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DeGroot’s 1860 Map of the Comstock and Washoe Region, Original
Fred N. Holabird
This is one of perhaps five known copies of De Groot's third edition map of the Washoe mines published by Hutchings and Rosenfield of San Francisco, lithography by L. Nagel. De Groot's map and later report on the Comstock mines was a historic breakthrough for the rich mines discovered in 1859. This may be the only copy of any edition of all of the 1860 Washoe maps in private hands.
Henry DeGroot, Mining Reporter to Horace Greeley and the New York Tribune
Henry DeGroot was born in New York in 1815. He became a lawyer, and along the way befriended Horace Greeley, the editor of the New York Tribune. When the California Gold Rush was launched upon the world, Greeley sent young DeGroot to California to write about the fuss. After more than a year in California and many news columns on California later, DeGroot returned to New York, packed up his wife and child, and off to the West Coast they went. He kept up his writing for the Tribune, venturing all over California. DeGroot was determined to write some of the first stories for America from all of these new magical places so full of gold. It was in all probability DeGroot who convinced Greeley to come out West, where the mystical phrase “Go West Young Man, Go West” was coined after Greeley’s fabled stagecoach ride through the Sierra Nevada driven by Hank Monk to Sacramento.
Henry DeGroot was a well known writer of western mining regions and was often one of the first to visit a mining district, often living in a mining camp and region for some time. He covered the Fraser River Rush in 1857, and as soon as news of the discoveries at Washoe hit, he was off to explore and examine the mines. Unlike other writers, DeGroot moved into the region, living at first in Gold Canyon in 1859, probably somewhere very near where the Grosch Brothers first made their historic discovery in 1857.
About the same time, another writer, J. Ross Browne, went to Washoe in 1859. Browne’s visit was well chronicled in Harper’s Weekly in 1860, known as “A Peep at Washoe.”
DeGroot is credited with early writings of the Comstock and Washoe region in the Daily Alta Californian, San Francisco’s main news organ. In March, 1860 the paper reported that DeGroot had written several articles on Washoe for them, though none carry his name as author. He may have written under the pen name “Pioneer.” Two of the best articles, long and detailed reports, were printed on Feb. 19 and Feb. 20, 1860. Only the first article is signed “Pioneer.” Was the “Pioneer” really De Groot? He later published some of his early observations of Washoe in the Mining and Scientific Press about 1876, known as “the Comstock Chronicles,” a key source today for historians.
The First Map of Washoe – A DeGroot Gem
With thousands of prospectors aware of the new discoveries at Washoe in 1859, it was instinctive that there was a rush to Washoe. Afterall, the first prospectors there could stake claims on the best ground. While the initial strikes were in early summer, 1859, there was plenty of open ground open for mining locations. Lucky and skilled prospectors were successful in finding more rich ground, such as George Hearst locating the famous Crown Point, and discovering the Flowery Lode.
There was thus an immediate need for a map. With prospectors coming from all over the West, the map should include the surrounding areas for perhaps one hundred miles. DeGroot, as a local resident, and a man who had been all through the California mining regions, knew well what was needed, perhaps more so than any other person.
This was the scene:
…every day large pack trains leave that town (Placerville) for the Washoe Diggings. The streets of Placerville are crowded with strangers, and the stages from Folsom daily arrive loaded down with more, all eager to get to the “promised land” as quick as possible. The rush is already great, but nothing in comparison to what it will be in a month or two…” (California Farmer and Journal of Useful Sciences, V13, No.6, March 1863.)
With no maps to or of the new Washoe region, DeGroot knew what to do, and he was the sole person to get it done.
What Maps Were Available?
There were many maps published by 1859, all chronicled in Carl Wheat’s Maps of the Trans-Mississippi West series. But none of these had any detail of the land that became known as Nevada. The early maps of the “Nevada” region were made for the specific purpose of showing wagon roads into California and the land of gold, as well as showing proposed routes for a cross country railroad.
The Washoe Maps by DeGroot are the very first maps published of the Washoe region. DeGroot didn’t have much to go on, as true survey data as we know it today was essentially non-existent. DeGroot had widely traveled California, so he was in a good position to make a form of “diagrammatic” map that utilized his personal knowledge along with that of other surveyors or cartographers to chart out routes to Washoe. For those very reasons, the first map would not, and could not be perfect.
But DeGroot was there – he was living among the Washoe Rush. He saw and heard first hand how prospectors got there, and knew instinctively that some form of guidance was necessary. He could write all the articles in the world for the Alta Californian, as did Browne for Harper’s, but somebody had to come up with a proper map, otherwise prospectors might find themselves out in Central Nevada where Winnemucca is today.
The following is a list of the first four maps published on the Washoe region. DeGroot published three editions of his map, making corrections and editions each time. The three editions were closely followed by that of a competitor.
The DeGroot 1860 Maps. The Very First Map “Guide” to Washoe
1860, the first edition, published by Hutchings & Rosenfield (often noted as Rosenfeld) of San Francisco. Hutchings was one of the well-known publishers of illustrated California Gold Rush letter sheets of the 1850s.
Seven hundred copies were published of the first map, many distributed to California and Nevada newspapers for free publication of the new map and its availability. The term “map guide” is used here because the inaccuracies on the map rendered it “diagrammatic”, and it was therefore a “guide” to get to Washoe, with liberties taken on cartography.
De Groot's first map was first recorded by the Nevada (City) Democrat, February 29, 1860. It was followed two days later by the Daily Alta California on March 2, 1860. It thus may date to February 28 or earlier, or perhaps early in the third week of February, 1860.
The Nevada Democrat article referred to a copy of the map sent to G.W. Welch at his Pioneer Book Store in Nevada City. It further stated “It is not based upon an actual survey.” It further discussed that many of the stated distances would be shortened by new wagon roads being constructed. The simple fact that the first edition was not based upon a survey, of which there were none (yet), was lost by other observers, as noted in the Alta article that appeared two days later.
The later Alta article referred a map published by De Groot received by merchant Kierski & Brother that they said could not sell because it ignored (and did not show) the Big Trees route to Washoe, used by so many emigrants from the Southern Mines in the area of Sonora and Angel's Camp. The same complaint was made in the Sacramento Union the next day. An entirely new complaint came in the Nevada (City) Journal on March 9, who commented that the new map showed Nevada (City) ten miles north of its actual location, and thus did not show the advantage of the Nevada City route over the Placerville route. News of the map reached Marysville, when DeGroot's map arrived at the office of the Daily Democrat, who stated "we cannot speak for its correctness."
This map is important because it does not show the names of the soon to be important mines, but does rather show the names of the mining camps, headed by “rich silver mines.” Of the few mines shown, none retained any importance. Above Janesville was the Muy Rico; east of 6 Mile Canyon was the La Trinidad and Mohawk; below Chinatown was the Hastings Lode; and the Veta Azule west of Silver City.
Chinatown is shown where Dayton exists today. Washoe lake is shown adjacent to Franktown, as is the boiling spring at what later became Steamboat. The old road that went up Geiger grade is shown along with the short lived town of Janesville, now near the intersection of the VC highway and Toll Road. The map is bounded by Marysville on left edge center, Sacramento City lower left, Sonora lower center, Mono lake lower right, along with nearby "new diggins" soon to be named Monoville. Bound by Walker Lake at right center and Ragtown upper right. The old immigrant road from Salt Lake shows passing through Ragtown. The Beckwourth Pass route, top center, is shown coming into the Truckee Meadows. The original Western States trail, used by so many emigrants inclusive of the Grosch brothers, shows as the “Old Truckee Route” that passes by “De Groot lake,” a name applied by DeGroot himself that was the subject of controversy at the time and did not stick. The “Old Carson Road” is shown leading to Silver Lake and Carson Pass. No prospect symbols are shown near the future site of Silver Mountain, though there is a notation "Silver L. V." near that location.
The term "De Groot Lake", as it appears on the first edition for what is today Donner lake, was the subject of a humorous complaint published on April 20th, 1860 in the Nevada (City) Journal:
We cannot account for the strange location of places by allowing the late earthquake to have mixed things up a great deal worse than first supposed. It must have been an extraordinary earthquake to shake the beautiful name of Truckee from a lake known to every emigrant of '49 and shake at the same time the name De Groot on (to the map). Any frogs in that lake?
The De Groot first edition map is discussed and shown in Carl Wheat’s Mapping the Trans Mississippi West, 1960, v4, pp188—189.
Very few of the first edition maps still exist (perhaps three or four, all in institutional holdings.) The second edition is entirely unknown, and may never have had a large print run (see below.) Wheat lists a first edition, 1009b, held by the Bancroft, the “Sherman Day” copy, as a folded map inside a soft cover, thus a pocket map, complete with a table of distances. It was reported as a 24pp pamphlet.
This is one of the most important maps in the history of Nevada because it was the very first map to show the rapidly developing mining regions of Western Nevada and the routes to them.
Meanwhile, in the press, it becomes difficult to distinguish comments on the first two editions of the DeGroot map over the first three weeks of March, 1860. Free copies of the first and second editions of DeGroot’s map sent out by Hutchings & Rosenfield took time to get to their intended destinations.
1860, Second edition, published about March 8 by Hutchings and Rosenfield. The first news of the 2nd edition was March 9 in the California Farmer and Journal of Useful Sciences. The short article simply stated “enlarged and corrected.” The Marysville Appeal, commented March 15th that De Groot's map was "very nearly correct." This appears to be a comment on the second edition. The Second edition was reported in North San Juan on March 17, noting “it omits however, the great highway from Marysville via N. San Juan and Forest City.”
The Red Bluff Beacon published news of the second edition on March 21.
The press run is unknown. As of this writing in 2023, we were unable to find any copies of the second edition extant, and caution that various editions may not be so marked in print, but rather by are noted by their content. More study is necessary.
1860, Third edition. The first news of the third edition of DeGroot’s map came March 30, 1860.
The next day, March 31st, the Daily Alta discussed the new publication of a pamphlet by De Groot of his observations of the Washoe District “originally published” in the Alta. It must be assumed that these “observations” were the February, 1860 articles, and perhaps a few more. The short article did not say whether a map was folded into the contents of the pamphlet, but it probably was, as may be evidenced by the map within this lot, which shows signs of adherence and folding as if placed firmly in a pamphlet sized “pocket map” booklet. The interesting point of discussion was that the emergence of the "third" edition of the De Groot map was generally not noted by most of the press until April 12th via an article in the Sacramento Union.
The inclusion of the written material, and the corrections and additions to the map in all areas sets the third edition aside as a more important work than the first edition.
The third edition shows significant detail around the Comstock not present on the first edition. Particularly important are the specific mine names and the inclusion of the word “Comstock” near Virginia (City.) This new information not on the previous editions is thought to have been provided in part by the new Recorder, Parker H. Pierce. Pierce, through R.M. Evans, later published their own map, but since Pierce was a public employee, the information was also available to DeGroot. The DeGroot map would have been the “to go to” map, as he was a well known writer and western traveler by that time.
Interestingly, and not noted by the Press or other historians, is the fact that the DeGroot third edition carries significant errors – many that should have been caught by the new recorder for Utah Territory. Further, many of these errors were carried over to the competitor’s map- the Pierce/Evans map. These significant errors include: the misplacement of Washoe Valley; the complete misplacement of the Flowery diggings; misplacement of many mining claims along the Carson River including Dick Sides and Billy Cullough Co, clearly a misspelling of Billy Chollar, which were in the middle of the main Comstock zone. The first edition DeGroot does not have any of this data in any form.
DeGroot’s third edition also shows significantly more, and better, information of nearby geography: the area around Genoa, Mottsville and Woodford’s is in much more detail. The roads heading west of Janesville, such as the Truckee Pass road, show significantly more detail. They simply appear in a diagrammatic form on Pierce/Evans.
Stanford, the Huntington, and University of Nevada libraries all have copies of the third edition, also exceedingly rare, with this copy perhaps the only one in private hands, though there could be another unknown to the author (FH).
In November, 1860, DeGroot’s Sketches of Washoe Silver Mines was published by Hutchings & Rosenfield. This is another very rare publication.
A Competitive, Copied Map Arises.
With three editions of the DeGroot map circulating throughout America, it became a target for publication by a competitor. Most of the public would have no way of knowing that there had been three separate editions of the map published, with corrections and addition to each edition.
On March 30, 1860, the first news of a competitive map arose in the Sacramento Union for a map by R.M. Evans, “with claims located by Parker H. Pierce.” It has also been referred to as the Parker H. Pierce map, complete with a “traveler’s guide.” Though the Union writer had not yet seen the map, he had news of it. The Evans/Pierce map is undated on its obverse.
Parker Pierce, formerly of Nevada County, California, was elected or appointed as Recorder of the Washoe District for Utah Territory about January 28, 1860. The need for a map was critical, and the interactions of DeGroot and Parker at that time are unknown. Undoubtedly, DeGroot would have tried to get proper information from the Recorder, with whom all mining claims were filed. But the filing of mining claims was not an exact “science”, as rules for the districts were being created as necessary. Surveyors were not around, and any “recording” of a mining claim was therefore a guestimate based upon his and the neighbor claimant’s physical and geographic description. Parker may have had some limited data, and DeGroot needed it for publication of a map. But the net result can be seen in direct comparison of the two competing maps. The “findings” become important:
1. The cartography of the first edition DeGroot and the third edition DeDroot are identical, but the topography on the Pierce/Evans map is diagrammatic- more loosely drawn, obviously not carefully copied from DeGroot. Look at the specific sketches near Ragtown, as an example, as well as the outline of Carson Sink.
2. The Pierce/Evans cartographer added Honey Lake and Pyramid Lake, as if in a manner to make the map unique, but look closely at the detail near Beckwourth Pass – here again the cartographer got sloppy with a diagrammatic representation of what DeGroot did a better job of doing.
3. The same style of observations holds true all over the Pierce/Evans map.
The obvious conclusion here is that the Pierce/Evans map copies the information from DeGroot, 3rd edition. In fact, DeGroot himself may have provided the new recorder with his own data.
At this point, a discussion of R.M. Evans becomes important. In an extensive literature search of Evans, we find that:
1. Evans was listed as a “correspondent to the London Times.”
2. Evans did, in fact, send written communications, which were published, to the Times from time to time on the Comstock, and also reportedly sent communications on parts of the Gold Rush and of the British Columbia gold rush.
3. Evans never used his proper name, or a “pen” name as published author of the London Times articles. The articles simply read: “From our own correspondent.”
4. He may have also reported to other London newspapers, as a number of articles appear copied, word for word. The other papers include the London Daily News, London Daily Standard.
5. Evans was in California and Nevada at least 1858-c1864, when he published a notice in London that he intended on writing a compilation of the history of California and Nevada.
6. In late1863 Evans made notice in San Francisco that he was publishing another map of Washoe through H. H. Bancroft. He claimed it was to be the first of a new series, showing mining claims from “actual surveys.” The article does not mention Pierce.
7. It was difficult to follow Evans after 1864, as there were at least four different men around the Western world that used the name “R. M. Evans.”
The conclusion here is that Evans was a writer in much the same manner as both J. Ross Browne and Henry DeGroot, but DeGroot was far more experienced. Writing of the Western mining regions to London newspapers, Evans was ostensibly drumming up interest in prospecting in the American West. Getting his own map was a way of justifying his existence in America.
Pierce also deserves another note. Parker H. Pierce, Jr. is also difficult to trace.
1. In 1852 he was Whig delegate to the California State Convention.
2. He married in 1853 and operated the Oriental Hotel in Marysville. He was also the engineer of the Marysville Fire department. In 1856 he leased the Sierra Nevada Hotel in North San Juan, and remained active in State politics as the chairman of the Nevada County Democratic Committee.
3. In 1857, a man of the same name applied to be the Indian Agent in Crescent City, and if the same man, was born there as the first white child. It is not confirmed to be the same man.
4. In 1860, he was appointed as Utah Territory Recorder. He appears to have left that job shortly after.
5. In 1861, he was on a Territorial Committee with Henry DeGroot, who was the Chairman, that voted resoundingly, though “resisted by malcontents” to maintain the “Constitution and the Union, and “resolved that all attempts to overthrow the Union are treason.”
6. For years, he disappeared from news, resurfacing in Kansas City displaying “silver bricks” at a state fair from Colorado in September, 1871.
There has been discussion that Parker H. Pierce may have created the first ‘survey” of mining claims, and thus provided data to DeGroot. He would have had to do this immediately upon appointment, and had perhaps two weeks at best to do it. Impossible! He had absolutely no experience at surveys, no experience with laws regarding mining claim location which were still in their formative years, and Pierce had no experience in mining.
I believe (fh) that Pierce leaned on DeGroot for help, and Evans needed something to prove his worth to the London Times and other newspapers, so the Evans/Pierce map was created from DeGroot data. In so doing, Pierce became a friend of DeGroot’s, ultimately serving on the Territorial “Union” Committee.
The Evans pamphlet/map is not mentioned in Paher or Howes. As a map. It does not necessarily qualify for bibliographic reference – but if the map pamphlet did, in fact, contain the 24pp discussion of Washoe, then it would have qualified for bibliographic listing. Very little other information is known.
A French edition is known, as mentioned by Wheat, but it contains no reference to DeGroot.
Comments
What does not appear to be discussed anywhere is the fact that De Groot, 3rd edition, and Evans/Pierce maps are very nearly identical. They are so close that is very clear both were using the exact same database for the Washoe area, if not the very same artist. The cartographic representations of the geographic features are far more accurate on the DeGroot map, rendering the unmistakable conclusion that the Evans/Pierce map copied the data of DeGroot.
Both DeGroot and Evans/Pierce corrected several discrepancies of earlier published edition of the DeGroot map. But they left or created more inaccuracies that were significant.
The two separate maps of Evans/Pierce and De Groot appear to possibly have been published the same day- possibly March 30, 1860, both in San Francisco. If the two maps were not published that very day, the news of their publication was definitely released that very same day.
It is clear that De Groot beat Evans/Pierce to the punch with the Washoe pocket map, but his poor data caused him the need to reprint twice within the month of March. Regardless, DeGroot was first with a map of Washoe. He would be the one to be trusted and relied upon.
De Groot soon went on to become a partner in the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise and the Silver Age. He was admitted as a lawyer under Judge Cradlebaugh in June of 1860. 17.5" x 14.5".
Date:
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20. PAYMENT: We accept Cash, Visa, Master Card, American Express, Discover, Money Order/Cashier’s Check, Wire Transfer, Personal Check or PayPal. All returned checks are subject to a $25 fee. Cash received in amounts greater than $10,000 is subject to the filing of IRS form 8300, as required by law.
21. Automatic Credit Card Billing: Internet bidders are subject to the payment terms and conditions outlined on the internet bidding platform they utilize, which may include the automatic payment of auction invoices with the credit card information on file at the time of registration.
22. NON-PAYMENT: HWAC reserves the right to cancel any invoice not paid in full within 15 days. A cancelled invoice does not relieve the bidder from their obligation to pay seller fees and buyer’s premiums compensating HWAC for its services in conducting the auction. Interest shall run on all outstanding balances at the highest rate permitted by law. HWAC shall have a lien against the merchandise purchased by the bidder, and any other of bidder’s property then held by HWAC or its affiliates, to secure payment of the invoice, and with respect thereto HWAC shall have all the rights of a secured creditor under the Nevada Commercial Code, including but not limited to the right of sale. HWAC may sell the lot(s) securing the invoice to any under bidders in the auction that the lot(s) appeared, or at subsequent private or public sale, or relist the lot(s) in a future auction conducted by HWAC. A defaulting bidder agrees to pay for the reasonable costs of resale (including a 10% seller’s commission, if consigned to an auction conducted by HWAC). The defaulting bidder is liable to pay any difference between his or her total original invoice for the lot(s), plus any applicable interest, and the net proceeds for the lot(s) if sold at private sale or the subsequent hammer price of the lot(s) less the 10% seller’s commissions, if sold at an HWAC auction. If HWAC refers any invoice to an attorney for collection, the bidder agrees to pay attorney’s fees, court costs, and other collection costs incurred by HWAC. Any bidder who fails to follow the terms of payment will be reported to iCollector, Live Auctioneers, Invaluable, or applicable bidding platform, and may be barred from participating in future Holabird Western Americana auctions.
23. CONDITION: We strongly recommend that you attend the live preview to see lots in their entirety. Conditions are not always noted, and large lots may not be itemized due to catalog restraints. For questions, detailed information, or additional images of any lot please contact our office at 775-851-1859. Bidders are responsible for understanding the condition of items. Conditions noted are subjective, and may differ person to person. High resolution images of all items are available online for inspection. HWAC is not responsible for condition discrepancies; it is the bidders responsibility to determine condition prior to bidding.
24. RETURN POLICY: All items are guaranteed to be authentic unless otherwise noted. If authenticity is challenged, please call our office for assistance. ALL SALES ARE FINAL. You may only return any piece that was significantly inaccurately described by calling our office within 10 days of receipt of item(s) and notifying us of the error and reason for return. We do not refund postage or insurance. Please call us if you require a more specific condition report. Any items that are returned must be returned in the exact, unaltered condition. When we receive your bids we will assume you have read the description in the catalog, viewed the image of the item, have contacted us regarding any questions you may have on any lot and/or have previewed the lot in person.
25. This sale is being held under the laws of the State of Nevada.
26. HWAC shall not be held responsible for any problem due to the bidder’s failure to follow the rules, terms and conditions of this sale, or any failure to bid due to the loss of the online auction process provided by any of the online auction networks; or missed bids, changed bids or cancelled due the bidder’s failure to follow the proper bidding procedure outlined herein.
27. By placing a bid or otherwise participating in the auction, Bidder accepts these Terms and Conditions, and specifically agrees to the dispute resolution provided herein.
28. HWAC shall not be responsible for consequential damages, incidental damages, compensatory damages, or any other damages arising or claimed to be arising from the auction on any lot. Bidder’s sole remedy for any proven act or omission shall be rescission of sale and refund of the amount paid by Bidder.
29. Any claim, dispute, or controversy in connection with, relating to and/or arising out of the Auction, participation in the Auction, award of lots, damages of claims to lots, descriptions, condition reports, provenance, estimates, return and warranty rights, any interpretation of these Terms and Conditions, any alleged verbal modification of these Terms and Conditions and/or any purported settlement shall be exclusively heard by, and the parties consent to exclusive in personal jurisdiction of, the Superior Court of Washoe County, Nevada. The parties expressly waive any right to trial by jury. Any claim must be brought within one (1) year of the auction from which the claim arose or the claim is waived. In every case, the prevailing party shall be entitled to an award of its attorney’s fees and costs.