Beach Mining - Creative Ways to Find Minerals

Mining on the Beach

Library of Congress

Beach mining in the 1800s involved several methods and techniques adapted to coastal environments where valuable minerals like gold, tin, and diamonds were found in beach sands and sediments. Here’s how they typically conducted beach mining during that time:

Similar to river panning, miners used pans to manually sift through beach sands to find traces of heavier minerals like gold. This method was labor-intensive but effective in finding small concentrations of valuable minerals.

Miners would set up sluice boxes along the beach or in nearby streams to channel water over deposits of beach sand. The sluice boxes used riffles to trap heavier minerals while allowing lighter sediment to wash away.

primitive dredging methods were sometimes employed using hand-operated suction pumps or simple bucket dredges to extract sands from the seabed or near the shoreline. These methods were basic but effective for shallow-water mining.

Beach mining is carefully monitored in current times, as it has a huge environmental impact on shorelines.  

In any case, I admire the man in the picture and his creative way of keeping dry and doing his work. 

-Val

 

 

The Daring World of Submarine Mining in the 1800s

 

Bing AI

In the late 1800s, an innovative yet perilous approach to mining was developed in England and Wales: submarine mining. Miners began extending tunnels from the shoreline deep under the seabed to access coal deposits located offshore. This method allowed for the exploitation of coal seams that stretched beneath the ocean, opening new avenues for resource extraction that were previously thought inaccessible.

However, submarine mining came with significant risks. The tunnels, vulnerable to the ocean's pressure, posed severe hazards from flooding. Additionally, these underwater environments were prone to the accumulation of dangerous gases, increasing the risk of explosive methane gas incidents. Despite these dangers, the drive for industrial progress and the high demand for coal continued to push the boundaries of traditional mining techniques during this era.

-Val

 

 

Jerry Neville (1848-1900) - Mine Owner

PCA Archives

Based solely on GAR insignia on his grave marker, it is thought that Jerry Neville is the same person as the Canada-born Jerry Nevill who enlisted in the Union army at Dowagiac, Michigan, on December 22, 1863.  Although he swore that he was over 18 years old when he enlisted, the inscription on his grave marker suggests that he might have been younger.  

For a bounty of $300, he signed up to serve for three years and was assigned to Company D, 6^th Michigan Heavy Artillery.  He was discharged in New Orleans on August 20, 1865.  Thereafter, he seems to have gone into the mining business out West, perhaps logical given that he would have been familiar with gunpowder and explosives.

According to the federal census, Jerry Neville was in Silver City, New Mexico, in 1880.  However, he was also registered to vote in Pima County, Arizona.  He and his partner, Norman H. Chapin, operated in the southeastern part of the state, where they owned copper mines called The Pride of the West and The Smuggler near Harshaw, Arizona.

On October 3, 1891, Chapin married Maria Barron in Nogales, Arizona.  A little over five years later, Neville married Maria’s younger sister, Refugia Barron, recently arrived from Mexico, on May 2, 1897.  This made Chapin and Neville brothers-in-law as well as business partners.

The Nevilles had a son George, born July 15, 1899, in Los Angeles.  Possibly they had a daughter named Ygnacia as well, but she may have died young, as she does not appear in the censuses of 1900 or 1910.

By 1899, Jerry Neville had contracted phthisis (tuberculosis) and was no longer able to attend to his mines.  The Pride of the West was reportedly sold to Gee & Wilfley of Denver for $120,000.

Toward the end of 1899, Neville was staying at Washington Camp in Santa Cruz County when he took a turn for the worse and came to Phoenix for medical treatment.  He died on January 4, 1900, in Sisters Hospital in Phoenix and was buried in Rosedale Cemetery.

His brother-in-law, Norman H. Chapin, came to Phoenix to settle Neville’s business affairs, but only a few short weeks later, he was stricken with pneumonia and died on January 10, 1900.  He was buried in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Cemetery.

The 1900 federal census, conducted later that year, found the widowed sisters, Maria and Refugia, living together in Harshaw.  On August 29, 1901, Refugia remarried.  Her new husband, Oscar Keefe Franklin, then adopted little George and was named as his legal guardian.

There is no evidence that Jerry Neville ever received an invalid pension for his Civil War service or was a patient at the military hospital in Sawtelle, California.  Likewise, Refugia and her son George seem not to have applied for survivors pensions.  It has been conjectured that they were sufficiently well off not to need such benefits.

-Donna Carr

19th Century Mining Food - Bean with Bacon Soup

Bing AI

 

The availability of ingredients and cooking facilities in 19th-century mining camps varied significantly based on location, supply lines, and the wealth of the mining operation. However, there were some common staples and tools that were typically found at these camps:

• Dried Goods: Beans, rice, flour, and dried corn were staples due to their long shelf life and versatility.
• Meat: Salt pork and bacon were preferred for their ability to be stored for extended periods. 
• Baking Supplies: Flour, sugar, and lard were often available for making bread, biscuits, and simple desserts.
• Coffee and Tea: Essential for starting the day, coffee and tea were widely used.
• Spices and Seasonings: Salt, pepper, and a limited array of other spices and herbs.
  

Being said, here is a recipe for a hearty soup that would give the miners needed protein and carbohydrates for energy:

Bean with Bacon Soup

Ingredients:

2 cups dried beans (such as navy or pinto)

1/2 pound bacon, chopped

1 large onion, diced

6 cups water or broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the beans by rinsing and soaking them overnight in cold water. Drain and rinse again before cooking.  Cook the bacon over medium heat until it begins to render its fat. Add the diced onion and cook until the onion is translucent, and the bacon is crisp.

Add the drained beans to the pot with the bacon and onions. Pour in water or broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the beans are tender, about 1-2 hours. Season with salt and pepper.

-Val

 

 

We Want Your Feedback! - 2024

🌵📜 We want your feedback!  History beckons, and we want to hear from you! What secrets of Arizona's past or tales from the tombstones do you want see unearthed on our Facebook page and/or social media? 

Share your curiosities and help us preserve the echoes of yesteryear. Please answer two questions below in the comments section.  You can be anonymous.  You can also email us: pioneercem@yahoo.com.  let's dig into history together!🌟

1.  How do you know about the Pioneers' Cemetery Association and/or the Pioneer and Military Memorial Park?

2.  What would you like to see through our social media?  

Thanks for your support!

 

John McCasey (1819-1895) - Civil War Vet and Mining Engineer

PCA Archives

John McCasey was born between 1819 and 1825 in Ireland.  At some point, he immigrated to the United States and settled in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.  He seems to have had a rather good education, enabling him to work as a machinist, mining engineer and metallurgist throughout his life.

At the outbreak of the Civil War, McCasey enlisted as a private in Company E, 8th Pennsylvania Infantry, on April 18, 1861.  He and Cornelia Connolly were married before a priest on June 4, 1861, in Scranton, Pennsylvania. 

McCasey was soon promoted to the rank of captain in Company K, 110th Pennsylvania Infantry.  However, he resigned his commission on July 29, 1861, stating that ill health made him unfit to perform his duties.  He returned home to recuperate, where his and Cornelia’s first child, William Francis, was born on August 12 of the following year.

McCasey reenlisted briefly on July 1, 1863, in Company B, 41st Pennsylvania Emergency Militia, an ad hoc unit raised to defend the state from the Confederate advance toward Gettysburg.  He was discharged on August 3, 1863.

Following the Civil War, McCasey found work as a machinist.  He and Cornelia, or Lillie as she was called, had eight children, although only four lived to adulthood.

The 1880 federal census of Jersey City, New Jersey, lists McCasey as a ‘silver miner’.  Shortly after his oldest son turned 21, McCasey moved to Arizona, while his wife Cornelia remained in Pennsylvania to raise the rest of their children.

McCasey found work as a mining engineer in the vicinity of the Harqua Hala Mine near Yuma.  In 1889, he wrote a detailed description of the ores and other minerals to be found there.  In 1891, he discovered a significant onyx deposit north of Cave Creek, Arizona.

John McCasey moved to Mesa, Arizona, and set up an assay office there in 1893.  After transferring his GAR membership to the John Wren Owen GAR Post, he filed for and received Invalid Pension #865,681. He seems to have lost touch with his friends back East, as his whereabouts were not known until one of his old Army companions tracked him down through the GAR.

McCasey died February 23, 1895, having been hospitalized for about three months with pulmonary tuberculosis.  He was buried in Porter Cemetery.

His widow Cornelia filed for and received a Civil War Widow’s pension, # 471,053.  She was living in the Bronx, New York City, when she died on June 29, 1919.

-Donna Carr

 

Have You Heard of Porter Cemetery?

 

A small tour of Porter Cemetery, one of our small pioneer cemeteries at the Pioneer and Military Memorial Park, Phoenix, Arizona!

Email us for our summer hours:  pioneercem@yahoo.com

Happy Father's Day!

 

Photos from Library of Congress

To our fathers now, and those who have gone before.  Happy Father's Day!

Honoring Valor: The Restoration of a Veteran's Grave Site

 

PCA Archives

Amer DeShane McGinnis was born around 1849 to John and Laura McGinnis.  He enlisted in the military in 1867 when he was a farmer at 21 1/2 years old, and participated in the Indian Wars, as a soldier in Company A, 32nd United States Infantry. He was discharged June 28, 1870.  He married Annie Pickering, the widow of William L. Pickering on November 27, 1890 at Vulture City, Arizona. William had died in Vulture City. He was the owner of a saloon there. Unfortunately, Annie died on July 23, 1891.

Later, Amer would be appointed as a U.S. Postmaster at Calderwood, Maricopa, Arizona on January 26, 1892. Amer died on November 8, 1905, and is buried next to his wife Annie in City Loosley. 

-Val

 

Recently, we were honored to have volunteers from the Travis Manion Foundation help with placement of a military marker for Amer McGinnis and a weed cleanup in our cemetery. The new marker was a replacement for the old one that had weathered to the point where the Amer's name was no longer visible. Veterans of the group joined together to place the marker, which weighs 220 pounds.  The mission of the TMF is to empower veterans and families of fallen heroes to develop character in future generations.  Thank you all.

-Patty

 

"Desert Ships": How Camels Helped the U.S. Army and Arizona Mining

Camel

Library of Congress LC-DIG-hec-29929

Camels were used in Arizona during the mid-19th century as part of an experimental initiative by the U.S. Army. This initiative, known as the U.S. 'Camel Corps', was established in the 1850s to test the viability of using camels for transportation and supply routes in the arid regions of the American Southwest, including Arizona.

The experiment began in 1856 when the U.S. government imported camels from the Middle East and North Africa. The camels proved to be well-suited for the harsh desert conditions, demonstrating their ability to carry heavy loads over long distances without needing much water. Despite their effectiveness, the outbreak of the Civil War and other logistical challenges led to the discontinuation of the Camel Corps by the late 1860s.

After the military disbanded the Camel Corps, many of the camels were sold to private owners, including those in the mining industry. Miners and prospectors found camels useful for hauling equipment and supplies across the rugged desert terrain of Arizona and nearby areas. However, as the use of railroads and other forms of transportation expanded, the reliance on camels gradually diminished. Some camels were released into the wild, and there were occasional sightings of feral camels in the southwestern United States for many years afterward.

-Val

Thomas A. Cochrane (1836-1894) - Prospector

Broderbund Clip Art

Thomas Augustus Cochrane was born in Canada around 1836 to parents who had immigrated to Canada from England.  In about 1838, his widowed mother brought Thomas and his older sister Mary Ann to Jacksonville, Morgan County, Illinois.

According to his obituary, Cochrane went to California in 1849 when he was only 13 years old.  He spent the rest of his life as a prospector and mining consultant.  He never married.

City directories, census returns and voter registrations record his travels throughout California and Arizona.  In 1864, he was a miner, living in San Francisco.  By 1870, he was a miner in Tuolumne, California.  He had moved to Pinal County, Arizona, by 1880.

Cochrane registered to vote in Maricopa County, Arizona, in 1886, although he continued to have business dealings in Globe.  By this time, he was well regarded as a mining man.

In June, 1890, Cochrane and his business partner Frank Kirkland were selling shares in a mining corporation with gold mines located near Harqua Hala.  One of the mines, the Golden Eagle, had been ‘jumped’ by M. H. Horn, and the partners along with Columbus Gray had to get an injunction to make Horn leave.

Cochrane returned from trip East in August 1890, after which he was planning to go to Baker City, Oregon, to superintend operations at a new mine there.  He was said to be a man of great skill and integrity.

Early in 1893, T. A. Cochrane made a prospecting trip into the Bradshaw Mountains.  In May, he was a member of the coroner’s jury convened to determine the cause of Tessie Murray’s (Letitia Rice’s) death.

Just a few days before his death, Cochrane was exhibiting a gold nugget the size of a hen’s egg, which he said was taken from a digging on the Hassayampa River north of Wickenburg.

Thomas A. Cochrane died in his room at a Phoenix boarding house on September 18, 1894, of what was almost certainly a heart attack.  Captain Calderwood took up a collection for his funeral expenses, which his sister in Illinois reimbursed shortly thereafter.  Cochrane was buried in City Loosley Cemetery, Block 16, Lot 7, Space N 1/3.

-Donna carr

Come Learn About The Pioneer and Military Memorial Park! - June 15th, 2024!

By Val

Our Pioneers' Cemetery Association historian will talk about our Pioneer and Military Memorial Park, and its unusual and historically significant 19th Century history at the North Mountain Visitor's Center! Hope you can join us!

Congratulations Cindy! - Museum Association of Arizona Individual Award of Excellence Winner 2024!

Picture by Val

Cindy Lee, our vice president of PCA, has been awarded the 2024 Individual Award of Excellence from the Museum Association of Arizona for her unwavering dedication to the historic preservation of pioneer cemeteries. Her passion for this cause is evident through her tireless efforts in recruiting and training volunteers in preservation techniques, as well as organizing and participating in the cleaning, masonry work, other preservation tasks as well. Her hands-on approach and hard work ensure that the rich legacy and memory of Arizona's pioneers are preserved for future generations. Congratulations Cindy!

 

Veins of Progress: 19th Century Mining

Mile Underground - The Wilson Mine, AZ 1903

Library of Congress

Mining in the 1800s was marked by rapid growth and dramatic changes, profoundly impacting societies and economies around the world. Here are some interesting facts about mining during this period.

• The 1800s saw several gold rushes that shaped entire regions and nations. The California Gold Rush (1848-1855) drew hundreds of thousands to the American West. Similarly, the Australian Gold Rushes started in 1851, and later, the Klondike Gold Rush in 1896 prompted a massive influx of prospectors to the Yukon in Northwestern Canada.

• Alongside gold, silver was a major driver of mining activity. The discovery of the Comstock Lode in Nevada in 1859, one of the richest silver mines in America, prompted a "silver rush" similar to the gold rushes of the era.

• The introduction of dynamite by Alfred Nobel in 1867 revolutionized rock blasting, greatly increasing the efficiency and scale of mining operations. The development of the steam engine also facilitated deeper mining through more effective pumping systems to remove water.

• The demand for coal soared during the 19th century, driven by its critical role as a fuel for steam engines in factories, railways, and ships. This led to the expansion of coal mining across Europe and America, with Britain, in particular, becoming a major coal producer.

• The 1800s were also a time when the environmental impact of mining began to be significantly felt. Large-scale deforestation, water pollution, and landscape alteration were common side effects of mining during this period, although environmental concerns were rarely addressed at the time.

• The harsh and dangerous conditions in mines led to the early formation of labor unions and strikes. Miners were among the first groups to organize themselves to improve their working conditions, leading to better safety regulations and labor laws in the later years.

These facets of mining in the 1800s illustrate not only the industry's evolution but also its ability to transform societies and landscapes wherever it took hold.

 -Val

Brief History of Mining

 

Miners at Work

Library of Congress

Mining has been a fundamental human activity since prehistoric times, with evidence of flint and stone quarried by ancient civilizations for tools and weapons. The practice evolved significantly with the advent of metals like copper and iron, marking the transition to the Bronze and Iron Ages. Throughout history, mining has propelled economic and technological advancements, influencing trade routes, empires, and cultural developments. In the Industrial Revolution, mining became industrialized, with coal and iron ore extraction driving massive changes in technology and society. Today, mining remains crucial but faces challenges regarding sustainability and environmental impact, reflecting a centuries-long legacy of extracting Earth's natural resources to meet human needs.

-Val

Georgia A. DeLoach Lewis (1872-1909) - Lineage on "Finding Your Roots"!

Bing AI

*Editor's Note:  This lineage was featured on Season 3, Episode 7, of finding your roots! 

Georgia was born on March 10, 1872, in Lancaster, Fairfield County, Ohio.   She was one of at least nine children of George W. DeLoach and Mary Stewart, African Americans.

She married Frank M. Hailstock on December 24, 1898, but he died only eight weeks later.  On the 1900 federal census of Ohio, Georgia was listed as a young widow, living in her parents' household.

Georgia married John Edward Lewis shortly thereafter.   John had been a Buffalo Soldier with the 10th Cavalry.   Their firstborn son was Frank Hailstock Lewis.  Both John and Georgia must have thought highly of Georgia’s deceased first husband to have named their son after him.  While in Ohio, Georgia and John also had a daughter Ruth, born in 1905.

The Lewis family moved to Phoenix because of Georgia’s health.  Her husband John became a well-known barber; he also ran a boxing gym.

Unfortunately, Georgia died on August 26, 1909, at the age of 37.  She was buried in Rosedale Cemetery, although her grave does not have a marker and its exact location is no longer known.

In 1912, John Edward Lewis married Mattie Drake in Norton, Yuma County, Arizona, and he and Mattie had several children together.  One was boxer Nathaniel Christy Lewis, biological grandfather of rap artist LL Cool J, as revealed in season 3, episode 7 of the popular TV series, “Finding Your Roots”.

John Edward Lewis died on July 17, 1947, and was buried in Golden Gate National Cemetery in San Bruno, California.

-By Donna Carr

 

Robert E. Lee Brown (1865-1902) - Mining Engineer and Adventurer

PCA Archives

R. E. L. Brown may be one of the most unique characters in the Pioneer & Military Memorial Park, both for his colorful life--and the speed with which he was forgotten after his demise.

Born May 31, 1865, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Laurence and Martha Brown, he trained as a mining engineer, then went out west to locate promising mines.

In 1889, Brown was surveying potential mining claims in Washington state. During a violent labor strike in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, in 1892, he started a newspaper called The Barbarian, which took the side of the mine owners versus the unionized miners.  This earned him the nickname “Barbarian Brown”.  Threatened with death during the strike, he caused a cannon to be wheeled into the street outside his office.

Much as he enjoyed the furor his newspaper editorials provoked, Brown remained first and foremost a mining engineer.  He speculated in mines and was well regarded internationally for his expertise.  Seeking new adventures, Brown journeyed to South Africa in hopes of securing some promising claims during a land rush in Witfontein in 1895. Competition was fierce for the best claims, but Brown hit upon a method that could outrun the swiftest horse:  a heliograph!  He set up heliograph stations by which he could transmit confirmation almost instantaneously to his confederates in the field who were waiting to stake his claims.

On July 19, 1895, the day of the land rush, twelve thousand miners were gathered in Doornkoop to register their permits.  But Brown had devised a plan to ensure that he would be first in line.  A fan of American football, he recruited a group of rough men from local bars to form a “flying wedge” to cut through the crowd.  The ruse worked;  however, the Pretoria government initially refused to honor his claims.  Brown sued the Boer government and eventually won a huge judgment, the exact value of which has never been ascertained.

Having worn out his welcome in South Africa, the brash engineer returned to North America where, on September 26, 1898, he wed Maud Higgins in Victoria, British Columbia. 

Brown was in London in 1901 when he apparently contracted tuberculosis.  In late 1902, he traveled to Phoenix in a private train car with his wife, his personal physician and a nurse.  Unfortunately, he had left it too late; he died on October 3, 1902, scarcely a week after his arrival.   Despite his fame and fortune, his death rated only a few lines in the local newspaper, and he was buried under a simple wooden headboard in Rosedale Cemetery.  

One can only speculate as to why Brown’s remains were not shipped back East and why a more elaborate headstone was never erected over his grave.

-Donna Carr

 

Happy "602 Day" Phoenix!

Val Wilson

On June 2, Phoenix will be celebrating "602 Day" as part of its city celebrations or events. The number "602" is the original area code for Phoenix.  It was assigned the area code in 1947. This is an opportunity for residents to support local businesses or organizations.  For more information, visit www.602day.com.