Category: southwest history
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McComas’ Route to Lordsburg.
McComas’ Route to Lordsburg McComas’ journey to Lordsburg from Silver City took him over what was by that time the stage route between those two places; a route which in March of 1883 was quite new, and which was primarily a passenger-only route. The transportation of the mail by stage…
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McComas’ Destination and Why He Undertook The Journey
His Destination Descriptions of the events which led up to the attack on the McComas family frequently state that their destination was Pyramid City. Similarly, they will include the information that the journey was necessitated by a telegram, received by McComas at Silver City, which urgently requested his presence…
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The Myth of McComas and the Pyramid Gold and Silver Mining and Reduction Company
From the New Southwest and Grant County Herald of June 17, 1882: Col. J. B. Price, of N. M. [ sic] Mail and Transportation Co. notoriety,* has brought a suit against Col. Amos Green to establish his right to a one half interest in all of the mining property of the latter…
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The Smoking Gun
The Rules Of Practice For The Supreme And District Courts Of New Mexico, in effect at the time of McComas’ arrival, mandated that any attorney relocating to New Mexico Territory from another State or Territory, and wishing to resume practice, had first to be admitted to the New Mexico Territorial…
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Chapter 31 – Signs of Financial Troubles; Links to James B. Price
Unpaid Bills Found in the McComas Probate file is a letter dated May 23, 1883, and addressed to John M. Wright, administrator for the McComas estate. George E. Price had entered into a contract with McComas and S. P. Carpenter in November of the previous year. Price had been contracted…
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CHAPTER 30 contd. McComas’ Mining Interests
[McComas had] “…arrived in Silver City three years before [his death] to do legal work for the new mining company that was reopening the mines [at Shakespeare]…” Hill, Janaloo. 2003 (3rd. Edition) “The Ranch On Whitewater Creek” p.15 —- “The following spring, when he [McComas] departed for his first visit…
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Chapter 30 contd. The Myth of McComas and The Shakespeare Gold and Silver Mining and Milling Company
There is one thing of which we can be absolutely certain – Hamilton C. McComas did not come to Grant County to carry out legal work for either the Boyles or the Shakespeare Gold and Silver Mining and Milling Company (or, as more vaguely referred to by Simmons, citing Janaloo…
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Chapter 30 – Hamilton C. McComas
Introduction Here we furnish only a brief outline of Hamilton Calhoun McComas’ life prior to his arrival in New Mexico Territory, mainly in order to provide context for some of the places, people and events referred to in the body of this Chapter. Some of this information…
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General John Boyle
Born in 1839, John was part of an extensive and extremely distinguished family. As mentioned above we have no direct evidence to show that he and William G. were related, but in his genealogy John Boyle does refer to his ancestors as having come from Londonderry. His family however had…
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The Death Of William G. Boyle
The most commonly repeated description of William G. Boyle’s death centers around yet another apocryphal tale – that he was taken ill while he and a group of his associates were returning to Shakespeare from St. Louis in late March of 1880. On arrival at Shakespeare, while the remainder of…
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CHAPTER 29 – William G. and John Boyle
William George Boyle We were unable to find any definitive description of the familial link between William G. and John Boyle; in his family genealogy John Boyle makes no mention of a William G. Boyle.²² William George Boyle was born in Londonderry, Ireland, around 1828, and had arrived in California…
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Chapter 28 – The Companies
The machinations of the various companies operating in the Virginia Mining District between 1879 and 1882, and with which James B. Price and William and John Boyle were associated, are almost impossible to describe in complete detail; some transactions were not entered into Grant County records, whether this was simply…
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Chapter 27 – The Return Of William.D.Brown
Although it is generally reported that the Virginia Mining District’s revival began in 1879 with the arrival of the Boyles at the settlement, it had really begun a full year earlier in the early spring of 1878, with the reappearance of William D. Brown. Why Brown chose to return…
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Part V – Shakespeare
Part V has over 200 references, a number of which include detailed and fairly lengthy footnotes. It is important that these notes are read, especially those relating to Hamilton C.McComas and John and William Boyle, as they contain both important corrections to existing writing on these people, and information…
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Chapter 26 – The Desertion of Ralston City
Various editions of Grant County newspapers give indications of the rapid exodus of people from Ralston City to, for the most part, Silver City. Many leading figures and businessmen had made their way to this town from Ralston when it became all too apparent that there was nothing there that…