The Courier. (Genoa, Nev.) 1899-1904, 1902-12-12
THE OLD LOG CABIN.
Early History--First Settlement at
Genoa-First White Marriage
and Birth in Nevada.

rotting down. 1t was Duilt IN 1901 ana
has not been occupied for years. 1t is
now owned by T. n. Hansen of Genoa.
The outer portions of the logs are rot
ten, but the interior of some of the
larger ones is probably sound.
A pioneer of this section, now re-
siding in california, recently wrote to
the editor of the COURIER for piece
of one of the logs, desiring to make
cane of it. This led to the looking up
of early history of Carson Valley.
The first account we have of this
country begins in 1888, when Kit Car
son, some few Crow Indians and five
whites passed through Carson Valley
on their way to California. The Car
son river was then named after the
leader of the party. In ls46, thirteen
years later, Col. John @. Fremont
passed over the same route with Kit
for a guide, on his famous tour of ex-
ploration.
From a series of articles published in
the Territorial Enterprise, printed in
Genoa in 1858, we CLEAN a number of
interesting facts concerning early
times in this section. No apology is
needed for their republication at this
time, for however well-known the in
cidents may be to our pioneer settlers,
there are thousands here who are not
familiar Herewith.
The first settlements made within
the limits of the territory which now
comprises the State of Nevada were
made in the years 1917 and lS4s at
Genoa, Franktown and in Eagle Val
ley, where Carson now stands. At
that time Sol. We'll lived five miles
further up the valley, at Mottsville.
These settlements were, however, but
small and feeble until helped into fuller
life and strength by the immigrants to
California in '49 and 80.
Those who, in the early days of the
California gold fever, came overland
and came through this section, found
in Six and Seven-M Mile canyons parties
working surface claims for gold. Con-
siderable prospecting, was also done in
those days in Gold Canyon (which is
now Lower Gold Hill, and especially
near the section known as Devils
Gate" After that, and before any To-
cations were made, the Mexicans had
an arastra at work on the groupings of
what is now known as the Comstock
lode, and worked ore from the Mexi-
can mine. These claims were worked
as late as 1857.
As early as 1858 surface claims were
worked in the fall and winter near
DOWNTOWN, most of the men leaving
during the summer when water failed
and prospecting in a measure ceased.
1t was about this time that Allen and
Hosea Grosch, better known us the
Grosch Brothers, put in an appearance,
AMI soon reported that they had dis
covered silver lodges. The first loea-
ton was named "Pioneer,n and was
made where Virginia now stands, and
WAS the very claim afterward jumped
by Oomstock, and which has since given
his name to the lode. Work was not,
however pushed very vigorously, for
parties in those days had no facilities
for either mining or milling. One
part of the present system of mining
was however, practiced An ASSESS
ment was levied and paid in the winter
of 1866.
In 1857 road was built over from
Lake Bigler NOW Lake Tahoe) to
Placerville. The diggings at Gold
Canyon were carried on then by some
thirty or forty men, mostly Germans
The principal settlement in these parts
at that time was Johntown, which was
situated between where Silver City
AMI Dayton now stand. From two
dollars to three dollars in gold was the
average of each miner per day wash
ing and then the water dried up early
an they were compelled to quit.
About that time the miners began
to talk of quartz lodges and to pros
pect for lodes. A tunnel was run into
the right-hand forks of Gold Canyon
and Niger Ravine (to the east, on
the ridge which runs toward the DEVILS
Gate. This was prospected thirty or
forty feet, but developed nothing. But
further up, along the side of the hill
and not far from the DEVILS Gate, a
lead was struck, and an arastra put
up near the old Pioneer mill. The
rock yielded from $40 to $45 in gold
to the ton. This was the first arastra
built by Foreigners in these parts.
In the winter of ls57-5s, man named
Jas. Thompson, better known Z. as
"Snow-Shoe Thompson" was engaged
in carrying the mail from Genoa and
Gold Canyon over the mountains, on
foot, to California. At that time Frank
Stewart, a mining expert, was en-
ployed on the IVePkY Observer. pub