1853 Robbery In claremont, CA

[blackrose]

I am researching a robbery that happened in 1853 in modern day Claremont, CA. The four bandits ran up into the san gabriel mountains after stealing 30,000 worth of loot from a wells fargo caravan. They buried the loot somewhere along the river. I am trying to find more specific information, perhaps the exact date of this robbery so i can dig up some old newspapers and maybe find some more information.


Also, a man named John Knox Portwood, who was a known "bad man" of the canyon who was shot down by the law in the late 19th century, was known to have lots of gold on hand...I am trying to find the site of his cabin. Anyone has any info on this area of old "eldoradoville" and san gabriel valley, please share!

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Minelab PRO-FIND 35 Waterproof Pinpointer Metal Detector for Experts with Tone ID & Adjustable Sensitivity - Grab it through Amazon!

[stefen]

I am researching a robbery that happened in 1853 in modern day Claremont, CA. The four bandits ran up into the san gabriel mountains after stealing 30,000 worth of loot from a wells fargo caravan. They buried the loot somewhere along the river. I am trying to find more specific information, perhaps the exact date of this robbery so i can dig up some old newspapers and maybe find some more information


Also, a man named John Knox Portwood, who was a known "bad man" of the canyon who was shot down by the law in the late 19th century, was known to have lots of gold on hand...I am trying to find the site of his cabin. Anyone has any info on this area of old "eldoradoville" and san gabriel valley, please share!

Claremont barely existed 160 some years ago and surely isn't considered modern day...If you are familiar with the Pomona Valley at all, you'd chase another windmill...

 

[blackrose]

Claremont barely existed 160 some years ago and surely isn't considered modern day...If you are familiar with the Pomona Valley at all, you'd chase another windmill...

Well the robbery occured near what is NOW Claremont. Back then it was just "greater LA".

 

[surf]

Hey blackrose,

I didn't find any reference to this 1853 Wells Fargo robbery. Wells Fargo was founded in 1852, that would have been real bad for business. They were pretty good at tracking down robbers...

As to John Knox Portwood, you can find some history here: page_seven

​

 

[Zoemonster]

I also have been interested in this story and started doing some research a few years ago. There may not have been a Wells Fargo at the time, but there was a Butterfield Stage line that stopped near what is modern day LA Verne/ San Dimas area.

 

[Honest Samuel]

Best of luck to those who are seeking this treasure.

 

[KandiKlover]

I also have been interested in this story and started doing some research a few years ago. There may not have been a Wells Fargo at the time, but there was a Butterfield Stage line that stopped near what is modern day LA Verne/ San Dimas area.

Post is couple years old. I wonder if they made any progress with the research or found a few relics in the process of looking around with the MD.

 

[Mine Finder]

The Stage Coach Robbery of 1853 and John Knox Portland

I am researching a robbery that happened in 1853 in modern day Claremont, CA. The four bandits ran up into the san gabriel mountains after stealing 30,000 worth of loot from a wells fargo caravan. They buried the loot somewhere along the river. I am trying to find more specific information, perhaps the exact date of this robbery so i can dig up some old newspapers and maybe find some more information.


Also, a man named John Knox Portwood, who was a known "bad man" of the canyon who was shot down by the law in the late 19th century, was known to have lots of gold on hand...I am trying to find the site of his cabin. Anyone has any info on this area of old "eldoradoville" and san gabriel valley, please share!

THE 1853 STAGE COACH ROBBERY IN CLAREMONT

In 1853, near what would become Claremont, four outlaws robbed a stage carrying a Wells Fargo chest filled with $30,000. They fled up San Antonio Canyon, with a posse not far behind. The leader headed down the east fork of the San Gabriel River. Before he was shot down, he is said to have buried his money-laden saddlebags in a grove of oak trees, now believed to be part of State Prison Camp 19. The money was never recovered. Before you go looking for the loot you should know that's on government land. The address is 22550 East Fork Road, Azusa.


JOHN KNOX PORTLAND

John Knox Portland was a fugitive southerner from Virginia who moved to the East Fork in 1895. He mined and operated pack trains which served the local camps. By most accounts, Knox was a shady character who most of his neighbors were wary of, and with good reason. He boasted about six people he had killed in the past, and actually had six notches carved in his gun handle. Knox had a small stone and wood cabin in Cattle Canyon, an offshoot of the East Fork above Camp Bonita.

During WWI in 1917, Knox shot and killed a man named Herman Miller, following a heated argument in Iron Fork. Miller was a German immigrant who worked a mining claim with his brother. somewhere in The Narrows. During Knox’s trial for the killing he claimed that Herman Miller was a German spy, and that his home in the canyon was a German communication line with Mexico. He also claimed that he killed Miller in self-defense. Unbelievably the jury bought his story and acquitted him of all charges.

But this was not the end of the story. Knox continued his mentally unbalanced behavior and sent threatening letters to another canyon resident named Blanche D. Cole, because he didn’t like her friendliness toward park rangers and government officials. Cole, who lived near Graveyard Canyon asked for the protection of rangers, who obliged. As expected, Knox soon rode up on horseback, drunk as usual, and encountered the two rangers posted on guard duty. He was ordered to step down, but chose instead to draw his weapon, and he was shot dead, by a bullet to the forehead.

Below is a photo of John Knox Portland