John Mackay: Silver King In The Gilded Age (shepperson Series In Nevada History)
by Michael J. Makley /
2009 / English / PDF
1.6 MB Download
This is a new biography of the most successful miner in the West.
From the early 1870s until his death in 1902, John Mackay was among
the richest men in the world, and he was without doubt the
wealthiest man to emerge from Nevada's fabulous Comstock Lode.
Beginning life as a poor Irish immigrant, he early developed a
strong work ethic that distinguished him for the rest of his life.
He came west to seek his fortune in the California Gold Rush, then
moved on to Virginia City, Nevada, where he operated silver mines
and discovered the 'Big Bonanza' that was three times as rich as
any other Comstock strike. After making a fortune, he transferred
his energies to banking and communications. John Mackay offers new
insight into the life and achievements of this remarkable man.
Particularly, it sets Mackay into the broader context of the Gilded
Age, an era of robber barons and corruption, rapidly advancing
technology, national and international capitalism, and flagrant
displays of newfound wealth. Even in this milieu, he stood out, not
only for his contributions to Nevada and mining history but also
for fighting the consolidation and venality of corporate power in
the Gilded Age. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Mackay was
respected for his ethical conduct and generous philanthropy, and
his unassuming lifestyle endeared him to less-affluent
contemporaries. While his wife pursued social status in Europe,
maintaining palatial estates in Paris and London, Mackay mostly
remained in the U.S., tending to his many business concerns and
shunning publicity. This fascinating new biography contributes
significantly to our understanding of the development of the Far
West and of business and society in the Gilded Age.
This is a new biography of the most successful miner in the West.
From the early 1870s until his death in 1902, John Mackay was among
the richest men in the world, and he was without doubt the
wealthiest man to emerge from Nevada's fabulous Comstock Lode.
Beginning life as a poor Irish immigrant, he early developed a
strong work ethic that distinguished him for the rest of his life.
He came west to seek his fortune in the California Gold Rush, then
moved on to Virginia City, Nevada, where he operated silver mines
and discovered the 'Big Bonanza' that was three times as rich as
any other Comstock strike. After making a fortune, he transferred
his energies to banking and communications. John Mackay offers new
insight into the life and achievements of this remarkable man.
Particularly, it sets Mackay into the broader context of the Gilded
Age, an era of robber barons and corruption, rapidly advancing
technology, national and international capitalism, and flagrant
displays of newfound wealth. Even in this milieu, he stood out, not
only for his contributions to Nevada and mining history but also
for fighting the consolidation and venality of corporate power in
the Gilded Age. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Mackay was
respected for his ethical conduct and generous philanthropy, and
his unassuming lifestyle endeared him to less-affluent
contemporaries. While his wife pursued social status in Europe,
maintaining palatial estates in Paris and London, Mackay mostly
remained in the U.S., tending to his many business concerns and
shunning publicity. This fascinating new biography contributes
significantly to our understanding of the development of the Far
West and of business and society in the Gilded Age.
