Peglegs Black Gold Nuggets

pegleglooker

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Re: Pegleg's Black Gold Nuggets

Thankx oroblanco,
I agree with you that the most orginal report is always the most accurate. I also feel that a book is not the writers story, but it's the editors story. What i mean is the writer will submit his story and then the editor does cuts and slices. That will change the feel, if not the main crux of a story. That is why if i can. i try to find the writers notes and listen to what he wanted to say. G W james in his book says that he feels " that its postive facts are utter nonsense" ( The wonders of the Colorado desesrt vol2 pg 301 ). remember this was written in 1906. This is also why I try to use the earliest newspaper articles as well. i found these articles from Baileys research for his book "golden mirages". its what he based his book on.The 2 earliest articles talk about a thomas l smith going to the colorado and virgin river area from san fransico. i know i said that he left from there, but the expedition started from los angeles and the paper quoted its source as to the la star newspaper. sorry about that. the next report is from the sacramento union dated 4/12/1858 which stated that thomas l smith was " now in abject poverty.he has not the means of procuring a morsel of bread, and is dedependant, in his tottering and decrepid old age". its a sad way to go for someone who was so noted for his time. the next article is dated 10/26/1866 ( san fransico bulletin ) talks about his death. it seems that a major hensley made sure he got his whiskey until the end. this hensley was a emigrant that pegleg helped along the route to california.i can't find anything until 5/15/1892 from the san diego union when the writer named his grandfather as a aquantence of pegleg. his grandfather says he met pegleg at vallejo in 1852 when he was trying to get compensation from the legislature for the help he gave to california emigrants either on the gila river or the salt lake route. this is verifed by the a resolution dated 6/27/1860- 36th congressional special session senate misc - which was approved by johnson price on 5/3/1852. now this proves that pegleg was there and i'm sure we can prove that the writers grandfather w c mcdougall was there as well. according to this report, pegleg told mcdougall that during one of their hunting excursions a dutchman came into camp with alot of shining yellow metal ( remember this is before 1849 and noone knew what gold looked like in its natural state) which they melted down for bullets thinking it was copper.the dutchman told them that he found it on " the EAST side of the colorado,opposite the camp, in crossing a small valley or canyon". he was sure he found it on level ground not near a mountain. it was a couple of years later when the gold rush hit that pegleg realized what he had,the paper then reports that pegleg wasted no time in coming "down" to san francisco to arrange a porspecting party to go hunt for the nuggets. mcdougall ( the grandfather ) then said in the late 1850's he was doing business with a hospital in san francisco when he ran into pegleg and major hensley, pegleg was quoted as saying " i'm on my last pegs now, and i will soon be pegging out for other hunting grounds". since this is a story with a " live " connection with pegleg and is dated the closest to the beginning and there is proof ( legislature ) that pegleg was there at vallejo then why not??? i have not come across anything that debunks this but sure would be willing to listen to anything that might.. please understand that i am not saying that gold was not found in the desert... just not by " thomas l smith " . i trully beleive that a man named smith with a pegleg did wind up at warners half dead with gold nuggets that he found on either 3 small hills or two buttes, depending on who you listen to. i also believe that this is the same spot where the indian at warner got his gold, as well as the squaw at flowing wells got hers. but i do believe this is not the gold that "the man who found peglegs gold " from desert magazine found.. i often wonder if his was not the peralta gold ????? that may or may not have really happened... if anyone has anything else believe me i'm all ears...
these are the findings that i have been able to aquire if there is anything else feel free to email, message or leave a note here. i'm all about facts and if i have anything in here thats not right PLEASE let me know. but i have a copy of all the newspaper articles and can quote them easily... as for the other smiths with the name pete or peter these are a couple of examples only. i have not done the research on them yet but will get back to you when i do.once again thankx guys and oroblanco thats to you for starting the forum....thankx pegleglooker....
 

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Oroblanco

Oroblanco

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Re: Pegleg's Black Gold Nuggets

Hello my friend Pegleglooker,
First no thanks needed - anyone can start a thread here and this is one lost mine I have personally hunted for so it is FUN for me!

About the name controversy, the main reason I stick to the Thomas L name is because Cyrus Alexander called him that before he even entered California, and had a rather less-glamorous explanation of how he came to have the peg leg. What is in a name? Not too much, after all the story is Pegleg Smith, not specifically Thomas or Pete right?

You know I had never thought of Pegleg's gold in relation to Peraltas. The Peraltas are known to have a documented gold mine in the Bradshaws (never proven to have had any in the Superstitions however) but this known gold mine was a lode mine, not placer gold like Pegleg's. Now anyone is welcome to make the connection, I won't start a fight over it - perhaps there is some connection?

You mentioned a Dutchman had gold that came from the Arizona side of the Colorado - black nuggets I presume? If they were crusted with black desert varnish, this might be from another not-famous lost mine very similar to the Pegleg story! I think it is called the lost Cowboy mine or something like that, the story was that a cowhand was trying to herd some maverick cattle into an old adobe corral, and being on foot reached down and started picking up pebbles to toss at the cattle; in throwing stones he found some that were noticeably very heavy for their size so put some in a pocket. He forgot about the stones for years and later learned they were gold, and went back to find the spot but never found it. This is supposed to be on the AZ side of the Colorado river not too far north of Yuma. (I am writing this from memory, hope it isn't TOO danged far from what the story was!) Now I wonder if the Dutchman you mentioned didn't also happen across that spot?

I think you have a lot more information on the Pegleg mine than I do! If I had all the old articles etc I would likely still be out there hunting for it. I almost swore that I would never hunt for it again after the last time and that is more than ten years ago but you have got me pondering again. After all, there was a little draw that we saw as we were heading out from the Chocolates that had visible black sands, and we did find several of the brown hematites that have been mentioned in several accounts. I don't even know if I could find that spot again but it might be fun to go looking anyway.

Ever think about writing a book on Pegleg's gold? Just an idea....
your friend,
Roy - Oroblanco

"We must find a way, or we will make one." --Hannibal Barca
 

gollum

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Re: Pegleg's Black Gold Nuggets

Roy,

My favorite Hannibal quote is:

"I love it when a plan comes together!"- Hannibal Smith "A" Team ca. 1983 ;D ;D ;D


Mike
 

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Oroblanco

Oroblanco

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Re: Pegleg's Black Gold Nuggets

Hey I wonder if Hannibal Smith is related to Pegleg?????
;D
Oroblanco

"I am at war with the living, but have come to terms with the dead." --Hamilcar Barca
 

gollum

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Re: Pegleg's Black Gold Nuggets

He sure is!

He didn't have any Black Gold Nuggets, but he had a big black dude that wore a bunch of gold nugget jewelry! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

"I pity the fool that don't believe in Pegleg's Gold!"

Mike
 

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Oroblanco

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Re: Pegleg's Black Gold Nuggets

Hey he probably does have a pair of "black nuggets" he wouldn't sell for any amount of gold! :D
Oroblanco
 

gollum

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Re: Pegleg's Black Gold Nuggets

Hannibal Smith doesn't, but I am sure B.A. Baracus does!

Mike
 

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Oroblanco

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Re: Pegleg's Black Gold Nuggets

Different kind of "nuggets" - the kind we are born with - I doubt he would "sell" them!! :D
Oroblanco
 

gollum

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Re: Pegleg's Black Gold Nuggets

I would trade my left nugget for the location of a big stack-o-pegleg's gold!

Mike
 

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Oroblanco

Oroblanco

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Re: Pegleg's Black Gold Nuggets

OWEEE! Oh heck what am I saying, a guy only needs one right? For that matter how many male treasure hunters wives would prefer if hubby would sell both off? Might start a trend! :D
Oroblanco
 

pegleglooker

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Re: Pegleg's Black Gold Nuggets

no offense guys, but i the 1st treasure i ever found reguired 2 nuggets and a dowsing rod.... but i did find a sweet treasure....
 

gollum

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Re: Pegleg's Black Gold Nuggets

Oroblanco said:
OWEEE! Oh heck what am I saying, a guy only needs one right? For that matter how many male treasure hunters wives would prefer if hubby would sell both off? Might start a trend! :D
Oroblanco

From what I understand, when you get married, you give the wife your nuggets for "safekeeping" ;D ;D ;D

Mike
 

pegleglooker

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Re: Pegleg's Black Gold Nuggets

and when u divorce you have to pay HUGE to get them back... and they are never in the same condition as you left them.....
 

pegleglooker

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Re: Pegleg's Black Gold Nuggets

hey guys, back to a serious note...in my research i have found what i will call the 3 smith's, 1st is of course thomas l smith or the "original", and then #2, is possibly a john o smith or what i like to call "warner" smith. he was the one who found the 3 hills on his way to warner's ranch. finally the last one i will call "yuma" smith, because this is the soldier from ft yuma who went into the chocalate's or chuckwalla's. i am currently trying to find any smith that was stationed at ft yuma from 1830-1900. if anyone has any ideas where to look i would love any and all info...i also found a pix of thomas l smith that i will try to post... i'm not really good at that... any other info on where to look would help... once again thanx guys- pegleglooker
 

Isayhello2u

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where to look for Yuma smith

for finding a smith who lived in yuma

I think a soldier who lived in yuma that many years may have had a home there and maybe even died there
try the Cemetery records of Yuma County, Arizona
I would also suggest searching
Arizona's federal census records some of which are searchable online for free

it is possible that there is a listing for civil war soldiers/veterans from arizona too
 

pegleglooker

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Re: Pegleg's Black Gold Nuggets

Thanks hello, In researching this i found a newspaper article that quotes a irishman from missouri that was a guide through the desert that left ft yuma in the late 1860's or early 70's that found gold someone close to the salton sea area... still waiting on a bunch of articles to see where they take me.. but thanks none the less.. if you hear of ANY info please post or send me a message ...Thanks again
 

gollum

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Re: Pegleg's Black Gold Nuggets

Hey Folks,

Finally had my book returned.

Here is the only known picture of a black gold nugget. Right next to it, is one that has been chemically treated to remove the black coating.

Best,

Mike
 

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pegleglooker

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Re: Pegleg's Black Gold Nuggets

Great pixs!!!!! who's hand is it ? is it yours or what is the history behind the pix? also where those the only two that were found?? I've been doing a TON of research on pegleg and found alot of great leads. I'll be heading to Yuma on monday or tuesday to check out some. Gollum have you heard of anything that you would be willing to let us know?? nothing to report yet here but i'll let ya know. Have fun hunting....
 

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