The following is from news paper accounts of Swift, Waite and Sprinkle. I will be adding more later. As for swift, he came looking for one of his upper mines with the carving of a triangle carved on a rock near the headwaters of kinnicnick creek. the story goes that he was sick and went on to lexington kentucky and died there. there is a john swift buried there in the old grave yard.
But, we have another john swift that came and stayed with the catlett family. Cattlettburg Ky. is named for them. the catlett family took care of him until he died. Now, in the old family grave yard there is a small marker with J. swift 180? a 2 maybe 3 cannot tell. This story and waybill i will be adding later
Silver Mines on Kinny. — The following letter is from the Portsmouth Press, the latter part from the author of the Press letter direct to the author:
A Silver Article
Recently the Press contained a letter from a gentleman who knew the Waites, who used to make silver money in Adams County. That letter stirred up Mr. W. R. Beatty, Sr., of Sciotoville, who kindly contributes the following interesting information relative to the subject:
"Editor Press. — Having seen the articles in your columns relative to the discovery of silver in Adams County, O., and the mention of a Swift and Montgomery coming to Maysville kentucky and searching main kinnicnick for a mine. Sprinkle dollar, the family of Jonathan Waite and the so-called 'Waite dollar,' I thought the following would be of interest to your readers. "The log cabin referred to by your former correspondent was a veritable mint where thousands of silver dollars were coined, which passed as current as the coin of the realm. "But Waite could not work ore so impure as that found in Adams County. The Waite dollar was made from the ore just as found, without refining, and contained more silver than the American dollar. "Waite procured his ore on Kinniconnick, in Lewis County, Ky. My great uncle, Andrew Beatty, discovered the mine in 1812, and it was through the intimacy of his and my father's family that Waite came to a knowledge of the mine.
"Andrew Beatty's prospecting extended from the head of main Kinny to within twelve miles of Boone Furnace. Here the ore became impure, and was not traced further. This territory embraces nearly the whole of Lewis and Carter Counties. My uncle, after many failures to open and work the mines, died upon the eve of success, and none of my ancestors ever made any further attempt in that direction. "Waite was interested in the matter, and one day came to my grandfather's and told him that, as it appeared that they would never get to do anything with the mines legally, he intended to make immediate arrangements to begin 'free coinage.' My grandfather tried to persuade him not to do so, but when he would not be persuaded, he gave him several hundred weight of the ore, which he then had in his possession, and this ore made the first installment of Waite dollars.
Waite took into his confidence a smart Yankee, who assumed an Irish character, and who was supposed to be insane. He was known as Billie Johnson. Billie was not infrequently absent for months. His business was to transport the ore to the Ohio River, at a point now known as the Boone Furnace landing, it being taken across the river in a 'dug-out' and concealed in a place
agreed upon. Waite was very ingenious, and divided his time between his mine and the furnace.
"Waite's phenomenal success induced parties in Highland County, whose names I do not care to mention, to increase their finances by the same method, and thousands of dollars were made there. The quality of this ore may well be guessed, when it is remembered that there was not a mile of wagon-road between Highland County and Kinniconnick, and the only means of
transportation was the pack mule.
"A man named Sprinkle, of Kentucky, was the next to enter the ring. (I know that some will dispute this and claim that the scene of Sprinkle's operations was in Virginia.) The principal scene of his operations was on Laurel Fork of Kinny, and they were of no mean proportions, either. Sprinkle often crossed the river at Greenup, and his first stopping place on this side was
at a house near what is known as Giant Oak Mills, on Pine Creek. On these occasions he was always loaded, but he much oftener made his way to Vanceburg, and many a goodly structure in that vicinity owes its existence to Sprinkle dollars. (Two Sprinkle dollars are now owned in Vanceburg.) The next to take the cue was Shepherd, of Kentucky fame. The scene of his
operations was about fifteen miles from Boone Furnace, Ky. "Shepherd was a regular 'moonshiner,' and had a smelter of no mean proportions concealed in the mountains, which was guarded night and day. He was soon trapped, and was sent to the penitentiary for eight years. The ore worked by him was not very good, and gave him a good deal of trouble to flux it. It is to be found about ten miles beyond Boone Furnace, where my uncle left off prospecting. "The next to add to the circulating medium was George Wright & Co., of near Haverhill, in this county. Shepherd having served his time in prison, returned to
his old haunts and questionable ways. Wright and others, all well-to-do farmers in the vicinity of Haverhill, O., formed an acquaintance with him, and undertook to work the ore on this side the river. Wright was an ingenious mechanic, but the impurities of the ore baffled him. Shepherd came to his relief by smelting the ore in his furnace, and casting it in long strips the exact thickness and width of a half dollar. These bars were taken to a trysting place near Greenup and turned over
to Wright. Wright procured a powerful machine from Cincinnati. This machine was working with a lever, and every stroke made a half dollar. But the old proverb — 'The wicked are taken in their own craftiness' — was here verified. A slight indiscretion of one of the parties revealed their little scheme. Wright went up for five years, the others for a shorter term. "Shepherd was indiscreet, and being closely watched, soon found himself the second time in 'limbo,' and went up for a long term, dying before his time expired.
"I have endeavored to give a brief and connected outline of the principal actors upon this curious drama. Many others of lesser note might have been instanced, but to follow the devious wanderings of all would make this too long a newspaper article.
"The question may well be asked, what became of all this spurious coin? The answer is easy: "Having once passed into circulation, it could not be distinguished from the genuine, because it was silver. After becoming a very little worn, the slight defect of execution could not be noticed; and if any one should receive a Waite or Sprinkle dollar to-day he would be
satisfied to know that it was silver without having it tested for the copper alloy. They are all in circulation, and if you should chance to have two dollars in your pocket, one from Waite's and the other from the United States mint, you can not tell 'which is which.'
But, we have another john swift that came and stayed with the catlett family. Cattlettburg Ky. is named for them. the catlett family took care of him until he died. Now, in the old family grave yard there is a small marker with J. swift 180? a 2 maybe 3 cannot tell. This story and waybill i will be adding later
Silver Mines on Kinny. — The following letter is from the Portsmouth Press, the latter part from the author of the Press letter direct to the author:
A Silver Article
Recently the Press contained a letter from a gentleman who knew the Waites, who used to make silver money in Adams County. That letter stirred up Mr. W. R. Beatty, Sr., of Sciotoville, who kindly contributes the following interesting information relative to the subject:
"Editor Press. — Having seen the articles in your columns relative to the discovery of silver in Adams County, O., and the mention of a Swift and Montgomery coming to Maysville kentucky and searching main kinnicnick for a mine. Sprinkle dollar, the family of Jonathan Waite and the so-called 'Waite dollar,' I thought the following would be of interest to your readers. "The log cabin referred to by your former correspondent was a veritable mint where thousands of silver dollars were coined, which passed as current as the coin of the realm. "But Waite could not work ore so impure as that found in Adams County. The Waite dollar was made from the ore just as found, without refining, and contained more silver than the American dollar. "Waite procured his ore on Kinniconnick, in Lewis County, Ky. My great uncle, Andrew Beatty, discovered the mine in 1812, and it was through the intimacy of his and my father's family that Waite came to a knowledge of the mine.
"Andrew Beatty's prospecting extended from the head of main Kinny to within twelve miles of Boone Furnace. Here the ore became impure, and was not traced further. This territory embraces nearly the whole of Lewis and Carter Counties. My uncle, after many failures to open and work the mines, died upon the eve of success, and none of my ancestors ever made any further attempt in that direction. "Waite was interested in the matter, and one day came to my grandfather's and told him that, as it appeared that they would never get to do anything with the mines legally, he intended to make immediate arrangements to begin 'free coinage.' My grandfather tried to persuade him not to do so, but when he would not be persuaded, he gave him several hundred weight of the ore, which he then had in his possession, and this ore made the first installment of Waite dollars.
Waite took into his confidence a smart Yankee, who assumed an Irish character, and who was supposed to be insane. He was known as Billie Johnson. Billie was not infrequently absent for months. His business was to transport the ore to the Ohio River, at a point now known as the Boone Furnace landing, it being taken across the river in a 'dug-out' and concealed in a place
agreed upon. Waite was very ingenious, and divided his time between his mine and the furnace.
"Waite's phenomenal success induced parties in Highland County, whose names I do not care to mention, to increase their finances by the same method, and thousands of dollars were made there. The quality of this ore may well be guessed, when it is remembered that there was not a mile of wagon-road between Highland County and Kinniconnick, and the only means of
transportation was the pack mule.
"A man named Sprinkle, of Kentucky, was the next to enter the ring. (I know that some will dispute this and claim that the scene of Sprinkle's operations was in Virginia.) The principal scene of his operations was on Laurel Fork of Kinny, and they were of no mean proportions, either. Sprinkle often crossed the river at Greenup, and his first stopping place on this side was
at a house near what is known as Giant Oak Mills, on Pine Creek. On these occasions he was always loaded, but he much oftener made his way to Vanceburg, and many a goodly structure in that vicinity owes its existence to Sprinkle dollars. (Two Sprinkle dollars are now owned in Vanceburg.) The next to take the cue was Shepherd, of Kentucky fame. The scene of his
operations was about fifteen miles from Boone Furnace, Ky. "Shepherd was a regular 'moonshiner,' and had a smelter of no mean proportions concealed in the mountains, which was guarded night and day. He was soon trapped, and was sent to the penitentiary for eight years. The ore worked by him was not very good, and gave him a good deal of trouble to flux it. It is to be found about ten miles beyond Boone Furnace, where my uncle left off prospecting. "The next to add to the circulating medium was George Wright & Co., of near Haverhill, in this county. Shepherd having served his time in prison, returned to
his old haunts and questionable ways. Wright and others, all well-to-do farmers in the vicinity of Haverhill, O., formed an acquaintance with him, and undertook to work the ore on this side the river. Wright was an ingenious mechanic, but the impurities of the ore baffled him. Shepherd came to his relief by smelting the ore in his furnace, and casting it in long strips the exact thickness and width of a half dollar. These bars were taken to a trysting place near Greenup and turned over
to Wright. Wright procured a powerful machine from Cincinnati. This machine was working with a lever, and every stroke made a half dollar. But the old proverb — 'The wicked are taken in their own craftiness' — was here verified. A slight indiscretion of one of the parties revealed their little scheme. Wright went up for five years, the others for a shorter term. "Shepherd was indiscreet, and being closely watched, soon found himself the second time in 'limbo,' and went up for a long term, dying before his time expired.
"I have endeavored to give a brief and connected outline of the principal actors upon this curious drama. Many others of lesser note might have been instanced, but to follow the devious wanderings of all would make this too long a newspaper article.
"The question may well be asked, what became of all this spurious coin? The answer is easy: "Having once passed into circulation, it could not be distinguished from the genuine, because it was silver. After becoming a very little worn, the slight defect of execution could not be noticed; and if any one should receive a Waite or Sprinkle dollar to-day he would be
satisfied to know that it was silver without having it tested for the copper alloy. They are all in circulation, and if you should chance to have two dollars in your pocket, one from Waite's and the other from the United States mint, you can not tell 'which is which.'
