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On the evening of the 29th of August in 1869, a well-known stage driver was shot by
another man during an affray in the bar at warm Springs Station on the Elko road in Newark
Valley. One newspaper account stated the problem started over a woman. A series of gun
shots followed in the darkened bar room and the stage driver received a mortal wound near
his jaw. The loser in the battle was James Irwin, a stage driver for William
"Hill" Beachy's company. The survivor was James Gilson. Gilson was taken
to jail in Hamiltonbut was discharged because the evidence pointed to self-defense.
According to the newspapers sources, James Gilson and his brother Samuel were both riders
for the Pony Express. After the Pony Express ceased operations James and Samuel settled
near Austin, then in 1866 moved to the area currently known as Newark Valley. in 1869,
another brother John W. Gilson was the proprietor of Warm Spring Station, and a sister,
Mrs. Lowe worked at the station. James was involved in the livestock business and was
reported to own the oldes G brand for cattle in Lander county. The Gilson brothers
apparently were influential people in the early days. On maps prepared in the 1860s
Neward Valley was shown as Gilson Valley and the stream from Warm Springs was named
Gilson's Run. In the spring of 1869 the shortest stage and freight road between Elko
and Hamilton was constructed by Gilson and was known as the Gilson Toll Road or Gilson
Turnpike. James also was the proprietor of Gilson's Station, a stage stop located
about fifteen miles south of Warm Spri!
ngs.
(Information taken from an article in the 2nd quarter, 2001 Newsletter, written by Mike
Bunker, President, White Pine Historical and Archaeological Society, P.O. Box 151725, Ely,
NV 89315)