In the late spring of 1916, two men, Clarence Williams and Dan McClane set off on horseback on a prospecting trip. It does not appear on the face that remarkable, until you examine the ages of two men–Williams, 36 and McClane 101. That is correct a hundred year old man prospecting on horseback. The duo left the Williams Ranch in Willow Creek Valley, now owned by Five Dot and first ventured to look at the abandoned mines of adjacent Round Valley. From there they went all the way to the top of Green’s Peak looking for the fabled “Grabel’s hole.” The Grabel was a rich lode, that falls into the category of the lost mine tales. They then ventured down to Rongstock Canyon, back up and over to Papoose Meadows and numerous crooks and crannies along the way. Then back over Gallatin Peak and back to Willow Creek Valley. In all, Williams estimated they traveled nearly forty miles that day. McClane it should be noted came to Lassen County in 1872, where he mined there for over forty years.
McClane’s advice for longevity, “Don’t worry about anything, don’t think about getting old, eat plenty of food, but not too much, take regular sleep four times a week and work like the devil at all times.” McClane died at the age of 105 in 1920.
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Daniel McClane was my paternal great grandfather. This is only the second picture I have seen of him. My father was Norman Chace, born in Hayden Hill February 1914,in a tent on the banks of Willow Creek. His father was Frank Chace, mother..Lena McClane. I have no pictures of my father before he was 25 years old. Love your posts have come across quite a few in trying to research the McClane /Chace families. Today was the first one relating to family menber.