In the Black Canyon Wilderness Area of the Mojave Desert (near Barstow, CA) are found the inscriptions by an “A. Tillman.” There are four known different inscriptions, but very little-to-nothing is known about him. These are some of the earliest known inscriptions from an early non-native settler heading to/from the west. The only other inscriptions I’ve seen in the same time period (1870’s) are in Arrow Canyon, well over 100 miles away in southern Nevada.
The best guess anyone can make of this mysterious Tillman is that he was a Teamster, moving silver between Panamint City to the ports of Los Angeles. But, this is just a guess (and doesn’t align with his signature using San Francisco as his home-base)…my guess is that he was an early settler, prospecting for gold & silver.
This particular inscription states: “J. & A. Tillman, Sep 30 1874, San Francisco, Cala.”
Please click the images below:
Hi, I am currently making a video on A Tillman , I have located three of the four locations Mr. Tillman’s engravings. However, no one seems to know where the fourth engraving by Mr Tillman is located. Like myself they all have found three, Black Canyon, The Well and Near the Birdman. But no one else knows where the fourth is located. It would be much appreciated if you knew the fourth location if you could email that to me. I will give you credit in the video for your part. Please email it and do not post it publically, unless it fall into the wrong hands who would mean harm to them.
Bill Davison