A Family Memory of KGC Gold? (Part 3)

(CSA 100-Dollar bill; often derisively called
a "shinplaster.")

Here is more from Miss G about the possibility of a family link to a Knights of the Golden Circle (KGC) cache:

Miss G.:

Frank, Jesse, and CSA Money

"After some more 'digging' into the family story which alleges that Frank and Jesse James buried some Confederate (CSA) money at my great grandmother's house, the tale has (if nothing else) become more colorful and perhaps more intriguing, in some respects. You will see below that the exact text of the handwritten document and my mother's memory do not jive 100%."

Treasure Hunting

"For instance, my mom remembered the tale with a 'Prince Albert' tobacco can but as you will see, the text of the letter simply reads 'tobacco can.' Here's what I've been able to piece together:"

Miss D and a Fortune Teller

"Sometime between 1879 and 1900 or so, my great grandma's (we'll call her Miss D) mule was shot and apparently this incident really perturbed her. In fact, it upset Miss D so much that she decided to get a few of her kinfolk together to take a trip to see a local fortune teller, (I swear, I'm not making this up!)."

"My mother is sketchy on who exactly went on this foray, but the purpose was to find out who had shot the mule, (which had survived the gunshot, by the way). The fortune teller was a black man; the group, according to my mom, had been expecting a black woman, but this was her son who claimed that his mother's power had passed into him."

Stolen Loot Under a Walnut Tree

"Anyway, the black man responded to the mule inquiry with some information and then someone, we don't know exactly who, asked about the James Boys' buried money. The handwritten letter that I have reads exactly like this (including misspellings, etc.,) from the document):"

"The fortune teller said that the money Frank (there are scribbles on the paper and one looks like a 'J') and Jesse James had stolen was buried under an old walnut tree in Grandma's pasture but the treasure would never be used. It is believed it was in a tobacco can and it was buried so close to the tree that a root grew around it. The (black?) walnut tree was cut down and the stump dug up and thus the money was never found (but it was indeed CSA money."

"Uncle Jess..."

"This memory is probably the memory of my great uncle George. I've been looking at the family tree, of course, including poring through all of the writing and photographs."

"Great uncle George had several siblings, one of whom we called Uncle Jess. Guess what Uncle Jess' full name is? Yep, Jesse James XXXXX! No, I'm not suggesting that Uncle Jess was one of the many faces of the actual Jesse James of Quantrill's Raiders or the James/Younger gangs, but I do find it really interesting that someone would name their child after an 'outlaw.'

"The Memories are Rather Fuzzy..."

"Yet, as I've said before, my mom's Arkansas kin absolutely view the James and Younger boys as Robin Hood types. Something to ponder..."

"Now all of this is sketchy, at best. The memories are rather fuzzy from all sides, and most likely, when I head out to do some actual metal detecting and digging, I will probably only find a rotten tree stump and a paper clip or two!"

"Nevertheless, the mystery is fun!"

There's more to come from Miss G on this topic, so check back soon. In the meantime, good hunting to you.

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "A Golden Fortune in the Arizona Sands (Conclusion)"

http://treasuretrovegold.blogspot.com/2011/02/golden-fortune-in-arizona-sands.html

(c) J.R. 2011

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

A Golden Fortune in the Arizona Sands (Conclusion)

(Sonoran Desert regions.)

A New Actor Enters the Stage

By the time the next person stumbled upon a fortune in gold nuggets in the arid sands of Arizona’s Sonoran Desert region, the first finder of this vast fortune was already married and raising a family of her own. Maria had not forgotten her wonderful find but she now knew that there were treasures more important than gold in this life.

Treasure Hunting

The next actor to enter the stage of this tale of a field of gold nuggets found and in turn, lost again, was a young cowboy who went by the moniker “Little Jake.” This was to differentiate him from another cowpoke who bunked at the same ranch named Jake also.

Riding Fence

One very warm summer morning Little Jake was assigned the not so enviable task of riding fence along the ranch’s most distant and harsh boundary. This he did as conscientiously as possible, despite the ever-increasing heat of the day.

Right about noontime Little Jake found a broken-down section of fence where a small herd of the ranch’s cattle had skeedaddled out into the desert to disappear into the four winds. Jake took a long pull at his half-empty canteen and started out after them.

Was This Gold!?

The young cowpoke pressed forward into the relentless and punishing heat despite his short supply of water. He eventually found himself in unfamiliar terrain that was littered with yellowish-colored stones as far as the eye could see.

Little Jake dismounted to study these stones more closely. He picked one up and rubbed the desert dust and grit away. Gold? Was this gold!? With shaking hands he gathered up handfuls of the lustrous yellow stones and shoved as many into his saddlebags as he could. Then he set off once again.

Hopelessly Lost in the Sonoran

Hours later Little Jake found himself hopelessly lost in the Sonoran without any more water and the onset of dehydration and near-fatal heat exhaustion. His mount had collapsed earlier and the young cowboy was on his own, his gold-laden saddlebags the only item he carried.

Eventually however, Little Jake discarded the saddlebags too. Gold meant nothing to him now as death tracked him relentlessly under the punishing desert sun.

The Fates Were Kind

But the fates were kind to Little Jake. He was discovered near sunset, wandering aimlessly and nearly dead, by a pair of Mexican vaqueros who had crossed the Arizona border searching for cattle of their own. They took Little Jake to their ranchito where he was nursed back to health in short order.

When he told his tale of lost gold to his ranch bunkmates they laughed at Little Jake or said he was "teched in the head" from his near-death experience. Although Little Jake tried to find his lost field of gold many times over the years, he never did. Nor did anyone else as far as can be determined.

Shifting Desert Sands...

So somewhere in southern Arizona lies a king’s fortune in natural gold nuggets spread across the Sonoran Desert’s vast floor. Perhaps they can still be found by a lucky miner, prospector, or treasure hunter.

But the shifting desert sands are fickle. What they give up, they just as frequently take back…sometimes with a vengeance.

Good hunting to you.

If you liked this post, you may want to read: “A Family Memory of KGC Gold (Part 2)”

http://treasuretrovegold.blogspot.com/2011/02/family-memory-of-kgc-gold-part-2.html

© J.R. 2011

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

A Family Memory of KGC Gold? (Part 2)

(A black walnut tree; not unlike the one mentioned as a possible KGC cache location in Miss G.'s account.)

Here is more of what Miss G. had to say about the possibility of a James Boys/Knights of the Golden Circle (KGC) link to her family history.

Please note once again that I promised to maintain this writer's anonymity and location. These are her words (and mine) with only slight editing and formatting changes for readability.

Miss G.:

"Southern Loyalists"

"My great grandmother received this land from her father, John D., who was a Native American (Saponi Tribe we believe) who received the land as part of his taking U.S. citizenship (the standard land grant of the time was about 600 acres). The D. family lived on this land, in a sort of compound-like structure or little town until Dolly's second husband gambled all of the family money away and Dolly had to leave the land. As far as dates, the D's. were there roughly from the early 1800s until probably the late 1800s or early 1900s (I am getting exact dates from my Mom now)."

"So, the D's. were Native American descendants, (John was full blooded), they were Southern loyalists, and they sat on one of the highest points in (XXXX) County....probably (XXXX) miles east of the Ouachita Mountains/Hot Springs area. Even now if you bring up Jesse or Frank James' names amongst my Arkansas kin, the brothers are most definitely recalled as heroes, Robin Hoods....anything but 'outlaws' or 'murderers.'"

Treasure Hunting

"KGC Guardians or Sentinels?"

"Maybe the D's. willingly and knowingly allowed the KGC (i.e., the James brothers) to leave a clue or cache on their property? Perhaps a farther stretch....the D's. and their extended family were KGC Guardians or even Sentinels of the cache?"

"The black walnut tree where the cache was buried under is gone, supposedly, and one relative has looked for the 'Prince Albert' can already and found nothing. But, perhaps looking for the literal is just a ruse..."

A "Prince Albert" Can

"I plan to pursue the literal interpretations of the family letter (i.e., black walnut tree stump), but also the symbolic meanings. I am also looking through my mother's MANY family photos from her research to see if a black walnut tree actually appears in any of the photos from that location and time period."

"On another note, 'Prince Albert' tobacco was introduced in 1907...a little late for Jesse, right? So, I'm thinking this family memory is a tad fuzzy...like you said, perhaps it was another type of container. But it couldn't have been a 'Prince Albert' can; they didn't exist at that time. Unless, of course, you go with the theory that Jesse staged his death..."

"If nothing else, all this is exciting fun, eh?"

J.R.:

"As you rightly point out Miss G., even at this juncture of time and history in certain states, the James Boys are still revered and their memories held close to the heart. Some of this regard comes from the fact that Frank and Jesse were considered 'Robin Hoods' of sorts, robbing the wealthy Yankee carpetbaggers and 'loyalists' and giving to the poor and oppressed."

"An Eye for an Eye..."

"However, I believe the strongest and deepest positive feelings about the James Boys in Missouri and Arkansas are a result of their participation as Confederate 'partisan rangers' (i.e., guerrilla fighters) during the Civil War. Don't get me wrong here...Jesse and Frank were no angels. Neither were the Younger brothers, William Quantrill, or 'Bloody Bill' Anderson."

"But the James and Younger Boys themselves and those who eventually rode with 'Bloody Bill' and Quantrill did not join up simply to commit random acts of violence, robbery, torture, mayhem, and murder. They rode to protect their families, their neighbors, their communities, and their hearths and homes from the rape, robbery, arson, and violence and murder thrust upon the innocent in Missouri and the other border states by redleg Kansas 'Jayhawkers' such as Jim Lane and the Union army occupiers of the region. Like the Good Book says: 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth...' The James Boys took that to heart and so did all the partisan rangers they rode with. They were violent men in a time of terrible violence."

The "Prince Albert" Tobacco Can

"Your realization that the 'Prince Albert' tobacco can was not introduced until 1907 was a good catch but you were pre-empted a tiny bit by Dave S. from Wisconsin. He e-mailed me right away about this anomaly. At any rate, kudos to both of you."

"By the way, for you novice treasure hunters out there this bit of seemingly innocuous info can have big repercussions when it comes down to verifying if a cache or trove actually exists. It's all in the details (and stresses the need for thorough research always when it comes to treasure hunting)."

"Jesse Deserved a Better End"

"Finally Miss G., as I've already stated to you, I am not one of the 'true believers' who thinks that Jesse James faked his death and then went on to live a long life under an assumed name or names. I know there are lots of folks out there who do believe this, but I am not one of them. My view? That 'dirty little coward' Bob Ford gunned Jesse down and that was 'all she wrote' for poor Jesse."

Mr. Rebates - Cash-Back Shopping at over 1000 Stores!

"Truth be told? Jesse deserved a better end than that. But you're correct...it's all great fun to try and unravel these sorts of mysteries."

That's it for now. Good hunting out there.

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "A Family Memory of KGC Gold (Part 1)"

http://treasuretrovegold.blogspot.com/2011/02/family-memory-of-kgc-gold-part-1.html

(c) J.R. 2011

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

A Family Memory of KGC Gold? (Part 1)

(An "insider" pamphlet on the KGC; old treatises like this contain valuable clues for those hunting KGC caches.)

Casting an Interesting Light

As is often the case here at "Treasure Trove Dreams," I receive messages from all sorts of folks interested in learning more about possible James Boys' (Frank and Jesse) and Knights of the Golden Circle (KGC) caches and troves. Sometimes these exchanges between myself and those of you out there can cast an interesting light on the topic of the James' and the KGC, and the exchange laid out below is no exception.

I promised to maintain this writer's anonymity and location. Suffice it to say she is a high-spirited, extremely perceptive, and highly literate lady of the Deep South whom I shall call Miss G. These are her words (and mine) with only slight editing and formatting changes for readability:

Miss G.:

"My name is Miss G. I'm a born Southerner currently living and teaching in (XYZ), my dad's home state, but my Mom hails from (for the most part) Arkansas."

"Confederate Money Under A Black Walnut"

"I won't bore you with family lineages, but here's the 'why' of this email: My mother has spent lots of time and energy and made much progress with her family genealogy. Recently, a letter turned up (hand written in long-hand cursive) that references 'Confederate money' buried in a 'Prince Albert' tobacco can at my great-grandmother's house in Arkansas."

"Supposedly, Jesse and Frank James buried the 'Confederate money' after the Civil War underneath a black walnut tree. One family member did (again, allegedly) dig around the stump of the tree (thought to be the correct one) but did not find 'Confederate money' or a 'Prince Albert' can.'"

"I do remember tales from my grandfather that Frank and Jesse James came through this region of Arkansas several times and even 'hid out' once or twice in the area. My question to you is this: Does it make any sense to you that anyone would bury 'Confederate money' after the Civil War under a black walnut tree in a 'Prince Albert' tobacco can?"

"To what purpose? The whole idea seems ludicrous...until one considers the code and symbols of the KGC, right? Am I reaching here, or have we stumbled upon a family memory of some KGC gold?"

J.R.:

"Thank you for the message. Let me try and answer your query."

Confederate Money Was Virtually Worthless

"Your questioning of why anyone would bury a Prince Albert can full of Confederate States of America (CSA) notes after the Civil War is valid. I do not know of one instance of Frank or Jesse James (or the James Gang as a whole) ever burying caches of CSA money. Even during the height of the Civil War in the South proper, people preferred gold or silver coinage or even the hated Yankee paper money."

Treasure Hunting

"Why? Because they knew that Confederate money was virtually worthless, despite the nobility of the Southern cause. In fact, CSA paper money was commonly known as 'shin plasters,' a demeaning reference during those times."

(Note: Shin plasters were an old medical remedy made of cheap paper and sometimes containing mustard or other natural plants or minerals. They were slapped over the ailing area and left to 'remove noxious vapors' and the like. They were said to be pretty much worthless in relieving pain. Thus the paper money connotation. J.R.)

The Safest Means of Funding KGC Enterprises

"So back to Jesse James...Jesse, Frank, and the Boys nearly always dealt in hard currency (silver and gold...bullion or coins). There are some instances of robbery caches containing U.S. paper money, but not many. No instances of burying CSA notes, for reasons already stated."

"As far as KGC caches and troves are concerned, the same could be said. KGC operatives knew (just as we know today) that precious metals and coinage or bullion would be the safest means of funding any enterprise in times of turmoil or instability or in the future proper."

A Post-Hole Bank?

"I think what you have stumbled on here is more along the lines of what we treasure hunters call a 'post-hole' type bank or cache. These small caches are usually composed of a tobacco tin (or some other small tin container of the period), small ceramic or metal-ware container, or Mason type jar filled with anything from gold and silver coins to jewelry, documents, mementos, paper currency, etc."

"What may lay on your family property is still an exciting thing though...it's a piece of history..your family history that still awaits recovery. It would be great if you could recover it."

(Update Note: I wondered how long it would take for a savvy reader to realize that Prince Albert tobacco tins were not introduced until 1907. So David, good job! However, Miss G. had also mentioned this in a later e-mail to me...this will be published Part 2 of this series. J.R.)

There's more to come so stay tuned. In the meantime be safe out there.

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "A Golden Fortune in the Arizona Sands (Part 2)"

http://treasuretrovegold.blogspot.com/2011/02/golden-fortune-in-arizona-sands-part-2.html

(c) J.R. 2011

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

A Golden Fortune in the Arizona Sands (Part 2)

I now continue with this tale of lost gold in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert:

Hopelessly Lost

Eventually the howling winds that were battering Maria began to subside. Relief came none too soon for the young girl for her body ached from remaining curled so long and her face and hands were sore and bruised from being pressed hard into the rocky ground surrounding her. But Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe had answered her prayers and spared her life.

After the sandstorm had passed Maria pulled herself to her feet and brushed the grit from her hair, face, and clothing. When she could finally see clearly once again she found herself on unfamiliar ground and the goats long gone. She now knew she was hopelessly lost.

Small, Shiny Stones

A moment of panic washed over her, but then Maria heard the faint sound of a train whistle off in the distance. Pulling herself together she began walking in the direction of the sound. The going was very rough, because the ground around her was covered in every direction with small, shiny stones, some rough and angular and others rounded and smooth.

Curiosity got the better of Maria and she stooped down to pick up a few of the shiny stones. They felt very heavy and had a soft and deep yellow luster that glowed in the desert sunlight, like the gold band on her mother’s finger.

A Sea of Gold

Maria gasped. Could these stones be pure gold, oro puro? If so, she and her family would no longer be poor for the ground as far she could see was littered with the yellow stones, a sea of gold that stretched out toward the horizon.

Gathering up an apron full of the heavy stones, Maria moved ever more quickly in the direction of the train whistle she had heard. Eventually the ground around her returned to normal with the lustrous yellow stones now replaced by the dull grays, browns, and tans of regular desert rock.

Gold Fever

Later, much later, Maria reached the railroad line and was rescued by a railroad work crew. When the workers saw the gold she carried in her apron they left their jobs right there and then, stampeding under the influence of gold fever. Only the crew foreman remained to ensure that Maria returned home safely.

The upshot? Despite many frantic searches for Maria’s lost field of golden stones, neither she, her family, the railroaders, or anyone else at that time could find the gold.

Treasure Hunting

Years later however, someone else would inadvertently stumble upon Maria’s gold in the sands of Arizona’s Sonoran. But that story must wait for telling.

Until then, good hunting to you…

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "A Golden Fortune in the Arizona Sands (Part 1)"

http://treasuretrovegold.blogspot.com/2011/02/golden-fortune-in-arizona-sands-part-1.html

© J.R. 2011

Questions? E-mail me at http://www.blogger.com/jr872vt90@yahoo.com

A Golden Fortune in the Arizona Sands (Part 1)

(Sonoran Desert in Maricopa County, Arizona.)

A Vast Desert Area

Years ago I spent a bit of time gold mining in a small corner of Arizona's Sonoran Desert and I can attest to the fact that parts of it are highly mineralized and contain substantial amounts of precious metals such as gold and silver, as well as copper. The Sonoran is a vast desert area that extends south of the border into Old Mexico and does not suffer fools or the unprepared gladly. Over the last century many travelers, prospectors, and more recently, illegal immigrants have paid with their lives for their ignorance or lack of preparation while transiting this desert region.

But I'm not here to describe the beauty (and there is much) or the dangers of the Sonoran Desert to you in this post. I'm here instead to tell you about a golden fortune lost and found twice (yes, you heard right...twice!) somewhere in the Sonoran on the Arizona side of the border.

Richer Than Old King Midas

What sort of golden fortune awaits the lucky prospector or treasure hunter in Arizona's Sonoran? Hundreds of thousands, perhaps even millions of natural gold nuggets that, if recovered, would make you (or I, for that matter) richer than old King Midas or the Pharoahs of ancient Egypt, especially with today's staggering gold price per troy ounce.

There are no clear waybills to this fantastic natural treasure trove and even if there were, I couldn't pass those on to you freely unless I was "a bit teched in the head" as the oldtimers used to say. However, one fact is known for certain...the nuggets will be found on the Arizona side and not in Old Mexico, which may be a blessing in disguise considering the dangers of the border these days.

"Maria"

The first person to find this vast field of gold nuggets was a young Mexican girl who lived and worked with her family in the late 1880s on a small ranch owned by a friend of her father's, a gringo vaquero who had once served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.

It was the girl's (I will call her Maria) duty to tend to a small herd of goats belonging to her family. Since most everything edible close in to the ranchito had already been eaten by these voracious critters, Maria found herself herding her pesky crew farther and farther afield into the Sonoran Desert.

Nowhere to Run or Hide

One afternoon after she had herded the goats many miles from the ranch, a vicious sandstorm blew up, cutting into Maria's exposed skin and reducing visibility to zero. At first she staggered blindly about, first in one direction and then another, until she finally realized the futility of her efforts.

Now lost and with nowhere to run or hide, Maria dropped quickly to the ground and curled up into a fetal position as she had been taught by her father. She pressed her face hard against the arid sands of the Sonoran and prayed that the Blessed Virgin, Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, would intercede and spare her young life.

I'll have Part 2 ready and waiting for you in my next post. Until then, good hunting.

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Natural Treasure Signs"

http://treasuretrovegold.blogspot.com/2011/02/natural-treasure-signs.html

(c) J.R. 2011

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com

Natural Treasure Signs

(Indian Mound; Etowah Mound "A" in Alabama.)

Much has been written about standard treasure signs and symbols, especially as they relate to tree and stone carvings and other man-made elements. However, very few treasure hunters or researchers have discussed what I call natural treasure signs.

Treasure Hunting

What do I mean by natural treasure signs? These are potential treasure indicators that are either formed from natural processes or that result from some sort of human activity. Here are a few examples:

Sudden changes in natural vegetation.

Old-time gold and silver prospectors knew quite well that one of the possible signs of precious metals mineralization was an abrupt change in vegetation or natural growth. The presence of oxidized natural metals such as iron, silver, copper and other metals in quantity often stunted, limited, or even killed plant life in the immediate vicinity. Although this is less likely in a treasure trove or cache context, the principle at work remains the same, so keep your eyes open.

Abrupt clearings or open areas.

A more likely natural scenario for treasure hunters is encountering clearings or open areas that appear abruptly. If you are in a heavily forested area or another sort of landscape that suddenly seems more barren than the surrounding terrain or that appears stripped of natural vegetation, there is a strong likelihood that some sort of human activity or occupancy took place in the vicinity. Keep a close eye out for artifacts, old stone foundations, or any other “indicators.” Granted, natural clearings can and do occur quite frequently in the wild, but this sort of context always deserves a closer visual examination and perhaps sweeping with a
metal detector.


Mounds, depressions, or other terrain anomalies that appear out of place.

A good example of this sort of terrain indicator can be found in the numerous Native American mounds scattered throughout the United States (some of which are quite large and complex). No, no, no. I am not suggesting you “loot” Indian mounds, which is a criminal offense and rightly so. But they provide a good example of one type of terrain anomaly to look for when treasure hunting. On the other hand, depressions in the earth can also be indicators, especially if they appear very much out of place in the surrounding terrain. Finally, any terrain features that have an unusual or artificial appearance or quality to them should always be investigated further.

These are only three examples of possible natural treasure signs. There are undoubtedly many, many others out there and if you use your treasure hunting knowledge, experience, and a bit of imagination, I’m sure you can readily add to this list.

Hang tough in these tough times and, as always, good hunting to you.

If you liked this post, you may want to read: “Crazy is as Crazy Does...”

http://treasuretrovegold.blogspot.com/2011/01/crazy-is-as-crazy-does.html

© J.R. 2011

Questions? E-mail me at jr872vt90@yahoo.com