Montgomery County, Missouri Genealogy Trails
 

Maj. George Baughman, The Montgomery County Hermit

In a lonely, desolate hillside, a short distance from Danville, there lives a singular being known as the Montgomery county hermit. His place of abode is in a small cavern, formed by a shelving rock in the side of the hill, on one side of which he has built a wall of stone and formed a rough doorway, which is closed by some boards clumsily fastened together. The sides of the cave are smoky and dirty, and a more gloomy, desolate place could hardly be found. Here this singular man has resided since about 1852, twenty-four years, and he will doubtless remain there until death removes him to a more pleasant habitation. He subsists upon charity, public and private, and the fruits of his gun and fishing tackle. He also raises a small crop of corn each year, and has a few peach trees near his cave, which yield him a small amount of that delicious fruit each season. His gun is of the most antique pattern, long and ungainly, like himself, and shows the effects of age and constant use, being held together by numerous strings and bands. He dresses in a style peculiar to himself, as will be observed by referring to his portrait on the frontispiece, which is copied from a photograph taken expressly for this work, the sitting being secured just after he had return from a fishing excursion. His shoes, which do not show in the picture, are composed of rough leather, tied with strings to a sole composed of a piece of a clapboard; he discards socks entirely.

In the side of the hill near his den he has dug two large wells, twenty-five or thirty feet deep, in quest of golden treasures which he imagines are hid there. The greater portion of the excavations has been made through solid rock, without the aid of powder or blasting tools, and he has carried the debris to the top in his pockets and shirt bosom, ascending and descending by means of a ladder of the most primitive construction. Some idea, therefore, may be formed of the patience and perseverance that have been employed in the prosecution of his work.

We have obtained a history of this singular person, which we present below, and from it may be gleaned the cause of his hallucination and peculiar mode of life.

Henry Baughman, the grandfather of the subject of this sketch, was a native of Holland, but desiring to better his prospects in life, he came to America, and settled in Pennsylvania. When the revolutionary war began he enlisted in the American army and served his adopted country during its struggle for independence. After the close of the war he removed to Stark county, Ohio, where he settled and lived. He had a son named George, who married Mary McIntire, and settled in Carroll county, Ohio. They had ten children, viz.: Jacob, Joseph, Emanuel, William, James, Henry, George, Polly, Esther, and Rachel.

George was born December 3, 1814, and is now nearly 62 years of age. He received a good common school education, having attended the public schools in the vicinity of his father's house during the winter months from the time he was eight years old until he was nearly grown.

In 1836 he came to St. Louis, Mo., where he remained one month, and then went to Washington county, Illinois, and settled on 80 acres of land that his father had given him. He remained there until 1847, when he traded his farm for one in Christian county, Mo., where he settled and resided five years. At the end of that time he paid a visit to his father in Ohio, remaining only a short time. He then purchased a cart and a yoke of oxen, and accompanied by his little nephew, started on his return to Missouri. His route lay through Montgomery county, and he camped one night at Loutre Lick, where he lost one of his oxen, and spent a month in looking for him, without success.

In the meantime his mind became deranged on the subject of gold, and he located at the place where he has since lived, and began to dig for hidden treasure. His nephew remained with him several years, but being in destitute circumstances he was finally sent home by some of the citizens of the community.

Baughman says that many years ago the French concealed large quantities of gold where he has dug his wells; that he has now found the treasure and is waiting for France to send an army to stand guard while he takes it out. He declares that he has written several letters to the Boss of Paris in regard to the matter, and thinks the army will be here soon. He will converse in a perfectly sane manner on any subject except that of gold, but the moment that is mentioned he forgets everything else and will talk about nothing but his hidden treasures.

He has an old horse with which he cultivates a small patch of government land, and the County Court appropriates $25 a year to his support. This money is placed in the hands of Mr. Dock Graham, who expends it to the best advantage, and in such a way that Baughman imagines he earns it, for if he had the slightest intimation that it was a public charity he would not accept it under any circumstances. He catches fish and shoots squirrels, rabbits, turkeys and other game, which he sells or trades for groceries and other necessary articles; so that he does not suffer for something to subsist upon. Mr. Graham and other citizens of the vicinity extend a helping hand to him when he needs assistance, and are careful to see that he does not suffer for anything. He grinds his meal on a mill of his own construction, and does his own cooking and washing-though from his usual appearance one might infer that he did very little of the latter. He is a gentleman in his manners, quiet and inoffensive, and his cave is often visited by children, of whom he is quite fond. He is liked and respected by the people of the vicinity, who are careful not to offend him or wound his feelings by making light of his singular hallucination and mode of living; and notwithstanding his seclusion and eccentricities he will be sincerely mourned when the hand of death is laid upon him.

(A History of the Pioneer Families of Missouri, 1876)
Submitted by: Cathy Danielson

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