Remy Ledoux. If that name doesn't look familiar to you don't worry. It really shouldn't be. That is, unless you are one who fancies him or herself as a purveyor of ancient treasures. According to legends, and some historical documents, Remy Ledoux was the soul survivor of a group of Frenchmen from New Orleans who struck it rich in the gold mines of the San Juan Mountains in Colorado.
In the late 18th century a party of Frenchmen from New Orleans traveled to Colorado on news of massive gold strikes in the San Juan Mountains by the Spanish. In an area now known as Treasure Moutnain the French were amazed at the rich veins of gold that they found. After mining much of the gold they began to fear for their lives, believing that if they tried to move the gold the Spanish would stop them, take the gold and kill them all. They decided to bury the gold somewhere nearby.
Thus began the legend of Treasure Mountain. Following burial of the gold the winter grew cold. The French were not prepared to winter in the mountains and, as a reult, most of them died. Remy Ledoux was the sole survivor of that winter. When he finally made it back to warmth and a French trading post, his wild tales of unimaginable riches in gold were treated as just that...wild tales.
There were those who beleived. Among them were none other than Ledoux's grandson who, armed with a map he said was left him by his grandfather, went into the area in 1842. He never found the gold and ultimately drowned in his attempt. His body was found by one William Yule who later admitted that he had the treasure map and intended to find the gold. To this day the gold remains unfound though people have spent much to find it.
Jesus one time likened the kingdom of heaven to a treasure. "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field." Matthew 13:44 Gold has cost people their lives as they have searched for it; they lost all. The treasure of the kingdom of God? When you finally find it you gain all.