Long John Silver treasure based on Kentucky history

By AMBER COULTER
The Elizabethtown News-Enterprise

Meade County author Robert  Prather might have been correct when his 2007 book, “The Strange Case of Jonathan Swift and the Real Long John Silver,” said a famous literary pirate could have been based on a Virginia merchant with Hardin County ties
The book asserted that Swift, who 1800s folklore said might have lost a treasure in Kentucky, might have been the basis for Long John Silver, the famous pirate from the late 1800s Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel “Treasure Island.”
Other well-known works by Stevenson include “Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” and “Kidnapped.”
Mr. Prather’s book in 2007 stated Long John Silver’s treasure could have been based on the legendary silver mine treasure of Jonathan Swift and that Swift’s fortune might have been located a few miles from the Fort Knox depository. He pointed out accounts of gold and silver mines and efforts to find such treasure in Hardin County near the beginning of the 1900s.
Mr. Prather presented documentation, including centuries-old Hardin County records that say Swift owned about 5,000 acres at what is now Fort Knox, where he could have stores of silver and gold he is credited with possessing.
Another of Swift’s properties on the Hardin and Breckinridge county line also could have been where the treasure was left, Mr. Prather wrote.
He said he focused his 2007 book mostly on Kentucky because that’s where legends of Swift are the strongest.
A recent revision of the book exclaims in the top right corner of the cover, “Swift’s silver mine discovered!”
The chapter titled, “The Discovery of Swift’s Silver Mine” tells of Swift’s father-in-law’s ties to a lead mine in Bedford County.
The significance is 75 percent of silver comes as a byproduct of refining lead, zinc, copper and gold ores and shows Swift would have known about mining and refining. A family member also reported hearing Swift had interest in lead mining, according to Mr. Prather.
“The search for Jonathan Swift’s lost lead mine may invoke less excitement but it may be true ...,” Mr. Prather wrote.
The author also presents a list of evidence that Swift owned property along the Virginia belt where gold was reportedly found. Another account from the time stated Swift’s portion of the mine was used for copper and silver mining and likely used to mine other minerals.
The legendary mine exists if that line of investigation is correct and Virginia is the home of the mine. That doesn’t mean another mine couldn’t be in Hardin County.
“What we’re able to proclaim is that the Kentucky stories about Swift that have been going on for about 200 years now have basis in fact,” he said.
The stories were once taught in schools and captured the interest of history buffs. They have been treated during the past couple years as having little or no basis in fact, Mr. Prather said.
The author said he feels lucky because of the information he presents in the additions to his book.
“Once you get in and start digging, you find morsels of truth,” he said.
Mr. Prather said he knew when he wrote in 2007 the book had loose ends and publishing it would bring more details out.
“You can’t always get it right the first time,” he said. “We feel that this time we got it right.”
Mr. Prather is scheduled for a
book signing from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday at Barnes & Noble in Elizabethtown.