Show romance of the comstock i discoverer s grave is s found the grave of henry comstock whose name the worlds most famous bonanza mining lode bears and who died a despondent poverty stricken suicide at bozeman mont in 1870 was accidentally located and later marked by a wooden head board a number of years ago by a former resident of virginia city nevada ac according cordin to an article in a recent issue of the virginia city chronicle although this wonder lode bears Com stocks name the real discoverers of the lode were two brothers hosea and ethan allen alien grosh who first came into the district in 1853 but it was not until a second visit in 1856 that they found the vein and determined its high values both met tragic deaths in 1858 however and did not live to enjoy the fruits of their discoveries the first bonanza was opened on the slope of mount davidson then known as sun peak in may 1859 by two miners patrick mclaughlin and peter oreilly and it was from them that comstock through laying claim to the ground upon which they were working forced the concession of an interest in their locations the chronicle in telling of the finding of Com stocks grave says J H joe francis a former well known resident of the comstock now residing at eureka humboldt county california has been spending the past few days in this city renewing old acquaintances and looking over old scenes mr francis left virginia city twenty eight years ago and this is his first visit to the camp in that length of ame he is a painter by occupation cu pation and is in business at eureka mr francis after leaving this city was located for eight years at bozeman mont ninety six miles easterly of butte city and relates an n interesting story of finding the grave at that place of henry comstock one of the discoverers of the comstock and for whom the lode was wa named soon after reaching that town he made the acquaintance of two old residents who upon learning he was from virginia city nevada informed him that they had buried henry comstock discoverer of the comstock Comp tock mines they took him to the grave of this famous character chara ctr of comstock romance and history which was entirely unmarked except by a stake and located in a cemetery where pioneers and indian fighters were buried near early day forts built as a protection against the indians mr francis then and there got busy and being a painter made and lettered a head board for the grave having in his possession on his trip here a photograph of the grave and marker the latter being in scribed ascribed as follows in memory of henry page thomas comstock discoverer of the famous comstock lode story county nevada died at bozeman september 7 1870 aged 50 years the old photograph although over nineteen years old is remarkably clear ard as far as known is the only one in existence showing the burial place of the man whose name is word wide known through the greatest of all mining camps but who himself died in a strange land practically penniless and ri endless mr francis stated that the man who buried henry comstock was known as joe T andley in dley a grand army veteran and the latter told of the day that comstock arrived at bozeman from virginia city montana with two burros and prospectors outfit he complained of not having laen een treated well at his former stopping place and was in a despondent spon dent mood apparently having been drinking heavily soon after his arrival it is related by the old timers he went to a vacant lot and ended his life by shooting the information imparted by mr francis as to the last days of henry comstock and his burial place is particularly interesting at this time with a vast mining revival now beng projected and rapidly dv developed eloped at the south end of the comstock lode and part of which is upon the ider ical ground located by henry comstock and associates in the spring of 1859 much information regarding henry comstock and his career was gathered some years ago by the state librarian of montana according to mr francis arl is now filed away at the library at helena if it is possible copies will be made of the photograph of Com stocks grave to ite be presented to the nevada historical society |