Lander County
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The occupation and settlement of the various States,
Territories and localities on the Pacific Coast have been in periods of
excitement and by "rushes" of people. Possibly in no other way could the
development of the country, or at least many localities have been accomplished,
and, however much an excitement and consequent rush may be deprecated the
results have been, almost without exception, of great public benefit. Great
indignation has at times prevailed against those who have told stories of rich
prospects, and traditions are extant of the summary execution of men who have
led others on a wild hunt for rich mines which they failed to find. But wherever
the rushes have been some discoveries have been made, and settlements followed.
California was thus settled in the excitement consequent on the gold discovery
of 1848. British Columbia was overrun and brought to the knowledge of the world
by the Fraser River excitement; the current of population was turned over the
Sierra Nevada by the Washoe excitement, and at last the great interior of the
wilderness was penetrated at a bound in consequence of the Reese River
excitement. Perhaps without an excitement the distant Pacific Coast, with all
its loveliness, would have remained unoccupied, and the sage-brush plains of
Nevada would still have remained on the maps as "Unexplored Regions."
The Reese River excitement began in 1862. At that period the overland mail
created all the civilized life of the central and eastern part of the Territory
of Nevada. The route crossed the valley of Reese River at Jacobs Station, and
from eight to twelve miles northeast crossed the Toiyabe range of mountains, by
a pass called Telegraph Canyon. Nearly east of Jacobs Station was a pass,
through which the Pony Express riders had often traveled as a cut-off on the
overland road, and, as a consequence, received the name of Pony Canon. From this
canyon, on the second of May, 1862, Mr. William M. Talcott, who had been a Pony
Express rider before that institution was superseded by the telegraph, was
hauling wood for the stage station, and discovered a vein of ore-bearing quartz.
The ore was taken to the station, and some sent to Virginia for assay. Proving
rich, the report of the new discovery soon got abroad, and the excitement soon
followed.
The previous history of this section consisted in the laying
out of the Simpson Route, the establishing of the overland mail, the
construction of the telegraph — all of which are related elsewhere in this work.
Talcott, the discoverer of the ledge which he named the Pony, and the first
Recorder of the district, was a native of Maryland, to which State ho afterwards
returned and died.
Reese River Mining District was organized on the
tenth of May, 1862. The first locators of mines were Wm. M. Talcott, Felix
O'Neil, Augustus Clapp, James Farmer, G. W. Jacobs, J. R. Jacobs, A. P. Hawes,
Joseph Town, Walter Cary, G. L. Turner, and T. L. Grubb. Their locations covered
a total of of 2,600 feet. The first location was called the Pony Ledge, which is
now owned by Charles R. Stebbins of Austin.
ORGANIZATION AND BOUNDARIES.
The bill creating Lander County, out of portions of Humboldt and
Churchill Counties, was framed by A. J. Simmons, and was approved December 19,
1862. The boundaries of the new county were defined in the statute as follows; —
Beginning at the point of intersection of the fortieth meridian of
longitude, west from Washington, with the forty-second parallel of north
latitude, or northern boundary of Nevada Territory; thence, running south on the
line of said fortieth meridian of longitude, through the counties of Humboldt
and Churchill, to the thirty-ninth parallel of north latitude, or northern
boundary line of Esmeralda County; thence east, along the said northern boundary
line of Esmeralda County, to the eastern boundary line of the Territory; thence
north, following the eastern boundary line of the Territory, to the northern
boundary line of the Territory aforesaid; thence west, along said northern
boundary line, to the place of beginning.
This included about one-third
the area of Nevada, as its boundaries then existed. The region was a vast,
unexplored wilderness, crossed by two overland routes of travel, the Humboldt
Valley and the Simpson routes. The mines in Pony Canyon had been discovered, and
the name of "Reese River" given to the district. Six miles west, near the stream
called Reese River, was a station of the Overland Mail, and the only settlement
near. This was then called Jacobs' Springs, afterward called Jacobsville, in
honor of George Washington Jacobs, the division agent of the Overland Mail
Company. Here was located the county seat, subject to a vote of the people at
the next general election. In the midst of the mines in Pony Canyon, Austin had
been built, and on the second of September, 1863, the people voted that Austin
should become the county seat. By calculations subsequently made the fact was
ascertained that the western boundary of the county, the fortieth meridian, was
east of the county seat. This was rectified by an Act approved February 20,
1864, by removing that part of the western boundary between the fortieth and
thirty-ninth parallels westward to the Mount Airey Station, a distance of about
twenty miles. This line was subsequently made to conform to the summit of the
Desatoya range of mountains.
By Act of Congress approved May 5, 1866, a
strip of territory of one degree of longitude was taken from Utah and added to
Nevada, ceding to the State at the same time all that part of Arizona north and
west of the Colorado River. This added three square degrees of territory to
Lander County, which then comprised about twenty-eight percent, of the entire
State, and all the population of the region which soon became known as "The
Great East." From this great area numerous counties were afterwards carved,
giving Lander the title of "Mother of Counties."
By an Act approved
March 5, 1869, the counties of Elko and White Pine were created, taking a little
more than two degrees of the eastern part of Lander, and by an Act approved
March 1, 1871, all that portion north of the forty-first parallel was ceded to
Elko. By an Act approved March 1, 1873, the county was divided by a line drawn
south from a point midway on its northern boundary, and the eastern portion was
made the county of Eureka. Subsequently to the organization of Nye County, a
strip of about ten miles in width was added to it from the southern part of
Lander, and, in 1873, the line between Lander and Humboldt was adjusted to run
from the northeast corner of Churchill direct to the center of township 32
north, range 42 east, Mount Diablo base and meridian, thence east to the
fortieth meridian of longitude, taking quite a large area from Humboldt County,
and with it all the lower portion of the Reese River Valley. The present area of
the county is about 5,200 square miles.
The name was bestowed in honor
of General Frederick W. Lander, previously mentioned in the history of the
Indian War of 1860, who was in charge of the construction, by the United States
Government, of a wagon road across Nevada. He subsequently became a Brigadier
General in the Union Army during the war of the Rebellion, dying at the age of
forty, at Paw Paw, Virginia, March 2, 1862, from wounds received in battle.
COUNTY SEAT AND COURT HOUSE.
By the provisions of the creative Act,
Jacobsville was made the county seat of Lander until a census could be taken,
and a permanent location could be fixed upon by a vote of the people. The
Governor was authorized to appoint, prior to the next general election, such
county and township officers as he might deem necessary. The County
Commissioners, thus appointed, hold their first meeting March 3, 1863, approved
the bonds of officers presented, and granted to J. Gooding a franchise for a
toll-road across Warsaw Slough to Jacobsville. They also authorized the County
Clerk to advertise for bids for a Court House. At a subsequent meeting, held
April 29th, they awarded the contract to J. A. McDonald. He was to have the
building completed by the first of August following, and was to receive therefor
the sum of $8,440. At the same meeting they divided the county into thirteen
districts. The Court House was completed on time; and at the meeting, held
August 5th, the Commissioners accepted the building, and issued scrip to the
contractor for the amount agreed upon. They also redivided the county into ten
districts, each to be a voting precinct, and to have a Justice of the Peace.
The census taken in July, 1863, showed the actual residents in these
precincts to be 1,052 men and 110 women, also two "young children," which were
credited to Austin. No attempt was made to enumerate the prospectors scattered
among the hills of the various mining districts, but their number was estimated
at 400. About 500 emigrants, not entitled to vote, were not included in the
census. Counting all, the total population of Lander County on July 22, 1863,
footed up 2,062; and the larger proportion consisted of persons under forty
years of age.
By a vote of the people at the election, held September 2,
1863, Austin was made the county seat; and the new Board of Commissioners met on
the twenty-first of September, at Jacobsville, and adjourned to meet at Austin
in the afternoon of the same day.
COURT HOUSE AND COUNTY SEAT.
The Court House which had been built at Jacobsville was removed to Austin
immediately after, and additions made thereto. At a meeting of the Board, held
in April, 1804, voting precincts in each of the four wards were established, and
the nineteenth day of April fixed as election day. They also divided the county
into nine townships for the purpose of revenue, issued scrip in payment of
outstanding claims against the county, and entered upon what now would seem to
be a system of useless as well as extravagant expenditure of public funds.
Within two years after the organization of the county it was nearly $200,000 in
debt, and its scrip sold for fifteen cents on the dollar.
JUDICIAL
DISTRICT AND SCHOOLS.
By an Act, approved February 16, 1864, Lander
County was attached to the Third Judicial District, that district being already
composed of Lyon and Humboldt Counties.
In October, 1865, H. S. Herrick,
Superintendent of Public Schools for the county, reported that there were five
school districts, four school houses, and five schools in the county; that there
had been exponded for school purposes during the year $4,464.14, and that the
number of children of school age was 444. The schools were carried on by the aid
of the State School Fund and a direct property tax.
OFFICERS APPOINTED
AND ELECTED.
By the Act creating Lander County, the Governor was
authorized to appoint, prior to the next general election, such county and
township officers as he may deem necessary. The appointments made by him,
December 22, 1862, together with all subsequent appointments and elections to
office in this county, are given hereafter with the title of the office, the
name of the officer and date of election or appointment in each case.
SENATORS.
D. E. Waldron, elected to Council September 2, 1863; A. B.
Dibble and A. P. Hereford, elected Senators January 19, 1864, under the
Constitution that was defeated; M. D. Larrowe, elected November 8, 1864, became
non-resident September 21, 1866; W. W. Hobart, elected November 8, 1864; D. W.
Welty, and G. T. Terry, elected November 6, 1866. Terry was elected to fill the
unexpired term of Larrowe. S. Wilson, elected November 3, 1868; W. W. McCoy, and
John Spencer, elected November 8, 1870; Geo. W. Cassidy, elected November 5,
1872; M. J. Farreli, elected November 3, 1874, re-elected November 5, 1878.
ASSEMBLYMEN.
T. J. Tennant and R. S. Dixon, elected Representatives
under Territorial Government September 2, 1863; C. S. Sherman, S. G. Sewell and
D. H. Lemmon, elected Assemblymen January 19, 1864, under the Constitution that
was defeated; E. A. Morse and D. P. Waters, elected Representatives under the
Territorial Government, but were superseded by the adoption of the Constitution
at the same election, September 7, 1864; D. P. Waters, J. L. Hinckley, E. P.
Sine and M. A. Rosenblatt, elected Assemblymen November 8, 1864; J. M. Dorsey,
J. R Jacobs, T. J. Tennant, and Robert Cullen, elected November 6 1866; T. J.
Tennant, R. J. Moody, Geo. D. Coburn and Geo. F. Mills, elected November 3,
1868; S. L. Fuller, T. J. Jones, L. Murphy and H, A. Willard, elected November
8, 1870; E. J. Elzy, R. L. Horton, Frank V. Drake and James H. Burgess, elected
November 5, 1872; Geo. Watts and Andrew Nichols, elected November 3, 1874; James
E. Rooker, Andrew Nichols and M. A. Sawtelle, elected November 7, 1876; Thomas
E. Hagar, Geo. Watts and John Smyth, elected November 5, 1878; John Smyth, W. B.
Newell and C. P. Soule, elected November 2, 1880.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
J. A. Veatch, Wm. M. Talcott and Geo. W. Wilson, appointed January 26,
1863. Talcott resigned April 10th and Abraham Hopper was appointed April 20,
1863, to fill vacancy; Wilson resigned May 15th, and James P. Greaves was
appointed July 17, 1863, to fill vacancy. T. H. Thompson, Wm. B. Morse, and J.
P. Greaves, elected September 2, 1863. G. A. Swasey, appointed December 5, 1863,
in place of Thompson; E. G. Lamb, appointed March 24, 1864, in place of Swasey;
J. A. Mitchell, appointed August 17, 1864, in place of Lamb; Morse, left the
county, and George May appointed to fill vacancy December 3, 1863; M. P. Haynes,
appointed April 20, 1864, in place of May, resigned; W. H. Anderson, appointed
July 23, 1864, in place of Haynes, resigned; Greaves, resigned April 12, 1864,
and R. H. Williams appointed June 16, 1864, to fill vacancy; F. C. Chase,
appointed November 11, 1864, in place of Williams. A. H. Wilson, F. C. Chase and
J. M. Jones, elected September 7, 1864; J. O. Mitchell, A. H. Wilson and John
Gray, elected November 8, 1864; J. F. Hallock, J. A. Mitchell and John Gray,
elected November 6, 1866; Gray resigned August 7, 1867; James Burgess, John
Spencer and M. Sowers, elected November 3, 1868; M. Sowers, J. H. Burgess and
Matt. Furth, elected November 8, 1870; W. S. Gage and Wm. Arrington, elected
November 5, 1872. Arrington resigned March 11, 1873; Gage resigned September 15,
1876. A. M. Horne and J. W. McWilliams, elected November 3, 1874; Geo. L. Love,
and J. N. Baker, elected November 7, 1876; J. H. Burgess, J. N. Baker and Henry
Kling, elected November 5, 1878. Burgess died January 3d, and T. W. Triplett
appointed June 17, 1879, to fill vacancy. A. A. Curtis and J. P. Cope, elected
November 2, 1880.
PROBATE JUDGES.
Parish B. Ladd. appointed
December 22, 1862, removed for disloyalty July 6, 1863, and J. H. Ralston
appointed to fill vacancy. E. A. Crane, elected September 2, 1863. Geo. S. Hupp,
elected County Judge January 19, 1864, but never served, the Constitution under
which he was elected being defeated.
DISTRICT ATTORNEYS.
John
Carmichael, appointed December 22, 1862; Frank Jones, elected September 2, 1863;
E. C. Brearly, elected November 8, 1864, resigned June 12, 1865, and B. P.
Rankin, appointed to fill vacancy. H. Mayenbaum, elected November 6, 1866,
re-elected November 3, 1868; F. H. Harmon, elected November 8, 1870; N. D.
Anderson, elected November 5, 1872, re-elected November 3, 1874, re elected
November 7, 1876; George A. Douglass, elected November 5, 1878; H. T. Creswell,
elected November 2, 1880.
COUNTY SHERIFFS.
George W. Jacobs,
appointed December 22, 1862; J. H. Tabor, elected September 2, 1863; J.
Leffingwell, elected November 8, 1864; B. F. Sanborn, elected November 6, 1866;
J. M. Dawley, elected November 3, 1868; C. D. Spiers, elected November 8, 1870;
John Emory, elected November 5, 1872, re-elected November 3, 1874; J. C. Harper,
elected November 7, 1876, re-elected November 5, 1878, died December 12, 1879,
and B. C. Thomas appointed December 18th to fill vacancy. B. C. Thomas, elected
November 2, 1880.
COUNTY CLERKS.
Elisha A. Marsh, appointed
December 22, 1862; S. E. Greeley, elected September 2, 1863; Richard Brown,
elected November 8, 1864; C. D. Spier, elected November 6, 1866; D. C. McKenney,
elected November 3, 1868; John H. Dennis, elected November 8, 1870; M. J.
Farreli, elected November 5, 1872; W. A. Clifford, elected November 3, 1874; J.
L. Brennan, elected November 7, 1876; J. A. Miller, elected November 5, 1878,
re-elected November 2, 1880.
COUNTY TREASURERS.
Augustus Clapp,
appointed December 22, 1862; J. M. Dawly, elected September 2, 1863; Wm. Pardy,
elected November 8, 1864; Jesse Beene, elected November 6, 1866, re-elected
November 3, 1868; George F. Dinsmore, elected November 8, 1870; A. A. Curtis,
elected November 5, 1872, re-elected November 3, 1874; J. Gilbert, elected
November 7, 1876; J. A. Wright, elected November 5, 1878, reelected November 2,
1880.
COUNTY ASSESSORS.
James R. Jacobs, appointed December 22,
1862; H. S. Herrick, elected September 2, 1863; C. O. Barker, elected November
8, 1864; A. E. Titus, elected November 6, 1866; T. W. Triplett, elected November
3, 1868; S. O. Clifford, elected November 8, 1870, re-elected November 5, 1872;
L. Duncan, elected November 3, 1874; C. D. Spiers, elected November 7, 1876; J.
C. Smyle, elected November 5, 1878; L. Duncan, elected November 2, 1880.
COUNTY RECORDERS.
James L. Thompson, appointed December 22, 1862; E.
S. Davis, elected September 2, 1863, reelected November 8, 1864; Richard Brown,
elected November 6, 1866; C. D. Spier, elected November 3, 1868; H. J.
Biddleman, November 8, 1870, reelected November 5, 1872; J. F. Roberts, elected
November 3, 1874; Charles Lund, elected November 7, 1876; A. C. McCafferty,
elected November 5, 1878, re-elected November 2, 1880.
COUNTY
SUPERINTENDENTS OF SCHOOLS.
W. J. Brown, elected September 2, 1863,
resigned March 8, 1864, H. S. Herrick, appointed to fill vacancy; H. S. Herrick,
elected November 8, 1864; T. Norwood, elected November 6, 1866, resigned and J.
S. Slauson appointed April 2, 1867, to fill vacancy; T. H. Harmon, elected
November 3, 1868; M. Dozier, elected November 8, 1870; J. R. Williamson, elected
November 5, 1872, re-elected November 3, 1874, reelected November 7, 1876; C. A.
Dyer, elected November 5, 1878; J. S. Hammond, elected November 2, 1880.
COUNTY SURVEYORS.
Francis Tagliabue, appointed December 22, 1862; M.
J. Noyes, elected September 2, 1863, re-elected November 8, 1864; T. J. Read,
elected November 6, 1866; David Kerr, elected November 3, 1868; T. J. Read,
elected November 8, 1870; Wm. A. Edwards, elected November 5, 1872; C. Von
Netzer, elected November 3, 1874; Melville Curtis, elected November 7, 1876; J.
C. Smyle, elected November 5, 1878; Frank Duffy, elected November 2, 1880.
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATORS.
H. A. Barrows, elected November 8, 1864; W.
W. Wixom, elected November 6, 1866; B. B. Stansbury, elected November 3, 1868;
John Grove, elected November 8, 1870; W. B. Wilson, elected November 5, 1872,
resigned March 28, 1873, and Richard Pierce appointed to fill vacancy; J.
Dreyfus, elected November 3, 1874; R. Y. Woodward, elected November 7, 1876; P.
Laughlin, elected November 5, 1878, re-elected November 2, 1880.
COLLECTORS.
Samuel Gilson, appointed December 22, 1862. In accordance
with the provisions of an additional Act approved December 19, 1862, the office
of Sheriff and Collector of Lander County were consolidated.
THE LEADING
INDUSTRIES.
In view of frosts, lack of rain, and the apparent sterility
of the soil, the first settlers of Lander County entertained little hope of ever
being successful in agricultural pursuits. In this they were not much mistaken,
although experiments and intelligent operations have resulted in the production
of sufficient grain and vegetables to meet the local demand, and at prices
profitable to the producer and reasonable to the consumer. Stock-raising has
also become an important industry. Still the leading industry of the county is
and always has been that of mining.
The first bullion product was from
Buell's five-stamp mill, which was put in operation in August, 1863, and was the
first mill started in the county. From this time forward the construction of
mills kept pace with the discovery of mines. In the beginning of 1865 there were
fifteen mills in operation in the county, with a total number of 110 stamps, and
in the spring of 1866 there were twentynine mills, with an aggregate of 444
stamps. The cost of a twenty-stamp steam mill at the place of manufacture in San
Francisco was, at that time, from $17,000 to $25,000. The cost of transportation
to the Reese River District was from $4,000 to $7,000, and ground, grading,
furnaces, buildings, etc. usually made the cost aggregate from $125,000 to
$250,000 for a first-class mill. There were at that time nearly sixty mining
districts in the Reese River region.
The yield of the mines increased
steadily from 1863, when the product was $16,109, to 1868, when it was
$2,574,810; and the total product to 1880 was $16,659,209. The revenue derived
from the tax on bullion aided the county greatly in the reduction of its bonded
and floating indebtedness, and in placing itself upon an easier financial
footing.
BONDS, PROPERTY AND POPULATION.
By an Act of the
Legislature, approved January 23, 1877, the county was authorized to issue its
bonds to the amount of $200,000 in aid of the Nevada Central Railroad, which was
soon afterward completed, giving the county of Lander quicker communication with
the outside world. The total population, as appears from the census of 1880, is
3,624. The assessed valuation of property for that year was $2,007,319; total
debt, $200,000, and cash on hand in the treasury of the county, $17,348.03.
Extracted, 2021 Aug 27 by Norma Hass, from History of Nevada, published in 1881, pages 461-464.
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