Featured Story Archive
Historical Stories That Bring Goldfields Past To Life
Agnes M. Duffy– Goldfield Student and Teacher
Agnes Madeline Duffy. Goldfield, ‘Tables Turned’, A Story, by Agnes Duffy, Class of ’14, appeared in the 1911 edition of the Joshua Palm, the yearbook of Goldfield High School. And she was exchange editor for the 1912 edition.
In March 1914, the Goldfield Lyric Theater “was taxed to its capacity upon the presentation by the members of the senior class of the high school of the hilarious three-act farce comedy, “The Freshman,” in which they scored a distinctive hit.”[1] The roll of Miss Porter was played by Agnes Duffy.
Archibald Angus Macdonald – High School Student Makes Good!
Archibald Angus Macdonald. Goldfield – 1908, Archie attended the tenth grade at Goldfield High where he was on the staff of the first edition of “The Joshua Palm”, Goldfield High’s official publication. And, in the High School Players play, “The Revolving Wedge”, performed at the Hippodrome as part of the Thanksgiving Program on November 25, 1908, he played Captain Michael Dolan of the Goldfield police force.
Archie’s father, Angus John McDonald, born in 1852 in Ontario, Canada, was of Scottish decent. His mother, Mary Frances McHugh, was born about 1862 in Saint Croix Falls, Wisconsin.
Seymour Olmstead – A Goldfield High School Student
On January 31, 1908 at the formal dedication of Goldfield’s new high school building, Seymour Olmstead gave the School Address, “Our High School.”
Seymour was one of eight in the first senior class in the new “Goldfield High.” He was also Mr. Thomas Kennedy, a Goldfield gentleman in the High School Players play, “The Revolving Wedge” played at the Hippodrome as part of the Thanksgiving Program on November 25, 1908. And he was on the staff of the first edition of “The Joshua Palm”, the official publication of Goldfield High.
A Goldfield High School Trustee
ARTHUR ASHTON CODD came to Goldfield late in 1904 at the invitation of his old friend and college classmate, Claude M. Smith.
Smith had been the District Mining Recorder of the Goldfield district since its organization in 1903 and was appointed Deputy District Mining Recorder, a position he held for about four years. At that time, Goldfield was the largest mining district in the United States; during the years 1904-05, fifty to seventy-five location certificates a day were not unusual to record.
Laura Amanda White-Teacher, Scholar, Author
Laura Amanda White. On March 4, 1908, the Nebraska State Journal reported that: “Miss Laura A. White, a fellow in the department of American history, has gone to Goldfield, Nevada, to accept a position in the high school there as a teacher of history.”
Later that year, from the first edition of the Goldfield High School publication, the Thanksgiving Day, 1908 Joshua Palm, listed among the teachers were Laura Amanda White, University of Nebraska, 1904, (History) and a fellow Nebraskan classmate, A. Russell Moore, University of Nebraska, 1904, (Science). The enrollment of the High School that Thanksgiving, 1908 was 125.
Goldfield’s Dirty Laundry, Part 1 by Kim Henrick
My great-grandmother, Helena “Lena” Riley, was listed as a “folder” in the 1907/8 Goldfield City Directory. What did she fold―sheets, towels, table cloths or pants? And where did she fold them? From 1905-1909, Lena lived in a modest, 2-room frame house with her prospector husband Jesse and their two children, Rowena and Joe. Also listed at that address in southwest Goldfield were relatives Joseph Riley and Jeremiah Riley.
Claude Inman Goldfield’s Toughest Cop
Claude Inman, born in 1873, was raised on a ranch near Bishop California. At an early age he learned to ride, shoot and herd cattle. At age 19 he moved to Los Angeles to learn the carpentry trade.
He showed up in Tonopah about 1901.His skill as a carpenter did him well. He worked on mine shoring, carpentry repairs and built houses. In December 1902 Harry Stimler and Bill Marsh found gold in Goldfield and the rush was on.
An Early Goldfield Family
Rilla Alice McDonough Haney and Children
Boomtowns begin with gold, silver or other precious metals swiftly followed by prospectors armed with shovels, picks and hope. Goldfield was no exception.
However, there is also opportunity for folks other than prospectors in a boomtown. Miners need food, lodging and desire drink and entertainment… and there were plenty of people willing to supply the need.
In June 1904 the Florence had been leased by a man named Sweeney and he began to ship ore within months. More than 5,000 claims had been located in Goldfield by 1905.
Ownership was continually changing. People all wanted to buy shares in the most valuable mines. The Combination, Florence, Jumbo, Red Top, January and Mohawk were names on everyone’s lips.
Ben Rosenthal was born in Bodie, California August 1, 1871. Ben’s father was born in Russia in 1851 and he immigrated to California. He settled in Hornitos were he owned a business. He went on to Bodie and then to Hawthorne, Nevada in 1882.
Ben was raised in mining towns. He played baseball for the ball team in Hawthorne. He helped his father run the Lake View Hotel while growing up. When his father died in 1901, Ben took over the hotel.
George Grahm Rice, Mine Promoter
George was born as Jacob Simon Herzog on June 18, 1870 but after a term in prison he adopted the name George Grahm Rice. He started a horse tipping service in New York City.
In a short time it had earned close to several hundred thousand dollars. The business was investigated by the postal service and closed in 1904.
George S. Nixon – from Railroad Agent to Senator
Senator Nixon was born in Newcastle, California April 22, 1860. He went to school in California where he helped work the family farm. At age 19 he started working for a railroad company.
Nixon was born in Newcastle, California April 22, 1860. He went to school in California where he helped work the family farm. At age 19 he started working for a railroad company.
George Wingfield Wealthiest Man in Nevada
Born in 1876 in Arkansas to a family who’s father worked as a cattle buyer. In 1883 the family moved west settling in Lakeview, Oregon. His father owned several ranches and there George grew up.
By age 16 he was on cattle drives to Winnemucca, Nevada. On his last cattle drive he decided to stay.
Goldfield Cemetery Stories
Goldfield residents had the pleasure to meet with out of town visitors who have ancestors in the Goldfield Cemetery.These folks have been kind enough to share their experiences. Here are their stories~
The Ish-Curtis Building A Personal Memoir
In the summer of 1907, a couple of gents named Marvin Ish and J.B.Curtis got together and began my construction. The plans called for a basement and three floors. At that time, Goldfield was the largest town in Nevada… teeming with a human population close to 20,000. It was an exciting time to be a new building.
Joe Gans (Joseph Saifus Butts) The Old Master
The Longest Fight On Labor Day, 1906, in Goldfield, Nevada, Gans and Nelson were matched in the first Fight of the Century promoted by Tex Rickard, who would later achieve greater fame by promoting Jack Dempsey’s million-dollar fights.
The Goldfield match under the blazing Nevada desert sun drew the largest gate in history at that time, with a purse of $30 thousand and attendance over 8,000.
John S. Cook
John S. Cook first worked for George Nixon at his bank in Tonopah, Nevada. He was hired as its cashier. George Wingfield along with George Nixon were investing in mines located in Goldfield.
To gain power among mine owners they needed a bank.The John S. Cook Bank opened its doors in January 1905. It was located in a wooden shack next to the Palace Saloon.
“Tex” Rickard, Goldfield’s Great Promoter
Tex Rickard was born in Kansas City, Missouri. His parents moved to Sherman, Texas when he was four. He became a cowhand and at age 23 was elected Marshall of Henrietta, Texas. He was married and had a son, both of whom succumbed to illness.
Gold was discovered in Alaska and he left Texas to get away from it all. In Circle City he became partners with Harry Ash. The two men staked several claims finally selling out for $60,000. They then opened the First Northern Saloon.
The Earp brothers were always drawn to boom towns. Perhaps it was the rush they got from the excitement of a new town springing up with miners coming and going, the saloons, restaurants, and any number of services including financial institutions, not to mention the unbelievable flow of money.
In the early 1900’s Virgil had been farming in Arizona but moved back to Colton to run for Marshal, he lost the election.
Francis Marion Smith The Borax King
Francis Marion Smith was born in Richmond, Wisconsin on February 2, 1846. He graduated from Milton College where he studied minerals.
At age 21 he decided to come west where fortunes were being made.
Jacob ‘Jake’ Goodfriend
Jacob ‘Jake’ Goodfriend-Born into a Jewish family at St. Louis, Missouri on February 25, 1869, Jacob Gutfreund was the seventh of eight children, five boys and three girls. His parents, Simon Gutfreund (1832-1887) and Theresia Heller Gutfreund (1831-1881), both born in Austria, came to America sometime between 1861 and 1864.
Goldfield Photo Gallery
Goldfield Historic Photo Gallery