James Raser
James Raser (b. 1855 - d. 1946] was Louis Gerlach's ranch foreman.
Census data indicates that he was born 1856 and that he was postmaster at Deep Hole in 1894. He is listed in the 1910 and 1920 census.
Van Norman writes: "He (Raser) hired on as a general manager when he was twenty-nine years old (about 1884); the fired him when he was fifty-eight (about 1913). He spent twenty-nine years on that spread and managed it as his own."
Wheeler states that Gerlach was bit by a tick when he came to inspect the Deep Hole ranch. As there had been cases of tick fever that year, Gerlach was rushed to Reno. After that Gerlach never visited is property again and conducted his business with Raser in Reno.
"Wednesday December 8, 1920 James Raser, the well known stockman and foreman for the Gerlach Cattle Company had his leg broken last Saturday at Deephole, and Dr. Kennedy, of this place was called to attend him. While helping to brand cattle his horse fell with him, falling on his left leg and breaking it just above the ankle and otherwise bruising him." (Surprise Valley Record)
Raser owned a mine in the Donnelly District.
References
- Find A Grave
- Sessions S. Wheeler, "The Black Rock Desert," p 159
- Oddie Van Norman, Wes McGirr, "I Rode For Gerlach," Old West Magazine, Fall, 1974. (Nevada Historical Society has a copy)
See Also
- Nevada State Journal, Thursday, September 18, 1941, Page 4