Edward F. Storey, male, widowed, born Georgia, about 1828, died June 1860. Cause of death: shot by an indian. 

Edward Farris Storey was born in Jackson County, Georgia, July 1, 1828.

In 1844 with his parents he moved to Texas. In 1846 he became a member of the Texas Rangers, and he and his father served in the Mexican War.

In 1849 he married and in 1850 his wife died, leaving him an infant daughter, Julia.

In 1852, with his little daughter in the saddle with him, he started to California with a party he had organized to make the trip. They traveled by saddle horse and pack train through Old Mexico to Mazatlan on the Pacific Coast where they took a boat and, after a stormy voyage in which many passengers perished, he landed with his party at Monterey, California, and at once began the business of stock raising at San Juan, then in Monterey County, but now in Benito County.

In 1860 Storey felt the urge that drew so many men to Nevada, when the Comstock Lode was discovered. He went to Virginia City, leaving his little daughter Julia with the wife of the Methodist Minister at Visalia.

He had been in Nevada only a few months when an Indian War broke out. Storey was elected Captain of the "Virginia Rifles," and when leading his men against the Indians to avenge Major Ormsby's defeat, was fatally wounded from ambush on June 2, 1860, and died that same evening, at the age of thirty-two years. He was buried in the Virginia City cemetery with military honors. Storey County, in which Virginia City is situated, was named in honor of Storey.

At the time of his death, telegraph lines had just been completed to Visalia, and one of the first messages received was a message to the Masonic Lodge at one dollar a word announcing his demise. The Visalia Delta ran a long article "The Burial of Capt. Storey" on June 30, 1860, taken from the San Francisco Bulletin, and the Rev. Dr. Webb composed an eight stanza Masonic Funeral Hymn which also appeared in the Delta. 

In Nevada shortly thereafter, Storey County was named to honor the fallen hero and Virginia City is its county seat. In 1930, a fine monument was erected over his grave which still stands proud and prominent on the crown of the ridge of the Masonic Cemetery in Virginia City.

Copy Of Article Describing Edward Farris Storey's Funeral As Reported in San Francisco Bulletin 

Dated June I2, And Reprinted in Visalia Weekly Delta, June 30, 1860.

(From the S. F. Bulletin) Virginia City, U. T., June 12, '60.

THE BURIAL OF CAPTAIN STOREY

Editor Bulletin: --As mentioned in my last, Sunday, June 10th was celebrated the funeral of the late Capt. Storey. About 2 o'clock in the afternoon of that day, the different military companies, the Masons and the citizens assembled near Wells, Fargo & Co's express office. A pair of fine mules drawing a wagon, conveyed the remains of the gallant man who fought and died. No bell tolled the knell of a departed soul, no priest habited in white vestments headed the procession; but slowly and silently the band, half military, half civil, marched toward the grave. This was dug in the usual place for interment, near the road to the Flowery District. As the spectator from this point watched the solemn procession approach, he must have been indeed dull, if his sensibilities were not aroused by such a striking scene. Toward the south, the sun was gilding the distant hills and shedding its benign rays over the mountains on the west, clad in bright green, except where the hand of man had scattered the earth in search for hidden treasure. Here is the tunnel with its cavernous mouth; there, the shaft and windless told the tale of hardy labor. The "city" itself, with its white canvass roofs, reflected the rays of the sun, and seemed to rejoice in the beauty of this summer day. But toward the north and east, the dark cloud, heavy with rain, overspread the sky; and as the drops fell, seemed to join in the general sorrow, and mingle its tears with those assembled round that stony grave. Down from the heights above the procession moved. First went the military companies, then the Masons clad in white aprons then the hearse and Capt. Strong's Company, and lastly the citizens. How strange the scene! Here, in this new country, from every nation and every clime were gathered the different classes of men. Thousands of miles over land and ocean, many, ay, the most, looked back on their homes—some through months, some through years and some through many years into the past, bright with boyhood’s memories, wondering at the future. But, above all, that hand in their white aprons, representing as they did a class throughout the world, bound as they are by ties more indissoluble than that of brothers, was the strangest point in the strange picture. Here were ties even among strangers, ties strengthened by deep mysteries, ties hightened by history and antiquity. Around the grave the Masons gathered and as the ceremony began, as the hands were clasped above their heads, the clouds broke asunder and the bright light of the golden sun dispelled the darkness below. Again there came around the grave another hand of brethren-—his companions in arms. Men rough in appearance, but bearing in their breasts resolute though sorrowful hearts, as the performed the last sad offices for their former Chieftain. DULCE ET DECORUM EST PRO PATRIA MORI.

November 02, 1879 Territorial Enterprise (Newspaper)

CAPTAIN STOREY’S GRAVE - A granite slab was yesterday raised over the grave of Captain E. F. Storey in the Masonic Cemetery. Captain Storey was one of the earliest settlers on the Comstock, and lost his life in the Piute war in June, 1860.

This county was named after him. The slab erected yesterday was put up at the expense of Colonel J. W. Hall, of Franktown, who was an old friend of Storey, having served with him in the Mexican war. It bears no inscription, but contains a place for a marble tablet, upon which it is intended to engrave something suitable.

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