George Carmack

George Washington Carmack (* September 24, 1860 in Contra Costa County, California, † June 5, 1922 in Vancouver, Canada) was an American prospector. He was long suggested the discovery of gold on Bonanza Creek, which triggered the Klondike Gold Rush. More recent evidence suggests that this was, however, Carmacks Skookum Jim Schwager.

Carmack came in 1887 from San Francisco via Dyea and the Chilkoot Pass to the Yukon River. He took an Indian woman from the tribe of Tagish the woman who died a short time later at a flu. Carmack then married Shaaw Tlaa, a sister of his first wife, whom he called "Kate". The two had a daughter, Grace graphy. The family lived by trade, fishing and hunting in the Yukon Territory. Carmack discovered a coal mine near today's town of Carmacks named after him.

In August 1896 he and his wife were fishing at the mouth of the Klondike River, as they recommended the prospector Robert Henderson, (today's Bonanza Creek ) to look at the Rabbit Creek for gold. Together with the Indians, Skookum Jim and Dawson Charlie were at the famous on August 16, 1896 " Discovery Claim " find. In the spring of 1898, when the first attracted by the discovery of gold seekers arrived in the Yukon Carmack resided in the burgeoning city of Dawson and had financed his new wealth, while others work for you.

1899 Carmack traveled with his family to the south. Kate was arrested in Seattle for drunkenness, whereupon Carmack his wife and daughter to his sister Rose sent to California and returned alone to Dawson. The following winter he became engaged to the American Marguerite Laimée. When Kate found out, she ended the connection with Carmack, which had never been made ​​official, and returned to their homes. Carmack went back to California, married Laimée in October 1900 and took a year later after his daughter.

On September 11, 1896 Andreas Huonker staked his first claim of the Klondike River, a tributary of the Yukon River, as the second man to George Carmack.