No Luck for Comstock

Henry Comstock gave his name to the biggest silver strike in US history, the Comstock Lode of Nevada.  In one sense he was lucky. Two brothers actually discovered the mineral in 1857, but they both died and left it to Henry, who struck the silver vein two years later.

But his luck ran out.  Comstock lacked the money to develop the claim and sold out by 1861, well before miners grabbed riches from the site.  Henry barely broke even. Things didn’t improve for him. Comstock shot himself to death in 1870.