San Antone Ranch

Nye County

The first reference that I found for this ranch was a March 1905 article in the Tonopah Bonanza. In later years, a prominent Nevada mining and ranching man named Charles Devereaux Keough would own it. Keough was a native of both Nevada and Nye County. He was born to a ranching family in the Nye County portion of the Reese River Valley in 1886. In 1913, Keough and a man named Tom Pepper were chasing two lost steers east of Mina. While doing so, they stumbled onto one of the richest Cinnabar finds in Nevada history. This discovery is believed to have been the location that was found and then lost by Judge Hawthorne in the late 1870's. Hawthorne was never able to relocate it. Keough maintained interest in this very successful mining venture. It is known as the "Lost Steers Mine" and is very researchable if you're interested. Although Keough was a ranching man, he had a mining education from the University of Nevada Reno. Keough continued to run cattle in the Reese River Valley, as well as the Peavine and San Antone areas of the Smoky Valley. Peavine Canyon is located about 7 miles north of the San Antone Ranch. In 1918, Charles Keough helped found the 'Southern Nevada Cattle Owners Association'. Many other prominent Nevada ranchers such as Chiatovich, Clifford, Culverwell, O.K. Reed, etc. were also involved. The first reference that I found that listed Keough as the owner of the San Antone Ranch was in December of 1919. A Tonopah Bonanza article on November 11, 1920 spoke about Keough shipping cattle from his ranches in the Upper Smoky and Indian Valleys (just south of Reese River). In 1922, Keough announced his candidacy as a Republican for the Nevada Assembly. The Tonopah Bonanza on June 16, 1922 printed an article on Keough. Many of the details are already listed above. The article stated, "Ranching and stockgrowing has always appealed to Mr. Keough and a few years ago he purchased a tract of land at San Antonio, then apparently a desert waste, but under his domineering spirit he has made this seemingly wasteless tract blossom like the rose. He has developed a water supply through the construction of reservoirs, and at last his plans are under way whereby he will be able in due time to irrigate 1000 acres of land from the overflow water from Peavine Creek. The ranch being operated by Mr. Keough is a veritable garden spot on the desert and he has in bloom 75 acres of the finest looking alfalfa that one could wish to gaze upon." Keough was elected to the Assembly. On December 7, 1922, the Tonopah Bonanza reported the following: "Charles D. Keough, representative-elect, is in from his ranch at San Antone to attend to business matters." I am not sure how long Keough continued to operate this ranch. Keough died in Carson City in 1964 at the age of 77. Ranching and Cattle Raising were listed as his occupation on the death certificate. It also listed his mother as Mammie Bowler of the prominent Bowler family in Nevada. It should be noted that there are two locations called "Keough Spring" in Nevada. One is located in the Toiyabe Mountains just a few miles north of the San Antone Ranch. The other is also in the Toiyabe Mountains where the Reese River and Indian Valleys meet.

Post Office: The post offices were located at the actual town of San Antonio, which bordered the San Antone Ranch. May 14, 1873 to May 23, 1889 (as San Antonia); April 8, 1896 to July 14, 1906 (as San Antonio).

Last Trip/ Road Conditions: I've either been to this ranch or past this ranch more times than I can count. I spent quite a few years living part time, not too far from here. It is a good dirt road heading south out of Hadley in the Smoky Valley. It is about 20 miles south of civilization by dirt, so go prepared.

Sources: Tonopah Bonanza (Newspaper); Goldfield News (Newspaper); White Pine News (Newspaper); Reese River Reveille (Newspaper); State of Nevada, Department of Health and Welfare- Certificate of Death for Charles Devereaux Keough.