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News › Lost Swift Silver Mine of Jellico, TN
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| Lost Swift Silver Mine of Jellico, TN |
Legend has it the Cherokee and Shawnee Indians mined rich veins of silver in the mid 1700's in the Appalachian mountain range. Later in the mid 1800's rumors say that the French and Spanish mined the ore. One of the most notorious silver seekers was John Swift. He has been said to have left hordes of silver stashed at various places. Also, he left a journal leading to the location of his treasures and to a mine where he and other characters, some questionable, mined and purified silver. During Swift's later years his sight failed him and because of this he made a declaration giving half his lost treasure and mine to anyone who could find them. Reprinted below is one such declaration. The Middlesboro, Ky. "Daily News" printed this declaration on Wednesday March 26, 1947. Uncle Scott Partin, a local treasure hunter, furnished it and said his grandfather gave it to him. Click the Read more button for more information on this fascinating tale. |
Posted by Outdoorsman Wednesday, January 02, 2008 (18:39:33)
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UNCLE SCOTT PARTIN DIVULGES SECRET OF HIDDEN SILVER MINE
Back in the days of 1885 when I first can remember the folks all over Bell County, their chatter of talk was about William Swift's Lost Silver Mines which were supposed to be some place in what is known as South America, a Southeastern district of Bell County, at this time known as the Henderson Settlement School. My grandfather, William Henderson, came from England about the date of 1800 and stayed awhile with the English colony at Kent, Va., then emigrated from there to what was then Knox County and squatted on a 200-acre tract of land on the headwaters of Clear Creek.
[NEVER DID FIND MINE]
He had learned a lot about Swift and his silver mine. He had a map of the mine and he hunted a lot for it, but all he ever found was the smelter where Swift done his work. He found all the marks that the map called for to a place on a high ridge in a low gap. The map said to turn to the right and look close. He never did find the mine. I have got Swift's descriptive map as follows according to his own statement.
Spacer "I, George William Swift, was born at Salisburg, England, in the year of 1689 AD, a son of William Swift, who was miner of copper, silver and lead. Staying with my father until I was 18 years old, I decided I would not follow mining any longer. Set sail for France where I gained rank as a sailor and mariner, where I served for a number of years until the French decided to colonize America.
[FOUNDED NEW ORLEANS]
Setting sail for America in the year of 1718 under the French Government Beanville, succeeded founding a colony at the mouth of Lare River of Several Mouths, and calling it New Orleans.
Spacer Returning to France for help and provisions, and returning to America, we experienced a bad storm. Upon landing, I decided to resign my position as a mariner. Going under a fictitious name, I decided to go to the English Settlement at Portsmouth, which was settled by the London Co. at that time.
[TRIES HORSE TRADING]
Deciding to try horse trading for my living with the Indians and settlers, which I found successful, I got acquainted with several settlers. One of the following named, a Frenchman, Leon Debyroas Marquette, I took in as a pardoner. Had not been with him long until he was telling about being captured by the Indians and carried to a silver mine about five hundred miles west. He told me it was rich metal, and he was going to look for it again if he could get help, I told him I could work silver, and he took me as a pardoner.
[BUYS EQUIPMENT]
Purchasing a pair of French molds, crucibles, ladles and guns, and four poneys, we set out for the mine. Traveling across the country known as the Abermarle Colony at that time, coming through the northern part of the colony traveling several weeks, crossing through several chains of Large Blue Mountains, then crossing a rolling limestone region 30 or 40 miles in a northern direction to a baron knob on a spruce-pine mountain, laying between the 36th and 37th degrees of north latitude, which was owned and chartered by the London Company as far west as the French Colony.
[MINES TWO LOADS]
Arriving at the place we found it had not been worked much, and partially concealed, or hid. We succeeded in coining up some of the rich metal into French crowns, enough for two poney loads, and then we decided to go home. Staying three months there, we decided to return to the mine again, bring with us, John Martin Munday, an Englishman, also Marry Cartwright for a cook. We remained at the mine near one year. Removed to a new place in a saddle gap on Long Blue Ridge, lying west. The ore being much richer and easier to work, carrying our ore into a large mountain on a little creek full of spruce and cedar where we smelted our silver ore.
[SMELTER IS CONCEALED]
The smelter being concealed or hid near the forks of this little creek in a spruce pine cove surrounded by a horse shoe bend and wilderness. The creek being rough and full of large stones. Running south and flowing into the creek, near two peculiar rocks with the creek running between them, one facing eastward and the other westward. Staying at the place one year, John Munday and the Frenchman, Marquette falling at outs, John killing Marquette and also Marry Cartwright. Buried them at the half-mooned shaped rock house near the smelter just opposite the mine over the large mountain.
[FEARED THE INDIANS]
Fearing that the Indians would come upon us, decided to go home. Returning and staying for a number o years. I, George W. Swift, becoming near blind and desiring to return once more to the rich mine. Upon traveling and hunting, I find the country settled by people and finding no trace of the mine. Therefore, I make this statement and directions to anyone that will find my mine and smelter and give half the hidden treasure.
[PATH WAS MARKED]
As my guide and I were coming to the mine, we marked our path by rocks, creeks, gaps, and maps on trees. Leaving from Portsmouth in the London Co., grant, traveling several weeks, crossing several chains of long blue mountains, then crossing a rolling limestone ridge, thence for 35 or 40 miles to a baren top mountain and rough and rock region. We came through a large gap filled with spruce and cedar, in Indian language called Mocasona.
[CREEK WITH CEDARS]
Then north across a bluffy region to an unknown river. Then up the river to a large bluff on the right hand side as you go up over, topped with cedars with creek flowing in near opposite cliffs. Thence up said river about three miles to an old Indian graveyard. Thence up a small rush-filled branch flowing east through a bottom. Thence up said branch to a deer and buffalo lick basin and gap where Marquette cared for our poneys in said basin, filled with reeds and tall grass. Thence through this gap to a valley running east and west to a tree stating Swift and Munday map. Take notice to the ridge. Thence four or five miles to my smelter and half-mooned shaped rock house on a little creek filled with spruce and cedar. Here at the forks of this creek I coined and smeltered my silver ore in a cave surrounded by a horseshoe bend wilderness. Thence back southwestward or southern direction a short half days journey to the mine. Crossing a valley that lays east and west to Long Blue Ridge. Ride one mile to a saddle gap in the ridge where the mine is.
[STATES EQUIPMENT]
At the mine, a large Wahoo stands containing the marks as follows: Swift and Munday mine map. Take notice to the ridge. In the mine there is one pick and one hammer with French crown on face, also two drills. Money molds and sheep skin aprons were left in the Rock house near my smelter on a little creek filled with spruce, in the half-mooned shaped house at my smelter on the little creek on the right as you go in.
[BURIED TREASURE]
We buried one poney load of silver pig. These pigs was buried just below the Rock House at the small creek and water fall with large stones placed over them. French ladles were buried in sand near smelter, the ore was found in a gray stone or rock and contained iron, silver, and copper and lead with a sand stone ledge lying near by. The mouth of the mine is as large as three French sailor's hogs-heads or barrels and dropping down in the ground ten feet then made on a level.
[LOCATION OF MINE]
The mine was bounded on the west by a creek and a big blur spring containing Indian heads in various shapes. Bound on the north by a long bald mountain, on the east by a creek and haystack nobs starting in a valley bottom, resembling hay stack. South by a buffalo and deer lick basin. On the south by a gap of haystack or potato knobs laying between the 36th and 38th degrees of latitude. As shown by my French quadrant, it was in a southwestern direction from Kent, a small trading post on the York River on the London Company's grant. Was westward from Portsmouth and due south across to Mocasona, Indian pass or gap in the barren top mountain, south as straight as a crow could fly 20 miles to Mocasonsa.
[NEAR TRADING POST]
Topping the mountain looking south we could see this gap or pass to a French and Indian Trading Post on the York River on an unknown river, a castle or fortress known as French Castle.
I, George William Swift, being duly sworn, disposes and agrees that anyone finding my smelter and telling me, I will give them one half of the hidden treasure and one half of the mine. I dispose and sayeth that these directions and map of my smelter to any one that finds my smelter. This being given April 16, 1775. My age 86 years.
George William Swift .
Debate is highly present in the Appalachian Mountain region concerning the validity of the Swift silver mine legend. Michael S. Steely, the author of Swift's Silver Mine and Related Appalachian Treasures , was a skeptic until one day that changed his mind. Read below a passage from his book:
"Yet after more than four years of research in local, state, regional and private libraries; after more than 400 pages of accumulated legend; after bruising my knees in dozens and dozens of caves and bumping my head on more than a few rock shelters, I did not believe the legend. I did not believe it because every scientist I spoke to told me there was no large amount of silver ore in Appalachia."
Spacer "That was before I found the arrowhead." 1
One day he was tinkering around with his metal detector on the side of Pine Mountain and found an arrowhead, a metal arrowhead. After being tested by jewelers, more than once, they verified that it was more than 85% silver. You may read more about his find and search for the lost treasure in his book, Swift's Silver Mine and Related Appalachian Treasures , This is one of the most thorough and well-researched publications on the Swift silver mine legend. This book can be ordered from BarnesandNoble online.
There is a lot of documentation on this treasure tale on the web. So much so that one must believe that it does in fact exist. We will run more on this lost treasure later in the weeks ahead. |
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