The Lost Adams Diggings

[sdcfia]

Another excellent post Steve! "Like" was not a strong enough compliment. I do hope you will let us know when you publish your findings, I would like to buy a copy, autographed if possible. I still question Snively's involvement, on the basis of his seeming lack of interest in hunting the lost Adams if nothing else, however as you pointed out, perhaps he knew exactly where it was and this was the source of his forty pounds of gold nuggets?

Amen on the many lies, misunderstandings and perhaps even something quite remarkable that got 'blended' in with the original story, making use of a lost mine legend to help cover up something quite illegal and conspiratorial? For a precedent, there are some theories that one or more of the lost Swift silver mines was in truth some kind of illegal (to the British crown) lead mining, gunpowder making etc. Or the infamous Miner expedition, which may well have had a secret motive never revealed to the hundreds of men recruited. Lots of men were all too willing to put life and limb on the line for the chance to get rich quick, providing a good armed escort!

Please do continue:

I've wanted to write a comprehensive history about Pinos Altos - its little known pre-Anglo traditions, its Apache connections, the early Anglo-era times (1850-1870), and details about the mines, miners and characters ca 1870-1950, more or less. It's a daunting task, and one I probably won't choose to tackle. However, I can add a good deal of information about many of these things to the public record if I narrow my focus to the Lost Adams Diggings and my theory about its connection to the old mining camp. If it happens, you'll get a gratis copy of the work - after all, I know the LAD is something you've thought about a time or two.

 

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[Oroblanco]

I've wanted to write a comprehensive history about Pinos Altos - its little known pre-Anglo traditions, its Apache connections, the early Anglo-era times (1850-1870), and details about the mines, miners and characters ca 1870-1950, more or less. It's a daunting task, and one I probably won't choose to tackle. However, I can add a good deal of information about many of these things to the public record if I narrow my focus to the Lost Adams Diggings and my theory about its connection to the old mining camp. If it happens, you'll get a gratis copy of the work - after all, I know the LAD is something you've thought about a time or two.

Well I hope that you WILL decide to take on the task, and wow thank you! I would gladly pay for a copy however, as I am no longer quite so broke as I was for some time, and I realize that books are not free to publish. Anyway thank you for sharing your excellent research, hope you will continue to do so.

Coffee anyone?

 

[Oroblanco]

I had a good brain fart there, a possible explanation for the AV Adams could be from mis hearing the name DAVY, which is a common thing for anyone named David, to get called Davy for short. If you say Davy and AV they sound very similar, and also suggests that the man who claimed to be AV Adams was likely an imposter.

Please do continue,

 

[Riverbum]

sdcfia, Hello.....I 've got a recommendation on a small informative book, perhaps you've read it, chance are pretty high most treasure hunters around those parts have...Black Range Tales, has some really great stories of those times and beyond. Lots of info concerning the Mogollons also. It a really good read.

 

[sdcfia]

sdcfia, Hello.....I 've got a recommendation on a small informative book, perhaps you've read it, chance are pretty high most treasure hunters around those parts have...Black Range Tales, has some really great stories of those times and beyond. Lots of info concerning the Mogollons also. It a really good read.

Thanks, RB. Yes, I've read the book and it's one of my favorites. There's all kinds of good information in it, written by James McKenna, who lived the events and knew the characters of the period. It deserves to be in everyone's library, whether they're interested in lost mines, southwestern history, or just having a good read to enjoy.

 

[nmth]

Thanks, RB. Yes, I've read the book and it's one of my favorites. There's all kinds of good information in it, written by James McKenna, who lived the events and knew the characters of the period. It deserves to be in everyone's library, whether they're interested in lost mines, southwestern history, or just having a good read to enjoy.

Well, written by the nuns at the convalescent home, as dictated by Uncle Jimmy anyways, right?

If it's all mostly true, then I volunteer for the expedition to find the Radium cave! That's the wildest part of the tale. He even ended up with a pet mountain lion, if I recall.

Regarding the Mogollons, I recommend Dry gulch Headwaters as a search area. I may have mentioned that I found "Cactus Flats" on an old map once...

Look for the drainages coming off the mines up there just past the wilderness boundary. Those mines have been sanitized from newer maps, but I know gold has been found thereabouts not too many decades back.

 

[sdcfia]

Well, written by the nuns at the convalescent home, as dictated by Uncle Jimmy anyways, right?

If it's all mostly true, then I volunteer for the expedition to find the Radium cave! That's the wildest part of the tale. He even ended up with a pet mountain lion, if I recall.

Regarding the Mogollons, I recommend Dry gulch Headwaters as a search area. I may have mentioned that I found "Cactus Flats" on an old map once...

Look for the drainages coming off the mines up there just past the wilderness boundary. Those mines have been sanitized from newer maps, but I know gold has been found thereabouts not too many decades back.

Written around the wood stove at Oxy Bill's welding shop in downtown Silver City, as I heard it.

The Mogollons ... lots of choices up there. I favor the Turkey Creek drainages up near where they found the body of Mike Cooney a hundred years ago. If you go up there, be sure to go prepared. Many good stories have come out of that area. It's why Cooney made his final trip there - he heard a story with new clues and tried to beat the bad weather.

https://books.google.com/books?id=4...#v=onepage&q=mike cooney turkey creek&f=false

By the way, another exceptional book about SW New Mexico is Wilderness of the Gila, by Elizabeth McFarland. There are some lost mine stories in there that will curl your toes and motivate you about like a cattle prod. Unfortunately, I see that it's getting a little pricey.

 

[nmth]

Written around the wood stove at Oxy Bill's welding shop in downtown Silver City, as I heard it.

The Mogollons ... lots of choices up there. I favor the Turkey Creek drainages up near where they found the body of Mike Cooney a hundred years ago. If you go up there, be sure to go prepared. Many good stories have come out of that area. It's why Cooney made his final trip there - he heard a story with new clues and tried to beat the bad weather.

https://books.google.com/books?id=4...#v=onepage&q=mike cooney turkey creek&f=false

By the way, another exceptional book about SW New Mexico is Wilderness of the Gila, by Elizabeth McFarland. There are some lost mine stories in there that will curl your toes and motivate you about like a cattle prod. Unfortunately, I see that it's getting a little pricey.

Not a book I am familiar with - thanks!

"Let in a little sun", eh?

What about Bear Moore?

Had some gold on him when they found him in his cave house. Speculation that could be from trade with Apache Kid (no idea which one...) If so, I like San Mateo for the actual source for some reason.

Old buddies rousted up his cave a bit back (like 50 years...) But side canyon explorations we're limited. Have to dig out their notes.

 

[sdcfia]

Not a book I am familiar with - thanks!

"Let in a little sun", eh?

What about Bear Moore?

Had some gold on him when they found him in his cave house. Speculation that could be from trade with Apache Kid (no idea which one...) If so, I like San Mateo for the actual source for some reason.

Old buddies rousted up his cave a bit back (like 50 years...) But side canyon explorations we're limited. Have to dig out their notes.

Back in the late 1970s, I packed into the region and stayed a couple nights in an overhang shelter right on Turkey Creek, near the mouth of Miller Springs Canyon (might have been Corral Canyon or Manzanita Creek - hard to remember). This was either the Moore cave or was close to the Moore cave. There are a number of shelters on that stretch of Turkey Creek, and most of them had fire rings. Moore, like most of the old timers, frequently had some placer gold. Cooney's body was found at the mouth of Sycamore Canyon, a hundred feet from where the body of another alleged rich gold discoverer (a surveyor) was found in 1900.