Day 3132: A story for March!

 

 

"Boone County Hermit": old photograph, collage, color, and digital.

 

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2GN2S

 My Grandpa owned a farm in Indiana.

As long as I can remember, I heard stories about 

the hermit who had lived in Grandpa's woods.

It came up on the recent Indiana visit & I was enthralled, again.

I remember my Mom mentioning being in his log cabin once.

Her memory was of the thick layers of newspaper on the walls.

I would be "all ears" whenever the subject came up.

So in case you might share my interest, I'll share a bit.

A legend of years past ... the Boone County Hermit.

Warren Massey & his dog, 1922  (1867-1944)

As a child, it always fascinated me how a grown man 

could decide to live alone in the woods, it still does.

Born in a log cabin in 1867, outside of the town Lebanon,

he was the son of Elizabeth & Hiram Massey.

Known as "Hi", the father, a laborer, was said to have ...

"looked too much on the wine when it is red."

Warren also shared his father's attraction.

On a cold 1892 night, Warren & a friend hiked into Lebanon.

Making the rounds of the town's saloons, 

the severely drunken pair then tried to walk home.

Freezing wind exposure caused both men to develop pneumonia.

Warren's friend died, and after a risky, prolonged illness, 

Warren survived to vow, that "never again 

would he go near a place where liquor was sold."

Warren's cabin, 1940 Taken by Aunt Martha

He kept that vow for over 50 years. Given permission,  he lived 

in a 14 x 16' cabin in the 20 acre woods of my Grandpa's farm.

Referencing a 25c, June 1975 copy of Boone magazine ... 

in an article by Ralph W. Stark, it is said that 

"Warren could neither read or write. He was said to have an 

innate intelligence, skills at cards, music & marksmanship."

Warren Massey, 1940 by Aunt Martha

 I usually think of a hermit as a loner, or anti-social. 

Evidently Warren was well liked. He lived simply.

His wants were few, his expenses minimal.

He helped local farmers with their crops, had a garden, 

chickens, trapped & sold furs. He did odd jobs & traded goods.

He bought groceries from the "huckster" who traveled the

Ratsburg Road with staples, coffee, sugar, salt etc. for farms.

Warren Massey & dog, age 73, October 1940. in his cabin.

Late one evening, in 1942, in failing health, 

two friends drove Warren through Lebanon

to move in & live with a sister in Rockville , 

taking along his dog, fiddle & a few trinkets.

He insisted on night time & he ducked down 

so as not to see the town as they passed through.

He wasn't anti-social, he was anti-saloon. 

He died at age 77 in 1944.

The aged cabin, weakened & in bad repair was burned.

Six degrees separation to a hermit?

 

 

Update ...

 

It is time to change my  Terry Garret calendar.

Every month has great graphics, a treat to start the month.

 

 

You know, time does fly.

This proves my theory that time goes faster as one gets older.
Do you remember when you were little and time literally 
hung there as you waited for a special event to finally arrive?

And now I can't believe February has flown by.

 

 

 

•  A fun 11-minute video, league of pigs, here.

•  A  wow 3-minutevideo, rhythm dance, here.

•  A lovely 3-minute video, visiting birds, here.

  

Just because ...

 

 

 

  

                         

Smiles for Tuesday ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                               Thanks for coming by today.