The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-02-24
THE HERMIT or CivAN's POINT
The Remarkable History "r nm Aged RecIuse
who Died ON NJ onday.

John J. Ball, the Hermit Of Cavan's Point,
N j., died on Monday and WIS buried on the
same day in the Pottcrs Field. He was 70 years
Of age, and WIS u thorough reclusc. His only
intmatcs wero dogs thirteen OF which were in
his cabin when he died He would allow no
human being TO cross his threshold II he could
help il. The reporter saw crouching before the
door on Wednesday Ave mongrrl dogs whining
for admittancc and az the door was thrown
open they leaped upon the straw tick on which
the hermit died. and howled. Some rustics
attracted by the visitor. gathered around and
jokcd and laughed. The cabin was crowded
with stove in the centre. the tick in one corner
in u long box that was falling TO pieces. a turn
ing lathe on one side and a carpenters bench
on the other and was Uttered with rusty tools
scraps ot old iron. Junk. wood horns VI CATTLE
and all kinds Of useless rubbish. Clam shells
were hcapcd w Just Outsid" OF the doorway.
On clans. dug from the beach. the neighbOr
say. the hermit and his canine companions
SulSstrd.
In MANY ways he was remarkable man. HIS
thirst for reading was Unsuitable, and he would
stop on the road and talk by the hour on poiti-
cal economy and h story. His political opinions
were strong and undsmayed. He would stouty
defend them in the midst o; throng of threat
beach. with all his dogs nj his heels. he has
been soon 10 pick W oblcrts ana stand alb
stract"dly studying them until those who saw
him tired of looking: On the most unimporfant
ohlccts around him h" would talk leHrnedy and
with interest Tie was noted besides for his
mastery at many trades. III" was an adept at
painting. shocmak inl,. 'arpentering, knlsomin-
ing. plnstrring. and sign painting. and he made
He was sensitive and proud to the lnst In be-
ing sell dependent To utcr him aims WIS to
of md and hurt him: hut he would take in pro-
VISIONS three TINES the value Of his services in
illng "A saw. patching shoe. rivotlng jack
M IT, or mcnding a gun.
Ittlr ~ known ui his history. SiN years ago
h. entered the empty cabin. Brfur" that h. had
lived IN an old canal boat on the shore of NJ lilo
crock. Inrcndiurios burned the bout one day
m ha absence. together with his tools and u
library that he had collected. H. said that two
hHrssrs wno nr9ke y n'9 ne n""l and ronn,d
each. Tho history Of HIS life he would never
tell. although @ tn prrss d to do so. II II birth
plac" WAS In Northern vermont. aud he lived
!ur years in Mrr.d.n and New Haven. Conn.
llr has brother, shin builder IN New Haven,
~ a gap IN his history that he could never M.
suddenly he took To travelling, AMI AT the time
Of the Seminole war ewas IN Florida trap,
westward ~ Texas, rnd came back in time to
go To- Mexico IN the Mexican war. lis wander
ing habits chung 10 him attriward. and at the
Potomac.
ON being pressed to live after moro civil
lied fashion. ho positively refused. lie was
sick about u week. and refused all attempts to
make hun comfortabi,; sympathetic neigh
Physician Case. He visited the old man left an
order for medirins. and Il ii not see him again
until two days aitrrward. on Thursday last
Then he reromm"nied that the hermit should
l.. taken 10 III" Washington street hospital. Tho
old man refused 10 40 nit"r the ambulance
came. sayin- that the PHYSICIANS would Kill
him any why. ana that he whn,ed 10 die. II he
must de. where he had lived. y" he would
q admit that death WAS oycrtaking him. From
Friday until MONDAY. the day OF his death,
there was no fire IN his stove.
Srrlns that he WIS dying. Mrs. " lcll asked
him II nc did not want u clergyman. In Ntrrble
Voi'c the hermit replied: No. Nv, lived with
out them, and can de without thrm."
Don't YOU know that YOU re- gong 10 meet
your GOu = asked the good woman.
were then In the room. some hy hls side. and
seven pups Il his beds head IN a wooden box.
II dark ryrs were clear and bright until
Death. lie called over the names Of his t/.s,
Dick. Dinah. Fanny. Flora, ana Jimmie. and
soon nitcrward died.
A. the reporter lett the cabin the dogs stay
Ell. and could not bc driven out. So the door
was lONkru.