Did the Groundhog See his Shadow?

From a year ago:

It's a cherished tradition on February 2nd in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. A groundhog named Phil pops his furry little head out of the ground and tells us whether or not we'll have six more weeks of winter or if spring will come early.

Well, that's come to an end this year. Punxsutawney Phil did appear out of his little hole this morning, only to keel over dead, grasping his little rodent chest.

"I don't know what happened." said Hannah Jerome, 11, "We were here with the entire elementary school when the funny-looking cat shrieked and fell into the dirt. When our teacher went to go look, she started to cry and shouted that it was 'one of the signs.'"

While Biblical scholars may be divided about a lot of things, one of the clear signals of the Apocalypse, as written by St. John of Lemnos was that a small groundhog would die, portending the rise of Satan.

"I done know who done did this!" shouted local preacher Kenneth Lambeau, "It was that Obama! I done told you that he's them anti-Christ!"

The death of Punxsutawney Phil was a tragedy for the small Pennsylvania town, otherwise known for an offensive sulfur smell. Phil was a mainstay of the community. When asked if the town could get a new groundhog, spokeswoman Kay Rainwater said, "Punxsutawney Phil was born of magic and happiness and has been alive for thousands of years. We can't just replace him."

The death of the groundhog appears to be one of the many appearing signs of the End Times. Among these include the removal of the Baconator from Wendy's menu, the rise of reality television, and the appearance of Jack Black.

"We need to take the biggest shovel we done got and build us a whole fifty cubits deep!" shouted Lambeau, "Repent, the end is at hand!"

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Game Review: Rulers of Nations

A little more than a year ago, I was fortunate enough to review the game Geopolitical Simulator. Today, I am writing a review for its sequel, Rulers of Nations, also made by Eversim. Like its predecessor, it attempts to show both broad and limited trends within and and among the different countries of the world.

The good:
Like its predecessor, Rulers of Nations does a far more elaborate, and a far better job than anything else on the market. Compared to other games in the genre, none are so detailed and realistic. Even more so than even Geopolitical Simulator, this game shows how the world works and how the player can manipulate it.

The game also runs more smoothly than GS, being streamlined. It is easier to find many of the new features and input new figures for a budget or government plan. There are also easier ways to manage energy supplies and production. The game also seems to run quicker, which is an advantage when playing a long-term game-- especially on an older computer. This was something I was glad to see improved from the last game.

Again, using one of the strengths of GS, there are scenarios for the player to embark on. These are expanded from the last game. That being said, the regular, world as it is scenario is the most fulfilling.

Diplomatic options are slightly expanded, which the lack thereof was one thing that irked me about its predecessor. RoN still retains the UN and other international organizations.

The Bad


Fortunately, with an improved game, Rulers of Nations deals with less bad issues. The game is reformed in several ways and appears to be bringing more to the table. Still, it's not perfect.

Shifts in public opinion are still too dramatic. While playing as the Prime Minister of Iraq, I attempted to balance the budget using relatively simple moves. I kept getting thrown out of office. The actions I tried seem to be less than the actual government of Iraq's options, so that confused and annoyed me.

Diplomatic ties were improved, but still not stellar. Movement of military forces were awkward at best, and still unwieldy. Moving to a province-to-army format, like in the Europa Universalis games, would probably prevent this. Again, with a few more diplomatic options, I was pleased, but I would still like to see more ties between countries. Basically, they are still limited to trade deals and alliances-- which are far too few for a game as complex as this.

Final Rating:
8.0/10.0
Good

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Schoharie County's Witches

We all have heard of witches, old women in Europe who cast spells on the innocent. Witches are not solely a European peculiarity. Even our Schoharie County has had witches, or rather, people who were believed to be witches. In reality, actuality, and factuality, Schoharie County has had a few.

Deadman’s Creek, now called Swart Hollow, is about three miles south of West Fulton. In the mid 1800s, there lived a woman by the name of Margaret Hemstreet, who people believed was a witch. Of course, the people had stories to back up their clams.

Mrs. Hemstreet wished to buy a pig from a man named William Swart. Now this pig was his best, being that it was his fattest, so he refused to sell it to her. A few nights later, Mr. Swart was awakened by noises in his pig-pen. When he got there, the pig was having a “fit”. Swart figured that Mrs. Hemstreet put a spell on the pig. Apparently he knew a way to calm down a pig with a spell on it, so he wrestled the pig to the ground, cut of it’s ear, and burned it. According to Mr. Swart, the pig instantly grew calm, although it’s hard to believe that a pig, whose ear had just been cut off, would be calm.

Another story surrounding Mrs. Hemstreet involves the Swart family again. William Swart was visiting the Swart household, when Mrs. Hemstreet walked up to him. “You’ll have company on your way home”, she said to his. As he walked home across a moonlit, snow laden field, a black cat came up to him. The cat played with him, and gave him company on his way home, but when he got home, the cat disappeared. The next day, he saw his tracks in the snow, but no cat prints.

One time Mrs. Hemstreet asked a woman, named Jerusha Chase for thread. Mrs. Chase, who had just left her house, didn’t want to go back inside, so she didn’t give Mrs. Hemstreet the thread she asked for. That night, Mr. Chase was awakened by Mrs. Chase turning in bed. While asleep, Mrs. Chase began shouting that Mrs. Hemstreet was dragging her to a creek, and her husband discovered that she was soaking wet. Then Jerusha began shouting, “She’s poking needles under my finger nails.” Sure enough, blood sprouted from her fingers.

Mrs. Hemstreet would never be seen outside without her trusty white cap that covered her head and ears. When she eventually did die, her neighbors found that she was still wearing her hat. As curiosity is always a factor, they wanted to remove the hat, but Mrs. Hemstreet’s husband prevented them from doing so.

A woman named Eva Boeke, who lived in Huntersville, was believed to be a witch until her death in 1870. A woman called Aunt Jane Buell, who lived in Conesville, was believed to be a “white witch”, or healer. Actually, many would consider a healer a good thing.

All the accounts that I have related have been given the benefit of the doubt, although maybe such luxuries should be bestowed upon them. Although I don’t know people’s feeling towards Mrs. Hemstreet, it is possible that people lied about being a witch simply because they didn’t like her. Also, I believe this report is appropriate with Halloween on the horizon. Happy Halloween.

Bibliography

County Historical Review. Schoharie County Historical Society. Schoharie, N.Y. 1992.

The History of Jefferson

The town of Jefferson was first inhabited in 1793, by people from New England. The spirit of then inhabited the town, still, when the text was written. This spirit put forth an interest in education, and the use of “advantages derived”.

In January of 1803, people petitioned the Legislature to officially declare Jefferson a town. On February 12, the Legislature did just that. On March 1^st, the town elected it’s first officials, with Stephen Judd being included in five of them, them being, Assessor, Overseer of the Poor, Commissioner of the Highways, Fence Viewer, and Path Master.

Several years later, another village named Jefferson in New York, made an effort to change it’s name because of mailing problems. Afterwards, the town’s name was changed to Watkins.

The first school teacher in Jefferson was Herman Hickok. He founded the Jefferson Academy in 1812. Shares of the school were sold at $25 a piece, with Stephen Judd owning the most at 12. Those who owned shares had a vote in electing a board of directors. He also gave land for the academy to be built on. While construction continued, there was not enough revenue to complete the structure. To raise the money, Jefferson asked the town of Schoharie for the money. Schoharie obliged, and 44 people gave money, at a total of $216.50. People who donated were future Governor William Bouck, Peter Vroman, Adam Vroman and Heman Hickok, if I may assume to have some relation to Herman. Also, the list given spells Adam and Peter Vroman, “Vrooman”.

The building was finally erected in 1822, at forty-five square feet, with a height of three stories. It cost approximately four thousand dollars to build. Although started under firm footing, the building had troubles. Long times would elapse between school sessions, and it did not get needed repairs.

In the will of Stephen Judd, who died on June 8, 1821, it stated that the property was to be used as a school, so long as the academy was used for “school purposes”. Joshua H. Judd, Stephen’s great-nephew, demanded the property be returned to the Judds, on the grounds that the agreement of the continuation of “school purposes” was broken. He won the case. In it’s stead was a “Union School”, formed in 1878.

Two tanneries were in existence in Jefferson, both of which were founded in 1816, and both of which faded from existence in about 1846. There was a Presbyterian Church in Jefferson, which was founded in about 1809, but the book does not give an exact date.

The Judd family had a huge impact on Jefferson. As previously mentioned, the Judds helped raise, and, eventually, tear down the Jefferson Academy. Stephen Judd held huge lots of land, and had an inn, and his brother, Freeman, was a preacher. Also mentioned is a story that states that Daniel Judd was beheaded by Indians in the Revolution, and his was carried to Canada on a pole.

There were another three churches in Jefferson, all of which were Methodist. The Methodist Episcopal Church of West Jefferson was organized first, and services were held at private houses until 1816. The First Methodist Village Episcopal Church of Jefferson Village was organized in 1819, and was included in a circuit of 13 towns. The West Kill Methodist Church was organized in 1816, but became the First Methodist Village Episcopal Church of Jefferson Village, in 1819.

A skirmish was held upon Jefferson, and was a loss to patriots. As the book states, “This skirmish was the only one which occurred during the war that was disgraceful...within the borders of our County.” Jefferson also sent men to fight in the Civil War.

The book also lists justices of Jefferson, from 1803 to 1882. Mentioned are Stephen Judd, in 1804, and Heman Hickok, who served eight years in a row.

I don’t understand why Jefferson was founded in the very late 1700s, when Schoharie was founded so long before. I mean, can you imagine Jefferson was settled ten years after the Revolution.

Western Schoharie County History

One can easily derive Summit’s name by looking around the county, for the county has many summits. Mount Wharton stands a little to the west of the town, where the clouds embrace it, given it’s height. Mt. Wharton got it’s name from it’s owner, J. B. Wharton. Upon this mountain presides a “sheet of water”. The book goes out of it’s way to note the beauty of this entity.

Seymour Boughton was a resident of Summit, who moved there from Charlotteville. Boughton was the youngest of nineteen, yes nineteen, children, and, at about the turn of the 18^th century, he moved with his father to Charlotteville. In Charlotteville, he built the Van Buren house, which was used as a tavern. Boughton framed and painted his house by himself, to which his neighbors thought that he was “bent on wasting his property”. The tavern was the first framed house in town. Mr. Boughton died on June 11, 1872.

According to legend, the lake in Summit was named Utasayantho. A story that surrounds the lake concerns an unwed Indian squaw. This squaw gave birth to a child upon the bank of the lake. Chiefs of the tribe consulted with each other, then threw the child into the lake. For a long time, the lake was called “Jack’s lake”, but as time progressed, it was given the appropriate name of “Summit Lake”. Interestingly, it is said that Johnson and Brant stopped at the lake in 1780, relaxed, and even did some fishing.

Summit was settled after the Revolution. People who settled here were mainly from the Hudson river counties, and the “eastern States”. A man by the name of Levi Ives owned a distillery in Summit. This establishment was nationally famous, for many people from around the country ordered liquor from Ives.

To the west of Summit is a valley by the name of Charlotte. In the valley flows the Charlotte river. Along the stream there was an ancient Indian path. Along this path, POWs of the Revolution walked, on their way to Canada. Four miles south of the valley lived a man named Service. Although being neutral, in many cases, he was accused of being disloyal to the Whig cause. An order for his arrest was given, and a patriot party went to get him. Upon arriving, they put forth a letter, which they said proved his “disloyalty to the Continental cause”. He refused to go, and threw an ax at the patriots and ran. He was shot whilst he ran. One of the men who killed Service was Tim Murphy.

The book says “nothing of importance occurred in this part” until a school was built in 1850. The school was built for 300 children. In 1852, additions were built, and the school was then able to hold over 500 students. In 1867, the school burned down.

The first church in the valley was the First Baptist Church. The book lists church officials of the First Baptist. Other churches in the area were: the Second Baptist Church, the Reformed Church of Eminence, the Methodist Episcopal Church of Summit, the Free Methodist Church of Charlotteville, the Lutheran Church of Summit, and the Lutheran Church of Beard’s Hollow.

Lying in what is now Richmondville, was Beard’s Hollow. It was founded in 1794 by Killian Ritter. In 1800 there was a business which revolved around the manufacture of grindstones. Another hamlet was Lutheranville, which was called also “Tar Hollow”. During the Anti-rent wars, it is believed, that a deputy sheriff was “treated to a good coat of tar and feathers”. Another little hamlet that existed was “Dutch Hill”, which received it’s name because of the nationality of people who resided there. In 1851, it was renamed Eminence. The first town meeting of Summit was held in March of 1820.

Can you imagine a mountain named after you, like Mr. Wharton’s? Imagine three hundred years from now, a mother points and tells her son with an air of excitement, “Look, there’s Mount Laraway.”