WrightwoodCalif.com Forum
Public Forums => Wrightwood History => Topic started by: GRAHAM_RANCH on Sep 24, 09, 06:35:09 PM
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Mystery of the Man called Vincent-Rehashin' an Old Legend
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Over forty years the man name Tom Vincent lived in seclusion near Mine Gulch on Baden Powell. He discovered the Big Horn and Blue Cat mines. But, he lived in hiding...avoiding any contact with most people. He was running from something...
It was 1868 and The U.S. signed a peace treaty with the Navajo at Fort Sumner, New Mexico Territory. Meanwhile, a few states away the Apache were still causing a ruckus Arizona way. The Pima nation was suffering under Apache attacks, as were the Maricopas; Lt. Colonel King S. Woosley was sent in to rectify the problem. Considered to be the most daring and skillful Indian fighter, King was a firm believer in the "extermination policy." However, he surely did have his work cut out for him...for the Apache were the best guerrilla fighters in the world. All in all, this portion of the southwest wasn't the safest to pass through. That didn't seem to bother the two white men that traveled the hard land by mule, and sometimes leading the durn mules on foot. The two were miners, and they had just left their gold claim down south forthwith after a series of unfortunate events. Upon returning to their claim shack, they heard three fellas discussing how they were going to rob the claim's occupants and take over the claim. The two hard bitten Civil War veterans thought that was a rotten deal. They raised their rifles, one rifle being a large single shot Remington Rolling-block .50 cal, and blasted through the walls of the small cabin and killed the desperados inside! Figuring that the law would be chasing them down, the duo decided to flee without further ado. For this reason, they now found themselves deep in Indian territory.
As the writings of Ennius contested, sometimes "Fortune favors the foolish." The two miners, Charles Locher and Charles Vincent Dougherty emerged from hostile territory with their scalps intact and no unnecessary arrow wounds and bullet holes. The only problem that they encountered was near a watering hole just over the California border. We were unable to determine where this next incident took place, maybe Bitter Springs, Warner Springs...or perhaps even Soda Springs. California had its many springs here or there, but it also had its Mohave and Paiute Indians that liked to stake them out for any "round eye" than roamed about...it made the daily festivities creative. Locker and Charles Dougherty (who changed his name to Tom Vincent) somehow avoided these hazards...however, they couldn't stop having their clothing stolen by a lone Indian as they skinny dipped this particular spring. How did they get their clothes back?
Tom Vincent, while sitting in front of his cabin perched high on Baden Powell, decades later, shared the story. "That Injun never stole nothin' more. I took off after him. I got the clothes." With at least four bodies behind them, the duo reached Los Angeles. Subsequently, Tom Vincent, tired of the fast pace of the Pueblo, ambled further north and continued searching for gold; from the Sierra Nevada Mountains, to Death Valley, from Mojave to Harold (area of Acton), he zig-zagged over the region. Vincent lived a fiddle foot life, not staying in one place for long, avoiding a lot of contact with other people. With that life style, and his name change, it was obvious that he was running from something; it had everything to do with the three killings in Arizona.
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The Helga Wallner Collection is on sale at the Wrightwood Historical Museum. Two of her rare photos are included in this story; the Vincent Cabin and the Big Horn Mine. The public is urged to come in and check out the photos and postcards of Helgar wallner. Once they are gone...well, they're gone, I reckonW
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He maintained a friendship with geologist Lee Noble and his wife Dorothy Evans Noble, who was a postmistress at nearby Valyermo. With these few friends, the Los AngelesTimes and his favorite books "Life of Napoleon" and "Treasure Island," life was passable living in seclusion. Many times he also visited the Nobles on their property far below his towering peak.
I went to high school with several Nobles of Littlerock who have lived in the area for ever. My friend Married a Noble, I can't wait to ask if she is related to Lee & Dorothy Noble. My gut feeling says she is.. Great Story. I absolutely love local history.