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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Stouts fire sends smoke into Rogue Valley, still threatens Douglas County homes ... Air quality suffers as smoke floods Rogue Valley; evacuations ordered in Azalea ... Staging a life's work ... Stouts fire sends smoke into Rogue Valley, still threatens Douglas County homes ... Air quality suffers as smoke floods Rogue Valley; evacuations ordered in Azalea ... Staging a life's work ... Mail Tribune 100, April 5, 1915 The following news item was drawn from the archives of the Mail Tribune 100 years ago. Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Apr. 5, 2015 at 12:01 AM Posted Apr. 5, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News April 5, 1915 ASHLAND, April 5 — James Thornton , Ashland resident and one of the few remaining pioneers of this section, grew reminiscent on April 1, while recalling events of the olden days, and brought to mind that it was just 64 years from that date when he assisted in the first march for placer gold at the diggings on the spot where the city of Yreka, in Siskiyou County, Calif., now stands. There was no settlement there then, almost the entire country being a wilderness, although another party of miners were working at Scott's Bar some distance away. This was in 1851. The Thornton party consisted of 22 men, organized in Yamhill County, Oregon, who got the gold fever and started south on Feb. 11 of that year. They got as far as Dunsmuir, and were compelled to turn back on account of deep snow and stress of weather. the party packed into the wilderness with an average of two animals apiece. While near the site of where Yreka now stands, they prospcted for the yellow metal, and found it in paying streaks, though no attempt was made to mine systematically to bedrock, they simply mined the surface. As Mr. Thornton remembers it, no name was given to this original camp. In the course of three months, the water supply giving out, the party returned to Oregon, various members of the expedition having cleaned up about $1,000 apiece. Of the original party, six were intimate companions, and had come to Oregon from Louisa County, Iowa, in the spring of 1850. They were Jacob Wagner, James and John Thornton, Charles Hendricks, Humphrey Long and a German named Henry Van Asalt. The late Albert Rockfellow was also a member of the initial party, but he left them at a point now within the boundaries of the state of Nebraska, preferring to join an expedition direct to California instead of coming to Oregon. All of these men have passed away with the exception of James Thornton. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Apr. 5, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501