~ ~ All that Glitters~ ~

     The topic for week 8 of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks writing challenge was 'Prosperity' and I knew as soon as I saw that word who I would be writing about.  The Devine brothers were miners of gold and quartz in Maricopa, Arizona at the beginning of the 1900s.
     My 2nd great-grandmother, Teresa Devine's older brothers, Martin, John, and Patrick from her father's first marriage had moved west before 1900.  I don't know what year their journey to a new adventurous life began.
     Martin Devine, the oldest of the Devine boys who moved west to seek their fortune in mining was born approx 1856 in Dutchess County, NY.  Martin died March 20 in 1911 and his death certificate states that he had been living in Arizona for 18 years which would make his arrival in Arizona territory to be about 1893.  His burial was March 22, 1911 in Pioneer Gravesite, La Paz county, Arizona.  I have tried and tried but have been unable to locate this cemetery.
     John J. Devine, Martin's younger brother, was born July 13, 1859 in NY.  I don't know when he moved to Arizona But I know it was before Martin because in 1887 he was working in Tucson as a deputy collector for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).  At some point, John travelled further west to California where he settled in Ventura. John died Oct 19, 1944 in Ventura, California and is buried in Ivy Lawn Memorial Park.
     Patrick Devine,  the youngest of the Devine brothers to head west was born 6 July 1862 in New York.  I don't have any information other than what I saw on the 1900 federal census.
     The 1900 U.S. Federal Census shows Martin Devine along with his younger brothers, John and Patrick living in Sunset precint of Maricopa county which was in Arizona territory.  They were owners of a gold mine.  I don't know how successful the Devine brothers were with the gold but the older two, Martin and John relocated to Yuma according to voter registration records and I have no idea what became of Patrick.
     The 1910 federal census shows Martin and John living in Yuma and owners of a quartz mine.  What happened to the gold?  Were they any more successful with quartz?  Sadly, Martin died the following year in March of 1911 and John remained in Yuma for at least a few more years according to voter registration records.  I was not able to find John in any of the censuses after 1910 and actually didn't see his name again until a record of death in October of 1944.
     I don't know how prosperous the Devine brothers were but they say "all that glitters is not gold."