William Cruikshank Sr. (c. 1830-?) was among the earliest miners in the Los Burros Mining District.
PIONEER MINER: Arrived in the Los Burros area by the mid-1870s. He kept the first mining records for the district, with entries dating from 1875 - the earliest official records of mining activity in Los Burros.
SETTLEMENT: Settled at Gorda on the Big Sur coast, where he raised his family including son William D. “Willey” Cruikshank who would discover the famous Last Chance Mine.
MILL OPERATION: In 1886, was among three miners (with Sam Pugh and Clay Dodge) who had stamp mills shipped from San Francisco. The mills were unloaded at the Old Landing off Point Gorda and hauled by sled over the rugged terrain to Los Burros.
MINING CLAIMS: Worked various claims in the district before official records were established. His early presence helped open up the area to the mining boom that followed.
Married: Mrs. William Cruikshank Sr.
Children: William D. "Willey" Cruikshank · Emily Cruikshank
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