A mining district is not holes in a hill; it is the people who came for them.
These are the families the archive keeps — and the miners, recorders,
postmasters, and neighbors woven through the claims. Relationships are drawn
only from the sources, never from a shared surname alone.
Plaskett
Also spelled: Plasket, Plaskitt, Plaskette, Plascett
Pacific Valley ranchers a few ridges west of the district. Held the Plaskett Ridge claims (Western Star, Ocean View, Lilac, Blackberry, Hollyberry, Red Spider) and built the water-powered arrastra on Plaskett Creek; carried the mail that tied the district's families together.
William Lucas Plaskett · Byron Gianavil Plaskett · Leonidas Hamlin Plaskett · Reason Alpha Plaskett · Francis Marion Plaskett · Dudley Plaskett · Edward Abbott Plaskett · Lawson Plaskett
Claims
Western Star Mine, Ocean View Mine, Lilac Mine, Blackberry Mine, Hollyberry Claim, Red Spider Claim, Plaskett Creek Arrastra
Cruikshank
Also spelled: Cruickshank
Villa Creek homesteaders (from Calaveras County, early 1870s). William Cruikshank Sr. kept the district's first mining records (1875); son Willey discovered the Last Chance in 1887.
William Cruikshank Sr. · William D. "Willey" Cruikshank · John D. Cruikshank
Claims
Last Chance Mine (Buclimo), New York Mine
Krenkel
Also spelled: Krinkle, Krenkle, Krinkel
Jim Krenkel partnered on the Last Chance and became the district's official recorder; the Krenkel home (bought from Judge Gag) remained the one continuously occupied place after the town died. Margaret 'Mother Krenkel' became the district's practical nurse.
James M. Krenkel · Margaret Voss Krenkel
Claims
Last Chance Mine (Buclimo), Protection Claim, Oregon Claim
Melville
Henry Melville came for the Los Burros gold and worked the Melville, Buffalo, and (1932) Redwood claims with his sons; the family kept the mines and a blacksmith shop at Los Burros for decades.
Henry Melville
Claims
Melville Mine, Buffalo Mine, Redwood Claim
John Bushnell
Miner
Located the Queen Hattie claims (~1910) and the Green Gold Claim on Dogvine; leased and worked the Plaskett Bros. claims.
Queen HattieGreen Gold ClaimOcean View Mine
Prospector, miner
Discovered the Last Chance Mine (the district's first paying mine) in 1887, setting off the rush that built Manchester. Later held the New York Mine across the canyon.
Last Chance Mine (Buclimo)New York Mine
Willey Cruikshank's cousin and sole surviving relative; inherited what little Willey left. Married Augusta Stringle, Willey's second fiancee.
Saloon keeper, miner
Kept a Manchester saloon (photographed in the archive); a 'Davis mine' on Plaskett Ridge appears in the Pacific Valley claims list.
Davis Mine
Clay Dodge
Miner
Had a claim at the head of Alder Creek; one of three men who received mills landed at Point Gorda in 1886.
Pete Gillis
Postmaster, saloon keeper
First postmaster of the Mansfield/Manchester post office; ran the last surviving saloon (a two-story frame house with a dance hall above) into the ghost-town years.
Miner, official district recorder
Willey Cruikshank's partner in the Last Chance; one of the 1887 sellers to the Buclimo partners. Worked his own claims, the Protection and the Oregon. Official Los Burros district recorder after Judge Gag.
Last Chance Mine (Buclimo)Protection ClaimOregon Claim
Homemaker, practical nurse, cook
Arrived at Los Burros in 1902 as Jim Krenkel's bride when the district was already a ghost town; became its practical nurse and a coast legend.
Last Chance Mine (Buclimo)
Miner, hotelkeeper
Located the Melville and Buffalo mines and lesser claims; kept annual assessment work; located the Redwood Claim on his last trip in 1932.
Melville MineBuffalo MineRedwood Claim
Miner
Held the family's district claims; the Ocean View, Lilac, and Blackberry (Plaskett Bros. Mining Co.) passed to L.M. Plaskett in 1912. 'Lonny Field' on the old mail trail is named for him.
Ocean View MineLilac MineBlackberry Mine
Miner
With brother Marion, discovered and worked the Western Star, the first mine on Plaskett Ridge; hauled ore by mule sled to their father's arrastra.
Western Star Mine
Miner
Co-discoverer of the Western Star; located the Hollyberry claim on Plaskett Creek and worked it with a water-powered arrastra.
Western Star MineHollyberry Claim
Patriarch, rancher, miner
Built the water-powered arrastra on Plaskett Creek about 1885 to grind his sons' Western Star ore. Earlier mined in Nevada (the 'twelve feet from the Comstock' legend) and the Kings River /...
Plaskett Creek Arrastra
Miner
Son of Byron; in May 1911 found gold nuggets at the mouth of Plaskett Creek and traced them to a landslide, locating the Ocean View claim.
Ocean View Mine
Mail carrier, rancher
Carried the mail through the diggings so punctually neighbors set their watches by him; connected the district's families along the Gorda-Jolon route.
Miner, mail carrier
Located the Blackberry claim alongside his brothers' Ocean View and Lilac; rode the mail route after his father.
Blackberry Mine
Lawson Plaskett
Miner, mail carrier
Located the Lilac claim; rode the mail route; spoke (when drinking) of imminent gold or jade wealth.
Lilac Mine
Sam Pugh
Miner
Son of James P. Pugh; located the Grizzly and Ajax mines; partner of Arthur Lazier; one of three men who took mills landed at Point Gorda in 1886.
Grizzly MineAjax Mine
Homesteader, district mining recorder
Kept the district's first mining records, dated 1875. Brought his family from Calaveras County to Villa Creek in the early 1870s.