As of 1890, leading Gold Nuggets Found in California.

 

As of 1890,

Salt Lake Herald Republican

 Some of the leading Nuggets Found in California.

 The first nugget of any great importance and which played a prominent part in the early history of California was found by a young soldier of Stevenson’s regiment in the Mokelumme river, while drinking from that stream. He hastened to San Francisco and placed his prize in the hands of Colonel Mason for safety after which it found its way to New York, where it fanned the smoldering flame and caused the nations to realize the importance of California. The nugget weighed between twenty and twenty five pounds.

In November 1854 a mass of gold was found at Carson Hill, Calaveras county, which weighed 195 pounds troy. This is he largest piece of gold ever found in the state. Several other nuggets weighing from six to seven pounds were found in the same locality. 

On the 18th of August I860 a large piece of gold was taken from the Monumental Quartz mine Sierra county which weighed 1596 ounces troy. The nugget was purchased of the owner by R B Woodward of San Francisco and exhibited at Woodward’s gardens Mr. Woodward paid $21,636.52 for it and afterwards melted the nugget realizing $17,054.94 from it.

A Mr. Strain found a large slab shaped gold quartz nugget near Knapp’s ranch half a mile east of Columbia Tuolumne county which weighed fifty pounds avoirdupois. After crushing and melting the gold was valued at $8,500. 

In 1849 a nugget was found at Sullivan’s creek Tuolumne county that weighed twenty eight pounds avoirdupois. 

In 1856 at French Ravine Sierra county, a nugget was found which contained considerable quartz but yielded $10,000, while another was found at an earlier date in 1851 the gold from which was valued at $8,000 

In the year 1867 at Pilot Hill El Dorado county a boulder of gold quartz was found which yielded in gold 8000 Several other boulders of smaller size were found in the same claim The boulders were found in what is known as the Boulder gravel claim immediately west of the Pilot Hill post office.

A Mr. Virgin and others found a nugget on Gold hill Tuolumne county which weighed 8SO ounces and was valued about $6,500

In 1854 a mass of wood weighing 360 ounces and valued at $5,625 was found at Columbus Tuolumne county. 

It has been reported that a nugget weighing 266 ounces and valued at 55000 was found at Minnesota Sierra county. 

In 1850 a piece of gold quartz was found French Ravine Sierra county which contained 263 ounces of gold worth $4,893. 

 It has been reported that a Frenchman found a nugget of gold in Spring gulch Columbia Tuolumne county which was nearly pure gold being worth more than $5,000 The finder became insane the next day and was sent to Stockton The French consul recovered the nugget realized its value and sent the money to the finders family in France. 

On the 4th day of August 1858 Ira A Willard found on the west branch of Feather river a nugget weighing fifty four pounds avoirdupois before and forty nine and a half pounds after melting. 

A gold nugget was found date not given near Kelsey El Dorado county which sold for $4,700. 

 In 1876 J D Colgrove, of Dutch Flat Placer county found a white quartz boulder in the Polar Star hydraulic mine which contained $5,760 worth of gold. 

 It has been reported that a nugget of pure I gold was found in the middle fork of the American river two miles from Michigan Bluffs in the year l864 which weighed twenty two ounces and was sold for $4,204. Another account or this nu get states that the weight was 187 ounces