Johnny Luck

Thanks, yes, it appears that the placer mining started with John Versan.  So far, I cannot find anything else about him except his name, although I did find a cite which talks about how he eventually sold his claims: 

" The placer fields, which put Osceola on the map, were discovered by John Versan in early 1877. Versan sold his holdings to a newly formed company, the Osceola Gravel Mining Company, later renamed the Osceola Placer Mining Company" 

http://www.nevadadventures.com/ghost%20towns/whitepineco/osceloa/osceloamain.html

 But thereafter the trail goes cold...

I am looking for reports about the origins of placer mining in the Osceola district of White Pine County, Nevada.  I have seen general accounts, which always start with referring to unusually large nuggets being found early on in the 1870s...but I have not seen anything which names names, talks about the first prospectors on the scene.  Any leads would be greatly appreciated!

I am interested in any information anybody has about the discovery of gold in White Pine County, Nevada in the Osceola district, in the area around Dry Gulch and so forth.  I have seen general information about it, but does anyone know of source material which talks about the first people who discovered gold there and what they did? 

Clay,

Thanks so much for the link.  Don't know why my searching didn't work, but I am most glad to have a copy of this order.  I wonder how many mines were shut down by this order which never reopened years later...

I would love a copy of the order, too!  Tried going to the Land Matters Mining Library and searching but was unable to find it.  I used both WPB L-208, which is what was suggested in the post above, and WPB L-2084, which is the number given in the Supreme Court case.  And "war powers".  All three times, no result!