Confused? Little Help Please

M

MattE

Newbie
Dec 4, 2007
4
2
East KY
I have been reading about Swift Silver Mine for about a year now. There are reports that people have found the treasure and reports that no one has.

Question:
Has anyone found any part of the Mine or Treasure, and what is the proof?

Thanks....


As soon as I do a little more research, Im going to try to go out into the field. I am a little more than an hour away from Elkhorn City.
 

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Matt,

Several people claim to have found the mines. Best bet: Have fun reading everything you can get your hands on and then make up your own mind if you want to believe it and search for it or just mentally enjoy the legend!

Cavers5
 

Yo! Rebel - KGC here: ;D Agree with JL above... NEAT!!! JL JL (shades of Jesse James!!! :D...); ANYWAY, I think MOST of the SILVER has been found... the "land-marks" are PROBABLY still there... and the BEST book, I have read is SWIFT'S SILVER MINES, AND RELATED APPALACHIAN TREASURES by Michael S. Steely (MHO). ;)
 

I have found the first mine and the WEST Mine. I am now currently looking for the Shawnee Cave and plan to have a book out next year with SEVERAL PICS OF EVERYTHING! I will probably put the book out before I go after the Rich Mine and doubt I will even look for the middle mine (as NOTHING was reported to be buried there). However, I WILL tell everyone how to get to these mines if they wish and will tell them the starting point and where it is located - the furnace rockhouse (Which I have found and have SEVERAL pics of, includind some finds made that I will only be sharing in my book!).
 

If you want to read stories written by the FWA project you can go to www.roots web.com/-Va Wise/ Go to Special Sections and click on The Legends of Swift's silver mines. These are stories told to FWA writers during the depression, and I agree most have been found, except the great Shawnee cave and the upper mines in Va,WV and Kentucky. rockhound
 

Well, I guess I might well throw my hat into the ring. After 20+ years of research and field time, I'm 99% certain I've located the lower mine within a half mile or so. Alot of the landmarks mentioned before can be located on older maps, along with modern topos if you research it carefully. I've found a silver nugget (pig, as it's called), several distinguishable rock carvings in the area, and a small cave inside a rock shelter. I'm fairly certain that the entrance to this cave has been filled in. There are still cave crickets that will come out to the entrance of the cave, though. I've also located several items (think french made items) within 10 feet of the cave/rock shelter. Forgot to add, the mine isn't on .gov land. Believe it or not, there are still large tracts of land in eastern ky that are privatedly owned. This area has many thousands of acres, but few land owners.
 

Swiftseeker, the way to tell IF the cave inside the rockhouse IS the one where the RICH MINE is located is simple - Does it have a "Chestnut Bur" rock above it? If so, it IS the mine, if not, it is NOT the rockhouse. It is as simple as that. EVERY journal I have read of Swift's (John's - NOT William's) that mentions the RICH MINE mentions there is a "chestnut bur" rock above it.

In fact, almost all the journals are similar - especially when it comes to the rock formations. In fact, the tree with the Large Limb growing out near the bottom Swift mentioned is STILL THERE - EXACTLY THE DISTANCE FROM THE ROCKHOUSE HE MENTIONS! I Have some great pics of it - too bad there is an 8ft. diameter "dip" in the ground on the S side of the tree - where the four kegs of crowns were once buried! >:(

BTW - The FWA project has some good "stories" but actually gives little information - I have copies printed out of all of those and have even spoken with Dan Graybeal SEVERAL TIMES on the phone - discussing what he found and what I have found. About the only things neither of us have found have been the Buffalo Rock, Chestnut Bur Rock and Haystack Rock. Of course, I have not looked for the Rich Mine yet, so I haven't found these. I did find the Turtle Back Rock a couple years back - in fact, I went back two days ago to take better pics of it for the book, as it is covered in laurel now.
 

I am in the same boat as you are. However, I have looked for research for years now, and can agree with what everybody is saying. I just haven't been looking yet. Although I will as time permits this year. I plan to take alot of pictures for reference. I would also enjoy seeing pictures anyone else might have. Good luck to you if you decide to start looking.
 

Swiftseeker2005,

I found the rich mine April 25th of this year. The rocks, where Swift had "walled up" the entrance were now on the floor of the cave. The entrance is visible (mine entrance inside the cave) and you can go back about 12 ft. However, Swift and his crew filled this in with dirt. We tried to excavate the dirt out. However, it was a VERY SLOOOOOOW process, as the mine tunnel is only about the size of a barrel (just as Swift stated).

I have some great pics of the inside of the cave with the mine entrance in the back that I will be including in my book.

Also, as I stated, the landmarks are where Swift stated - including the chestnut burr rock above the mine (which I also have pics of this, the rock fallen from another, the cave entance on the second ledge of red sandstone, the table top and buffalo rocks and the half-moon rockhouse - all in the vicinity of the rich mine!). EVERYTHING is still there, just as Swift described! I can't wait to show everyone in my book and reveal the locations!
 

Swiftless said:
Hey Swiftseeker2005, new here, when do you expect to come out with this book? thanks
Click to expand...

I'm not writing a book...I beleve you might of been referring to the Swiftsearcher. However, I've found enough hard evidence to believe that I very near to one of Swift's locations. I've found several artifacts, among them a silver "pig" (really a smelted ignot with a hole thru the center, used as a method to carry several on leather "tugs' and several artifacts with french origins. Incidently, these artifacts were found in and very near to a rock shelter with a hidden cave opening. I've also located many of the symbols and rock formations that Swift spoke of.
 

About the only thing regarding the "Great Cave" in Swift Journals is that it is the hiding place for the excess Silver and Gold from Swift & Co.'s operations over the ten year period.

I, also, have heard of the Great Shawnee Cave extending from one side of a mountain to another. However, from my research, this has come from Cornstalk and other Indians - not a Swift Journal (at least none of the ones I have read).

I actually received a copy of an old map (Swift Map) that I thought showed the location of the "Great Shawnee Cave" and the storehouse of silver and gold. Ralph and I explored the area, and it is so overgrown with laurel, it would take several weeks to find any cave entrance in the area (it this is actually it).

Truth is, there is not much written anywhere about the Great Cave, nor its location. Most of what we have is from hearsay and word of mouth unfortunately.
 

Seth, you are right over the Mountain from me. BTW - I sent you a reply to your PM.

Sorry, I don't have any news regarding Pigeon Water Cave. I will give you my thoughts on it however. I believe it to be Cornstalk's cache of his "share" from helping out Swift and others. The reason I say this is that people close to the find mentioned a carving of a cornstalk on the cave's entrance. I am sure if anyone has any new information, it would be Mrs. Spears from KY.

I do have some old information about this "find" that I have shared with Ralph Hurst and will have in my book as well. From my sources, there were a couple others involved in this "find" at Pigeon Water and there might have been more silver than once stated. Also, I have some information I have not shared with anyone about some other Swift related cache finds and will even give my best guesses on WHO found them (from my research) - that is if the publisher says it is OK (as I don't want to be sued by their relatives, since they are now deceased).

BTW - Maybe you know my uncle - he is the barber in Pound (Arnold Cantrell)? In fact, he is one of the reasons I started searching for the mines, as he has someone who does work at his home who claimed he was going to find all this Swift Silver and was close. I told my Uncle that it is LONG GONE. Then, later I became disabled (heart problems and back/hip/leg problems). The doctors all said I needed to walk. Well, instead of walking around a boring track, I decided to get a metal detector and detect the mountains. After not finding much of anything except for an old melted inkwell inside the chimney of an old farm house, I decided to pursue a "known treasure". I wanted to hunt for some Civil War caches in TN I had read about. However, I couldn't drive there everyday. I then decided on Swift, since the mines/caches were suppose to be in my own back yard. To make a long story (that I will go into detail about in my book) short, I was able to find Swift's Principal Mines and furnace rockhouses he and Montgomery worked!
 

It seems to me I remember hearing about a find a few years back. It was of a couple saddlebags of silver. they were in, (I thought in Pigeon Water cave) under water, but the location the gave for the cave was different. Also, a supposed cave around you has a upper and a lower entrance. the lower filled with water. Again, this is a vauge memory, and I am not sure if I am right. I will ask around and see what I can find.
 

MattE said:
I have been reading about Swift Silver Mine for about a year now. There are reports that people have found the treasure and reports that no one has.

Question:
Has anyone found any part of the Mine or Treasure, and what is the proof?

Thanks....


As soon as I do a little more research, Im going to try to go out into the field. I am a little more than an hour away from Elkhorn City.
Click to expand...
I DID FIND 4 MINES I AM IN PROCESS OF AUTHENICATING EVERYONE IS GOING TO BE SURPRIZED IT WILL ALL BE IN MY BOOK SHOULD BE OUT IN SPRING OF 22.
 

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