Western Sierras and the Search for David Shrum

I have always wanted to see Lake Tahoe.  Mark Twain (who lived at Virginia City early in his career), said it is the most beautiful lake in the world.  Who am I to argue.  See photos.

We arrived Tuesday at the park at the Nevada County Fairgrounds in Grass Valley, CA.  Our original plan to go north on 395 to Reno, then take I-80 down to the road to Grass Valley fell apart.  On the last night we were in Coleville, we had high winds (high enough to rock the rig).  We delayed leaving in hopes the wind would drop but no luck.  The Nevada DOT closed 395 north of Carson City so we took 50 back up to South Lake Tahoe and then down.  Got to Placerville and Garmin sent us north on a road fine for passenger traffic but not so fine for towing a 35 foot RV.  I hope Mike will be speaking to me again soon.

My oldest brother, Larry, had connected with our mother’s distant family in Virginia in 1990 and bought a privately published book about Mom’s family.  In that book, there is David Shrum, a somewhat mysterious figure.  The oldest son in the family, he went to the California gold fields in the 1850’s.  The book’s author, Virginia Shrum, could document that he was in Omega, California, a mining town, from a letter he wrote to one of his brothers in 1858.  And then no more is heard of David.  Virginia thought he had been killed in a mining accident but had no proof.

Larry’s lovely daughter Dana lives in Grass Valley next to Nevada City, California, the county seat of Nevada County.  Nevada City is about 20 miles from the site of Omega of which no trace exists today.  She spent the day with us yesterday searching for David.  There are two small historical societies in town, one across the street from the front of the county courthouse and the other across the street from the side of the courthouse.  We started with the one at the side.  They had information about Omega but no trace of David.

We decided to take a road trip to see if we could find the site of the town.  Dana had talked with Forest Service employees and they said the town itself has been wiped away and nothing exists there anymore.  Nonetheless, we sallied forth.  We stopped at a scenic overlook.  Omega was to the right and down the mountain from where Dana is standing.  Before we tackled the Omega gravel road, we went down to another mining town which still has a few residents.

We stepped into the Hotel Washington and back to the 1870’s.  This is spectacularly beautiful country. Photos 2 and 3 below were taken from the balcony of the hotel.  As we left, we had a brief conversation with an elderly man who was standing in front of the hotel, smoking.  He said at one time the hotel had been condemned and was scheduled for demolition.  His partner bought it and together they restored it. 

On to the elusive Omega.  We found the road and turned down the mountain.  Omega supposedly had been two or three miles from the junction.  After we had driven five miles, the road had gotten progressively narrower and rougher so we decided to turn around.  Omega was probably obliterated by snow slides.  (It also burned to the ground a couple of times and was re-built.)

We returned to the second historical society not expecting anything.  Amazingly, they had a copy of his will and they could identify the date of death and that there had been an obituary in the local newspaper.  I got a copy of his will and the newspaper information but the microfilm of the papers was back at the first building. 

We returned to the first society and the volunteers were happy to load the microfilm for the Nevada City newspaper for the correct year.  So then it was just scrolling forward and backward until we found the obituary.  From that, we found the report a week earlier of the accident.  Amazing.  (Note to Omar:  he was accompanied to the grave site by his friends in the Sons of Temperance society.)

The accident had occurred on April 16 and he must have been loaded on a wagon and taken into Nevada City.  Can't imagine how bad that must have been.  On April 17, he found a lawyer, wrote his will, and died April 22.  Still don't know in which cemetery he is buried, as the obit does not say.  Dana said she will continue to hunt for his grave.

One of the ladies in the historical society told me an interesting story today.  A local cabinetmaker also made coffins.  Business must have been brisk and he decided he should buy a piece of land for a cemetery and make money on that end, which he did.  Pine Grove Cemetery, Nevada City, California.