[ Return to John Smith and Erving Castle ] [ Home ]
| New
England Naturalist Training Center |
|
Nancy
Allen and Robert Smith marry at Greasley Abbey, Nottingham, England. Date
unknown.
July
10, 1818 Born John Smith in Moore Green, Nottingham, England.
July
10, 1823 Born John Smith in Perth, Scotland. Born to Nancy (Allen) and
Robert Smith. Mother is a lady’s maid to Lady McDonald and his father is
either a marine in service of the crown or a poor dirt farmer.
Mother
dies and maternal grandmother cares for John. Unknown date. He attends
government schools because he is an orphan or because his father in a marine
in service to the crown.
1827?
Grandmother dies; John attends a government school until about 13 years old.
He becomes a peddler at age 13 or 15. At his grandmother’s death, a woman
by the name of Tibby Scugle is put in charge of John. She is a washerwoman,
a long time boarder in his grandmother’s house and frequently drinks.
1838
John Smith after three years study graduates and becomes a peddler of
knives, jewelry and the like in the lowlands [sic] of Scotland. Lady Mc
Donald gives him a “handsome box” for his jewelry and 5 Pounds. Quickly
changes to dry goods and begins to peddle or be a “packman” in the
Highlands of Scotland.
1840-41?
He is a peddler for several years and meets a Scottish woman named Betsey at
a farm called The Elms in the Grampians Mts. and has his heart broken. The
Grampians are in the highlands of Scotland. The 1871 booklet tells; “I was
in a strange part of the country, and in crossing the Grampians, I lost
myself in the mountains.” A storm forces him to seek refuge. However, by
the time he reaches the farm he is weak and chilled. He recovers at the
farm.
1841?
Lives secluded in Edinburgh, Scotland for a year. Notices want ad for
hermits position and applies.
1841-1845?
Commences first hermitage at Lovet’s Castle.
1846-1852?
Meets Lady Hays. The lord of Lovet’s Castle and Lady Hays agree to trade
hermits. John goes to work for Lady Hays at the Black-Heath Hermitage. It
seems that her hermit is catholic and she is a protestant and the present
Lord of Lovet’s Castle is a Catholic and John Smith is a protestant.
John’s tenure comes to an end, six years latter, when Lady Hays
“…determines on a tour of Eastern travel.”
1852?
City of Inverness. John Smith spent one season there playing the part of a
hermit in theater productions. But he “…did not enjoy that heartless,
bustling life.”
1852-1854?
Lord Fief’s Hermitage. John Smith feels neglected and leaves.
1854-1861?
Lord McDugald. “… of the Isles to the north of Scotland” John Smith
says he received every attention a hermit could desire there. “But
thinking the cold climate did not agree with me, I gladly complied with the
wish of the Marquis Breadalbane,…”
1861-1864?
Lady Kenmore, wife of the Marquis Breadalbane, of Kenmore Castle was a
Baptist like John.
1864-186?
Lady McDonald of Keppeth Castle offers John Smith the position of gardener
and a home for life if he would become a catholic. He says no and
“…chanced to fall in with several young men (four male friends) who
where soon coming to America,…”
Spring
(May) 1866 lands in New York (on the steamer The City of Cork). Works
as a gardener but, soon leaves part way through that season as he found the
heat oppressive. Takes the train to Springfield and then walks onto Boston.
Summer
1866 Moves to Boston and (discovers cave during that summer) spends the
winter in Boston doing odd jobs. Apparently also lived briefly in a cave at
Rattlesnake Gutter, Leverett.
March
1867 Moves into the Hermit ‘s Cave.
Summer
1867 Begins to pick blue berries to sell to the Boston markets.
Saturday
November 1867 Discovered.
Monday
December 2, 1867 Samuel Dirth, Henry Stimpson & Alfred Reynolds come to
visit John Smith. They approach him with axes and shovels as they are
building a road through the woods. John’s account of the discovery and
subsequent meeting was that he thought they were sheriff deputies come to
turn him out. It appeared that the men thought John was a highwayman and
dangerous. They all soon realized the there was a misunderstanding.
Tuesday
December 3, 1867 “Visitors Pour in Upon Me. The next day a company of
ladies paid me a visit, bringing with them for my comfort, no small quantity
of delicacies and substantial provisions.”
186?
Meets owner of the property, (Messrs. Burt & Wright) Barton Wright,
Esq., of Springfield. The man expresses much interest in John Smith and
allows him to live there as long as he wants, also gives him permission to
build a road for the accommodations of his visitors. A latter owner of the
property, Samuel Holmes, also, gave him permission to live there.
April
26, 1868 Religious services where held at the Pulpit Rock by George W.
Barber, a student at Andover Theological Seminary, who discoursed
upon the “Parable of the Talents,” to an audience, which had come
together for that purpose.
May
Day 1868 A visitor to the Castle wrote to The Athol Chronicle that they
thoroughly enjoyed a visit to the Castle and that there where 18 in their
party. They also mention seeing a guest registry that had, not including
their party, 471 visitors names “since the 8th of last
Feb,…”
October
8, 1868 In the Greenfield Gazette and Courier there is a mention of
“Castle Mountain”.
1868
George W. Barber writes The Hermit of Erving Castle. It is written
for the benefit of the Hermit and is 64 pages long.
1870
John Smith is listed in the town of Erving census. His name is John Smith,
no middle initial. He is 51 years old and claims Scotland as his birthplace.
He has no property, real or personal and is listed as without an occupation.
It states that he lives in a cave.
September
6 1871 The Athol Transcript. The hermit writes to the readers of the paper.
He mentions Jim Lee’s team of horses, how Mr. Chamberlin of the Summit
House of Athol, sets a fine table and Hagar’s teams.
1871The
Athol Transcript mentioned a poem written to Toby. Apparently Toby, a
favorite among his cats, is already dead in 1871.
1871
There is a citation, incomplete, that Peter Moore wrote a poem about Toby
and his grave.
June
20, 1871 The Athol Chronicle. A want ad appears seeking a hermit. Whoever
placed the ad is looking to find a good substitute to the original Hermit.
The ad says that the people of the area (?) don’t want to go as far as
Wendell Mt. “One accustomed to milking goats and digging ’yarbs’
preferred.”
1871
Another booklet is published. The booklet is some 60 pages long. It is
written “for the benefit of the Hermit.”
1872
The Athol Transcript. The Hermit gives an account of the busy events at the
Castle.
1872
circa, the Count and Countess of Meninsburgh Prussia, while touring America,
paid him a visit.
May
29, 1872 The Athol Chronicle. The Hermit tells of a 200 acre forest fire
that forces him to flee.
August
20, 1872 The hermit submits a chronicle of the busy time seen this season at
the Castle. Apparently the “Gages” are the only local party of note this
season, their party numbered 54. There had been a lot of “city
visitors”. He mentions visitors from Scotland, England and Boston. He does
mention that the visitors did leave money for his cats; one dollar for Dolly
Varden and twenty-five cents for Jim Fisk.
October
1872 Greenfield Gazette and Courier. John
Smith kills a 4’7” long Rattlesnake near the Castle. (this author’s
note; unfortunate.)
August
13, 1874 John Smith hits the lecture circuit. In Orange, MA he talks of his
life. There are plans to deliver this lecture in Athol and “…ultimately
visit Boston, Springfield and other large places.” He is to receive $10
dollars plus his expenses for each lecture. The promoter is H. H. Turner of
Orange.
1874
A newspaper account flatly stated that 15,000 visitors had come to see him.
No mention of what time line that covers.
July
21, 1875 The Turners Falls Reporter. The Hermits of Erving baseball club
lost to the U.S. club of Millers Falls 21 to 58.
August
12, 1875 The Athol Chronicle tells of some ladies who on being surprised by
a monster Rattlesnake took it “a prisoner, and bore him away as a
trophy.”
October
5-6 1875 Athol Fair. “At the show in 1875 an unusual attraction was the
venerable Hermit of Erving Castle appearing in his woodsman’s costume and
talking on his life and experiences. He claimed to have spent almost all of
his early life in the dense fastnesses [sic] of the Scottish Highland. He
dressed as a Highlander and told stories of early life in the hill country
of the great Scottish chiefs.”
February
12, 1876 Greenfield Gazette and Courier. (new information I have to go look
it up)
September
25, 1876 Greenfield Gazette and Courier. “John Smith, the Hermit, has been
ordered to leave his premises, because of injuries done to the adjoining
land by a fire which he carelessly set.”
November
6, 1876 Greenfield Gazette and Courier. (New information about a Dr. Field
offering John Smith a new home on the CT River.)
February
26, 1876 Greenfield Gazette and Courier. “The Erving Hermit gave a levee
at the town Hall on the 16th. Rumor says he thinks of changing
the place of his habitation. Why not have him build his castle on some rocky
spot in Sunderland Park?”
August
20, 1877 Greenfield Gazette and Courier. “Charles H. Thacher, formerly of
Bernardston, has purchased the place called the Hermit’s Cave.
He doses not object of visitors…. (except) Sundays. John the
hermit, is at the pavilion, near the cave, and both live on good terms with
each other.”
September
17, 1877 Greenfield Gazette and Courier. “Charles H. Thatcher [sic] has
finished his cottage on the ledges…” “…and it is not unlikely that
some others will soon be built, as there are several lots for cottages for
sale yet. The hermitage is getting to be quite a fashionable resort with the
city visitors, and the hermit is laying out the grounds for
camp-meetings.”
1877
Charles Thacher, a civil war veteran, moves to the Castle. He builds a
“nice cozy little house, 1 ½ stories high, 16x14, ‘with and ell. 12x10
½ ‘; and he kept his house and barn well painted and neat and cozy enough
for any one to live in.” The house was “…10 rods below the cave.”
September
30, 1878 Greenfield Gazette and Courier. John Smith submits a notice that
starts off, “The hermits are as busy as bees. Charles H. Thacher has made
quite a building by putting an additional wing on his cottage at the
castle.” “His guests (John Smith’s) have been more numerous this
season than last.” “The music from the village brass band is quite
enchanting amongst the rocky battlements.” “…the visitors seem to
think (the castle) will leave lake pleasant in the shade.” “Visitors can
get good accommodations at the Erving House or Sawyer’s Hotel.”
1880?
John Smith moves out of the Hermit’s Cave and builds a house, 16x20, about
a 1/4 mile down slope from the cave. It is said to have “…one window
with six panes of glass, 9x13...”
July
9, 1886 Greenfield Gazette and Courier. A young man supposedly from
Brockton, MA robbed John Smith. The young man convinced John to let him room
with him for a few days and promised to help pick and market berries for
John. The young man took several quarts of berries and two or three dollars
in money. Never to be heard from again.
July
10, 1889 Turners Fall Reporter. John Smith passed his seventieth birthday.
“He is in good health and receives many visitors this summer, who are
always sure of a hearty welcome.”
February
21, 1893 The Athol Transcript. Charles H. Thatcher [sic] was a soldier for
the Union and was a member of the 4th Vermont regt. of infantry.
January
21, 1893 In an interview with W.S. Carson of the Sunday Globe John Smith
says he was born “…at Moore Green, Nottinghamshire, Eng., 74 years ago,
the 10th of last July. My father was a small farmer, and my
mother was Scotch.”
July
6, 1897 Charles H. Thacher was charged and found guilty of assaulting a
deputy sheriff and placed on probation.
August
23, 1898 The Athol Transcript reports that John is now 80 and is still as
lively and as talkative as ever. He still entertains hundreds of people in
the course of a month. “One Sunday recently 15 teams and 40 bicyclists
visited him.”
October
26, 1899 John smith was removed from the Erving Castle and sent to the Town
Farm in Montague, having become to old to care for himself. The town farm
was about one and one half miles from Lake Pleasant. His postal address is
Box 84 Montague.
March
30, 1900. John Smith died and was buried (April 6) in Erving Central
Cemetary.