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Curse On
Jonathan Buck |
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"Close by the road on the outskirts of the old seaport of Bucksport, on the Penobscot River, is a small family cemetery. Within its enclosure sleep the Bucks, the blue-blooded folk which first settled the town and bequeathed it their home, and a legend. The largest and most conspicuous monument in the cemetery is a tall granite shaft which is in plain sight of the highway. On one side is the inscription, 'Col John Buck, founder of Bucksport, A D 1762. Born in Haverhill, Mass. 1718. Died March 13, 1795.' On the other side is the single word 'Buck,' and also something not wrought by the marble worker. On the smooth surface of the pedestal is a curious outline, which can be easily imagined to be a foot of normal size. The people who say that it is a foot believe in the legend which has oft been told in Bucksport. The story is told that Col Jonathan Buck was a very harsh man, and the leading spirit in the day and generation. He was the highest in civil authority, and his word was law in the community in which he resided. He was an out and out puritan, and to him witchcraft was the incarnation of blasphemy. Thus, so the story goes, when a certain woman was accused of witchcraft, at the first clamorings of the populace Col Buck ordered that she be imprisoned, and later she was sentenced to be executed as a witch. The execution day came and the woman went to the gallows, cursing her judge with such terrible words that people shuddered, but the magistrate stood unmoved. All was ready and the hangman was about to perform his duty when the woman turned to Col Buck, and raising one hand toward heaven, she said: 'Jonathan Buck, listen to these words, the last my tongue shall utter. It is the spirit of the only living God which bids me speak to you. You will soon die, and over your grave they will erect a stone, that all may know the spot where your bones lay and crumple to dust. 'Upon that stone the imprint of my feet shall appear, and for all time, after your accursed race has vanished from the face of the earth, will the people from far and near know that you murdered a woman.' She then turned to her executioners, and another act transpired to make a part of American colonial history. The 'witch's curse' had been almost forgotten, until the monument was erected to the founder of Bucksport. It had been in position hardly a month when a faint outline was discovered on it. It grew more and more distinct until some person made the discovery that it was an outline of a foot. The old legend was revived. They said that the 'witch's curse' had been fulfilled. An attempt was made to remove the stain, but every effort only tended to make it plainer. The imprint of the foot is there today as plain as ever. Amateur photographers have taken pictures of it and a visit to the Buck cemetery to see the 'witch's foot' is one of the pastimes of every summer visitor to the pretty little town." The strange outline—a side view of a boot as if stomping down—is still visible on the monument to this day. |
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