Gilbert Hedden
Encyclopedia
Gilbert D. Hedden of Chatham, New Jersey
achieved the most remarkable progress towards solving the Oak Island
treasure mystery.
, Hillside, New Jersey
, fabricators and erectors of structural steel
. On the sale in 1931 of the business to Bethlehem Steel Company, he became plant manager of the "Hedden" works.
In his public life, he served as Mayor of Chatham, New Jersey from 1934 to 1938. On May 8, 1928 he read an article on Oak Island
in The New York Times Magazine
. Hedden was fascinated by the story and determined to purchase the island and search for the treasure. He spent much of his fortune in search of the treasure.
His search lasted from 1934 to 1936, when he helped arrange for New York University engineering professor Edwin Hamilton to take over. Hedden bought the east end of the island in 1935 and attempted to drain the so-called Money Pit with a pump. His discoveries during the search included finding an inscribed stone, believed to be Masonic, at Joudrey's Cove in 1936.
"The Big Dig: the $10 Million Search for Oak Island's Legendary Treasure" was written about the costliest treasure hunt ever. Lives and vast amounts of wealth were lost. The treasure still remains and other treasure hunters have since followed. Hedden is the most notable due to his large investments, engineering
background, and early discoveries.
Chatham, New Jersey
Chatham refers to two neighboring municipalities in Morris County, New Jersey – Chatham Borough and Chatham Township. The two are separate municipalities, the first a municipality that was settled in 1710 as a colonial English village in the Province of New Jersey...
achieved the most remarkable progress towards solving the Oak Island
Oak Island
Oak Island is a island in Lunenburg County on the south shore of Nova Scotia, Canada. The tree-covered island is one of about 360 small islands in Mahone Bay and rises to a maximum of 35 feet above sea level...
treasure mystery.
Biography
Hedden was born in 1897, and became, in 1919, Vice-President and General Manager of the Hedden Iron Construction CompanyHedden Iron Construction Company
Hedden Iron Construction Company was a manufacturer of iron and steel components founded in 1889 and sold in 1931 to the Bethlehem Steel Company.-History:...
, Hillside, New Jersey
Hillside, New Jersey
Hillside is a township in Union County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 21,404.Hillside was incorporated as a township on April 3, 1913, from portions of Union Township, based on the results of a referendum held on April 29, 1913.The town...
, fabricators and erectors of structural steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
. On the sale in 1931 of the business to Bethlehem Steel Company, he became plant manager of the "Hedden" works.
In his public life, he served as Mayor of Chatham, New Jersey from 1934 to 1938. On May 8, 1928 he read an article on Oak Island
Oak Island
Oak Island is a island in Lunenburg County on the south shore of Nova Scotia, Canada. The tree-covered island is one of about 360 small islands in Mahone Bay and rises to a maximum of 35 feet above sea level...
in The New York Times Magazine
The New York Times Magazine
The New York Times Magazine is a Sunday magazine supplement included with the Sunday edition of The New York Times. It is host to feature articles longer than those typically in the newspaper and has attracted many notable contributors...
. Hedden was fascinated by the story and determined to purchase the island and search for the treasure. He spent much of his fortune in search of the treasure.
His search lasted from 1934 to 1936, when he helped arrange for New York University engineering professor Edwin Hamilton to take over. Hedden bought the east end of the island in 1935 and attempted to drain the so-called Money Pit with a pump. His discoveries during the search included finding an inscribed stone, believed to be Masonic, at Joudrey's Cove in 1936.
"The Big Dig: the $10 Million Search for Oak Island's Legendary Treasure" was written about the costliest treasure hunt ever. Lives and vast amounts of wealth were lost. The treasure still remains and other treasure hunters have since followed. Hedden is the most notable due to his large investments, engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
background, and early discoveries.