Eddyville Iowa treasure tale. Could anyone please help determine the exact location?

[Crow]

Hello BeauS

Your doing okay with the alleged location, tend to believe ya close to identifying the location as per article by description. However there is some flies in the ointment so to speak the alleged letter from this Mrs Jos Snow? I cannot verify anyone by that name that lived in Pittsburgh in any era with that name? Neither anywhere in the United states? So I tried Josephina Snow. Nothing definite in that state or era?



Also with Jerome la Barge. No record of by that name dying in Pittsburgh or anywhere, anytime. There was one Jerome Le Barge in all records of the united states he lived in 1880 aged 14 in Wisconsin as a apprentice Carpenter.



Non can be effectively connected to characters mentioned in the alleged letter.

In recapping what proven facts: We have real person editor post master De Long the source of this story. A reasonable accurate description of a locality in which De Long himself being post master must of known the area. A story where all the principle people, players of the treasure legend with no records discovered as such to confirm the existence of them anywhere. This unfortunately for me raises red flags.

Unless some verifiable information turns out you might just chasing just a story, a invented tale by De Long for his paper or perhaps a fun project of Mason lodge he was part of?

Crow

 

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[BeauS]

Hello BeauS

Your doing okay with the alleged location, tend to believe ya close to identifying the location as per article by description. However there is some flies in the ointment so to speak the alleged letter from this Mrs Jos Snow? I cannot verify anyone by that name that lived in Pittsburgh in any era with that name? Neither anywhere in the United states? So I tried Josephina Snow. Nothing definite in that state or era?

View attachment 1132744

Also with Jerome la Barge. No record of by that name dying in Pittsburgh or anywhere, anytime. There was one Jerome Le Barge in all records of the united states he lived in 1880 aged 14 in Wisconsin as a apprentice Carpenter.

View attachment 1132743

Non can be effectively connected to characters mentioned in the alleged letter.

In recapping what proven facts: We have real person editor post master De Long the source of this story. A reasonable accurate description of a locality in which De Long himself being post master must of known the area. A story where all the principle people, players of the treasure legend with no records discovered as such to confirm the existence of them anywhere. This unfortunately for me raises red flags.

Unless some verifiable information turns out you might just chasing just a story, a invented tale by De Long for his paper or perhaps a fun project of Mason lodge he was part of?

Crow

Crow, I cannot find anything on the players of the legend either. Nothing, anywhere. I will try my best to get a copy of the 1903 Tribune, honestly my state historical society might not have it. I wonder why he chose that area, because he knew so much about it? He would've had to of walked over that area to get those kinds of details. I mean did they have detailed maps of the land back in 1903?

 

[Crow]

Hello beauS

Remember in the County History article I posted. In his biography he originally trained as a landscape painter. Spent 4 years roaming the countryside painting landscapes Iowa. Perhaps he turned his creative talents into a story about a landscape he saw while painting?

Crow

 

[BeauS]

Hey Crow, thanks for pointing that out. You may very well be right about De Long. Until anything is found on the characters of this legend, it's a hoax.

 

[Crow]

Hey Crow, thanks for pointing that out. You may very well be right about De Long. Until anything is found on the characters of this legend, it's a hoax.

Hello BeauS indeed in may be? But I can guarantee you it has not been a waste of your time. As I have seen you develop many skills evolve in you since the first post, so give yourself a pat on the back. It is easy for many people to become self obsessed about particular treasure legend and discard and become blind to all else. You have showed the patience and reasoning that is needed to have the makings of a good treasure researcher. The first thing with any treasure legends to establish verifiable facts and work from there. If anything I think you have experienced a very valuable lesson on how to approach a treasure legend.

The next one you will look at you will be more the wiser on what to look for.

Cheers Crow

 

[KANACKI]

Hola Crow

The general will chew on your ass before long as you have work to do. I know digging in these treasure legends are a fun time out from the hardcore research. The the next few months are important to us.

Hola BeauS

I hope Crow has not dulled your interest in treasure legends as you showed some very postie trait in being very successful in how you process information. Hardluck rewired us many years to approach these legends in a very structured manner. Sadly some times we can be seen some thing party pooper by letting the cat out of bag so the speak. However that said I think there is valuable lessons to be learned as that scallywag of an old Crow said. Most of all get to facts and verify the players in the story and find the earliest accounts. This will save you lot of heart ache down the track.

So do not give up researching treasure legends. A lot of treasure legends are in one form or another just treasure legends. However there are some that have more basis in fact. Finding the facts are the key to success.

Kanacki

 

[BeauS]

Hello BeauS indeed in may be? But I can guarantee you it has not been a waste of your time. As I have seen you develop many skills evolve in you since the first post, so give yourself a pat on the back. It is easy for many people to become self obsessed about particular treasure legend and discard and become blind to all else. You have showed the patience and reasoning that is needed to have the makings of a good treasure researcher. The first thing with any treasure legends to establish verifiable facts and work from there. If anything I think you have experienced a very valuable lesson on how to approach a treasure legend.

The next one you will look at you will be more the wiser on what to look for.

Cheers Crow

Hello Crow. I've been waiting for the Microfilm to arrive and had a chance to pull some information from the Tribune. Not what I wanted to see, all I saw were snippets of the article. I'm gunna do what I can to get the full article. I have the microfilm for two weeks, the dates are from 1902-1905.

I learned a few things here. The article was published on November 6th 1903. It was on the front page. Reading, "Death of William Gunton." I found a new character in J. F. Binder, who was part of the Board of Health in Pittsburg, PA. Who apparently examined Jerome LeBarge and his death in Pittsburg.

I don't know what information can be pulled from this, but here it is.

http://i.imgur.com/WAkSdJT.jpg

 

[Crow]

Hello BeauS

Good see your chasing up lose ends. I will try to have a look for you for J F Binder

I might have some good news. I may have found a independent reference of William Gunton?

I have some more to post soon.

Crow

 

[Crow]

Hello beauS

I have found a William Gunton that maybe the William Gunton of the story?

This William Gunton was Born in 1815 in England. He was 45 in 1860 United State census. Living with a women by the name Mary Gunton However it are appears she had 2 daughters from a previous marriage as he daughters Mary 14 and Ida aged 9 last name was Brooks?

William Gunton by 1870 Census still living in the same location except no wife or step daughters. Both census he was listed as farm hand. He was living in Washington Elkhart Indiana on Both Census. looking on the map Eddyville would of been a logical location for him to pass through Eddyville returning from the South Dakota gold field in around 1878.

What you might find interesting. There is no death record for this man. Nor is recorded in 1880 United State census. I also checked to see if he returned to United Kingdom? Records of people returning to UK go from 1878-1940 from Memory. There was no trace of him? Some time between 1870 and 1880 this man simply vanished off the face of the Earth? Is he the murdered William Gunton of the story?



Crow

 

[KANACKI]

Hola Crow and BeauS some very good detective work.

Mediating on the story looking at what facts we have...

W W De long a real person and sole source of the story?

There is no archival evidence at this point in time...of Jerome La barge, The Housekeeper Jos Snow or the J F Binder all of Pittsburgh waves a red flag.?

Perhaps we have to look at the originator of the story W W De Long.

If this William Gunton Crow found is actually the Gunton of W W De Longs story? Then perhaps. What was published was not quite the real story. As both you discovered W W De Long seemed to have intimate knowledge more than just a letter from a person when have no record of existence of ie from Mrs Snow?

If we look into W W De longs Bio. He came to Eddyville in 1881. He was an alleged landscape painter yet I have found no record anywhere of his landscapes, even tho he was allegedly successful? Most landscape painters was ass out of my pants type of guys. Ie with very little money? From 1877-1881 he was allegedly wandering countryside of Iowa painting landscapes. Did he come across a William Gunton and murdered him for his money and gold? Before finally marrying and settling down in 1882 and later in 1897 buying the local newspaper becoming a pillar of Eddyville society? That sounds like some one who had obtained some money from somewhere?

Perhaps when this alleged road crew found the skull he had a pang of guilt and concocted this story and treasure in hope of the rest of William Gunton's remains recovered for a christian burial?

The mind boggles?

Kanacki

 

[BeauS]

Hello BeauS

Good see your chasing up lose ends. I will try to have a look for you for J F Binder

I might have some good news. I may have found a independent reference of William Gunton?

I have some more to post soon.

Crow

Crow, J.F. Binder was a part of the executive committee of the department of health in Pittsburg.

https://books.google.com/books?id=w...w#v=onepage&q=j. f. binder pittsburgh&f=false

 

[BeauS]

Hola Crow and BeauS some very good detective work.

Mediating on the story looking at what facts we have...

W W De long a real person and sole source of the story?

There is no archival evidence at this point in time...of Jerome La barge, The Housekeeper Jos Snow or the J F Binder all of Pittsburgh waves a red flag.?

Perhaps we have to look at the originator of the story W W De Long.

If this William Gunton Crow found is actually the Gunton of W W De Longs story? Then perhaps. What was published was not quite the real story. As both you discovered W W De Long seemed to have intimate knowledge more than just a letter from a person when have no record of existence of ie from Mrs Snow?

If we look into W W De longs Bio. He came to Eddyville in 1881. He was an alleged landscape painter yet I have found no record anywhere of his landscapes, even tho he was allegedly successful? Most landscape painters was ass out of my pants type of guys. Ie with very little money? From 1877-1881 he was allegedly wandering countryside of Iowa painting landscapes. Did he come across a William Gunton and murdered him for his money and gold? Before finally marrying and settling down in 1882 and later in 1897 buying the local newspaper becoming a pillar of Eddyville society? That sounds like some one who had obtained some money from somewhere?

Perhaps when this alleged road crew found the skull he had a pang of guilt and concocted this story and treasure in hope of the rest of William Gunton's remains recovered for a christian burial?

The mind boggles?

Kanacki

Kanacki, definitely mind boggling. I need a better copy of the November 6th tribune. Anything we could pull from what I gathered?

 

[Crow]

Hello BeauS

There after searching again to make sure no death certificate of La Barge dying in Pittsburgh at the time. While I too found and confirm J.F. Binder was a part of the executive committee of the department of health in Pittsburgh. No Jos Snow. No Jerome La barge, The two principle people connected with the story. Nothing to connect anyone by that name in that era or any era with those names. Various spelling variations used.

Even the William Gunton I found headstone possibly for the one I posted in post 49 the English Born William Gunton.



Strange there is no birth date or death date recorded? This head stone is in Oak Ridge Cemetery Elkhart county indiana

Crow

 

[BeauS]

Hello BeauS

There after searching again to make sure no death certificate of La Barge dying in Pittsburgh at the time. While I too found and confirm J.F. Binder was a part of the executive committee of the department of health in Pittsburgh. No Jos Snow. No Jerome La barge, The two principle people connected with the story. Nothing to connect anyone by that name in that era or any era with those names. Various spelling variations used.

Even the William Gunton I found headstone possibly for the one I posted in post 49 the English Born William Gunton.

View attachment 1140031

Strange there is no birth date or death date recorded? This head stone is in Oak Ridge Cemetery Elkhart county indiana

Crow

Hey Crow, is that common in the late 1800's to not have dates engraved on the headstone?

 

[BeauS]

Hey Crow, is that common in the late 1800's to not have dates engraved on the headstone?

If you look on the 4th page down of my snippets from the Tribune, you'll see some towns and states where they could have been headed. I see they passed Fort Dodge, and Montezuma Iowa on their way to. It looks like they might have wanted to pass through Missouri?

Found a couple things here just looking for anything on these characters. Maybe you might have some ideas. There was a third person with Le Barge and Gunton. I think all we have is the name "Melalley." Maybe Le Barge and Melalley went to Pittsburgh together? I did find a Jerome Le Barge from the 1880 Wisconsin Census.

http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/...&h=28476056&db=1880usfedcen&indiv=1&ml_rpos=4


http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/...&h=46046492&db=1880usfedcen&indiv=1&ml_rpos=1

 

[KANACKI]

If you look on the 4th page down of my snippets from the Eddyville Tribune, you'll see some towns and states where they could have been headed. I see they passed Fort Dodge, and Montezuma Iowa on their way to Eddyville. It looks like they might have wanted to pass through Missouri?

Found a couple things here just looking for anything on these characters. Maybe you might have some ideas. There was a third person with Le Barge and Gunton. I think all we have is the name "Melalley." Maybe Le Barge and Melalley went to Pittsburgh together? I did find a Jerome Le Barge from the 1880 Wisconsin Census.

http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/...&h=28476056&db=1880usfedcen&indiv=1&ml_rpos=4


The Belgian Researchers

https://books.google.com/books?id=J...EwBQ#v=onepage&q=jos snow minor poems&f=false

Hello BeauS

I see ya working hard.

If you look at the age of Jerome la barge mentioned in 1880 census. he would of been about 12 years old in 1878.

Mellalley is an interesting find. Well done. Interest as he lived to 1940.

Jos Snow was an English poet in English printed book. Sadly not Jos snow land lady IN Pittsburgh we are looking for. Suspect Jos is short for Josephina as other suggestions?

kanacki

 

[KANACKI]

Hey Crow, is that common in the late 1800's to not have dates engraved on the headstone?

As for as I know it is unusual. The headstone seems more of 20th century headstone made of concrete.

kanacki

 

[Crow]

As for as I know it is unusual. The headstone seems more of 20th century headstone made of concrete.

kanacki

Hello Kanacki Definitely 20th century. Strange that it has not birth or death date?

Crow

 

[Crow]

Hello Beau and Kanacki some interesting stuff. Mellalley could be our man.

Crow

 

[BeauS]

Hello BeauS

I see ya working hard.

If you look at the age of Jerome la barge mentioned in 1880 census. he would of been about 12 years old in 1878.

Mellalley is an interesting find. Well done. Interest as he lived to 1940.

Jos Snow was an English poet in English printed book. Sadly not Jos snow land lady IN Pittsburgh we are looking for. Suspect Jos is short for Josephina as other suggestions?

kanacki

Hey Kanacki, I agree she would not be the English poet I linked. Though I might have found a proper match. No proper match either for Jerome Le Barge.