HARMON MUSEUM | ART, HISTORY & CULTURE
  • Plan A Visit
    • Harmon Museum >
      • Exhibits >
        • Armstrong Gallery of Flight
        • Ford Maritime Gallery
        • Glendower Historic Mansion Display
        • Shaker Gallery
        • Special Exhibits
        • The Village Green
      • Group Tours
      • History of Harmon Museum
      • The Museum Shop >
        • Finnegan Book
        • Gift Certificates
        • Local Artists & Artisans
        • Local Authors
      • Research Library
      • Special Exhibits
    • 1795 Beedle Log Cabin >
      • Family Frontier Craft
      • History of the Beedle Log Cabin
      • Relocation & Restoration
    • WCHS Collection >
      • Art
      • Historical Artifacts
      • Textiles
      • Documents
      • Collection Information >
        • Collections Policy
  • Events
    • ⭐ Events Calendar ⭐
    • Art Exhibitions
    • Black Bag Bingo
    • Family Fun on the Frontier
    • History Camp
    • Lebanon Festival of the Arts 2025 >
      • Pervious Lebanon Festivals of the Arts
    • Lunch & Learn >
      • Lunch & Learn Tickets
      • Lunch & Learn Video Archive
    • Music at the Museum
    • Special Exhibits
    • Special Events
  • Get Involved
    • Membership >
      • Become a Member
      • Business Membership
    • Donate >
      • "Celebrate Our Future" Capital Campaign
      • Joseph Warren Statue >
        • Information on Joseph Warren
    • Volunteer
  • Facility Rental
  • Kids & Education
    • History Camp
    • Lena Iorns Award
    • Saturdays at the Beedle Cabin
    • Schools Tours
  • Blog
  • About
    • FAQ
    • About Us >
      • Board and Staff
      • History of Our Properties
      • History of WCHS
      • Research Library
      • WCHS Collection
    • Community History >
      • Celebrating Black History >
        • Elizabeth Harvey Free Black Schooll
        • The Harmon Foundation & the Harlem Renaissance
        • Local Trailblazers >
          • Anna Middleton
          • Bing Davis >
            • Bing Davis Biography
            • The Art of Bing Davis
          • Cedric Michael Cox
          • Elizabeth Kimberlin
          • ​James Richard Mills
          • Rodney Veal
          • Samuel Robert Bailey
      • In Honor & Remembrance
      • Lunch & Learn Video Archive
      • William Elmer Harmon
    • Partner Organizations >
      • Harveysburg Community Historical Society
      • Loveland Museum Center
      • Mason Historical Society
  • Contact
  • Arts Network of Warren County

We've got History on our minds.

Crosswick Snake Monster

8/14/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture
The following Western Star article was taken from our archives.

​May, 1882. "Waynesville, Ohio, May 29. Although this is an old settled neighborhood, and the primitive snakes in the main, have long since disappeared; except the black, garter and rattlesnake and occasionally some of other species, we are once in a while greeted with the report of some monster of this uncanny tribe.

For several years it has been reported that the track of one above the town, of unusual size, had, on different occasions, been seen in the dust, where it had crossed the pike. This report made the timid fearful, while the generality of the people did not seem to fear or care anything about it; and it has been reserved until yesterday to develop one of the most remarkable specimens ever seen, in or out of snake season, and the story thereof is so well authenticated that the more incredulous of the neighborhood on big snake stories are forced at last to lend an attentive ear.

About one mile north of this place is a little village called Crosswicks, in which several colored families reside. Among the rest is John Lynch, who has two boys, Ed. And Joe, aged respectively thirteen and eleven years. These boys were at a small creek on the south side of the village fishing, yesterday. After sitting on the bank a short time they heard quite a stir among some old reeds, grass and brush behind them, and on looking round they saw a huge monster approaching them rapidly. They screamed and, paralyzed almost with horror, started to run, when the snake, or whatever it might be—for they never saw aught like it before; came close up to the older one, and suddenly throwing out two long arms, or forelegs, seized the boy in its slimy embrace, simultaneously producing two more legs, about four feet long, from some mysterious hiding place in its body, and dragged the boy some one hundred yards down the creek to a large sycamore, twenty-six feet in diameter at the base, hollow, and with a large opening on one side. Through this aperture the monster attempted to enter with the boy who by this time was almost dead with fright and unable to make any resistance.

Three men—viz., Rev. Jacob Horn, George Peterson and Allen Jordan—were quarrying stone a short distance above where the boys were fishing, and hearing their screams and seeing the creature yanking one off, hurried in an attempt to rescue the child. They reached the tree just as the snake, who, failing in its first attempt to drag the boy into his den, became alarmed, probably by the cries made by its pursuers, unfastened its horrible fangs and dropped the more than half dead child to the earth. The little fellow was picked up and carried home, and Dr. L.C. Lukens, of Waynesville, summoned to attend him.

In the afternoon about sixty men, armed with clubs, dog, axes, &c., gathered around the sycamore-tree and concluded to cut it down and destroy its fearful tenant. They began cutting, when, becoming alarmed for his safety, the formidable snake leaped from the aperture, threw out its fore and hind legs, erected itself about twelve or fourteen feet, and, with the velocity of a race horse, crossed the creek and ran up a small hill, climbed over a rail fence, breaking it down, and, continuing north a mile, followed by the pursuers, until he reached a hole in a large hill under a heavy ledge of rocks. Some of the men and dogs were so terrified at the beast’s first appearance that they only thought of getting out of the way. But the braver portion followed until the frightful thing made good his retreat underneath the ground.

It will be watched for and killed if possible. It is described as being from thirty to forty feet long, sixteen inches in diameter, and the legs four feet long and covered with scales the same as the body. Feet about twelve inches long and shaped like a lizard’s, of black and white color, with large yellow spots. Head about sixteen inches wide, with a long, black forked tongue and the mouth inside deep red. The hind legs appeared to be used to give it an erect position, and its propelling power is in its tail.

Dr. Lukens said this morning that the boy, his patient, was badly bruised and scratched, horribly frightened, and that he lay in convulsions and spasms until three o’clock this morning, when he fell asleep, but frequently wakened with fright and terror, yet the Doctor thinks he will recover in a few days.

The foregoing is vouched for by the persons whose names are given above, and many more can be given if necessary, the material points having been furnished your correspondent by Judge J. W. Keys, one of our oldest and most influential citizens."

0 Comments

    Author

    Various staff and volunteer writers.

    Categories

    All
    Affiliate Member
    African American History
    American History
    Armstrong Conference Center
    Art
    Beedle Log Cabin
    Bingo
    Call To Action
    Civil Rights
    Collection
    Education
    Events
    Exhibits
    Glendower Historic Mansion
    Harmon Museum
    Help
    Holiday
    International History
    In The News
    Inventions
    Kids
    Local History
    Lunch & Learn Topics
    Meet The Artist
    Meet The Speaker
    Military History
    Natural History
    Newsletter Article
    Oral History
    Textile
    Women's History

    Archives

    September 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    October 2017
    February 2016

    RSS Feed

Picture
Office Phone: 513 932-1817
Email: [email protected]

Harmon Museum

​Tues - Sat: 10am - 4pm
Year Round
RESEARCH LIBRARY
Thurs & Fri 10-4pm

1795 BEEDLE cABIN

Phone for hours
Year Round
Contact
Membership
Volunteer
Donate
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
  • Plan A Visit
    • Harmon Museum >
      • Exhibits >
        • Armstrong Gallery of Flight
        • Ford Maritime Gallery
        • Glendower Historic Mansion Display
        • Shaker Gallery
        • Special Exhibits
        • The Village Green
      • Group Tours
      • History of Harmon Museum
      • The Museum Shop >
        • Finnegan Book
        • Gift Certificates
        • Local Artists & Artisans
        • Local Authors
      • Research Library
      • Special Exhibits
    • 1795 Beedle Log Cabin >
      • Family Frontier Craft
      • History of the Beedle Log Cabin
      • Relocation & Restoration
    • WCHS Collection >
      • Art
      • Historical Artifacts
      • Textiles
      • Documents
      • Collection Information >
        • Collections Policy
  • Events
    • ⭐ Events Calendar ⭐
    • Art Exhibitions
    • Black Bag Bingo
    • Family Fun on the Frontier
    • History Camp
    • Lebanon Festival of the Arts 2025 >
      • Pervious Lebanon Festivals of the Arts
    • Lunch & Learn >
      • Lunch & Learn Tickets
      • Lunch & Learn Video Archive
    • Music at the Museum
    • Special Exhibits
    • Special Events
  • Get Involved
    • Membership >
      • Become a Member
      • Business Membership
    • Donate >
      • "Celebrate Our Future" Capital Campaign
      • Joseph Warren Statue >
        • Information on Joseph Warren
    • Volunteer
  • Facility Rental
  • Kids & Education
    • History Camp
    • Lena Iorns Award
    • Saturdays at the Beedle Cabin
    • Schools Tours
  • Blog
  • About
    • FAQ
    • About Us >
      • Board and Staff
      • History of Our Properties
      • History of WCHS
      • Research Library
      • WCHS Collection
    • Community History >
      • Celebrating Black History >
        • Elizabeth Harvey Free Black Schooll
        • The Harmon Foundation & the Harlem Renaissance
        • Local Trailblazers >
          • Anna Middleton
          • Bing Davis >
            • Bing Davis Biography
            • The Art of Bing Davis
          • Cedric Michael Cox
          • Elizabeth Kimberlin
          • ​James Richard Mills
          • Rodney Veal
          • Samuel Robert Bailey
      • In Honor & Remembrance
      • Lunch & Learn Video Archive
      • William Elmer Harmon
    • Partner Organizations >
      • Harveysburg Community Historical Society
      • Loveland Museum Center
      • Mason Historical Society
  • Contact
  • Arts Network of Warren County