This post contains two newspaper articles, one being a supposed Wild Man story and the other being it’s purported unraveling, with the supposed Wild Man reportedly being identified. They are both presented here together for a complete context.
The Weekly Register (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]), November 27th 1873
A Sensation! – A wild man has been discovered in the woods near Wardensville. Two young gentlemen out hunting found their dogs barking furiously at the foot of a large tree, and while looking for a squirrel, observed a large shape roll rapidly from the end of a huge limb, and scamper swiftly up the hill side. Men and dogs instantly gave chase. In about fifteen minutes the dogs returned, evidently cowed and refusing to go forward.
The young men continued in the supposed direction, coming to the body of a fallen tree, were horrified to see a huge form straightening up from behind it, and assuming the shape of a man. His hair was yellow, coarse and hanging below his shoulders, his skin also was yellow.
His eyes seemed to be where the cheek bones ought to be, giving the appearance of a very high forehead. He was entirely naked. Both parties spent a minute in mutual astonishment, and then adjourned the meeting in haste.
The young gentlemen solemnly declare that their statement is true and are said to be reliable. Very well done for Wardensville. – Moorefield Advertiser
Disclaimer: This 1873 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 newpress and labeled “Wild Men” as a popular newspaper curiosity genre.
Source(s): https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn84026817/1873-11-27/ed-1/?sp=2
[ Special thanks to: Theresa of Theresa’s Haunted History of the Tri-State for locating this article within the Library of Congress online archives. ]
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South Branch intelligencer (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]), December 26, 1873
Wild Man. – The sensational story of the wild man discovered near Wardensville, in Hardy county, has proven to be a hoax. It seems that old uncle Billy -, a famous hunter, living in the wild district about Wardensville, has had his turkey traps disturbed by some young Nimrods of the low country, and not relishing these encroachments upon his domain, he determined to put a stop to them by strategy.
So, biding his time, one day “windeding” their coming, he secreted himself in one of the wildest sections of the district, and put himself in nature’s undress. No sooner than the tyro-huntsmen made their appearance, old uncle Billy dashed through the woods, nude as a skinned eel, yelling a most hideous gibberish, and cutting most fantastic and undignified attitudes, which so frightened the party on “sylvian pleasure bent” that they precipitately fled the district and reported a “wild man in the woods.”
Old uncle Billy’s trap are no longer disturbed, and as he chuckles over the narrative of the hoax, he slily remarks that Uncle Billy’s hair is not near so long as them boys thought – Woodstock Herald.
Disclaimer: This 1873 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 newpress and labeled “Wild Men” as a popular newspaper curiosity genre.
Source(s): https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn84026826/1873-12-26/ed-1/?sp=1
[ Special thanks to: Theresa of Theresa’s Haunted History of the Tri-State for locating this article within the Library of Congress online archives. ]
Categories: Newspapers, Wild People, Hoaxes