And on dark nights in the late Fall it's said his spirit still wanders the canyons of the Owyhee hunting for his lost gold. Here's a succinct account of the VanOrnam/Utter Massacre: http://columbia.washingtonhistory.org/magazine/articles/1987/0187/0187-a3.aspx I've never figured out which line this group was, although the accompanying Utter and Chase families suggest it somehow connects to Isaac (1704) Van Arnam's family. I think my aunt was a little disappointed when I told her we weren't descended from cannibals. --pete ----- Original Message ----- From: "Susan Claggett" <claimtofame@claggett6.com> To: <vannorman@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, May 02, 2010 12:24 AM Subject: [VANNORMAN] Mark VanOrman's buried strong box > In August of 1860 a group of eight wagons led by Mark Vanorman left Fort > Hall in what is now eastern Idaho under military escort. The fifty four > immigrants were following the Oregon Trail west planning to make a new > life > in the Willamette Valley. They had brought what possessions they could > carry > and enough gold to buy land when they arrived. The gold had been entrusted > to their wagonmaster and was kept in a strongbox. It is believed that > there > was more than $10,000 in gold coin within the chest. > Meeting no resistance, the military escort decided that it was no longer > needed and soon returned to the fort leaving only a handful of soldiers to > guard the pioneers. All went well for two weeks until a band of Snake > Indians attacked them just south of present day Adrian in eastern Oregon > near the Snake River. Nineteen people were killed in the attack. The rest > were forced to abandon their wagons and flee for their lives. While some > of > the men rode for help the other survivors, including Vanorman, made their > way to the Snake River. What little food they had managed to secure was > soon > gone and they were starving as they worked their way along the Snake until > they reached the mouth of the Owyhee River. Here they decided to make camp > until help arrived. > > Initially an Indian hunting party provided the victims with food but an > unfortunate comment turned the Indians against them and they raided the > camp > taking all the remaining guns and ammunition. Vanorman decided that they > had > better move on. Most of the remaining party were too weak and refused to > go. > Vanorman took his family and those able enough to travel and headed north > up > the Snake River. They made it as far as the mouth of the Burnt River where > they were massacred. > > Forty five days after the first attack the soldiers finally arrived at the > Owyhee camp. Twenty one people had died of starvation. The remainder had > resorted to cannibalism to stay alive. Only fifteen of the original fifty > four immigrants survived. > > Okay, so what happened to the gold? Well, months later, in Vanorman's > belongings, a letter was found. In the letter, he described the events > that > had occured and also what had happened to the strongbox. Apparently he had > managed to salvage the gold as they were forced from their wagons during > the > attack. The weak and starving survivors carried the cumbersome box with > them > until they reached the Owyhee River camp. When Vanorman and his family > left > the camp, he took the chest across the Owyhee and buried it on the north > side of the river. He etched his initials into a nearby rock as a marker. > The survivors at the camp must not have known what he had done. > > The lady who received the Vanorman's possessions simply filed the letter > away. It was not rediscovered until her death many years later. This is > not > a well known story and there is no record of the gold ever being found. If > you ever find yourself on the north side of the mouth of the Owyhee River > it > might pay to keep an eye open for the initials M. V. carved in a rock. > > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > VANNORMAN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >

Thank you both for sharing. I think I'll take a trip out west and look for the rock! In searching Ancestory.com on Macias Family Tree "jmjustjan" has traced Alexis Van Ornum 1813 – 1860 AND Zacheus Van Ornum 1828 – 1910 (and other family members). Maybe this helps. Arlene Macias Family Tree Jan Derryckssen Birth abt 1593 Dirck Janse VanArnhem (1616-) Jan Dirckszen VanArnhem Birth 13 Oct 1640 Jan Jansz Van Aernam Birth 4 Jun 1671 in New City, Rockland, New York, USA Isaac Jan VanAernam Birth 7 May 1704 Albany, Albany, New York, United States Luykas Van Aarnum Birth 1738-08 in Athens,,New York,USA Hendrick Van Ornum Birth 1769 in Rensselaer, NY Henry Van Ornum Birth 10 JAN 1791 in NY HENRY IS THE FATHER OF Alexis Van Ornum 1813 – 1860 AND Zacheus Van Ornum 1828 – 1910> From: gonigam@hotmail.com > To: vannorman@rootsweb.com > Date: Sun, 2 May 2010 06:25:12 -0500 > Subject: Re: [VANNORMAN] Mark VanOrman's buried strong box > > And on dark nights in the late Fall it's said his spirit still wanders the > canyons of > the Owyhee hunting for his lost gold. > > Here's a succinct account of the VanOrnam/Utter Massacre: > http://columbia.washingtonhistory.org/magazine/articles/1987/0187/0187-a3.aspx > > I've never figured out which line this group was, although the accompanying > Utter and Chase families suggest it somehow connects to Isaac (1704) > Van Arnam's family. > > I think my aunt was a little disappointed when I told her we weren't > descended > from cannibals. > > --pete > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Susan Claggett" <claimtofame@claggett6.com> > To: <vannorman@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Sunday, May 02, 2010 12:24 AM > Subject: [VANNORMAN] Mark VanOrman's buried strong box > > > > In August of 1860 a group of eight wagons led by Mark Vanorman left Fort > > Hall in what is now eastern Idaho under military escort. The fifty four > > immigrants were following the Oregon Trail west planning to make a new > > life > > in the Willamette Valley. They had brought what possessions they could > > carry > > and enough gold to buy land when they arrived. The gold had been entrusted > > to their wagonmaster and was kept in a strongbox. It is believed that > > there > > was more than $10,000 in gold coin within the chest. > > Meeting no resistance, the military escort decided that it was no longer > > needed and soon returned to the fort leaving only a handful of soldiers to > > guard the pioneers. All went well for two weeks until a band of Snake > > Indians attacked them just south of present day Adrian in eastern Oregon > > near the Snake River. Nineteen people were killed in the attack. The rest > > were forced to abandon their wagons and flee for their lives. While some > > of > > the men rode for help the other survivors, including Vanorman, made their > > way to the Snake River. What little food they had managed to secure was > > soon > > gone and they were starving as they worked their way along the Snake until > > they reached the mouth of the Owyhee River. Here they decided to make camp > > until help arrived. > > > > Initially an Indian hunting party provided the victims with food but an > > unfortunate comment turned the Indians against them and they raided the > > camp > > taking all the remaining guns and ammunition. Vanorman decided that they > > had > > better move on. Most of the remaining party were too weak and refused to > > go. > > Vanorman took his family and those able enough to travel and headed north > > up > > the Snake River. They made it as far as the mouth of the Burnt River where > > they were massacred. > > > > Forty five days after the first attack the soldiers finally arrived at the > > Owyhee camp. Twenty one people had died of starvation. The remainder had > > resorted to cannibalism to stay alive. Only fifteen of the original fifty > > four immigrants survived. > > > > Okay, so what happened to the gold? Well, months later, in Vanorman's > > belongings, a letter was found. In the letter, he described the events > > that > > had occured and also what had happened to the strongbox. Apparently he had > > managed to salvage the gold as they were forced from their wagons during > > the > > attack. The weak and starving survivors carried the cumbersome box with > > them > > until they reached the Owyhee River camp. When Vanorman and his family > > left > > the camp, he took the chest across the Owyhee and buried it on the north > > side of the river. He etched his initials into a nearby rock as a marker. > > The survivors at the camp must not have known what he had done. > > > > The lady who received the Vanorman's possessions simply filed the letter > > away. It was not rediscovered until her death many years later. This is > > not > > a well known story and there is no record of the gold ever being found. If > > you ever find yourself on the north side of the mouth of the Owyhee River > > it > > might pay to keep an eye open for the initials M. V. carved in a rock. > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > > VANNORMAN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to VANNORMAN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message _________________________________________________________________ The New Busy is not the too busy. Combine all your e-mail accounts with Hotmail. http://www.windowslive.com/campaign/thenewbusy?tile=multiaccount&ocid=PID28326::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WM_HMP:042010_4