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KELLY, Thomas: Difference between revisions
(New page: KELLY, Thomas. (King's County, Ireland, 1808--Dubuque, IA, May I5, 1867). Secretive miser. Kelly may have hidden a fortune of GOLD in the bluffs behind SAINT RAPHAEL'S CATHEDRAL. Kelly...) |
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KELLY, Thomas. (King's County, Ireland, 1808--Dubuque, IA, May I5, 1867). Secretive miser. Kelly may have hidden a fortune of GOLD in the bluffs behind [[SAINT RAPHAEL'S CATHEDRAL]]. Kelly, hearing of the fortunes made in [[LEAD MINING]], came to East Dubuque in 1832. Secretive even in those days, he would buy and load a barge with his ore and float with it to St. Louis where everything would be sold. Kelly returned to Dubuque by steamboat. | KELLY, Thomas. (King's County, Ireland, 1808--Dubuque, IA, May I5, 1867). Secretive miser. Kelly may have hidden a fortune of [[GOLD]] in the bluffs behind [[SAINT RAPHAEL'S CATHEDRAL]]. Kelly, hearing of the fortunes made in [[LEAD MINING]], came to East Dubuque in 1832. Secretive even in those days, he would buy and load a barge with his ore and float with it to St. Louis where everything would be sold. Kelly returned to Dubuque by steamboat. | ||
It is believed Kelly shot and killed a man in New York and then escaped from an asylum to return to Dubuque in 1854. He operated a mine on the bluff now bearing his name and made enough money to bring his relatives from Canada to Dubuque. In 1837 he built his own smelting furnace. | It is believed Kelly shot and killed a man in New York and then escaped from an asylum to return to Dubuque in 1854. He operated a mine on the bluff now bearing his name and made enough money to bring his relatives from Canada to Dubuque. In 1837 he built his own smelting furnace. | ||
Kelly died without a will, but left a note saying that if people wanted his gold they could look for it. His estate was estimated to be worth between $50,000 and $200,000. Kelly's wealth may be buried in an iron chest he had made just before his death. Three caches of gold have been found. A boy found $1,200 in gold, a man discovered $1,800, and two boys in 1900 uncovered a small iron chest with $10,000 in eagle and double eagle gold coins. | Kelly died without a will, but left a note saying that if people wanted his gold they could look for it. His estate was estimated to be worth between $50,000 and $200,000. Kelly's wealth may be buried in an iron chest he had made just before his death. Three caches of gold have been found. A boy found $1,200 in gold, a man discovered $1,800, and two boys in 1900 uncovered a small iron chest with $10,000 in eagle and double eagle gold coins. | ||
Revision as of 01:00, 23 July 2008
KELLY, Thomas. (King's County, Ireland, 1808--Dubuque, IA, May I5, 1867). Secretive miser. Kelly may have hidden a fortune of GOLD in the bluffs behind SAINT RAPHAEL'S CATHEDRAL. Kelly, hearing of the fortunes made in LEAD MINING, came to East Dubuque in 1832. Secretive even in those days, he would buy and load a barge with his ore and float with it to St. Louis where everything would be sold. Kelly returned to Dubuque by steamboat.
It is believed Kelly shot and killed a man in New York and then escaped from an asylum to return to Dubuque in 1854. He operated a mine on the bluff now bearing his name and made enough money to bring his relatives from Canada to Dubuque. In 1837 he built his own smelting furnace.
Kelly died without a will, but left a note saying that if people wanted his gold they could look for it. His estate was estimated to be worth between $50,000 and $200,000. Kelly's wealth may be buried in an iron chest he had made just before his death. Three caches of gold have been found. A boy found $1,200 in gold, a man discovered $1,800, and two boys in 1900 uncovered a small iron chest with $10,000 in eagle and double eagle gold coins.