The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-10-29
"A STRANGE LIFE HISTORY.
The Death of Modern Diana-Lucy
Slater's Thrilling Adventures.
Her Career as a Huntress, Pauper, a Min
lister and n vagrant.


News of the death OF Lucy Ann LoDueii
Slater, known throughout the Delaware val
ley as the "Female Hunter of Long Eddy,
has been received here, and it recalls most
singular life history. In 1851, Lucy Ann
Lobdell, daughter of lumberman living on
the Delaware, near the boundary line of this
county and Sullivan, was married to RATS
man named George Slater. She was then IL
years old, and was known far and wide for
her wonderful skill with the rifle, not only in |
target-shooting, but in hunting deer and
other game for which the valley was then
noted. After a year of married life, |
Slater deserted his wife and babe a few
weeks old, and has never been heard from
since. Mrs. Skaters parents were poor, and
she left her child in their charge, laid aside
the habit of her sex, donneo male attire, and
| adopted the life of hunter. The mountains
of Delaware, Sullivan, and Ulster counties,
| in this State, and the Delaware river coun-
ties in Pennsylvania, were then filled with
game. For eight years the unfortunate wife
and mother roamed the woods of that section,
making her home in the wilderness, where
| she erected rude cabins for her shelter. She
never appeared at the settlements except to
procure ammunition and needed supplies, for
which she exchanged skins and games. Her
wild life was one of thrilling adventure and
privation, and it was not until she was broken
down by the exposure and hardships of it
that she returned to the haunts of civilization.
She wrote a book detailing her adventures in
the woods and giving an account of her suf-
ferings from cold, hunger, and sickness. She
recorded in this book that she had killed l6S
deer, IL bears, one panther, and number
less wildcats and foxes. When she
returned TO Long Eddy she, for time, re-
sumed the clothing of her sex, but after re-
cruiting her health she again put on male
attire and disappeared. She did not return
to the woods but assuming the name of
Joseph Lobdell she went about the country
making living as a music teacher While
engaged in teaching q singing school at
Bethany, Pa, where she was not known, she
won the love of a young lady scholara men,
berof one OF the leading families of the vii
lage. The two wCie engaged to be married,
but the sex o. tE teacher was accidentally
discovered, and he was forced to fly from
! the place in the night to escape being
tarred and icatheTed. Shortly after this she
returned to long Eddy, put on women's
clothing, and being again in failing health
applied for admittance to the almshouse In
I | this place, where her child had been placed
7 some years before When the child, a bright
: little GIRL was 10 years old, it was adopted
S into the family of farmer in Damascus Pa
t The mother remained in the poorhouse.
e In the spring of 1868, a woman about p
e years of age applied to the poor authorize
o of Delaware county for admittance TO tn
r almshouse. She was in miserable health, blu
q was apparently of more than ordinary intel
n ligence, and to all appearance respectable
D, She said her name was Marie Louise PER-.
is Wilson She was from Massachusetts, wher
n her parents lived She had eloped with
lie man named Wilson, to whom she was mar
Is ried in Jersey City, but who had deserte
,r her, leaving her destitute. She had too muc
,e pride to return home. Having heard tina
j. her husband who was railroad man, was
, Susouehanna she had started out to find hin
is but was taken sick in the cars and, not hav
ar ing money enough to pay her way, was pr
off at Lordville No other alternative pre-
Id senting, she was forced to enter the poo
SIS house. She was taken into the almshous
I'd with the understanding that as soon as ST
H. was able to, she would communicate with h'
lie family and have them remove her. ST
ty recovered her health, but in the meal
a time had made the acquaintance
,y Lucy Ann Slater. A strong affection spran
up between the two women, notwithstan,
ing the difference in their habits, characte
and intellect. They refused to be separate
v: and in the spring of 1869 they left the poo
1d house together, and for two years they we
II not heard from in Delhi. In the summer
he the above year couple calling themsev
re. Rev. Joseph Israel Lobdell and wife a.
,r- peared in the mountain villages of Monr'
nd county, Pa. For two years they roam'
Ter about that section, living in caves and cabin
To- in the woods, subsisting game, berries, az
ar on the charity of the numbering foreste
use scattered about in this region. They ge
,as erallv appeared at the settlements leading
Ir. bear which they had tanned. The man d
AZ livered meaningless harangues religio
re- subjects. and proclaimed himself
ge prophet. Finally they became publ
ID nuisances, and were arrested
all Migrants in jackson township al
an lodged in Stroudsburg Jail. While tn
to were in Jail the discovery that the suppos
he man was a woman was made, and soon afts
mt ward the prisoners were recognized by
as. raftsman from the Upper Delaware as Lu
Ifr. Ann Slater and Marie Louise Perry, the pa
ist. pers of Delhi They were returned to u
place. They remained here some time VIII
lila they again left and until 1876 roamed
,xt. woods of Northern Pennsylvania, leadi
was their vagrant life and insisting that tn
He we're man and wife. In 1875 they were
ice. ing in cave in the Moosic mountains, M
led Waymart, Pa Lucy Ann continued ]
be? use of male garments. She was arrested 9
!. as day while preaching in the abe
village, and lodged in the Wayne cour
of Jail. She was kept there several wee
act. Her companion finally prepared
the petition to the court for the release
her husband" from Jail account Of "h
,ck- failing health. The document was a rema
. in able one, and is still in the records of
mar Wayne county court. 1t was crouched in j
lose guage which was model of clear and corr
nllv English, and was powerful in its argumt
Mr.. 1t was written with pen made from 81
art' stick, the ink being the juice of pokeberr
You Lucy Ann Lobdell was released from