Elias Davidson Pierce (1824—1897) was one of the key figures in the gold rush in 1860 to Idaho.

Pierce was a native of Harrison County, (West) Virginia.[1] In 1844 he purchased land in Indiana and relocated to Hartford City, where he studied law for a time before enlisting as a volunteer during the Mexican War.[2][3] After serving 8 months in Mexico, primarily on guard duty, he returned to Indiana, near death from dysentery, and was discharged in July 1848.[1] In 1849, he went overland to California as part of the gold rush. In 1852 Pierce served in the California House of Representatives.

Pierce, Idaho is named for Pierce.[4]

Notes

  1. 1 2 1848 Mexican War discharge paper for Elias D. Pierce. National Archives Bounty Land file #52221.
  2. ↑ Deed from Elliott and Elizabeth Nixon to Elias D. Pierce, transcribed in "John Doe on demise of Elias D. Pierce v. Sweetser" Indiana Supreme Court 1850. Indiana State Archives.
  3. ↑ Burcham, Ralph Jr. (1950). Elias Davidson Pierce, Discoverer of Gold in Idaho: A Biographical Study. University of Idaho Graduate School, Moscow, Idaho: Unpublished thesis. p. 8.
  4. ↑ Brosnan, C. J. (1918). History of the State of Idaho. New York, Chicago, Boston: Charles Scribner's Sons. pp. 90.

References


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