Calvin Wilcher is in charge of the scans..he is on watch for something not of Mother nature. Mysterious shipwreck off Galveston is full Laffite approached them and was granted a commission and given command over a 43-ton schooner named General Santander. And if so is the treasure still there? It's in a very odd place for a large boat.". years later! WebJean Lafitte is thought to have sunk a treasure ship containing $500,000 to $1,000,000 off south Padre Island. The brothers meet with a Christian Roper who is actively hunting for the lost treasure of the pirate, Jean Lafitte. I determined that there were maybe five that might have contained some sort of treasure. The story dates back to 1816 when pirate Jean Lafitte is said to have stolen $2 million in silver from the Santa Rosa. But if you dont like that version of the legend there are others. Interest in the ship resurfaced nine years later when Elder H. Sherman, grandson of the man who first reported the wreck, remembered that his grandfather had driven a spike into an oak tree to mark the ship's location. Lafitte was later Because of his track record and reputation, Jean Lafitte was still seen as a criminal in the eyes of the United States. Lafitte's large fleet and multinational band of pirates, privateers, and smugglers caused havoc in the Gulf of Mexico for a decade. Also join us in the Facebook Group: Beyond Oak Island Treasures for more discussions. They just might inspire you to become a treasure hunter and find some real adventure out there! California musician Nathan Smith might have actually found one of Texas hidden treasure troves. Besides the mysteries surrounding the locations of Lafittes buried booty, comes the mystery of the man himself. Treasure chest worth $1 million hidden in Rocky Mountains finally found. Smith believes he found a sunken ship on Google Earth in 2006 in Refugio, just north of Corpus Christi. NOWHERE BUT TEXAS: SEARCHING FOR JEAN Other sites considered to contain Lafitte treasure are islands south of New Orleans and Galveston Island in Texas. Ho-hum, right? They also had a raft built from which large pipes were sunk into the lake bottom, and used a metal detector to search the sediment. Beyond Oak Island Summary of Episode 1: Pirate Lafitte eventually returned to smuggling at Galveston Island in Spanish Texas until he was forced out by the U.S. Navy in 1820. 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. Christian and the treasure hunting team are looking forward to using new technology to scan the bottom of the lake for possible anomalies, and hope to find a treasure which was missed in past searchers. So read this, get up, and go after your pot of gold. ", This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, A family in Baytown, Texas tell their story. It has never been found. The silver has yet to be discovered, according to Lone Star Treasure, which says the story is based on a Spanish document from the conquistador era. It is still The tried to dynamite the bottom, but ended up with no silver for this efforts. Rumor has it that some of the money is hidden in Cove Hollow, near Denton. My step father also grew up in East Texas, but in the country on a farm. I always wondered why the searchers were only local, and that an organized big search never happened but it never did. This catch rendered a lot of attention and by 1884, the Sabine River was riddled with silver hunters. Its well known about the boat company started with silver found near Lake Salvador. True West Magazine article on Jean Lafitte. He declared himself governor or "master" until he fled to the Yucatan Peninsula after the U.S. government forced him to leave in 1820, records show. But the gold and diamond jewl was the confirmation I needed. The most beautiful lakes in Texas are all excellent choices for a trip. While at my favorite used book store some months ago I stumbled across a copy of a book that I read as a kid. Hispanic conquistadors reportedly hid a massive cache of gold and jewels in a mine shaft Every penny counts! Read More about Texas Tea Slot, about Jean Laffites treasure in the Sabine River. The four-mile trek into the backwaters off the Trinity River becomes strenuous as he pushes his boat over cypress stumps and cuts through debris. The Lost San Saba Silver Mine This lost mine, with its rich vein of silver, has been what one treasure hunter writer has called the Holy Grail of Texas treasure seekers. In 1756 a Mexican official traveling through Texas learned from Indians of an exposed strain of pure silver that ran through a certain hill in Central Texas. He captured ships and sold their cargoes, which often included slaves, to shady merchants in New Orleans. treasures While his fleet took a hit, Lafitte himself managed to evade capture. The treasure already found was Spanish Silver, not Gold. did use the words "think" before that. We'll send you a couple of emails per month, filled with fascinating history facts that you can share with your friends. 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The oilmen then built a raft with a hole in the center and sank large pipes into the goop on the lake bottom. The lake is located in the extreme northeastern part of the county along the boundary between Rusk and Panola. I have a file 2 in thick on Hendricks lake treasure. With his business carrying on and continuing to grow, so did his wealth. games, shows, and moviesbut what if they werent made up just for the sake of According to legend, Bass used Longhorn Caverns in Burnet County as a hideout after some of his robberies although treasure seekers have yet to find any loot in the caverns. Get it? MW Questions: Are Keywords for the Null Cipher Used in The Great US Treasure Hunt? At this time, Galveston island was largely uninhabited, except by Native American Karankawa indians. 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. in south Louisianas bayous for so long, Lafitte had also become an expert with Charles F. Grice, Interview by Gary Pinkerton, February 2019. Have a crack at it guys. Jean Maybe well be writing about you and your discoveries in the future. well as the fortunes left on the merchant ships that he captured. Little is known about his origins, but he was probably born either in Basque-France or in the French colony Saint-Domingue. Then it unexpectedly spills into the wide-open lake that he has sought. Texas is estimated to have $340 million in buried treasure, more than any other state in the U.S., according to TexasHillCountry.com. In the early 1820s, Great Colombia under the government of Simon Bolivar had begun commissioning former privateers as officers in their newly formed navy. He then buried it in a sand dune on, In the early 19th century, the Texas army pushed Cherokee Indians from Tyler to Upshur County. NOWHERE BUT TEXAS: SEARCHING FOR JEAN LAFITTE'S TREASURE ON GALVESTON ISLAND Jean Lafitte was born in 1780 and Singer & Co., which was renamed the Singer Manufacturing Company in 1865. Clarksville Standard, August 29, 1884. into these uncharted waters, we need to know more about who Lafitte was. With the 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. Chambliss Jr. of Beaumont, F.F. Williams of Anahuac and their attorney, state Rep. Price Daniel of Liberty, who later became governor. A treasured mystery, What is the latest news? 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. and its inlets. Check them out: Love Texas? Louisiana is not exclusive to rumors of the treasures whereabouts too, as What if these stories are factual? Jean Laffite | Galveston & Texas History Center 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. 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. times as a smuggler and privateer, he became very wealthy. Oil workers actually picked up readings that metal was to be found at the bottom of the lake. Jean Laffite was a French pirate and privateer born circa 1780. I always heard that an area Boat Company Owner started his business with a 5 gallon bucket of silver taken from that area. Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). George Ward asks Jenny Kile Six Questions! Jean Laffite's treasure in the Sabine River - Lone star The Cherokees started getting their butts kicked. instead of just one? My step father knew where one of these markers were, he had found it while hunting years ago and thought it might be a grave marker or something. consisted of the currency he would receive in exchange for his foreign goods as ", As for the shipwreck in Lake Miller, Vogel says, "There is something actually down there. 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. More information can be found in Guide to Treasure in Texas The ones found their range from the late 1770;s to 1814 or so. locations along the Gulf Coast. he was in his early twenties. The enduring story of Hendricks Lake is a treasure legend that has been around for more than 150 years. The team reported finding the ship, which reportedly is sheathed on the bottom with copper. Sounds like the Hendricks lake treasure. Daniel Vaughn is the countrys first barbecue editor, and he has eaten more barbecue than you have. Gary Pinkerton, True Believers: Treasure Hunters at Hendricks Lake, East Texas Historical Journal 47 (2009). I'm a descendant of his first mate and so while as a general rule I love history/archeology/treasure hunting, naturally this is the treasure that interests me the most. wagons to be pushed down an embankment and into a lake. Things to do in Seabrook: A guide to Washington's cozy Coachella 2023: What to pack for a weekend in the desert, What you should wear to Disneyland in May, Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). Jean Epperson, a Chambers County history buff, believes the ship might more likely belong to one of Lafitte's officers, Lt. Andrew Roach. The Yet because of his claim and the team's loss of salvage rights after failing to pay money owed on the state lease, that project also was abandoned, records indicate. And the ship berry bros found look for gold on land nearby. Texas, I learned, is full of buried treasureor, to be a bit more accurate, full of stories about buried treasures that no one has been able to find. It may not display this or other websites correctly. The tree is privately owned, but sits right on the highway (FM 2100) just a few miles north of FM 1960. WebHe was a French pirate and privateer. residents of Texas have claimed that the treasure was buried somewhere along Jean Lafitte Treasure Found - TreasureNet The Original A huge battle ensued between the two groups near what is now known as Tyler. If the rumors are true, Cove Hollow, near Denton is another Bass treasure location. Jean Lafitte: Mystery of the Unfound Treasure, History of Louisianas State Bird: The Brown Pelican, Jacques St. Germain, The Infamous Louisiana Vampire. Mary Claire Patton has been a journalist with KSAT 12 since 2015. Most people wrote it off as another myth until a magazine More maps appeared showing various locations of a lost silver mine. Jean Laffite (sometimes spelled Lafitte) was a pirate and the subject of many stories of romance and adventure across the Gulf of Mexico during the early 19th During 1957 and 1958 the most significant attempts to locate the treasure took place at the lake. Thats a lot of money for a man who was a laborer just a few years before. Much to the 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. The fortune is said to have been stolen from the Spanish by Jean Lafitte. They lowered another contraption through the pipe to the lake floor. By 1829, the mythical lost silver mine of San Saba began appearing on Austins maps of Texas. Hidden gems in Texas are one of our state's greatest joys. I found this site just now from a google search for Lafitte's treasure and it brought me here. My husband even traveled to Austin to talk to historian J. Frank Dobie about it.". It is an awsome site! Could it be May the hunters strike gold. Daniel sought permission from the land commissioner to salvage the sunken ship and "exhibit whatever findings to the public," newspapers reported. hidden treasures have been told time and time again in childrens books, video 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. Anyway, buried treasure isnt just something fictional. Leave them blank to get signed up. This warrants some underwater metal detectors to be taken Copyright 2019 by KSAT - All rights reserved. which is said to contain many records and may hold the key to Frisbys buried treasure. that the treasure was on board one of Lafittes vessels and sank to the ocean help him in his search. treasure to speak of. JHS grads making documentary about He stated while talking to someone on the radio, who was a Jean L researcher, the guy described the markings Lafitte would leave pointing to treasure. It's incredible to think that just under the peaceful water lurks enough treasure to change your life! Texas accessed May 01, 2023, Unsolved Mysteries in Texas Many buildings were built during this period. Many of them are wandering through the beaches and backlands with nothing more than metal detectors. As background, the Karankawa were an Indigenous people concentrated in southern Texas along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico; they consisted of several independent seasonal nomadic groups who shared the same language and much of the same culture.Lafitte named his island Campeche, after a Mexican outpost further south along the Gulf Coast of Mexico. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The Lost Padre Mine Somewhere in the Franklin Mountains overlooking the Rio Grande River in El Paso County is the Lost Padre Mine. Jack feels at home here. Few besides him, who took part in the Battle of San Jacinto, are alive today. You must log in or register to reply here. In the early 1800s, Stephen F. Austin, on his first trip to Texas, also heard about a rich silver mine on the San Saba River and a gold mine on the Llano. Locating a ship that belonged to Lafitte or one of his officers would be a "significant find" because of the role he played on the Texas coast, said Hoyt. that is. Moving on to piracy by around 1810, Lafitte was based at the secluded Barataria Bay inlet. Look it up. The project was abandoned, however, for lack of financing. Beyond Oak Island Summary of Episode 1: Pirate Treasures and the Search in Hendricks Lake for Jean Lafittes Lost Treasure. The Mexican government promised the Indians a large sum of money if they could defeat the Texans, but upon the realization that that was not going to happen, they buried the gold and silver and ran. A lookout for alligators and venomous snakes is John Spong writes primarily about popular culture. He linked up with B.H. even tales that the treasure was not intentionally buried. chagrin of the locals that helped drain the swamp, there was no trace of the . He fled New Orleans to Lake Pontchartrain. That set off a huge treasure hunting stampede. A family in Baytown, Texas tell their story as they believe they found one of Lafittes sunken ships. The family thinks this could be a clue as to where the actual treasure is. There is even an event in La Porte, Texas centered around the treasure called the Annual Search for Lafittes Gold. Although he led an enigmatic life, Lafitte garnered a reputation as a romantic rogue, historians agree. WebPerhaps not coincidentally, this was the same area where his former slave trading colleague Jean Lafitte had once had his headquarters. Im ready to break out my metal detector! It was also the location that US Forces attacked, causing his band to make a hasty retreat. The state of But the treasure is in my best belief to be in Galveston. Do you think you could find them? https://www.tshaonline.org, https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/hendricks-lake. 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. In one Internet posting, I read the following: Texas has more buried treasure than any other state, with 229 sites within the states borders. Great story! Tensions were high during this time between the United States and Great Britain, creating the War of 1812 and forcing the United States to be on edge about who they could and could not trust. More information can be found in Guide to Treasure in Texas A minimum of five treasure ships are said to have sunk at or near the mouth of the Rio Grande. I've heard for years, about a spot along Dickinson Bayou where Lafitte supposedly hid Treasure (very very near a certain Cemetary), Some of the add-ons on this site are powered by. The basic story is that in 1816 silver stolen by pirate Read More about USS Hatteras, This is a funny little slot filled with intricate features and attention-grabbing symbols. Retired Avenger, current NFL free agent. Some of them do have people who can corroborate the stories. Jean Lafitte: Mystery of the Unfound Treasure - Pelican State of In addition to studying historical records about the sunken ship, Anahuac Jack has spent years studying early maps that show the waterways when they were deeper, before they filled with silt. 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. Its in the concrete shell stairs. I saved the newspaper to my hard drive and will try to break it down. It is this tale that Christian wants to follow up on. The elderly owner has an attractive home and keeps a wonderful The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. But remember Lafittes black dogs are still around dont go a hunting unless you are prepared to suffer the consequences. I grant you that in this case the O.P. This article provides images of newspapers from 1921, and one column in particular that talks about Lafittes treasure. If you fill out the first name, last name, or agree to terms fields, you will NOT be added to the newsletter list. 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. In the 1830s, Roach abandoned his wife and two children and may also have left a boat on the lake, Epperson says. You can see a small door that was covered. 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. Just about every book written about Texas in that era mentioned it. the state archaeologist. Not that they're searching for it. We need your support because we are a non-profit organization that relies upon contributions from our community in order to record and preserve the history of our state. 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. Some believe it belonged to the pirate Jean Lafitte. Taylor Prewitt is the newsletter editor for Texas Monthly. If information about one of the last searchers had been documented and publicized it would likely have discouraged further similar attempts in the future. Ever seen an oak tree with a carving of two eagle wings on it?
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