The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-16
4 CURSE on 4 TOMBSTONE.
Petit sI"nnn Doesn't Expect Prosperity TIL
Henry Overs Body IL Brought Back.

STEUBEN Me-. Jan. 1l.-A large majority
Of the people who knew Henry Over when he
was alive believe thar he had uncanny powers.
He could go out and load his boats with fat No.
l mackcrcl when the other fishermen hadn't
taken n fsh for u week. His pots were always
filed with dig Holsters at n time when his RI
walls were lodging the wardcns In order to sup.
ply their customers. and his luck in escaping
death when sailing along tho dangerous coast
was so phenomenal that everybody said nc
could not be drowned. In additional proof OF
his abilities to punish his enemies the resi-.
dents cite the case OF Petit Mcnan. where more
than n million dollars in good money was vast,
cd because pcoplc: .insisted on taking up his
body and carrying it to Winter Harbor for
burial in defiance of the prohibition engraved
upon his tombstone.
Over was a slave who ran away from Vir'
ginia and came to the Maine const about fifty
years ago, settling on Petit Mcnan partly be-
cause the fishing in the nearby waters was
excellent and pnrtlp because it was near New
brunswick and 80 afforded him a chance to
cscnpo oyer the iine IN Gnso the slave hunters
narrow neck OF land. and. marrying a full.
hlootcd Saunw Of the Ol!, Town tribe. raised n
sEil{%i and a"rins tls%sr%aS, ana amassins .
buried on the high ridge at a spot which lie
had selected. Years before no died he went To
JonespoEt and ordered = tombstone for his
ifc., upon which was engraved the following in
scription:
My race is run. my lahors DER;
From earthly care my soul Is free.
Here | shall rest fOrevcrmOre-
Cursed be the maa who troubles me.
HENRY OVER.
Tho stone was erected Immediately after the
funeral. the lot was fenced in in ACCORDANCE with
Overs Instructions, and the old fisherman be-
gan the long rest for which he had asked,
though the supcrstitions fisher people told a few
tales about seeing Overs boats outside the
reefs on stormy nights.
with, the idea OF making Petit Mcnan surpass
bar Harbor as n summer resort; 1t sold little
squares Of sheep Iasture az high prices and
along the high neck OF land, but when they
came TO the place, where Over was buried they
with . negro's grave for next door neighbor,
though the site was among the best which the
company had to offer. AS soon as the COM
Of rccuninry success. IT sent men a. night, who
dug up the remains of Oyer and his wife and
curse-bcaring tombstone above them.
The company's agents said 1t was hard times
that caused the failure Of the enterprise. Men
who had bought and built cottages on the land
said that the fog from tho Bay of Fundy came
there in June and didn't 20 away until the next
June tillinE the region With perpetual dark.
midday, Other reasons more. or less logical
hayc been assigned for the total and unexpected
q crash two yoaro ago. The residents don't he;
respected the last request OF Henry Over and
allowed his body to rest in peace, Petit Menan
would now be far ahead Of Bar HarbOr and n
close second TO Newport, they say;
Since sheep have been turned loose to Craze
upon the $50, 1000 house lots the residents have
tailed the matter over among themselves, and
are raising. money to, have the bodies OF Over
they believe that Petit Menan will never sec
any prosperity.