Gypsy Heart
Gold Member
Did Jonathan Force bury gold on his Elgin land, and is the alleged hoard still there? "It's thar, it's thar somewheres," wrote his great grandson, Delos C. Force, from his home in Santa Barbara, California. "Go and get it," he told gold seekers, but he denied any and all responsibility for damaged utility lines.
Jonathan Force arrived here from upstate New York in 1843. A mechanic and carpenter, he was employed in the early day farm machinery and implement industry. In the fall of 1848 he Purchased a site along Gifford Street extending from Chicago to Division. The one-story house he erected at what is now 392 E. Chicago Street provided a home for his wife, Louisa, and their six children. Their oldest son, Albert, died at the age of 15 during the Civil War.
About 1865, Force bought 40 acres of land lying east of North Liberty Street between what is now the north side of Park Street and the south side of Linden Avenue. There he erected greenhouses and engaged full-time in the fruit growing business. Raspberries and strawberries were his chief crops, but he also had about 100 apple and 400 cherry trees. His house in the northwest corner of his little farm is still standing at 625 Park Street.
Jonathan and Louisa were divorced, and he remarried. Louisa provided some amusement for those who consulted the 1881-82 city directory. She identified herself as a widow. With the expansion of the city, Jonathan profitably subdivided portions of his land in 1871 and 1881. The rest of the property was platted by his heirs in 1892.
All this can be ascertained from existing records. Now for the family legend of the Force gold. Jonathan was said to have scorned paper money and used only gold coins. A bitter enmity developed between his son, Delos M. Force, and his stepmother. When Jonathan was dying in 1888, he begged to see Delos, who wasn't told of his father's approaching death.
Delos believed that if he had been allowed to see his father, Jonathan would have revealed where he had buried his gold. Delos was told not to come to the funeral, but he went to the undertaker's, climbed aboard the hearse, brandished a loaded .44 and dared anyone to stop him. The gold was never found, but Jonathan's great grandson, who beard the story many times, said, "The gold is there. I know enough to feel it."
Jonathan Force arrived here from upstate New York in 1843. A mechanic and carpenter, he was employed in the early day farm machinery and implement industry. In the fall of 1848 he Purchased a site along Gifford Street extending from Chicago to Division. The one-story house he erected at what is now 392 E. Chicago Street provided a home for his wife, Louisa, and their six children. Their oldest son, Albert, died at the age of 15 during the Civil War.
About 1865, Force bought 40 acres of land lying east of North Liberty Street between what is now the north side of Park Street and the south side of Linden Avenue. There he erected greenhouses and engaged full-time in the fruit growing business. Raspberries and strawberries were his chief crops, but he also had about 100 apple and 400 cherry trees. His house in the northwest corner of his little farm is still standing at 625 Park Street.
Jonathan and Louisa were divorced, and he remarried. Louisa provided some amusement for those who consulted the 1881-82 city directory. She identified herself as a widow. With the expansion of the city, Jonathan profitably subdivided portions of his land in 1871 and 1881. The rest of the property was platted by his heirs in 1892.
All this can be ascertained from existing records. Now for the family legend of the Force gold. Jonathan was said to have scorned paper money and used only gold coins. A bitter enmity developed between his son, Delos M. Force, and his stepmother. When Jonathan was dying in 1888, he begged to see Delos, who wasn't told of his father's approaching death.
Delos believed that if he had been allowed to see his father, Jonathan would have revealed where he had buried his gold. Delos was told not to come to the funeral, but he went to the undertaker's, climbed aboard the hearse, brandished a loaded .44 and dared anyone to stop him. The gold was never found, but Jonathan's great grandson, who beard the story many times, said, "The gold is there. I know enough to feel it."
