Lost Silver Mines in Pennsylvania?

 (Pennsylvania counties.)

An Interesting Anomaly

I have to admit I am a bit surprised by the number of lost silver mine tales coming out of Pennsylvania. Although the "Keystone" state is not noted as a significant precious metals producer, these tales abound just the same...an interesting anomaly, to say the least.

Treasure Hunting

Most of these Pennsylvania lost silver mine tales are lacking in detail, something that may raise an eyebrow or two and also make research more difficult. Still, all treasure legends have at least some element of truth to them so you decide if any of these are worth while:

Lost Ice Mountain Mine

Long ago when local Indians were still living in and around Potter County in north central Pennsylvania, locals claimed that these natives were often seen with chunks of rich silver ore in their possession. This ore was described as being more precious metal than host rock and was said to come from a secret location near Ice Mountain.

Other versions of this legend involve an old Cattaraugus Indian who was said to always have pieces of rich silver ore when he came into local towns or villages. Invariably he would head toward Ice Mountain when he departed. Eventually the old Indian died without ever revealing the location of his rich silver "mine."

Other Lost Silver Mine Legends

Another lost silver mine legend in Pennsylvania is the Lost Birch Island Run Mine. This one too was first brought to the attention of townspeople by a small group of Indians in possession of...yep, you guessed it...rich silver ore. Some key information points in this treasure tale are Keating, Pennyslvania and a couple of locals named Groves and Burns who searched for, but never found, the source of the Indian silver.

 (Silver ore.)

The Deep Run Silver Cache is not a mine per se but a large stash of silver ingots mined by Indians near Deep Run in Adams County. There may be some decent leads to research on this one since the area in question does have the potential for at least some precious metals mineralization. Key clues here are Union Mills, a flat rock, and natural "steps" leading down into a cavern or mine.

Less Than Impressed

My problem with these native American connections is this: it's a well-known fact that most North American Indian tribes avoided precious metals and metals mining like the plague. Yes, there are isolated exceptions to this rule, but not many.

Wolverine Boots

The Indians knew the crazed lust the white man had for gold and silver and the extent to which that craziness and greed could be pushed to. So tales of Indians walking around with chunks of rich silver ore in Pennsylvania leave me less than impressed, truth be told.

Good hunting to one and all.

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Ohio's Lost Oak Tree Gold"

(c)  Jim Rocha (J.R.)  2011

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

The Heavener Runestone: Viking Runes or ??

(The Heavener Runestone.)

One of the More Mysterious...

Oklahoma has long been noted for the sheer numbers of unusual "signs" and symbols found or identified in many locations throughout the state. Many of these signs and symbols are treasure related, some have little or no import, and others remain a mystery. Of the latter, the so-called Heavener Runestone is probably one of the more mysterious.

Carhartt Wear
Wolverine Boots

It's said that Heavener Runestone was first discovered on Poteau Mountain by Choctaw Indians in the early 1830s. The stone now stands in a state park not far from the town of Heavener, Oklahoma (which is how it received its name).

Viking Runes?

From what I can ascertain, there were supposed to be other, less impressive, rocks with similar inscriptions in the area of the Heavener Runestone but these were defaced by treasure hunters back in the 1930s and 1940s. I tend to doubt this since very few treasure hunters were out and about during these time periods and those that were (like the late Karl Von Mueller or "Hardrock" Hendricks) would never deface or destroy potentially important signs like these.

(Close up of inscription on the Heavener Runestone.)

Over the years quite a few epigraphic experts as well as treasure hunters and amateur code-cracking sleuths have analyzed the Heavener Runestone trying to come up with a consensus as to what the inscription on the stone is and what it represents. The main faction of these diverse elements postulates that the Heavener Runestone is formed of Viking runic symbols.

Unique Treasure Hunting Symbols?

Some treasure hunters accept this interpretation of the Heavener Runestone at face value but there are a few who shake their heads and laugh at that one. They believe that the stone's supposed runic inscription is, in actuality, a series of unique treasure hunting symbols.

There may be something to this as a number of treasure caches and small troves have been found in the region around Heavener in past days. However, it's my opinion that no one has produced a "rock-solid," 100% explanation of the Heavener Runestone's purpose and the true meaning of its inscription.

Good hunting out there.

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Library of Congress Treasure Maps (List 2)"

(c)  Jim Rocha (J.R.)  2011

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

John Nummel's Lost Gold

(The Trigo Mountains, home to the Red Cloud Mine.)

A Difficult Trek

Until his death in 1948, gold prospector and miner John Nummel spent much of his time working in extreme southwestern Arizona, an arid and harsh environment that, as luck would have it, is also highly mineralized. How do I know this? Well, for may years I worked desert placer gold claims in this region just across the Colorado River in California.

At any rate, Nummel's work as a paid miner and laborer was split between two well-known mines, the Red Cloud in the Trigo Mountains just northwest of modern-day Imperial Reservoir and the La Fortuna Mine, southeast of Yuma. Unlike many of his day who favored horseback, John Nummel walked everywhere he went, including the difficult trek between the two mines.

"When You Walk You See All the Rocks"

One reason Nummel like to walk in an area that others, for the most part, avoided like the plague is best explained in Nummel's own words. "You can't see near as well any other way. When you walk you see the rocks, all that others miss. That's how you find interesting things...including gold!"

(Some of the old workings at the site of the La Fortuna Mine.)

This penchant for hoofing it himself finally paid off for John Nummel, at least in some respect. Right around 1900 or perhaps a few years before the turn of the century, Nummel left the Red Cloud Mine and headed southeast for the La Fortuna. Here is what happened in John Nummel's own words:

"All Full of Free Yellow Gold"

"I remember it was hotter than the devil and there was a palo verde tree nearby. I went on over and sat down in its shade. My canteen was pretty near empty but I took a swig anyway. Then I just sat there and rested in the shade. There was a sort of ledge...it looked like it was made of dirty quartz...cropping out right beside me. I took a closer look and it was all yellow quartz. And it was rich!! And pretty! All full of free yellow gold..."

His Memory Betrayed Him

Low on water, Nummel headed for the La Fortuna Mine. There his plan was to work only long enough to gather together a grubstake and then head back to claim and develop his rich ledge of free-milling gold in quartz.

Strapworks.com - any strap, any length, any color!

Unfortunately for John Nummel, his memory betrayed him and months later when he went searching for "his" ledge, he couldn't find it no matter how hard he tried. To this day, John Nummel's Lost Gold remains to be found.

This Legend is Solid

As far as lost mine legends go, this one is solid. John Nummel did exist and his description of the events was told first hand to Clyde Stewart who lived and worked in the nearby Picacho area. Again, this entire area is highly mineralized and many gold mines have been discovered and worked in the region.

(Free-milling gold in quartz specimen.)

Many believe that the possible location of Nummel's gold ledge is in the Chocolate Mountains near Yuma Wash. Others say the gold is probably near the site where the old trail between the Red Cloud and La Fortuna mines crossed Yuma Wash. Either way, a fortune in native gold awaits a savvy prospector or treasure hunter.

Good hunting to you.

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Lost Armagosa Placer Diggings"

(c)  Jim Rocha (J.R.)  2011

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

The Dangers of Hitting it Big in Treasure Hunting

 (Treasure hunter Bo Kjaer-Olsen in better times.)

Being Successful Can Bring Danger

For most of us treasure hunting is not only a hobby or avocation...it's a passion. A great deal of the time our treasure searches prove fruitless or our "goodie" recoveries are barely enough to cover our expenses. Every now and then however, one of us hits the "big one."
When this happens it can bring excitement, fulfillment, satisfaction, enjoyment, or even financial security in certain instances. Being successful at treasure hunting can also bring danger.

Murder of Bo Kjaer-Olsen

I am reminded here of a terrible incident that happened in Panama in June 2010 when well-known underwater treasure hunter Bo Kjaer-Olsen was shot to death by thieves who were after some $200,000 in gold coins that many believed Bo had stashed aboard his 30-foot sailboat, the "Antares."

Based on my own research of this tragic affair, there is a strong likelihood that Bo did indeed have his gold aboard the "Antares" at the time. With 20/20 hindsight it's easy to judge Bo harshly for this costly mistake, but his own murder and the beating of his wife and wounding of his son at the same time are punishment enough I think.

Lowlives Out There...

Brothers and sisters, you and I both know that there are lowlives out there who would gladly take your life for much less than the $200,000 in gold that Bo had in his possession. That's one reason you've heard me tell you time and time again to zip your mouth when it comes to announcing your finds or keeping large amounts of recovered "goodies" close at hand.

Dickies Work Clothes

With economic times as tough as they are, your joy and success in hitting it big as a treasure hunter can be ruined in an instant if the wrong parties catch wind of things. The truth is, my friends, even if you only hit a small cache cache or two and word gets out that you're keeping those goodies on your person or in your home, guess what? You are placing yourself and your family in potential danger.


Recommendations

My recommendation is to keep as silent as you can about your finds and don't let your ego take charge. The more you strut and brag, the more the n'er-do-wells out there will be eyeballing you and yours.

Next, stash those treasure finds in a safe place that can't be easily determined or accessed. After all, who wants to lose their hard-earned "goodies" or even their life due to the failure to understand the potential dangers out there and taking basic steps to prevent possible bad things from happening.

Strapworks.com - any strap, any length, any color!

Am I paranoid? Yep, I am and I admit it. But without judging him, I believe that if Bo Kjaer-Olsen had been a a bit more circumspect and wary he might still be alive today.

Take note...

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "'Bushwhacker' Caches in Missouri" 

(c)  Jim Rocha (J.R.)  2011

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

The "Saltvile Cache" Hoax (Part 3)

(Regimental flag of the 2nd Wisconsin Infantry, 'Iron Brigade'.")

You've read the entire letter purportedly written by Union soldier Alan Brooks that forms the basis for the "Saltville Cache." You've also read more than once that, in my view, this tale of tens of thousands of dollars in buried gold and silver coin and jewelry is nothing but a hoax.

By addressing the following points I an now going to explain why this treasure tale is not on the up and up:

1. Brooks' English and writing skills ARE FAR TOO GOOD for the average Union soldier of the day. Many enlisted men of the Civil War period were not highly educated. Sure, some could read and write fairly well, but they were the exceptions to the rule in an era when only a rudimentary education (at best) was the norm. Semi-literate enlisted soldiers of the day often spelled their words phonetically and did not possess the ability to create written works with any sort of true literate tone to them. Granted, there are exceptions to every rule, but this is not one of them. The obvious "smoothness" and literacy of this letter should raise the first red flag for any astute treasure hunter.
2. Brooks' designation of his military unit DOES NOT JIBE with the common descriptors of the day. Brooks describes his unit as being the Fortieth Mounted Infantry (most like the 40th Kentucky Mounted Infantry) and he closes his letter with "Army of the United States." I'm a Civil War history buff and have been for many years...common unit designations of the day were regimental and they invariably were written this way: 40th Kentucky Mounted Infantry (a state designation was ALWAYS used). The regimental number was rarely spelled out as well. Next, any veteran of the period would never have referred to the "Army of the United States" but to the "Army of the Potomac," the "Grand Old Army," "Army of the Republic," or simply "Stoneman's Cavary." I know this all sounds like nitpicking but these are all little red flags that make me question the authenticity of Brooks' letter.

(Regimental flag of the 40th Pennsylvania Infantry.)

3. General Stoneman DID NOT MARRY UNTIL 1861 and NEVER had a son named Eli. Historical records show with absolute certainty that General George Stoneman did not have a son named Eli. His wife's name was Mary and their "union" produced four children, 2 boys and 2 girls: Cornelius, George Jr.,  Kathleen, and Adele. Even if Stoneman and Mary had been the parents of a son named Eli, he would only have been around 3 years old at the time this tale of murder and buried treasure occurred! Also bear in mind this fact: NOWHERE in the historical record is there any mention of General Stoneman having a large treasure trove stolen from him or anything else of a similar nature.

Treasure Hunting
Metal Detectors

So now you can see what only the tiniest bit of committed research can reveal about the validity of any given treasure tale. I hate to tell you, but this one is bogus from beginning to end.

Fianlly, to the gentleman who claims Brooks' remarkable letter is legitimate: better luck next time...

Good hunting.

If you liked this post, you may wan to read: "Confederate Treasury Caches in South Carolina? (Part 1)"

(c)  Jim Rocha (J.R.)  2011

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

The "Saltville Cache" Hoax (Part 2)

 (Saltville, Virginia history marker with General Stoneman mentioned.)

Metal Detectors
Treasure Hunting

As I stated in my previous post in this series, I believe what I call the "Saltville Cache" (after Saltville, Virginia) is nothing more than a somewhat inept hoax...or if you prefer a more basic description...a big stinky pile of BS! I'll get to why this is so soon, but in the meantime let's take a look at the second part of the questionable letter from a former Union Corporal named Allan Brooks that forms the basis for this treasure tale:

"With my help, Harrington moved the cache and hid it in a saltpeter cave about a quarter mile distant from the little town church. Harrington was killed in a blast while we were destroying the saltpeter caves before we left. I took a minnie ball at the battle of Seven Mile Ford and have been unable to travel since. I had planned to return to Saltville and reveal the location of the money to you. But I am dying and I want you to know that I took no part in the murder of your son.


Respectfully,


Corporal Allan E. Brooks
Late of the Fortieth Mounted Infantry,
Army of the United States
General Stoneman, Commanding"

(Stoneman's Confederate opponents carried regimental battle flags like this one.)

Sounds pretty good doesn't it? At face value anyway, especially when the full letter is read in context. But my treasure hunting brothers and sisters I'm here to tell you right here and now that this treasure tale and its "supporting" letter are shot full of more holes than the proverbial slice of Swiss cheese.

Now I've seen some pretty questionable treasure tales in my day, but this one literally takes the cake. So please...PLEASE...don't go rushing out the door for Smyth County, Virginia with your treasure hunting gear in hand because you'll just be wasting your precious time and money.

Why is that you ask? Stick with me for the next (and final) post of this series and I will expose and explain all. Until then...good hunting to one and all.

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "More on Treasure Hunting Signs and Symbols (Part 2)"

(c)  Jim Rocha (J.R.)  2011

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

The "Saltville Cache" Hoax (Part 1)

 (Virginia counties.)

Supposed Staging Area for a Treasure Cache

The historically rich state of Virginia is a a treasure hunter's and detectorist's paradise. I know this for fact since I spent a number of years in the Old Dominion and more importantly, having recovered my share of "goodies" there. Those of you who coin, relic, or treasure hunt in Virginia know exactly what I'm talking about.

Metal Detectors
Treasure Hunting

The Old Dominion is also the supposed staging area for a substantial treasure cache near Saltville in Smyth County. But before you go racing out the door to recover this one, I'll throw cold water in your face by telling you I believe what I call the "Saltville Cache" to be a hoax.

One Big Stinky Pile of BS

I say this despite the fact that a number of treasure hunting sites (and their authors) swear it's all true, including one who says he has a key "letter" in his personal possession. I'll get to why I believe this one is one big stinky pile of BS later, but first let's take a look at how this questionable treasure tale came to be in the first place.

How did knowledge of the "Saltville Cache" come to be? Ostensibly from a letter written in 1866 by former Union Army Corporal Allan Brooks to his commander, Union Cavalry General George Stoneman, Jr. Here's what Corporal Brooks supposedly wrote to General Stoneman:

"Kind Sir,


I am now in pain and upon my deathbed. Yet I feel I must divest my conscience of a burden that has kept constant company with my soul shortly after we fought over the salt works there. Your son, Eli, fearing he would be hanged, made a deal with my first sergeant, Jack Harrington, to share your fortune with him, an amount of some $46,000 in gold and silver coins, $12,000 in jewelry, and several gold watches. In return, your son would be helped to escape into Tennessee. Harrington murdered your son on the pretense that he was escaping."

 (Union cavalry commander, George Stoneman, Jr. seated in the center of his staff.)

This is only the first half of Brooks' letter and I'll have the second half in my next post. In the meantime, see if you can come up with any "disconnects" in what you're read about the "Saltville Cache" thus far. If you do, e-mail me your thoughts.

Good hunting!

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "The Peralta Stones: Real or Fakes? (Part 1)"

(c)  Jim Rocha (J.R.)  2011

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

"Treasure Trove Dreams" Reader Finds Small Cache

(Seated Liberty silver dollar.)

I always like to hear the successes of other treasure hunters out there and I am here to relate just one such success story to you. This e-mail from Bob T., a "Treasure Trove Dreams" reader, came in early this morning:

"Tired of the Same Old Routine"

"Hi J.R. I just wanted to let you know I've been reading your site for a couple years now and appreciate your work. I learn alot from what you say; especially when it comes to doing good research. You pound that into our heads all the the time and it finally sank in!"

"I live back east in a state with lots of history behind it going back to the days of the first colonies and settlements. I've done a lot of coin hunting here in past years so I have experience with metal detectors, etc. But most areas are hit pretty hard by others, so I was getting tired of the same old routine and decided to try my hand at getting a cache or two."

"Research is the Key"

"Like you always say, research is the key. After lots of time in local libraries and online, I researched the location of an old inn and small settlement here that dates back as far as the 1850s. The area is now part private property and part open space close in to a county road. I'll just tell you I didn't trespass."

Treasure Hunting
Metal Detectors

"To make a long story short I was able to identify some old stone foundations in the woods that were barely visible and overgrown. After some work I was able to clear some of the weeds and growth away so I could swing my detector."

"One Hell of a Signal"

"I didn't find much this first time because of all the junk and modern trash around. Same for my 2nd trip. But I cleaned up what junk I could and kept at it. On my 3rd trip out I got one hell of a signal from what was probably the old fireplace area of the stone foundation. I thought maybe I had hit a big old piece of brass or lead or something."

"I dug down about 2 1/2 feet or so and my heart just about stopped. There in the dirt at the bottom of that hole was a bunch of old silver coins...32 in all!! These were all 'Seated Liberties' US coins: 3 silver dollars; 7 half dollars; 8 quarters; and 14 dimes!!"

"Best Find to Date"

"I don't think I found any rare dates on these (but I'm having that checked out now) and most of these show wear or are scratched or banged up at least some, but there are a few that look pretty clean. I don't care either way. I'm happier than a pig in poop!! Best find to date. Oh, my detector is a new Fisher F75."

"I figure that the coins were probably buried in a cloth or maybe leather pouch that had rotted away over the years because they were all clumped together in that hole like in the pic I sent you. Oh...just like my name and location I ask you DON'T PRINT my pic. Yep, I'm paranoid!"

"Anyway, just wanted you to know that with a little bit of research and maybe some luck too I was able to hit a nice little cache that I think will be worth a few thousand anyway. Thanks for all your help! Bob T."

As always, with no positive proof I have to depend on Bob's words for the validity of his recovery. He's asked to remain anonymous and that I not reveal the location of the find or publish his photo. I do have the digital photo he sent and I will tell you all this: it's a damn pretty sight with all that old silver clumped together at the bottom of that hole.

If Bob did indeed recover this small cache as he says (and I tend to believe him) there's a message for all of you out there. Do your research and don't give up!

If you liked this post, you may want to read: "Canada's Lost Lemon Mine (Part 1)"

(c)  Jim Rocha (J.R.)  2011

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