Henry Bratnober (1849 - 1914)
Henry Bratnober was born in Castrine, Prussia and immigrated to Galena, Illinois with his family in 1854. In 1864, he joined the army during the American Civil War. He travelled to Montana and started a career in mining in 1866.1)
After spending a year and a half hard rock mining in Australia, Bratnober turned his eyes north. By then he was working as a representative of the Rothchilds and looking for prospective properties.2) In 1897, Bratnober travelled with Jack Dalton to Dawson and became so convinced of the business possibilities of the region that he tried to convince his employers to build a railway over the Dalton Trail.3)
Bratnober was a well-known capitalist who spearheaded the mineral exploration of the White River district.4) Bratnober and Dalton spent a month in the White River country in 1897 and returned with a 100-pound sack of copper nuggets. They did not stake any ground because there was no access to the site.5) While they were there Dalton built a cabin on upper Kletsan Creek.6)
In 1900, copper ore deposits were discovered in the Wrangell Mountains of Alaska. The ore body was 200 miles from the coast. A Valdez resident named George Hazelet convinced Henry Bratnober and several other men to join him in promoting a railroad from Valdez.7)
In June 1902, Dalton and Bratnober visited the White River country again. About 150 miles into the trip the two had a falling out and Dalton refused to continue. Bratnober returned to the coast and Dalton continued on to Fairbanks. Years later, Bratnober sued Dalton to try and recover his costs, and eventually Dalton was ordered to pay $3,500.8) After the trip, Bratnober played down the prospects of the area, infuriating Valdez residents who thought he had some ulterior motive.9)
In 1903, Bratnober made national news when he rescued three men from starvation in the outlands of Alaska and managed to alert authorities who were then sent to assist hundreds of other men who were left behind without provisions.10)
Bratnober returned to the White River country in 1905. He built a 120-foot steamer,Ella, and travelled up the Nabesna River to establish winter quarters with George C. Wilson, James L. Galen, Draper C. “Bud” Sargent, and Carl F. Williams. They located numerous copper deposits but little gold.11)
Bratnober died in poverty in California.12) Mount Bratnober, elevation 1,764 meters, is the second highest summit in the Dezadeash Range east of Haines Junction.