Morman or Humbolt Basin
The
first discovery of gold in Mormon Basin was made by some men from Humboldt river
Nevada. They had been to the Auburn mines, and like many others, became
discouraged at first sight of the country and were on their way home again when
they made their discovery. Charles Stubley dug the first ditch from Glengary
gulch to Sunburnt flat. Mr. Ingraham came to the camp January 2, 1863, and got
an interest in some claims where he and two others did the first sluicing in the
spring of '63, taking out $65 per day per man. Mr. Getchell made as high as $200
per day with a rocker on his claim.
There was no arrangement made for a formal observance of the Fourth of July at
the Basin in 1863, and the miners all through the camp were a little surprised
at about nine o'clock in the morning to bear an orator declaiming loudly, and on
looking for the source from which the noise emanated, he discovered George Henry
in the top of a pine tree rehearsing Patrick Henry's celebrated speech delivered
in the Virginia house of Burgesses in 1775.
In the month of May 1867, Samuel Leonard and William
Rankin went down Canyon creek from the Basin on a fishing excursion. They left
the horse which they took with them on the side of the hill, while they went
down to the creek to fish. When they got ready to start home, Leonard went up to
get the horse, he was shot and killed by Indians. Rankin ran into the brush and
jumped into the creek and concealed himself under some overhanging willows. The
Indians searched all along the creek for him, one of them seating himself on a
leaning willow near where Rankin was concealed, to watch for him while the
others were searching through the brush. The water was very cold and Rankin was
terribly chilled by the time the Indians gave up looking for him. He made haste
to camp when the Indians were gone and reported what had happened and a party of
men went down and brought Leonard's body away.
In the spring of 1868 a party of men left Clarks creek
to pursue and recover a number of horses which the Indians had stolen. Near the
head of Willow creek they were fired upon by Indians in ambush and Jonas Belknap
was killed. The rest of the party retreated in haste leaving the body of Belknap
to the Indians.
Another party set out soon after to recover the body of
Belknap. Alexander Sutherland was one of the party. Before starting out, he went
to a photographer's rooms and told the artist he was going on an expedition
after Indians, and he felt like he should never come back, and he wanted to get
his picture taken. This was done, and leaving directions what to do with it in
case he did not return, he departed with the company. Before they reached the
country where Belknap was killed they halted at a spring to take lunch. The
Indians fired upon them and killed Sutherland.
Thirty-one Years in Baker County, Isaac Hiatt
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