John Thomas Moss facts for kids

John Thomas Moss (born March 4, 1839 – died April 11, 1880) was an American explorer, miner, and frontiersman. He discovered many new mining areas in what are now Arizona and Nevada. John Moss lived with and learned the languages of several Native American tribes. This helped him become a peacemaker between American miners and local Native Americans in the Southwestern United States.

Early Adventures

John T. Moss was born in Utica, New York on March 4, 1839. His family later moved west to Iowa. In 1857, when he was about 18, he left his family to travel for two years. During this time, he worked as a fur trapper and even rode for the famous Pony Express.

He spent time living with different Native American tribes. These included the Paiute in Utah and the Hopi, Yavapai, Mohave, and Pima in Arizona. He learned their languages and customs. For a short time, he also worked as a scout for the Army at Fort Mohave.

Moss once claimed a very daring adventure. He said that in April 1861, he floated alone down the Colorado River on a raft. He stated he traveled from Lees Ferry through the amazing Grand Canyon all the way to Fort Mohave. However, no one else saw him do this, so his claim was never confirmed.

Discovering Gold and Silver

In 1861, John Moss became very successful at finding valuable silver. He discovered rich silver deposits in El Dorado Canyon in Nevada. This area was on the west side of the Colorado River, near Fort Mohave. There, he explored and claimed land for mines like the Techatticup Mine and the Queen City Mine. This area later became known as the Colorado Mining District. Moss quickly traveled to San Francisco to share news of his discovery. He sold his claims to wealthy investors, including George Hearst, making a large profit.

In 1862, he found the Moss Mine on the east side of the Colorado River. This was about 9 miles from Fort Mohave. This area became part of the San Francisco Mining District (Arizona) in 1863. From a small area, he dug out an estimated $250,000 worth of gold. He then went to San Francisco again. He claimed his mine was the biggest gold discovery ever, even better than the famous Comstock Lode. He said the gold ore was incredibly rich and stretched for miles. He sold this claim for $30,000 to a company called Philadelphia Ophir.

Later in 1863, Moss explored the Hualapai Mountains. He helped set up the Wauba Yuma Mining District there. This district was named after his friend, the Hualapai chief Wauba Yuma.

Working for Peace

John Moss wanted to help Native American tribes. He tried to get a job as an Indian Agent for the new Colorado River Indian Reservation. To do this, he took two important chiefs, Irataba of the Mohave and Antonio Azul of the Pima, on a long journey. In early 1864, they traveled by sea from San Francisco, through Panama, to New York City. From there, they went to Washington, D.C.. They returned in June, and Moss went back to Washington the next year. However, he did not get the job.

More Mining Adventures

For a while, John Moss searched for minerals in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. He then walked across the Mojave Desert. In 1871, he visited his family in Iowa. After that, he returned to the desert areas of San Bernardino County, California to prospect again. He was also briefly involved, without knowing it, in the famous diamond hoax of 1872.

In 1873, Moss moved to help open the San Juan Mountains mining region in southwest Colorado. He helped establish a town called Parrott City in La Plata County, Colorado. The town was named after one of his financial supporters from San Francisco. In September 1874, he guided the photographer William Henry Jackson to the ancient cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park.

In 1875, John Moss married Alida Olson. Their wedding was the first marriage in La Plata County. He was also elected to represent his county in the state legislature. After this, he returned to San Francisco.

Later Life and Death

John Thomas Moss died in San Francisco on April 11, 1880. His death was caused by problems from a gunshot wound he had received earlier in Southern California.