Tintic, Governor Mine

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This page was last updated on December 2, 2025.

(The focus of this page is the surface workings of the mines of the Governor mine, as visible in photographs, as well as a general description of the mines, with minimal coverage of the geology and financial returns. Also to establish a timeline using sources not previously readily available.)

Governor Mine

(The Governor claim was directly adjacent to the Black Dragon claim, and lay in a direct line northeast of the Black Dragon claim.)

May 25, 1876
"The Governor was located May 25, 1876, by D. S. Dana and Benjamin Bachman. This mine has added much to the wealth of the district and was some time ago sold to John Beck for $40,000. The property is now [1897] being worked under a lease and bond by the Olson brothers, known in Colorado as the 'lucky Swedes,' and considerable good ore is being taken out." (Salt Lake Herald, June 28, 1897, citing the Silver City Star's history of the Tintic district)

January 10, 1891
"The Governor mine, recently sold to John Beck" was opened on the instruuctions of H. F. Gear, the assayer of the Bullion Beck mine, owned by John Beck. Based on his own assay work, Gear had recently taken an option on the General Logan, adjacent to the Bullion Beck. (Provo Daily Enquirer, January 10, 1891)

January 4, 1895
"W. H. Lawrence, the Brim brothers and several others have just secured a lease and bond on the extension of the Governor lode in Dragon Hollow, above Silver City, and the gentlemen will at once commence the thorough development of the property, which gives some first class returns in gold, silver and lead. The mine has already been worked some little but never to a sufficient depth to determine just what there is within reach." (Salt Lake Herald, January 4, 1895)

April 24, 1897
J. G. Marx, manager of the Black Dragon mine, took a lease on the adjacent Governor mine and began development. (Salt Lake Tribune, April 24, 1897)

May 1, 1897
"The Governor Mine, now the property of John Beck, was located by Judge Dana of this place, and was named after a relative of his, ex-Governor Dana of Maine. The Tribune, in noticing this mine a few days ago, spoke of it in very favorable terms as a producer, and cited the fact that work was about to be resumed on the property under a new management. The mine is located in Dragon Hollow on the same vein as the Shoebridge and Black Dragon on which work has been recently resumed under Superintendent Marx; the ore body proving to he very good and of a higher grade than formerly. Dragon Hollow is south, south east of Eureka about two and a half miles and about a mile and a quarter east of Silver City, where the great iron mines of the Tintic Iron Mining company are located." (Payson Globe, May 1, 1897)

August 16, 1908
The Governor Mining company was organized by Jesse Knight and associates. The mining property encompassed the following claims: the Governor; the Black Dragon; the Turk; the Eastern Daisy; the Dewdrop; the June; the March; and the White Dragon. Officers were: Jesse Knight, president; J. William Knight, vice president; with W. Lester Mangum and Amanda M. Knight as additional directors. (Salt Lake Herald, August 17, 1908)

April 26, 1912
The charter of the Governor Mining company was revoked due to non-payment of the state corporate license fee. (Provo Daily Herald, April 16, 1912)

(The last reference for the Governor Mining company was on January 1, 1917, showing that it had shipped one car of ore during 1916. This suggests that after 1908, the Governor group was retained as property adjoining Knight's other properties, rather than as a producing mine.)

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