4085

Secret Diggings Collection [175625]

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Paper Start Price:100.00 USD Estimated At:200.00 - 400.00 USD
Secret Diggings Collection [175625]
SOLD
80.00USD+ (20.00) buyer's premium + applicable fees & taxes.
This item SOLD at 2024 Apr 14 @ 09:32UTC-7 : PDT/MST
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Lot includes: 1x handwritten notice of the Secret Diggings Mining Company laying claim to 92 claims next to the Baldwin company claims and the Gold Seekers companies claims. Dated June 1, 1867 and signed by what appears to be every employee of the company; 1x handwritten sale contract of a 7-year old Bay horse named Billy Ballenger, sold by G.M.(?) Lawrence to J.W. Ellis, dated April 16, 1879; 1x handwritten agreement from Henry Skinner, dated October 30, 1865. 1.5x2" piece missing from left border. Chipped corner; 1x Bill of Sale between Larry(?) and Henry Kingdom(?) of Secret Diggings for two houses, the Mason House and the Pinkard(?) House; 1x ledger page (167-168) titled Return 1907 and listing 37 names. On reverse, page is titled "Officers Latest(?) for the year 1907" and listing 12 names and positions. Lower on the page is "Past Masters" with a list of 5 names. Secret Diggings was located about half a mile to the west of La Porte and had a very rich gold streak. Gibsonville was named after (maybe) James L. Gibson. Gibson followed another group, led by Captain Sears, into the hills when Captain Sears was resupplying in Sacramento to go back to his secret area. At one point, Captain Sears refused to go any further. Eventually, an agreement was made between the two groups when Gibson agreed to pay $100 to each man in Captain Sears group. When they reached the high country, Sears staked claims and named them Secret Diggings, while Gibson and his men went off to an adjacent ridge near Onion Valley, where they found rich gold deposits. Garvis Collection. California