Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1879-12-25
FORTY YEARS INA CAVE.
The Strange E1perience of a PennsyI.
Hermit.

II 4
Hermit.
| A letter from Milford, Pa, to the
New York Truth, says: Austin Shell
don, the noted Lehman Hermit"
lives about sixty miles southeast
of this place, in Lehman township,
Pike county, Pa, and hearing that the
old man was about to desert his lonely
cave in the rock, and intended return
ing to Connecticut to live, your CORE
spondent recently paid him visit, and
heard from him the story Of his curious
life.
He was born at Sunny Creek, near
Bradford, Conn, in 1906. and lived
there until he was twenty-one. lie was
given good education, and learned the
trade of a blacksmith, at which he made
considerable money. He fell desper-
ately in love with young lady of his
acquaintance, TO whom he was subse-
quently engaged to be married. Her
parents interfered and broke off the
match by sending the young lady
away to a distant boarding-school.
Sheldon gave up his trade, at which he
was then making money rapidly, and
started out on foot to find his intended
bride, but after spending all his money
he returned home almost heart broken.
He afterward married lady named
Julia Ann Tuttle, who short time after
their marriage became insane. After
giving her good course of medical
treatment, Sheldon started out on foot
for Pike county, Pa, where he intended
purchasing farm with what cash he
had and raising sheep, at which he ex-
pected to make money rapidly. He
walked the entire distance to this place
(Milf0rd), the county seat OF Pike
county, Pa, and while here fell into the
hands of "wildland swindlers," who
ieeced him out of all his cash, and
decided him tract of wild, timber land
in Lehman township. When Sheldon
saw the farm he had bought, his as
tonishment may be imagined. A heavy
storm came up suddenly. and Sheldon
took refuge in large cave he had dis
covered in the rocks.
In this cave he has resided ever
since, having devoted the whole of his
time to the study of the Bible. The old
hermit can quote chapter after chapter
with wonderful accuracy, and he knows
the entire book of " Proverbs " by
heart.
Sheldon's cave is quite large, and very
comfortable. Blocks of wood are used
for chairs, his cooking is done over an
old-fashioned fireplace made of hewn
stone, and he has no companions what
ever. He had few months ago large
tame rat, which would come when
Sheldon called him, but he died, and
now the old hermit has neither rat,
chick nor child to keep him company.
Sheldon sleeps in an old rockingham.
and he told the writer he had not slept
in bed in nearly fifty years. Sheldon
has had many wonderful escapes from
death during the past twenty years. In
1867, when the snow in the woods near
his cave was about six feet deep, the
old man became fast in drift, and
would have perished had not farmer,
who happened to pass by, heard his cry
of distress. In 1876 the forest fires sur
rounded Sheldon's cave, and had it not
been for the depth of his habitation he
would have been roasted alive. On an
otter occasion, as Sheldon was about to
sit down on his rocking chair, he saw
something glistening on the seat. A
closer examination proved the object to
be rattlesnake nearly five feet in length.
which the old man speedily dispatched.
A couple of years ago Mr.. Sheldon had
hand-to-hand encounter with a wild
cat in his cave The animal had taken
possession of the premises while the old
man was away, and when Sheldon re-
turned the brute sprang upon him,
weunding him in the shoulder. Sheldon
drew large knife, and after desperate
struggle, lasting over half an hour, the
animal was killed. Mr.. Sheldon vet
carries the mark of that wild cats
claws. Upon questioning the hermit,
your correspondent found that he did
not know who is the present President
of the United States, that he never
heard of the late civil war, nor of
General Grant and Abraham Lincoln.
Sheldon never saw railroad nor tele.
graph wire, and has never since he first
came to Pike county been over twenty
miles from his cave.
Mr.. Sheldon has relations in Bedford,
Conn, and he has accepted an invita-
ton to go there and live awhile. He
says that his wife has now been dead
over seven years, and although he is
seventy-three years of age, if he can find
nice young lady with lots of money
he will marry her.
Mr.. Sheldon's appearance up to a few
days ago was very peculiar. His hair
fell far down below his shoulders, and
his beard reached his knees. In antici-
patton OF his intended visit to Connecti-
cut, Mr. Sheldon came to this place re-
Gently and had his hair cut and his
beard trimmed. and he now looks quite
respectable BE is as deaf as post,
and all questions have to be written on
slate which he keeps for that pur-
pose Sheldon says he viii soon sell
his property, marry again and return
TO Connecticut, there to spend the re-