The Arthurs

Joseph and Zau B Arthur - 1956 to 1960

The Authur's purchased our house from the Porter's on or around July 17, 1956. Mr. Arthur, known as Joe Arthur, was a well known mining figure in Nevada. He was born in Cornwall, England in 1875. He didn't meet his father until he came to America at nine years old as his father, like many English men of that era, came to America for work. His father worked in the Comstock Mine in Virginia City, Nevada. When Joe and his family came to America, they settled in Ruby Hill, Nevada. By the time he was seventeen Joe had already worked in the mines, been a cowpuncher (a cowboy) and had a small gold strike of $150. In 1901, at age 26, he was appointed to the Methodist Church Nevada Mission for Ruby Hill.

After his father died in 1901, he took his mother to Butte, Montana where he set her up in a boarding home. From there he went to Tonopah, Nevada, via Salt Lake City, Utah and Reno, Nevada. In Reno he hooked up with his boyhood friend from Ruby Hill, Harry Fray. Harry accompanied him to Tonopah. In Tonopah he took charge of a mining property for a Salt Lake City based company. When the company shut down the mine, he took it over on a lease.

After working the mine in Tonopah, he spent the next several years working his claims, prospecting and having several exciting adventures, many of which are chronicled in his biography, “Broken Hills.” “Broken Hills” was written by his wife, Zua, and is a must read for anyone interested in Nevada history.

Around 1913, he and his partner, Jim Stratford, made their biggest strike in what would become known as Broken Hills, Nevada. While the strike yielded $68,000 in ore, a minuscule amount compared to the Comstock Lode, that equates to $1,090,810 in today's dollars. Between that and the money he made selling his mine in 1917, he was able to retire to Reno, Nevada at forty three years old.

Joe never really retired though, he continued to prospect around Nevada and work his remaining claims for the next forty years. When not prospecting he spent his time hunting, fishing and entertaining people with stories of his life in Nevada.

Zau Arthur (née Bearss) grew up in Marshall County and Bourbon, Indiana where she attended high school. She studied at the Chicago Art Institute. Mrs. Arthur was an artist. While in Reno she created and sold many of her paintings. One of her paintings hung in our front room, even after the Zonnevelds purchased the home from the Arthurs. You can catch a glimpse of that painting in the movie “Sworn to Vengeance” (see more in section on the Zonnevelds).

A Joseph Arthur was listed as an honorary Pallbearer at William Machabee's funeral, but I have not been able to confirm he is the same Joseph Arthur who owned our house. However, as Harry Fray, his boyhood friend from Ruby Hill was related, by marriage, to the Machabees and Harry also worked at the Verdi Lumber Company with William Machabee, it is possible that Joe and Mr. Machabee were friends.

Mr. Arthur died on December 17, 1959. He and Mrs. Arthur had two sons; Kirk and George