John Coley was the original strike finder during the year of 1861 in this town. Many other strikes followed thereafter. One strike was rumored to have been found by a man who sat down to take a nap. When he got up, he used a rock to help steady himself. The rock broke off to reveal rich ore. The towns name was originally Coleyville, but later renamed by Masons to Sts. John and then just St.John. The most beautiful house was built here for the mine superintendent and had furnishings from all over the world. When the mines played out, the super walked right out of the house and left everything as is. The house still stands today and the furnishings have disappeared one by one over the years. Another thing this town is known for is the lack of saloons - there were none. During the late 1880's and early 1890's, the mines played out and the people moved on, mostly to nearby Montezuma.