Evening journal., 1909-11-26
HISTORY ON AN
ANCIENT CLOCK
Aged l25 Years it Has Been
Family Death Monitor

cause more terror 70 Dr, J. r. Ander-
son, OF Swayzec, than to hear the
striking OF an antiquated clock. long
ago discarded. that now reposes I'm his
woodshed, for already it's tolling has
been the death monitor OF four rela~
tives. says the Cincinnati Enquirer.
The doctor has placed the clock. which
Is about 125 years old. in the wood
shed, 30 that there is no possibility
or hearing Il should II again strike.
The clock originally was the prop
erty OF John Reasoner. OF Ohio. who
was great grandfather Of Mrs. An
dcrson. wife OF Or. Anderson. He was
an extremely old man when he died,
more than century ago. A short
time before his death he had a pre-
sentiment that he would die on a GER
tain day when the clock struck "a cer-
tain hour. True enough. he became
sick and died on the hour as pictured
I'm his dream.
After his death the clock passed TO
his daughter. then unmarried. who
later became Mrs. John Jennings. and
who, following her marriage. removed
from Ohio TO BlaclSford county. Ind.
After the death OF her husband. who
was never heard OF after leaving home
in the rush for gold to California in
iS49, she spent her declining days in
visiting among her children. In the
meantime the old clock had passed
into the hands Of her son. DIR. William
M. ReaHoner. and it occupied a place
ON a shelf In his office at Sulphur
Springs Henry county, Indiana.
The doctor was much surprised one
day when the old clock struck. after
having been silent for twenty-fva
years. Within n few hours he received
word that his mother. who was about
eighty years OF age. had died while
al the home OF another son. John r..
Jennings, IN Blackford county. For
the death OF his mother TO occur on the
day that the old clock broke silence
that had existed for a quarter OF o.
century was regarded as a peculiar in
cident
Tho clock continued In the possessioni
OF Dr. Reasoner. following his moth
} cr's death. and it did not again strilSei
I until five or six years later. Although
, tho clock had not been running forl
years because Of a broken cord. itl
surprised the doctor and his family one
day by striking.
That night his wife, who was tho
mother of Mrs. J. r. Anderson. OIL
j Swayzee, became suddenly IN and died
2 ]
d 1850. to be exact. the doctor and his
r daughter. Mary Reasoner. We're seated
IN his Office when they were again
q alarmed by the striking OF the broken
!, clock
= my God, Mary. listen to that clocki'
! shrleSed tho doctor as he heard tho
G striking OF the clock for he feared
o that another tragedy was imminent.
e A few hours later he was seized with
y violent headaches and was compelled
h TO take 10 his bed. He died a few
days later.
re- After DR.. Reasoner died the clock be.
10 came the property OF Dr. and Mrs An
dcrson, of Swayzee. who then lived a
Honey Creek, Henry county. Ind. ]
had been In the Anderson homo fo
nj four years. although it had not rui
he when the doctor heard IL strike OF
lg- evening just as hd was -. A., =.
mr. door OF his home.
~ Tho doctor had not been n believe
Is. IN bad omens. superstitions. etc, an
er had been doubtful about the strlSin
- OF the clock having anything TO d
with the deaths that had followed al
most Immediately. The striking OF th'
81 clock ono morning I'm 1890 only caused
Il him 20 remark TO his wife lightly. 90
o wonder who win be the next TO die
ne That evening he received a lettci
r. announcing that his sister Mrs. Jane
NJ Enlight had died al her home In Han.
n cock county. Ind. Now the doctor. fear
~ ing 10 again hear the clock. keeps IL IT
" an abandoned woodshed. Even thougl
er the clock has left a century long trai
of deaths DR.. Anderson would not par
u with the old-fashioned timcpicce be
IN cause OF its great age and the fac
he that it has been handed down from
II one generation of the family TO an
- other. The clock stands four fee
ne high. and 1t IL made almost entirely 0
er wood.