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American Pioneer & Cemetery Research Project
Internet Publication
Version
010310-AG-GCM
Owens, Arizona
and
Hiram Alfred Owen
A.K.A.
"Chloride Jack"
1842 - July 7, 1909
By Adam Germroth
According to the 1850 census Hiram Alfred
Owen was born in 1842 in Georgia. Hiram
joined Company A, 7th Georgia Infantry, on
August 1st, 1863, at the age of 21, as a Second Lieutenant for the
Confederate Army. This Unit served as a local defense unit. Hiram was elected as First Lieutenant on
December 28th 1863, and served until January 31st 1864,
when the unit dispersed. When General
William Tecumseh Sherman of the Union Army marched through Georgia, Hiram was
drafted to serve as a Private with Company K, 30th
Georgia infantry. Hiram was captured on July 5th 1864, at Chattahoochee,
Georgia, and sent as a prisoner to Camp Douglas, Illinois.
Upon his release and the
surrender of General Lee, Hiram headed west in or around 1866 - 1868 for new
ground and settled in White Pine, Nevada. Because of Hiram’s extensive
knowledge and use of Chloride in the extraction of Silver, he was soon given
the name “Chloride Jack”, the name stuck like glue from this point on.
Map
courtesy Neal Du Shane
Sometime in the early
1870’s, Chloride Jack packed up camp and made way for Prescott, Territory of
Arizona. It was here that he met Mr. Jackson McCracken and together they
discovered the famous McCracken Silver Mine, August 17, 1874. The hill and lode
were named for Mr. McCracken and the newly formed mining district took the name
of Owen. Hiram and Jackson McCracken later sold the mine. Hiram’s
share consisted of $70,000 to $80,000 and a large chunk of stock in the
McCracken Company.
Ghost Town
of Owens, AZ and the Owens Cemetery
Map
courtesy Neal Du Shane
Owens, AZ
T. 15N R.
13W
Owens Post Office was
established April 4th 1899 and closed August 31st 1914. Owens is located
4 miles south of
According to Ray Owen (Grandson
to Hiram), and The Arizona Republic
after selling the mine Hiram and his partner moved to San Francisco to enjoy
there fortune. However in Nell Murbarger’s book,
“Ghosts of the Adobe Walls”, she claims the amount to be much less and that
Hiram moved back to Georgia. According
to all of my extensive research I have no other information to support Murbarger’s claim. He
soon married a woman by the name of Marie Theresa Guerin,”Miss Gillie,” on
March 13th 1876. They had two
sons Alfred and Eugene.
Although there is no
information to prove this, it seems he went through his share of the money in
short order, as he returned back to Arizona to resume mining.
Hiram Alfred Owens,
known throughout the western mining world as "Chloride Jack" died
July 7th 1909 at the age of 66 in a Prescott hospital from a long
lasting case of Dropsy. He was survived by his wife and two sons, who
resided in Oakland CA at the time, also had two brothers. John Owens, also
a local miner in the Mohave area and another brother who was a wealthy planter
in Georgia.
It’s always unfortunate
to lose such a picturesque pioneer, but Chloride Jacks name will never be
forgotten!!!
He was known as Chloride
Jack in all the principal camps and mining districts of the Sage Brush State
and his final territory, Arizona. He was a veteran prospector and explorer
who enjoyed making and spending fortunes and ever ready when favored by fortune
to assist his less fortunate fellows.
Hiram
Alfred Owen, Laid to rest in the Citizens Cemetery, Prescott, AZ.
UPDATE
Gwen Cosby Moore
I just came across your
website and the story about Hiram Alfred Owen by Adam Germroth. In the
article it mentioned his brother John and another brother in Georgia who
was a "wealthy" planter. I am the great, great, granddaughter of
the other brother and his name was Oliver Perry Owen. I know that Hiram
Alfred's obituary is the source for the "wealthy planter" info, but
unfortunately, that is not true. Perry was just a farmer and he didn't lead as
interesting life as Hiram. Oliver Perry was the oldest son,
Hiram Alfred the middle son, and John Martin the youngest.
If anyone is researching
Hiram Alfred they will be able to connect him to both of his brothers. Just in
case you also want to add it, their father was John Owen and mother was Permelia Embry Owen. The family resided in Campbell County,
Georgia before the Civil War. Perry married and remained there after the War.
The area eventually became Douglas County.
Works Cited:
Ray Owen (Grandson to
Hiram Alfred Owen)
Arizona Pioneer &
Cemetery Research Project (APCRP)
Neal Du Shane
www.ADMMR.com
“Ghosts of the Adobe
Walls” by Nell Murbarger
The
Arizona Republic, 1909
Adam Germroth 2009 -
APCRP Booster
American Pioneer & Cemetery Research Project
Internet Publication
Version
010310-AG-GCM
WebMaster:
Neal Du Shane
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