RAISING CANE

Sometime about 1908, my father was walking along the street near the center of York, Pennsylvania. In his attempt at being debonair, this young blade of twenty had added a sporty cane as an accoutrement to his dapper clothing. It happened that as he was striding along, he was met by his father who was also using a cane due to a disability. With a cursory look at his son and hardly missing a step before moving on, the elder man said, "Ray, I use a cane because I'm weak in the legs. You use one because you're weak in the head!"

DOORWAY TO SUCCESS

The college professor was having a talk with Dad about his potential personal assets. "Ray, with your bluff and your father's brains, you could go far." Then shaking his head, he added, "If you only had your father's brains."

From the York _____,Pa. newspaper
Page 1, dated August 4, 1909

YOUTH'S DARING RESCUE OF MAN DROWNING IN CODORUS CREEK AT PLACE OF RECENT FATALITY

William Fisher, of Salem avenue extended, nearly drowned in the creek yesterday, at the place where Harry Bishop met his death last week, near High Rock, Highland park. He was rescued by Raymond Stump, the son of the Rev. Adam Stump, brought to the shore in an unconscious condition, and after half an hour was restored to consciousness.

As at the time of the Bishop drowning, there were many youths on the bank looking at the struggling of the man to keep from drowning, but no attempt, until the arrival of Stump, was made to rescue him. Those who saw the man trying to regain the shore stated that they could not swim well enough to attempt the rescue.

Fisher went in swimming from High Rock dressed in his underclothes about 2:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon. As he reached the deep hole below the rock, his legs became entangled with his clothing and he was unable to swim. He cried lustily for help and sank. He reappeared five or six times, each time crying for help. Stump, who was in the park wth some friends, heard the cries and hurried to the bank. As he arrived Fisher sank beneath the water, and it would probably have been for the last time,as he did not reappear afer a considerable lapse of time. Stump, without taking time to undress, dived for the spot where the man had last appeared. He reached him and brought him to the surface, and after a struggle landed him on the bank.

Fisher was unconscious from having been under the surface so long the last time. His young son, Joseph, who accompanied his father, helped to pull his body on the bank, and afterward aided in the work of resuscitation. After having been rolled over a barrel for 20 minutes, Fisher began to show signs of life.

Note: As a post script to this story, the reader should know that Mr. Fisher in no way ever thanked my father for saving his life.

HEX 'RECIPES' REVEALED!   Secrets of Weird Practices That Led to Murder in York County Told by Verona Minister---Evidences of Beliefs in Strange Superstitions Found in Local District "A man who loves a widow still in love with her dead husband should go to the husband's grave, get a little dirt, and bake it in a cake to be fed to the widow. Her affections will be transferred to the living man." Weird though it is, this is only one of the strange recipes prescribed by witch doctors of the Hex people of York County, and more recently, to a small degree, in Allegheny County. Evidences of hexism, some secrets of which were revealed three years ago following a murder in York County, have been noted here by Rev. Raymond N. Stumpf, pastor of Verona Trinity Lutheran Church, who spent his childhood in the hex country. Recently, Rev. Stumpf said, a woman was taken to a local hospital after being severely beaten by a man who learned the woman was to use her hex powers on him. Killed for Lock of Hair In the York County case a young man, following the instructions of a hex doctor who had told him the misfortune following his family was the result of an evil spell cast on him by one versed in black magic, murdered his farmer-neighbor to obtain a lock of his hair. The lock of hair of the murdered man, whom he believed had cast the supposedly evil spell on him, was buried under six feet of ground in accordance with the instructions given him by the witch doctor. York County authorities made a concerted drive to eradicate this dark survival of practices and beliefs, born in the early days of the human race. Their success in the face of centuries of secret growth through devious channels and eerie whisperings, can only be guessed. 115-Year-Old Book Rev. Stumpf has in his possession one of the few manuals of hex magic outside the hex people themselves. It was compiled in 1816 by one Johanes Hofmann in Delberg. In it, written in German, in a fine flowing hand, are the incredulously superstitious and fantastic recipes for curing illness, misfortune, means of exorcising "black" hexes, how to obtain the affections of an indifferent sweetheart, and countless incantations for every contingency. It has been said by a curator of Carnegie museum, to be one of the oldest books known on the subject of the hexers. It tells how to do everything from changing a dice-shooter's luck to curing rheumatism. Rev. Stumpf has had it translated, and it forms a valuable commentary on the customs and practices of people living outwardly in a modern world, but actually abiding in a world peopled by evil spirits, wicked machinations, and heathenish beliefs. Practices of Hex People Described Here are a few formulas for the exorcising of evil spirits, similar to the Voodoo rites of Haiti, and the primitive tribes of Africa: • If one wishes to send a message to a dead person, catch and kill a black cat, write the message and put it in the cat's mouth, and when the cat has disappeared (or decomposed), the message will have been delivered. • If you are a consistent loser at dice; snare a bat, cut its heart out, tie it around the dice-shooting arm, and go on with the game. • To ward off fire, wrap an egg, laid by a black hen on Holy Thursday, in a soiled garment and put the package under the door sill. • If your cow gives bad milk, put its foot in a mash (probably containing a medicinal herb). • Should rheumatism cause painful twinges, pinch the underclothing being worn at the time between the door and the sill, every night until it is cured. • To ward off lightning, carry around in a pocket or on the person, the dried body of a kingfisher. • If a child suffers from a croup, take a hair from the head of a child whose father has died before its birth and tie it around the child's neck or have the same child stir a cup of tea containing the hair of a child born after its father's death. How to Chase Fever • Fever can be chased away by wearing one's shirt wrong side out three days in succession and saying in the morning, before putting it on, 'shirt, turn thyself; fever depart.' These are only samples of the weird incredulous practices and incantations described in the book. Hex beliefs are divided in two classes, white magic and black magic. White is for the working of good, and black for casting evil spells. The hexers put their curses on humans or animals, as they wish. The hex doctors may be either men or women. They frequently amass fortunes working their spells. The study of ancient superstitions and religions is the hobby of Rev. Stumpf, who resided for several years in Adams, Berks, York and Lancaster Counties, the part of the country settled by Germans more than 100 years ago. His father was a minister for 42 years in York County. A black cat as a symbol of good and bad luck, is the oldest and most ineradicable superstition in the world according to Rev. Stumpf. It has been found in the annals of the Egyptians and subsequent religions. From Pittsburgh, PA, Sunday paper dated Nov. 1, 1931

WEDDING PRESENT A young barber in York got married and he and his new bride left town on their honeymoon. While he was away, his friends completely refurbished his shop. To top off their work, they tacked a sheriff's sale sign on the entrance. In due time, the couple returned home. When the happy barber went to work in the morning, he was confronted by the legal-looking sign posted on his workplace. Being completely confounded, he stood outside the door surveying the renovated premises for quite a while. Finally deciding that it really was HIS shop, he entered and was soon being 'ribbed' and toasted by his well-wishing friends.

HISTORY LESSON Admittedly, those who make up the personnel of a bridge construction company are a tough lot. Regardless, on a pretty spring day, the superintendent who had come up through the ranks succumbed to the charms of a traveling lady salesperson. He bought the deluxe American history volume and put it in a drawer of his office desk. And he did one more thing; he presently forgot about the book and never again looked at it. As the days of the year waned, the yard boss came up with an impish idea and acted on it. He retrieved the tome from its repository, wrapped it along with a brick, and sent it to the superintendent's home at Christmastime------C.O.D. Not a person at the company ever squealed! ANOTHER BRICK STORY Hearing nowadays of despicable people, kids included, who do despicable acts which they evidently do "for fun", reminds me of a "for fun" thing that Dad related to me. He attended Susquehanna University and was active in music and sports management. As a student prank, a group of fellows obtained a farm wagon and a load of bricks. During the night, they somehow got the wagon to the roof of a major campus building and filled it with the bricks! Of course, in the morning the sight which the people beheld caused quite a sensation. All of the construction and the later dismantling by the students was done with no malice or destruction. LESS IS BETTER One of the hazards presented to preachers in accepting dinner invitations from church members can be documented. My minister father ended up as dinner guest at the table of one of his parishioners. One item on the menu was evidently one of the greatest pride to the cook of the house. Sadly, it was an affront to Dad's palate, but he dutifully feigned a gracious statement about its goodness. The hostess watched him finish his portion and promptly and forcefully, with no chance of refusal allowed, BOUNTIFULLY refilled his dish. Dad barely survived this culinary ordeal to permit him to relate the story later. If he'd had the opportunity, Dad might have used one of his favorite expressions when proffered second or third helpings, "No thank you. I've had a great sufficiency; more would be a redundancy." UNCLE JOE My wife Barb's great uncle, Joe Elder of Fayette, was a successful bachelor dairy farmer. He was a well-liked citizen with a relaxed kidding manner tied to his good nature. The tobacco juice produced by ruminating his "chaw" sometimes escaped to his chin and often on to his overalls. If, during a visit, people stood around talking, he'd soon order loudly while grinning, "Sit down. You're wearing out the rug!" Even though Joe's cow herd was composed of black & white Holsteins, he decided one time to attend a meeting of the Guernsey Breeders whose bovines were of course light brown. One of the members, knowing Joe's preference for Holsteins, asked him if he didn't feel out of place at such a meeting. Uncle Joe's quick rejoinder was, "Yes, I feel just like a mouse turd in a bushel of wheat!"

CAPTAIN BRADY'S BUSHWHACK

The Indians went into Cumberland County and stole horses and household goods. They then started for their stronghold in Kittanning. The whites met together and started in pursuit. They followed the thieves until they crossed Crooked Creek on Grandfather Andrew McCreight's farm in Indiana County where they rested for a while. At this juncture, some of the Indians split off from the main body and moved about four miles up Crooked Creek and camped. The remainder continued on the Kittanning Path with the horses and other plunder. About three-fourths of a mile from the creek, they pinned with a thorn a piece of oiled paper to a white oak. It contained these words: "Dear brother, we have got back safe this far." Four miles west of this tree they crossed Plum Creek. When Captain Brady and his comrades arrived at this stream, the muddy water was still in the tracks of the Indians' horses. The pursuers had to wade the creek. Brady said he knew of a ravine and if the robbers did not camp there, they would push through to Kittanning. The settlers followed the trail until they came to the gorge where they found the raiders encamped. Having waded the streams, the pioneers' feet were wet and cold, there being a skiff of snow on the ground. They waited patiently for the Indians to sleep. Then Brady divided his men into three bands. One took the north side of the valley and the second band covered the south side. The captain retained six of his most trusty men as there were seven Indians in the camp. Brady gave orders to his six men not to fire until near enough to singe the eyebrows of the redmen. My grand uncle, Tommy Woods, told the leader he would shoot one Indian through the elbow as he had his elbow resting over the heart of one lying next to him, and another through the heart, which he did. But one man's gun went off prematurely, compelling the rest to shoot before they were as near as ordered. One Indian who was missed, jumped to his feet and ran up the ravine. Brady dropped his gun and ran after him. The parties on each side of the ravine were afraid to fire lest they might shoot their commander. Brady gained on the escapee and threw his tomahawk at him. The ax missed its mark and stuck in a tree. He rapidly gained ground and was reaching for the Indian's collar when he stepped on a dead chestnut limb. Down went Brady and away went the savage who proved to be the cruel, bloodthirsty renegade, Simon Girty. When Girty arrived at Kittanning he related his narrow escape and vowed never to go out against the whites anymore. When the avengers stopped again at Crooked Creek on their way home, Brady proposed that they go with him up the stream to where the remainder of the Indians were. Then they would either kill or capture them. But the men, having secured their property, were anxious to get home to their families. So they went. Brady stayed behind. When he went up to the Cummins place where the encampment was, he found he was greatly outnumbered. He had to give up on his designs and headed back to Cumberland County. Writer unknown     COLORFUL CHARACTERS OF CLARION COUNTY Captain Samuel J. Brady, founder of Brady's Bend, was said to be the first white settler in Clarion County. Brady was a notorious scout and Indian fighter who became popular for feats such as the following: In 1782, Brady was in pursuit of an Indian party, traveling north, that had taken prisoners from Westmoreland county. He found them after nightfall, addressed the natives in their own tongue, and was assumed to be another Indian party. In the exchange of conversation, Brady discovered where the prisoners were being held and the extent of his competition. Brady's group crossed the river, killed the Indians, and rescued the prisoners. On another occasion, Indians captured two white settlers and tied them to stakes while camping in Brady's Bend. Brady spotted the prisoners from a rocky cliff on the other side of the Allegheny River. He swam across the river at nightfall, released the prisoners, and escaped across the river undetected.

 HANNAH'S ACCOUNT

A word of explanation: The following is a transcription of a letter written by Hannah (Sharp) Leason, oldest sister of Anne Sharp who married Andrew McCreight who was the grandfather of Major I. McCreight who was the grandfather of Robert A. Stumpf who is posting this on my Web page on the internet in 1999. Juxtapose this action with that of Hannah as she takes up her pen in 1867 to let us know what happened in 1794. Scrubgrass, Butler County, Venango Township. October 26, 1867. I sit down to write some particulars about my father's Death. He was a Militia Captain. He Served under george washington in the revolutionary war. My father Andrew Sharp was married to my Mother Ann Woods in the year 1783 in their native place in Cumberland County pen and with a family of one Child moved to Crooked Ceek indiana. This being a new county there was no Chance for Schooling his children. My father after Settling there ten years he was determined on having his children schooled. He Swapt his place for one in Kentucky. My Mother had plenty of friends living there. We moved to blacklick river and got into our boat. We Started in the evening. The water was too low. We had to Land over a night and day. We Started the next day. We got two miles below the falls on the Kiskaminitis river. We Landed. My father had a canoe tied to the side. It got loose going over the falls. Father went back for it. I went out to gather flowers for the Child that was sick. The indians was laying behind a Large tree that had fell. I was at one Side and them at the other Side. When I went into the boat there was a man Came and told us the Indians was Coming. Again the time father was got back all the women and children was in the boat. The men went out to tye up the horses. The Sun was an hour an half high in the evening. They thought it best to go up to Mr. Hall's an stay to morning. When they were tying up the horses Seven Indians fired on them. They were hid behind a Large tree that fell down about fifteen steps off. The first fire they shot fathers right eyebrow off. When he was cutting one end of the boat loose he got a wound in the Left Side, when he was Cutting the other end loose they shot him through the other side. Father got the boat away before they could get in. He Saw an indian among the trees. He Called for his gun. Mother gave it to him. He shot him dead. Mother was smoking. Her pipe was Shot. One man run up to Mr. halls and was safe. The boat got into a whirlpool and went round and round for a while. When the open Side went toward Land they Shot in at us. They followed us twelve miles Down the river. They Called for us to go to them or they would fire again at us. Mrs. Conmer and Son wanted to go out to them. Her husband was laying at her feet. He died the next day. They said they were all kikked and when father told him to desist or he would Shoot him the indians Shot him that moment. He fell across my Mothers feet. There was two dead men and two wounded. One of them died the next morning. There was no woman nor child hurted. They all Lay on the floor. There was twenty in all. They took my fathers horses. The others got theirs. My Mother worked the boat the whole night. We got within nine miles of Pittsburgh again daylight. There was men out on the Land burying some that was killed the Same Day my father was wounded. They came in a canoe to the boat to help us along. One went on before us to pittsburg and had the Doctors ready when we got to pittsburg. Kind neighbors come to us when we got to pittsburg. Father lived forty days after he was wounded. He was willing to die. He said if it had been the will of providence for him to Live to See his Children raised he would have been satisfied. He Left them to the Care of providence who promise to be a husband to the widow and a father to the fatherless. Many a time I went and covered myself up and wept when I heard him moaning when the Doctor was dressing his wounds. He got better and could sit up on the bed and talk to people when they came to see him. They shot the cannons on the fourth of July. The Doctors did not want them to Shoot the Cannons. He said it would make the wounds run. The one in his back began to run. There was one in both Sides. He died the eighth day of July in the forty Second year of his age in the year ninety four. He is buried in Pittsburg. There was no friends to follow his remains to the grave but a younger sister and myself. Mother was not able to go. The youngest Child was eleven days old. There was plenty of neighbors to go. It was a wet day he was buried with the honors of war. After my Mother got well I went with her to the grave yard, and showed her where father was buried. Father went down over the mountains to See his father and Mother before he went away. He bought School books and bibles for all that was able to go to School. He did not live to see his children sent to School. He had a Brother Come to see him when he was laying on his death bed. He went home after Some time. Father sold the boat himself. He knew he would not go down the river any farther. We lived a while in the boat before we moved up to the City. His brother came back again. Father was dead before he got back. His Brother stayed with us till there was wagons Sent for us. We went over the mountains to Cumberland County and lived there three years. When we got there my father had another brother who came to see us. The clothes that was on father when he was wounded Mother showed to him. He looked at every bullet hole that was in them. He wept like a Child. We lived in Cumberland County three years and went to School. We were all good common Scholars but oh it was at the expense of my father's Life. We got our own place back. We moved home. We got along wonderful well. We all lived together. We did not live abroad-, providence was very kind to us and how thankful we ought to be to God for preserving us through Such dangers. It was a party of twelve that went to pittsburg to trade. The people would not trade with them. They got angry and killed all they could that day. There was three men went down wounded. One of them died. The other got well. It was the last war that was in that part of the Country. It was in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety four when all these things happened. I never had Spite at the indians. They were very bad treated. There were Seven children livng at the time of My fathers Death. They are all dead but myself. I am the oldest of them. My Mother lived fifteen years after my fathers Death. I was born in the year one thousand Seven hundred and eighty four february the fourteenth. I was married to my husband Robert Leason in the year one thousand eight hundred and two. He departed this life february the twelfth aged eighty seven in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty three. Notes:The narrator departed this life October 6, 1869 being eighty-five years and eight months of age. See p. VI (from an unknown history)-From Cumberland County, PA, moved to Crooked Creek near Shelocta when they had one child. Could not send children to school so sold farm to go to Kentucky shortly before last child, Anne, was born. Went down Kiskaminitis river to Kittanning and to Pittsburgh on the Allegheny by flat boat. Captain Sharp was wounded by Indians. Died and was buried in Pittsburgh. *Note-The following article from the Pittsburgh Dispatch, May 5, 1913. has errors of fact which results from the intermingling of two separate personal histories. The father of Capt. Andrew Sharp was a Thomas Sharp, husband of Margaret (or Mary) Elder. Facts associated with John Carter have been underlined. R.A. Stumpf.: BONES OF CAPT. ANDREW SHARP IN WOOD STREET CHURCH CRYPT John Carter, Descendant of Revolutionary Hero, Tells How Founder of Sharpsburg Met His Death From Wounds by Indians on Allegheny[Kiskiminitas] River As the glorious Fourth of July draws near and the cry is generally raised, as it has been in recent years, for a "safe and sane" celebration, it is interesting to know that one of Pittsburgh's earliest heroes gave up his life because of a Fourth of July celebration. It was not because of tetanus following the explosion of a giant firecracker, the premature discharge of a revolver or a rocket falling from the sky and piercing his shoulder. It was doubtless, in all Pittsburgh's history of Fourth of July celebrations, the most unique accident ever recorded. An article published in The Dispatch a few days ago has revived the story of the death of Capt. Andrew Sharp, son of Capt. James Sharp,whose name is perpetuated by the borough of Sharpsburg. Andrew Sharp and a friend and his family were coming down the Allegheny[Kiskiminitas] River on a raft when fired upon by Indians. Both men were shot. Conner, the friend, died the next day. This occurred near the present site of Sharpsburg. Sharp was taken to Pittsburg, where he died 30 days after the shooting, on July 8, 1794. He was recovering from his wounds when on the morning of the Fourth of July, 1794, patriotic citizens of Pittsburg fired the first of several cannon in celebration of the day. The first report so startled Captain Sharp that he leaped from his bed and in so doing opened the main wound and died in four days, the physicians "being unable to check the flow of blood." His funeral was held from the First Presbterian Church in Wood street, then built of logs, and the story of the funeral, which is in the possession of John Carter of 339 Brownsville avenue, Southside,a descendant of the Revolutionary hero, recites that the one hundred and twenty-fourth psalm, the captain's favorite, was read. The body was buried in the church cemetery in Wood street. The bones were among those whose identity was lost in the many years that intervened between the close of the eighteenth century and the dawn of the twentieth, when the present First [Presbyterian] Church was built and, with other unidentified bones they were placed in the crypt under the northwest corner of the present edifice. Mr. Carter was positive of that when seen by a Dispatch reporter at his home yesterday, and old documents that he had bore out his statement. Carter added that the captain's first name had been used erroneously as Matthew by the Dispatch's first informant, on whose data the other article was written. From The Pittsburgh Press, Sunday July 1, 1973,page 3: July Four In Days of Yore, by George Swetnam Lawrenceville is a prime place for Independence Day celebrations, and has been since before it was laid out by a former Virginian named William Barclay Foster. That was almost 160 years ago. But even before he bought the farm, its picnic area---" a beautiful grove about two miles north of the Fort," Fort Fayette, on the Allegheny River between 9th. and 11th. Streets--had been recognized for years as the spot for the feasting and toasting which a grateful citizenry owed the day of their freedom. After at least a century and three quarters, the tradition continues. Arsenal Park will ring Wednesday, with a 50-gun salute and fireworks--but no politics. This will be a departure from some early years when separate picnics were held by Federalists and Jeffersonians. There's a tradition that for a while after the close of the American Revolution some celebrations of Independence Day were held at Grant's Hill, site of today's Courthouse. But the first appears to have been in 1797. On June 28 of that year John C. Wallace, stationed at Fort Fayette wrote to John Barron, Esquire: Sir: We conceive the Fort the most eligible situation to commemorate the anniversary of American independence, it appears to accord with your wishes also-----At any time you may think proper to appoint and adopt such measures as you may suppose necessary for our accommodations on that day--- A copy of the letter is still preserved by his great-great-grandson William P.Wheeler of 164 Seegar Rd. But after some research he has been unable to identify John Barron. Family papers indicate this was the first celebration, though not whether at Fort Fayette, in Pittsburgh, or in the area. Newspaper files show the event was held with 16 salutes fired "at the riverfront"----presumably at the fort. Then the group, which included many Revolutionary War veterans, went by barge to the grove. Files show no indication of a celebration in 1796. The precedent--if it was one---was carried on by various groups in later years. –†–†–†–†–†–†–†–†–†–†–†–†– It is evident from Hannah's letter that, while it may not have been the first public July 4 celebration in Pittsburgh, there was one in 1794. -----R.A.Stumpf

Pittsburgh 1796

 GRANDFATHER'S FLOWER CHILD

Born in 1891, the fifth of six children, Theda was early doomed to a shortened life. That is evidently why she was looked on with special favor by the other family members. She was quite close to her brother Ray who was just three years her senior. By 1910 Ray was working as a reporter for the local newspaper. Whether Theda was totally bedridden at this time or whether she was just sick with a recently acquired malady is not known. As told many times in his later life Ray was lolling at a downtown cigar store one evening. He normally made such contacts to pick up news items. This particular night he began to have doleful feelings. As misgivings grew in his mind, he informed the proprietor that he just had to go home at once. Out in the street he caught the last streetcar. With the insistent urge still prodding him, Ray alit from the trolley, ran into his house and vaulted up the stairs to his sister's room. He arrived beside Theda's bed and was very shortly witness to her passing from this life. Mysterious forces continued to hover near Theda's spirit. Her father Adam, a highly educated and respected minister, was jolted by her death even though it had been expected for years. Over the next few months he continued in a depressed state. Even with his strong religious faith to support him, he lacked full acceptance of his loss. Then one fair day Adam was sitting in his study working at his clerical duties. At some point his eyes were drawn to the garden outside. Then, attracted to one particular flower, he saw in its center the smiling face of his beloved daughter. With this sign that Theda was at peace, the grieving pastor was thereafter reconciled to his loss and received his own peace.

THE DEVIL TAKE ALL ?

 The following is an excerpt from a letter written by Emma Yount Stumpf. aged 80 years, to her son in recalling historic events in her life 73 years earlier.