Between 1821 and 1828, Mexico issued many laws restricting or outlawing slavery. There are still treasure hunters to this day who believe the Lafitte fortune would be found if the lake was drained. Lafitte, a one-time resident of Louisiana and privateer, is believed by some to I know this thread is quite old now, but I'm wondering if any other information has been discovered about this? 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. Jean Lafitte, a one-time resident of Louisiana and privateer, is believed by some to have buried a large cache of treasure somewhere in the bayous of Louisiana. Other variations of the mystery say Lafitte buried the treasure in multiple locations along the Gulf Coast. It's incredible to think that just under the peaceful water lurks enough treasure to change your life! To him it is the Chase and the history. This catch rendered a lot of attention and by 1884, the Sabine River was riddled with silver hunters. It lies along the historic route of Trammels Trace, only one and one-quarter miles south of the location of Ramsdales Crossing/Ferry (Rocky Ford) on the Sabine River. Texas is estimated to have $340 million in buried treasure, more than any other state in the U.S., according to TexasHillCountry.com. Latest local news from South Texas from KSAT12. The project was abandoned, however, for lack of financing. They send a probe down and it hit metal just before a giant storm hit, destroying the raft and any other evidence, according to OnlyInYourState.com. One group proposed to use a new divining rod activated with isotopes. Roach once lived on Lake Miller -- which earlier was called Lake De La Roche after him -- and had boats there that he used for pillaging. The information comes from books and treasure hunting Web sites (the best of which are legendsofamerica.com and treasurefish.com). Many from the area have taken artifacts from there, including coin. But all the treasure hunters declared that I must be hiding the truth. History suggests there is a possibility that hidden treasuresgold coins, doubloons, precious jewelryare somewhere beneath the surface just waiting to be found! WebHe was a French pirate and privateer. 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. According to a story by Mary Roger of the Fort Worth Star Telegram, the silver was indeed robbed from a galleon by Laffite and his mean in the early 19th century. You must log in or register to reply here. I think yall lying about the finding treasure, Plum bayou look for trees cut down and fake grave at the end. Six wagon loads of silver carried north along Trammels Trace. 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. I always heard that an area Boat Company Owner started his business with a 5 gallon bucket of silver taken from that area. More information can be found in Guide to Treasure in Texas Today, Katie writes for the Texas and Arizona pages of OnlyInYourState.com and has never been more passionate about a job before. The Sam Bass Loot In perhaps his greatest venture, Texass legendary stagecoach and bank robber Sam Bass traveled to Big Springs, Nebraska, with his sidekick Joel Collins and held up the Union Pacific Railroad. There are down. The other went north later over seas where he was killed during WW2. The silver that Lafitte accumulated from selling captured slaves, cotton, and other goods was stored in wooden kegs or casks. Jack -- whose official, but seldom-used, name is Lawrence Looney -- is a Trinity River guide for the Chambers-Liberty Navigation District. Bass is also tied to legends of treasure buried treasure in Burnet and Llano counties as well as Packsaddle Mountain, Lone Star Treasure reports. But a giant storm hit the area, destroying the raft and washing away all the evidence. Read More about The wreck of La Belle, Did the infamous privateer Jean Laffite steal a $2 million fortune in silver from a Spanish galleon and bury it in the Sabine River near the East Texas town Sabine? In 1935, his son, Edward Haven Sherman, joined with Herbert Interests of Houston in a plan to excavate the wreck, which they believed was loaded with gold, but for unknown reasons it was never accomplished, The Progress newspaper reported. The popularity of treasure hunting during this time period was profiled in numerous pulp magazines and news features, and the business of supplying treasure hunters was page one news in the Wall Street Journal. Gary L. Pinkerton, 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. In the 1950s, the Sabine River and the nearby lake (Hendricks Lake) experienced a new onslaught of treasure seekers when the story of Laffites silver was published by the True West magazine. You are using an out of date browser. All in all, several wagons loaded with silver ingots went into the river. 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. They know it. Key to remember is that Lafitte was a business man, who turned merchandise that he acquired into money. 5. This warrants some underwater metal detectors to be taken Other stories of Pirate Treasures are discussed. It was stuck in the crack of the stairs. In Colombian newspapers, his death was lamented and his obituary described him as a brave naval officer. Accompanying Bowie to Texas in 1830 were 109 enslaved workers, identified on the land grant as dependents. "I've always been interested in the site and had it in the back of my mind but been too busy on other projects.". 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. Jean Laffite was a French pirate and privateer born circa 1780. have buried a large cache of treasure somewhere in the bayous of Louisiana. This lake has its dangers, of course. Okay, that was a really bad joke. I was living in high island Texas .mostly driving the beach further east to sea rim. did use the words "think" before that. He was now legally authorized by Great Colombia to take Spanish ships. Lets be honest, everybody loves a good treasure story. It seems like a plausible place for a notorious bandit to hide his loot, so we are inclined to believe it! Although $25,000 worth of coins and jewelry have been accounted for, no one knows where the rest of the loot went, and Collins and Bass were killed before they revealed anything. And he says, Treasure has a way of keeping its secrets. And if so is the treasure still there? The lake is located in the extreme northeastern part of the county along the boundary between Rusk and Panola. This article provides images of newspapers from 1921, and one column in particular that talks about Lafittes treasure. unclear why Lafitte had to bury his treasure or even where he was last seen. Leave them blank to get signed up. Have you ever heard of Money Hill near the southern tip of South Padre Island? The story dates back to 1816 when pirate Jean Lafitte is said to have stolen $2 million in silver from the Santa Rosa. Could it be that there were multiple burial locations Mysterious Writings: Featured Contributor Segment and Update, Forgotten History Hunts: Featured Contributor Segment, Privacy Policy, Disclaimer and Affiliate Disclosure. And if so is the treasure still there? Apparently, he found a chest full of Spanish coins and jewelry amounting to over $80,000. I determined that there were maybe five that might have contained some sort of treasure. When one of the recent landowners near the lake sold their property to the mining company, they inserted a treasure clause that reserves the rights to one-half of any treasure trove found on the Property by Purchaser. There will always be true believers in the treasure legend of Hendricks Lake. That was more of his commerce center, again where he exchanged merchandise for coin. The treasure already found was Spanish Silver, not Gold. (In English documents, his last name was often spelled Lafitte, but Laffite was the spelling used by Jean and his brother Pierre.). Sherman, who died in 1879, said he was able to walk on its deck. Texas Monthly Is Nominated for Two 2023 Media Awards by the James Beard Foundation. However, since it pointed toward someone else's land, he never did or said anything about it. Lots of glass also. I a month there. The Sabine River could potentially hold a $2 million fortune in stolen silver. One story even Plus, if when they come back and nothing can be found, he says they have the whole Texas coast and more to continue their search. WebSpanish silver stolen by the privateer, Jean Lafitte. The basic story is that in 1816 silver stolen by pirate Katie Lawrence is a Southeast Texas native who graduated 18th in her high school class with a GPA of 4.25. Krigar and Leo Behme, two World War II veterans who had advertised in the Houston Chronicle that they wanted to use surplus mine detectors to locate buried treasure. WebAlso mentioned was the lost mine of Wyndham Creek in Beauregard Parish, which also hugs the Louisiana/Texas border along the Sabine River. Copyright 2023 KSAT.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. The following, adapted from the Chicago Manual of Style, 15th edition, is the preferred citation for this entry. NOWHERE BUT TEXAS: SEARCHING FOR JEAN LAFITTE'S TREASURE ON GALVESTON ISLANDJean Lafitte was born in 1780 and died in1823. "I think he came up through this cut to find cypress trees to repair his boats and sometimes would stash ships here to hide them, taking them into the shallowest waters that he could get," he says. They say this inspired them to reach out to other treasure hunters and hear their stories. When they returned after the war, Singer could no longer find Money Hill because the sands had shifted and erased all the landmarks that he once knew. Over the years there have been many who made a minimal effort or spent a little time at the lake only to discover that the conditions were too difficult and they had neither the time nor the money for such an undertaking. Although he led an enigmatic life, Lafitte garnered a reputation as a romantic rogue, historians agree. Discovering history is part of the adventure, and that never ends. floor after a shipwreck. Many believe the treasure still lurks under the water, just waiting to be discovered. But remember Lafittes black dogs are still around dont go a hunting unless you are prepared to suffer the consequences. A family in Baytown, Texas tell their story as they believe they found one of Lafittes sunken ships. Blackbeard and the mysterious unsolved code of Olivier Levassuer, or The Buzzard, are mentioned. The silver was never recovered. But the gold and diamond jewl was the confirmation I needed. The man who was killed left an estate of 60,000 in cash plus land in Mississippi. In 1965 a professional syndicate of treasure hunters, men who worked together at a packaging company in LeClaire, Iowa, and led by Clarence A. More than once the crane almost toppled into the water. Bass allegedly marked the spot with a rock in the fork of a tree, according to Lone Star Treasure. Singer Treasure on Padre Island In the mid-nineteenth century, a man named Isaac Merritt Singer made significant improvements to the sewing machine. Long-lost pirate ship may lie in Texas lake / Historical treasure could be wreck of Jean Lafitte, Dubs fans picking apart video of possible Poole-Draymond incident, Bay Area mom influencer found guilty of lying about kidnapping, Destructive landslide closes historic California institution, Bay Area preschool teacher suspected of dumping body along road, More rain, 'unseasonably chilly' temperatures coming to Bay Area, Horoscope for Monday, 5/01/23 by Christopher Renstrom, 49ers out in full force at Warriors-Kings Game 7, Shock, fear as 2 killings in 3 days rock quiet Davis, Sold-out Berkeley crowd gets rowdy at country star's concert, 'Horrible': Oakland rapper dumps on Chase Center Warriors fans, Steph Curry killed off the Kings with a smile, Klay Thompson calls Warriors-Lakers series 'a dream come true'. It's apparently a large wreck and about the right size and shape for a Lafitte vessel.". 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. There are many stories about famed pirate Jean Lafitte, but one places his lost buried treasure at the bottom of a lake right here in East Texas. Mary Roger also tells us about how some fishermen much later got an unusual catch in their hoop net when fishing in the Sabine River; entangled in their net were several silver bars. Much to the I hope that you can help me out. Excited about the history, research, and prospects of this hunt presented by Christian, Rick and Marty offer to send Matty Blake down to If information about one of the last searchers had been documented and publicized it would likely have discouraged further similar attempts in the future. 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. Access to the lake that for 150 years had been accessible for picnics and fishing was closed off to all but a few private landowners at the time. Texas Just Wouldnt Be The Same Without These 7 Charming Small Towns, The Scenic Train Ride In Texas That Runs Year-Round, Experience The Magic Of The San Antonio River Walk At Night With A Guided Boat Tour And Scenic Drive In Texas, Climb 82 Feet To The Top Of The John Jacob Observation Tower In Texas And You Can See For Miles, Enjoy A Themed Train Ride For Every Season On The Grapevine Vintage Railroad In Texas, This Chilling Texas Tour Takes You Back To When Americas First Serial Killer Was Terrorizing The Streets Of Austin, Kayak To A Waterfall On The Beautiful Lake Buchanan For A Year-Round Texas Adventure, Few People Know You Can Kayak A Hidden Stretch Of The San Antonio Riverwalk In Texas, Natural Bridge Caverns and Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch. Some of the add-ons on this site are powered by. 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 built a new kind of sewing machine, and in 1851 he started I.M. Think you can find some of the legendary hidden booty? NOWHERE BUT TEXAS: SEARCHING FOR JEAN LAFITTES TREASURE ON GALVESTON ISLAND Jean Lafitte was born in 1780 and died in 1823. At one point, while wandering the beaches of Padre Island, he came across a bunch of Spanish coins. His body was buried at sea in the Gulf of Honduras. The Cherokees started getting their butts kicked. While such tales abound in historical accounts about Chambers County, Steve Hoyt, the Texas Historical Commission's marine archaeologist in Austin, says, "At this point, we can't say for sure what is down there. They did their research and, with dredging equipment and electronics gear, made multiple trips to Hendricks Lake but had no success. Later, someone else who got high metal readings tried to dynamite the bottom of the lake. The smuggling operations of the well-known privateer eventually came to a screeching halt, though, when the United States began enforcing the embargo in New Orleans city limits some time after the act passed. the treasure be today? During the Mexican War of Independence, the Laffites served as spies for the Spanish, after moving to Galveston Island, Texas. An estimated $340 million., And as I write, the treasure hunters are out there, hunting, hunting, and hunting. It happens every now and then," Hamilton said. Hispanic conquistadors reportedly hid a massive cache of gold and jewels in a mine shaft Get it? http://www.texasescapes.com/DEPARTMENTS/Letters/LettersToEditorDecember2001.htm, THE Random Chat Thread - AKA "The RCT" - No shirt or shoes required - Open 24 / 7, Metal Detectorists Ordered To Repay 1.2 Million Between Them 'Immediately'. Before we dive Scotty Stotlar, Sr., appeared to have what it took to mount another serious attempt. It is an awsome site! My husband even traveled to Austin to talk to historian J. Frank Dobie about it.". The man who told this did not or would not tell me the names of the two men. This information begs the question, though, How did Jean Lafitte have treasure in the first place, and if he did, why would he leave it behind?. Just let me know if you find anything so I can break the story first. 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. Louisianas The Temple was located just North of what is today Little Lake, in Lafittes time it was Little Lake Barataria, where Bayou Perot and Bayou Rigolets meet. "I had someone come talk to me about it just a few months ago. Markers are dropped, and divers are sent down. Its off 435 about 12 miles from where he fled imprisonment to the Pearl River. Ie. during the Battle of New Orleans. Taylor Prewitt is the newsletter editor for Texas Monthly. The enduring story of Hendricks Lake is a treasure legend that has been around for more than 150 years. The fortune is said to have been stolen from the Spanish by Jean Lafitte. And where? The story died down but regained momentum when treasure hunting became popular again in the fifties and when True West magazine printed an article about the long-forgotten silver prompting treasure hunters to flock to Carthage and Tatum. Watch an alligator bask on a bayous bank. Hamilton, who heads Texas A&M University's nautical archaeology program, about investigating the site. Paul Uncle Fox Tatum, son of the founder of Tatum, Texas, carried out the first documented attempt to recover the treasure in 1884. 2023 National City and Regional Magazine Awards Finalists Announced, Texas Monthly Receives a Nod From the American Bar Association, HBO Max Releases Official Trailer for Love & Death, Step Aside, Perrys: This 30-Ounce Smoked Pork Chop Is Ready to Take the Crown, Love and Death in Silicon Prairie, Part I: Candy Montgomerys Affair, Willie Nelsons Son Lukas on Ancient Texts, Pearl Jam, and I Never Cared for You, I Biked the I-35 Hell Route From Austin to San Antonio So You Dont Have To, Texas-Style Pulled Pork Is Embarrassing, The Astrodomes Decline From Eighth Wonder to Eighth Blunder of the World, 15 Treasure-Filled Spots to Antique in Small-town Texas, Mosquito Hawks Are Flitting All Over Texas, Love and Death in Silicon Prairie, Part II: The Killing of Betty Gore, Matthew McConaughey Is Monetizing His Whole Vibe. It's okay, because we're here to bust them! treasure to speak of. Numerous springs within and around the lake keep it filled. The Treasure of Jean Lafitte. But I am humored by the following observations : 1) have you ever noticed that when these fabled treasures are discussed, that the past tense of the word "find" is invariably always used. 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. 6. Skip Hollandsworth specializes in long-form narratives. A huge battle ensued between the two groups near what is now known as Tyler. Retired Avenger, current NFL free agent. 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). I have no doubt that the Historians will decry what Ive said here, and Im cool with that, I know what I saw and found, and I know what others saw and found. What books would you recommend about this pirate? You are using an out of date browser. If you change your mind, you can easily unsubscribe. I always wondered why the searchers were only local, and that an organized big search never happened but it never did. times as a smuggler and privateer, he became very wealthy. Barnie Waldrop said he outlasted all the others and had seen fifty of em beaten by the lakes bog bottom. storytelling? What is the latest news? I found this site just now from a google search for Lafitte's treasure and it brought me here. Thats a lot of money for a man who was a laborer just a few years before. In 1909 members of the United States Geological Survey visited the site, which they described as being unproductive. 3. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. At that time, the legend was that Mexican land pirates lived along the lake and dumped gold, silver, and precious stones in the lake when they were attacked by the Texans or some other forces. Tatum reportedly built a device with buckets on a conveyor and operated by steam engines to attempt to bail the water from the lake. 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. His brother, wanting to make something of himself as well, went exploring the coast of Texas to find buried treasure. These goods were at a high demand and otherwise illegal due to the Embargo Act of 1807. Get monthly email updates and the chance to win a prize. The northwest tip of Padre Island has for years been known as Treasure Dunes. After getting some readings at the bottom of the lake (Hendricks Lake), two Dallas oilmen actually brought in a giant crane and attached a drag bucket to the cable. Christian knows his pirate history! Although the state owns the land and materials below the lake, it will coordinate its efforts with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which controls the surrounding property that is part of the Wallisville Reservoir project, he said. Despite this, no silver bars were found. Not a bad location to camp, near the river. Emily McCullar is a senior editor covering pop culture, news, and Texas history. United States no choice but to pursue his arrest. It was a book on the treasures of Galveston and the surrounding area. "He just got stuck.". For decades the site has intrigued historians and treasure hunters. Discover New Orleans rich cultural mix. What if these stories are factual? Gary L. Pinkerton, Trammels Trace: The First Road to Texas from the North (College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2016). If you need help with the Public File, call 210-351-1241. He has no need for modern conveniences, living in a primitive cabin on the Trinity that is accessible only by boat and has no telephone. This same engineer, only two years earlier, had led the team who located the Tecumseh, a Union metalclad ship sunk during the battle of Mobile Bay in August 1864. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. 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. In one Internet posting, I read the following: Texas has more buried treasure than any other state, with 229 sites within the states borders. People claim that a $2 million fortune stolen from the Spanish by Jean Lafitte was buried in the Sabine River. He told me the government tried digging but was denied by the owner. We are a community-supported, non-profit organization and we humbly ask for your support because the careful and accurate recording of our history has never been more important. Meanwhile, his younger brother John was exploring the coast of Texas. WebAt the age of 25, Jean Laffite was living in New Orleans, operating a warehouse essential to dispersing the goods smuggled by his brother Pierre. The stolen bounty was part of the Mexican payroll in 1836 and its allegedly buried 5 feet deep near the oak tree. Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). Packsaddle Mountain in eastern Llano County is another alleged Bass treasure location.
jean lafitte treasure found in texas
