HOLMES ACHAVAL RAYMON

RAMON ACHAVAL

By his daughter, Noel Archabal Wall

                My dad, Ramon Achaval was born, 13 March, 1902 in Spain.  He came to America at the age of eighteen to herd sheep.  A man named Landis who lived in Salt Lake City was his sponsor.  He ended up in a little place called Paradise Valley, Idaho.  When I was around sixteen we went to Paradise to get his important papers but they were all gone.  (He left them there in an old suitcase)

He came to Eureka sometime in the late 1920's to work for his uncle Tony.  He worked mining claims for awhile.  Some of these were with my grandpa, John Holmes.  He then went to work at the Chief Consolidated Mine.  This was in the late 1940's and early 1950's.  From there he went to work for Babe Ruth who owned the Silver Club.  When Babe decided to sell out my father took over the ownership.  He ran the bar until 1970.  I think he gave it up then because my mother wanted him too.  The crazy thing was my mother died in June of 1970, so this left my father lost.  He only lived two more years. 

                I remember my dad helped everyone and anyone.  He gave money to a lot of people in town to buy Christmas, glasses, cars, food, clothes, everything.  I don't think he ever said no to anyone. 

                One thing I remember is the week of Christmas, we would go to the Glades Candy Company and buy their Christmas mix and small sacks.  Then we would go home and sack candy with an orange.  On Christmas Eve my dad gave out the candy at the Silver Club.  I know he enjoyed this as much as the kids did. 

                My mother and I went fishing with daddy during the summer.  It was always fun because he was a stream fisherman so we got to walk along the streams.  We always left early in the morning and cooked breakfast over a campfire.