Ben Marshall’s buried money.

Hello All

The American Civil War had a devastating effect made rich men paupers and a tiny few poor men rich. In the turmoil of the warring factions families buried treasure to avoid looting by either side, never to be able to reclaim them. The following legend is of this type.

Ben Marshall was one of the wealthiest Native Americans living in the Eastern part of Indian Territory (Oklahoma) before the start of the Civil War. He was a trader, farmer, and had large slave holdings. His plantations lay between two rivers and were very productive and Ben was able to accumulate vast wealth.

At the outbreak of the Civil War Ben and a trusted slave loaded four barrels of gold and silver coins onto a farm wagon and drove off into the night to hide the money in a new location. The family soon moved south until after the war had ended.

It has been alleged only Ben, his wife, and the trusted slave knew the location of the hidden wealth. Each of them died within a few months of each other and with them the secret location of the four barrels of gold and silver coins went to the grave. The Marshall descendants were never able to locate the money.

Many years later it has been alleged an old trapper claimed to have found four barrels of money hidden in a cave. On his visits to Ft. Smith he would produce pockets full of gold and silver coins. Was there any evidence or truth to this story?

With some good research I think it is possible to trace the location of the Marshall's land holdings. A good place to start would be 16N 17E sections 32 and 33 as there was claim by a a Judge. N. B. Moore who was allegedly a judge, who said he saw Ben and his slave the morning after the left to hide the money. It might be possible to find where this Judge N. B. Moore lived as this might give you a direction of travel.

In 1911 a story was published about the event claiming that a man by the J J Ayers new the location of treasure in caves Missouri and told of a story that an old man by the name of Keys was searching for it.

A search through land records does show a ben Marshall and confirms his Native American connections. A more careful search may yield more positive information about this legendary buried treasure.

It is a treasure legend with some potential with some in depth research.

Hardluck


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