Jun 12 at 12:00 PM - Sale 2708 -

Sale 2708 - Lot 116

Estimate: $ 800 - $ 1,200
(JUDAICA.) Group of gold mining claim deeds from the Levy family of Aurora. 7 Documents Signed by the grantors and witnesses, on forms printed in San Francisco and completed in manuscript; each 14 x 8½ inches, most 2 pages plus integral docket leaf; horizontal folds, minor to moderate wear and foxing. Aurora, CA/NV, 1862-1863
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Additional Details

Aurora was a gold-mining town on the California-Nevada border, claimed by both states and serving as county seat of two different counties until a survey showed that it was entirely in Nevada. Samuel Clemens (a.k.a. Mark Twain) lived there in 1862 before he rose to fame. It is now a ghost town.

Leopold Levy (1830-1909) came from San Francisco to Aurora in 1862 as one of the first Jewish settlers. Martin Levy (relationship unknown) was secretary of Martin's Gold and Silver Mining Company in Aurora. These deeds show the purchase of mining claims in Aurora "in the state of California" during its first boom--4 by Leopold and 3 by Martin. Each deed describes the claim. For example: "Undivided fifteen feet in the discovery of Canada Quartz Lode situated on Middle Hill" or "50 feet in the Golden Crown Quartz Lode discovery claims situated on Last Chance Hill."

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