Ophir Heck’s Sake! The Rest of the Story

“Ophir, where’s that?” asked the postal clerk, reading the address on my package. I was mailing a copy of the July/August issue of Utah Life to John Skinner, one of a handful of remaining residents of the Tooele County mining town. My story about Ophir appears in the magazine, and John shared the town’s history with me for the article.

I wasn’t surprised that the clerk didn’t recognize the name of Ophir. But back in the 1870s, Ophir bustled with 3,500 residents, 11 saloons, and four hotels. The Ophir Mining District produced an estimated $25 million in silver, gold, lead, zinc and copper during its 101 years of operation.

A cabin in the Ophir Historic District shows life during the mining town’s heyday.

The magazine article contains fun stories such as Minnie Jackson, who ran Minnie’s general store into her 90s, as told my her descendant Mary Jo Alexander. There’s a story about one of my own ancestors, Alfred Lineback, as told by my cousin Terri Hansen. There’s a story about Frank Johnson scaring away a wolf from his sleeping daughter, as told by his grandson Jerry Sagers. And, there’s the story of the miraculous rescue of a Boy Scout, Josh Dennis, who got lost in one of the old mines in 1989. (BTW you can find copies of Utah Life at Smith’s and Barnes & Noble news stands if you’re interested.)

Miners at the Ophir Hill Mill, in the early 1900s.

But sadly, one intriguing story you won’t find is that of the Italian immigrant, Patsy Vario. Often editors have to make cuts when trying to make an article fit the allotted space, and that’s what happened here. I was disappointed that there wasn’t room in the magazine to share everything I’d written. But my blog isn’t constrained by space, and I thought Patsy’s story was just too good to never be published. I thank his grandson, Gary Vario, for sharing some of it with me.

Pasquale “Patsy” Vario, an Italian immigrant who worked in the Ophir mines, farmed and operated a moonshine whiskey business during the Prohibition era.

Patsy Vario arrived in New York from Italy at age 12, without knowing a word of English. The people who were supposed to meet him didn’t show up. But he somehow managed to follow the mining industry to Canada, and then to the Ophir mines, according to his grandson, Gary Vario.

Seeking a bride, Patsy journeyed over Lion Hill to the farming town of Cedar Fort, and married Etta Whitlock. The couple bought an Ophir ranch and had ten children. As a midwife, Etta delivered many of Ophir’s babies, while Patsy mined, farmed, and operated a lucrative moonshine whiskey business during the Prohibition era. 

“One season, bad weather was about to ruin my grandpa’s potato crop, and they let out school so the all kids could come pick the potatoes,” said Gary Vario. “I’m sure everybody got paid for helping with potatoes.”

Patsy insisted that his children always speak English instead of Italian. Four of his sons fought in World War II, and one, Private Patsy Vario, Jr. was killed in the Philippines.

Gary Vario, a past Tooele City Fire Chief, still calls Ophir his home. The descendants who moved away come back to Ophir every year for a family reunion in the family’s private Vario Memorial Park.

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