Lost Wagoner Mine

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	Re: Lost Wagoner Mine « Reply #20 on: April 09, 2012, 01:58:51 am »

Hello Oroblanco

I agree It does not help that we have not really got a full name to work with.

Treasure legends are a bit like a temptress just when you think you have figgured it all out, It turns around and bites you. Perhaps that is why I get so much enjoyment digging into these legends. Always a pleasure to see what people come up with. Its one of these treasure legends that could have a grain of truth or could be just a story? However it is fun to see what we could find.

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	Re: Lost Wagoner Mine « Reply #21 on: April 09, 2012, 02:20:45 am »

Hardluck - agreed, 100%!

What makes me think this one has a basis in fact (like many more, more than the skeptics think) is the inclusion of other potential witnesses that could have been questioned for confirmation when the story first came into circulation, namely the stage driver. I have seen that name before somewhere if I can find it again I will post it.

Before I forget this - HAPPY EASTER to you and everyone! And here is a "modernized" version of Wagoner's map, which I strongly suspect to be one that was doctored by Barry Storm and not reliable at all:

<Courtesy of Apache Junction Public Library collection, at:

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Treasure Map Facsimile

>

Good luck and good hunting amigo, I hope you had a very pleasant Easter!
Oroblanco

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	Re: Lost Wagoner Mine « Reply #22 on: April 09, 2012, 12:24:06 pm »

The stage-drivers name was Fred Mullins - and 1894 was the year that Wagoner (apparently) made is find.

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	Re: Lost Wagoner Mine « Reply #23 on: April 09, 2012, 07:56:45 pm »

Can I print that and use it?

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oroblanco

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	Re: Lost Wagoner Mine « Reply #24 on: April 09, 2012, 08:14:26 pm »

Renegade - you sure can, the map is in the Public Domain, and is from the Apache Jct Public Library web site. As far as I could tell there are NO restrictions whatsoever. Unfortunately the map is very unlikely to lead you to the mine. Cry

Loke - thank you! Here is a short version of the story, originally borrowed from the Hikers Guide to the Superstition Mountains (an excellent book for anyone heading there) quote

	Quote:	Posted by {author}
"Fred Mullins, a stage coach driver out of Pinal, told a story about a man who discovered gold on the west side of Picacho Butte in 1894. Picacho Butte is the hill east of Whiskey Spring. The man, named Wagoner would board the stage in Pinal and depart in the desert on the south side of the Superstition Mountains near the Whitlow Ranch. After taking out hand picked rose-quartz gold ore he would meet the stage for a ride back to Pinal. Wagoner told Mullins his route from Whitlow Ranch was up Randolph Canyon, up the Red Tank Canyon, down LaBarge and around Picacho Butte. Wagoner said he concealed the outcropping with brush and rocks and planted a circle of trees around the site so he could locate it in the future. In 1952, gold in rose-quartz float was found by prospector and miner Ray Howland on the west side of Picacho Butte. No one has reported the exact location of Wagoner's diggings".

From the hiking guide site on the hike to Whiskey Spring;

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Whiskey Spring

I cannot understand why Wagoner would choose to hike up Randolph canyon to get there from Whitlow ranch - rather a difficult hike IMHO.

Good luck and good hunting amigos, I hope you find the treasures that you seek.
Oroblanco

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	Re: Lost Wagoner Mine « Reply #25 on: April 09, 2012, 09:34:30 pm »

Hello All

Thanks loke for the name of Fred Mullins.

There seems to be a Fred Mullins in Arizona census age 31 listed as a Farmer with a wife and 3 children originally from England. Mesa City, Maricopa, Arizona. In the 1900 census he is listed as living in Township 1, Maricopa, Arizona Territory. His wife and some family members seem to be living apart but living in the same town she is listed as a dress maker.

I do not know if this is the correct Fred Mullins. If the event happend in the 1890,s then it could be possible that this is the Fred Mullins of the story. However this is were more local knowledge is needed how far away is Maricopa from where Wagoner allegedly lived?

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	Re: Lost Wagoner Mine « Reply #26 on: April 09, 2012, 09:44:14 pm »

Hola amigos,

I think that home address is probably referring to Maricopa county, hence the mention of "township 1" as in township, range and section which makes sense for a farm or homestead; as a stage driver, his home might not necessarily be too close to either Pinal or Mesa, perhaps he came home only on weekends? Or perhaps he got the homestead after working as a stage driver for a while? Anyway that looks like a strong contender to be "the" stage driver, good find Hardluck! Great

Oroblanco

PS as an after thought (realization) township 1 means within six miles or so of the confluence of the Gila and Salt Rivers, which is the point used by the USGS for determining the township and range pattern that mapped out Arizona; this is not far from Mesa AZ which was one end of Mullins stage run. So a very good hit indeed!

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	Re: Lost Wagoner Mine « Reply #27 on: April 09, 2012, 09:54:32 pm »

I've been looking up some Fred Mullins ... seeing the 'treasure' was found in 1894 - the only one I could find which possibly has the right age is:
Frederic John Mullins
Birth: 1857
Death: 1911
Father: James Mullins (1827 - 1920)
Mother: Hannah White (? - 1879)

So far, nothing about occupation or where he lived - still digging though ...

ooops - one more thing - wife was called Mary Parsons (1853-1908) - they had 3 children (!!)

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	Re: Lost Wagoner Mine « Reply #28 on: April 09, 2012, 10:35:27 pm »

Hello Loke and Oroblanco.

Oroblanco. Nothing like a bit of local knowledge to help pin something down.

With official archive census are only as accurate as what the collectors are told so make times peoples ages vary. It might be possible that Fred mullins remarried before the decade before he died in 1911. And Mary Parsons was his second wife? In the 1900 census he appeared to be living apart from his first wife Sara had a step daughter living with him. As much as we believe about marriages in the old days being more long term. I am always supprised to see much divorce and abandonment went on in marriages in the old days.

So perhaps the two Fred Mullins are one the same?

Loke good one finding the fathers name. The Fred Mullins came to United States at age nine from England. He most likely came America with his mother and father. It counld be possible to see if there is any shipping record with the 3 names together if this is so, then we know they are both the same Mullins.

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	Re: Lost Wagoner Mine « Reply #29 on: April 09, 2012, 11:51:29 pm »

After 40 pages of googling for Fred Mullins, I gave up ... there were 16500 hits for an exact match!
I have had a good look at the topo instead - and Oroblanco - you are ever so right. The route he took looks like a rather roundabout way - doesn't it? I would have gone the Whitlow Canyon and then Wiskey Spring Canyon - so what did he know that we don't (other than the location, that is Sad

) ??

Posted on: 2012-04-09 22:43:55

Just thinking out loud here ... if he had Miners Needle directly to the south and Weavers Needle to the west - we are more talking about Trap Spring/Canyon? - but could also be at the 'headwater' of Whiskey Spring? Ahhhh - obviously not so easy after all Sad

- it's still a lot of ground to cover.
I wonder where the Picacho Butte-part comes from? Maybe the actual route he took might be a better indication? - we may even end up around Herman's Mountain ...
But, this was in 1894 and ole Jacob was almost still warm in his grave - I wonder if Herman Petrasch had covered yet, the mountain that later got his name?
So many questions and so few answers!

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