune 
to  he  better  provided  with  hay  and  forage  than  most  of  his  neighbors,  so 
that  his  losses  were  inconsiderable,  comparatively.  He  has  continued  steadily 
and  prosperously  in  the  business  up  to  the  present  time,  and  by  mixing  the 
Durham  and  Hereford  breeds  has  brought  his  stock  up  to  a  high  standard 
and  worth  good  prices.  He  has  had  as  many  as  five  hundred  and  fifty  head 
on  his  land.  He  has  also  engaged  in  the  dairy  business,  with  alx5ut  forty 
milch  cows,  and  sold  milk  and  liutter.  He  now  owns  eight  hundred  acres  of 
pasture  and  meadow  land,  has  a  mountain  pasture  of  four  hundred  acres, 
and  is  likewise  entitled  to  a  large  mountain  range  back  of  his  own  lands. 
Another  enterprise  in  which  he  has  met  with  success  is  the  manufacture  of 
srxla  water.  He  supplies  the  towns  in  a  radius  of  fifty  miles  from  Elko  with 
this  product,  and  the  trade  is  quite  remunerative. 

Mr.  Dewar  has  consistently  adhered  to  the  Republican  party  except  on 
the  silver  question,  but  has  never  Ijeen  an  office-seeker.  He  has  manifested 
considerable  interest  in  educational  affairs,  and  was  one  of  the  school  trustees 
when  the  Elko  schools  were  graderl  and  the  county  high  school  established. 
In  1881  Mr.  Dewar  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Isabella  McLaren,  a 
native  of  Scotland  and  of  lowland  ancestry.  The  following  children  ha\e 
been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dewar.  all  in  Elko :  Mary  Elizal)eth :  .\nna 
Bella,  now  a  teacher:  Catherine  Louise:  Ella  Nevada;  Archibald  James:  and 
John,  who  died  at  the  age  of  five  years.  The  family  are  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  church,  and  Mrs.  Dewar  was  the  fourth  member  to  join  the 
church  in  Elko,  and  Mr.  Dew-ar  is  one  of  the  trustees.  ]\Ir.  Dewar  is  master 
of  finance  in  the  local  branch  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias.  The  ranch  is  located 
alxiut  two  miles  east  of  Elko,  and  the  family  spend  their  summers  there, 
Init  during  the  winter  months  spend  their  time  in  their  nice  home  in  Elko. 
In  igoi  Mr.  Dewar  took  his  wife  and  children  back  to  his  native  land  of 
bonnie  Scotland,  where  the  children  were  made  acquainted  with  the  scenes 
of  their  jjarents'  youth,  and  with  relatives  and  friends,  so  that  the  trip  is 
one  of  the  bright  and  never  to  he  forgotten  events  in  the  family  history. 


JOHN  O'KANE,  for  thirty-three  years  a  resident  of  the  state  of  Nevada, 
and  one  who  has  seen  and  experienced  the  ups  and  downs  of  western  life 
in  an  unusual  degree,  but  with  the  hajjpy  result  that  the  horn  of  plenty  has 
at  last  showered  its  fruits  upon  him  and  given  him  enough  and  to  spare  for 
his  Last  years,  is  a  native  of  Ireland,  bom  in  county  Derry,  October  26,  1848. 
Both  his  father  and  mother  remained  in  that  isle  all  their  lives,  and  the 
former  lived  to  the  age  of  ninety-one  and  the  latter  to  the  age  of  sixty-six. 


A  insroin-  of  nicvada.  753 

John  O'Kaiie  was  educated  in  Ins  native  (■(luntr)-,  and  was  sixteen  years 
old  wlien  lie  came  to  America  I'or  tlic  tirst  time.  I  lis  first  location  was  on 
Long  island,  New  Ndrk,  w  licre  he  worked  on  a  farm  for  eleven  dollars  a 
month,  and  toiled  from  daylight  till  after  dark.  As  soon  as  his  time  was 
out  he  went  to  Philadelphia  and  was  a  messenger  hoy  in  a  large  mercantile 
house  until  the  following  fall,  when  he  took  passage  for  California,  by  way 
of  the  Isthmus.  On  his  arrival  he  worked  on  a  railroad,  and  then  placer- 
nn'ned  in  Placer  county.  At  the  end  of  the  first  year  he  paid  for  his  claim 
and  had  two  thousand  dollars  o\-er,  and  refused  an  offer  of  two  thousand  and 
fi\'e  hundred  dollars  for  the  clrn'm.  The  rainy  season  came  on,  his  claim 
was  flooded,  and  he  lost  all  he  had  made  and  was  glad  to  accept  a  thousand 
dollars  for  the  mine,  .\fter  paying  his  debts  he  had  three  hundred  and 
seventy-fi\e  dollars.  He  worked  for  two  months  in  (Irass  valley,  and  then 
started  for  Nevada,  attracted  by  the  White  Pine  excitement:  but  before  he 
reached  there  the  cold  weather  was  forcing  the  prospectors  Ijack,  and  be 
started  to  return  from  .\rgenta  to  California:  his  funds  gave  out  and  be 
was  glad  to  get  a  job  on  the  section  at  Lovel(x:ks,  Nevada,  where  be  worked 
for  four  months.  He  then  joined  with  Parker  Brown  in  digging  the  first 
ditch  in  the  valley,  and  afterward  took  up  a  quarter  section  two  and  a  half 
miles  south  of  Lovelocks,  which  be  improved  and  sold.  He  was  then  employed 
as  section  lioss.  but  in  1872  returned  to  ranching:  he  invested  all  bis  money, 
borrowed  enough  to  buy  a  number  of  cattle  at  forty-five  dollars  a  head;  he 
kept  them  for  seven  years  and  sold  them  for  $14.50  jier  head,  just  coming  out 
e\-en  with  nothing  to  pay  for  bis  labor:  the  following  year  be  might  have 
.sold  the  cattle  for  thirty  dollars  a  bead,  but  the  gritty  westerner  never  grieves 
over  bygones,  and  Mr.  O'Kane  was  soon  plunging  into  other  ventures  with,  as 
much  zeal  as  ever.  He  bad  sold  bis  former  ranch  and  taken  up  another,  and 
in  company  with  some  other  men  built  the  Lake  Shore  and  Lbiion  canal,  by 
which  they  brought  water  to  a  large  part  of  tlie  western  end  of  the  valley : 
this  pro\-ed  a  very  successful  enterjirise.  In  1879  he  gave  up  farming  and 
Iniilt  a  stamp  mill  two  miles  aliove  Rye  Patch,  but  found  the  ore  too  costly 
to  work,  and  once  more  went  to  farming.  In  1884  be  sold  bis  property  and  for 
the  following  two  years  was  yard  boss  on  the  railroad  at  Wadsworth,  at  a 
salary  of  ninety  dollars  per  month. 

Mr.  O'Kane  had  made  and  saved  considerable  money  b)-  this  time,  and 
he  returned  to  his  native  country  ami  spent  three  years  in  travel,  but  came 
back  to  Lovelocks  lietter  satisfied  than  ever  with  this  thriving  Nex'ada  town. 
In  1888  be  went  back  east  and  was  married  to  Miss  Anna  Prollie,  a  native 
of  bis  own  town  in  Ireland. 

On  his  return  to  Lovelocks  he  bought  one  thousand  acres  of  land,  and  then 
began  the  building  of  the  Irish-. \merican  ditch,  win'ch  cost  twenty  thousand 
dollars  and  brought  water  to  si.x  ranches  aggregating  about  three  thousand 
acres  of  land.  He  sowed  bis  ranch  to  alfalfa,  sold  two  good  farms  out  of 
it,  and  then  invested  all  bis  capital  in  sheep:  the  winter  of  1889-90  was  a 
very  hard  one  and  there  was  little  hay,  so  that  two-thirds  of  his  .sheep,  worth 
twelve  thousand  dollars,  jierisbed.  This  severe  setback  caused  him  and  bis 
wife  several  years  of  bard  labor  before  they  were  once  more  firmly  fi.xed  in 
worldly  affairs.      But   since  then  they  have   met   with   gratifying  and   con- 

48 


To-t  A  HISTORY  Ol''  NE\^\D.\. 

tinuous  success,  and  he  now  has  ten  UiDUsand  shoe])  un  his  ranch  and  is  ac- 
counted one  of  the  most  prosperous  men  in  this  hue  of  husincss  in  Humholdt 
county. 

Mr.  OKane  huih  a  nice  residence  in  Lo\elocks.  surrounded  with  a 
grove  of  sliade  trees,  and  liere  lie  enjoys  all  the  comforts  for  whicli  he  and  his 
wife  ha\e  strixen  so  hard  in  the  past.  He  owns  four  hundred  acres  of  land 
close  up  to  the  town.  .Altogether  Mr.  O'Kane  has  made  three  voyages  liack 
to  his  native  land  to  \isit  relatives.  He  and  his  wife  are  memliers  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  cluu'ch.  h'or  a  numher  of  }ears  he  was  affiliated  with  tlie 
Democratic  party,  hut  t\)r  the  jiast  twenty-ti\e  has  heen  a  Repuhlican:  lie 
has  never  sought  office,  and  is  content  to  be  classed  among  the  indlislrious  and 
good  citizens  of  Lo\elocks. 


MYRON  PIXLEY,  now  one  of  the  prosperous  retired  citizens  of  Elko, 
is  one  of  the  well  known  jjioneers  of  the  state.  He  came  to  the  territory,  as  it 
was  then,  forty  years  ago,  and  until  a  few  years  since  has  been  a  hard-working 
and  enterprising  stockman  for  the  most  part,  although  since  coming  to  the 
state  he  has  followed  mining  and  other  means  of  livelihood.  He  is  a  self- 
made  man,  for  he  has  heen  making  his  nwn  wa\'  since  he  was  fourteen  years 
old,  and  western  pluck,  perse\'eraiice  and  business  sagacity  ha\e  placed  him 
with  the  prosperous  men  of  the  state.  He  was  actively  engaged  in  the  stock- 
raising  Ijusiness  for  thirty  years,  and  made  a  gratifying  success  of  it  from 
small   beginnings. 


yir.  Pixley  is  the  son  of  Mark  and  Nancy  (Wright)  Pixley,  of  Scotch- 
Irish  ancestry,  the  former  a  native  of  Massachusetts.  They  moved  to  the 
state  of  ^Michigan  in  1843,  \vhere  Mrs.  Nancy  Pixley  died  in  1847,  leaving 
four  children.  In  1852  her  husliand  went  to  California  by  w'ay  of  the  Isthmus 
of  Panama  and  settled  in  Marysville,  where  he  built  a  house,  Imt  the  fire  of 
that  year  swept  away  all  he  had.  He  then  went  to  the  mines  at-  Forest  City 
and  Alleghany,  building  a  residence  at  the  latter  place  and  remaining  tliere 
several  years,  after  which  he  went  to  North  San  Juan  and  engaged  in 
hydraulic  mining,  in  which  he  had  g^ood  success.  He  made  a  visit  to  Nevada, 
but  returned  to  Mar\-sville,  and  died  in  San  Juan  in  1870,  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
three.  Of  his  children.  Myron  .and  Mead\illc  are  in  Nevada,  the  latter  in 
Mountain  City. 

Myron  Pixle_\-  was  born  in  the  state  of  New  York,  at  Lafayette,  Marcli 
9,  1842,  and  has  resided  in  the  west  since  he  was  ten  years  old.  which  was 
his  age  when  his  father  brought  him  to  California.  He  received  most  of  his 
education  in  the  latter  state,  and  at  the  age  of  fourteen  began  clerking  in  a 
store  in  San  Juan,  lie  made  his  arrival  in  Nevada  in  1863.  being  attracted 
I)y  the  mining  excitement  at  .Austin,  and  for  the  first  three  years  was  engaged 
in  mining.  He  then  .sold  out,  and  for  a  few  years  was  in  White  Pine  county. 
In  1870  he  had  only  enough  money  to  buy  a  few  head  of  cattle,  Init  with 
these  he  embarked  in  tlie  stock-raising  business.  He  continued  with  increasing 
success,  and  when  he  sold  his  ranch  and  stock  interests  in  1900,  his  pro|icrtv 
consisted  of  two  thfuisand  acres  in  Lamoille,  which  he  had  owned  for  twenty- 
four  vears,  besides  a  large  number  of  cutlc  .ntd  oilier  accessories.     Pie  had 


A  HISTOI«^  OF  NEVADA.  755 

followed  the  policy  f)f  crossing  the  Hereford  and  Galloway  breeds,  and  hi? 
cattle  were  of  high  grade  and  lironght  good  prices.  After  selling  this  ranch 
he  bought  six  hundred  acres  of  sage-brush  land  in  Star  valley,  and  after 
making  it  an  aralile  and  ])roductivc  tract  sold  it  for  much  more  than  he  paid, 
lie  has  worked  hard  for  all  he  got,  and  his  associates  have  always  esteemed 
him  for  his  u])rightness-  and  honor.able  dealings.  He  is  now  living  retired 
in  his  pleasant  home  in  Elko,  and  he  also  owns  other  residence  and  business 
property  in  the  town. 

Mr.  Pixley  has  always  adhered  t(j  Republican  principles,  Ijut  did  not 
follow  the  ])arty  leadershi])  during  the  silver  movement.  Fraternally  he  is 
a  member  of  the  y\ncient  Order  of  United  Workmen.  He  was  married  in 
1865  to  I\Iiss  Sonora  Kleese,  a  native  of  the  state  of  Pennsylvania,  and  f'.mr 
children  have  been  born  to  them:  Hattie,  now  Mrs.  Taufer,  a  resident  of 
Star  valley;  Nella.  Mrs.  W.  ^V.  Spurgeon :  Lottie,  at  home;  and  Mira  V., 
who  died  in  infancy.  Mrs.  Pixley  and  her  daughters  are  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  church,  and  the  fruiiily  ba\e  many  friends  throughout  the 
county. 

WILLIAM  A.  REYMERS,  a  native  sou  of  Nevada  and  a  prominent 
farmer  of  Lyon  county,  resichng  in  Mason  valley  near  Yerington,  was  born 
November  9,  1879,  and  comes  of  (lerman  descent.  His  father,  Barney  H. 
Reymers,  was  born  in  Germany  and  came  to  the  United  States  some  thirty 
years  ago,  settling  in  Mason  valley,  where  he  improved  a  government  farm  of 
three  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  There  he  still  resides  and  is  one  of  the  lead- 
ing men  of  his  community.  He  married  Miss  Henrietta  Met.scher,  a  native  of 
Germany,  and  eight  children  were  born  to  them,  six  of  whom  are  living, 
namely:  Edith,  Mrs.  George  Jones,  resides  in  Wadsvvorth,  Nevada;  Mary. 
Mrs.  T.  G.  Nichols,  lives  in  Mason  valley :  Alvina,  Alice  and  Julia  are  at 
home.  Mrs.  Reymers  departed  this  life  on  November  3,  1902.  In  politics 
the  father  is  a  Republican,  and  in  1897  was  elected  to  the  Nevada  .state 
assembly,  in  which  body  he  made  a  creditable  record. 

William  A.  Reymers  was  born  in  Mason  valley,  where  he  was  reared 
;nid  educated,  attending  the  common  schools,  and  he  is  now  one  of  the  most 
intelligent  and  progressive  young  farmers  of  Mason  valley. 

May  8,  T90T,  be  married  l<"Iora  Walter,  a  native  of  California  and  a 
daughter  of  James  Waltei\  They  ha\-e  a  son  whom  they  have  named 
Arthur,  a  bright  little  fellow,  \\nien  Mr.  Reymers  became  oi  age  he  joined 
Hope  Lodge  No.  22,  A.  I''.  &  A.  M.,  Yerington,  and  is  now  its  treasurer. 
He  is  also  a  member  of  the  ^Voodmen  of  the  \Vorld,  and  is  veiy  popular  in 
1)oth  l)odies,  as  well  as  in  his  community,  where  he  l)ears  so  important  a  ]iart 
in  its  upbuilding. 

JOSEPH  O'NEAL.  The  year  1857,  the  date  of  Joseph  O'Xeabs  ar- 
ri\-al  in  the  Territory  of  Nevada,  was  an  early  one  in  the  history  of  that 
commonwealth,  and  he  may  be  considered  one  of  Nevada's  pioneers,  although 
he  is  hinisell  not  old  in  \ears,  and  was  only  a  child  when  he  came  here  in 
com]i;ui\    with  his  mother.     Mr.  O'Neal  is  of  Scotch-Irish  ancestry,  and  is 


750  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

the  son  of  Lewis  and  Xancy  ( McWilliams)  O'Neal.  His  father  (hed  in 
Arkansas  when  the  children  were  still  young,  and  his  widow,  with  her  three 
sons  and  diree  daugliters,  crossed  the  plains  to  Ne\-ada  in  1857.  The  eldest 
son,  G.  W.  O'Neal,  now  lives  in  Elko  county,  Nevada;  Mrs.  Mary  Shirley 
li\-es  in  Santa  Cruz,  California,  T\Irs.  Sarah  Mitchell  in  San  Jose,  California, 
and  Mrs.  Matilda  .\lcorn  in  Pendleton.  Oregon. 

Joseph  O'Neal,  who  was  born  in  Randolph  county,  Arkansas,  June  i, 
1849,  passed  m(3st  ui  his  _\ears  before  maturity  in  Nevada.  For  seven  years 
he  was  a  cow'hoy  in  Texas  in  the  employ  of  Mr.  C.  King,  a  cattle  king  of 
the  Lone  Star  state,  and  when  he  returned  from  Texas  he  took  up  the  cattle 
Imsiness  on  his  own  account  in  Nevada.  He  has  lieen  in  Humboldt  county 
for  many  years,  and  has  gained  the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  most  suc- 
cessful stock-growers  in  the  countw  He  raises  Hereford  cattle  and  Norman 
and  Percheron  horses,  and  has  had  1  m  range  as  many  as  one  thousand  or 
fifteen  hundred  cattle  in  one  season.  He  has  eighty-three  acres  of  land 
and  a  good  residence  at  Lovelocks,  and  also  an  eighty  twenty  miles  east  of. 
town.  His  principal  crop  is  hav  for  consumption  by  his  stock,  but  he  has 
also  done  some  diversified  farming,  and  he  is  thoruughly  up-to-date  and  pro- 
gressive in  all  his  methofls. 

Mr.  O'Neal  cast  his  first  vote  for  James  G.  Blaine  for  president,  and 
has  ever  since  remained  true  to  the  principles  of  that  party,  although  he 
has  ne\'er  sought  or  held  office.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Ancient  Order  of 
L'nited  Workmen,  and  his  moral  creed  is  to  do  right  to  the  best  of  his 
ability,  and  his  worthy  character  and  his  industry  and  successful  ])rosecution 
of  business  have  won  for  him  the  respect  and  esteem  of  all  with  whom  he 
has  come  in  contact. 

On  May  30,  1887,  Mr.  O'Neal  married  IMrs.  Soiihia  Perkins,  a  nati\e 
of  California  and  the  widow  of  Hugh  Perkins;  her  father  was  Nicholas 
Johnson,  a  cousin  of  George  Lo\-e!ock,  and  she  and  her  sisters  were  reared 
by  the  latter.  Three  children  have  lieen  born  of  this  marriage:  (iladys 
Gay,  Edith  Sepha  and  Manila  Guyala.  Mrs.  O'Neal  had  two  children  by 
her  first  h.usliand,  .Mbert  Hill  Perkins  and  Lillie  May,  the  latter  the  wife 
of  .S.  G.  Lamb,  the  sheriff  of  Humboldt  cnuntv.  and  residing  in  Winnemucca. 


A.  FRENCH  is  the  vice-president  of  the  Nevada  Planing  Mill  Com- 
pany, doing  business  at  Reno,  and  is  the  manager  of  the  plant  which,  imder 
his  capable  control,  is  turning  out  a  product  that  finds  a  rcadx'  sale  on  the 
market  and  brmgs  lo  the  stockholders  a  good  financial  return.  Alert  and 
enterprising.  Mr.  I'rench  is  numbered  among  the  most  prnmincnt  and  pro- 
gressi\-e  business  men  of  this  ])art  df  the  state. 

A  native  of  Ohio,  Mr.  I'"rench  was  born  Noxember  6,  kS^^*^,  and  is 
descended  in  both  the  paternal  and  maternal  lines  from  English  ancestry  of 
Quaker  faith.  His  i)aternal  grandfather,  a  native  of  England,  emigrated 
from  that  country  and  on  reaching  ,\merica  established  his  home  in  Fulton, 
NeW'  Y(jrk.  He  brdught  with  him  the  first  machinery  for  cutting  nails  seen 
in  this  country,  and  was  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  nails  throughout  his 
active  business  career.      His  son,    Hiram   I'rench,   the   father  of  .\.    I'"rench, 


A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA.  757 

was  lioni  in  rrcutdii,  Xcw  Jersey,  and  was  married  to  Miss  Maria  Hadley, 
a  nati\e  of  Morristown,  Pennsylvania.  Her  fatlier  was  also-  lx)rn  in  Eng- 
land, and  when  he  crossed  the  Atlantic  in  1750  took  up  his  aliode  in  the  Key- 
stone state.  Hiram  French,  \vh(j  was  a  contractor  and  builder,  removed  to 
()lii(t  in  1837,  settling-  in  Miami  county,  and  in  1860  he  removed  to  Jasper 
count)',  iow.n,  where  he  spent  his  remaining  days,  his  death  occurring  in 
1868,  when  he  had  reached  the  age  of  si.xty-four  years.  His  wife  had  de- 
parted this  life  in  the  twenty-seventh  year  of  her  age.  They  were  both 
menil)ers  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  or  Quakers,  and  were  people  of  nuich 
wurth.  honor  and  reliabilitx*. 

.\.  I'rench  spent  the  days  of  bis  b<i\ho(id  and  youth  in  the  state  of  his 
nati\it\-,  remaining  in  Ohio'  until  his  nineteenth  year,  when  he  left  home 
and  tra\eled  o\er  Illinois,  Iowa,  southern  Missoiu"i,  Mississi])pi,  .Mabania 
and  Tennessee.  Then  he  made  bis  way  to  California  in  1875.  I)iu"ing  the 
greater  ])art  of  his  business  career  he  has  been  connected  with  the  lumber 
trade.  He  was  with  the  Carson-Taboe  Lumber  &  Flume  Company  for 
fifteen  years,  and  was  engaged  in  the  foundry  business  in  Virginia  City 
for  a  number  of  years.  He  built  the  Hobart  iNIills  in  Nevada  county.  Cali- 
fornia, and  in  connection  with  .\.  S]iencer  built  the  planing  mill  in  Reno,  of 
which  be  is  now  manager.  They  ha\e  a  large  local  demand  for  the  lumber, 
and  they  also  ship  on  quite  an  extensive  scale  to  California,  Colorado  and 
other  points.  Their  annual  business  has  reached  a  large  figure,  and  a  more 
extended  mention  of  it  is  made  in  a  sketch  of  the  enterprise  elsewhere  in 
these  pages. 

In  1865  Mr.  French  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Margaret  Hogarty. 
wb(^  was  born  near  New  Orleans,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  the  following 
children:  Mabel,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  D.  M.  Faircbild;  Valley,  the  wife 
of  General  J.  D.  Toreyson,  of  Carson  City,  Nevada;  Bessie,  the  wife  of  John 
Butler;  Hadley,  the  wife  of  PI.  Lemon,  also  a  resident  of  Car.son  City,  and 
Georgie,  who  is  a  successful  teacher  and  makes  her  home  with  her  parents. 
Mr.  French  and  his  family  are  very  highly  respected  and  have  a  wide  circle 
of  friends  in  Reno  and  throughout  the  state.  Starting-  out  upon  an  inde- 
pendent business  career  wdien  a  yoimg  man.  Mr.  French  has  advanced  along 
lines  deiuanding-  strong  mentality,  business  acumen  and  foresight,  and  to-day 
he  is  a  leading  representati\-e  of  the  industrial  interests  of  Nevada,  conducting 
one  of  the  most  important  enterprises  of  Reno.  He  has  never  made  an  en- 
gagen-ient  that  he  has  not  met  nor  incurred  an  obligation  that  he  has  not 
discharged,  and  he  is  honored  by  his  business  associates  as  well  as  his  friends 
in  social  circles. 

HON.  THOMAS  WREN,  to  whose  patient  labors  in  the  last  days  of  his 
life  the  production  of  this  "History  of  the  State  of  Nevada"  is  due,  ended  his 
monumental  and  useful  career  in  death,  on  Friday  afternoon,  February  5 
1904.  His  departure  was  as  the  dropping  of  the  ripened  "fruit  in  the  calm 
of  a  summer  night,  for  he  had  already  attained  the  advanced  age  of  eighty 
vears,  yet  it  was  all  the  more  the  occasion  of  sincere  sorrow  on  the  ])art  of 
the  thousands  in  the  state  who  at  soiue  time  or  other  had  come  under  his 
beneficent  influence.     When  the  announcement  of  bis  death  was  n-iade  to  the 


758  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

district  court  in  session,  read)'  trilnites  from  tlie  licart  were  \-oice(l  hy  niem- 
Ijers  of  the  bar  to  one  who  had  so  honored  it,  and  an  immediate  adjournment 
was  made. 

Judge  Wren  was  stricken  with  a  severe  cold  on  the  21st  of  last  Decem- 
ber, and  his  wife  was  recalled  from  San  Francisco,  where  she  had  gone  to 
do  some  shopping.  She  at  once  returned  and  gave  her  devoted  care  to  her 
husband.  He  recovered  somewhat,  but  his  indomitable  activity  sent  him  out 
too  soon.  On  January  5th  he  went  for  a  walk,  and  returned  home  to  suffer 
a  relapse,  and  ne\er  left  his  bed  again.  His  strength  gradually  failed  him 
and  finally  elibed  completely  away,  until  his  "unconqueralile  soul"  was  re- 
ceived into  the  great  Beyond.  He  had  held  his  rudder  true  through  all  the 
storm  and  stress  of  life,  and  truly  deserved  the  crown  of  the  worthy  and 
righteous.  He  made  a  gallant  struggle  for  life,  hut  his  regrets  for  leaving 
the  world  were  not  for  himself,  hut  for  his  beloved  wife  and  children,  to 
whom  he  wished  to  devote  another  year  of  effort  and  thus  provide  securely 
for  their  future  welfare.  He  had  made  his  last  will  a  few  days  1>efore  his 
death.  The  memory  of  his  unselfish  devotion  and  love  will  remain  forever 
a  priceless  heritage  to  those  he  leaves  lichind,  and  his  noble  exam];le  is  a 
monument  more  lasting  than  bronze. 

Judge  Wren's  character  was  individual,  strong  and  broad.  He  was  a 
man  of  affairs,  a  successful  attorney  before  the  bar,  and  a  statesman.  His 
life  was  regulated  throughout  by  principles  of  honor  and  truth  and  fidelity 
to  his  liest  ideals,  and  in  his  death  the  state  has  losi  one  of  her  grandest  men. 
I'ew  men  were  so  intimately  identified  with  Nevada  history,  for  fifty  3'ears 
of  his  life  had  been  spent  here.  He  was  one  of  the  foremost  mining  men  of 
the  state,  had  extensive  business  interests,  was  a  jurist  of  unexcelled  ability, 
especially  as  a  mining  attorney:  was  a  power  in  the  political  life  of  his  state 
from  the  earliest  days ;  and  in  social  antl  fraternal  affairs  was  esteemed  as 
few  men  are.  His  devotion  and  aft'ection  for  his  friends  were  well  known 
characteristics,  and  his  love  for  family  and  home  was  one  of  the  mainsprings 
of  his  activity.  .Among  his  close  friendshi])s  may  be  mentioned  that  with 
Colonel  Josejih  (h-andclmeyer.  of  Hamilton,  Nevada.  These  two  men  were 
associated  in  mining  ventures  during  their  early  days,  and  had  continued  like 
brothers  all  their  days,  the  Colonel  having  l)een  in  constant  attendruice  upon 
his  friend  till  the  last. 

Judge  Wren  was  a  man  of  indomitable  will,  inflexible  firmness  of  pur- 
pose and  untiring  industry,  and  these  elements  of  character  were  the  ground 
for  his  rise  to  prominence.  .Ml  through  his  career  these  dominant  (|ualities 
were  manifest,  and  the  record  of  his  deeds  may  he  read  with  profit  by  younger 
generations. 

He  was  Ixirn  at  the  town  of  McArthur,  .Athens  county,  Ohio,  January 
2,  1824,  so  that  at  the  time  of  his  death  he  was  a  little  more  than  a  month 
beyond  his  eightieth  birthday.  He  bad  planned  a  celebration  for  this  birth 
anniversary,  l)ut  his  fatrd  illness  made  it  im])ossible.  He  was  a  son  of  native 
Virginians  who  migrated  to  Ohio  among  the  first  settlers  of  that  state,  and 
lK)th  died  when  Mr.  Wren  was  (piite  young.  Because  of  his  early  orphanage, 
he  was  thrown  on  his  own  resources,  and  received  only  the  rudiments  of  a 
common  school  education.     l>ut  at  the  same  time  his  inherent  tastes  and  am- 


A  ]IISr()U\'   Ol'    NF,VAI)y\.  759 

Intiun  l(j(l  liiiu  Ic)  iiii\atc  rcailiiii;'  and  sliuly,  and  his  life-long  (Icsotion  to 
tliese  pursuits  was  tlie  cause  fm"  his  rise  to  one  of  the  leading  members  of 
llic  bar  of  the  Pacihc  coast.  Jle  accumulated  one  nf  the  (niest  law  libra.ries 
in  the  state,  and  this  he  left  to  his  son  Thomas.  Jr. 

In  1830  he  crossed  the  i)lains  to  California,  and  for  the  tollowing  three 
years  was  engaged  in  mining  in  Kldorado  county  and  \icinity.  He  was  ap- 
pointed superintendent  and  chief  engineer  of  a  lai'ge  mining  ditch  property. 
In  1854  he  was  appoin.ted  deputy  clerk  of  Eldorado  county,  ruid  soon  after- 
ward became  a  practicing  lawyer.  In  1863,  between  mining  and  his  law 
practice,  he  studied  mining  engineering.  When  the  Reese  river  excitement 
])re\ailed  in  Nevada  during  1863  he  went  to  Austin,  Lander  county,  where  he 
had  his  law  ofhcc  for  several  years.  From  1864  to  1866  he  was  city  attorney 
of  Austin.  He  went  to  White  Pine  county  in  1868,  ;md  while  there  was  in  a 
]iartnership  with  Hon.  Charles  E.  D.  DeLong.  and  was  also  associated  witli 
Judge  L.  E.  Aldrich  and  J.  S.  Slousson :  as  a  law  firm  they  were  the  leading 
un'ning  lawyers  of  eastern  Nevada  from  1868  to  1873.  The  White  Pine 
mining  district  began  to  decline  in  1873,  and  Mr.  Wren  then  mo\ed  to  Eu- 
reka, where  he  was  a  leading  attorney  for  several  mining  companies,  and 
served  as  ])resident  for  the  Richmond  Mining  Company.  His  most  con- 
s])icuous  work  as  a  l;i\\  ver  was  done  in  connection  with  mining  cases,  and 
his  own  e.xperience  in  that  industry  was  an  important  factor  in  Ins  power 
and  aliility  to  conduct  mining  cases,  with  noted  lawyers  like  Garber,  and 
Thorntons,  anfl  many  other  eminent  lawyers.  He  was  associated  with  the 
famous  Albeon-Richmond  suit  and  the  famous  Raymond  and  Ely  at  I'ioche. 
Lincoln  county,  Nevada,  in  1872.  and  other  cases  on  the  Pacific  coast.  At 
the  time  of  his  death,  he  was  preparing  two  cases  that  involved  millions. 
He  was  indefatigable  in  bis  legal  work,  and  only  two  years  before  his  death 
went  to  Eureka  and  tried  a  case  that  continued  till  midnight. 

Judge  Wren  was  elected  to  the  lower  house  of  the  Nevada  legislature 
in  1874,  and  served  there  with  distinction.  Li  1876  he  was  elected  by  the 
RepuUicans  of  the  state  to  the  forty-fifth  Congress,  and  lu's  career  in  Wash- 
ington was  a  matter  of  pride  to  his  constituents.  He  was  not  a  candidate 
for  re-election,  and  returned  to  the  practice  of  law.  When  Eureka  also  de- 
clined. Judge  Wren  came  to  Reno,  which  he  made  the  place  of  his  permanent 
residence  till  his  death.  He  was  associated  in  jiractice  with  Hon.  T.  V. 
Jnlien  under  the  name  of  W^ren  and  Julien,  and  practiced  alone  after  the  re- 
tirement of  Judge  Julien. 

Mr.  ^^'ren  was  a  xcvy  successful  miner.  He  and  Colonel  (u-andel- 
mever  own  five  famous  mines  in  White  Mining  District,  in  White  Pine  count}', 
that  was  the  mining  Eldorado  of  America :  the  Western  Central  mine.  My 
Maryland  mine.  Monitor  Reindeer  mine.  Eureka  mine  and  Congress  mine. 
He  also  owns  other  United  States  patented  mines,  in  the  Eureka  Mining 
District,  Eureka  county,  Nevada;  some  mining  claims  in  the  Wedekind  dis- 
trict, also  Good  Hope,  at  Mt.  Hope  Mining  District,  in  Eureka  county, 
Nevada.  ^Mr.  Wren  and  a  numl)er  of  other  men  own  the  Johanna,  and  the 
Charter  Lode  in  Eureka  District,  and  Cosmos  soda  mines,  and  others  were 
interested  in  his  property.  In  the  Robinson  Mining  District,  Ely,  White 
Pine  countv,  Nevada,  he  had  interests  in  a  quicksilver  mine  at   Steamboat 


760  A  HISTORY  OF  NEVADA. 

Springs,  where  were  rumors  of  a  big  strike  made  there,  liut  tliey  liave  not 
materiahzed  yet. 

Mr.  Wren,  as  can  l)e  seen  from  the  alxive  facts,  was  very  prosperous 
in  business,  and  yet  he  possessed  that  iiroad  generosity  that  has  made  western 
men.  and  mining  men  in  particular,  an  achnired  class  throughout  the  world, 
Mr.  Wren  was  a  philanthropic  man.  He  did  not  believe  that  death  was  so 
near,  and  had  jnit  off  telling  his  wife  the  condition  of  his  money  matters. 
In  consecjuence  the  large  sums  of  money  owing  him  are  unknown  to  any- 
one except  the  debtors  themselves,  and  most  of  it  may  never  be  collected. 
He  was  everywhere  noted  for  his  kindliness,  and  it  will  never  1)e  known 
how  many  he  has  helped  who  were  down,  and  afforded  the  means  l)y  which 
they  rose  in  the  world.  He  has  maile  fifteen  lawyers  in  Nevada  and  on  the 
Pacific  coast.     His  fine  home  on  Granite  .street  was  built  just  two  years  ago. 

Mr.  Wren  visited  the  World's  Fair  in  Chicago  in  1893,  ^"c'  while  there 
met  Miss  Mary  Para,  to  whom  he  was  married  before  returning  to  Nevada. 
She  is  a  most  estimable  woman,  and  lavished  her  affections  upon  him  during 
his  last  years  so  that  they  were  truly  years  of  peaceful  contentment  and 
happiness.  Of  their  union  two  children  were  born,  Thomas,  Jr.,  and  Marie. 
Thomas,  Jr.,  is  a  wonderfully  bright  little  lad,  resembling  his  father  so  much. 
Plis  father  idolized  him,  and  saw  in  his  mind  the  fulfillment  of  many  l)eautiful 
visions  for  the  future  career  of  his  son,  who  inherits  not  only  the  name  of 
his  father,  but,  much  more,  the  nol)le  example  of  his  life  and  deeds.  Judge 
Wren  had  planned  much  for  the  happiness  of  his  family.  He  intended  taking 
them  all  to  the  St.  Louis  exposition,  and  to  his  old  home  in  Peoria,  Illinois, 
where  Mr.  Wren  owned  \aluable  property,  and  with  all  his  other  resiionsibil- 
ities,  it  seems  that  his  first  thoughts  and  his  happiest  plannings  were  for  his 
family. 

judge  Wren  was  a  true  sportsman,  even  in  his  age,  and  was  considered 
one  of  the  hunter  sages  of  this  part  of  the  state.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Ohio  Society  at  San  Francisco.  He  made  the  fraternal  teaching  and  prin- 
ciples of  Ma.sonry  his  religion.  He  joined  and  was  made  a  Master  Mason 
in  .A.ustin,  Nevada,  in  April,  1858.  and  Royal  Arch  Mason  in  1874,  and  was 
a  Knight  Tem])lar,  and  his  last  rites  were  under  the  auspices  of  the  Masonic 
order.  He  was  a  member  of  Reno  Lodge  No.  13,  F.  &  A.  M.,  Reno  chapter. 
R.  .\.  .M..  Eureka  Commandery  No.  2,  K.  T.,  and  of  Reno  Consistory  No. 
I,  of  the  thirty-second  degree  of  the  Scottish  Rite.  He  never  missed  his 
lodge  meetings.  When  the  Scotti.sh  Rile  lodge  was  organized  in  Reno  about 
a  year  ago  he  prepared  all  the  work,  and  sc\er;il  times  remained  out  till  twn 
or  three  o'clock  in  the  morning. 

For  variety  of  interests,  largeness  of  ideas,  breadth  and  integrity  of 
character,  and  dc\olif)n  to  home  and  all  that  was  good  in  state  and  natinn, 
he  was  a  man  the  like  of  whom  his  fellow  citizens  will  not  soon  look  upon 
again. 


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