Stewart McAninch in Nevada: Part I: Through the 1891 Marriage |
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Stewart McAninch lived and worked in the ‘wild west’ mining districts and towns in the high |
desert country of central Nevada during the 1880’s and 1890’s. These towns, and other places |
mentioned, can be easily found on the State of Nevada’s free downloadable ‘tourist map’ [Note 1]. |
The details of Stewart McAninch’s birth are not known at this time. It is my estimate that Stewart |
was probably born between 1840 and 1860 [2]; his parents and birthplace are currently unknown. |
Unfortunately, Stewart has not been found on any census records, and the other records in Nevada |
(marriage record, land deeds, etc.) do not have any clues regarding his exact age or place of origin. |
Stewart’s future wife, Victoria L. Tucker, was born circa 1865 in California [3] [8], daughter |
of (unknown male) and Martha C Tucker. Martha C. (maiden name unknown) Tucker was born |
circa 1847-1848, in Iowa. Martha probably married (unknown male) Tucker ca. 1862-1863; they |
may have married in California, since her first four children were all born in California [3] [8]. |
In 1870, Martha Tucker, age 22, is a single mother with four children (Mary C., Victoria, Robert, |
and daughter Martha), living in Venice Township, Visalia, Tulare County, in central California [3]. |
In the same year (1870), Martha’s future (second) husband, George Lewis, age 38, is a single male, |
working as a teamster, enumerated in Pioche, the county seat of Lincoln County, Nevada [4] [5]. |
George Lewis was born circa 1832, in Virginia, and nothing more is known about his background. |
In the early years of the 1870’s, Martha Tucker and her four children made their way from Visalia, |
California, across the Sierra Nevada mountains, to the mining boom town of Belmont, Nevada [6]. |
Belmont, Nevada (elevation 8000 feet) boomed after a new silver strike in October 1865, and by |
1867 the population reached 2,000, second only to that of Virginia City in the state. Belmont was |
said to be a “handsomely laid out town” with a bank, a school, two churches, telegraph service, |
post office, and “20 whiskey shops”. Between 1867 and 1905, Belmont was the county seat of |
Nye County. The two-story brick Belmont Courthouse, completed in 1874, is still standing and is |
slowly being restored (by Nevada State Parks). After about 20 years of life, Belmont slowly died. |
In 1903 most of the remaining miners moved south to the new strike at Tonopah, and, in 1905, the |
county seat moved there, too. Today, Belmont is a ghost town [6] [6.a] [6.b] [6.c] [6.d]. |
George Lewis (age 41-42), and Martha C. Tucker (age 26-27), were married on 17 November 1873, |
in Belmont, Nye County, Nevada, by the minister (“Priest”) of the Protestant Episcopal Church [7]. |
George Lewis became step-father to Martha’s four children (Mary C. Tucker, Victoria L Tucker, |
Robert Tucker, and daughter Martha Tucker). During the 1870’s, George and Martha had two more |
children, a daughter, E. Lewis, born circa 1876, and a son, George Lewis, born circa 1877 [8]. |
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McAninch Family History NL v.XVII n.1 / January 2009 / Copyright Frank McAninch / page 2009-02 |