United States no choice but to pursue his arrest. By 1810, their successful smuggling operation had been supplemented with piracy. Have a crack at it guys. The mud is deep on the bottom, and just as A nearby lake fed by the Sabine River also caught their attention, since the silver might have been transported there by the current. Some of them do have people who can corroborate the stories. did use the words "think" before that. It's incredible to think that just under the peaceful water lurks enough treasure to change your life! knowledge (or educated guess) of Lafitte being the best privateer around, United This article provides images of newspapers from 1921, and one column in particular that talks about Lafittes treasure. Anahuac Jack feels certain that evidence will show that the boat belonged to Lafitte. Beyond Oak Island: The search for stolen pirate silver in NOWHERE BUT TEXAS: SEARCHING FOR JEAN LAFITTE'S TREASURE ON GALVESTON ISLAND Jean Lafitte was born in 1780 and Laffite approached them and was granted a commission and given command over a 43-ton schooner named General Santander. http://www.texasescapes.com/DEPARTMENTS/Letters/LettersToEditorDecember2001.htm, THE Random Chat Thread - AKA "The RCT" - No shirt or shoes required - Open 24 / 7, Metal Detectorists Ordered To Repay 1.2 Million Between Them 'Immediately'. Even the location and date of his birth varies on the document or biography at hand. Texas is full of buried bootyor, to be a bit more accurate, full of stories about buried booty that no one has been able to find. You will see it gets its name from the treasure being buried there. About 229 treasure sites are spread across the Lone Star State, and some are even accessible to the public with permission from the landowners. He shows Rick and Marty the 1957 Jean Some of the loot has been recovered, but the rest of these hidden treasures in Texas have mysteriously disappeared. Bass allegedly marked the spot with a rock in the fork of a tree, according to Lone Star Treasure. Hispanic conquistadors reportedly hid a massive cache of gold and jewels in a mine shaft It's apparently a large wreck and about the right size and shape for a Lafitte vessel.". Texas is estimated to have $340 million in buried treasure, more than any other state in the U.S., according to TexasHillCountry.com. wagons to be pushed down an embankment and into a lake. Okay, that was a really bad joke. Both of them had consulted with Harry Rieseberg, the self-described worlds greatest underwater treasure hunter who had written articles about the legend in treasure magazines of the time. An historian named Herbert Bolton, using the original journals of the Mexicans from the eighteenth century, found what is now known as the Boyd shaft on Honey Creek. They used 10-foot poles to outline the vessel, which measured roughly 75 feet by 35 feet, news reports stated. Some of the add-ons on this site are powered by. he was in his early twenties. "Lafitte provided the perfect subject for the first American Gothic romance novel that came out in 1836, entitled 'Lafitte, the Pirate,' " said Robert Vogel, an archaeologist from St. Paul, Minn. Vogel has studied Lafitte for 25 years and has written many articles about him in academic journals. Just another myth? According to legend, Singer hid the money he found in a large sand dune that he called Money Hill. But as fate would have it, he and his family had to abandon their Texas home during the Civil War because they were considered Union sympathizers. If anyone has heared or knows any more info please let me know. ingots were in transport, but the Spanish had set a trap. Treasure chest worth $1 million hidden in Rocky Mountains finally found. Supposedly, it still lies buried beneath the dirt. that will never end. Orleanshe did not disappoint. treasure of Jean Lafitte. Christian Well, according to a story by Mary Rogers of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, there is evidence that in the early 1800s the theft did happen and that Jean Lafittes men, afraid that they were about to be ambushed, pushed several wagons loaded with silver ingots into the muddy waters. most well-known buried treasure mystery still to this day is the unfound NOWHERE BUT TEXAS: SEARCHING FOR JEAN LAFITTES TREASURE ON GALVESTON ISLAND Jean Lafitte was born in 1780 and died in 1823. They lowered another contraption through the pipe to the lake floor. George Ward asks Jenny Kile Six Questions! In 1909 members of the United States Geological Survey visited the site, which they described as being unproductive. This caused the Back in the 1580s, Spanish conquistadors and priests often passed beneath the peaks of the Franklins on their way to New Mexico to colonize the Indian villages. . the Texas Gulf Coast. chagrin of the locals that helped drain the swamp, there was no trace of the In the 1830s, Roach abandoned his wife and two children and may also have left a boat on the lake, Epperson says. But a giant storm hit the area, destroying the raft and washing away all the evidence. Although $25,000 worth of coins and jewelry have been accounted for, no one knows where the rest of the loot went, and Collins and Bass were killed before they revealed anything. The show starts with the Lagina brothers, Rick and Marty, sharing how their search on Oak Island opened them up to a world full of mysteries and lost treasures to explore. The stairs run beside it. hill on the Lakes side, the scans show some promising images. The Lost Padre Mine Somewhere in the Franklin Mountains overlooking the Rio Grande River in El Paso County is the Lost Padre Mine. He was a French pirate and privateer. Over the years there have been many who made a minimal effort or spent a little time at the lake only to discover that the conditions were too difficult and they had neither the time nor the money for such an undertaking. An estimated $340 million., And as I write, the treasure hunters are out there, hunting, hunting, and hunting. We report on vital issues from politics to education and are the indispensable authority on the Texas scene, covering everything from music to cultural events with insightful recommendations. Louisiana is not exclusive to rumors of the treasures whereabouts too, as Even though any treasure would most likely have been stripped from the vessel after it foundered, information on the ship's construction and artifacts such as tools and cannons could prove valuable, he said. That was more of his commerce center, again where he exchanged merchandise for coin. Lots of glass also. Did the infamous privateer Jean Laffite steal a $2 million fortune in silver from a Spanish galleon and bury it in the Sabine River near the East Texas town Sabine? Numerous springs within and around the lake keep it filled. During 1957 and 1958 the most significant attempts to locate the treasure took place at the lake. I determined that there were maybe five that might have contained some sort of treasure. I don't know about that if the government wanted to dig, they would. Jean Laffite Those looking for Gold, Diamonds, Jewelry etc wont find it. My grandfathers mother lived next to his mother and we were told of the storys on where some was at. Could it be Then I did a litlle research and found this. It was also the location that US Forces attacked, causing his band to make a hasty retreat. Stories of years later! Peter Walker Adams lived in one of the houses on the hill near the lake and figured prominently in many of the newspaper stories. scrambling to find answers. He sold those at his location The Temple. The money that he sold them for was Spanish Coin, Reales usually in 2,4,8 denominations, minted in Mexico. According to a story by Mary Roger of the Fort Worth Star Telegram, the silver was indeed robbed from a galleon by Laffite and his mean in the early 19th century. Im ready to break out my metal detector! was born in France around the year 1780 and traveled to the United States when Fearing an ambush by Native Americans, they then decided to hide the treasure by pushing it into the muddy waters of the Sabine River. The Lost Treasure of Hendricks Lake The infamous pirate of the Gulf Jean Lafitte took a $2 million fortune in silver from a Spanish galleon and supposedly buried it in the Sabine River near the East Texas town of Sabine. Ten Notorious French Pirates My favorite part of the legend is that the Guadalupe Mission in El Paso was built in way so that the shadows of the mission point to the Lost Padre Mine. WebLaffite's Treasure Jean Laffite, the French pirate with an aristocratic air, and his confederates took millions in loot from ships in the Gulf of Mexico back in the early Not a bad location to camp, near the river. Check out some of these lesser-known places throughout the state: Natural wonders in Texas are perfect for those with an affinity for the great outdoors: Where are the most beautiful lakes in Texas? hunt presented by Christian, Rick and Marty offer to send Matty Blake down to Rumor has it that some of the money is hidden in Cove Hollow, near Denton. They know it. It seems like a plausible place for a notorious bandit to hide his loot, so we are inclined to believe it! The treasure is estimated to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Jean Lafitte, a one-time resident of Louisiana and privateer, is believed by some to have buried a large cache of treasure somewhere in the bayous of Louisiana. Other variations of the mystery say Lafitte buried the treasure in multiple locations along the Gulf Coast. that the treasure was on board one of Lafittes vessels and sank to the ocean Fort Worth Daily Gazette, October 3, 1884. My husband even traveled to Austin to talk to historian J. Frank Dobie about it.". hidden treasures have been told time and time again in childrens books, video Gary L. Pinkerton, Join the adventures in Beyond Oak Island- Tuesdays at 10PM and summaries and more in depth looks into the many stories of treasure, here at MW! Adams was a Rusk County backwoodsman who wears an old slouch felt hat, bib overalls, and a denim jacket, buttoned at the throat even in hot weather, and a favorite character of columnist Frank X. Tolbert for many of his Tolberts Texas articles over the years. Beyond Oak Island Summary of Episode 1: Pirate Alternate versions of that story have been documented since the 1880s, with variations including that the silver was from Santa Anna and the battle of San Jacinto and that the treasure was in a different location nearby. accessed May 01, 2023, Few besides him, who took part in the Battle of San Jacinto, are alive today. In Jean Lafitte's day, silver and gold filled a pirate's treasure chest, but today's treasures are people, places, and memories. Emily McCullar is a senior editor covering pop culture, news, and Texas history. Hendricks Lake is an oxbow lake one and one-half miles south of the Sabine River and about four miles northeast of Tatum in Rusk County, Texas (32.371864N, 94.493190W). The family thinks this could be a clue as to where the actual treasure is. Not that they're searching for it. A light came on when the probe hit metal. When you cross Bayou Des Allemands on Hwy 90, looking down the bayou to the south its a short ride to where the primary temple location was. If information about one of the last searchers had been documented and publicized it would likely have discouraged further similar attempts in the future. Probably inside the hidden stairs that went to the first floor of his mason rouge. States officials granted him legal authority to pirate and capture British But remember Lafittes black dogs are still around dont go a hunting unless you are prepared to suffer the consequences. Oil workers actually picked up readings that metal was to be found at the bottom of the lake. But obviously, it would be worth going out and taking a look. But I am humored by the following observations : 1) have you ever noticed that when these fabled treasures are discussed, that the past tense of the word "find" is invariably always used. Texas State Historical Association (TSHA) Also join us in the Facebook Group: Beyond Oak Island Treasures for more discussions. Search for buried booty in Texas treasure hunt - KSAT North of Tatum, in the middle of the woods, lies Hendricks Lake. Markers are dropped, and divers are sent down. and its inlets. "There was not a lot of money during the Depression to do exploring," recalls Chambliss' wife, Tabitha, 84, who still lives in Anahuac. As a backup plan, they would supply all adjacent markets with fresh fish on ice. The Galveston Daily News made light of the effort by suggesting they move their operation to the Gulf of Mexico since a good deal of wealth has been left under its waters by shipwrecks. A week after that humiliation, Paul Tatum clubbed a man to death after he made fun of Tatums attempt to drain the lake. NOWHERE BUT TEXAS: SEARCHING FOR JEAN LAFITTE'S TREASURE ON GALVESTON ISLANDJean Lafitte was born in 1780 and died in1823. A lookout for alligators and venomous snakes is Charles Fitzhugh Grice had the technology needed to find Spanish silver if the treasure was there. He wants to use equipment and divers to map the spot, try to identify the date and type of vessel, and assess whether it warrants further exploration. Leave them blank to get signed up. Treasure The information comes from books and treasure hunting Web sites (the best of which are legendsofamerica.com and treasurefish.com). https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/hendricks-lake. The Santa Rosa was a Spanish ship located off the coast of Texas. ships as a last-ditch effort to gain an advantage in the pivotal Battle of New He fled New Orleans to Lake Pontchartrain. They say this inspired them to reach out to other treasure hunters and hear their stories. The stolen bounty was part of the Mexican payroll in 1836 and its allegedly buried 5 feet deep near the oak tree. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. His exact whereabouts after that If the rumors are true, Cove Hollow, near Denton is another Bass treasure location. The silver that Lafitte accumulated from selling captured slaves, cotton, and other goods was stored in wooden kegs or casks. There are many stories about famed pirate Jean Lafitte, but one places his lost buried treasure at the bottom of a lake right here in East Texas. When the Embargo Act of 1807 came into force, the Laffite brothers moved their business from New Orleans to an island in Barataria Bay, Louisiana. With the threat of imprisonment Bass is also tied to legends of treasure buried treasure in Burnet and Llano counties as well as Packsaddle Mountain, Lone Star Treasure reports. Packsaddle Mountain in eastern Llano County is another alleged Bass treasure location. He landed ships at Grand Terre and Cheniere, and then brought the merchandise to The Temple to be auctioned. The Rosa was carrying a treasure cargo of silver bars and gold nuggets. the naval operations and common routes of port ships in the Mississippi River Published by the Texas State Historical Association. It is this tale that Christian wants to follow up on. I grant you that in this case the O.P. Beyond Oak Island Summary of Episode 1: Pirate Treasures and the Search in Hendricks Lake for Jean Lafittes Lost Treasure. residents of Texas have claimed that the treasure was buried somewhere along national hero. By 1829, the mythical lost silver mine of San Saba began appearing on Austins maps of Texas. The basic story is that in 1816 silver stolen by pirate Jean Lafittes treasure Photo of Hendricks Lake, courtesy of Gary L. Pinkerton One particularly famous legend is that of Jean Lafittes treasure. Although the state owns the land and materials below the lake, it will coordinate its efforts with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which controls the surrounding property that is part of the Wallisville Reservoir project, he said. they might find something, a storm rolls in. Legendary French pirate Jean Lafitte and his crew were also known to troll the Gulf for booty at the time . 2023 National City and Regional Magazine Awards Finalists Announced, Texas Monthly Receives a Nod From the American Bar Association, HBO Max Releases Official Trailer for Love & Death, Step Aside, Perrys: This 30-Ounce Smoked Pork Chop Is Ready to Take the Crown, Love and Death in Silicon Prairie, Part I: Candy Montgomerys Affair, Willie Nelsons Son Lukas on Ancient Texts, Pearl Jam, and I Never Cared for You, I Biked the I-35 Hell Route From Austin to San Antonio So You Dont Have To, Texas-Style Pulled Pork Is Embarrassing, The Astrodomes Decline From Eighth Wonder to Eighth Blunder of the World, 15 Treasure-Filled Spots to Antique in Small-town Texas, Mosquito Hawks Are Flitting All Over Texas, Love and Death in Silicon Prairie, Part II: The Killing of Betty Gore, Matthew McConaughey Is Monetizing His Whole Vibe. They are convinced that booty galore is waiting to be found, J. Barto Arnold, the former marine archaeologist for the Texas Historical Commission, told me. Lafitte, a one-time resident of Louisiana and privateer, is believed by some to In Texas they still search for a great deposit of silver and gold that Lafitte is reputed to have abandoned there. On 4 February 1823, Laffite was onboard the General Santander off the town of Omoa in Honduras. Abilene Reporter-News, June 24, 1958. The lake is located in the extreme northeastern part of the county along the boundary between Rusk and Panola. It's okay, because we're here to bust them! As of 2019 much of the land surrounding the lake was in the permit area for the surface mining for lignite that covers thousands of acres. Eventually, the Mexicans unloaded the moneygold and silver coinsso they could make an escape. Subscribe to the Pelican State of Mind blog by providing your email below! They just might inspire you to become a treasure hunter and find some real adventure out there! ", This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, A family in Baytown, Texas tell their story. In 1884 treasure hunters were all over the Sabine and a nearby lake that had been fed by the Sabine. They send a probe down and it hit metal just before a giant storm hit, destroying the raft and any other evidence, according to OnlyInYourState.com. Jean Lafitte Treasure Found - TreasureNet The Original Having lived Clarksville Standard, August 29, 1884. He married Cecilia Taylor, daughter of frontiersman Anson Taylor, who lost three sons at the Alamo. One story even A man claiming to be Lafitte's grandson, John A. Lafitte of St. Joseph, Mo.. claimed an interest in the ship but would years later be proved a fake, Epperson said. unclear why Lafitte had to bury his treasure or even where he was last seen. At the age of 25, Jean Laffite was living in New Orleans, operating a warehouse essential to dispersing the goods smuggled by his brother Pierre. Other sites considered to contain Lafitte treasure are islands south of New Orleans and Galveston Island in Texas. Another legend has it that in 1595, Juan de Oate hid five silver bars, 4,336 gold ingots, nine burro loads of jewels, and four priceless Aztec codices (books or manuscripts) in the mine. games, shows, and moviesbut what if they werent made up just for the sake of After pinpointing the wreck, he plans to have divers dig up to 9 feet deep for artifacts that might date or identify the ship. They will haunt you in your dreams for making a The treasure already found was Spanish Silver, not Gold. But now Hoyt, the state marine archaeologist, wants to officially examine the site. Accompanying Bowie to Texas in 1830 were 109 enslaved workers, identified on the land grant as dependents. Long-lost pirate ship may lie in Texas lake / Historical treasure could be wreck of Jean Lafitte, Dubs fans picking apart video of possible Poole-Draymond incident, Bay Area mom influencer found guilty of lying about kidnapping, Destructive landslide closes historic California institution, Bay Area preschool teacher suspected of dumping body along road, More rain, 'unseasonably chilly' temperatures coming to Bay Area, Horoscope for Monday, 5/01/23 by Christopher Renstrom, 49ers out in full force at Warriors-Kings Game 7, Shock, fear as 2 killings in 3 days rock quiet Davis, Sold-out Berkeley crowd gets rowdy at country star's concert, 'Horrible': Oakland rapper dumps on Chase Center Warriors fans, Steph Curry killed off the Kings with a smile, Klay Thompson calls Warriors-Lakers series 'a dream come true'. In less than one year, Lafitte's small settlement grew to nearly 200 men and several women. Lafitte utilized Galveston Island as his private smuggling base. Think you can find some of the legendary hidden booty? He linked up with B.H. And where? Read More about Jean Laffites treasure in the Sabine River, USS Hatteras (formerly St. Mary) was a 1,126-ton steamer purchased by the Union Navy during the early part of the American Civil War. That set off a huge treasure hunting stampede. Get monthly email updates and the chance to win a prize. She was then forgotten for nearly 300 years. even tales that the treasure was not intentionally buried. Handbook of Texas Online, into these uncharted waters, we need to know more about who Lafitte was. But all the treasure hunters declared that I must be hiding the truth. . Most people wrote it off as another myth until a magazine History suggests there is a possibility that hidden treasuresgold coins, doubloons, precious jewelryare somewhere beneath the surface just waiting to be found! But why? And where? Louisianas most well-known buried treasure mystery still to this day is the unfound treasure of Jean Lafitte. More maps appeared showing various locations of a lost silver mine. Maybe well be writing about you and your discoveries in the future. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. treasure Ie. Despite intense efforts at dredging, detecting, diving, and dynamiting for Hendricks Lake treasure, the only thing that was reportedly found in the lake was the rim of an old wagon wheel. In late 1815, Lafitte agreed to act as spy for Spain, which was embroiled in the Mexican War of Independence. locations along the Gulf Coast. I was born and raised in East Texas. The first episode premiered on Tuesday November 17 at 10PM EST on the History Channel. Throughout Lafittes It also mentions reports of larger sums of the treasure being buried in the appropriately-named small town of Lafitte, Louisiana. Ever seen an oak tree with a carving of two eagle wings on it? I have spoken to people who have been out there, muddied around and felt portions with their bare feet. Keep in mind that the Lake was not there it there would be a river in its place. Galveston after his adventures in Louisiana. While at my favorite used book store some months ago I stumbled across a copy of a book that I read as a kid. Jean Laffite was a French pirate and privateer born circa 1780. 6. Could it be that there were multiple burial locations Lafitte eventually returned to smuggling at Galveston Island in Spanish Texas until he was forced out by the U.S. Navy in 1820. The treasure was hidden in the Rocky Mountains and clues to its location were included in a 2010 poem penned by Fenn called The Thrill of the Chase.. "I've always been interested in the site and had it in the back of my mind but been too busy on other projects.". WebPerhaps not coincidentally, this was the same area where his former slave trading colleague Jean Lafitte had once had his headquarters. because Lafittes treasure was thought to be underwater there. His treasure One of the men was found living in east Texas where he had bought a farm. Just let me know if you find anything so I can break the story first. Lafitte's men are said to have loaded the silver into wagons and given them to a trader named Nicholas Trammel to take to St. Louis. People claim that a $2 million fortune stolen from the Spanish by Jean Lafitte was buried in the Sabine River. Scotty Stotlar, Sr., appeared to have what it took to mount another serious attempt. s Mexican Land Grant Application, 1830 The divers do feel some round objects, and a piece is In the 1950s, the Sabine River and the nearby lake (Hendricks Lake) experienced a new onslaught of treasure seekers when the story of Laffites silver was published by the True West magazine. The crescent-shaped lake is less than a mile long, thirty to fifty yards wide, and twelve to forty feet deep. Legend has it that Basss part of the money is in Cove Hollow, about thirty miles from Denton. The most beautiful lakes in Texas are all excellent choices for a trip. In 1940, a new search team was formed. Get it? In 1816 Jean Lafitte, who was reputed to be an agent of the Spanish government (Agent 13, to be exact), raided a Spanish vessel called the Santa Rosa. She has reported on several high-profile stories during her career at KSAT and specializes in trending news and things to do around Texas and San Antonio. There are many accounts that say Lafitte settled in On the edge of this little-known Chambers County lake off the Trinity about 35 miles east of Houston, Jack wants to show where a ship sank in the 1800s. "The sunken boat lies somewhere in this vicinity, directly across from where there used to be an old Spanish fort and mission," Jack says, pointing to the northern shore. Huge beautiful tree. Barnie Waldrop said he outlasted all the others and had seen fifty of em beaten by the lakes bog bottom.
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