David Lewis Treasure along the Juniata

[dhaub86]

I was wondering if anyone has any information on the 10,000 gold coins supposedly stashed in a saddlebag along the Juniata River south of Lewistown?

 

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[Frankn]

I was wondering the same thing. It looks like David Lewis burried loot all over the place! This one is listed as being at the base of a big rock on Juniata Terrace on the Juniata river just south of Lewistown. Its listed as E. of state 22, and S. of I76. I don't know the territory because I am on the Md./Pa. line. I just started looking into it. Is Juniata Terrace a large area? What type of terrain is there? If I can narrow it down enough, I might come up and look around.
The story also states that he came back to get it, but the area had flooded and he couldn't locate it,but again he didn't have a medal detector did he!! Good luck if you go!

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[dhaub86]

I've been trying to narrow it down as well, it turns out it was $10,000 in carlisle bank notes. He hid the money in a alligator skin purse under the rock after being chased through the Tuscarora Mountains. When he returned he said the flood washed away the earth and the rock fell down into the river below and was about 10 feet from it's original spot. He talks about searching the banks and looking in the water below but he couldn't locate it. I did read an account saying it was gold but most of the books I read state it was bank notes, and in his confession he said he was on his way back from Carlisle from cashing in his counterfeit notes. He was heading to Bellefonte, and I've checked out a bunch of maps from the early-mid 1800's showing pretty much only 2-3 routes going that way but it's hard to say. The one goes directly through the Tuscaroras, and the other goes along the base. Where did you read the info on Juniata Terrace? I did not read info on that yet, but Juniata Terrace is located along the river but would be west of 22' and North of 176 I believe. I'm thinking it's located in the area between Mifflintown and Millerstown along the river, but that's just a guess based on my readings. It's really hard to say but by the way he talked he hid it right after being chased through the Tuscarora mountains and they only meet the Juniata River in that area. Good luck if you decide to go! I plan on taking the kayaks for a few 'recon' missions here in the next few weeks, the river is still pretty high but I'm hoping I can locate a few good possible sites to search.

 

[Frankn]

Dhaub:I usually get the hunting bug when I read a story that looks realistic. I try to read everything I can find on the story. Than I run the info thru my B.S. filter. I only work with the facts that are common to most of the stories. Things usually happen to get added along the way!
--I saw the story in the T.H. mags. Than I looked it up in my T.H. "bible" set i.e. United States Treasure Atlas. It was in volume #8. It is listed under item #459B,#460,#1273 +on page870 all of his caches are listed. This 10 volume atlas was written by Thomas P. Terry in his latter years from his life long files. He listed all the treasures that he had not searched for, or that he had searched for and ran out of time but thought they were valid. He was one of the most successful treasure hunters. He would set a time limit to search for a treasure and never exceed it.
--He lists this treasure as $10,000 in gold coins in a saddlebag. He lists in item #459a -A cache of currency,known as the Fracker treasure, is reported burried in the vicinity of Lewistown. Good luck in your scouting activity!

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[dhaub86]

Very interesting, I will have to check out that literature. I did read accounts of this saying about the gold coins in the saddlebag, in the Lewistown area, that was actually one of the first pieces I read that got me into this hobby a few months ago but I got to reading some other things and began second guessing myself. Like you said stories get changed so it can be difficult to decipher fact from fiction. The Juniata Terrace area is one place I marked on the map, it's in the mountains bordering the river and used to be an old stagecoach route I believe. It's a very rocky area with some pretty steep banks along the river. Thanks again for your advice, I live about 8 miles from Lewistown so it's always fun researching and reading about old outlaws in the area. If you decide to travel to the area and search I wish you the best of luck as well!

 

[jeff of pa]

Full text of "The life and adventures of David Lewis, the robber and counterfeiter"

http://www.archive.org/stream/lifeadventuresof00lewi/lifeadventuresof00lewi_djvu.txt

 

[Frankn]

Jeff of Pa : That book is a long read! It starts off as a sort of history lesson on the area and than sort of fantisizes Lewis. You almost get the impression he had something to do with the input.
Thanks for the address. It was interesting. Have you looked into the Dents run gold shippment mistory? I kind of sketched it out a bit and I think they didn't take the suspected route. I think they would have taken the route along the river or run as it's called. The only problem is I read another version that stated that the area was swampy and thus not suitable for wagons. So many versions to filter thru!! Have a Good Easter you guys---

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[Frankn]

Just ran into an interesting item. It states that fresh water pearls are found in the Juniata river in Pa. Maybe you could look for pearls while you look for that saddlebag of gold coins! I didn't even know there were oysters there!

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[dhaub86]

Frankn: I picked up the 'Treasure Atlas' that you mentioned and also read about the pearls, when in the river I noticed oysters but never took the time to search for the pearls, I've heard of people finding them though when they'd go to cook them. There are a bunch of oysters and clam shells located in the Mifflin/Mifflintown area, but the river is a tad to high (and cold) to get in just yet and search. Thanks again for recommending the Treasure atlas, it is a very interesting and helpful tool. The river is starting to go down so I'm hoping to get out and start searching the banks within the next week or so. I will forward any other helpful/interesting information I stumble upon while searching. Thanks again guys for your help.

 

[orion024]

Wonder where the Dr. (Dave Robber) Lewis hide his stash?? It seems to me that he was a very educated man with tricks to fool most people! His stashes could be anywhere! Does anybody have any theories or hunches about where he stashed his loot? I wonder if this was just some good old story folklore tall-tales??

 

[Frankn]

I think the guy really lived. I don't think he was highly educated, just clever! Go to the library and look at the United States Treasure Atlas by Thomas P. Terry. It is in volume 8 page 855 The atlas is laid out by counties. There are several of his caches listed throughout the state. He seamed to move around a lot. In his business I guess it was healther that way.

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[orion024]

What library, any library?

 

[Frankn]

Orion024 Any library, they interchange with each other!

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[Poorman_42]

Frankn I have no clue if you will get this since this conversation you had was in 2010 and this is 2021 I have been wondering if you have searched for the missing treasure in the Juniata. I came across this hours ago and can’t sleep because I am abt 10 minutes away from the Juniata River. I am very intrigued of this treasure since it’s 10,000 coins gold it could be millions silver could be a little less. Have you searched for this treasure at all And if you did, have you found any