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A quarter of a century ago - in 1976 - I wrote a book
on treasure hunting research methods, the main part being on how to find
treasure leads right in your part of your own state. In addition to showing
you how to find treasure leads, the text explains how to follow up the leads
and has a Search Agreement written by a lawyer that you can use. In addition
it contains a number of treasure leads I have found over the years. The
book consists of over 17,000 words. The first printing sold out so there
was a second printing in 1986, with a new introduction (see below). That
printing sold out several years ago.
Rather than do a third printing I'm offering the text of the book on the
Internet. To get a copy of the text delivered to you on your computer, here's
what to do: Send me a check or money order for $10.00 ($10.70 in California
(sales tax, you know)). When I get your payment I'll send you an e-mail
containing the URL where you can find the book online. Then you can either
make a printed copy or save it to your hard disk, as you prefer. (If you'd
rather, I can send you the text as an attachment. It's about 100K.)
If, after reading the text, you believe you didn't get your money's worth,
just let me know and I'll refund your full payment price, no questions asked.
Give it a try - you have little to lose but years of treasure hunting enjoyment
to gain.
Send your check or money order to: Jim Lyons, P. O. Box 580, Los Altos,
CA 94023. Or, pay by PayPal (user name: 38lyons38@earthlink.net). To
see who I am, visit my web site at this link.
For your enjoyment, here's another couple of leads, both found using the
method described in my book: "It is said that when C. D. W. Smith,
the late Secretary of Idaho Territory died, he had in possession about eight
thousand dollars of United States funds. The money cannot be found, and
the presumption is that it has been stolen by somebody." (article in
full) From the Marysville, Cal.) Appeal, March 15, 1866 (page 2, column
1) [It was not necessarily stolen. Perhaps the gentleman hid or buried it.]
Galena, Illinois: Ambrose Harle finds $3500 in gold pieces hidden in an
iron pipe by the late J. A. Nack, who once owned the building where harle
has a fruit store. Coins in two baking powder cans inside a iron pipe sealed
with a cement plug. From the San Jose (Cal.) Mercury, April 17, 1912 (page
1, column 3) [But, was there more hidden?]
Continue on to read more about my book.
It's been nearly ten years since the first printing of this book came
out. I have been very pleased with the fine comments and reviews about the
book that I have received. But I'd like to talk a little about one point
in the book that could stand more emphasis: persistence. The willingness
to keep at it until either a complete search is made or evidence turns up
that the treasure is not there.
Let's tell it like it is: If you don't do the research and field search
thoroughly, you're not going to find anything. And this book will just sit
in your bookcase gathering dust.
When it comes right down to it, the effort involved in making a thorough
search for a treasure may be slight in comparison to the value of the treasure.
Suppose you spent the equivalent of three months - or even six months -
looking for the treasure. If you found the treasure, wouldn't it have been
worth the time and effort? And if you didn't find it, wouldn't the experience,
the thrill of the chase, the memories and the stories you had tell be worth
it? It usually is for me.
Let's look at it another way. From what I have seen, the most probable cause
of giving up on a lead prematurely might be defined as the "Aw, what's
the use, I'll never find anything" syndrome, i.e., a lack of confidence.
But there's a cure for lack of confidence - experience. I'll bet when you
first picked up a metal detector you couldn't tell an indication for a silver
dime from a buried automobile. I couldn't. And as far as looking for treasure
was concerned; forget it!; too many guys had been looking for it for too
many years for there to be any left. Have you ever felt that way? I certainly
did when I first started treasure hunting back in 1959. And that feeling
continued until I realized the advantage I had over other treasure hunters
by using my method of finding leads. [And now, fifteen years later - in
2001 - I still have that advantage.]
By following the instructions in this book you will have the same advantage
over the typical treasure hunter. And by being persistent in doing your
research and field search you will increase your odds of finding the treasure
even more. I wish you every success.
Jim Lyons
January 1986
Dr. John Marsh had the honor of being the first American doctor in California.
Arriving in 1836, a dozen years before the Gold Rush began, he gathered
riches to himself through his cattle, mining and real estate interests.
As his wealth increased, he built a fabulous stone house near Brentwood,
California, which still stands. One autumn day in 1856, Dr. Marsh was attacked
by three Californians while riding his horse between his home and the neighboring
town of Martinez. He was tortured and murdered by the men without revealing
the hiding place of his fortune. Though his son Charles claimed to have
seen a strong box containing $40,000 in gold in the doctor's possession
the day before he was killed, neither that nor other valuables he was known
to have had have ever been found. They are presumed to be hidden somewhere
near the house, awaiting a lucky finder.
Juan Changart (usually spelled Changara) worked on the Santa Teresa Rancho
near San Jose, California. He was carrying between 5 and 6 thousand dollars
to be used for the purchase of cattle, when he was murdered about the first
of March, 1854, somewhere between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. Changart
is said to have buried a large sum of money on the Santa Teresa Rancho.
It has been hunted for extensively over the years, but so far no one seems
to have claimed this remarkable hoard.
Joseph Marr, the treasurer of Mariposa County, California, had collected
some $15,000 in gold from foreign miners who were subject to a special tax
imposed by the Americans. On Christmas Day, 1851, Marr started out on horseback
to collect more taxes. He and his horse were drowned while crossing a swollen
river, and no trace of the gold has ever been found. There are two theories
on where it may be: Marr may have hidden it near his office in Agua Fria,
the county seat; or he may have had it in his saddlebags when he was drowned.
The gold would be valued at well over $100,000 today.
These are only three out of thousands of lost treasures. For over a century
treasure hunters have been searching for them, and should any of them be
found, the lucky person will suddenly find himself quite rich. With the
proper equipment, you can join the others in the search for these elusive
treasures.
But - why?
Why search for something that thousands of people have spent years looking
for in vain? Wouldn't you rather look for hidden riches that no one knows
about but you? The answer is obvious. Of course you would. Well, you can.
This book will tell you how to find fresh leads; leads known only to you.
Though the examples I gave above are old favorites with California treasure
hunters, every state has its full quota of buried treasure tales. Perhaps
you know of one of more in your own state. You can look for them if you
want, but there's a better, more productive way. It involves remarkably
little effort, and will enable you to get leads no matter where you are
- in your own town, in the neighboring towns, and all through your state
and other states. In fact, most of the leads you will run into will probably
be in your own area.
It sounds too good to be true, I know. But as you will see, it is very easy
to find leads. Good ones. For some reason, this method has been often overlooked
by the treasure fraternity; a grievous oversight on their part, but one
which I have found most useful.
You've read this far - you ought to read the rest of the book! It's time
to go back to the top and order the online version of the book!
Pay by PayPal (user name: 38lyons38@earthlink.net) or send your check
or money order to: Jim Lyons, P. O. Box 580, Los Altos, CA 94023. To see
who I am, visit my web site at this link.