William Prows
Encyclopedia
William Cook Prows (June 11, 1827 – May 3, 1894) was an early Mormon
leader and American
settler who may have been the first man to discover gold on the Comstock Lode
, leading to a rush of mining in the area during the mid-19th century.
). He was a descendant of Captain Thomas Pickering, an early leader of Portsmouth, New Hampshire
.
Prows joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1841 in Nauvoo, Illinois
. He became a Mormon pioneer
who signed up to be a part of the Mormon Battalion
in 1846.
While returning from California
with the Mormon Battalion
in 1848, Prowse was reportedly the first man to wash gold on the Comstock Lode
. The other principal candidate for discovering the Comstock Lode is Abner Blackburn.
Prows returned to become an early Mormon
leader and one of the founders of Fillmore, Utah
. He was jailed for a time for practicing polygamy. In 1894, Prows decided to retrace the steps of the Mormon Battalion, became ill on the trek, and was taken to Colonia Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico, where many Latter-day Saints lived to avoid prosecution for practicing polygamy. He died in Colonia Juárez.
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
leader and American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
settler who may have been the first man to discover gold on the Comstock Lode
Comstock Lode
The Comstock Lode was the first major U.S. discovery of silver ore, located under what is now Virginia City, Nevada, on the eastern slope of Mount Davidson, a peak in the Virginia Range. After the discovery was made public in 1859, prospectors rushed to the area and scrambled to stake their claims...
, leading to a rush of mining in the area during the mid-19th century.
Biography
Prows was born in the upper part of the Kanawha Valley in then the Commonwealth of Virginia (now part of West VirginiaWest Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
). He was a descendant of Captain Thomas Pickering, an early leader of Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Portsmouth is a city in Rockingham County, New Hampshire in the United States. It is the largest city but only the fourth-largest community in the county, with a population of 21,233 at the 2010 census...
.
Prows joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1841 in Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
. He became a Mormon pioneer
Mormon Pioneer
The Mormon pioneers were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as Latter-day Saints, who migrated across the United States from the Midwest to the Salt Lake Valley in what is today the U.S. state of Utah...
who signed up to be a part of the Mormon Battalion
Mormon Battalion
The Mormon Battalion was the only religiously based unit in United States military history, and it served from July 1846 to July 1847 during the Mexican-American War. The battalion was a volunteer unit of between 534 and 559 Latter-day Saints men led by Mormon company officers, commanded by regular...
in 1846.
While returning from California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
with the Mormon Battalion
Mormon Battalion
The Mormon Battalion was the only religiously based unit in United States military history, and it served from July 1846 to July 1847 during the Mexican-American War. The battalion was a volunteer unit of between 534 and 559 Latter-day Saints men led by Mormon company officers, commanded by regular...
in 1848, Prowse was reportedly the first man to wash gold on the Comstock Lode
Comstock Lode
The Comstock Lode was the first major U.S. discovery of silver ore, located under what is now Virginia City, Nevada, on the eastern slope of Mount Davidson, a peak in the Virginia Range. After the discovery was made public in 1859, prospectors rushed to the area and scrambled to stake their claims...
. The other principal candidate for discovering the Comstock Lode is Abner Blackburn.
Prows returned to become an early Mormon
Mormon
The term Mormon most commonly denotes an adherent, practitioner, follower, or constituent of Mormonism, which is the largest branch of the Latter Day Saint movement in restorationist Christianity...
leader and one of the founders of Fillmore, Utah
Fillmore, Utah
Fillmore is a city in Millard County, Utah, United States. The population was 2,253 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Millard County. It is named for the thirteenth US President Millard Fillmore....
. He was jailed for a time for practicing polygamy. In 1894, Prows decided to retrace the steps of the Mormon Battalion, became ill on the trek, and was taken to Colonia Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico, where many Latter-day Saints lived to avoid prosecution for practicing polygamy. He died in Colonia Juárez.