Eddyville Iowa treasure tale. Could anyone please help determine the exact location?

[BeauS]

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[KANACKI]

Hey Kanacki, I agree she would not be the English poet I linked. Though I might have found a proper match. No proper match either for Jerome Le Barge.

Hello BeauS

Maybe Jerome La Barge was young 12 yr apprentice that went to work in South Dakota gold fields on returning with Mellalley and William Gunton? The two older men played cards and Jerome was a witness to the man slaughter by Mallalley of William Gunton and was coerced in helping to dispose of the body. By the time of Jerome's early death around 1903 at 37 he confessed his part in crime at his death bead?

Even so we have no record of Jerome's death?

Kanacki

 

[BeauS]

Hello BeauS

Maybe Jerome La Barge was young 12 yr apprentice that went to work in South Dakota gold fields on returning with Mellalley and William Gunton? The two older men played cards and Jerome was a witness to the man slaughter by Mallalley of William Gunton and was coerced in helping to dispose of the body. By the time of Jerome's early death around 1903 at 37 he confessed his part in crime at his death bead?

Even so we have no record of Jerome's death?

Kanacki

Kanacki, definitely seeing a person by the name of Jerome Le Barge. His occupation was indeed "apprentice" How likely would a young boy be sent to the gold fields for work in the late 1800's?

http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/...&h=46046492&db=1880usfedcen&indiv=1&ml_rpos=1

 

[Crow]

Hello Beau it is not impossible but unlikely. In earlier in the 19th century before around the 1840's yes it was quite common. However towards the end of 19th century more children was in schools of various forms until the age of 14. However some schooling in more remote areas was rather do it yourself. Even so literacy rates improved in the later half of the 19th cenutry.

Interesting what we are digging up. However we are not quite there as yet but close. Such is lure of researching treasure legends.

Crow

 

[BeauS]

Hello Beau it is not impossible but unlikely. In earlier in the 19th century before around the 1840's yes it was quite common. However towards the end of 19th century more children was in schools of various forms until the age of 14. However some schooling in more remote areas was rather do it yourself. Even so literacy rates improved in the later half of the 19th cenutry.

Interesting what we are digging up. However we are not quite there as yet but close. Such is lure of researching treasure legends.

Crow

Hey Crow looking for a proper match of Jos. Snow. Anything we could pull from this?

Jos Snow - Ancestry.com

 

[BeauS]

As for as I know it is unusual. The headstone seems more of 20th century headstone made of concrete.

kanacki

Hello Kanacki, so I called the public library looking for the original November 6th article in the Tribune. They have the same thing I posted for you guys. The original article is in pieces or covered up. They thought it was strange as well.

 

[Crow]

Hello BeauS

Not really surprising for me.

One thing I can guarantee you the document your always searching for is the one ripped damaged destroyed or missing.

Crow

 

[BeauS]

Hello BeauS

Not really surprising for me.

One thing I can guarantee you the document your always searching for is the one ripped damaged destroyed or missing.

Crow

Crow, I have found some more information on this story. Maybe the most details I have seen yet?

http://i.imgur.com/3Zk3YAs.png

 

[KANACKI]

Hola BeauS Its Saturday in our part of the world and Old Crow is most likely enjoying a few ales at his bar with a wobbly boot my friend. So I will en devour to make constructive comment on behalf of the old pirate.

It has been a good discovery the Newspaper you have found there is a few more things to work with to research in regards to this story legend.

Many questions can be asked about of parts of the story. Some of answers can be found.

Kanacki

 

[BeauS]

Hello Kanacki, both you and crow deserve a few beers for all the help you've given me!

My plan is to work with what's been given from this story. Most importantly, to find out if these "characters" are real people.

We have W.W. Delong, a real person and publisher of this story. We have a story that goes into great detail on where a body and possible gold can be found. Hell I've got the exact area marked on satellite images.

J. F. Binder was indeed part of the Department of Health of Pittsburgh in 1903. Apparently he examined the death of Jerome Le Barge. Maybe the department of health could have a record from J. F. Binder from 1903, and information about this Jerome LeBarge?

Charles Oldham was a representative from Mahaska county, Iowa. Apparently he had discovered the skull of William Gunton. This needs looked at.

Crow has found a headstone of a William Gunton in Elkhart Indiana without a birthdate and deathdate. Is this related to the character of the William Gunton of the story? I need to research this.

We now have some additional "characters" in this story which would be very difficult to research. Their names may not be completely accurate, or not enough details given.

John Steel of Fort Madison, Iowa was the second person to know details on the death of Jerome LeBarge.

All we have is the last name of "Melalley," the partner of William Gunton who both joined LeBarge from the Black Hills on were headed for Illinois.

Mrs. Jos Snow who's residence in Pittsburgh was the location where Jerome LeBarge died. She apparently sent his confession letter in the story. In the latest article I posted, her name at one point is "Jas Shaw" or "Jas Snow"

As you guys can see, I have many things to research in order to prove this as a real story.

 

[Crow]

Hello BeauS

You doing well as your questioning everything. There could be several scenarios with this story. However finding which one is correct we need to full understand the facts from exaggerations. I must say I have enjoyed this thread as it has danced on razors edge one minute looking like a hoax then tottering back to being a possible reality. However my friend time will tell with an open mined approach to finding the facts.

Indeed while many quickly set themselves into one camp or another you have done the right thing to have kept an open minded approach, looking to make your conclusion on facts.

Well done.

Crow

 

[KANACKI]

hola BeauS

your going in right direction.

kanacki

 

[BeauS]

Hello beauS

I have found a William Gunton that maybe the William Gunton of the story?

This William Gunton was Born in 1815 in England. He was 45 in 1860 United State census. Living with a women by the name Mary Gunton However it are appears she had 2 daughters from a previous marriage as he daughters Mary 14 and Ida aged 9 last name was Brooks?

William Gunton by 1870 Census still living in the same location except no wife or step daughters. Both census he was listed as farm hand. He was living in Washington Elkhart Indiana on Both Census. looking on the map Eddyville would of been a logical location for him to pass through Eddyville returning from the South Dakota gold field in around 1878.

What you might find interesting. There is no death record for this man. Nor is recorded in 1880 United State census. I also checked to see if he returned to United Kingdom? Records of people returning to UK go from 1878-1940 from Memory. There was no trace of him? Some time between 1870 and 1880 this man simply vanished off the face of the Earth? Is he the murdered William Gunton of the story?

View attachment 1139449

Crow

Hello Crow, what's this "0" placed under section 18 indicate? I'm not seeing it in the 1860 census. Also he went from living with a Mary Gunton and her two daughters, to a John and Sarah App from Pennsylvania?

 

[Crow]

Hello Crow, what's this "0" placed under section 18 indicate? I'm not seeing it in the 1860 census. Also he went from living with a Mary Gunton and her two daughters, to a John and Sarah App from Pennsylvania?

Hello BeauS Good question. It was on the line if had an impairment either deaf, blind, idiotic or insane.

That question was only on the 1870 one onwards

Crow

 

[BeauS]

Hello BeauS Good question. It was on the line if had an impairment either deaf, blind, idiotic or insane.

That question was only on the 1870 one onwards

Crow

I guess it could also mean pauper or convict? If you look closely on the 1860, his entry is at the top. Nothing indicated in box 14.
Not sure if it has any affect on our research.

http://postimg.org/image/8n8ge88in/


So going through the latest article I posted on here, I'm seeing different spellings in this "Jos Snow." character. I went ahead and tried "Jos Shaw" in Ancestry and found something. He was a coal minor from England living in Robinson, Pennsylvania. Could his wife Sarah have used his surename when she wrote that letter?

http://i.imgur.com/y0slOfX.jpg

 

[Crow]

I guess it could also mean pauper or convict? If you look closely on the 1860, his entry is at the top. Nothing indicated in box 14.
Not sure if it has any affect on our research.

http://postimg.org/image/8n8ge88in/


So going through the latest article I posted on here, I'm seeing different spellings in this "Jos Snow." character. I went ahead and tried "Jos Shaw" in Ancestry and found something. He was a coal minor from England living in Robinson, Pennsylvania. Could his wife Sarah have used his surename when she wrote that letter?

http://i.imgur.com/y0slOfX.jpg

Hello BeauS

For Shaw I am not sure with the document you show is for 1920. Possible but not conclusive.

Here is a Josephina Snow age 1 a Canadian living in a united State Indian reservation in 1870. That of course not conclusive either? But possible? Was she the Jos Snow of the story?



I think we have to determine which was the correct name Snow or Shaw? As a rule the earliest version generally more accurate. However that due various reasons may not always be the case. The 1920 version was about 17 years after the event. It is easy to forget things especially exact details.

If she was the lady mentioned in the letter? she would of been about 33-34 at the time of Jerrome's Le Barge's death in 1903. Still we have a few gaps as there is some thing missing from the story. So the story not dead yet but not quite past the line either?

Crow

 

[BeauS]

Hello BeauS

For Shaw I am not sure with the document you show is for 1920. Possible but not conclusive.

Here is a Josephina Snow age 1 a Canadian living in a united State Indian reservation in 1870. That of course not conclusive either? But possible? Was she the Jos Snow of the story?

View attachment 1144643

I think we have to determine which was the correct name Snow or Shaw? As a rule the earliest version generally more accurate. However that due various reasons may not always be the case. The 1920 version was about 17 years after the event. It is easy to forget things especially exact details.

If she was the lady mentioned in the letter? she would of been about 33-34 at the time of Jerrome's Le Barge's death in 1903. Still we have a few gaps as there is some thing missing from the story. So the story not dead yet but not quite past the line either?

Crow

Hey there Crow. The 1920 oskaloosa article has information that was cut out of the original November 6th 1903 newspaper I posted. It has the complete "confession made in letter" section. This makes me think it was just copied over. It looks like DeLong used different spellings of her name in the original article in 1903.

Remember this "Mrs. Shaw" would have resided in Pittsburgh or near around 1903.

 

[Crow]

Hey there Crow. The 1920 oskaloosa article has information that was cut out of the original November 6th 1903 newspaper I posted. It has the complete "confession made in letter" section. This makes me think it was just copied over. It looks like DeLong used different spellings of her name in the original article in 1903.

Remember this "Mrs. Shaw" would have resided in Pittsburgh or near around 1903.

Hello Beau was this Mrs Shaw recorded in 1900 census in Pittsburgh?

Crow

 

[BeauS]

Crow, I'll have to do some checking. I found her in the 1920 census so far.

 

[Crow]

Crow, I'll have to do some checking. I found her in the 1920 census so far.

Hello BeauS

Ya doing well.

Try some small spelling variations as some times people who collected the census taken down info misspell names. look for her husband in 1900 or 1910 census.

Crow