John Jost Althaus was born in 1835 to Jost Henrich and Elisabeth Althaus in Westphalia, Germany. He grew up on a farm an immigrated to the US through the newly unionized port of Galveston, Texas in 1847. He lived in Round Top, Texas for a few years supporting his family through hunting and farming.

In 1855, a group of potential miners from Germany can through Round Top on their way from Gavleston to California. John’s family “wanderlust” came upon him and he went with them. They travelled west through the southwestern parts of what will be the US. The group travelled slowly and John learned more hunting and survival skills.

Upon arriving in California in 1856, John found that the group was not very successful and soon was absorbed into a town and farming. This didn’t suit John’s free spirit. John set out to hunt and provide for towns folk for a living.

This is what brings John to Nevada, California in 1857 with a fresh set of kill to sell.