2343

Missouri GLO Maps, 1830's-50's. Mines. [190741]

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Maps, Atlases & Globes Start Price:400.00 USD Estimated At:800.00 - 1,200.00 USD
Missouri GLO Maps, 1830's-50's. Mines. [190741]
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Lead in Missouri
This lot has four General Land Office maps that show the progression of mining interests and discoveries of lead and other valuable minerals through time, as well as illustrating the advancement of a new society into the "western frontier."
The first is 1837, followed by 1848, 1850, and 1852. One of America's greatest mining financiers, George Hearst, grew up on the dumps of lead mines southwest of Joplin. It was from these dumps, that he became a self-taught mining geologist. In another paper I wrote years ago, I called Hearst "America's first exploration geologist."
The first lead mined in America came with the Jamestown settlers. John Berkeley, who ran an iron furnace at Jamestown, found a vein of galena from which he made bullets and lead shot. (Arthur Winslow). Lead in the Mississippi Valley was discovered by Nicholas Perrot in 1692, though doubted by Winslow. The Le Seuer expedition of 1701 definitively found lead in the upper and lower Mississippi Valley. The early Missouri deposits were so important to the French that in 1712, King Louis XIV issued the "Crozat patents." In 1717, the patents were transferred to "the Mississippi Company." That company failed in 1731. A bank was started in that company name, which also failed when the Mississippi Company failed, and historical banknotes may still exist in collections from that failed enterprise. (probably all in French)
Development of Missouri lead deposits began about 1720 at Mine La Motte and other small mines. Some of those lead ore bodies have been in production from 1720 onwards. In western Missouri, lead mines were basically unknown until after 1850. Between 1840 and 1850 the lead deposits of the Upper Mississippi Valley grew quickly. The great deposits of the Joplin area were discovered in the 1840s. Schoolcraft's work from the 1830s well discusses lead mining in the Missouri area. Along the way, tin mines and salt deposits were developed.
The 1837 Missouri GLO Land Map.
This map was published only a few years after the famous Schoolcraft expedition which went up the Mississippi Valley and nearby places of interest and importance. It was prepared for the 25th Congress, 2nd Session, published, like almost all the rest of the GLO maps in this sale, in October (here, in 1837.) Much of this data may have actually been used by Schoolcraft, as it appears the last attempt at a survey was 1832.
Few geopolitical features are shown. St Louis, Fayette, Palmyra, Jackson, are the only towns shown. Rivers are all labeled. Published at St. Louis, October, 1837. Surveyor not shown. Curiously, the symbology that should accompany the lower "legend" is not present.
This map is basically the beginning of large scale land purchases, but lacks all significant data excepting a few town names. Certain "Districts" owned by specific people are all shown with the owner's name. A search of some of the owner blocks on the western edge reveals:
Jesse Applegate:1836-Morgan, MO. He was listed for delinquent tax, Cole Co., 1834
Erskine Stansbury: St. Francois, 1839, delegate to the Whig Convention
William Monroe: Howard, 1835. Ran to represent MO on the democratic Presidential ticket, 1836
Settlers to this part of the country were undoubtedly drawn by the association of flat lands and water, as well as the discovery of lead and salt deposits. Major discoveries would come later.
The 1848 GLO Map
Published from the St. Louis Office, F. R. Conway Surveyor. About 19 x 24", a very fine copy.
Without having the prior GLO maps excepting the 1836 Missouri map, it is difficult to track the progress of development. The surveyor's notes indicate that there was not a map between the 1837 GLO map and the 1848 map. This map is an important map, and is probably the first GLO map for Missouri that shows exceptionally important mines, a key to the westward movement into Missouri before the California gold rush. Here, Surveyor Conway jumps into an important change in GLO map presentation data by showing tin, lead, copper, iron, coal and salt mines. In short, this is a very early "resource" map, if not the very first. This map is not mentioned in a number of the very early works on lead mining in Missouri that are in my library.
The map shows many towns, but nowhere near the real number of communities. The sheer number of specific mines shown is a testament to the importance of mining in Missouri - more than 100 mines are shown.
Another great thing about Missouri's mining history is who got a start here. George Hearst, the mega mining magnate that owned at one time, the world's largest gold (Homestake, SD), silver (Ontario, UT) and copper mines (Butte, MT). Hearst was born on a farm in Sullivan, Missouri in 1820. His family had three farms, and they sold their goods at their family store. Sullivan is about 70 miles SSW or St. Louis, and maybe 90 miles ESE of Jefferson. It is "smack-dab" in the middle of a lead mine district. Some nearby named mines on this map are Mamouth, Virginia, and even a notation "old mines." It may have been one of these "old mines" that Hearst grew up around, sitting on the dumps, examining rocks, and learning form the miners. Today, in central Missouri, is Rolla, where you'll find the University of Missouri-Rolla, a wonderful high-tech university.
Another not to forget place in Missouri is Hannibal, north of St. Louis on the Mississippi River - the birthplace of Sam Clemens, aka Mark Twain. Clemens had coal and salt deposits nearby. The other famous people from Missouri don't have anything to do with mining or literature. Black Bart (Charles Boles), Quantrill, Jesse James and the James Gang, The Dalton Gang, Bloody Bill Anderson all came from Missouri.
The 1850 GLO Map
The 1850 GLO map of Missouri by M. Clark appears to be a redrawn, nearly identical map to that of the 1848 map showing the same towns, mines and features. 19 1/2 x 24". It is thus an important map, but the second to show the mining activity.
The 1852 GLO Map of Missouri
With the advent of the California gold rush, things changed in the Surveyor General's Office. While this map also bears Clark's name as Surveyor, al of the geopolitical (place names) and econo-political (mines) have been omitted excepting towns along the Mississippi River and a very few inland towns. 20 x 24 1/2"


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State: Missouri
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