Explorador
Newbie
- Jan 30, 2022
- 3
- 10
There is very little information about the early Jesuits in the fringes of Spanish occupation, but evidence on the ground tells a different story. The Spanish were here mining and running obscure branches of larger missions or illegal mining operations. The fact that some of the oldest maps indicate churches or missions at the very location of some of the evidence leads me to believe they were branches of larger missions. Not much is known or recorded about them. Very possibly the reason the King became suspicious and recalled the Jesuits. They were secretive and not providing him information. Perhaps the main missions did not record much about these fringe operations because this was the source of their wealth? I became involved with Jesuit research by accident many years ago as a young boy hearing a story from an old timer. I can give the YouTube link to this entire back story if it is allowed and interest is there. Basically a man by the name of Llewellyn Harris who was a Mormon missionary to the Zuni performed a remarkable miracle when he healed nearly the entire Tribe from small pox epidemic a deadly disease to the natives. In return for this miracle the Zuni gave Llewellyn a map to a Spanish Treasure. Over 40 years of back trailing this story, I have traced the entire event from the beginning to almost the end. I know where the treasure originated, I know where it was hidden, and I have a copy of the original map, I am in touch with Mr. Harris decedents, but I cannot put this thing to rest until I can give it a Paul Harvey send off. I want to know the "rest of the story", who these guys were (I suspect Jesuits) and the time frame they were here. Now to my question to the old timers of this forum. On page 41 of Lost Treasures On The Old Spanish Trail, George A Thompson, mentions Gene Ballinger, another treasure writer telling of the discovery of Jesuit records being found in a cave along the Virgin River. This is smoke from the gun I am looking for. If they were indeed Jesuit records, these were my guys. The mine and mission of the Golden Jesus was right on the Virgin River near St George, Utah. The mining area is the Silver Reef deposit that was mined years later when pure silver was discovered in sandstone. It amazes me that the Spanish had found it and were mining it but the evidence is beyond question. The old arrastra, mission rubble, and Spanish inscriptions are all there. Its location is on at least two old maps I have, including one made by Father Kino. Does anyone know anything about this discovery, these records? Is this article mentioned in one of Ballinger's old publications, a newspaper article at the time? Where did Thompson get his information. Where did these records end up? I have doubted many of the things Thompson wrote over the years but as time has gone on, I have had to eat my opinion on most of those doubts. Unfortunately, all my old contacts have gone to the great treasure hunt in the sky. For many years I corresponded with Thompson but this topic never surfaced in those days, I was not that far along in my research before his fateful car crash. RIP George! I have hit all the libraries, micro fish records and poured over as many of the old 1973 publications as I can find. Does anyone have a collection of the 1973 Ballinger publications. "The Steps of the Treasure Hunter Magazine" Any notes to the Thompson reference, such as who found this cache, or leads to where these church books ended up, (hopefully in a library or archive) would be greatly appreciated.
Here is the link to the back story on my Llewellyn Harris research and a copy of his map.
Here is the link to the back story on my Llewellyn Harris research and a copy of his map.