Bob There are several posts on Delos W. Colby and his family on the Colby board starting with this post: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/message/an/surnames.colby/366 Ron ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob Colby" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, January 15, 2006 9:35 AM Subject: [COLBY] Gold Rush Colbys? Delos COLBY? Regarding my last post, it peaked my interest in any Colbys that were part of the California gold rush. A Google and Ancestry search shows the following. Any idea where Delos Colby fits? 1910 United States Federal Census Recordinfo about Delos W Colby Name: Delos W Colby Age in 1910: 59 Estimated birth year: abt 1851 Birthplace: Michigan Home in 1910: Pasadena Twp, Los Angeles, California Neighbors: View Results Race: White Gender: Male The Monte Cristo Gold Mine as it is known today first came to light during the Big Tujunga gold excitement of the late 1880's. Just who the prospectors were who located the gold-bearing veins and began the mine is not known. Delos Colby, owner of the Colby ranch on Coldwater Creek, reconstructed the story as he knew it: "When I first came to these mountains about 24 years ago (1891), the Monte Cristo was being worked by Spanish people. They carried the ore up to a crusher driven by a large water wheel. When they left, I tore the water wheel down and carried some of the timber to my ranch.' Colby's story of the large water wheel gains in interest when compared with an article that appeared in the Los Angeles Semi-Weekly News for January 4, 1867: A new mining district north of the Tehungo ( probably referring to Tujunga)and east of the Soledad district has been formed. Gold bearing quartz of great richness has been discovered..Four large arrastres will be in operation in a few days. A water wheel 60 feet in diameter is being erected for the purpose of drawing a twenty-stamp mill. According to some of the old timers, the paper was describing the beginnings of the Monte Cristo Gold Mine http://www.encyberpedia.com/gold.htm HISTORY ALONG THE WAY By Eleanor T. Opid July 10th 1971 When you travel the Angeles Forest-Angeles Crest Highway thru the San Gabriel Mountains - on your way to the densely populated "mountains to the sea" on the other side DO you sometimes wonder about the history along the way. From the Mill Creek Saddle, not too far from the present picnic area, the old trail left to climb up and over Mt. Pacifico there to descend to the beautiful Loomis Ranch located at the head of Alder Creek which farther down emptied into the Big TuJunga Stream. Back in 1911 Captain and Mrs. Lester Loomis homesteaded there. Their's was a place that radiated warmth and friendliness to all who were privileged to be guests or merely pass thru. The Colby sign directs to a wonderful Church Camp operated by the Southwest Conference of the Methodist Church. "Colby Ranch" was homesteaded by Delos and Lillie Colby back in 1891. A beautiful spot near the base of Strawberry Peak where forest and springs of cold water gave abundant supply. Apples and cherries grew for home use and to pack out for sale - no roads, only trails. Colby's was a favorite stop-over spot for fishermen and hunters (open territory then) who frequented the Big TuJunga. Building materials and store foods were animal packed in - first from Acton and later from Pasadena via the Arroyo Seco. http://www.palmdalelibrary.org/history/pg_85.shtml Bob Colby ==== COLBY Mailing List ==== Ronald Colby's home page: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~colby/colbyfam/ ============================== New! Family Tree Maker 2005. Build your tree and search for your ancestors at the same time. Share your tree with family and friends. Learn more: http://landing.ancestry.com/familytreemaker/2005/tour.aspx?sourceid=14599&targetid=5429