John Mangan (1856-1931) was a hard rock miner in the late nineteenth century; he served as President of the Western Federation of Miners Goldfield Local 220 in 1908, Secretary in 1910, had been President of the Western Federation of Miners Union in Leadville or Cripple Creek, Colorado for ten years before arriving in Goldfield and is mentioned in the Pinkerton spy reports during the Colorado Labor Wars (Haag).
Joe White (1879-1926) was a laborer in Millers, bartender in the Cobweb bar, operator of the Mizpah Hotel during prohibition, mining venture investor, car dealer, house mover, and real estate owner. He was a prominent figure in the mining camp and involved himself in numerous charity events and associations. Joe White had a reputation for making friends easy and keeping them; a quintessential entrepreneur of his era.
Anna Mangan White served as the familial link between John Mangan, her father, and Joe White, her husband. She was my grandmother and the inspiration behind the content of this website.
My mother, Marjorie, shared very few tales of her family experiences. She lost her mother in childbirth, father at age ten, and grandparents at age fourteen. Two of these tales relate to John Mangan.
“My grandfather did not like George Wingfield,” which likely pertained to the bitter 1906-08 labor dispute involving high grading, where miners would steal high-grade ore from the mines by hiding it in their lunch buckets, pockets, specially constructed double-crowned hats, mouths, and other ingeniously devised hiding places. Saloonkeepers, gamblers, prostitutes, local merchants, and illegal assayers serving as fences found the added income from high grading lucrative, and many of Goldfield’s citizens sympathized with the miners (Zanjani).
“…(Governor) Sparks wired President Roosevelt on December 5 that ‘domestic violence and unlawful combinations and conspiracies’ existed in Goldfield. Roosevelt’s response was swift. On December 6, three companies of the Twenty-second Infantry arrived from San Francisco” (Zanjani). Peace was restored to the camp, the boom powered on in Goldfield, as the following articles will attest.
Second, when living in San Francisco, Grandfather John might return from a sozzled visit with former Goldfield mining pals at a local pub, throw his hat in their home’s front door and if it stayed inside he was allowed to enter, if it came flying out, he slept on the front porch.
Below, a series of articles portray events and activities in which John Mangan and Joe White were involved; a slice of their lives told by peers of their community. Nevada words; letting them tell it as it happened when it happened frees the reader of any filter I might place on a reconstructed narrative.
It starts with a funeral and ends with a funeral, common to the rigors of the time.
1909 Goldfield Daily Tribune
Two Societies Attend the Mangan Funeral: Escorted by Redman and members of the Miners union the body of the late John J. Mangan, Jr. was laid to rest in the Goldfield cemetery yesterday morning after an impressive funeral service at the Sacred Heart Catholic church.
A long line of vehicles following the carriage containing the stricken relatives, attested the esteem in which the deceased was held.
1910 Goldfield Daily Tribune
J.J. Mangan, secretary of the Local 220, Western Federation of Miners, has prepared a set of rules which will govern the rock drilling contests to be held at the Labor day celebration in Sparks.
1910 Reno Evening Gazette
Goldfield Miners Union as a body has not authorized the State Labor League to endorse any candidate or candidates on any ticket for any office and will not do so. Don’t believe any rumors of that kind that you hear. J J Mangan, Secretary-Treasurer No 220 WF of M
1910 Goldfield Daily Tribune
Knights of Columbus Elect New Officers: The annual election of Goldfield Council No. 1070, Knights of Columbus, took place on Monday evening. Trustee J.J. Mangan.
1911 Goldfield Daily Tribune
Appointments at Courthouse Surprise Politicians Who Predicted Different: The new board of commissioners of Esmeralda county held its initial meeting yesterday, and during the day, approved the bonds of a majority of the recently elected officers.
Under the new regime, instead of three shifts of jailers, there will be but one. That will be the night shift and will be handled by J. J. Mangan who will make his headquarters at the courthouse.
1911 Goldfield Daily Tribune
Personal Mention: “Little” Joe White, formerly of the Consolidated mill force, came back today after an absence of three weeks, which he says was enough of the outer country for him.
1911 Goldfield Daily Tribune
Society: On Wednesday evening the L.O.O.M gave their initial ball at Elks’ hall and the attendance was most flattering. This organization which has just been established here, has met with a great response and has two hundred members. The music was very exceptionally rendered by the Moose organizer. The floor committee was most vigilant and made every one comfortable by introductions and by being solicitous as to their enjoyment. Among dancers and lookers on were… J. F. White.
1911 Goldfield Daily Tribune
Raising the Debt of Catholic Church: Father Demoed is always a booster for the best interest of Goldfield, and his congregation never hears him deprecate the resources of the camp. Last Sunday he took occasion to pay a high compliment to the public spirit of the people especially the non-catholic element which was under no obligations to him or the cause he represented. The speaker told from the alter how generous everybody had been when he called for contributions to raise the debt of Sacred Heart church. On the former Sunday the pastor announced his intention of leaving the question of liquidating the debt to the liberality of the people as he did not wish the annoyance of a fair, bazaar or any similar device and he knew that the business men would prefer to make a personal contribution rather than subject themselves to the importunities off canvassers. The first week’s subscription, amounting to over $600 appears to justify this view for most of the merchants gave liberally and others promised to do so equally well at an early date. The following list of contributors was read from the alter last Sunday:…J. J. Mangan, $5…
1911 Goldfield Daily Tribune
Personal Mention: John J. Mangan, until recently one of Sheriff Ingalls’ deputies, returned this morning from Lovelock, Seven Troughs and Vernon, where he has a promising bunch of mining claims. He reports the northern district booming.
1912 Goldfield Daily Tribune
Three More Petitions: Thomas P. McNamara, school director, and John J. Mangan, miner at the Jumbo Extension yesterday morning filed their candidates’ petitions for sheriff and constable respectively with County Clerk Hamilton.
1912 Nevada State Journal
Democrats of the Big Gold Camp Organize an Enthusiastic Club: Goldfield has one of the most active and enthusiastic Wilson and Marshal clubs in the state. The club was organized by R. G. Withers, and started off with 162 members. When it is considered that the usual political club starts with less than 25 members, this record on part of the democracy of Goldfield is considered remarkable and indicative of the sentiment of this people in this section of the state. Following are names…J.J.Mangan, Joe White.
1913 Goldfield Daily Tribune
Marriage License: A marriage license has been issued from the county clerk’s office to Joseph F. White and Anna Mangan, both of Goldfield.
1913 Goldfield Daily Tribune
Young Couple Married: Joseph F. White and Anna Mangan, two of the young people of this camp who are well known, were married yesterday at the Catholic church at 9 o’clock in the morning by Father Dermoody.
1913 Tonopah Daily Bonanza
Personal: John Mangan and Miss Josephine Mangan, father and sister of Mrs. Joe White, came over from Goldfield yesterday to be at the bedside of Mrs. White, who underwent a critical operation.
1916 Tonopah Daily Bonanza
Amusements: Sale of Mizpah Hotel Bar Consummated Last Night, A deal was consummated last evening whereby Wm. S. Taylor and W. D. Moody disposed of the Mizpah hotel bar to Joe White and George Hickernell. Mr. White, who has been employed for long time at Cobweb bar, will take active management, while Mr. Hickernell, who is a deputy sheriff, will continue to reside at Millers, where he is stationed. A number of alterations and improvements will be made to the establishment.
1916 December 18th Tonopah Daily Bonanza
Visitor To The White Family: A nine and one-half pound baby girl (Marjorie Ann) that arrived last night at the home of Joe White, one of the owners of the Mizpah Hotel buffet, which accounts for the broad smile worn by the proud father and the cigars that are passed out. Dr. Mcleod reports the mother and child doing well.
1916 December 27th Tonopah Daily Bonanza
Death of Mrs. Joseph White After The Birth Of Baby Girl: Mrs Joseph White died last night at 25 minutes before 12 o’clock after a heroic struggle, battling for her own life and that of her newborn.
The husband is prostrated with grief, for he is a man who lives only for his loved ones and out of his life has gone what never can be recalled.
1916 December 29th Tonopah Daily Bonanza
Sorrowing Friends Follow Body Of Mrs White To Grave: The funeral of the late Mrs. Joseph White of Tonopah took place this morning at Goldfield from St. Mary’s church. Solemn requiem mass was celebrated by Rev. Father Jerome Diaz of Tonopah and a most touching and eloquent eulogy was pronounced by Rev. Father J. B. Dermody, her former pastor and close friend, who married her to Mr. White four years ago.
The church was thronged with friends of the deceased and all the automobiles and vehicles in the city were crowded into commission for the long cortege. Two autos were filled with floral offerings.
1917 Tonopah Daily Bonanza
Mizpah Hotel Management Changes With Retirement Of The Popular Bob Govan: The Mizpah management will change hands tomorrow when Joe White who has been identified with the Mizpah Buffet, and his partner in the enterprise George Hickernell will assume full charge of the house. Joe White is one of the most popular young men in the camp who has shown a progressive spirit in the management of every business with which has was connected since coming to Tonopah. Mr. Hickernell hails from Millers where he is one of leading citizens and one of the most enterprising men of the milling center. Messrs. White and Hickernell have taken a lease on the entire property and propose to conduct it as a first class house to which they will give the benefit of their full attention. They have already begun the task of renovating the upper floors and will continue the whole house has been overhauled and many of the rooms and suites refurbished. The new lessees will hold the patronage through their personal popularity.
1918 Reno Evening Gazette
John J. Mangan, one of the oldest residents of Goldfield, whose family of fourteen children (twelve deceased), were held up as models of that burg, is going to remove to San Francisco where he intends making his permanent home.
1918 October 5th Tonopah Daily Bonanza
Mizpah Lease Taken Over By “Joe” White: The Mizpah hotel lease changed hands this morning with the result Joseph F. White assumes full charge of that establishment…The change will be a surprise to most of the patrons of the house, who wish the new manager the best of good fortune. “Joe” White brings to the business the benefit of a wide range acquaintance and, with his genial personality, there is no doubt about the house enjoying a long and prosperous career.
1918 December 16th Tonopah Daily Bonanza
Slam Bang Go Saloon Doors On Tap Of 12 O’Clock Tonight; The lid goes on tonight at one minute after twelve o’clock after which it will be unlawful for any one to offer alcoholic liquor or beverage in Nevada. So far, as Tonopah is concerned the dealers are well rid of their stocks and there will not be any difficulty in complying with the provisions of the law. The wholesale house of the Nevada Supply company was the only one with surplus in hand. This filled a carload which was shipped to San Francisco Saturday in time to get it out of the state before the law becomes effective. This was a stock of bottled beer for the Schlitz company, received direct from the brewery and marked as 4 1/2 percent alcohol content. San Francisco paid more for this consignment than what was asked in Tonopah.
Wells Fargo took about half a carload of case goods but so far the real old booze is concerned there was not a drop to spare. In fact there was not enough to go around as Tonopah drunk itself dry early in the game.
The Tonopah Liquor company sold its last jolt about 7 o’clock Saturday evening and closed it doors.The Hall Liquor company is almost cleaned up.
Both the Mizpah and Cobweb will continue on the new line of soft drinks but the latter will close its doors until about Christmas to adjust itself too new conditions.
1919 Tonopah Daily Bonanza
Mrs J.J. Mangan, mother-in-law of Joe White of the Mizpah hotel arrived this morning from Oakland with Joe White’s daughter, Margery, whom, it is needless to say is running the hotel today.
1919 Reno Evening Gazette
John J. Mangan, father-in-law of Joe White of the Mizpah Hotel, has returned to the desert after almost a year on the outside where he resolved to spend the remainder of his days among old associates. Mr. Mangan is one of the pioneers of Goldfield.
1919 Tonopah Daily Bonanza
Hickernell Takes Over Goldfield Hotel: George R. Hickernell, formerly sheriff at Miller and more recently manager of the Mizpah hotel where he was associated with Joe White in the lease of the hotel, has taken charge of the Goldfield hotel.
1920 Tonopah Daily Bonanza
Joe White is branching into the landownership class and boast two dwellings…brought over from Goldfield. The first was one Joe and his family occupied in the southern camp…the movers had hard luck handling that house as they were detained three days on the road (25 miles) by accidents…cradle timbers on which the house was carried broke down and new ones had to be brought from Goldfield…(then) the rear axle broke and another stop was made at the halfway house near Klondike.
1920 Reno Evening Gazette
Tonopah Hotel Man Pays Cost of Case: W. E. Yeager, naval recruiting officer will not have to return to Tonopah at this time to stand trial on a charge of petty larceny made against him by Joseph White, proprietor of the Mizpah hotel who alleges Yeager stole two towels, worth forty cent. from a room in the hotel. Yeager went before Sidney Foster, justice of the peace this morning and posted $50 bail to guarantee his appearance at Tonopah on a date to be selected for the trial. In the meantime he will be allowed to attend to his duties as recruiting officer for the navy.
J.D. Grant, chief of police of Tonopah, reached Reno last night to take Yeager in custody. The Tonopah chief said today his expenses were paid by White, the commanding witness. Grant said he endeavored to have White drop case, telling him Nye could not be expected to stand the expense of bringing Yeager back from Reno on a charge of stealing two towels worth twenty cents each. White, the Tonopah chief says, insisted on Yeager being returned to Tonopah for trial and volunteered to pay all expenses connected with the case.
The Tonopah chief took possession of the two towels taken from Yeager’s suit case and will take them back to Tonopah.
1920 Tonopah Daily Bonanza
Oil Men Form Association: Preparations are being made by the Affiliated Oil Association of Nevada to recruit members from other towns in the state where interest in oil lands is manifested and it is probable that the association organized in Tonopah will be able to boast of a membership of more than three hundred within a few weeks. The following persons and corporations have signed…Joe White.
1921 Tonopah Daily Bonanza
Joe White Returns: Joe White, manager of the Mizpah hotel, returned with a new Chandler Dispatch car. Joe states that the cars are fast becoming a favorite on the coast and intends to have several models on display in Tonopah during the coming season.
1921 Reno Evening Gazette
According to reports current here the middle of March will see a complete change of management in the Mizpah Hotel when the lease now held by Joe White expires. George R. Hickernell, formerly associated with White in the hotel is mentioned as the new lessee.
1921 Tonopah Bonanza
Joe White and Stanley Langille left by auto today for Reno, where they go to receive two new cars for which they are agents.
1921 Tonopah Daily Bonanza
Joe White, Ed Erickson and William Watters, who left Saturday on a hunting expedition which took them to the wilds of Eureka county, returned home last night laden with game to the full extent of the statute in such cases made and provided. Mr. White called at the Bonanza office and presented the editor with two chickens, not of the Rhode Island or human variety, but truly of the sagebrush variety.
1922 Reno Evening Gazette
Tonopah, Labor Day will be celebrated with as complete a program as the citizens committee can devise. The day will be under the direction of the Eagles, as they were first to suggest the observance. A finance committee…Joe White.
1923 Tonopah Daily Bonanza
Joe White is convalescing from a hunt out Monitor Valley way. Joe rode one of Joe Scufe’s horses over the mountain and back and being his first experience in the saddle, Joe naturally is a bit sore.
1923 Tonopah Daily Bonanza
Nye county’s contribution to the fund raised for the relief of the stricken Japanese is $647.51. The quota placed by the National Red Cross for this county was $525. The local committee…like to thank all contributors…special thanks is given to the following who through their efforts helped to make Tonopah go over the top…Joe White
1926 Tonopah Daily Bonanza
The Hull City Divide company means business at Quartz Mountain. A gas engine is in transit and other machinery, including the air compressor is to be moved from the company’s claims in the Divide district. Within a short time it is expected that the company will be developing the two promising veins known to strike through the property. They adjoin the Tanfan group owned by Joe White and are 3300 feet northwest of the San Rafael.
1926 October 28th Tonopah Daily Bonanza
Former Tonopah Hotel Man, Pinned Under Water by Heavy Sedan, Riding in Front Seat, Joseph F. White was drowned in an auto accident four miles northeast of Fallon last evening about 8:30.
Tonopah was thrilled last evening by the reported death that flashed from mouth to mouth in an incredibly short space of time after the first news came…from Louis D. Gordon, general manager of the Wingfield interests at Quartz Mountain who happened to be in Fallon when the story reached that town…the fact that the death was announced by Gordon was accepted as shocking truth. Even then many of the friends of the deceased refused to believe the evidence and called up Reno without being able to learn anything from that city where the tragedy had not yet been reported.
Joseph Francis White was born April 14, 1879 at Frenchvale, Nova Scotia. The family name was Leblanc, French for White and the deceased followed the example of his countrymen on coming to the United States to Anglicise the name of his father. He is survived by a daughter 10 years of age, living with Mr and Mrs. John Mangan, the grandparents in San Francisco. The mother Annie Mangan, was born in Goldfield and removed to Tonopah shortly after the marriage and dying shortly after the birth of her first born. Joe first appeared in Southern Nevada at Millers…In 1906…followed the rush of thousands into Goldfield where Joe became associated with Bank salloon…later to Tonopah (with) the Bank Buffet. Joe became a member of the Goldfield lodge of Elks in 1912 and never took a remit from the mother lodge to which he was as loyal as most of the old boys of the days of 1906.
A master stroke in the business world led Joe into partnership with George Hickernell and Charles Bilyeu in a long time lease of the Mizpah hotel…After enjoying a period of rare prosperity, the parents dissolved the business relations selling out to White. Shortly after this transfer the Divide boom broke over the desert and for three months, standing room was at a premium in Tonopah with scores sleeping on the sidewalks because they could not find accommodations. In the Mizpah hotel, cots filled the halls and the billiard tables were utilized for sleep visitors. Money was no object and it is said that White cleaned up $40,000 during the brief tenure of the rush. He also shared in the enormous profits of locators and promoters who sought his influence and money to put over numerous deals of the first magnitude.
In all public affairs like the Fourth of July, Christmas kiddies trees, Memorial and Labor day celebrations he ranked as one of the livest boosters ever seen in the state and usually was appointed chairman of the finance committee raising funds for the event.
1926 October 30th Tonopah Daily Bonanza
Burial Jos. White Sunday Afternoon, Mr and Mrs. Mangan, with their grandchild, daughter of Jos F. White…will arrive this evening from San Francisco…The funeral will be held in Goldfield Sunday afternoon at 3:00 o’clock, the exercises being conducted in Elks hall with Very Rev. Dean O’Grady officiating and the Goldfield B.P.O.E. conducting the ritualistic services both at the hall and grave.
1926 November 1st Tonopah Daily Bonanza
Remarkable Tribute Paid to Joe White, Men and women in all paths of life in Tonopah and Goldfield joined yesterday afternoon in a remarkable tribute to the memory of Joseph F. White, former resident of both towns, who was killed in an automobile accident in Fallon…It is estimated that not less than 100 automobiles, most of the leaving here before the hearse, carried Tonopahns to the funeral.
The eulogy was delivered by State Senator Charles S. Sprague who said: “Joe White lived the life of the countryside in Nova Scotia and the youths of his day. He felt a longing to go out into the world and see what fortune had in store for him. The fame of Tonopah and Goldfield had reached throughout the land, and he was drawn to southern Nevada. He worked at Millers and then as a millman at Goldfield and then we came to know the good fellowship of Joe White.”
“If there was ever a good friend, a good companion, the ‘life of the party’ it was our friend Joe. He was loved by all who knew him and it seems that everyone in Nevada knew him”…desert dwellers became more intimately acquainted with the heart of the man reposing before them finding he was chivalrous to the weak, charitable to the afflicted and open handed when called on for the benefactions that became part of the life of a mining camp where rough exteriors sterling principles shine and the ears is never closed to the cry of distress.
The chief mourners, Mr. and Mrs. John J. Mangan and Margery, the ten year old daughter of deceased…
1931 Reno Evening Gazette
John J. Mangan, former resident of Tonopah and Goldfield, died yesterday in San Francisco. He was…grandfather of Margie White…active member of the Knights of Columbus, being past grand knight of the Goldfield council and a member of the Fourth Degree assembly of Tonopah.
I have been fortunate with these visages of my Nevada family, given from early writers in Goldfield and Tonopah; it has set new pathways in my mind to take in their place on the land and mine within that.
John and Ella Mangan led full lives in an era of expansive mining activity in America’s nineteenth-century west. Hardship and loss, certainly, yet accompanied with rewards that accompany “a constant need for change” in an open land.
Joe and Anna White’s lives carried through only to their prime years, taken by circumstances common to the period. They helped build and left a spirit in the community and now are part of the village of presence known as the Goldfield Cemetery
Examples of full youthful and elderly lives in a Nevada mining camp.
I feel blessed having discovered these recorded moments and am left with a question: If my grand and great-grandparents were now before me would there be one, above others, I want to tell me stories?
Surely great-grandmother Ella Mangan who bore fourteen children, outlived all but one and remained throughout a spirit of family and community…or, John Mangan being a leader in a significant historical event in Nevada mining camp history and taking the place of father to my mother…Joe White holding a place of recognition and admiration in the camp who “made friends easy and kept them”…Anna White a flower in the dusty, close, and otherwise frenzied life of a central Nevada mining camp.
This experience has piqued my eagerness, and hopefully yours, to learn more about other nineteenth-century Nevadans’ relationship to each other and the land.
A further glimpse of time…
Photo credit: The Central Nevada Historical Society
