USA > Colorado > History of Nevada, Colorado, and Wyoming, 1540-1888 > Part 36
USA > Nevada > History of Nevada, Colorado, and Wyoming, 1540-1888 > Part 36
USA > Wyoming > History of Nevada, Colorado, and Wyoming, 1540-1888 > Part 36
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CHAPTER III.
GOLD DISCOVERIES. 1853-1859.
MYTHOLOGICAL MINES-MEN FROM GEORGIA-THE CHEROKEES-HICKS AND RUSSELL-THE LAWRENCE PARTY-OTHER COMPANIES -AURARIA VERSUS DENVER-THE TOWN BUILDERS-EARLY MERCHANTS AND MANUFAC- TURERS-FIRST GUIDE BOOKS AND JOURNALS-GOLD DISCOVERIES ON BOULDER CREEK AND CLEAR CREEK-RUSSELL AND GREGORY -- CENTRAL CITY AND FAIR PLAY-PIONEER BIOGRAPHY.
Up to 1853 Colorado's scant population still lived in or near some defensive establishment, and had been decreasing rather than increasing for the past decade, owing to the hostility of the Indians.1 The great wave of population which rolled westward after the gold discoveries in California had its effect on this intermediate territory. Traditions of gold nuggets carried in shot-pouches of mountaineers are of early date, a Frenchman named Duchet 2 being one of the careless finders of the royal metal, "away back in the thirties." These stories were wafted abroad, and piqued the curiosity of the California bound pilgrims, who prospected, as opportunity offered, anywhere along the branches of the Platte river.3 A party of Cherokees being en route to California, looking not only for gold, but for a new country in which to locate their people who had been invited to sell their
1 Frémont, in his Explor, Exped., 1843-4, mentions the taking of Roubi- deau's fort, on the Uintah branch of Green river, in northwestern Utah, by the Utes, soon after he passed it in 1814. The men were all killed and the women carried into captivity. Bent's fort was also captured subse- quently, and the inmates slaughtered. The absence of the owners alone pre- vented their sharing the fate of their employés.
2 Hollister's Mines of Colorado, 6; Stuart's Montana, 68-9.
3 Colorado Rem. in San Juan, MS., 1.
(363 )
364
GOLD DISCOVERIES.
lands in Georgia, taking the Arkansas valley route, and the trail by the Squirrel creek divide to the head of Cherry creek, made the discovery that gold existed in the streams of this region. The party continued on to California, and returned in time to Georgia, where they attempted to organize an expe- dition for the Rocky mountains. The news came to the ears of W. Green Russell, a miner of Dahlonega, Georgia, who also projected an expedition to this region.
In the meantime a Cherokee cattle trader from Missouri, named Parks, in driving his herds along the trail, and having had his eyes sharpened by the report of the previous company of his people, dis- covered gold in 1852, on Ralston creek, a small afflu- ent of Vasquez, or Clear creek.4 A column of troops marching through the country a few years later made a similar discovery, on Cherry creek, on the south- west corner of the present state of Colorado; and in 1857 other troops made the same report concerning Cherry creek in the Platte region. Still, but little gold was found, and no excitement followed at that time.
Early in the spring of 1858 the Cherokees organ- ized for a prospecting expedition to the vicinity of Pike's peak. W. Green Russell joined their company with a party of white men. Some difficulties occur- ring in passing through the country of the Osages, part of the Cherokees turned back. The expedition, as finally organized for the plains, consisted of twelve white persons and thirty Indians, among whom were George Hicks, Sen.,6 leader of the company, George Hicks, Jr, John Beck, who had organized the expedi- tion, Ezekiel Beck, Pelican Tigre, and others. The
4 Pabor's Colo. as an Agricultural State, 21-22; King's Geol. Explor., iii. 487-92.
5 Richardson's Hist. Gunnison County, MS., 4; Gilpin's A Pioneer of 1842, MS., 3; Corbett's Legis. Manual, 36; Hayden's Great West, 99-100; Harper's Mag., xli. 373-4.
6 Hicks was a lawyer by profession, had served on the bench as judge, and was a notable man among the Cherokees.
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PROSPECTING EXPEDITIONS.
white persons were George McDougal, brother of Governor McDougal of California, who had a trading post on Adobe creek, a Mr Kirk, wife and two chil- dren, Levi Braumbaugh, Philander Simmons, a moun- taineer of a dozen years' experience, and Messrs Brown, Kelly, Johns, Taylor, and Tubbs. Kelly had a Cherokee wife, who with her sister accompanied him. The company left the Missouri frontier May 12th, and arrived at Bent's new fort in good season ; but the winter had been severe and the spring late," which made travelling difficult. Nor were their labors rewarded that season, though they prospected from the head of the Arkansas to the Platte, and thirty miles to the north ; and only Russell remained, with half a dozen men, who ultimately found digging's where they took out fair wages, on a dry creek put- ting into the Platte seven miles south of the mouth of Cherry creek.
The fame of the Cherokee expedition spread through the Missouri river towns, and soon other companies were on the road to the mountains, without waiting for confirmation of the rumored discoveries. A. com- pany left Lawrence, Kansas, soon after the passage of the Hicks and Russell parties, consisting of fifty men, two of whom, Holmes and Middleton, had families, and went by the Arkansas valley route to the foot- hills of the Front range. At Pueblo they found a few Mexicans, and at Fountain City a mixed settle- ment of Americans and Mexicans, presided over by George McDougal. The company prospected south- ward as far as the Sangre de Cristo pass, some cross- ing the mountains to Fort Massachusetts for supplies. Returning northward along the base of the mountains, they remained two or three months in the Garden of the Gods at the foot of Pike's peak, which a party, including Mrs Holmes, ascended, this woman, being
7 Simmons relates that in the Squirrel creek pineries they found the de- serted camp of Capt. Marcy, who, on his way to join Jonnson's army, lost several men and a large number of sheep by the cold and snow encountered here. Arkansas Val. Hist., 548.
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GOLD DISCOVERIES.
the pioneer of her sex upon this lofty summit. Their camp at this place was called by them Red rocks.
While in this vicinity, the Lawrence company laid out a town at the site of Colorado springs, which they called El Paso, from its location at the mouth of the Ute pass of the mountains, Some of the company took land claims along the Fontaine-qui-Bouille river, above El Paso town site, covering portions of the site where Colorado City now stands. But as no one came to purchase lots, and as no gold had been found in the vicinity, El Paso town company became rest- less, and moved northward to the Platte, a number of them encamping five miles above the present city of Denver, where they again laid out a town, putting up eighteen or twenty cabins, and calling it Montana. Here the company finally disbanded. Part of them again engaged in a real estate venture, laying out the town of St Charles, the site of which embraced 1,280 acres of the ground now occupied by Denver, pos- session of which was subsequently acquired by the Denver people.' The greater portion of the Law- rence company returned to Kansas, some in the autumn and others in the following spring. A few wintered at Pueblo,1º and while there were joined by other companies 11 from the Missouri border.
8 There was also a place called The Eleven Cabins, 14 miles below Denver, on the Platte, but of its history I learn nothing, except the name of the builder, John Rothrack, of Pa.
9 The would-have-been founders of St Charles were Frank M. Cobb, Ad- nah French, William Smith, and William Hartley. Cobb returned later in the autumn to Kansas, leaving Charles Nichols in charge of the new town. On his reappearance on Cherry creek in 1859, he found the Denver company in possession. Cobb mined for three years, and was sutler from 1861 to 1865 to the army in the south, after which he went to Worcester, Mass., where he was engaged in business until 1869, when he embarked in cattle raising and mining in the Gunnison country. He was born at Minot, Maine.
10 Among those who returned to Pueblo to winter were George Peck, Mid- dleton, wife and child, and one McClellan. They returned to the states in the spring, and to Colorado in the autumn of 1859. Peck, with a brother, went to farming on the Goodnight rancho, where he remained till 1865, at which time he engaged in mercantile business in the east. In 1872 he re- turned once more to Colorado, settling at Las Animas, where he again en- gaged in farming and cattle raising. In 1880 he was elected probate judge for Bent county. He married Mary E. Rice in 1871. Arkansas Val. Hist., 877-8.
11 Few of the names of the Lawrence party have been preserved. John T. Younker was one of those who remained. He was a native of Ohio, born
367
AURARIA.
Meanwhile several other parties had set out from various points along the Missouri, arriving at Cherry creek in the autumn, by the route up the Platte. Foremost among these was a little company from Mills county, Iowa, consisting of D. C. Oakes,12 H. J. Graham, George Pancoast, Abram Walrod,13 and Charles Miles. They arrived on the 10th of Octo- ber on the site of Denver, and after paying a visit to W. Green Russell at Placer camp, pitched their tents at this place.
Two weeks later a company of fifteen men arrived on Cherry creek, encamping on the west side of the stream. Among them was Henry Allen from Coun- cil Bluffs, Iowa, a practical surveyor, whose talent and instruments were soon called into the service of town companies. Small parties continued to arrive every few days, encamping for the most part on the west side of Cherry creek, which suggested, of course, a town; and Auraria was duly organized in the latter part of October, with Allen as president of the com- pany. The town plat was surveyed by him, assisted by William Foster. The first building erected was by Anselm H. Barker.14 To add to the population,
Aug. 28, 1833, and bred a farmer. From farm life he went to school teach- ing, and next to telegraphy. He emigrated to Kansas just in time to be- come involved in the troubles there, joining the free state men, and fighting ' border ruffians.' After the failure of the Lawrence company to find gold, he took a land claim on the Platte, five miles from Denver, where he resided until 1879, when he removed to the city. In 1867 he married Annie R. Thompson.
12 D. C. Oakes was born at Carthage, Maine, April 3, 1825. At the age of six yeare he removed with his parents to Gillion, Ohio, four years later to Ind., and the following year to Iowa. In 1849, his parents having died, young Oakes accompanied Abram Walrod to Cal., and mined on American river in partnership with A. R. Colton. Returning home after a few years of life in the mines, he married, and settled at Glenwood, Iowa, as a con- tractor and builder, remaining there until 1858, when he started for Pike's Peak. From this time his life is a part of the history of Colorado. Denver Hist., 538.
13 Abraham Walrod was born in N. Y., Jan. 22, 1825, bred a farmer, and educated at the common schools. In 1843 he removed to Iowa, and in 1849 accompanied D. C. Oakes to Cal., working in the mines for two years. On returning to Iowa he settled at Glenwood, whence he came to Colo in 1858, and engaged in mining. In 1852 he married Emily A. Cramblet of Ill. His daughter Mary was the first white girl born in Denver. Denver Hist., 644-5.
14 Barker was a native of Ohio, born in Gallia county, Nov. 23, 1822, and bred a farmer and blacksmith. He married Aug. 7, 1843, and removed to
369
GOLD DISCOVERIES.
the settlers at Montana were persuaded to move their cabins to Auraria 15 and become incorporated with the prospective city,16 every settler being allowed as many lots as he would build upon.
Iowa soon after. In 1857 he again removed to the new town of Plattsmouth in Neb., whence he came to Colorado, where he remained and worked at his trade. Among his discoveries was the Total Eclipse mine at Leadville. He was sergeant-at-arms of the constitutional convention of 1876.
15 Auraria was named after a town in Lumpkin county, Georgia, by some persons from that mining region. Some authorities state that it was named after some person, for which assertion I find no ground. There were many miners from Georgia who would wish to compliment their former residence or preserve their home memories in this way. I quote Byers' Hist. Colo., MS., 17; Sopris' Settlement of Denver, MS., 1. In Hollister's Mines of Colorado, 10, it is said that J. L. Russell of Auraria, Geogia, named the place.
16 Richard Sopris, one of the Auraria town company, was born in Bucks co., Pa., June 26, 1813. He was bred a farmer, and learned the trade of a carpenter. On the 5th of June, 1837 he married Elizabeth Allen, of Trenton, N. J., and removed to Ind., changing his residence frequently, as he took canal and railroad contracts in various parts of the state. He arrived at Cherry creek Feb. 1, 1859, in company with Parks. He took an active part in public affairs in Colorado; was a capt. in the first Colo inf .; first president of the Colorado Agricultural society; for two years sheriff of Arapahoe county, 1864-6; assisted in building the railroads of the state; and has been mayor of Denver, and president of the Pioneer association. I found him in- telligent and reliable authority on Colorado affairs, and his contribution of The Settlement of Denver, MS., very important. His family consisted in 1884 of five sons and three daughters.
Andrew J. Williams was a native of N. Y., born Nov. 22, 1833. When the Pike's peak gold fever broke out he left for the mountains in the autumn of 1858, in company with Charles H. Blake -- after whom Blake street, Denver, was named-having four wagons drawn by four yokes of oxen each, carrying merchandise. They arrived Nov. Ist with the first stock of goods, and erected the first store in Auraria, or West Denver. In Dec. they joined the Denver town company, and helped to survey the ground, removing to the east side of the creek in the spring of 1859, where they erected the first hotel, a log house, 110 by 32 feet, and roofed with canvas, situated on Blake street near 15th street. It was burned in 1863. In 1859 Williams engaged in freighting and contracting in Colorado and New Mexico, which he fol- lowed until 1865. He also bought large herds of cattle which he drove to Colorado from Texas, making good profits. He became one of the incorpo- rators and directors of the Exchange bank in 1876, and president in 1878.
Judson H. Dudley, born in N. Y., April 8, 1834, in 1857 went to Neb., and from there to Pike's peak, where he arrived October 20, 1858, and assisted in organizing the town company of Auraria, of which he was vice-president. Subsequently he joined the Denver company. On the breaking out of the war he was appointed quartermaster with the rank of major. He was owner of the Moose mine, and manager of the reduction works at Dudley for five years.
William Cole, a native of N. Y., was born Feb. 16, 1836, and educated at a common school. After a brief experience as a salesman in a mercantile es- tablishment, he travelled through several of the western states, and being caught by the current setting toward the new gold region, found himself on the 20th of October, 1858, at Cherry creek, and when Auraria was being or- ganized joined the town company. Then he went to Missouri to purchase beef and stock cattle, and soon after obtained contracts for furnishing the government posts. In 1865 he engaged in stock raising on a large scale. With Williams & Co. he built 40 miles of the Kansas Pacific railroad.
369
THE AURARIA COMPANY.
Some time during the winter there arrived at Auraria a party from Leavenworth, which had come by the Arkansas route. It consisted of Richard E. Whitsitt,17 George William Larimer, William Lari- mer, Jr, Charles A. Lawrence, Folsom Dorsett, M. M. Jewett, E. W. Wynkoop, Hickory Rogers, and H. A. P. Smith, the last three having been picked up at Pueblo by the Leavenworth party. Immediately on viewing the situation of Auraria, and the relation of Cherry creek to all the routes of travel, these new- comers jumped the town site of St Charles on the opposite or east side of the creek, and organized a company to build a town, which was to be called Den- ver, after the governor of Kansas. A number of the Auraria company joined the Denver company, and
John D. Howland, another of the Auraria company, was a native of Zanesville, Ohio, born May 7, 1843, and educated at Marietta college. In 1857 he took up his residence among the Sioux, in order to paint mountain scenery. He enlisted in the 1st Colo Cavalry, serving four years, and then went to Europe. On returning from abroad he made his home in Colorado, acting as secretary of the peace commission to the northern Sioux in 1867, and serving as a government scout for a number of years. After this he gave himself up to his art, having his studio in Denver.
George C. Schleier, a native of Baden, Germany, who immigrated to the U. S. in 1833 at the age of six years, was one of a party of 30 which left Leavenworth in Sept. 1858, arriving at Auraria Dec. Ist, where they win- tered. In Schleier, Teutonic phlegm and American enterprise were happily united, making him a typical pioneer. He acquired a fortune by these qualities, and became an influential citizen of his adopted state. D. C. Collier, Frank Dorris, George Le Baum, and Cyrus Smith were members of this Leavenworth company, which travelled the Arkansas route.
Matthew L. McCaslin, a native of Pa, wintered at Auraria in 1858-9. He went to Gold hill the following summer, where he mined for four years, after which he settled on a land claim on St Vrain creek, where he secured 750 acres of land. He is a wealthy cattle owner.
William R. Blore, of English ard German parentage, was born in N. Y., July 27, 1833, and removed to Pa in childhood. In 1856 he went to Neb., and thence to Colorado, being one of the Auraria town company. After putting up some buildings he went to Gold run, and in company with Mc- Caslin and Horsfal, discovered the famous Horsfal lode at Gold hill. He became president of the Gold Hill Mining co. in 1860, and realized a fortune.
George R. Williamson was another pioneer of 1858. He was born July 14, 1824, removed to Nebraska, and was elected sheriff of Decatur county in 1856. Thence he went to the Pike's peak country. In 1861-2 in company with H. C. Norton he built the Bear canon toll road. In 1875 he discovered and located the Yellow Pine mine, and the Nucleus, Gray Copper, and Duroc lodes, in Sugar Loaf district. They yielded him over half a million dollars.
17 Whitsitt was a native of Ohio, born March 30, 1830. He was bred to mercantile pursuits, and removed to Kansas on the organization of that ter- ritory, settling at Leavenworth, where he operated in real estate. This prob- ably suggested to him the course he took in Colorado. Denver Hist., 631.
HIST. NEV. 24
370
GOLD DISCOVERIES.
when the founder of St Charles returned from a visit to Kansas in the spring he was compelled to take shares in the new company or lose all, his agent hav- ing already been overpowered. The first secretary of the company was P. T. Basset. He was followed by Whitsitt, who was secretary, treasurer, and donating agent until a grant was obtained from the govern- ment, all the deeds passing through his hands. The town was surveyed by E. D. Boyd, Larimer and A. J. Williams carrying the chain. It was this survey- ing which was assumed to give the new company the superior right. Larimer built the first house 18 after a stockade occupied by William McGaa.19 It was a log cabin 16 by 20 feet, with a ground floor,20 and probably a turf roof. It stood near the corner of Larimer and Fifteenth streets. The second house was erected by Moin and Rice, carpenters and wagon-makers, on Fifteenth street, opposite Larimer, which goes to show that this part of town became the business centre.
The first trader in Denver was John Smith, who was acting as agent for Elbridge Gerry, one of the brothers before mentioned as a wealthy fur-trader. When Blake and Williams opened their stock of goods, Gerry hastened from Fort Laramie and took charge of the business.21 A tin-shop was the third
18 Sopris' Settlement of Denver, MS., 3. There is some doubt about the builder of the first house in Denver. Like so many first things, it has sev- eral claimants. David C. Collier, a native of Mina, N. Y., born Oct. 13, 1832, a descendant of puritan ancestors, a student of Oberlin college, in Ohio, is one of those who built the first house on the east side of Cherry creek.' Clear Creek and Boulder County Hist., 444. Collier drove an ox-team from Leavenworth, and was the first lawyer who offered his professional ser- vices in Colorado. He erected several houses in Denver. He explored a con- siderable portion of Gilpin and Clear Creek counties, White and Uncom- pahgre rivers, and the head waters of the Del Norte and Arkansas rivers, and also the San Juan country. In 1862 he removed to Central city, and besides practising law, edited the Register. He was connected with the educational interests of Colorado as supt of the public schools for Gilpin . county.
19 Hollister's Mine of Colorado, 16.
20 The first building having a wooden floor was at the store of Wallingford and Murphy, at the corner of Larimer and 17th street. Moore's Early Days in Denver, MS., 3.
21 Denver Rocky Mountain Herald, Jan. 8, 1876.
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DENVER VERSUS AURARIA.
business place opened, kept by Kinna and Nye, who had brought a small stock of tin and sheet-iron to make into such articles as were required by miners. They began business in Auraria in November, but were soon induced to remove to Denver. The first stove in Colorado was made by them out of sheet- iron for Blake and Williams' public hall, known as Denver hall, for which they were paid $150. On Christmas 1858 a train of six large wagons belong- ing to Richard Wooten and brother arrived from New Mexico, loaded with provisions, and these goods being placed on sale, made the third trading establishment, and the last before immigration began in 1859. The next large stock of goods which arrived belonged to J. B. Doyle and Fred Z. Salomon, and came from ' the States.' It consisted of twelve large wagon- loads of groceries, provisions, boots and shoes, and miners' tools. A warehouse was erected in Auraria, and an active rivalry in trade was carried on between the two towns, Denver soon after receiving almost as large a stock from New Mexico, belonging to St Vrain and St James, whose store was on Blake street, and was the largest in Denver at the time. It furnished women's and children's shoes, the first offered in Col- orado.
Women and children were not reckoned among the inhabitants of the Pike's peak mining region in 1858, although there were five of the former who saw the beginning of Denver. They were Mrs and Miss Rooker from Salt Lake; Mrs H. Murat;22 Mrs Smoke, who afterward went to Montana; and Mrs Wooten, a native of Mexico. To these were added in August 1859 Mrs W. N. Byers, Mrs Henry Allen, and two daughters. Before winter of that year there were many of all classes in Denver. The first child
22 H. Murat, commonly called 'the count,' was a lineal descendant of Marshal Murat, king of Naples. The countess washed, and the count shaved men's beards-occupations more useful than noble personages usually engage in. He later became an inmate of the Arapahoe county hospital. Byers' Hist. Colo, MS., 82.
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GOLD DISCOVERIES.
born in the town was a half-caste son of McGaa, 23 one of the original town company, who voted to name it after his friend, the governor of Kansas, and to give him a share in the town site.24
The destiny of east Denver as against Auraria was settled in the autumn of 1859 by the arrival of two trains from Leavenworth, aggregating thirty wagons, loaded with merchandise, belonging to Jones and Cartwright, who opened stores on Blake street. "Now," said the Denver partisans, " no more Mexican trash for free Americans. No more one hundred per cent. The trade is ours, and Denver is saved." They made good their word, as it afterward proved-all but the one hundred per cent.25
23 McGaa went by the name of Jack Jones among mountain men. It is said by Moore in his Early Days in Denver, MS., 9, that he was the son of an Irish baronet, but Byers, in Hist. Colo, MS., 73, says he was an American. At all events he was an educated man, aud a good writer. He was a friend and guide of Gen. J. W. Denver, and a shrewd business man. But he fell into dissipated habits, and lost his standing. The town company hastened his final end by changing the name of McGaa street to Holladay street in honor of Ben Holladay. This insult broke his heart. At least, so says Moore, quoted above. McGaa died about 1866.
24 Denver did not visit the place, or claim his lots in accordance with the terms of the grant, until 1882, when his share had been taken possession of, and divided among some of the other members of the company. He would not disturb titles, as the property had passed to innocent purchasers.
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