The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-02-13
Sketch Of Mr.. Henry D. Van WICK and
Some Of His Adventures.
ne WAS ONE OF THE FORTY MINERS
discovered Two of tho Richest FLA.
Ger iDtho rnitcd stutes-Rnn
Stages from YreKn To Rod blur
Els Investments In the North ana
South.

The Poughkeepsie IN ~ Courier In
recent issue presented a detailed
sketch of Mr.. Henry D. Van Wyck, the
owner of the Academy of Music build
ing. CT this city. which is very in
teresting. From the account It Is
learned that Mr.. Van Wyc.1 is a native
Of Fishkill. He was born October q,
1923. at the old Van Wyck homestead
on the Hudson This property has
Dccn in the possession of his family
Tor over one hundred years. The man
slcn Is of the Colonial type and Is
noted as the house in which the pro-
ceedlngs OF the first Legislature of the
slate of New York were printed.
ne was educated in the district
sehool and at College Hill Academy in
PoughkcePsiG. After leaving school
ne clerked in wholesale tobacco ware
mouse in New York for three years.
me next two years he engaged in the
OIL business and then he went to Kala-
mazoo, Mich. where he devoted his en-
erGies to sheep raising and wheat
growing.
In 1919 Mr.. Van Wyck went to Cali
iornia. He bought the baraue Gal
indo' and made an exploring trip north
Giong the coast of California and Ore
son. acting as captain himself and en-
Saging James Kiddell as sailing mas
ter. They carried sixty passengers who
were In search of Il river laid down on
one OF van Couvers charts rs flow
ing INTO Trinidad Bay. They found
the bay, but no stream large enough
10 be called a river. While in Trini-
dad Bay Mr.. Van Wyck and his party
round tribe of Indians by whom they
were treated with great Kindness, as
they were also by a large band at
klamath river, under Chief Cuwtapish,
who governed eighteen hundred war
riors Mr.. Van Wyck's party were the
lirSt whites they had ever seen, as the
generation which greeted Van Couver's
men had gone to the happy hunting
grounds.
The great Gold Bluff" claims eight
miles south of the klamath river were
discovered by Mr.. Van Wyck and
James Johnson. They are stin being
worked. In 1850 Mr.. van Wyck sold
his interest to a. j. Butler, brother of
Gen. benjamin +. Butler. Hc then
procured thirty mules from San Fran
cisco and explored the country to the
1reka' Mining Camp. at the foot of
MI. Shasta. At 6reka Mr.. Van Wyck
opened store and became the largest
dealer in that country He remained
there until 1860 when he went to Port
land, Ore. and remained there six
months, forming another expedition
which started for Idaho Territory. The
party penetrated to a point sixty miles
north OF the present site of Boise City
FINDING placer gold in abundance they
started Idaho City. In nine months
eighteen thousand miners were there
at work washing out the precious met
al in enormous quantities.
The Ireka Camp and Idaho City
Camp were two OF the richest mining
places ever discovered in the United
states, and Mr.. Van Wyck was the
leader of the parties thai discovered
both camps.
For several! years Mr. Van Wyck ran
stages from Yreka 10 Red Bluff. Cal,
N6O miles, carrying Wells, Fargo &
Co.'S express daily and having at
times from 500 to 1000 pounds of gold
dust to be minted ut San Francisco
and carried back as coin. He never
lost one dollar by road agents
In 1850 Mr.. Van Wyck was induced
by George p. Gordon, inventor of the
Gordon printing press. with whom he
had been acquainted number of
years TO sell his interests in Idaho and
invest his money South. The two made
large purchases in the vicinity of Nor
folk, Va !Mr. Gordon died in 1870 and
three years later Mr.. Van Wyck mar
ricd his widow. who died in California,
in 1890, of pneumonia.
The Ross farm at I'ishkill was pur-
chased in 1890 by Mr.. Van Wyck. He
spent Sol 900 on the property and maze
out Of 1t Il beautiful place.