The Sunday Dispatch (New York [N.Y.]), May 30th 1852
The Wild Man of Arkansas.
Every now and then we see it stated in the Western papers that a Wild Man is roaming through the great Mississippi bottom in the State of Arkansas. Numerous travellers and hunters have asserted that they have seen him, but none have ever been able to get near enough to give particulars concerning the strange being. The story is just revived again. The creature is said to be unmistakeably a human being, over seven feet high, but with all the shyness and habits of a completely wild animal.
Disclaimer: This 1852 newspaper article was published prior to 1931. Under United States copyright law (specifically the 95-year rule), this work has entered the public domain and is thus free to use or republish. It is presented here as an interesting and folkloric newspaper oddity.
Context: “Wild Men” or “Wild People” were purportedly “feral” people who lived in the wilderness in European folklore, representing nature. They were often depicted as tall and hair-covered. In the 1800’s and early 1900’s, stories of encounters with people in or from the wilderness including hermits, houseless people, or people going through a mental health crisis, were often reported in American newspress and labeled “Wild Men” as a popular newspaper curiosity genre.
Source(s): https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn83030362/1852-05-30/ed-1/?sp=1
Categories: Newspapers, Wild People, Arkansas (AR)