Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-09-21

Gold was first discovered in
Montana in 1852, according to
Granville Stuart, by a haIf-breed
named Francois, known also as
Benetsee, who had Just returned
from California TO the Rocky noun
tains. He prospected on Gold creek,
in Deer Lodge county, and found
light gold. But his prospecting was
of a very superficial character and
he found no mines that would pay.
The fact that gold had been found
there became noised about among the
few mountaineers, and IN the spring
of 1856 party, among whom were
Robert Hereford. late of Helena, John
Sanders, Bill Madison and one or two
others were passing BenetSee creek,
the place of Francois discovery, and
prospecting a little, found more gold
than had been obtained by BenetSee.
they gave 1t to old Captain Grant,
who used to show it, up to the time
of his death in 1862, as the first piece
of gold found in the country.
Stuarts Make Find
The matter rested here until the
spring of 1858 when Thomas Adams,
Reese Anderson, E. H. Burr, John H.
Powell, James and Granville Stuart
searched for gold in that vicinity, and
found as high as 10 cents to the pan.
But as they had no provisions (they
were living on wild meat straight,
without salt) nor tools, they could not
accomplish anything, especially as the
Blackfeet stole four of their horses
and SO harrassed them that they aban-
doned the country foi time, return
ing, however, in the fall of 1860, firm
in the faith that this was a rich gold
country.
In the meantime, during the sum-
mer of 1860, mining enthusiast named
Henry Thomas, known later as Gold
Tom, began to prospect on Benetsee
creek, about one mile west of where
Pioneer City now stands Almost I'M
aided he sank a shaft over 80 feet
deep in the glacial detritus along the
creek, getting a little gold all the way
down. He also washed some on the
surface at this point during this and
the following summer, but only made
about $50 per day, owing TO the great
disadvantage under which he worked.
Found Paying Diggings
In the fall of 1860 and the spring
of 1851 Anderson and the StuartS pros
pected in the dry gulches, putting into
BenetSee creek and found what they
considered good paying mines, but they
did little towards working them that
season for two reasons. They had very
few and imperfect tools and no lum-
Der until they could get 1t whipSawed,
and all the party except Granville
Stuart went to Fort Benton for the
purpose of purchasing supplies from
the steamboats, expected up the river
that year. The one boat (the Chippe-
way) that started up was burned near
the mouth of Milk river, and the sum-
nler was lost in waiting for her.
On this boat were William Graham
Of Philipsburg and the late Frank L.
Worden Of MiSsoula. Early in the
spring the StuartS, Adams, Burr and
Powell began to mine, having had
lumber sawed by hand at 10 cents a
foot, and picks and shovels packed up
from Walla Walla, AIS miles distant,
by Worden and Higgins train. On May
they set the first string Of slulces
ever used in Montana and began TO
mine by the old pick and shovel
process.
Arg0nauts Start North
In 1861 the Stuarts had written to
their brother Thomas, who was in
Colorado, to come out here, as they
thought this better and richer coun-
try than that. which opinion, by the
way, they have seen no reasons to
change, and still adhere to. Thomas
showed this letter to many friends OF
his, ana the result was ITlat quite
number left there in the spring Of
1852 for Deer Lodge.
The first of these, q party OF IL,
arrived at Pioneer on June 20, and
among them was j. M. Bozeman, who
was murdered by Indians on the Yell
lowstone In 1867, and after whom the
flourishing town of Bozeman was
named.
The party found good prospects ON
a branch of the Benetsee, or Gold
creek, as it now began TO be called.
other parties began to struggle in
from Pixies peak and Utah, and about
june 90 Samuel T.. Hauser, Frank
I,outhan, John Alt and w. B. Dance
arrived. being the advance guard OF q
number who came up on the steamers
from st. Louis and who were on the
way to Florence, in the Salmon river
mines, not having heard of the dis
coverles at Gold creek, where, however.
many of them stopped, and are now
among the oldest and most respected
citizens Of Montana.
During the next few years gold IN
fabulous quantities was discovered at
Baunack, Virginia City, Helena and
other places. and following these dis