The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-22
CHASED BY LIGHTNING.
TIE REV. DAD HEITER BEAT THE
UID TO THE GROUND.

Ghost stories, white Horse Horrors, ana
whero Qunntrell Planned his Massacre.
JOHNSON COUNTY, No. Aug. 21.-Black
Water, Scaly Bark, Big and Bear Greeks arc the
water courses of this county. There was n time
when ghosts, Gorgons, horrors and hair-ralsing
fee.faw-fums had their haunts along these
streams. Even to-day ono comes unawares
upon gravestoncs in unfrcquented places. but
the names and epitaphs are worn away.
There ia not much doubt that this section was
tho starting place OF many of tho stories which
driftcd and drifted until their identity was lost
The first white corners to this county were from
Virginia, kentucky. Tennessee. and the Caro-
llnas. The first towns of tho county are gone
You meet, occasionally, a man or woman whose
grandparents knew Of Columbus. and Rose
Hill. and Boards and Brookstown. But these
towns closed UP years before the war.
The settlers were deeply religious. from theiR
viewpoint. High Blue was tho camp meeting
spot where the people met annually and wors
shipped until their fcrvor was exhausted and
the absolute necessities Of their various homes
called them back.
1t was ut one Of these camp meetings that the
Rev. Mr.. Heitcr told his lightning experience,
and the story passed down from ono generation
to another. One day the writer was riding over
what IL still known in johnson county as the
Old Shawnee Trace-an old road. The Other
man pointed to n church spirc.
"Thcy had hard work to build that church.
though, !" said the Missourian. whose cxistenoo
hnd been confined to one county. For a long
time people who lived about here turned up their
noses when preachers hitched and alighted. II
was all on account of old Dad Heiter. That yarn
OF his at High Blue made skcptics and lots OF inf
dels. In them days, so I've hcarn, preachers had
to do other things than preach. Some ploushod,
and some was builders. and occasionally. when
they wasn't At for anything else. they kent
school, when they could find enough young ones
to make q school. Dad Heiter was q chimley
builder. built chimleys TO houses. Chimleys in
them days was built outside of the house. and was
Of stone and sometimes Of wood, in which case
chimley wouldn't catch fire.. They had to use
%scaffolds in building. the chimleys. and the scat.
fold was put up on long poles. higher than the
dad was preaching at one of the High Blue
Inost oi tho congregation wanted to leave and
crowd into their wagons or cabins; But Dad
pie TO show their faith by staying. He said II
they would ask the Almighty to hold, back the
lightning. He was buildin' a chimley. and was
w. He told how the lightning flashed and how
the winds bent trees, lie had the chimley all but
storm until he got through; But the Lord was
not inclined, and Just then Dan saw a streak of
dispieased the Lord in asking TOO much. So he
flung down his trowel and, ketchin' one of the
e en tho pole hei end T STA down hs nS Wiah;o ne p lSHffn n os asSs
brakes, and the minute he struck the ground
t IaS,c dIs an : nsm winch dann ne fbe mad nd,s seen rinnt coming aTfnr h FOL
Dad beat II down"
"Didt the congregation stay r.
i've heard pap say that his par, who was
said that the congregation would "a stayed,
we'll Sei'O as pa a e SaS a RSS ailder9 af a P5edd'fhe adn Ss
more,n got The words out when a streak
just back of the stand where Dad had been
tenrin' round; and split the barrel to film
the congregation left. and the people said it was
a sign and that Dad was q wolf in Sleeps cloth.
some Of the converts who was to have been bap-
tized thnt day backslid and there was more horse
.".WhatTs the connection between Mr.. Heiter's
nSinled sus sfSrs ana inc chur'h "h'eh you
Nothing. only Dad Heiter lived in this neck
Of the woods, and you know how long 1t takes to
Not far from the banks of scaly Bark Creek, q
homestead site Of a man Who came to johnson
county with the distinction Of having been one
family Of three boys and four girls: They grew
40 took four Of the family. The Old Colonel said
The old Colonel selected a |. few feet of ground
his good wife were 10 liz undisturbed against
all corners Mhatsodever." as Il was written in his
sat at h Window wiz and Watched his grave during
the days that she wal waited ted When her LAS Last sick sick
up her vigil. After her death the son who
came into the inheritance made a faithful hus.
baudman for several years.
1t was not until q quarter OF q century age
that the following story ceased to be told and be.
The son who had Inherited married, and his
wife died years after. lie married another
|, s TS,"ip IN ~ her MAS name a v so that neq his hS c Kill rem By IN hfs
first wife could not come in for their share: She
f hasbd .nd hq The nsrshs sna OF Tf tne h n%nS wath h sfi
!, II many years and sold it to another man who
: he stood nSS i' in his i f 'front.' a" door. t nnd one day eyf he hired die
I some men to remove the remains and the tomb
stones and level the earth. But nothing was
You couldn't make the people on seal, Bark
!; e eSlieys m 1Sr W MhGy told : d tHc for sa = 1he " 3Rhns sGa
old Colonel didn't get out OF his grave with his
% WIZ an" And move it e Mhfn k 1nS 9ld IN h1 fhs sountv wI rs
: this day that the farm has ceased to yield the
orchard is barren, and while, the place has been
on the market a long time the owncr has never
There is a white bridge over Black Water. q
n sluggish stream. tho banks of which are high
. and oversrown with willow. which gives the
waters all ths more doleful sppearance;
3 ties, pointing to the bridge, - was the only ford
t ON Black Water up to tho timcot the breaking
Q miles back who had a daughter. and she ran
; away with a young fellow who was not liked By
her father. They had several miles the start DO
o fore the old man found out what was up. and h'
t g~alloped in pursuit. He came in sight of tn
clippers right here just as Lochinvars purred hi
horse into the water. which was high, and swift
z The youngsters never got across, and. although
the waters run down. and search was made To-
Y many n day. the bodies were never found.
For years after the old mans death he 7 %
20 be seen dressed in white on his white b ~
It and with q shotgun, on his shoulder on I y
% t TSsry w s,.s w Mss h ,n1 nieht rS wHS FORA 1ao m G,sr i"sers ani
10 and people went out OF their way 10 escape |
until eNSrSGi0 on h oil th A. tii hrid ne" T 2n an" asa n.
white. Well, the story is that the county didn'
il paint 1t, nor yet any citizen, And some OF tn
h old women say it was painted by the ghost .
the Young woman who fled with l0chinvar, an
that tho ghosts keep 1t painted white in he
memory
These are samples OF Johnson county stories
Wherever one stops for the night one can be al
r. surod OF hearing recitals like these. One thing
is however. is true, 1t WAS here. on the bank Q