The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1920-10-07
ROMANCE OF COMSTOCK
GRAVE OF DISCOVERER
HONOR BELONGED TO OTHERS
DIED A SUICIDE IN BoZE-
MAN, MONTANA.

whose name the worlds most famOu.
bonanza mining lode bears, and who
died a Respondent poverty stricken
suicide at BOzeman, Mont, in 1870
was accidentally located and later
marked by u wooden head board q
number Of years ago by a former resi-
dent OF Virginia City. New. according
to an article in a recent issue OF the
Virginia City Chronicle Although
this wonderful lode bears Comstock S
name, the real discoveries of the lode
were two brothers Hosea and Ethan
Allen Grosh, who first came into the
district in 1853, but it was not until a
second visit in 1856 that they found
the vein and determined its high val
ues. Both met tragic deaths in 1858,
however, and did not live to enjoy the
fruits OF their discoveries.
The first bonanza ore body was
opened on the slope of Mount David
son, then known as sun peak, in May
1859, by two miners, Patrick Nc
Laughlin and Peter O'Reilly, and it
was from them that Comstock,
through laying claim to the ground
upon which they were working, forced
the concession of an interest in their
locations. The Chronicle, in telling of
the finding of Comstock's grave, says:
Buried in Bozeman.
j. H. (Joe) Francis, a former well
known resident of the Comstock now
residing at Eureka, Humboldt county,
California, has been spending the past
few days in this city renewing old ac-
quaintances, and looking over old
scenes. Mr.. Francis left Virginia City
rs years ago and this is his first visit
10 the camp in that length of time. He
is painter by occupation, and is in
business at Eureka. Mr.. Francis, af-
ter leaving this city was located for
eight years at BOzeman, Mont, SO
miles easterly of Butte City. and re-
lates an interesting story of finding
the grave at that place of Henry Com
stock, one of the discoveries of the
COmstock and for whom the lode was
named. Soon after reaching that
town he made the acquaintance of two /
old residents, who upon learning he
was from Virginia City New, inform |
ed him that they had buried Henry |
Comstock, discoverer of the Comstock |
mines They took him to the grave of |
this famous character of Comstock [
romance and history which was en-
urely unmarked, except by a stake, /
and located in a cemetery where pio-
neers and Indian fighters were buried
near early-day forts, built as a pro-
lection against the Indians.
His Epitaph.
Mr. Francis then and there got
busy and being a painter by trade
made and lettered a head board for /
the grave, having in his possession on
his trip here a photograph of the
grave and marker, the latter being in
scribed as follows:
In memory of Henry Page Thomas
comstOck, discoverer of the famous
Comstock lode. Story county, Nevada.
Died at Bozeman, September T. 1870, .
aged so years."
The old photograph, although over
10 years old, is remarkably clear and {
as far as known is the only one in ex- ]
silence, showing the burial place of
he man whose name is world wide
NnOWn NhiOh6h NnC 6ACeilCSb VI oil III y
hing camps. but who himself died in a :
strange land, practically penniless and :
riendless.
Arrival at Bozeman. \
Mr. Francis stated that the man who 4
buried eHnry Comstock was known as
Ioe Lindley. a grand army veteran, j
md the latter told of the day that +
comstock arrived at Bozeman, from I
Virginia City with two burros and a
outfit. He complained of
rot having been treated well at his
ormer stopping place, and was in n
mood. apparently having .
,een drinking heavily Soon after his 8
rrival. it is related by the old timers, a
lie went to a vacant lot and ended his 5
fe by shooting. n
The information impaired by Mr.. o
francis as to the last days of Henry
'omstock and his burial place is par >
icularly interesting at this time, with
vast mining revival now being pro- r.
ected and rapidly developed at the
outh end of the Comstock lode, and
art of which is upon the identical
round located by Henry Comstock NJ
nd associates in the spring of 1859. al
Much information regarding Henry "
omstock and his career was gather +,
d some years ago by the state librar- a.
IN of Montana, according to Mr. G
'rancis, apd is now filed away at the
brary at Helena. If it is possible Fl
opies will be made of the photograph G
i Comstocks grave, to be presented di
D the Nevada Historical society. K
AZ