Amos Deason Gold

[Gypsy Heart]

Amos Deason was born in South Carolina in 1806, married Eleanor Baskin and, after having three daugh-ters, they began their trek westward, traveling through Georgia, Alabama, and finally settling in Ellisville. The one-story, French Colonial-style house, built in 1845, was built from hand-hewn pine and is the oldest home in Jones County.The Deason home was the gathering place of mer-chants, lawyers and politicians. Amos Deason himself was a member of the state legislature during the Civil War.Built and occupied by a loyal Confederate, the Deason home served as the headquarters of Major Amos McLemore, a Confederate soldier charged with arresting Newt Knight, who led a band of nearly 100 Confederate deserters. But Knight rode to the house on horseback on the night of September 14, 1863, and, according to accounts, “threw open the door, finding McLemore standing in front of the fireplace in the cen-ter bedroom. Knight shot him point-blank and escaped back into the swamp.”There are several legends surrounding the house. One is that Amos Deason buried his gold on the prop-erty at the beginning of the Civil War for safe keep-ing. Another is that, before the floor was replaced in the bedroom where McLemore was killed, the blood seeped out of the pine floor every time it rained. An-other says Amos Deason’s rocking chair on the porch would rock by itself. Many “paranormalists” and “ghost hunters” have reported strange “disturbances.” And, every year around the time of McLemore’s death, the door to the bedroom is said to burst open, as it did when Newt Knight entered the room and shot Amos McLemore.Frances Anderson Smith, a great-granddaughter of Amos Deason, donated the property to the Tallahala Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolu-tion, which succeeded in having the house placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Deason home is going thorough process of restoration, partial-ly funded by a $110,000 grant through the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, and additional funds raised by the DAR.

The Amos Deason house is located in Ellisville, seven miles southwest of Laurel. The house is located on the southern outskirts of Ellisville and until recently was a private residence. If you are interested in visiting the house, check with the local chamber of commerce for more information.

 

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[redbronco]

I have heard that many people have tried to find Deason's money but no one has ever said to have found anything. If you want to find out more about Newt Knight and the Free State of Jones, find a copy of "Echo of the Black Horn". I know a guy who is still trying to find Knight's hideout, I think it was called something like the "devil's cave", "devil's hideout", or something a long those lines. It has been awhile since I read it.

 

[Brewertown]

My step-grandfather was A.D. Anderson. A.D. is short for Amos Deason. He was named after his grandfather. A.D. actually lived in the Deason House as a child. Before he died a few years back he found out that I had a metal detector and he wanted us to search for his grandfather's gold. He was pretty sure he knew where it was but it is on private property that is no longer owned by the family. His health went down before we ever got a chance to look. He never told me who owns the land but he did show me where it was. It's a grown-over pig trail now. I recently picked up the hobby recently after putting it away for several years. After I get some more practice I am going to find out who owns the place and ask for permission to do a hunt. He told me that he was the only one left that knew where it was and that I was the only one he was telling. Who knows...we shall see.

 

[muerte33]

If you need help, just send me a P.M.!

Thanks

 

[Fisher-]

If you guys would read the book named "the echo of the black horn" you will start to see how truth becomes storys and story's become turned around. That's why preserving our past is very important. Hollywood tried to give its example but failed miserably in "the free state of Jones". Anytime you make a criminal out to be a hero there's a problem. Anyway. I think you guys may get on some good finds in the field. It's all very detailed about names of places and so on. Good luck

 

[45th_Johnny]

Fisher, welcome to the forum, hope you can benefit as well as you can contribute. I have been researching the area for another member and have run into a problem, the old records were destroyed in a courthouse fire, but the older records from the adjoining counties may help. Jones County was formed from: January 24, 1826, from Covington and Wayne counties. January 30, 1830, parts of non-county areas were detached from Wayne from Rankin and Simpson, were attached to Jones. Maps from the tax office or clerk of court prior to those dates may show the area you are looking for. As for Newt Knight's hideouts, I think they were in the swamp around the south east area of the county.

 

[Fisher-]

Spot on Johnny. I'm an Andrew Jackson man myself. But I also enjoy learning the true history that way you can see things from the "old days" perspective.

 

[Davy jones]

What's up guys I'm interested in this. I might have helpfully info if we can narrow a location.

 

[Brewertown]

I have read Echo and it goes along with what the elders told me growing up. As far as Mr. Amos Deason’s gold, I have the name of the land owners. I don’t know them but I am going to ask around. They have a nice size plot of land that would need to be searched. I’m sure you are all nice folks but I won’t be giving out the location just yet...Newt Knight hung out at Devil’s Den bear Reddoch’s Ferry on the Covington line. It was out near Cracker’s Neck and I have friends who have found lots of CW stuff out that way. I also read just today that he would hang out at Thompson Creek in Wayne County. That is near me so I see me hitting the creek banks soon!

 

[: Michael-Robert.]

Well... what are you waiting for??

My step-grandfather was A.D. Anderson. A.D. is short for Amos Deason. He was named after his grandfather. A.D. actually lived in the Deason House as a child. Before he died a few years back he found out that I had a metal detector and he wanted us to search for his grandfather's gold. He was pretty sure he knew where it was but it is on private property that is no longer owned by the family. His health went down before we ever got a chance to look. He never told me who owns the land but he did show me where it was. It's a grown-over pig trail now. I recently picked up the hobby recently after putting it away for several years. After I get some more practice I am going to find out who owns the place and ask for permission to do a hunt. He told me that he was the only one left that knew where it was and that I was the only one he was telling. Who knows...we shall see.

 

[Brewertown]

Well... what are you waiting for??

Just had to get the owner’s name and I did that today :-)

You know they are going to think I’m crazy!

Excuse me sir but I believe there is a treasure buried on your property. May I dig to my heart’s desire? Lol

 

[Davy jones]

You ever get to go hunting brewer?

 

[Normsel]

I have chased treasure legends and most have some fact in them but very little. Those that buried gold or any valuable 99% of the time buried it on their property or families property. Common places was next to or under a fence post. At the corner of a house or out building such as a barn or shed. They never tell anyone where and if they did those that were told went and dug it up for themselves.

I researched and chased a legend of a 1920's bootlegger that buried cash on his property and he did on a farm he owned. The only problem was his bodyguard and driver knew the approximate location he would bury it in a woods in lunch pails. The bootlegger was murdered and that started the legend of where he buried his money. I looked at google aerial maps and researched county records of the property. After about 100 hours or so of trudging through the woods and digging holes in what I thought were likely places I found an old rusted out lunch pail. I thought I was onto something.
I tried to think if he had a method of how he chose the right spot or if it was random. I realized that most of us would use a landmark or step something off from a landmark but there was nothing but an old partial foundation that wasn't in the woods. Then I thought he didn't bury in the woods he walked through the woods to the building where the foundation is. I stepped off 50 paces, 25 paces in every direction I could. I then realized where I found the lunch pail that most likely there wasn't trees there in the early 1900's.

I stepped off the distance from the old foundation and found it to be 100 paces or close to 100 yards which made sense. I did the step off method all the way up to 300 paces when I noticed what may have been a shallow foundation for a chicken coop or something. I dug may 15 holes and found another empty lunch pail.

Then it dawned on me someone beat me to it many many years ago. I got the bright idea to research the bodyguard/ driver. Well the man lived in a very expensive home back in the 20's and purchased the home a few months after the murder of the gangster/bootlegger. I thought it was most probably the bodyguard that lived happily ever after on his bosses buried money.. The house the bodyguard bought back in the 20's cost $10,000 back then.. I would hate to guess what it would cost today. I am guessing north of 500k