Mr. Logan was born in Ellerslie, Scotland, on the 16th of April, 1832, a representative of an old and prominent Scotch family. His parents were John and Mary (Wilson) Logan who were reared and married in Scotland, and after the birth of two of their sons emigrated to the United States, crossing the Atlantic in 1839. The children who accompanied them were Hugh R. and William, and after their arrival in the new world three others, Mary, Jennie and John, were added to the family. John Logan died in 1861 at the age of fifty-six years, and his wife survived him until she had attained the age of seventy-four years. In this country John Logan engaged in the manufacture of bunting, carpets and rugs, and became a leading business man of the locality in which he made his home. He possessed a good education and excellent business ability, and through his well directed efforts gained creditable prosperity. Both he and his wife were consistent members of the Presbyterian church.

Hugh Robert Logan was educated in the state of Massachusetts as a student in the Lowell public schools. When sixteen years of age he left home without obtaining the consent of his parents and went to sea, his first voyage being made to Russia. In January, 1849, he sailed from Boston to San Francisco in the sailing vessel Capital, landing at the latter port on the 19th of July. He went direct to the Auburn placer country, where he was engaged in placer mining, following that pursuit continuously for fifteen years. He mined at the middle fork of the American river and Spanish bar in Eldorado county and in all of the noted mining camps of the state, taking out often as high as one hundred dollars per day. He always abandoned the diggings when they yielded no more than half an ounce per day. At that period in the state's development, however, the miners were very extravagant in their expenditures, the money being paid out as readily as it was procured. "Come easy, go easy" seemed to be the motto of the miners, and, like others, Mr. Logan did not husband his early gains. He came to Nevada in search of richer fields, and for a time engaged in mining in Washoe. Later he secured work at the Manhattan mills at a salary of fifty dollars per month and his board, but rapidly he was advanced from one position to another as he manifested his excellent business ability, and within a year he was given charge of the mill at a salary of five dollars per day. He continued in that business for three years, and then went to White Pine, where he was engaged in quartz mining, being given charge of the Little Treasure, the Dunn and McCone mills. He worked twenty tons of ore from the Black Shaft in Pioche, which yielded five hundred and ten dollars to the ton. In connection with others he located the Ivanhoe mine at Pioche, which was then opened and operated, Mr. Logan being connected therewith for three years, when he sold his interest for six thousand dollars in cash and five thousand shares of stock, for which he refused five dollars per share.

Returning to Humboldt county, Mr. Logan was superintendent from time to time of a number of mines and mills of the state, including the Morgan mill, which he operated for six years. This was a very large producer and in its control Mr. Logan displayed splendid business ability and a thorough understanding of the best methods of reducing its ore to marketable metal. He milled from it three thousand tons of ore in thirty days, bullion to the value of three hundred and ninety thousand dollars, a record which is believed has never been surpassed in the state. He also spent a short time in Tombstone, Arizona, but, returning to Nevada, he had charge of the Princess mine for one year. He also was superintendent of the Santiago mill for a number of years, taking out large amounts of both gold and silver, while for the past fourteen years he has had charge of the Brunswick mill, and is still its superintendent. In the meantime he has been engaged in mining at Como, where he has six thousand feet of openings with three hundred thousand tons of ore, valued at from five to six dollars per ton. In connection with this mine there is a ten-stamp mill and a cyanide plant. He has already taken from the Logan and Hulley mine forty thousand dollars and it is yet in embryo condition, but promises splendid returns. Mr. Logan is likewise interested in a number of other mines, from four of which he expects large results, including copper, gold and silver and iron.

In his political views Mr. Logan was a stanch Republican from the organization of the party until it abandoned its bimetallic principles, when he joined the silver party. Elected to the state legislature, he proved so acceptable a member that he has been three times re-elected, and is now connected with the general assembly as one of its active working representatives. He studies closely the questions and issues bearing upon the welfare and progress, the development and expansion of the state and gives an earnest and loyal support to whatever he believes will contribute most largely to the genial good. His political career is one which will bear the closest investigation and scrutiny, for he is at all times actuated by principles of loyalty and integrity. In his milling and mining interests he has been associated with the most noted men of the state, and is certainly one of the most expert mining men of Nevada, having hardly an equal in this field of endeavor. He has made the business a close study for forty years and his opinions are regarded as authority. In business affairs he is energetic, prompt and notably reliable, and few men are more prominent or more widely known throughout the entire state.

Source:
A History of the State of Nevada: Its Resources and People
By Thomas Wren, Lewis Publishing Company
Published by The Lewis publishing company, 1904