SoCal Legend of the Lost Padres Mine

[Connecticut Sam]

Thank you for the information, my good man. Take care.

 

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[HappyTrails55]

There are many "Lost Padre Mines" scattered throughout California and elsewhere of which I'm sure Gollum and others are aware of. I for one, am a staunch believer (for good reason) that the Black Robes were here Very Early in California and for the most part with Spanish Expeditionary Forces of Conquistadores a 100 years BEFORE De Anza. I collect Bonafide Information about this stuff as well. At the San Antonio Franciscan Mission of Monterey County, there are histories of a mysterious Cave in the hills that the Indians first led the Fransican Padres to that has Christian Crosses engraved and painted in them that puzzled the Padres as to their orgin (see attachments). Lost Gold Mines are associated with this area. A little South is San Miguel Mission in San luis Obispo County and Lost Gold Mines and Treasures are also associated with this Mission. Of the Mission Lands of San Miguel, all of the Parkfield/Cholame Country once belonged to them before the secularization. I personally have been to one "Lost Padre Mine" that is on the Jack Ranch owned by the Hearsts, that was about 30 years back. The Mine has been worked and re-worked by various individuals over the years. In the parkfield country to the North, Gold has also been mined early by Spanish/Indian, then later Chinease and then Anglo on the Big Sandy up by Slack's Canon (Canyon)...See California State Mining Bureau 1890 Monterey County by MYRON ANGEL , Assistant to the Field....now for some pic's...

 

[HappyTrails55]

Forgot to put this in...More reading can be found here...Mines and mineral resources of Monterey County, California (Open Library) ....Darrell

 

[Scout]

Been there done that since 1978 and still looking, found the smelter and the arrastra many years ago and sent my Brother down the canyon again a week ago with better clues and he finally found them also. I have a couple pictures I will post when I find them.

 

[HappyTrails55]

It might have been in the 60's that I saw and saved a newspaper clipping, it might have even been from the L.A. Times, can't recall, but I also think that I saw it in Long John Latham's Lost Treasure Magazine in the 70's. I must have lost it, but it was all about the construction project up on Wheeler Ridge in the Maricopa region where somebody accidently found the rotted remains of a Priest, a leather saddlebag or something like that and quite a bit of Gold Ore. I can't for the life of me remember all of it, but that would be a good lead...also there is over 600 Spanish and English Letters detailing the Life and Times of the Mission Era of California named the De La Guerra Collection, here's the link http://www.sbmal.org/docs/catalog/SBMAL-de_la_Guerra-Docs.pdf ....Jose de la Guerra was the "TREASURER of the MISSION PADRES, Their Friend, Adviser and Defender"...There is scores of reference to Gold Mines in it, unfortunately, if you don't or can't read Spanish, some of it is going to be lost to you. But some of it is in English. Look up the Letter DLG 79, Letter 7 and read about the 117 Ounces of Gold at San Juan Capistrano Mission, July 5th, 1842...Darrell

 

[HOGE]

The "clearing" has been Found.
Will post more info, as allowed. SECURITY IS PARAMOUNT!!!

 

[HOGE]

That durn "clearing"

This story is not mine, but I am starting the thread for the person researching it.

Best-Mike



Legend of the Lost Padres Mine

by Virginia Wegis

Was there once really a fabulous gold mine in the rugged San Emidio Mountain Range South of Fort Tejon? And was there also, a curse on this mine? Legend says there was.

According to the story one day in 1862 an exhausted prospector arrived at Fort Tejon. He was half starved, his clothes were in rags, and his feet were torn and bleeding. He staggered under the weight of a heavy sack which he carried on his back.

There were a few idlers standing outside the fort's trading post and they directed the man into the store. Here he dropped the sack and its contents spilled out onto the floor before the startled eyes of the bystanders. At their feet lay at least twenty pounds of pure gold in chunks of all sizes.

The manager of the store ordered the others to put the gold back into the sack, then some of the soldiers on duty took care of the weary man. He was given fresh clothing and food His feet were bathed and bandaged. When he had recovered somewhat he told his story.

He said he had been prospecting through the back country all spring and summer. About ten days before he had chanced upon a spring or perhaps it was a well, as it seemed to have been hewn by hand out of the solid granite and formed into a square basin which was brimming with water. He made camp by the spring and slept soundly through the night. In the morning he found to his dismay that his three pack burros had wandered away. He spent several days looking for them but to no avail. Then one day after crawling through an almost impenetrable thicket of heavy brush he discovered himself in a wide clearing, about an acre in size. In the center of this bare spot was a huge outcropping of rock which appeared to have been lifted and fractured by some gigantic upheaval and there, shining in the great fracture, were masses and masses of solid gold. Scattered everywhere around the outcropping were chucks of gold, gleaming and glinting in the sunshine.

The prospector always carried a sack with him on his travels and now he filled it with the precious gold metal which lay on all sides. This done, he started North on foot, leaving all his possessions at the spring, including his food, since he could not carry anything but the loaded sack. He did have a scrap of paper in his pocket and when he stopped to rest he scribbled a rough map on it, showing as best he could the location of the rich find.

When the prospector was fully rested and his feet had healed he could think of nothing but to return to the mine. He persuaded the manager of the trading post and several other men at the fort to go with him. As the group as about to leave an Indian from the nearby Indian village confronted them. This Indian, whose name was Tucoya, begged the men not to go, warning them that if they did find the mine and took gold from it, they would never live to go back to it again. Then men laughed and paid no attention to the warning but they had only gone a short distance when the prospector's horse shied at a rattlesnake and bucked his rider off. The man's neck was broken and he died a short time later.

In going through the dead man's things, the storekeeper found the map he had drawn, showing the way to the mysterious spring and the gold covered clearing. This made him even more determined to find the treasure for himself. He took several vaqueros with him and after about three days of riding they reached the cool spring which was just as the prospector had described it. They even found his abandoned blankets and camp equipment, but though they searched the entire area for several days, they were unable to find the strange clearing and the golden ledge.

When they returned to the fort they visited the Indian, Tucoya, to find out what he knew about the matter. Tucoya told them that long before he was born some white men had come to his village. These men had worn long robes and had ropes of beads fastened to their waists. They built a smelter in San Emidio Canyon. Tucoya's father had helped them and from them he had learned to speak English. When Tucoya was a young boy more priests had come. They built huts at San Emidio and remained there. They baptized the Indians and taught them their religion.

Every spring some of the priests would leave Tejon with thirty or forty men and as much as one hundred pack horses. They would be gone all summer and when they returned the horses were loaded with gold. They refined this ore in the smelter, then worked it into yellow bars. Once a year they loaded the bars onto horses and went South. Many of the Indians went with them as far as the river which the priests called the Colorado. Here they were met by other priests who ferried the precious cargo across the river and took it away. The Indians never knew where they took it or why, but they enjoyed the trips and the activity.

One summer Tucoya went to the mine with the other workers and spent several months there. When they left the priests cautioned him never to reveal to anyone where he had been. A superstition grew up among the simple Indians that anyone attempting to steal from the mine for his own profit would come to some bad end.

This went on for several years. Then one day a war party of Piutes from across the Sierra Nevada attacked the village at the San Emidio. When they finally left, all the priests and most of the Indians had been killed. After that no Indian would go near the mine again and with the passing of time no one was left who even knew the way except Tucoya and he never spoke if it to anyone.

But the word was out now and for the next twenty years prospector after prospector combed the mountains, hoping to find the lost mine. One man, a Frenchman, was said to have found it and he, too, was killed when his horse lost its footing and slid down a steep embankment.

Perhaps that would have ended it if Tucoya had not finally decided to reveal the mine's location. A cousin of his persuaded him that since he was the only one left alive who knew where it was and since he was a very old man, he should shared his secret with others.

They had no trouble getting a party together and, in spite of his years, Tucoya set out in an Indian trot. They traveled for two days, covering about thirty five miles each day. At the close of the second day they came to the spring. There it was, just as the prospector had said, a square shaped trough cut out of the rock but choked now with vegetation. Since it was nearly dark they decided to spend the night there, then go on in the morning to the mine. After the others had spread out their bedrolls, Tucoya went a few steps away to pray.

Suddenly he gave a sharp cry. He returned to camp, shaking with terror. "I have seen them, the priests" he said. 'They appeared to me in the sky when I looked up to pray. They do not want me to tell where the mine is and if we proceed farther, all of us will surely die!" With that he picked up his things and headed for home. In the morning, his disappointed companions had no choice but to follow him.

Tucoya died long ago. If there ever was a mine operated by the Mission Fathers, he and nature have guarded the secret faithfully. To this day no mine has ever been found.

"Good" will get U there, but Lucky will line Ur pockets.

That "Clearing" has been Found! The Sespe area was scoured and deleted from the search, about 20 yrs ago. The "Asisstencia" is in the Sespe "area", but the clearing is about 3 leagues away.
Yall have fun.......

( Da HOGE!)

 

[HOGE]

HI Gollum!! My name is Henry H Helene, (they call me HOGE), and we NEED to talk!! I live in SFV, CA.
Please get ahold of me @ <[email protected]> as I can save you (and Tapout), many miles.
All that Ive intimated is True.
Sincerely; HHH(HOGE)

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

G'afternoon HOGE: Fresh hot coffee on the fire, help yourself. I personally will never go looking for it, even though I am a 3rd gen Northern Californian, but would like to be kept informed of the non confidential details if you can convince mi compadre Gollum to go look for it. I am wrapped up on Tayopa in ole Mexico.

Golli is a tough, mean, sob, but he takes good care of my white Land Rover, and you can trust him - I do. He is actually kinda itelligent. hehe

Don Jose de La Mancha

 

[Connecticut Sam]

Never will go to California because of too many treasure hunters and very big hungry snakes. Best of luck.

 

[HOGE]

Sorry "TAY", but my intent is not to help Gollum, but to keep him from wasting his time and effort, on something which "has" been found.
Its rough country in there, and a humbug, is just that.
Its been found, and under claim, as we speak. The asistencia up there had a "stockade", charcoal pits, etc, etc.
Theres even more,,, like 60'+ rock signs, to where they stashed it, for about 10 yrs that they couldnt ship out.
The "area" is full of cyns, and each one mined, was "marked', primarily with LRG quartz boulders, (square in shape), at the mouth of each cyn used.
Your friend Gollum, shouldnt be so haughty. Im only trying to assist him, so that he doesnt go in the wrong directions.
You and he want confirmation of who I am, ask Pat Keene. Who do "I" ask for confirmation of you guys??
Nevermind, cause I dont work that way.........

HOGE

 

[HOGE]

Los Padres Mine

Sorry "TAY", but my intent is not to help Gollum, but to keep him from wasting his time and effort, on something which "has" been found.
Its rough country in there, and a humbug, is just that.
Its been found, and under claim, as we speak. The asistencia up there had a "stockade", charcoal pits, etc, etc.
Theres even more,,, like 60'+ rock signs, to where they stashed it, for about 10 yrs that they couldnt ship out.
The "area" is full of cyns, and each one mined, was "marked', primarily with LRG quartz boulders, (square in shape), at the mouth of each cyn used.
Your friend Gollum, shouldnt be so haughty. Im only trying to assist him, so that he doesnt go in the wrong directions.
You and he want confirmation of who I am, ask Pat Keene. Who do "I" ask for confirmation of you guys??
Nevermind, cause I dont work that way.........

HOGE

PS: The actual mine is in LA county, not Ventura county. NOT the Redrock/Gillette area.
Its clear (to us) that Padres were in there, because it was SO rich, that they would keep it secret, compared to other cyns. It also is the hardest to access. This place was first found about 1690, most likely in Kino's time. It appears that the Dominicans knew about it, after the SOJs found it. The "signs" are amazing, such as the 6' "diamond" carved into a prominant rock, within the cyn. LRG white quartz "marker"' at the mouths of the cyns mined, etc, etc!! We even found the wagon/cart tracks ground 6" into solid granite. After 300+ yrs, they can still be seen, out in that most formidable area.
Nuff 4 now!
HOGE

 

[grnlin]

Hi guys, I'm new to the site. I live in Oxnard. I use my horse in my searches so I can cover more ground. I'd love to help in the search. I've been exploring the Los Padres since I was a kid. Just a few months ago I came across this site and that has started many hours of research. The best and most logical story of the lost los padre was a book bought at the Ventura mission. In closing i Hope to help in the search.

Thanks,
Hector.

 

[tapoutking]

PS: The actual mine is in LA county, not Ventura county. NOT the Redrock/Gillette area.
Its clear (to us) that Padres were in there, because it was SO rich, that they would keep it secret, compared to other cyns. It also is the hardest to access. This place was first found about 1690, most likely in Kino's time. It appears that the Dominicans knew about it, after the SOJs found it. The "signs" are amazing, such as the 6' "diamond" carved into a prominant rock, within the cyn. LRG white quartz "marker"' at the mouths of the cyns mined, etc, etc!! We even found the wagon/cart tracks ground 6" into solid granite. After 300+ yrs, they can still be seen, out in that most formidable area.
Nuff 4 now!
HOGE

Not to disrespect Hoge but I'll personally keep looking for the site regardless of what you claim. If I had found it, I wouldn't be in a forum telling others to stop because I had already found it. I don't know you and ill take what you say with a grain of salt until I see some proof.

 

[HOGE]

Not to disrespect Hoge but I'll personally keep looking for the site regardless of what you claim. If I had found it, I wouldn't be in a forum telling others to stop because I had already found it. I don't know you and ill take what you say with a grain of salt until I see some proof.

Well Well. You do as you wish, and take a BUCKET of salt...

HHH

 

[H-2 CHARLIE]

Hi guys, I'm new to the site. I live in Oxnard. I use my horse in my searches so I can cover more ground. I'd love to help in the search. I've been exploring the Los Padres since I was a kid. Just a few months ago I came across this site and that has started many hours of research. The best and most logical story of the lost los padre was a book bought at the Ventura mission. In closing i Hope to help in the search.

Thanks,
Hector.

>>>>>>>>>>>>> proof is in the pudding / im with this guy - Tapoutking

 

[grnlin]

I'm getting really excited that the roads that were closed for winter are opening up around Memorial Day. Ill be camped at half moon so if anyone from this site sees a white horse trailer please stop and say hello.

 

[Real de Tayopa Tropical Tramp]

G'morning tapout king, Grnlin & Hoge, coffee gentlemen ?? Hoge, you posted --> You and he want confirmation of who I am, ask Pat Keene.

I don't think that I asked for confirmation, I am taking you at your word, which I assume that you are doing with me also. However if you have doubts, simply got to the 'Tayopa' forum.--> Tayopa Your questions will be answered.

Don Jose de La Mancha

 

[HappyTrails55]

Don Jose My Friend, Good Morning to you, any info on these pictures would be Graciously Thanked, this is on My Mining claim in the La Panza Mountains of San Luis Obispo County. I share the claim with 6 others, we have multiple Spanish Sign but this Stone intrigues me, any ideas? I wrote Gollum but can't raise him (and I do have his Personal Address). Thankyou, this is Darrell

 

[jackrook]

HappyTrails55, perhaps something as SIMPLE as moving the stones will help you out a bit. Sometimes we over think a lot of things.