Hi Ashton,
We met in the upper camp at the October Rendezvous and had the opportunity to talk for a few minutes. Years before Dr. Glover got the idea to look into who actually wrote Sims Ely's book, The Lost Dutchman Mine, he was told that Mr. Ely was not the books author and many of the notes used for that book were not Ely's or Jim Bark's for that matter. Mr. Glover was taken to the Greenwood cemetery in Phoenix and shown the grave of Jim Bark's father, Frederick Bark, buried in the Criswell family plot along with the entire Criswell family. Frederick Bark and Frank Criswell's father were lifelong friends and business partners. Frank Criswell was Jim Bark's longtime partner in both business and leisure. A much closer relationship than what Bark experienced with Sims Ely.
It was explained to Dr. Glover, in detail, how Jim Bark's father and the father of Frank Criswell brought the two families to Arizona and set up both Jim Bark and Frank Criswell in business and gave them their starts. A vastly different story than appeared in the Sims Ely book, the Northcutt Ely speach, or is commonly believed.
Now Dr. Glover has looked into the possibility that Dick Holmes was at the Onyx mine on the evening-morning of Waltz's death. This is due to a newspaper clip stating (Holmes) had come into Phoenix from the Onyx mine the night after Waltz's death. However the matter of exactly who that newspaper clip was referring to is in considerable doubt.
Dick Holmes (Brownie Holmes father) was Richard J. Holmes. His fathers name was Richard J. Holmes and his grandfather's name was Richard J. Holmes.
Dick Holmes was often confused with his father in business matters, in newspapers , in articles and on the street in casual conversation. He was known throughout the territory as Dick Holmes, Richard J. Holmes, Richard J. Holmes Jr. and also as Richard Holmes III.
A well known photo of Dick Holmes shows him at the supposed Onyx mine with a man identified as J.B. Woodson. This photo has appeared in at least one well known Dutchman book. However the photo was not taken at the Onyx mine and the man with Dick Holmes is Richard Nale, not J.B. Woodson. Woodson was a much older man and a business partner of the senior Richard J. Holmes. Richard Nale was the best friend of Dick Holmes and was the best man at Dick Holmes wedding.
This confusion has caused Dr. Glover and others to erroneously conclude their present opinions. Just as they previously, erroneously concluded their opinions about who wrote Sims Ely's book and the circumstances surrounding Jim Bark and Frank Criswell's partnership and beginnings in the Arizona Territory. The explanation that the person the newspaper article is referring to is the senior Holmes, and not Dick Holmes, is easily proven, in part by the original Onyx mine claim papers and also by other newspaper articles that both preceeded and followed the article in question.
If you are interested in learning the rest of the story of Dick Holmes and his involvement with his father and the Onyx mine, I would be happy to share with you what is known so you can look at both sides and decide the issue for yourself. You can contact me at
aurumla@yahoo.com if you have an interest.
Aurum