Lost Wagoner Mine

Hello All

I am going to throw our a curve ball tonight. We all asume the name that Fred Mullins gave of the man was called Wagoner? Correct?

What if Fred Mullins statement was later mixed up a little bit in the retelling?

Wagoner can be a Christan name or a surname? but it could also be a job title? Wagoner is old term for those who drove a wagon simular to what a modern truck driver is and as with a coachman to a modern bus driver today. So perhaps Fred Fred Mullins never gave the surname of the man but gave his job title?

So in some respects Fred Mullin perhaps never really gave any name at all? He just said some Wagoner (truck driver ) found the gold but in later in the retelling by others it became the name of the man?

 In the 1880 and later sensus Job titles was often recorded. It could be possible to find a name someone who lived in Pinal or Mesa Arizonia that was listed as a wagoner as a occupation?

Depending on how many are found it could be an interesting lead?

Hardluck

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Hello Seldom

It is always a pleasure picking methodically through these legends and see what people come up with. You never quite know how they turn out?

Hardluck

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Hardluck,
You might very well be right in that - it doesn't take much of change from a 'wagoner' to Wagoner *lol*
Also - how the heck did you find that clipping in the LA newspaper? I have googled for Frank Wagoner for hours on end - and I haven't even found the story you refer to.
Oh, I've found plenty of Frank Wagoners, but certainly no-one that fits the timeline we are looking for ...
However, I'm not done with him yet! And as Oroblanco says - he might well have had other reasons than health to come to AZ.

I believe you may have the name of one or more of Mullins offspring (and no *smile* I'm not gonna ask for them), maybe it would be possible to contact any of the now-living relatives and just check if they are 'in' on the story?

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  Hola to all,
 the rose quartz with gold that Oroblanco posted will be sending gold fever out all over the web!! Thanks for that Oro it is a beautiful sight
 The supers is a long way from where I live. If I were a bit closer it would be very tempting to go out hiking and have a bit of a poke around 

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Hola amigos,

Goldnboy - thank you but I can't take credit for that lovely specimen, the photo is from a site that sells mineral specimens and I think that particular one came from Australia, my purpose was to illustrate the kind of ore that Wagoner was mining for in other discussions some folks take to calling all sorts of quartz "rose" when it is really white, orange, green, grey and not rose quartz at all.  I want our readers to know what we are talking about and not make false assumptions, for more than one treasure hunter has concluded that the Wagoner ledge is the same with Waltz's white quartz and with Deering's mine etc.  It is a different critter entirely, unless the whole story is full of falsehoods which does not appear to be the case.

That is a tantalizing angle to research, that the name Wagoner may be a corruption of a job title of wagoner.  The only caveat I would raise is that a driver of a stage is usually recorded in that time period as a stage driver, and a person who drives freight wagons is usually recorded as a teamster.  I have never run across the use of that term "wagoner" as a job title for the late 1800's, which does not mean it can't be the case.  

Also keep in mind that various different spellings are possible when you are researching, in this instance not so many as with some, but Wagoner can be found spelled Wagner, it depends on whose ears were converting the spoken name to a spelled word.   The Dutchman legend has more variations and even evolved into Walzer from Waltz, probably from the way it was pronounced.  So is someone said "Wagoner" but quickly, the 'o' could get lost.

Tom Kollenborn did an article on the lost Wagoner ledge, and came up with a different first name, as well as different landmarks and even town of residence, here is an extract, quote

		Quote:			Posted by {author}
	It was spring-time when John Wagoner arrived in Florence, Arizona Territory, 1883. Wagoner traveled west for his health. He suffered from a severer respiratory illness. Eastern doctors had advised him to move to a hot dry climate to rebuild his health. Wagoner made short forays into the desert surrounding Florence to regain his strength. As he regained his health his trips became longer and more intensive. He would board the stage at Florence and travel to a site near Black Point on Queen Creek. From here he would hike in a northeastern direction into the Superstitions carrying nothing more than a canteen and small black suitcase. On his return trip he would catch the stage near the “Narrows” on Queen Creek for a ride back to Florence.

unquote
That article was online at one time, but I cannot find it now; it was published in the 'Kollenborn Chronicles' so is probably still online somewere.>

Anyway I do not wish to throw the proverbial wet blanket or discourage anyone, just suggesting to keep an open mind and probabilities when researching.  Good luck and good hunting amigos, I hope you find the treasures that you seek.  
Oroblanco

 

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