New-York tribune., 1886-01-21
THE HERMIT OF PIKE COUNTY.
FoRTY-FIvE YEARS IN A MOUNTAIN CAVE.

STRANGE LIFE OF CONNECTICUT BLACKSMITH
DYING AT THE AGE or EIGHTY-THREE.
PORT JERvIs, Jan. 20.-AustiD Sheldon, the
famous hermit OF Pike County. Penn died in Lehman
township that county, on Monday, age eighty-three
Sheldon appeared In the mountains OF Lehman township
about fortynye years ago. He took up his abode In
half hut, half cave, in wild and isolated spot, nine
miles from the Delaware Valley. For more than thirty
years nothing known of his history except that he
had left similar abode in Wayne County, Penn, be-
too many settlers taking up land around It,
lie proiessed deep religious feeling and spent most OF
hLmo in reading his Bible In his miserable home. He
touched water to his person. and never permitted
a comb to touch his hair or beard. This, lie
said, was in accordance with vow he had made. He
never made visitors welcome but objected to their pres
about his cave, aud frequently ordered them
angrily away He never removed his clothing, WHICH,
by the constant of years. had become covering Of
many hucs and shapes, held together by twine ana
withes.
Tho hut IN which Sheldon lived was about nine feet
square, and barely high enough to permit person OF
ordinary height to stand erect. The only article OF
furniture the butt of log with straight BACK
which served the hermts chair and bed, for he slept
sitting the uncomfortable contrivance. Sheldon had
cleared small patch OF ground on which he raised
potatoes cabbayes and other vegetables. His snares
provided him with rabbits and birds He made few
butcher knives occasionally OF iron he begged and
by means OF a crude forge in one corner OF MS nut
In 1873 this strange being made the subject OF
news item II a local paper. The item was copied
In other papers, among them one In Conn'cucut
This latter paper read by persons who recognized
inthe hermit a relative who had disappeared In ls32
from stony Brook Conn., and OF whom nothing had ever
been heard sister OF sheldon visited Pike County at
once. accompanied by her husband They were guided
through the rough Wild region that led to the hermits
cave Sheldon admitted his Identity but rejected their
appeals to return to Connecticut From these people 1t
was learned that he had been prosperous blacksmith
Stony Brook and that he always had singular IDEAS
on religion. lie married worthy young woman TO
whom he warmly attached she died soon after the
and Shcldon's grief was great short time
after her death he disappeared lie had evidently been
living the life OF "a halfcrazed recluse ever since.
Three years ago Austin Sheldon created sensa-
tlOn by visiting several widows and young
women In the settlements in the region, and proposing
marriage them. Being unsuccessful In obtaining
wife he returned his hut few mouths later lie a-
nounced that he going back TO Connecticut to die
He walked all the way to his native place, but In snort
returned to his IN the mountains He was ~
duced few weeks to remain at the house or man
OF Lehman township where died In his long and lonely
life lie had several narrow escapes from death by reeL
ing by forest rcs and by h2hs with bears and other
wild animals He will be buried In Connecticut.