RAVENSWOOD, W.Va. — Legends of a lost silver lode in Jackson County, in western West Virginia, may hold more truth than rumor—at least according to a former resident who claims not only to have uncovered historical evidence but also a silver nugget of his own.
“I’ve always said there’s something to these legends,” says William Byrne Mollohan, who grew up just steps from Silver Valley—one of several sites in the region long rumored to harbor rich veins of ore.
A Valley Steeped in Rumor
Silver Valley even appears on a 1926 topographic map of Jackson County, a lingering reminder of the area’s mysterious reputation.
In the late 1800s, prospectors flocked to Jackson County, convinced the hills east of the Ohio River—near Ripley, Ravenswood, and the surrounding valleys—hid silver-bearing rock.
Most geologists dismissed the speculation, but Mollohan and others believe the skeptics may have been too quick to judge.
A Boy’s Lucky Find
Mollohan’s conviction comes from personal experience. He still holds the glistening stone he discovered in 1980—one that he says has since been confirmed as high-grade silver.
“I know they say there’s no silver in Jackson County,” Mollohan says, “but the silver I found gives me every reason to believe it’s there, and that there may be a substantial amount.”
A Spark in the Clay
He was only 14 when he made the discovery. Walking along a road through a rural construction site near Ripley, he noticed a silvery glimmer in a clump of red clay. Curious, he pried it free and slipped it into his pocket.
For years, the stone was little more than a keepsake. After high school, Mollohan moved to Florida, and it wasn’t until decades later that he asked a geologist to examine it.
Decades Later, a Stunning Confirmation
The verdict astonished him. “He said it wasn’t just silver—it was very high grade. He told me, ‘This isn’t a nugget. This is an ore sample that’s been broken off a much larger deposit.”
The geologist noted that the stone bore sharp edges, unlike pieces smoothed by river currents. To Mollohan, that was proof enough: it hadn’t been washed in from elsewhere.
A Mystery That Refuses to Fade
He still remembers how deeply the silver was embedded in the clay, with only the faintest shimmer catching his eye. “In another few days, I’m sure a vehicle would have passed over and pushed it back into the ground,” he says.
Though he has never revealed the exact location of his find—fearing a frenzy of amateur prospectors—Mollohan recently decided to share his story after reading about Jackson County’s forgotten silver rush in West Virginia Explorer Magazine.
For him, the legends remain very much alive.
For more information on silver in Jackson County, West Virginia, or to report any similar discoveries, contact the Ripley Convention and Visitor Bureau at 304-514-2609.
Read more: Silver rush in western West Virginia came to naught; Mysterious diamond found in West Virginia horseshoe pit
Legendary valley of Skull Run steeped in pioneer lore
Wandering the scenic pastures along Skull Run, a traveler would have no idea of the dark tales connected with that section of Jackson County.
Apart from the ominous name "Skull Run," the vale with its grazing cattle seems a world away from warfare, but according to one historian, red clay isn't the only substance that has turned the stream red after a rainstorm. Read the full story here.
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