The Hurd Family: Lives in Pennsylvania, California, Nevada and Beyond Part 1

 

John Henry  Hurd   (Born 28 December 1852 Tamaqua, Pennsylvania--Died 13 February 1933 San Francisco, California).  Picture shared by Mimi Swaney (Great Granddaughter to Winnie Hurd) on Ancestry.com. This picture is believed to have been taken in Pennsylvania around 1870.

  John Henry Hurd was the first born child of William Henry Hurd and Harriet Elizabeth Bluett.  He was born in Tamaqua, Schuylkill, Pennsylvania.  He traveled to Nevada City, California with his parents and younger sister Elizabeth Jane Hurd (my Great Great Grandmother) by crossing the Isthmus at Panama in 1856. The family lived on a hill above the Manzanita Mine (in the vicinity of  Sugarloaf Mountain).  He traveled back to Pennsylvania  before the 1870 Census.  He began working in mining (most likely coal mining) as a machinist around 1870 in Mahanoy, Pennsylvania along with his father and other Bluett family members.  He traveled back west with his family, settling down in Virginia City, Nevada.  His father William died in a mining accident in the Ophir mine in 1876.  He continued working as a machinist/miner in Virginia City in and around the 1880's at the C and C Shaft. He was living with his mother, his younger brother and 6 younger sisters on Sacramento Road in 1880. 

  Unfortunately, there is no 1890 Census to help us see what John was doing in the early 90's, but the obituary of his younger brother Frank Hurd mentions that John was in Mexico at the time of Frank's death in 1897.  John was no doubt engaged in a job related to mining;  he may have gone to work in some capacity for an American owned mine.  The silver and gold  boom in Virginia City was almost over, and he may have needed work, or he was there to gain experience. There is no record of his trip or how long he was out of the country. He was not enumerated in the 1900 US Census, so he may have still  been in Mexico at the time. 

John Hurd  

Picture taken somewhere around the 1880's or 90's.  Shared by Mimi Swaney on Ancestry.com

  

  By the 1910 US Census John was back in Virginia City.  He was living on C Street as a lodger along with 11 other gentlemen who worked as miners in the "gold and silver mines" industry.  John's occupation was listed as  stationary engineer.  He was 57 years old.  Under the column "List how many days out of work in 1909" he listed 0.  So, he was still working in the mines, even though the heyday and boom times were coming to an end. 

  Several newspaper snippets give a glimpse of his life as an older gentleman.  The Reno Evening Gazette dated February 3, 1915 said.."John Hurd returned from Truckee Monday, after attending the ice festival."  The Reno Evening Gazette dated October 2, 1915 said ..."John Hurd was a departure yesterday evening for the exposition." This was probably referring to the Panama-Pacific International Exposition World's Fair being held in San Francisco. That must have been quite a trip! 

  By the 1920 US Census John Hurd was living in San Francisco at 1146 Mission Street as a lodger, probably in a residential hotel.  He was 67 years old.  His sister Elizabeth Jane (my Great Great Grandmother) was living in the bay area at the time with some of her children, so he was close to family.  John was still living on Mission Street at the time of the 1930 US Census, and was 77 years old. 

  

  The writing on the back of this picture says.."Taken Sunday, Feb. 10, 1933. John H. Hurd 80 years old".  It looks like Elizabeth Jane's writing.  John was standing on the right side of the picture.  I am not sure who the older couple was.   It was taken just three days before his death.  

The Reno Evening Gazette 14, February 1933.

 

John Hurd is buried in the Masonic Garden Cemetery on Stoker Avenue in Reno, Nevada.  Photo from FindAGrave.com

  John Hurd stepped in after his father died and took over as head of the family.  He never married. He lived with his mother until her death in 1893, and he was instrumental in making sure that his younger sisters completed their educations and were able to make the most of every opportunity presented to them.  Their  stories continue....

52Ancestors52Weeks Week 3 Theme: Namesake Weston as a Middle Name: Origins From 1635 (Alden)

 Week 3 Theme:  Namesake

The Elizabeth & Ann      1635 

   The middle name of Weston has been used by my husband's Alden family for several generations, beginning with his father, and then my husband.  We gave our son the middle name of Weston.  Our son gave his son the middle name of Weston. Four consecutive generations with a middle name of Weston.  Where did that name come from?  How far back did it go? The origin of the name, and a namesake,  was not known with certainty. I took a break from research into my own family lines, and began researching to find the original Weston on the Alden side of the family. 

   So, this week I am going in a little different direction....as in way back to 1635!   The Great Migration was in full force, as roughly 20,000 people from England made their way to New England from 1620-1640.  According to Anderson's Great Migration Study Project, Edmund Weston, aged 30, was "enrolled at London as a passenger for New England on the Elizabeth & Ann".  He settled at Duxbury, Massachusetts. 

  Here is  my husband's generational line of Westons that began in Duxbury, Massachusetts in 1635. 

   Generation 1:  Edmund Weston  (about 1605-1686)  was of unknown origins.  He arrived in New England on 8 May 1635 aboard the Elizabeth & Ann.  He was a servant to John Winslow and Nathaniel Thomas before settling in Duxbury, Massachusetts.  In 1639 he formed a partnership with John Carver for planting and farming.  In 1640 he had a grant from the colony of four acres at Stony Brook, Duxbury.  In 1643 he was one of the men enrolled to bear arms.  In 1652 he was a surveyor  of highways, and from this time his name frequently appeared in connection with town affairs and in various public matters.  He married late in life, probably a De La Noy (Delano), but the name of his wife is not known for sure.  He died in Duxbury at the age of 80 years, respected and honored by all who knew him.  His will dated 18, February 1686,  listed four children.  (from Nutfield Geneaolgy Blog and Plymouth Families, Genealogical Register of, 282 from Ancestry.com).  

  Generation 2:  John Weston (1662-1736) lived in Duxbury, Massachusetts  and married Rebecca Peterson.  

  Generation 3:  David Weston (1726-1805) lived in Plympton, Massachusetts (a western parish of Plymouth) and married Susannah Churchill.

                                                       

  Generation 4:  David Weston Jr. (1754-1836) was born in Plympton, lived in Middleborough, served in the Revolutionary War, and married Keziah Eaton.  

                                

Part of David Weston's Revolutionary War Record and Pension Request

  Generation 5:  Andrew Weston (1790-1871)  lived in Middleborough, Massachusetts and married Lovina Hall.  

  Generation 6:  Juliann Weston (1832-1900) lived in Middleborough, Massachusetts, and married Thomas Jefferson Alden.  The name of Weston disappears for a few generations after this, in this particular branch of the Alden family.  

Thomas Jefferson Alden 

 Generation 7:  Theodore Henry Alden (1877-1948) was born in Middleborough and lived in Brockton, Massachusetts.  He married Louisa M. Leonard. 

  Generation 8:  Theodore Stewart Alden (1903-1979)  lived  in Brockton, Massachusetts and married Amy Burgess Thurston.  

  Generation 9:  David Weston Alden (1938-2013).  The name  Weston appears as a middle name in the family, and is handed down for three more generations as a middle name. 

   So, thanks to Edmond Weston who first came to New England in 1635 the name of Weston lives on.  Only time will tell how many more times it will be used! It was refreshing to tell a different story of my husband's family, whose origins can be traced all the way back to John Alden and Priscilla Mullens and another ship that came to New England called the Mayflower. 

52Ancestors52Weeks Week 2 Theme: Family Legend HER PATRIOTISM UNBOUNDED (Vere Burrows)

Daily Evening Tidings (Published in Grass Valley, California) May 21, 1903

Week 2 Theme:  Family Legend

  In my post of June 25, 2020, I touched briefly on a family story that my Great Grandmother, Vere Burrows Hansen, was the only one to shake hands with President Teddy Roosevelt during his train stop in Colfax, California on May 19, 1903.  I suppose you could say that it was a family legend of sorts.  Merriam Webster defines legend as a story handed down from the past, popularly regarded as historical but not verifiable.   This story has indeed been handed down! But, as intriguing as that story was, I hadn't found any real proof that Vere was actually at the train depot, or had really  shaken the hand of Teddy Roosevelt. 

Nevada County Narrow Gauge Rail Road advertisement for transportation to Colfax.  Ladies and Children were only charged 50 Cents. 

   At the time I wrote the post of June 25, I had not yet rummaged through all the papers and photos that my Auntie Claire had in boxes that were semi organized.  I spent the rest of the summer combing through newspaper snippets, receipts, unidentified pictures, obituaries, and report cards belonging to my grandfather and his brothers.  I came across a fragile pile of whole newspapers from 1903 and 1904 that were published in Grass Valley and Nevada City,  California.  I could tell that several were saved as they contained  articles relating to the death by suicide of my Great Great Grandfather, Alexander Burrows in 1904.  He was Vere's father.  Then, I came across two very brittle newspapers that I carefully unfolded and read several times, as I could not figure out why they were important enough to save.  Lo and behold, this headline stood out in a small article on page 8 of the Daily Evening Tidings, printed May 21, 1903.  HER PATRIOTISM UNBOUNDED it said....

Here is the transcribed article in its entirety. 

DAILY EVENING TIDINGS May 21, 1903. Page 8. HER PATRIOTISM UNBOUNDED Young Lady of this City Receives Unusual Distinction. ________________ Miss Vere Burrows has the Honor of Being the Only One of Her Sex to Shake Hands with the President. _________________ Miss Vere Burrows of this city is a most enviable young lady. She has the distinction of being the last to shake the hand of President Roosevelt during his recent stop at Colfax. That is certainly an honor to be proud of and she is carrying the distinction with becoming grace. This young lady is nothing if not patriotic. She is imbued with the spirit which has made Columbia celebrated in prose and poetry for the daring and patriotism of her sons and daughters. When the idea of tendering a reception to the President was first mooted she made up her mind that she would see him. It would be her first glimpse of a President and she reasoned that it would be an honor worth going miles to witness. She was among the hundreds who left on the excursion Tuesday afternoon and when she reached Colfax her patriotism was ablaze at the sight of so many thousands waiting to do homage to the distinguished guest. She waited patiently for the President’s special to arrive and when it hove in sight her enthusiasm knew no bounds. When the train stopped she was one of the first to elbow her way to the platform on which the President stood. Nothing could cool her patriotic ardor or deter her from her purpose to get close to “strenuous Teddy,” as he is familiarly called. She jostled and elbowed with the good natured crowd until she found herself directly below the rear platform of the train on which the President travelled. Then the improvised platform from which the presentation speech was made was brought forward and she was crowded somewhat out of place. For a moment she was chagrined at being forced from her position, but for a moment only. She stood and watched the President as he intently absorbed every word uttered by Judge Nilon and when he began to speak she was brimful of enthusiasm and patriotism. What a pity it would be to permit such a splendid opportunity to pass without shaking the President by the hand. In a moment she was on the improvised platform standing face to face with the nation’s chief. The engineer had already whistled the signal to start and she saw the opportunity slipping from her when she reached out her hand and exclaimed “Mr. President I would like to shake hands with you.” “Glad to have the honor, young lady,” replied President Roosevelt, and he extended his hand and gave her a hearty strenuous shake. Just then the train pulled out and the President was quickly out of sight. That’s the reason why her friends are envying her the honor he had bestowed on her. And in the after years, when the evening of life begins to cast its shadows like the edge of an approaching shroud, and when the hair that is now beautiful and fair shall be supplanted with locks of silvery gray, she will delight in gathering her loved ones around the hearthstone and telling them that out of hundreds of women who went to Colfax to see the President she was the only one to shake him by the hand.

Nevada County Daily Morning Miner Thursday May 21 1903 Page 5.  This paper was published out of Nevada City, California. 

  So, my Great Grandmother did indeed shake the hand of President Teddy Roosevelt! I had found verifiable proof that she not only was there, but that the family story was true.   She had her "15 minutes of fame",  and then  went on to lead a life full of patriotism and pride in her country.  

  The local Grass Valley paper, The Union, recently published a story that involved this incident in Vere's life.  The author, Steve Cottrell, was writing a series of stories on Teddy Roosevelt and his whistlestop tour that included Colfax, California.  Margaret Hansen Boothby (my mother) relayed the information and the newspaper articles that I had discovered to Mr. Cottrell,  thinking he could use the story somehow. He did  use Vere's story as "bookends" to his story on the search for the Navy ship the Levant. Here is the article as it appeared in The Union December 25, 2020.   I especially loved how he used Vere's High School Graduation picture from 1900. He got the  marriage date wrong by a year...she married in 1904.  And so, her story continues! 

Searching for an uncharted Pacific island

The search for an uncharted island

News NEWS | December 25, 2020

By Steve Cottrell | Special to The Union

Last month we explained how three Nevada County men arranged to present President Theodore Roosevelt with a collection of gold specimens when his train stopped at the Colfax depot on May 19, 1903. It was a brief stop, less than 15 minutes, but those who were present never forgot seeing and hearing the president — especially Vere Burrows.

A 1900 graduate of Grass Valley High School, Vere managed to nudge her way through the crowd and stood below the train’s rear platform as Roosevelt spoke. When he finished to loud cheers, Miss Burrows called out, asking to shake his hand, so the president reached down and obliged.

Roosevelt then began motioning to James Hague, president of the North Star Mine and one of the Nevada County men who arranged for the Colfax ceremony. Hague and Roosevelt knew each other as members of the elite Century Association, a private club in New York City, and the president wanted his friend to join him as the train proceeded to Sacramento.

While Vere Burrows and other Nevada County residents headed home with life-long memories, Hague sat with Roosevelt in his private car, explaining why a search of the Pacific Ocean south of Honolulu, in an area where Navy sloop-of-war Levant apparently met with tragedy in 1860, was needed. The Navy had long ago concluded that Levant foundered in a storm, but Hague believed it wrecked, not foundered, and some survivors might still be alive on an uncharted island. He needed Roosevelt’s help to undertake a search.

Hague’s theory was based in large part on a mast that washed up south of Hilo in May 1861. It was consistent with a Levant mast and had spikes driven into it in a manner suggesting it came from a jerry-rigged raft. The August 4, 1861, New York Times reported that if the mast was from Levant, “it would go far to sustain the belief that the ship had been wrecked on some shoal, reef, rock or island, and not foundered.”

James Hague was 24, living in Hilo, when Levant set sail for Panama, and prior to its departure had become friends with the ship’s commanding officer, William Hunt, and several sailors. Forty-three years later, with TR’s assistance, the 67-year-old Nevada County mine owner hoped to solve the mystery of the vessel’s disappearance.

Asking Roosevelt to make a ship available to hunt for an uncharted island more than four decades after Levant disappeared may have been stretching their friendship, but in 1904, as part of a May shakedown voyage for the freshly christened Navy cruiser USS Tacoma, Roosevelt and Secretary of the Navy William Moody authorized the ship’s commanding officer to work with a special passenger, James Hague, to search for a possible Pacific island and any evidence of it having been a safe haven for survivors of Levant.

SEARCH

Nearly 8,000 square miles were covered during a zigzag search hundreds of miles south of Honolulu, but no uncharted land was spotted. Although Hague’s charts encompassed about 30,000 square miles, Tacoma, running low on coal, was forced to return to San Francisco after only four days of searching. On June 3, 1904, the Associated Press reported that in addition to needing more coal, “(Tacoma) carried no appliances for deep-sea sounding, so her exploration was wholly superficial.”

Three months later, Hague spoke at a session of the International Geographical Congress in New York City, introduced by Arctic explorer Robert Peary. His topic, naturally, was Levant’s 1860 disappearance and the search for an uncharted Pacific island.

“I had the honor to bring the matter to the attention of President Roosevelt,” Hague told the IGC delegates, “and thereafter…Secretary of the Navy, Mr. Moody, determined to send an expedition as soon as one or more suitable vessels could be spared for the service.”

Although the ill-prepared search was unsuccessful, Hague remained optimistic, suggesting to his audience that the ship’s company “might have landed without the loss of a single life, in which event there might still be some survivors.”

During his lecture Hague talked about a possible second search, but it never materialized. And on August 3, 1908, the 72-year-old owner of the North Star Mine died at his summer home in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

As for Vere Burrows, 45 days after shaking TR’s hand she married miner John Hansen, a native of Norway and veteran of the Spanish American War. Vere, a founder of the Grass Valley PTA and charter member of the Nevada County Historical Society, died in Grass Valley in 1974.

Historian Steve Cottrell, a former Nevada City Council member and mayor, can be contacted at exnevadacitymayor@gmail.com.

Navy sloop-of-war Levant sailed from the then-Sandwich Islands in September 1860, bound for Panama, but never reached port and was thought to have foundered during a storm. North Star Mine owner James Hague, however, believed Levant wrecked, not foundered, and in 1903 asked President Theodore Roosevelt to authorize a search for an uncharted Pacific island.
Courtesy Library of Congress

James Duncan Hague was a prominent Nevada County mine owner, geologist and friend of Theodore Roosevelt. In 1903, Hague asked Roosevelt to exercise his presidential powers and help him search for an uncharted Pacific island — a request the president fulfilled in 1904.
Courtesy Searls Historical Library

Grass Valley native Vere Burrows Hansen, a 65-year member of Manzanita Parlor No. 29, Native Daughters of the Golden West, was reportedly the only female to shake President Roosevelt’s hand when he spoke at the Colfax railroad depot on May 19, 1903.
Courtesy Patricia Alden and Margaret Boothby

Relationship Reference:  Me->Margaret->Harold Hansen->Vere Burrows Hansen

The Hurds in Virginia City: Life on the Comstock (Hurd)

Annie, Hattie, Winnie and Edith standing in front of their home at 203 Summit street Virginia City, Nevada.  Shared by Mimi Swaney (great granddaughter of Winnie Hurd) on Ancestry.com. I am not sure when the family moved into this house, but it may have been after Harriet's death in 1893.  The house is on the side of a hill..... 

   What happened to the Hurd family after William died in a mining accident at the Ophir mine in August of 1876?  I found a Virginia City directory for the year 1878 on Ancestry.com which provided a great deal of information.  The family was living at 204 North Howard street.  John, aged 25, was working as a miner in the C and C shaft.   Ella, aged 18, was working as a teacher at the 1st Ward School (no longer in existence), Frank, aged 16, was working as a clerk in town.  There were other Hurds in town, but I don't think they were related to this family.  If you look down the page, you will see a N. Hutchinson, working as an engineer at the Mariposa Mill.  I believe he is the Nelson Hutchinson who married Ella Hurd in 1881.  Harriet was living with the family on North Howard; she was not mentioned until the 1880 census. 

  William George was living in Amador County by 1880, aged 23, and  was a watch maker; he probably left Virginia City shortly before or after his father died.   Carrie, aged 12 in 1878, was most likely attending school, as was Winnie, aged 9, and Annie, aged 6.  Hattie was just 5 years old and Edith was just 3 years old when their father died.  Elizabeth Jane (my Great Grandmother) was living in Grass Valley and married to Alexander Burrows.  

 I'm sure the family pulled together the best they could after William's death.  They also received a "subscription" from employees at the mine for a total of  $1,240; charitable help and support was a common occurrence for injured miners or surviving family members in the community. 

 

    A current map of Virginia City.  Howard and Summit streets are on the north side of town. #9 is the Piper Opera House, #7 is the Story County Court House for reference. The Ophir Ravine was off of the end of Summit Street.  The C and C shaft was down the Sixmile Canyon road, between L and R Streets. John  worked at the C and C shaft.  

A view of Virginia City around 1870 taken from the hillside north of town looking down B and C streets. The largest building in the foreground on C street is the 1st Ward School, which no longer exists.  From The Comstock History Center Museum FaceBook page, shared March 6, 2015. The Hurds would have been living on the hill at the right side of the picture. 

The First Ward School, Virginia City, Nevada. Ella Hurd taught here in 1878. It is perched on a hill, as was most of the town.....Image complimentary of the J Curtis Special Collection shared by the Comstock Foundation for History and Culture FaceBook page on January 6, 2016. 

  By the 1880 US Census, the family had moved to Sacramento Road.  I don't know the exact location of this house, as Sacramento Road no longer exists, but it could have been north of town near the Sacramento and Meredith mines.   The family continued living all together, with Harriet listed as head of household.  John was working as a machinist, which was the job he had in Pennsylvania.   It is interesting to note that Elizabeth Jane was listed twice in the 1880 census.  In addition to being listed as living in Virginia City  as a married  family member of  Harriet on June 5th, she was also enumerated as living in Grass Valley and married with 3 children on June 9th.  She may have been visiting at the time of her enumeration in Virginia City, or someone in Grass Valley verbally gave the Census worker her information as she was not at home. 

Mine map from 1873.  Geiger Grade comes in from the top right into town.  I believe 

Sacramento Street may have been in the vicinity of the Sacramento and Meredith Mine.  

Post card of the Ophir Mine, Virginia City, Nevada circa 1910.  William Hurd worked and died at this mine. 

                                                             The C and C shaft.  John Hurd worked here. 

                                Virginia City at the turn of the century. 6 Mile Canyon is in the background.

  On Saturday the 9th of September, 1893, Harriet Hurd passed away in Virginia City. The Morning Union (Grass Valley) reported on September 14th that she died of heart failure after a long illness.  My Great Grandmother, Elizabeth Jane, was alerted before her death and had traveled from Grass Valley to be with her.  She was 59 years old.  

  My future posts will continue the story of the Hurd family on the Comstock and beyond.  Their journeys continued.  

This is an excerpt from the book, Silver Fever edited by Robert R.  VanRyzen (Krause Publications, 2009).  It provides a glimpse into the working conditions of miners on the Comstock.  William was crushed to death by a cage while descending into the Ophir mine in 1876. 

"On the morning of July 5, 1882, Comstock miner William F Grant was riding the cage up the hoisting shaft of the Chollar-Norcross-Savage mine when he became faint, lost his balance and fell.  The startled miners riding with Grant signaled the hoist engineer to lower them to the bottom of the shaft.  There they recovered Grant's mutilated remains.  When Grant fell, he became unmercifully pinned between the cage and the mine shaft's wall plates, where his right hip was horribly crushed and mangled, nearly cutting his body in two before he plummeted to his death...Slightly more than a month later, Thomas Veale, a car man at the 2,400 foot level of the same mine, fell from the cage 280 feet to his death into a pool of scalding water....."

"As gruesome as these deaths were, they were a fairly common occurrence in the Comstock mines.  Between 1863 and 1880, according to Eliot Lord, nearly 300 miners were killed and another 600 injured in various mine-related accidents....besides falling down a mine shaft, miners could be torn to shreds by premature explosions of blasting materials, roasted in underground fires, hit by falling equipment, or crushed by a runaway ore car.....If the miner survived the perils of the heat at the Comstock's lower levels, he still had to worry about his ascent to the surface.  The rapid temperature change a miner experienced while riding a fast moving cage could cause him to feel nauseated and dizzy, lose his balance, and plummet to his death.  But even if he kept his wits, he still had to worry whether or not the cage would stop at the collar of the shaft or shoot right on by, throwing its passengers violently from it. The cage's movements were controlled by a hoist engineer who, by watching a large dial, could determine its exact position at any time. Using a system based on the number of times a bell sounded, the miner could tell the engineer when and where he wanted the cage to stop.  Because a moment's  indecision could be disastrous, the hoist engineer's job was generally given to a competent person." 

  William had come to Virginia City looking for a better place to live for his family, and he most certainly earned a better income than he did working in the coal mines in  Pennsylvania.  But sadly, the dangerous working conditions still existed.  On a more positive note, his family did end up creating successful lives for themselves in the West. 

The Hurd Family Journeys: Coal, Gold and Silver (Hurd) (Bluett)

  I have pieced together a timeline for the Hurd family and their journeys across the country from  Pennsylvania to  California and back and then from Pennsylvania to Nevada.  I believe these journeys were the result of the search for economic stability.  It does end on a sad note for William Hurd in August of 1876.  But, his daughter Elizabeth Jane settled in Grass Valley, California and became a piece of my story.....

 1830  William Henry Hurd was born in Somerset, England.  I have no other genealogical  information on William.   He was a miner in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, and was in all likelihood a coal miner, as this region of the state was known for its anthracite coal deposits.  It is not known when William came to America or when he married Harriet. 

1834  Harriet Elizabeth Bluett was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania on December 8th.  Her parents were John Bluett and Honor Rodda.  John was from Tywardreath,  Cornwall (England)  and Honor was from Crowan, Cornwall.   John Bluett was also a miner.  

1852  John Bluett died of bilious pneumonia in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania. 

 John Bluett's Death Registration, Pennsylvania. Notice the phonetic spelling of Tywardreath.  

1853 John Henry Hurd was born to William and Harriet Elizabeth Bluett Hurd in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania.  

1855 Elizabeth Jane Hurd was born in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania (my Great Great Grandmother) 

1856 William, Harriet, John and Elizabeth made the journey from Pennsylvania to Nevada City, California by sailing from the east coast, crossing the isthmus of Panama by mule and ox teams, arriving in San Francisco by steamship and then taking the stage to Nevada City. This route was used by thousands of miners during the gold rush.  It was the fastest route at the time, taking about 8 weeks to complete.  There were other Bluett and Rodda relatives living in the new gold rush town of Nevada City, California.  (See my post from January 2, 2020 Gold Country Stories Unverified Elizabeth Jane Hurd Surviving Panama) for the whole story..  

  William was most likely trying to take advantage of the economic opportunities,  as were other family members who came out also.  Gold mining may have seemed a better choice of occupation than coal mining for William.  Around 1853-4 a large mine fire started in a coal mine near Tamaqua and became a "well known menace" to mine workers in the area as were several other mine fires.  (from Wynn History Blog September 9, 2020).  There was also a Great Flood in 1850 that remains Tamaqua's single historic event and most noted tragedy (from Iron Steps Illustrated History of Tamaqua Pennsylvania by Donald R. Serfass 2010).  I don't know for sure if these events played a part in William's  decision to come out west or not, but they certainly could have contributed. 

1857 William George Hurd was born in Nevada City, California.

1859  Virginia City, Nevada begins as a boomtown with the discovery of the first major silver deposit in the country, also called The Comstock Lode. 

1860 Ella Mae Hurd was born in Nevada City, California.

1862 Frank S. Hurd was born in Nevada City, California.

According to Frank's obituary, the family lived "on the hill above the Manzanita Mine".  

1864 Carrie Amelia Hurd was born in Nevada City, California.  

                                Nevada becomes the 36th state.  

1868 Winnifred Willomie Hurd was born in Nevada City, California. 

1870 By the 1870 US Census, the family was back in Pennsylvania, but this time living in Mahanoy, Schuylkill County. This was a large coal producing region also, but was just being opened up to mining.    William was once again employed as a miner.  It is not known why they came back "to the states" as the story was written down.  Perhaps William needed a more stable job with stable earnings and he was familiar with the job and surroundings in Pennsylvania. 

  Being a gold miner in the foothills of California was a gamble at best.  The family had lived in Nevada City for almost 10 years, and by the late 1860's the number of miners was diminishing and mining was becoming more of a business than an adventure.  Most profits went to merchants and suppliers.  Prices were high, living conditions were bad, and most miners didn't strike it rich (from Joint Chamber of Commerce of Nevada County, Gold Mining in Nevada County 2005).    

  The area they moved to was just starting its coal boom and looked very similar to  wild west towns on the west coast with new towns, including Mahanoy Township, springing up all over the Mahanoy Valley.   Very shortly the town became embroiled with the Molly McGuires violence.  Wikipedia describes how the Irish brought a form of the Molly McGuires organization into America and located in the anthracite coal fields of Pennsylvania, including Schuylkill County.  There was a large influx of immigrants to this part of Pennsylvania at the time.   Irish miners employed tactics of intimidation and violence during conflicts with large hard coal mining companies and railroad owners.   Wages were low, the companies recruited other oversees immigrants to work, safety precautions were not taken, and there were many injuries, fires and deaths in the mines.  The Molly McGuires were accused of murder, kidnapping, and arson as they protested, and many were eventually convicted and hanged for their crimes. The Pinkerton Detective Agency was hired to infiltrate the organization and bring them to justice.  The trials and and executions are now considered an outrageous perversion of the criminal justice system (Who Were the Molly McGuires?  Aug. 29, 2018 History.com/History Channel) 

   

  Both William and John were working in the mines, with John working as a machinist.  Working conditions in coal mines were simply horrendous and miners faced many occupational hazards.  "Miners' asthma" and "black lung disease" caused by the inhalation of coal dust, powder and underground gases was a big problem.  In fact, John Bluett died of bilious pneumonia which was most likely related to his job as a miner.  He was 49 years old. Miners faced even greater risks from large falls of coal or rock, or by explosions caused by gases.  Death by drowning occurred if miners tapped into an unknown body of water or if strata under a river collapsed.  The most lethal accidents involved fire and gas. (from Black gold:  Molly Maguireism, Unionism, and the Anthracite Labor Wars 1860-1880 by Samantha Edmiston May 2012) 

1871 Annie Hurd was born in Mahanoy, Pennsylvania

1873 The Panic of 1873 occurred.  This panic lasted until 1879 and was one of the worst depressions in the nation's history. One result was the Coal Miners' Strike of 1873 which essentially failed due to the importation of  Italian strikebreakers.  Unrest continued for several years after the strike, and undermined coal miners' efforts to organize.  (The Coal Miners' Strike of 1873--Wikipedia)

1873 Hattie Lenore Hurd was born in Mahanoy, Pennsylvania on February 11. 

1875 Edith Francis Hurd was born in Mahanoy, Pennsylvania on February 4th. 

  At some point in the timeline after Edith's birth the family moved back to California and Nevada with either 9 or 10 of their children.   It is not known how they came this time, but the Transcontinental Railroad had been completed by 1869 and so was a strong possibility.  

 They were leaving an area that was riddled with cultural clashes, violence, and protest against working conditions and low pay.  Unions were having a difficult time organizing.  A serious downturn in the national economy didn't help, either.   In other words, a lot of turmoil. It was time to move again. 

1875 Elizabeth Jane Hurd was married to Alexander Burrows and had her first child in October, in Grass Valley, California.  She may have come out before her family did.  She settled in Grass Valley, but the Hurds settled in Virginia City, Nevada.  William and John began work in the Ophir Mine, mining for silver on The Comstock. 

1875  October 26 The Great Fire occurred in Virginia City, Nevada and with the help of the "Washoe Zephyr" destroyed over 2,000 structures in the span of 10 hours. There is no mention in any oral or written family history of the impact this had on the Hurds, but it must have been a traumatic event to witness.  Humanitarian relief was promptly sent from California, and the mines opened back up the next day.  Optimistic townspeople reported to the newspapers that "The town will be alright in a week or two" and indeed the community proved to be resilient and put the fire behind them (from The Virginia City Great Fire of 1875 by Rachel Hendrickson, Brigham Young University Intermountain Histories January 9, 2021). 

1876   Monday, August 7,   William Hurd was killed in a mine accident at the Ophir Mine. 

August 9, 1876 Reno Evening Gazette 

  

  At its peak in the mid-1870's Virginia City had over 25,000 residents, and was called the richest city in America.  It was a vibrant community full of many different ethnic groups and races all living and working together without the strife the Hurds left behind.  There were good paying jobs in the mines.  Unfortunately, William Hurd did not live long enough to benefit from the prosperity around him.  His job was a still dangerous one. But the community came together and donated relief money to the family, as was the practice whenever a mining accident happened.  His family continued to live in Virginia City for many years.  In the next post I will talk about the remaining Hurd family and the impact they made  not only on Virginia City, but other towns as well.  Their journeys continued.  

Ophir Mine date unknown.  From the Fourth Ward School Museum Virginia City, Nevada. 

52Ancestors52Weeks Theme Week 1: Beginnings Gold Country Stories Unverified Elizabeth Jane Hurd Burrows Surviving Panama (Hurd Burrows)

Week 1 Theme: Beginnings

Hurd Family Cradle 

                                                                                 Hurd Family Cradle

 Welcome to 2021!  I am participating in Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks writing project for this year.  Hopefully I will be able to keep up!  The theme for Week 1 is Beginnings.  I am continuing the story of my Great Great Grandmother Elizabeth Jane Hurd Burrows with her connections to the little Gold Country town of Nevada City in the mid 1850's. They began their stories at around the same time....

  I came across this snippet of information on  Ancestry.com.  It was shared by a member researching the Nankervis family. Wanda Burrows (sister of Elizabeth Jane)  married into the Nankervis family in 1905.  The source is unknown and unverified, but it fits with the family narrative that a Hurd baby was one of the first white children in Nevada City, California.  It is from a source only named Gold Country Stories. 

"Elizabeth Jane Hurd Burrows Surviving Panama" 

  "The Story is in pencil; written in the words of a grandchild family member: goes like this..

Elizabeth Jane Hurd Burrows born in Tomockway Pennsylvania May 4, 1855-came to California by way of Panama with parents and one brother--landing in San Francisco Jan. 1, 1856.  Trip was extremely hard as most trips were in those days-trip across the Isthmus had to be made by way of a mule back and ox teams, thru a typhoid and malaria infested country.  Nearly everyone on board the ship on the Pacific side was inflicted with scurvy and many died but her mother kept her family free from that condition by allowing them to eat raw potatoes and dried vegetables that were part of thir (sic) luggage.  They went from San Francisco direct to Nevada City making the trip by stage during a flood season. Was one of the first white families with little children in Nevada City and Digger Indians used to come and squat around the doorway and wonder at the whiteness of their skin.  They even wanted to touch them and Grandma Hurd was always in fear lest they would be stolen. They made an overland trip back to the states in the early 60's, coming back again a few years later.  The family finally made their home in Virginia City but she (Elizabeth Jane) lived in Nevada County Calif. where all her 12 children were born.  Was admitted to practice in the Superior Court at Nevada City in 1887--being the second woman to pass such examinations.  Her mother's people  the Bluetts were all pioneers of California following the mining camps of Nevada City, Blue-Tent-Red Dog-Selby Flat-Timbucktoo-Dutch Flat and Gold Run."

  This story talks about Elizabeth Jane coming to California as an 8 month old baby.  Her brother would have been John Hurd, who was born in December of 1853.  Their parents, William Henry Hurd and Harriet Elizabeth Bluett were coming from Tamaqua, Schuylkill County in Pennsylvania where William was a miner.  They were coming with many Cornish miners to take advantage of the Gold Rush.  In fact, many Bluett family members and cousins  made the trip and settled in west coast cities and counties such as Nevada City (Nevada County), Dutch Flat (Placer County),  Soulsbyville (Tuolumne County), Sutter Creek (Amador County),  New Almaden (Santa Clara County),  Salt Lake City, Utah, Silver Bow, Montana and Spokane, Washington. 

  This cradle has been in my mother's paternal  family for many years.  It is thought to have been made in North San Juan or French Corral by an early pioneer  family member for the Hurd's daughter Elizabeth Jane.    It was stored in the basement at the West Main street house in Grass Valley where Vere Hansen lived (Elizabeth Jane's daughter).  It is hand made with square nails and is very heavy.  It certainly could have been used by Elizabeth Jane as a baby.  Her siblings born in Nevada City were William (b. 1857), Ella Mae (b. 1860), Frank (b. 1862), Carrie (b. 1864), and Winnie (b. 1869).  The cradle would have gotten much use!

  The family lived in Nevada City, "on the hill above the Manzanita Mine" per Frank Hurd's obituary.  They stayed until the early 1860's when they went back "to the states" (Pennsylvania). More children were born to the Hurds.  They eventually came back out west again after 1870 and lived in Virginia City, Nevada, where William died in a mine accident in 1876.  Elizabeth Jane stayed in Grass Valley, California, married Alexander Burrows, and started her family of 12 children.  She was admitted to practice law in 1877.  It might be safe to assume she used this cradle for her children as well.  It was kept in the basement at her daughter Vere's house on West Main street, and handed down to Margaret Hansen Boothby. 

  The cradle may be donated to the Nevada County Historical Society at some point in time.  It is a wonderful and unique piece of early Nevada City history.   It's provenance can't be proven with absolute certainty, but it was obviously a treasured and preserved  piece and came with  a story that was handed down through the generations.

1851 Nevada City.  Sketch taken from Prospect Hill May 4, 1851.  Sugarloaf is not flat. Shared by John Sbarcea August 7th, 2020 on the  FaceBook group You Know You Grew Up in Nevada County When....

 

Photo # PIC4 NEV 29 C Pine and Broad Street pre-1860

  Nevada City, California had its beginnings in 1849 along the banks of Deer Creek during the California Gold Rush. It was originally called Ustumah by the indigenous Nisenan peoples of the area. The term "digger" Indians was a derogatory term generally applied to Native American populations who dug roots for food. The settlement was called Nevada, Deer Creek Dry Diggins and Caldwell's Upper Store.  In 1850-51 it was the most important mining town in the state.  The town of Nevada was incorporated April 19, 1856, right as the Hurd family was settling in.   In 1864  the word "city" was added so there was no confusion with the new state of Nevada (Wikipedia- Nevada City, California).  It is now the county seat of Nevada County, California.

  This story is remarkable to me, because as I was growing up in this community I had no idea how intertwined my family's  history was with the birth of  Nevada City. My Great Great Grandmother and the town of Nevada City both experienced their beginnings at around the same time.  The Hurd family did go back to Pennsylvania, but came back out west where they settled on the Comstock in Virginia City, Nevada. Elizabeth Jane married and settled back in Grass Valley, a Gold Rush town next to Nevada City. 

   Did the cradle stay in Nevada City with other relatives until Elizabeth Jane came back? How did she come to have possession of it? Was it hers as a baby?  Or, was it especially made for her after her marriage and did she use it for her own children?  These are questions I will probably never have the answers to, but they did get me thinking about....beginnings. 

  Relationship Reference: Me->Margaret->Harold Hansen->Vere Burrows Hansen->Elizabeth Jane Hurd Burrows