Author’s Note: This article addresses the remarkable life of my great-grandfather, Thomas Russell Drummond. However, others were so significant to the telling of his story they seem at first blush to almost overpower. Perhaps one day their profound lives will be the subject of a similar presentation. They are integral characters in the telling of the story of T.R. Drummond. So, by fortunate necessity their roles have been woven into the following tapestry.
Thomas Russell Drummond born August 28, 1873, in Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) died February 28. 1956 at his home in San Juan Capistrano, CA.
Thomas was the last born of three sons of Russel Drummond 1841-1874 and Charlotte Hawtrey Thwaites-Drummond 1845-1925. His older brothers were the future medical doctor, Russell John “Jack” Drummond and future South American mining engineer, Hawtrey Marks Drummond. The boys’ father Russel died in Kandy, Ceylon just fourteen months after Thomas was born. Their father, Russel Drummond died following having been critically injured when thrown from his horse. His plight became irreversibly dire, ultimately fatal having contracted the tropical disease, Sprue.
Thomas R. Drummond 1873-1956 – Mining Engineer – My great-grandfather
Russel Drummond 1841-1874, A man, they said who could fill a doorway My 2nd great-grandfather
Russel’s father-in-law, Dr. John Thwaites M.D.; Esq. was actually the region’s leading medical practitioner specializing in the field of tropical medicine. Dr. Thwaites was caring for Russel and yet, unable to save him. One can imagine and trust Dr. Thwaites did all he could to save the father of his three grandsons. Russel was a strapping man perhaps 6ft.-6in. in height and of sturdy build. After Russel passed Dr. Thwaites took time out to write Russel’s grieving father Thomas Drummond, a Dundee, Scotland farmer explaining at length the circumstances leading to his son’s passing.
Writing Russel’s father Dr. Thwaites spoke of Russel’s decline and passing after taking a tremendously harmful spill from his horse. In the solemn letter the doctor detailed Russel’s decline recounting all that had been done in attempting to save his life. Dr. Thwaites, in this part of the world, was preeminent in his field for treatment of tropical diseases. Russel couldn’t have been in better care. Yet, this eminent doctor could not save him.
My great-grandfather Thomas R. Drummond was an infant aged 1-year old in 1874, at the time his father’s passing.
Leaving the older boys Russell and Hawtrey temporarily in the care of their grandparents, Dr. John and Mary Anne Andrews-Thwaites, Charlotte with Tommy, the baby age one, set out for Dundee, Scotland. She with son traveled there to ask for financial assistance to raise her three fatherless sons, ages 9, 6 and 1.
According to all accounts I have read, Charlotte was a tower of resolute strength. She made her way to Dundee with the singular focus of extracting the needed assurance the farmer Thomas Drummond would lend a substantial hand in underwriting finances needed in bringing up and educating his grandsons.
When in Dundee, Charlotte did indeed ask Russel’s father for what would otherwise have been eventually Russell’s share of his father’s inheritance. She was met with opposition of sorts as Russel’s father, farmer Thomas Drummond asked in reply, “What would a wee little thing like you want with that money?” “To raise my three sons, your three grandsons,” she replied.
Dr. John Thwaites M.D. Esq. 1804-1876 My 3rd great-grandfather
Charlotte Hawtrey Thwaites 1845-1925
According to accounts I have read, Russel’s father Thomas, did eventually come through for the boys. I’m sure the delay came about because he needed some time to liquidate agricultural assets. His help was of an appreciable amount. With the sufficient aide from Russell’s father, Charlotte and the boys accomplished amazing things. Russell John “Jack” became a medical doctor. Hawtrey Marks became a copper mining engineer whose duties were in Antofagasta, Chile, S.A. My great-grandfather, Thomas Russell Drummond who migrated to the United States was a most notable and successful mining engineer in Globe, Miami and Superior, Arizona.
So, Thomas Russell Drummond, fatherless at age one, was nurtured and schooled becoming a responsible and apparently gifted student. He attended and graduated from George Watson’s College in England and Harriot Watt Technical College in Edinburgh. For this hard work he was awarded an Engineering Degree. Thomas also attended The School of Mines in London.
Thomas Russell Drummond began his engineering career in 1896 as an assayer for the European firm, Clarkson-Stanfield Concentration Company.
His precise living and business strategy is not fully understood, however, in 1897 Thomas, along with mother Charlotte, immigrated to The United States. And, according to the 1920 US Census, his home address in 1897 was listed as that of the home of George Washington and Caroline Edgington-Blake in Chariton, Lucas Co, Iowa.
Thomas Drummond Esq. 1806-1883 Dundee, Scotland Farmer – My 3rd great-grandfather
George Washington Blake House, Chariton, IA- historic landmark
In Chariton’s historic Blake house (architecturally historic but especially because of Blake’s noted Civil War heroism), three years after his 1897 arrival, Thomas R. Drummond, on June 6, 1900, married Mr. Blake’s daughter, Harriet Forward Blake.
I am so thrilled to say I actually have images of the Blake home from that June morning with garlands festooned about the rooms. It was a magnificent dwelling. That morning was so full of hope and good cheer. In a later year the home would be officially declared a historic landmark.
Thomas married Harriet Forward (Hattie) Blake on June 6, 1900, in Chariton, Iowa. They had four children during their marriage. He died on February 28, 1956, in San Juan Capistrano, California, at the age of 82, and was buried in Glendale, California.
If you take a close look into the far room to your left of the fireplace you will see a sectional bookcase against two walls. The bookcase was designed and built, including carvings, by my great-grandmother Harriet Forward Blake. I was astounded when I realized the bookcase in my living room and this furniture piece were one in the same. Please see below:
Inside the historic Blake House 6 June 1900-Harriet Blake wedding day
The same Bookcase as seen above on 6/6/1900 in historic Blake House now gracing my home office
Since the wedding and historic landmark designation, the top two stories were destroyed by fire. The first floor and basement were substantially spared.
Eventually, the house was redesigned to be a single-story home. I have images of the house, before and after. There simply is no comparison whatsoever. I have had the thrill and honor of being invited into the remodeled/redesigned home by the current owner a few years ago.
Funny how these things go but this gentleman was unaware of the home’s history, it’s rebirth after a fire, nor even that it had been a 3-story house. He knew not of Lt. George Washington Blake. I really enjoyed meeting him. Our meeting was especially terrific as he had been living out of town and only by amazing coincidence made his trip to the house arriving the same time I was there from out of state.
I’m sure you will find this to be perfectly astounding. I was visiting at the home of my 2nd cousin Alison Light King who was hosting that day, her father, Tom Light, Ian and Lorraine Drummond from Canada, my wife Paula and myself, at her wonderful Southern California home. Alison kindly laid out so, many family artifacts for our review.
There on a table was the most astonishing photo. The shot was captured the morning of 6 June 1900, the morning of my great-grandparents wedding. How wonderful it was, garlands decorated the rooms. And, even more, in one of the rooms next to a spectacular fireplace, there stood my bookcase. The bookcase is amazingly “L” -shaped.
Harriet Forward Blake-Drummond 1871-1949 – My great-grandmother
This bookcase was designed built and beautifully carved by my great-grandmother Harriet Forward Blake who was a highly capable furniture maker. So appreciated was her work she was getting press recognition. And the local high school hired her to teach furniture making.
I came to be in possession of the piece by way of Harriet’s son (my grandfather George). He had cared for it for the longest time. In fact, I remember that in the 1960’s, my grandfather sent the piece to a professional chair and cabinet refinisher. Years later, Granddad gave the bookcase to me.
I remember it had been stored at Granddad’s home since my childhood and really no telling how far back before I was aware of it. Many years after being given the bookcase by my grandfather, I had a conversation with Grandad’s brother, my Granduncle Ron (the surfer) in which he told me the piece was technically his own. I apologized and then explained my grandfather gifted this very personal antique to me.
Granduncle Ron then told me it was actually his. He went on to say he (Ron) was now giving it to me. He wanted to make sure no one ever objected to it’s being in my possession. This is how Ron rolled. So, Ron typed up a dated letter stating he was, that day, giving the bookcase to me. Then he signed it and gave the letter to me. Thank you for the gift, Granduncle Ron.
Records place T.R. Drummond in Salt Lake City in 1905 as Resident Manager for Montreal & Boston Copper Mining Properties. From 1905 to 1908 Thomas served as metallurgical engineer at Cobalt-Timiskaming, Ont., Can for the Nipissing Mining Co. And in 1906 Drummond was associated with Dominion Copper near Greenwood, British Columbia, CAN.
T.R. Drummond multi-tasked at various mines located in Canada and the U.S. during 1905 to 1909. It was in 1909 he appeared in Globe, AZ to take charge as General Manager of Inspiration Copper. And in incorporation papers filed in 1910, Drummond was stated to be General Manager. A number of antiquated documents list Drummond in a number of roles at Inspiration including, G.M., Superintendent and President.
Thomas Drummond was naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 1915. His home-base in those days was Hollywood, CA where his children were raised.
In 1916 T.R Drummond was elected President-Superior and Boston Copper Mining Co. overseeing vast operations at Copper Hill, Superior, AZ.
Stock Shares Certificate – Superior & Boston endorsed by Corporate President T.R. Drummond
Thomas and Harriet raised four fascinating children. Charlotte Blake Drummond, the eldest, is/was recognized far and wide as a fabulously gifted artist. George Russell Drummond, my grandfather, who always aimed for the stars, was a home builder, a remarkable craftsman/artisan and grandfather extraordinaire.
Dr. Thomas Drummond, M.D. was the builder of what would become a vital regional hospital. He flew his hospital air ambulance on so very many life flights. Many newspaper articles attest to the doctor flying in to remote mining camps in his hospital airship, setting down and attending to emergencies and the typical medical needs for countless desperate miners.
And let us not forget the youngest, the 6ft-6in-tall Adonis Ron Drummond, surfing legend, author of the internationally coveted book, “The Art of Wave Riding,” who was an explorer charting Canada’s myriad Islands. He was an extraordinary photographer, gifted lecturer and above all, was a celebrated environmentalist.
L-R George Drummond, Ron Drummond, Charlotte Light, Dr. Tom Drummond – whose parents were Thomas R & Harriet Blake-Drummond
In a side note, my 2nd great-grandmother Charlotte Thwaites-Drummond was a very close friend of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. With all due respect to his dedicated mother Mary Foley-Doyle, Charlotte Thwaites, my 2nd great-grandmother is, to this day, thought of as having a 2nd-mother relationship with Arthur. I am personally in possession of quite a number of transcripts of Doyle’s letters sent over a lifetime to Charlotte Thwaites.
Here is an example:
By Letter
To Charlotte Drummond
[from]/p>
S.S. Etruria, December 14, 1894
We are rolling about 200 miles south of Ireland. Tomorrow evening sees me back in London, for which I am heartily thankful. America is good & Americans are kind, but there’s none like your ain folk when all is said & done. But we have had a great time. We have been far & wide & seen great cities & spoken to famous people and learned much & unlearned a little. But now I want peace, and I’ll find it among the Alps where I shall be before another week passes.
My lecture tour has been a success. We have had good sympathetic houses everywhere. But I’ve done with lecturing now. It’s an excellent aid to travel. But I have done with it, and I don’t suppose I shall ever give a lecture again.
I dont know what my plans are. They must depend upon Touie’s health, of which I hear nothing that is not encouraging. Now that we are free of the house we shall not take another in Great Britain until her health is quite reestablished. I had rather live all our lives in health resorts, than risk undoing the good we have done. So until May at any rate, Belvedere Hotel, Davos Platz, will be our address.
You heard, I suppose of Ida’s engagement. I dont know when it will be consummated. He is of course much older than she, but he is a very exceptionally fine fellow in every way. …
Goodbye, my dear, and excuse this hurried scrawl, which is only to show that I cant get within 500 miles of you without thinking of you. My love to all Edinburgh friends.
From Arthur Conan Doyle: A Life in Letters, edited by Jon Lellenberg, Daniel Stashower and Charles Foley (Penguin Press, 706 pages, $45.50).
In my research I have made the personal discovery that, in the days of yore, with no cell phones, few telephones, no television nor radio, newspapers were most essential as a means of news gathering and dissemination. I can’t tell you how many times I have read simple accounts of the comings and goings of people.
For example, an Arizona newspaper might have stated in the easiest to understand fashion, “T.R. Drummond of Inspiration Mine is expected to arrive at The Old Dominion Hotel in Globe, where he can be reached if needed. It is expected he will remain here for 5-days. beginning March 5. (Just an example) However the following is indeed a legitimate advisory…
Bingham, Utah, USA
June 14, 1900
Caught by Cupid’s Dart. T. R. Drummond, the well-known assayer at the Highland Boy mine at Bingham, has returned from Chariton, Iowa, accompanied by his bride, who was formerly Miss Harriet F. Blake. Mr. Drummond’s mother came with them and after a stop in the city for a few days, the bride and groom will complete their wedding trip by going to San Francisco, with Mrs. Drummond from which port she will sail for Chili where she has a son [Hawtrey Marks Drummond] residing. Mr. Drummond will be at his post at the Highland Boy mine again -The Salt Lake Herald (Salt Lake City, Utah) 14 Jun 1900, Thu • First Edition
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My dear 2nd cousin Alison Light King shared this poem with me written by a man who by the nature of his work, necessarily had to spend quite a lot of time away from the family he loved. Great-grandad Thomas Drummond wrote this to his young daughter Charlotte:
*Transcribed*
To Charlotte with love from Gillady’s cow
Here we have a portrait of a mild and gentle cow
Who’s looking for a little girl—She’s calling to her now.
She’s saying, “Now I wonder where that little girl can be
Who used to ride in Daddy’s arms and come and tickle me,
She knows that I won’t hurt her and she knows I love her so,
Or I wouldn’t give her all my milk to make that girlie grow,
I miss those little tottering feet that patter on the floor,
And I miss her little foquish face come peeking round the door,
And if she won’t come back to me, whatever shall I do?
I’ll go and tell my Mammy cow, m-o-o-o-o-o
-Daddy
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Just a few additional headlines speaking volumes about this fine gentleman, Thomas R. Drummond.
16 Jun 1905 TR Drummond To Be Resident Manager of Montreal & Boston 11 Jul 1905 Montreal & Boston Readying to Launch New Mining Campaign 27 Sep 1906 TR Drummond Is Down With Typhoid – Greenwood BC, Canada 11 Oct 1906 TR Drummond of Dominion Copper Co is Recovering from Typhoid
8 Dec 1908 TR Drummond is Mgr.-Cactus Mines, Beaver, UT- source: E McGhee 3 Oct 1909 TR Drummond Resigns …source: Elizabeth McGhee 4 Nov 1909 TR Drummond of LA, CA Arrived Last Night to be Inspiration’s GM 15 May 1910 Inspiration Has Immense Body Developed 5 Apr 1911 Miami-Inspiration’s TR Drummond Purchasing Ore Handling Equip 9 Apr 1911 1st Annual Inspiration Report 30 May 1912 More Men Are Employed By Inspiration Co. Now at 400 9 Oct 1915 TR Drummond Visits Chariton Family 15 Mar 1918 TR Drummond Takes Management-Castle Dome Co-Miami 25 Aug 1920 TR Drummond and 2 Others Safe After Arroyo Flooded 3 Feb 1924 Quartet of Mining Companies West of Miami Near Merger 3 Oct 1924 Plan shaft of 2000 ft at Superior & Boston Copper 3 Dec 1924 TR Drummond Elected Head-Superior & Boston-Miami, AZ 1 Apr 1925 Development underway in Superior & Boston Mine 13 Jun 1925 Mother of Mine Exec Dies at Globe Residence …E. McGhee 15 Nov 1931 TR Drummond Engineering Reopening of Zenda Silver Mine 17 Jul 1931 Strong Company Examining Hilltop Mine in Lander Co NV 2 Mar 1956 Thomas R Drummond-Expert-Mines Dies LA Times
Thomas R. Drummond – Environmentalist I have driven through the mining communities of Miami and Globe in Arizona, USA. Under Great-granddad’s guidance, tremendous quantities of copper ores were extracted from both Inspiration Copper Mine and Superior and Boston Copper Mining Co. It is absolutely astounding to me how small the mining footprints were in both towns. My great-grandfather Thomas R Drummond was a genuine environmentalist who saw to it, regardless of the necessary underground exploration and drilling, its appropriateness would be paramount, above and below.
I remember when Great-granddad was more than 80 and I was less than ten. I remember my experiences with my namesake were always low key, thought-provoking and always, on each and every occasion, centered on my environmental education. I was very young, yet I could tell, nothing he could convey to me was more important to him. It was no surprise to me whatsoever, his youngest, his son Ron – the world explorer, lecturer, legendary surfer and fitness buff was an extraordinary environmentalist.
I think my great-grandfather, Thomas R. Drummond, world-renowned copper mining engineer, would have been very content knowing his San Juan Capistrano home he retired to which was dubbed “Rancho Five Acres” was repurposed after his death. No longer a residence, his home and its land were converted into a commercial nursery. Could Thomas be more pleased with another outcome?
Image credits go to Alison Light-King and Elizabeth McGhee.
#ThomasDrummond #GlobeAZ #SuperiorAZ #InspirationCopper #SuperiorandBoston #DominionCopper #BuriedTreasures #MiamiAZ #GilaCountyHistoricalMuseum
