IN SEARCH OF THE AUTHENTIC ORIGIN OF THE BEALE TREASURE STORY

[ECS]

... Could be a Troll guarding the Confederate Gold?

Now that would make a great movie for SYFY channel.

 

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[Rebel - KGC]

Rufus, the Dreaming Creek Troll knows the location as it is his wooded home...
...and Rufus will tell you that Hunters Hill Plantation has nothing to do with the "authentic origin" of the Beale story.

LOL!

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Who is Rufus the Dreaming Creek Troll? Another one of your quotes with no provenance

ROFL!

 

[Rebel - KGC]

I am surprised with all your Lynchburg research that you never encountered a mention of Rufus,
but as always, here is the requested "provenance":
"Little-Known" Attractions of Lynchburg and Central Virginia
The Dreaming Creek Troll is the 8th story down.
I am sure Rebel-KGC has heard and is familiar with Rufus the Dreaming Creek Troll story.

PS: If you scroll about halfway down, there is a photo of Thomas Jefferson's CHESTNUT GROVE simple frame house at 4714 Polk Street, Lynchburg.

I am... AND! Elvis & the Rolling Stones were in the "Burg", at different times...

 

[ECS]

I am... AND! Elvis & the Rolling Stones were in the "Burg", at different times...

Yes, and Keith still has the scar from that gig!

 

[Ryano]

ECS - that website is packed full of fascinating stories.. Thanks for sharing !

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Heh... for Halloween, we have the HEAD-LESS CAT! HISSSS! The Head is looking for the REST of the body... AND! As to the Dreaming Creek Troll... anyone ready for a SNIPE HUNT...? BA HA HA HA!

 

[ECS]

I submit 1885 as the year of origin for the Beale treasure story, in addition to Sherman, James Beverly Ward, his wife Harriet, cousin F C Hutter, and close and valued fried, Max Guggenheimer were all involved in the Beale story's creation.

Was there any mention of the Beale Party, Thomas J Beale, the perilous adventure, the treasure before the 1884 copyright and 1885 publication?
Anything that could collaborate anything portion of the story, excluding the names employed in the narrative text unless a pre-1884 statement can be produced and verified as legitimate, and also excluding the maybe, could be that are unrelated to Ward's copyrighted story.

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Not in "The 'Burg; it was a SECRET among RM & "Family" that was revealed in the second year of the CONFEDERATE WAR...

 

[franklin]

Not in "The 'Burg; it was a SECRET among RM & "Family" that was revealed in the second year of the CONFEDERATE WAR...

If it was a secret among RM' & Family someone in the family should have had the sense to write it down in a diary or journal. Need to contact all descendants see what they have?

 

[ECS]

Not in "The 'Burg; it was a SECRET among RM & "Family" that was revealed in the second year of the CONFEDERATE WAR...

That is part of the narrative story, as with the claim that Thomas J Beale was "extremely popular with everyone" and known as a "model of manly beauty".
According to the BEALE PAPERS, many people, especially the ladies, were aware of Thomas J Beale, and of course his stay at Pascal Buford's Inn is noted in the job pamphlet- with all these named and unnamed people listed as witnesses in the story. the total lack of even a minimal confirmation outside of the Beale Papers of any of the events in the story casts serious doubt that these events ever happened.
Yes, one can present genealogy searches that confirm that mentioned and alluded to persons did indeed live during the time period of the pamphlet, all but the main character, Thomas J Beale.
It is curious that the descendants of Buford and Saunders who could confirm critical sections of the Beale Papers, never have one way or the other.

 

[franklin]

I still have an appointment to talk to some of them next month. If all goes as planned.

 

[ECS]

If they possessed any additional information one would think it would have already been presented.
Col William Friedman and his boots on the ground, Lt Thomas Fawcett, were very thorough in their research and personal family interviews concerning the creation of Ward's copyrighted Beale Papers, and still no great revelations.

 

[ECS]

If it was a secret among RM' & Family someone in the family should have had the sense to write it down in a diary or journal...

If it was a secret to Robert Morriss and family, his wife Sarah Mitchell Morriss, who died about a year before her husband in the home and care of her niece, Harriet Emmaline Ward, wife of James Beverly Ward, then it is very possible that Ward her this Beale story(if true), before the "unknown author" from Robert Morriss.
Harriet Emmaline Otey was born and raised 4 miles from Buford's Inn.

If Beale and his vault digging buddies stayed at Buford's, one would think that this extremely popular six foot swarthy model of manly beauty would be a part of Buford and Otey family gossip and lore long before the "unknown author" heard the tale during the 2nd year of the Confederate War from Morriss.

It has been discussed and noted on these threads that the children of Pascal and Francis Buford had no knowledge of Beale's alleged stay, and , most important, the Beale Papers were published after both Buford's and Anzoletta Saunders had passed away.

 

[bigscoop]

It's just more of the same old romancing of the tale, this person knew that person, etc., etc., etc. Yet here again, just as in all of the other romancing of the tale that has taken place over the years, there exist no direct connection to that tale or to the events portrayed in that tale.

 

[franklin]

If it was a secret to Robert Morriss and family, his wife Sarah Mitchell Morriss, who died about a year before her husband in the home and care of her niece, Harriet Emmaline Ward, wife of James Beverly Ward, then it is very possible that Ward her this Beale story(if true), before the "unknown author" from Robert Morriss.
Harriet Emmaline Otey was born and raised 4 miles from Buford's Inn.

If Beale and his vault digging buddies stayed at Buford's, one would think that this extremely popular six foot swarthy model of manly beauty would be a part of Buford and Otey family gossip and lore long before the "unknown author" heard the tale during the 2nd year of the Confederate War from Morriss.

It has been discussed and noted on these threads that the children of Pascal and Francis Buford had no knowledge of Beale's alleged stay, and , most important, the Beale Papers were published after both Buford's and Anzoletta Saunders had passed away.

Anzoletta's sons were still living and her grandchildren. Some of the neighbors were still living especially Robert Morriss' doctors. RM had at least four doctors.

 

[ECS]

...and still the only person to hear this Beale treasure story was the "unknown author", and Anzoletta Saunders and the two sons who were at home during Morriss's stay did not overhear any of this?
The question that is never addressed is this:
Why did Robert Morriss (according to the presented story) choose only this "unknown author" the Beale treasure and not his caretakers?

 

[ECS]

It's just more of the same old romancing of the tale, this person knew that person, etc., etc., etc. Yet here again, just as in all of the other romancing of the tale that has taken place over the years, there exist no direct connection to that tale or to the events portrayed in that tale.

With all this person knew this person, etc, etc, etc, it was the "unknown author" who received this treasure tale from Morriss and kept it secret except for immediate family and one valued friend until he presented a finished manuscript to James Beverly Ward as his chosen agent for copyright and publishing, it is amazing that it remained a "secret" for 20 years.

 

[bigscoop]

Actually, according to the tale, it was the unknown author who sought out Moriss for interview, Morriss never sought out anyone. It was however, according to the tale, only after certain agreements could be arranged that Morriss allegedly agreed to tell his story to the unknown author. The real question, to me anyway, is why this unknown author had reason to seek out Morriss in the first place? This is where the story presents yet another one of its inconsistencies, the author claiming that he first learned of the mystery from Morriss and yet he never references his reasons for seeking that initial visit/interview with Morriss. I mean, are we to believe that he just happened to show up at the Morriss residence on the very day that Morriss was wanting to get something off of his chest? Hardly.

 

[franklin]

By Robert Morriss giving away by Deed all of his furniture and items to keep house in the 1850's to his niece and sister of Anzoletta. Also his wife, Sarah dying at the home of James Beverly Ward in 1861 makes me believe that both were convalescent and unable to care for each other especially Robert Morriss. All the years that Robert Morriss stayed at his nieces home of Anzoletta there is no one saying anything about meeting Robert Morriss or of him ever saying anything to anyone. RM could have had an early stroke before his wife's death. He may have not been able to talk, do or say anything at all. That may be the reason that James Beverly Ward had to make the arrangements for her funeral and pay for the funeral himself. Also Robert Morriss left no Will, rich as he was he had no possessions and while staying at Anzoletta's home, according to court documents she and her family were poor during the Civil War. If Robert Morriss had so much and had a story of treasure to tell surely he would have told his loving niece, Anzoletta.

James Beverly Ward visited the area and farms near where Robert Morriss died, he even purchased a slave girl from Robert Morriss' Doctor. The slave girl was to attend and take care of his mother. The Doctor's brother did go to St. Louis in 1861 on a private business adventure for he and his brother. And then just a couple years before the Doctor died he too longed to go to St. Louis on a business adventure and he borrowed $50. dollars from his brother that had already been there in 1861. This would have been around 1874 or 1875. The Doctor's brother also had a son and it was through him that his father could have went to St. Louis. He could be the author because under testimony he would not state what the business adventure his father or his uncle went to St. Louis for?

Also James Beverly Ward lost Hunter's Hill Plantation in 1870 over debts he owed totaling over eight thousand dollars. All of his lands, his two saw mills, slaves, furniture and farm equipment was not enough to compensate for the amount owed. He needed money as he and his family were staying with his daughter at her home in Lynchburg. JBW was a surveyor after that to make a living. He most likely felt he could write a good treasure story. View attachment U 279.pdf