The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-08-06
THE MISSING HERMIT.
FoRTY.FouR YEARS IN THE FOREST.
A Connecticut Gentleman Who Has Lived
In the wilderness for Nearly
Half a Century-His
Life Story.
IDeusman's Ferry pa, Letter.l


lived for forty-four years alone In the
Pike County wilderness, nine miles back
OF this village, has been missing from his
hovel for nearly three weeks, aud as he
never voluntarily went far enough from.his
retreat to keep him absent more than
few hours, it is generally believed that he
has either wandered away into the woods
and died, or been robbed OF small sum OF
money and watch which were known to
be in his possession, and MUIR
dered. The money and watch are
not to be found in the hermits howell.
Sheldon is nearly eighty years old. His
presence in Pike County was first discov-
cred in the fall of 1850 by party Of hunt
ers. According to his own story he had
been living ten years In the small rock
cabin, subsisting on wild game he man
aged to trap and on wild fruit and roots.
Until seen by the hunters he did not know
In what locality he was living. The story
Of his life was not known until years after
ward, as he stubbornly refused to say any.
thing about it. In 1874 local paper print
ed paragraph about the hermit, mention
ing his name and eccentricities. Some
weeks later fashionably dressed and dis
guished-looking middle-aged lady and
gentleman appeared in this village. The
lady said she had read the paragraph
about the hermit in Connecticut paper.
She lived in that State, and in 1882 her
brother, Austin Sheldon, a well.to.do bus
iness man OF Stony Creek, Conn.,, had mys-
teriously disappeared soon after the death
OF his young wife, Of whom he was pas.
sionately fond. No tidings Of him had
ever been received, and the lady believed
the Pike County hermit and her long missing
brother were one and the same. She and
her companion, who was her husband, were
guided to the wild spot where the hermit
lived. He proved to be the brother OF the
Connecticut lady, but he received her
coldly and turned q deaf ear TO all her ap-
peals to him to leave his wretched sur
roundings and return with her to home
of luxury. The visitors were overtaken by
darkness and were obliged TO spend the
night in the foul and cramped hovel In the
rocks. Every year since then Sheldon's
sister has pleaded with him in vain to
abandon his life of privation and solitude.
Last winter word was sent her from this
place that her brother was liable to die
alone at any time in this isolated Lretreat.
She and her husband came on at once, and
i'm spite of tho hermips vigorous protests
and resistance they forced him to accom-.
pany them back to Connecticut. He refused
to Lecome reconciled to his new life, and
grieved so constantly and intensely for
his hovel In the Pike County wilderness
that his relatives were compelled last May
TO return him to his old retreat. His joy
was unbounded on arriving here once
more, and he lost no time In
clothing himself in the rags which he
boasted he had worn constantly, day and
night, for more than thirty years. Shce
his return 1t became apparent to all who
visited him that he was failing rapidly In
mind and body. Austin Sheldon was al
educated man and affected great piety
He read the Bible almost constantly wheT
in his hut, and frequently carried 1t with
him strapped to his side in his jaunts in
the woods. He was q typical hermit In
appearances, with long, unkempt gray hair
and beard, q bent form, which he sup
ported with long staff, and which wal
barely covered by the tattered garment
he wore. During his long life in the noun
tain hovel, which was barely six fee
square, he had many narrow escapes from
death by forest fires, which frequentl,
surrounded his hovel, and kept him fight
ing sometimes day and night TO keep then
from sweeping II and himself away. Boil
| himaelf and hut had many times beel
covered deep beneath now drifts
and TO the thoughtfulness an
; kindness Of neighbors, who, although
living miles away, came and dug him ou
in the nick Of time, he often owed his life
He was once kept out Of his hut severs
days and nights by family Of bears tina
had taken possession Of 1t during his al
, sence, and held possession Of 1t until
suited them to change their quarters
Sheldon once fell from chestnut tree, an
lay for days beneath 1t with broken le
before his condition was discovered.
3 was a favorite declaration Of his that b
had once lived a whole month with moth
ing to eat but quart Of dried raspberriei
being lame and unable TO seek other SUI
tenance. He had more than once bee
. saved from death by starvation by th
: timely appearance Of neighbors, and hi
other narrow escapes from death
u, violence were numerous. He gave cred
a to no human Intervention for help In an
!. emergency, saying that he was In tn
> hands Of God, and that everything dor
: for him was due to promptings from Hin