Coming to the California gold rush late, Brother Alvin Hayward entered a partnership with four other miners and purchased a claim in 1853. The group worked the mine for four years after which his discouraged partners declared it worthless and abandoned Hayward. Completely destitute, Brother Hayward had no choice but to continue working the mine alone. He spent a grueling year continuing to work the mine when, in 1858, he struck a huge vein of gold. With that good fortune, Brother Haywood eventually became the richest man in the state and went on to become High Priest of Sutter Creek Chapter 11. He was so rich he presented the Chapter with a golden altar and solid gold jewels of office.
