Its locked in the ancient earth of Forge Mountain which stands like a grim prophecy here in the Pisgah wilds west of the French Broad and along the upper reaches of Mills River.
a fortune of some $1,600, and 50 gallons of brandy. The gold mostly was Bechler coins,
( The Bechtler Private Mint
1831- 1850 http://www.raregold.com/r-bech.htm )
minted down at Rutherfordton. The brandy was in a stout barrel which a neighboring cooper had fashioned of oak staves and tied with hoops of tough young hickory saplings. It was built to endure
Philip Gillespie, son of Mathew and Elizabeth Sitton Gillespie, was probably the best known of the Gillespie rifle makers of Mills River. Philip was born February 11, 1817, and while a young man, he learned the trade of rifle making from his father, and he learned it well. Many of the Gillespie rifles in existence today bear the inscription P. G. stamped on the barrel of the rifle. Very few of these rifles are to be found today, and when they are, the going price is in the vicinity of $3,000.00. In addition to making rifles, Philip was a farmer, and also operated a distillery. In 1849, Philip purchased 347 acres of property from the estate of Philip Sitton, Sr., who was Philip Gillespie's grandfather. The property included the home of Philip Sitton Sr., and the Iron Forge that Philip Sitton established about 1800.
It was somewhere on this property that Philip Gillispie reportedly buried a cask of brandy and a small sack of gold coins. The next day Philip left Mills River, never to return.
see Notes for PHILIP GILLESPIE:
Half way Down
LOST TREASURE
A POT OF GOLD, A KEG OF BRANDY
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/s/i/t/Bert-J-Sitton/GENE8-0002.html
a fortune of some $1,600, and 50 gallons of brandy. The gold mostly was Bechler coins,
( The Bechtler Private Mint1831- 1850 http://www.raregold.com/r-bech.htm )
minted down at Rutherfordton. The brandy was in a stout barrel which a neighboring cooper had fashioned of oak staves and tied with hoops of tough young hickory saplings. It was built to endure
Philip Gillespie, son of Mathew and Elizabeth Sitton Gillespie, was probably the best known of the Gillespie rifle makers of Mills River. Philip was born February 11, 1817, and while a young man, he learned the trade of rifle making from his father, and he learned it well. Many of the Gillespie rifles in existence today bear the inscription P. G. stamped on the barrel of the rifle. Very few of these rifles are to be found today, and when they are, the going price is in the vicinity of $3,000.00. In addition to making rifles, Philip was a farmer, and also operated a distillery. In 1849, Philip purchased 347 acres of property from the estate of Philip Sitton, Sr., who was Philip Gillespie's grandfather. The property included the home of Philip Sitton Sr., and the Iron Forge that Philip Sitton established about 1800.
It was somewhere on this property that Philip Gillispie reportedly buried a cask of brandy and a small sack of gold coins. The next day Philip left Mills River, never to return.
see Notes for PHILIP GILLESPIE:
Half way Down
LOST TREASURE
A POT OF GOLD, A KEG OF BRANDY
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/s/i/t/Bert-J-Sitton/GENE8-0002.html
