Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1907-12-04
UNITED VERDE Mine
DISCOVERER DEAD
Capt. John D. Boyd. Original Owner OF
Property Which Has Paid Millions
In Dividends, Dies Pennies In County
Hospital, Aged sc.

Captain John ID. Boyd, original dis
eovercr of the great United Verde cop
per mine, at jerome, now owned by ex-
Senator william a. Clark, Of Montana,
is dead, and in his death Arizona loses
ono of the brave pioneers who helped
blaze the way for civilization in many
of the mining districts Of Yavapai AMI
ella counties, infested, at the time Of
his advent into the Territory, by the
bloodthirsty Apaches and desperate
characters from other climes.
The locator of one of the richest cop.
per mines in the world died this morn
ing at 1880 o'clock, in the county hos
pital, practically penniless, while those
who have prodtcl by ais privations and
hardsbips IN searching out the ledge
which has proved n veritablc bonanza,
have made millions out Of his discov.
cry.
In the early days Of California his
name was familiar to hundreds Of
miners and prospeetors in the various
mining camps, and he was known 70
them AS man absolutely devoid of
fear. one ready to risk mis- life. Ii need
be, in his search for the hidden wealth
of the mineral world.
After many narrow escapes from
death at the hands of the redskins,
while prospecting alone in the noun
tain Businesses of this and other north.
crn Arizona counties, Boyd headed a
prospecting party watch crossed the
Black Hills in 1873, and located in the
Upper Verde Valley. With two broth
crs, John and Ed. Dougherty, he 10.
Gated the famous United Verde mine,
making the find himself.
John O'Doughcrty was an expert "a.
ssyis,, and his brother, Ed, n medical
student. After making their locations
they found places where the Indians
mined the material, from which they
made war paint, close to where ore was
found on the groupings of a vein which
carried values Of $500 ounces to the
ton.
Continuing further south, Boyd To-.
Gated what Is now the Copper Chief
mine. valued Mt sl,250,0OO. He also as
sisted in perfecting the first body POI
lite in the district, and was elected its
president.
Later he disposed Of his holdings in
the mine, which has since paid owe.
s25,00o,000 in dividends, for mere
song and in 1876 he departed, with the
same partners, for the Mazatcl noun.
tains and the Tonic Basin dis,ric.,
then in this county. where tnc Tonto
and Last Chance mines were located
by them. With the Dougherty brothers
he mined there for many years, being
the first man 10 erect mill for the
reduction of ores, in this part Of tn,
Territory.
The wanderlust Selling nini again,
he disposed Of his holdings and once
more returned 20 the Black Hills,
where he acquired and disposed Of sew.
eral excellent claims, which have since
developed into good mines.
Sixteen years ago, when the noted
suit over the possession Of portions of
the Copper Chief mine was being
waged between ex-senator Clark and
John Duke and Other owners of the
Copper Chief, Clark settled an annu-
ity upon the man who had made IL
possible for him to purchase t.,
United Verde mine, which mas assisted
so materially in making him a million.
sire many times over, but after the
suit was compromised the payments
which amounted to 800 per month
were stopped, and Boyd was dismissci
from Clark's services.
Speaking Of Captain Boyd's integ
rity, Mr.. Duke, who was opposed "a
Clark in the suit, said: "Clark may
have paid him that 800 monthly mere
ly to influence his testimony, but
do not believe that any influence on
earth could have induced Captain Boyd
TO utter a falsehood on the witnes:
stand"
After the payments from Clark stop
ped, Boyd became practically n charge
upon the county. Shortly after, hi'
health began failing, and he was com
PEELED to enter the county hospital
here, where he passed the last year OF
his evcntful career. When his resource,
were exhausted, Captain Boyd turnsd
for assistance 20 the county for which
he had done 40 much in making il a n