North of Sabinal in early days lived a ranchman named Hoffman. He had
come from California, and he used to sell lead to occasional settlers
who went to his cabin to buy it. One day Will and High Thompson,
brothers, were helping Hoffman brand calves on his ranch, now known as
the Nixon Ranch, when they said something about needing lead to mould
into bullets. Hoffman said that he had plenty and that if they would
keep on working he would get them all that they wanted. The Thompson
boys kept on working; Hoffman rode away, and in about two hours
returned with the lead. He said that he had got it out of his mine and
that just as soon as he could sell his cattle he was going to work the
mine. He did sell his cattle soon afterwards, but almost immediately
was killed by the Indians.
The Thompson brothers then began to hunt for the mine. One day while
they were searching, High called out to Will to come and see “this
great, big, blue cow chip.” The cow chip proved to be lead. They were
at the mine. Very shortly afterwards, Will, who was always leader, was
killed either by Indians or by robbers. The mine was forgotten for a
time, and the land passed into hands of people who would not allow any
but their own kin to hunt for the lead.
In after years Henry Taylor, a brother-in-law of the land-owner, got
High Thompson to try to locate the mine again. He made a location and
sank several shafts, but never found any lead. The mine is still a lost
mine, talked about by many and perhaps even searched for by some.