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National Expansion & Reform Stafford's Gold Mining Industry Other Stafford Mines

Other Stafford Mines

“Smithfield Mine” adjoined and was within sight of Eagle. Both were taking ore from the same vein. Smithfield operated from c. 1836 until sometime after 1885 and for some years was run by the Virginia Gold Belt Company of Philadelphia.

“Horsepen/Rattlesnake Mine” operated c.1833-c.1894. During its early years, Horsepen was owned and run by Mourning and Absalom Smith of Stafford. In 1849, they sold it to a Philadelphia investor who held it but did little with it until 1893 when he re-opened it. No significant mining was done thereafter.

“Lee Mine” was located on Menkey Branch of Horsepen Run. Absalom and Mourning Smith commenced mining here in the mid-1830s. In 1881, the mine was purchased by John A. MacPherson of New York who also owned Eagle and Smithfield. This was one of the smaller mines in Stafford, though it seems to have operated for many years.

“Monroe Mine” was on the southwest side of Richard’s Ferry Road. Mining here commenced in the early 1830s and the mine’s most productive period was right before the Civil War. In 1848, a New Jersey investor purchased the mine and in 1859, it was sold to Edward Josephi, a New York and California jeweler. Little work seems to have been done after the Civil War.

“New Hope Mine” commenced operations around 1834 and the New Hope Gold Mine Company was incorporated in 1836. This mine was part of old Cedar Grove Farm. It seems always to have been owned by local residents who conducted mining there until the outbreak of the Civil War. Little or no mining seems to have been done after the war.