The Wild Man of Mason County

Robert Hannaford Self Portrait as a Wild Man

It has been a minute, but I wanted to bring you all another Wild Man Wednesday blog! This particular wild man doesn’t appear to be a Bigfoot or Sasquatch, but an actual human. Still, the story is pretty interesting!

Back on October 27, 1897, the Point Pleasant newspaper, The Weekly Register, ran not one, but TWO small pieces about a Wild Man who had been seen for awhile in an area of Mason County called Coal Hollow. Coal Hollow was a local hunting area known for an abundance of rabbit and squirrel. For several weeks, at least, area residents would see a very large man. When approached and questioned, he refused to talk. And, when spotted, would disappear back into the dark ravine. 

Residents speculated as to who this strange man may be, and it was largely believed that he must be an escaped lunatic OR a member of a group of escaped highway men from Meigs County, Ohio. Whoever is was, he was blamed for setting a series of mysterious and destructive fires at area farms. 

Fast forward almost three years later to June 6, 1900. The Weekly Register posted another article about a wild man in Mason County. Described as having hair 5 feet long, and arms 5 feet long, and wearing an old pair of boots, this particular wild man may or may not be the same one seen in 1897. This time, the unkempt stranger was being seen along Mission Ridge, near West Columbia. That’s about 35 miles from Coal Hollow. 

And, unlike the Coal Hollow wild man, this particular wild man DID speak. Believed to make his home in the nearby caves, when hungry, the man would come to local farms and order the women-folk to prepare him a meal. 

One house he sought sustenance from was the Edwards residence. He was given an adequate lunch, but the wild man insisted that he be allowed to sit at the table and dine with the family. He stated that he was good enough to eat with President McKinley himself. Mr. Edwards didn’t agree, and a verbal altercation broke out. That fight devolved into a physical altercation, and no more was mentioned about the Mason County Wild Man. At least…not that I’ve found yet, but the hunt continues!

So, what do you all believe? Was this an escaped asylum patient, or even a criminal on the run? Were these two incidents, three years and 35 miles apart, even the same person? Let me know in the comments what YOU think! 

The Weekly Register 27 October 1897 Page 4

The Weekly Register 27 October 1897 Page 1

The Weekly Register 06 June 1900