INTCAT: INTCAT 1752

1752.
KAZAN (TARTARSTAN : RUSSIA)
Mr Yashka encountered a white clothed stranger who took him on board a “flying cauldron”, which took him on a trip to another world.

Vallee and Aubeck 2010 p 257 citing Vadim Chernobrov citing Synodic Archives (Kazan University 1909) 635 135 V. XXV
Evaluation - Has anyone apart from Chernobrov, an individual who claims to have invented a time machine, actually seen the alleged primary source?

1757 (Approximate date)
CAERWENT (MONMOUTHSHIRE : WALES)
Carpenter David Griffith was returning from work , walking by the river when he heard a sound he could only compare with the braying of a donkey, but much more unpleasant. He then saw a rotating cylindrical object pass by him and enter into a hedge, making roaring sound. David was so shaken that he could not recall how he got home and on arrival passed out and was ill for a fortnight afterwards.

Jones 2003 p96
Evaluation - Whirlwind, mini-tornado?

June 24 1757 (Approximate date)
1230hrs. BOADFARI (DENBIGHSHIRE : WALES)
Edward Williams (7), his eldest sister and the neighbouring children Barbara and Ann Evans were playing by a hedge in Cae Caled field, when one of the children saw, less than 100m away, about 7 or 8 couples dancing at a terrific speed. They were all dressed in red suits, with red handkerchiefs, spotted with yellow, on their heads, and had white handkerchiefs in their hands. They seemed to be smaller than the children, but with adult features. The children fled in panic, Edward being the last. As they fled one of the beings left the party and ran towards them, revealing “an ancient, swarthy and grim” complexion, The other children dragged Edward over a style into the next field and they all ran home in terror. The adult men took them back to the place but there was nothing to be seen and enquiries were fruitless.

Bord 1997 p24 citing Elias Owen Welsh Folklore 1976 p98 + T Gwynne Jones Welsh Folklore and Folk Custom 1979 p72

September 16 1759 Evening.
LONMORA near RAMSBERG (VASTMANLAND : SWEDEN)
Jacob Jacobsson Jnr (22) was sent bu his father across the lake to see another crofter Anders Nilson. The young man did not return home for 4 days, and when he arrived home he claimed that on reaching the shore back from the trip he had encountered a “large broad road”, which took him to a grand red house, where he sat on a bench in a large room. There was a table at which a small man with a red cap on his head, and crowds of little people running back and forth. A “fine looking” woman of normal stature offered him refreshment, which he refused. He declined to stay with them, and when he asked Gods help to get home, the little man ordered him thrown out. He had no idea that four days had passed when he arrived home, neither tired nor hungry.

Vallee and Aubeck 2010 p259 citing Rev Vigelius in the Ramsberg Parish Church Book
Evaluation - A traditional folkloric motif. Did Rev Vigelius himself provide a time and place for a traditional tale, or did the young man himself come up with it as an excuse for being away for four days perhaps, one suspects, with a rather less elfin fair maiden than the one in the tale!

1768 (Approximate date)
BREADALBANE (ATHOLL : SCOTLAND)
A man working in his cabbage patch found himself lifted up and carried over a wall into a nearby cornfield. There he found himself surrounded by a crowd of people, some of whom he recognised as having been dead for years. They were skimming over the tops of the corn, which they did not bend. He was pushed to and fro as the swarmed around, speaking in an unknown hollow sounding language. When he uttered the name of God, they vanished, except for a woman, who seized him by the shoulders, and told him to meet her in a weeks time. After this adventure his hair was all tied in knots and he was almost speechless He met with the woman as arranged, but when he spoke to her, she said she was too busy to deal with him, and that he should depart in peace.

Scott 1970 (1830) p130 citing Thomas Pennants Tour of Scotland Vol 1 p110

July 17 1790, 0500hrs.
ALENCON (ORNE : FRANCE)
Local farmers saw a huge globe descended slowly onto hill, with a whistling sound, its flames setting the foliage alight. By the evening it was still hot. Then an opening appeared and a being wearing a tight fitting suit emerged, said a few incomprehensible words and fled into the woods. The object then exploded.

Vallee and Aubeck 2010 p 436 citing Alberto Fenoglio
Evaluation - Hoax by Fenoglio (Ed Russo)

1795 (Approximate date)
YANTIC RIVER (CONNECTICUT : USA)
A small girl, Martha Uncas was canoeing down the river with her parents when they saw dwarfs in the forest at the side of the river. Mrs Uncas told her daughter not to look at them, lest they point their finger at her and render themselves invisible and thus able to do mischief.

Gordon H Evans in Machlin 1979 p 279 citing F G Speck in Anthropological Papers of the American Natural History Museum

April 28 1795 Night.
LEW VALLEY (DEVON : ENGLAND)
A young man from America was riding to his family home in Lew Trenchard from Tavistock when he saw in a field a woman dressed in white, with long shoulder length hair, sat on a plough, looking at the moon. He though that it was his eccentric neighbour Madame Gould and hailed her. She responded, and he saw the glint of jewellery on her hand. When he reached the family home he was told this woman had been dead for 7 days.

Baring-Gould 1993 p48

March 1796
(RUSSIA)
At a village in the Don region a 3m diameter sphere, with a pattern of circles on its surface, in one of the fields. The thing was too heavy to move and when a local drunk hit with his sabre, a sort of eye appeared in one of the circles and the man and his horse became transparent and faded away. Two days later he and his horse reappeared, swearing vengeance on the sphere, but when they went to the spot the thing had disappeared.

Vallee and Aubeck 2010 p439 citing Peter Kolosimo
Evaluation - Hoax by Kolosimo

October 1796 (Approximate date) Sunrise
NEW MINAS (now NOVA SCOTIA : CANADA)
A girl looking out over the Bay of Fundy saw 15 things like ships, preceded by a man with his hand stretched out, come across land, so close that their sides and ports were visible, heading eastwards. The frightened girl called out and two men came out and also the saw this sight.

Colombo 1991 p23 +Rutkowski and Dittman 2006 p22 + Vallee and Aubeck 2010 p273 all citing the Diary of Samuel Perkins, edited by C B Fergusson.
The Champlain Society, 1961/2 430)
Evaluation - Clouds and paradolia? The date 12 October given in Vallee and Aubeck is the date of the diary entry and not necessarily that of the alleged event.

1850 (Approximate date) (+/-20 years) Night.
HOSPITAL (LIMERICK : IRELAND)

A man was travelling his horse drawn side-car from Hospital to Ballynanty on a clear moonlit night, sitting facing the back, while servant sat facing the front. The servant suddenly grabbed him, as the vehicle came to a halt, surrounded by tiny shadowy figures that were trying to drag the driver from his seat, while the horse was shivering with fear. The passenger grabbed the rains and urged the horse on. The driver felt that the touch of the creatures was so cold that it numbed him.

O’ Donnell 1925 p51
Evaluation - The alleged passenger was the brother of an aunt-in-law of O’ Donnell and the story is third hand and very vague as to time. Like many of O’Ds tales it might be a complete fiction

1850 (Approximate date) Evening.
ASHWELL (HERTFORDSHIRE : ENGLAND)
Georgiana Covington was going to choir practice on a moonlit Friday evening when she saw a figure coming in from the opposite direction. When she turned to look closer she saw it was black and headless. It glided up to the door and vanished. Georgiana then fainted.

Stratton and Connell 2006 p7 citing letter from witness’s son in Herts and Cambs Reporter

1850.
MARTINDALE (WESTMORLAND now CUMBRIA : ENGLAND)
Jack Wilson encountered a group of small beings on Sandwick Rigg. On seeing the witness they ran up a ladder into a cloud, pulling the ladder behind them.

Holder 2012 p61 citing Jeremiah Sullivan Cumberland and Westmorland Ancient and Modern (1857)
Evaluation - Traditional tale given a spurious date and location ?

1850. HARRINGTON
(NEW SOUTH WALES : AUSTRALIA)
A family travelling by bush cart near Harrington were approached by a hairy biped about 2m tall, with pendulous breasts.

Gilroy 1995 p222

June 1850. (Approximate date) Night.
NENAGH (TIPPERARY : IRELAND)
A farmer returning home from the fair was approaching a bridge over a dried up stream when he saw a white object, about the size of his hat, moving along the road at his side. The horse refused to cross the bridge. He whipped the horse on, and as they crossed the bridge, the encountered a tall shadowy figure, like a woman in black, which struck him on the shoulder, pushing forward and causing the horse to bolt. When he got home his family found that he had the shape of a hand imprinted on his back. The man died before the year ended.

O’Donnell 1962 p107 citing All the Year Round 1870
Evaluation - Date is very approximate, and this might be just another traditional tale given a spurious date, and probably exaggerated by O’Donnell.

March 1851.
GREEN COUNTY (ARKANSAS : USA)
Mr Hamilton ,among a group of people out hunting, noticed a disturbance among some cattle. They were being pursued by a huge hairy humanoid, with long head hair. The creature looked at the party and then bound away in 3.5-4m bounds

Hunt 1988 p126
Green 1973 p117
Arment 2006p49 citing The Adams Sentinel and General Advertiser (Gettysburg) 2 June 1851 citing an undated issue of Memphis Enquirer
Blackburn 2017 p96 citing Memphis Enquirer 9 May 1851

May 1851. Night.
WESTMINSTER (LONDON : ENGLAND)
Mrs Henrietta Ward was in bed with her husband in their Harewood Square home, when they saw something like a flickering flame suspended from the top of their bedroom door, with two smaller lights beside it. They came towards the couple. When Mr Ward grasped hold of them, the lights broke into luminous grains, which covered the bedding like mercury.

G W Lambert in Journal of the SPR June 1964 p279 citing Gurney 2:193.

1852. (Approximate date)
PORT HACKING (NEW SOUTH WALES : AUSTRALIA)
Charles Gogerly told two young men collecting shells near his property, that he had seen a hairy humanoid about 4m tall, carrying a 6m tall staff.

Clark 2012 p 219 citing William Collins Life and Adventures of an Essex Man, 1914

1852.
PARIS (PARIS : FRANCE)
A man was sitting in his room in the Val de Grace military hospital when there was a strong flash of lightning and a luminous sphere, the size of a child’s head entered the room, slowly from the fireplace. It meandered around the room and then rubbed up against the man’s feet in a manner that reminded him of a cat. The sphere then rose to the b height of his head, became elongated and disappeared into a flue stripping away the paper cover as it did so. Towards the top of the chimney it exploded.

Devereux 1982 p99 citing Comptes Rendus 35
Evaluation - Ball lighting

December 17 1852.
DOVER (KENT : ENGLAND)
A dull red fiery sphere, about half the apparent diameter of the moon, and emitting a trail 5 or 6 times its length, surrounded by a triangular cloud and emitting a loud hissing sound was seen during a violent gale. It moved on a south east to north west trajectory for 13 minutes and then exploded with a brilliant flash of light and loud sound like thunder. What appeared to be the core of the object then fell into the sea some 800m from shore, sending up a huge volume of spray.

Cade and Davis 1969 p64 + Fort 1959 p101 citing Proceedings of the Royal Society 6 p276.
Evaluation - Not reported in the contemporaneous press, hoax?

January 2 1854.
WALDOBORO (MAINE : USA)
A man chopping wood heard a scream on two occasions, on the second, turning round he saw, about 50m away, between two trees a small humanoid figure. The creature fled, but he chased, caught it and took it home. It refused meat but drank a little water and eat some nuts. The thing was about 45cm tall and covered in black hair, except for the face, hands and feet.

Clark 2012 p86 citing Hornellsville Tribune 25 January 1854 citing Thomaston Journal n.d.

March 10 1854.
Night. PARIS (PARIS : FRANCE)
Baron de Guildenstubbe was sitting up in bed reading in his Rue St Lazare home, when he felt a series of electric shocks. He got up and went into the adjoining room. Returning to his bedroom he saw a dim vaporous column. When he returned to the bedroom some time later he saw that it was now a column of blue light about 3.5m tall. Developing within it was the figure of a tall portly old man, with white hair and whiskers, wearing white neck cloth and waistcoat and a black frock coat. The figure emerged from the column, bowed to the Baron and floated into the adjacent parlour where it pointed at various things. The figure then seemed to be surrounded by vapour again and disappeared. There was no sound during the incident. It was supposed to be the deceased father of the current owner

O’ Donnell 1963 p 33 citing Owen 1860.
Owen c 1903 p284.
Evaluation - Possible hoax. Baron de Guildenstubbe was the source of two of Owen’s most dramatic tales; that of Emelie Sagee the duplicated teacher and the moving coffins of Ahrensburg, neither of which have ever had any independent veritication

1855. (Approximate date) Night.
KIRKBY LONSDALE (WESTMORLAND now CUMBRIA : ENGLAND)
Farmer Michael Black was walking home to Lupton from Kirkby Lonsdale, when at Four Lanes End, he encountered a hedge across the road. A small being came up to him and offered to help him pass if he gave him some butter off his pack. The farmer agreed to the bargain and got home in the early hours. The next day his son found the butter on the wall top.

Holder 2012 p 60 citing an article by L F Newman and E M Wilson in Folklore 1952
Evaluation - Simply an old story related by an informant almost a century after the event recounting a story told by his grandfather

January 2 1855hrs.

WALDOBORO (MAINE : USA)

J W McHenri , alerted by a scream, encountered and captured a 45cm tall humanoid being covered with black hair, except for its face, hands and feet. When released the creature ran away on two legs.

Michael T Shoemaker in Strange 5 p20 citing Portsmouth Journal of Literature and Politcs 3 March 1855
Arment 2006 p171 citing letter from McHenri in Marysville Tribune 31 January 1855
Evaluation - Escaped pet monkey

1856 (Approximate date) Day.
ILFRACOMBE (DEVON : ENGLAND)
A young girl visiting the vicarage saw “two beautiful children” dressed in expensive clothes, in a bedroom, well lit by sunlight. She called to the maids, but by the time they had arrived the children had vanished.

Codd 2013 p41.

February 1856.
PARAILIFTA sic (ARKANSAS : USA)
A hairy humanoid dragged a man from his horse, severely bit him, and then rode off on the horse, using a sapling as a whip The thing was about 1.9cm tall.

Newton 2011 p54 citing Caddo Gazette 28 February 1856.
Arment 2006 p50 citing Maddison (Wisc) Patriot 10 May 1856 citing Caddo Gazette 28th ult (sic).
Evaluation - Place name cannot be traced, reads like a press joke

1858 (Approximate date) Day.
JAY (OHIO : USA)
A number of local residents, including Henry Wallace, had their attention caught by a shadow and looking up saw a strange object at about 100m altitude. The thing appeared to be worked by wheels and on board were a large number of beings about 4m tall.

Theo Paijmans in Dark Lore 2 p165 citing J William Earl The Illustrated Silent Friend 1858, p253

February 11 1858 0200hrs.
LOURDES (HAUTES PYRENEES : FRANCE)
Three girls, Bernadette Soubrious (14), her sister Tionette and their friend Jeanne Adadie were at the Massabielle cliff, collecting bones and firewood. Tionette and Jeanne went across the stream at the foot of the cliff, but Bernadette hesitated and went to a small cave to take off her shoes and stockings. She then heard a noise like a wind, though the trees were not moving. She then saw in the cave the figure of what looked like a girl of her own age dressed in white. Bernadette had a series of encounters with this figure which became gradually assumed to be the Virgin Mary, and which began to utter the usual religious homilies. A healing spring appeared at the site.

McClure 1983 p36.
Zimdars-Swartz 1991 p47.
Carroll 1992 p156.
Harris 2000 p3, 57

Summer 1858. Evening.
LEXINGTON (KENTUCKY : USA)
Susan M Clay had been sat with her daughter and some friends in their country house outside Lexington hot this hot sultry and later stormy afternoon and evening, and decided to go and join her husband. As she reached the library where he was working she saw he was talking to a man dressed in buckskins, who had come in from the storm. The man, who had taciturn during his sojourn then picked up his rifle and walked out into the rain, Mr Clay then recalled that when the stranger had arrived he commented on the heavy rain but was himself perfectly dry.

Montell 2000 p21 citing an account by Mrs Clay written in 1878

December 1858.
LANCASTER (PENNSYLVANIA : USA)
A hairy creature resembling a man was seen in the area, once suckling from a cow. When it was startled it raced away

Clark 2012 p 78 citing Grand Traverse Herald 17 December 1858

Autumn 1859.
ROBINSONVILLE (WISCONSIN : USA)
A teenage girl, Adele Briss twice saw a luminous, white female form, with long wavy yellow hair, wearing a “crown of stars” and a yellow sash on her white dress. On the second occasion she was joined by another person who saw nothing. The usual religious homilies were given.

McClure 1983 p116

June 1860. (Approximate year) Evening.

BRADFIELD ST GEORGE (SUFFOLK : ENGLAND)
A man was thatching a haystack in the Kingshall Street area, on this warm evening when, on looking up, he saw a red brick house, with ornamental iron gates and a garden in which included roses. The thing had an air of unreality and the air seemed suddenly chilly. The witness went home and returned with relatives but there was no sign of the house and garden.

Mackenzie 1997 p 75 citing 'James Cobold' in Amateur Gardening 20 December 1975)
Evaluation - The pseudonymous author claims the witness was his grandfather.

July 13 1860.
WILMINGTON (DELAWARE : USA)
Local people saw a 60m long object at 30m altitude, preceded by a sort of black cloud and followed by three red spheres at 30m intervals. The thing gave off sparks.

Lewis 2000 p225
Evaluation - Probable bolide

December 31 1861. 2000hrs.
VICTORIA (VANCOUVER ISLAND, BRITISH COLUMBIA : CANADA)
Three men walking down Langley Alley saw a white figure, like a woman, floating along. The figure crossed the alley and disappeared into the night, then recrossed in the opposite direction. One of the men had seen the figure on the 29th at 2300hrs.

Belyk 2002 p154 citing British Colonist January 1 1862

1862.
LAKE ST CLAIRE (MICHIGAN : USA)
A group of 7 or 8 humanoids, both male and female and young were reported. The men were tall, slender and muscular, the women below average height. They all were covered with hair, had brisley beards, large heads, huge stomachs, long arms and knock kneed legs. One of the men was bald with a white beard.

Arment 2006 p184 citing Le Voleur (Paris)15 August 1862 citing an undated issue of Courier des Etats Unis)
Evaluation - Probable press hoax

1862.

INDIAN OCEAN
Ole Oleson and other members of the crew of the Danish brig Christine were shipwrecked on a rocky island in the Indian Ocean. The storm then sent a strange aerial vessel crashing onto the island, killing all on board. The crew were being 3.6m tall, with deep bronze skins and dressed in strange garments. The shipwrecked men were able to eat some of the food on this vessel. They also recovered boxes with strange characters on them, and tools. These allowed the men to build a raft and escape. Ole still had an enormous ring taken from one of the strange beings.

Chariton p116 citing Houston Post May 1897
Randle 2010 p11 citing Houston Daily Post 2 May 1897
Evaluation - Newspaper joke

1862. 0200hrs.
MEGGERNIE (PERTHSHIRE : SCOTLAND)
Edward John Simons of Allerthorpe (33) was staying at Meggernie Hall, when he was awoken by what seemed like a red hot kiss that burned his flesh. Leaping up, he saw what looked like the upper half of a woman’s body moving away through a locked door. No actual burn was found on his face. The man in the next room, name given as Beaumont Featherstone had a similar experience. He was awoken by a pink light and saw a female figure at the foot of his bed. She came over, bent over him, then when he raised himself up, she retreated into a small recess. When Featherstone went to investigate, nothing could be seen.

MacGregor 1959 p57, 60
Evaluation - Hypnogogic hallucination? Lacks contemporaneous documentation. Possible hoax

July 30 1862 2350hrs.
HARROGATE (NORTH RIDING OF YORKSHIRE : ENGLAND)
Fred Bainbridge of St George’s Terrace had his attention caught by a brilliant light going down Oaklands Lane, which he first thought was the light on a carriage. It had gone across the road towards the common for about 150m, when it was followed by another light, which first went in the same direction, but on approaching the first light, made a sudden turn and darted off towards the railway. The first light then followed it, but did not go the whole way. Both lights manoeuvred around the area, sometimes faster than a locomotive, sometimes slow and at times stopping. A third dimmer, stationary light was also visible. After 30 minutes Fred went into his house to wake his wife to come and see the spectacle. By 0030 the rain increased and the lights went out.

Letter from Fred Bainbridge in Harrogate Advertiser 31 July 1862 via James Rogers on Advertiser Website.

August 1862. 1400hrs.
CWNDWR (CAMARTHENSHIRE : WALES)
David Evans and Evan Lewis had stopped at this place on the road from Llandwrda to Lampeter, with their horses and wagons when they saw, looking towards a hill side, when they saw 50 things they first took for wheat stalks, then realised were small people all dressed alike. The beings walked up a footpath and then formed a circle and danced, before disappearing into the ground and then reappearing, dancing again and then disappearing finally. They were about 400m from the two witnesses.

Bord 1998 p30 citing Jonathan C Davies Folklore of West and Mid Wales 1911 p124

1864 Night.
STEPNEY (LONDON : ENGLAND)
A sentry on duty at the Tower of London encountered a figure that looked like a headless woman in white, and was so shocked he fainted.

Forman 1987 p 95

1865. (Approximate date) Night.
ST JOHN’S (ISLE OF MAN)
Robert Christian was going to his home between St John’s and Foxdale when he found himself pursued by a little woman and boy who gained on him. As he reached home he felt as though he had been taken away to some unknown place. He arrived home with his hands and feet distorted and with his fingernails grown long in minutes. He remained in that state for a week until a charm was applied at which he recovered.

Evans-Wentz 1977 p132 citing James Caugherty a neighbour of Robert Christian
Evaluation - A second hand story related in 1909/10 40-50 years after the event

1865. (Approximate date)
SIBERIA (RUSSIA)
Sometime in the 1860s, at an undisclosed location a shepherd looking for a lost beast entered a forest glade where he saw a large spherical object standing on supports and by it humanoid beings. They had slaughtered the missing cow and were inspecting its entrails. Seeing the man, the beings gestured to him, but he fled the scene in fear.

Stonehill and Mantle 1998 p19
Mantle and Stonehill 2006 p49 citing B Gravosky
Evaluation - The primary source appears to be the man’s granddaughter who told this tale decades (probably over a century) later. Clearly at least influenced by modern cattle mutilation lore .

1865 (or following year)
CORDEAUX RIVER (NEW SOUTH WALES : AUSTRALIA)
B Rixon saw some sort of hairy biped near the river.

Healey and Cropper 2006 p205 case 8 citing Joyner 1977 p1 citing The Illawarra Mercury 14 April 1871)

March 1865. (or following month)
UPPER TWIN MOUNTAIN (MISSOURI : USA)
Mr Collins, a hunter, followed what he thought were bear tracks and instead came across a 2m tall man covered in long blue- black hair, wearing animal skins and moccasins. The strange man threw rocks at Collins, who fled.

Arment 2006 p197 citing Kansas City (MO) Star 27 June 1915 +24 October 1915

Summer 1865 Day.

HORBURY (WEST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE : ENGLAND)

Grace Taylor (15) was walking down a hedged lane, when she saw in the privet, a small man, 30-45cm tall, with black eyes. She fled home in fear.

Baring-Gould 1993 p120
Genealogical sources

September 15 1865. (Approximate date) Evening.
CADOTTE PASS (MONTANA : USA)
Rocky mountains trapper James Lumley saw a luminous aerial object moving at speed to the east. The thing then exploded in the air with a huge earth jolting explosion and sudden blast of air, followed by a sulphurous smell. The next day, some 3km from his camping site James found widespread damage. Among the debris was a giant stone driven into the mountain. This stone seemed to be carved into compartments, and in various places there were markings like hieroglyphics. Traces of glass and liquid were found at the spot.

Hurley 2003 p116 citing Missouri Democrat 19 October 1865
J D Haines in Fate March/April 2009, republished in Godwin 2011 p8
Rife 2001 p59 citing British Daily Whig 15 November 1865
Evaluation - The first part of this story looks like a reasonably accurate account of the high altitude explosion of a bolide or small asteroid and the fall of fragments. It is hard to know whether the bit about the compartments comes from the imagination of Lumley, assuming he existed, or the newspaper editor.

February 12 1866. Night.
BRACKEN COUNTY (KENTUCKY; USA)
Nathanial Squires and his family were awoken by a commotion among their African-American workers and by a blue light illuminating their room. They saw by the fence separating the workers compound from the house yard a huge creature like a horned ape with long arms terminating in paws, hoof like feet and a long tail, which it swished around. It was belching out fire.The thing seemed to disappear into a fire, which suddenly went out, leaving no trace of the creature. The thing was seen by other neighbours on this and the following night

Theo Paijmans in Fortean Times 276 p32 citing Gettysburg Republican Compiler 19 March 1866 and other press sources)
Evaluation - Said to be a hoax by a man named Oden, op-cit citing Macon Daily Telegraph 4 April 1866 + Weekly Telegraph 9 April 1866

April 1866 Night.
BRIGHTON (ILLINOIS : USA)
A man driving a horse and buggy by the race course encountered a huge creature sat on a fence.. The thing seemed to be breathing fire and its body seemed to be covered with a sort of mail, covered with seams. The horse shied and almost overturned the witness’s buggy.

ibid p33 citing Milwaukee Daily Sentinel 23 April 1866 + Racine Journal 25 April 1866

May 1866.
MIDDLETOWN (NEW YORK : USA)
A sort of giant humanoid creature with animal like legs and scaly wings entered a house, accompanied by red and blue lights and a smell like sulphur. The thing brushed its wings against the inhabitants and then dived out through back door and out into the woods.

ibid p33 citing Macon Telegraph 14 May 1866 + Little Rock Daily Gazette 18 May 1866

September 30 1866. 1800hrs.
WHITBURN (DURHAM : ENGLAND)
The crew of the bark Margaret and Jane observed a revolving light some 10km to their port. They took it to be the Tynemouth light and as a result ran aground on the rocks here. The light must have been quite high up the cliff. Other ships had come to grief because of this intermittent revolving light.

Clark and Oldroyd 1985 p3 citing The Times 4 and 30 December 1866

September 1867.
MEADVILLE (MISSISSPPI : USA)
A group of hunters were alerted by their dogs acting up and saw, some metres ahead, a humanoid shaped creature covered in long coarse hair and with two tusks projecting from its upper jaw. The thing fled and the hunters pursued it. When they caught up with it, the thing seized one of the dogs and pierced it with its tusks, killing it. The men then shot at the thing, which swam off in the river, making a strange shrieking sound.

Blackburn 2017 p160 citing Dubuque Daily Herald 27 June 1868

1868. Dusk.
CLEAR CREEK (MISSISSIPPI : USA)
In the junction of Clear Creek and the Bi Black River, members of the African-American community reported a strange creature about 2,5m tall, with eyes the size of hens eggs, no nose nor upper lip, two large teeth extending 20cm down the chin, stiff, wiry hair, angular chest, stiff body hair peaking in a sort of spinal fin, and with legs pointing in opposite directions. It resisted capture.

Clark 2012 p87 citing Coshocton Democrat 31 March 1868 citing Vicksburg Herald nd
Evaluation - The above two stories seem to be two versions of the same, probably fictitious story

March 6 1868. 1500hrs.
SUGARLOAF MOUNTAIN (NEW SOUTH WALES : AUSTRALIA)
Patrick Hogan was felling trees when out of the dense forest came the figure of a man about 1.7m tall, with long tangled hair and red skin on which there were various decorations. He wore clothes around his waist and ornaments around his knees. He carried a stick in each hand. One of Hogan’s dogs hid in fear, the other barked, but this had no effect on the stranger, neither did Hogan’s threats with an axe. The stranger quickened his pace and disappeared in two or three leaps. Hogan returned to his hut to get his gun, but when he returned the thing had gone into the bush, the pup following it.

Clark 2012 p 221 citing Maitland Mercury and Hunter River News 2 April 1868.
Evaluation - I can’t see anything in this story to suggest that the strange figure was anything other than a local aboriginal

Mid June 1868. Early morning.
SITLINGTON (WEST RIDING OF YORKSHIRE : ENGLAND)
Farmer Daniel Shires was driving cattle in his fields with John Skinner, a discharged soldier when they saw about 30m up in the sky above s sort of huge box kite moving in a jerky fashion. It appeared to be mainly composed of wood and canvas, but had some metallic looking parts. They could see, sat on a cross beam in the object, a man. They tried to chase the thing but it outpaced them and appeared to land behind some trees. When the two reached the spot they found a group of soldiers, who would not reveal the reason for their presence.

Iain Johnstone in UFO Brigantia 21 p14 citing a notebook in possession of Samuel Harrison.
Evaluation - Modern hoax. There is no farmer named Daniel Shires in the 1861 or 1871 census for Sitlington

Mid June 1868. Afternoon.
LITTLE MANITOU ISLAND (MICHIGAN : USA)
A man landing on the island heard sound like a man in distress. He went to investigate and came within 3-5m of a naked humanoid at least 2.5m tall, covered with hair. It had a high forehead, dishevelled hair and a beard down to its stomach. When the thing saw the witness it fled. The next day at 10.00 he returned with companions and they saw the figure sat with its feet in the water. Mr J R Anderson fired at it when it tried to escape but without success.

Arment 2006 p184 citing St Joseph Herald 11 July 1868 citing letter from Anderson in Cleveland Plain Dealer
Evaluation - Has all the hallmarks of a press hoax

July 25 1868. Night.
PARRAMATTA , SYDNEY (NEW SOUTH WALES : AUSTRALIA)
A surveyor, Fred Birmingham, was standing on his veranda when he had visions of the head of the Bishop of Sydney floating by him. He went to the spot where he had seen the head come from and there observed a vessel described as an arc floating along in a zig-zag fashion at 6m altitude and then landing in Parramatta Park 20m away. It was mainly brown in colour, with a steel blue, scaly lower section. A figure of a man in a frock coat followed it. This figure asked if he would like to enter the ark. When he agreed he was “floated” into the object, He was shown round the ark, which contained a cabin in which there was a table covered with a material like oil skin. The figure was stood at the table holding papers containing figures and formulae. The figure then vanished and Birmingham found himself alone in the craft, feeling rather uncomfortable. He then fell asleep and awoke the next day. He had another vision of an aerial machine in 1875

Basterfield 1981 p77 +1997 citing Bill Chalker in UFORAN 3,1 p14
Chalker 1996 p23 citing Fred Birmingham’s memorandum book
Randles 1999 p15
Basterfield 1980 case 1
Bill Chalker in Fortean Times 162 p40
Evaluation - The source appears to be a copy of extracts from a document now lost. Though Birmingham was a real person, the possibility some literary hoax cannot be ruled out. If genuine, looks very much like hypnogogic hallucinations. Further background on this document can be found in Vallee and Aubeck 2010, p335

August 1868. Night.
CHELMSFORD (ESSEX : ENGLAND)
Eleanor Petre of Springfield House was up with her teething child, and had just begun to doze, when she was roused by the toddler saying “Funny Man”. Looking round she saw a “hideous” dwarf, stood with folded arms and back to the fire. Eleanor dived under the bedclothes but then decided to confront the figure, but when she jumped out of bed the thing had gone.

Day 1954 p128 +1973 p 46

Late November, 1868. Dusk.
TE TAHORA, RUATAHUNA VALLEY (HAWKES BAY, NORTH ISLAND : NEW ZEALAND)

J H H St John, while on campaign against Maori rebels was alerted by a commotion among the troops and saw a large fiery sphere, about 2m diameter, emitting a dull light, descending the valley, soundlessly, at treetop height. The thing then turned a corner and was lost to sight

Halssall 1998 p23

December 1868. Night.
PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY (VIRGINIA : USA)
Over a number of nights local people encountered a huge thing, three times the size of a man, with claws and horns. When first seen it was pale blue in colour but when approached it turned white and produced smoke.

Theo Paijmans in Fortean Times 276 p33 citing Petersburg Index 18 December 1868

1869.
ARCADIA (KANSAS : USA)
A number of local residents encountered a bipedal creature, with long arms terminating in claw like hands and a hairy face. The thing moved with a shuffling gait and was bent over.

Dubuque Daily Herald 3 September 1869

1869 (Approximate date)
AVONDALE (NEW SOUTH WALES : AUSTRALIA)
Two children encountered a monkey like creature the size of a 13-14 year old boy.

Healey and Cropper 2006 206 case 11 citing Joyner 1977 p1 citing The Illawarra Mercury 14 April 1871 + The (Sydney) Empire 17 April 1871

1869 Evening.
BEWCASTLE (CUMBERLAND : ENGLAND)
Mr Brown was riding home from Lanercost when he encountered a group of dwarfs, about 90cm tall, with oversized heads, pointed chins and large, pointed ears. The dwarfs attacked Brown and dragged him off his horse towards a glowing mound by the road. When Brown opened his Bible the beings fled into the mound, which closed behind them.

Matthews 2008 p196)
Evaluation - Sounds like a traditional tale given a spurious specific date

January 1869 (Approximate date)
CRAWFORDSVILLE (INDIANA : USA)
Mr Hardee was out racoon hunting when he encountered a large ape like creature sat in the path ahead. His dog crouched down at his feet and would not move. Hardee waved his torch at the creature and moved forward, but when it uttered a loud yell and beat its chest, he ran off.

Clark 2012 p78 citing Fort Wayne Daily Democrat 25 January 1869 citing undated issue of Crawfordsville Review

January 1869.
GALLIPOLIS (OHIO : USA)
A man and his daughter driving in a carriage were attacked by a tall, hairy humanoid, which wrested the man to the ground and only gave up the attack when the girl hit it on the head with a stone. The thing then walked off.

Arment 2006 p 227 + Redfern 2015a p204 both citing Minnesota Weekly Record 23 January 1869
Newton 2011 p54.
Guttilla 2003 p56

June 12 1869 (Approximate date) 2355hrs.
LOGIE, DUNDEE (TAYSIDE : SCOTLAND)
A police officer on his beat saw a strange figure in the church yard. It was about 1.8m tall, absolutely straight and dressed in white. It threw a stone at the constable, who started to chase it, but the terror of a passing couple distracted him. When he looked again the figure had disappeared.

Holder 2012b p65 citing Dundee Courier

August 7, 1869. 0200hrs.
ADAMSTOWN (PENNSYLVANIA : USA)
While local residents were having dinner a luminous body descended over a vacant lot about 200m north of the village, this being seen by four or five people from separate locations. It was a square object from which a column 1-1.2m high and 60cm thick emerged and glittered like metal in the sunlight. After about 10 minutes the whole thing faded away. No traces were found.

Clark 2012 p57 + Vallee and Aubeck 2010 p 336 both citing Reading Daily Eagle 14 August 1869

August 24 1869 (Approximate date)
EAST DAVENPORT (IOWA : USA)
A man coming back from a hunt saw something he first thought was an animal crouched by a river bank. The thing then plunged in and when the witness got closer he saw that it was a naked humanoid, the size of a 15-16 year old boy covered in sandy hair and with a “brutish” face. When the witness tried to approach the creature it swam off into the swamp. The thing was seen on two later occasions.

Arment 2006 p153 citing New York Herald 31 August 1869

1870 (Approximate date) Afternoon.
LOWER ROSSES POINT (SLIGO : IRELAND)
Michael Reddy was looking to see if any cattle had gone astray when he saw a figure like an officer pointing something like a sword at him. When he got up from the beach he saw a large group of beings dressed in red, laughing and shouting. They were of normal human size and the 'officer' was taller. Reddy was so shaken that he was bedridden for weeks.

Evans-Wentz 1977 p68 citing interview with Reddy

1870 (Approximate date) Night.
SILSOE (BEDFORDSHIRE : ENGLAND)
Harry Turner was staying overnight at a house where he was gardening, when he was awoken by tapping and footsteps in an adjacent room, then something touched his left hand. Getting up and putting on a light, he saw, appearing from thin air, the figure of a young girl wearing a pinafore but barefoot and appearing to be distressed. The figure ran passed him and disappeared. Another guest reported that he too had seen the figure of a young girl, who had tapped on his door.

Broughall and Adams 2010 p73

1870 (Approximate date)
GREENBURGH (PENNSYLVANIA : USA)
A number of people were said to have seen a grey creature, 3-3.5m tall, with a small, skull like head, long arms and glowing eyes. It went from a building known as the White Grange to a quarry

O’Donnell 1966 p24

September 6 1870 (Approximate date)
GRAYSON (CALIFORNIA : USA)
Mr d'Groote was hunting in the mountains about 30km south of Grayson and found that his fire was being disturbed and discovered the tracks of large, bare feet. He hid in the bush on a hillside about 20m from the fire, and after a couple of hours he heard a shrill whistle and saw, next to the wire, a creature ,1.5m tall, with dis-proportionally broad and square shoulders, a small head, short legs and long body. The creature was covered in dark brown hair. It threw back its head, whistled again and grasped a stick from the fire, which it whirled around till it stopped burning. It repeated this a number of times over 15 minutes. The creature then moved off but returned with a female of the same kind. The two came within 6m of the hunter as the strolled into the forest.

Noel 2013 p7 citing Titusville Morning Herald 10 November 1870 citing letter in Antioch Ledger c16 October 1870
Bord 1980 p144 citing Antioch Ledger op cit
Hunter and Dahinden 1975 p143
Green 1973 p118 citing Butte Record 5 November 1870
Redfern 2015a p213 citing an undated issue of Antioch Ledger
Arment 2006 p93 citing Oakland Daily Transcript 27 September 1870 + (Titusville Morning Herald 10 November 1870 citing letter from one of the witnesses in an undated issue of Antioch Herald
Bord 1985 p136 citing Antioch Herald op cit dates this case as 1869 as does Clark 1993 p19

October 1870 (Approximate date) Night.
CROOK-A-VODDY (ISLE OF MAN)
T. C Kermode and a companion were walking on their way to a party along the Glen Helen Road, when just beyond the Beary Farm they saw on the other side of the brook, in a hollow. a circle of light, into which numerous small beings, dressed in red were coming from different directions in twos and threes. When Kermode’s friend struck the wall at the side of the lane with his stick, the vision disappeared.

Evans-Wentz 1977 p 133 direct from T C Kermode c1909/10

November 1870 (Approximate date) Evening.
(ENGLAND)
At an undisclosed location two sisters, (20, 16) who did not want their names used, were returning home from church in the fog when they were passed by a man whistling. Then a much shorter man came up and seemed to disappear into one of the women’s dresses. They then found themselves surrounded by a crowd of dwarfs, both men and women, some with dogs. The women wore old fashioned shawls and bonnets, the men long capes or cloaks, and two of the men had sparks around their faces, and seemed to be grinning. These figures seemed to be made of the mist and to keep appearing and disappearing. They were accompanied by a much taller man, dressed in a cloak, who looked “more horrible altogether”. As the women crossed the road, this figure kept striding on.

Bennett 1939 p265.
Mrs Sidgwick in Proceedings of the SPR Part VIII p77 citing letter from one of the witnesses.
Evaluation - Mist figures and one ordinary tall man?

1871.
PORT DOUGLAS (BRITISH COLUMBIA : CANADA)
A 17 year old girl was kidnapped by a hairy humanoid, which forced her to swim across the Harrison River and taken to a rock shelter where there were two other creatures. The girl was kept for a year before she was released.

Sanderson 1961 p30 citing J W Burns

1871.
BULLI MOUNTAINS (NEW SOUTH WALES : AUSTRALIA)
Several people were said to have seen a large hairy humanoid in the bush and that dogs ran away from it

Healy and Cropper 2006 p207 case 15 citing Joyner 1977 p2 citing The Illawarra Mercury 28 April 1871

January 17 1871. Evening.
PONTMAIN (MAYENNE : FRANCE)
Eugene Barbadette (12) had just heard the news that his half-brother August Friteau, who was serving in the Franco-Prussian war, was safe and well. For some reason he went to the door of the barn where he and his family were working. Looking out, he noticed the absence of stars over the roof of a nearby house. He then saw the figure of a tall young woman, with an oval face, wearing a deep blue garment on which were scattered haphazardly pentagonal “stars”. The figure also wore blue shoes and a black veil surmounted with a gold crown, with a red line in its centre. This sight was confirmed by Eugene’s brother Joseph but not by his parents. Two small girls who came to the scene saw the figure but not a third. Eventually a crowd gathered and the figure seemed to grow in size until it was covered by a sort of white mist and gradually disappeared. At one point there was a sort of tablet under its feet on which writing appeared.

McClure 1983 p49.
Carroll 1992 p19

April 1871.
MCNAIRY COUNTY (TENNESSEE : USA)
A number of people encountered a 2m tall humanoid with “fiery red eyes” and waist length hair and beard. The thing shrieked at women and ran at great speed, leaping high fences.

Blackburn 2017 p182 citing The Hagerstown Mail 5 July 1871

April 10 1871. Evening.
AVONDALE (NEW SOUTH WALES : AUSTRALIA)
George Osborne was riding back to Dapto when his horse was startled and George saw an animal coming down a tree. When it got within 2,5m of the gro8und the thing fell. The thing than got up and George could see that it was a 1.5m tall humanoid figure covered in black hair with a tan streak,. The thing moved on all fours and its feet where reptilian with long toes. The thing then moved off into the brush.

Healy and Cropper 1994 p120 citing The Empire (Sydney) 17 April 1871
Smith 1996 p147
Healy and Cropper 2006 p27, 207 citing Joyner 1977 p1 citing Empire op cit + Illawarra Merucry 28 April 1871.
Evaluation - Probable newspaper hoax

July 1871 (Approximate date)
BELGRAVE (NEW SOUTH WALES : AUSTRALIA)
A group of aboriginals were so scared by a hairy creature that sometimes went on all fours and sometimes bipedally, that they moved to Warneton. Two young men riding in the district at about this time encountered something that rushed at them from the bush, frightening the horses and almost unseating one the riders.

Healy and Cropper 2006 p29, 207 citing The Empire (Sydney) 20 July 1871 + Sydney Morning Herald 21 July 1871 + Queanbeyan Age 27 July 1871

August 1871.
GATESVILLE (TEXAS : USA)
An ape-like creature, 2m tall, covered in thick, fiery luminous eyes and a double row of teeth was seen. On one occasion it was seen with a crooked stick in one arm and a dead calf under the other.

Arment 2006 p314 citing Michigan Argus 1 September 1871

December 1871.
MANARO (NEW SOUTH WALES : AUSTRALIA)
A small girl encountered a bent down old man, covered with hair and with long nails.

Smith 1996 p147
Healy and Cropper 2006 p207 case 17 citing Joyner 1977 p3 citing The Manaro Mercury 9 December 1871 + NLI/MS936 p1121

August 1872.
LAKE COWAL (NEW SOUTH WALES : AUSTRALIA)
A party of surveyors in a boat on the lake saw a dark coloured hairy swimming in the lake.

Healy and Cropper 2006p208 case 18 citing Sydney Morning Herald 24 August 1872

November 1872 (Approximate date) Night.
WHITTINGDON (STAFFORDSHIRE : ENGLAND)
A man coming home from the fair at Kinver was crossing Whittingdon Heath when he encountered a tall, thin figure that blocked his way. His stick just went through the thing. The man found himself paralysed until the figure, raising a long thin arm, disappeared with a “loud peal of derisive laughter”.

O’ Donnell 1962 p115 citing letter in Brierley Hill and Stourbridge Advertiser ?/December 1872

March 25 1873 (Approximate date) Evening.
TAYLORSVILLE (OHIO : USA)
Thomas Inman(c40) and his son Abel (c17) were returning to the their rural home from the village when they saw a light resembling burning brushwood descending to the earth making a roaring sound as it did so. On hitting the ground the light went out. From it emerged a man dressed in a black suit, who walked a few paces to something resembling a horseless buggy. The stranger took up his seat in this thing, which then drove off at high speed. On reaching a steep gully the thing went down it, the light going out and the 'buggy' and its occupant disappearing.

Aubeck and Shough 2015 p175 citing letter from W A Taylor in New York Herald 8 April 1873 p7
Evaluation - Aubeck and Shough show the people are real and look for rational explanations but do not really engage with the possibility that this was some sort of in-joke or satire, the point of which is now lost to us

November 1873. Night.
LOCHEE, DUNDEE (TAYSIDE : SCOTLAND)
A couple walking through the churchyard on the way back from a dance encountered a white figure holding a lighted candle in one hand and a long stick in the other. The man spoke to the figure, which uttered a squeak and then grew larger, rising about 3.5m in the air, before crashing down with a huge force, that shook the earth, and disappearing.

Holder 2012b p 66 citing Dundee Courier 17 November 1873

Summer 1874 (or following year) Evening.
RAVENSDEN (BEDFORDSHIRE : ENGLAND)
Charlotte Goodhall was being driven by her daughter May in a pony carriage when they saw a figure all in black seemingly gliding towards them. It turned to reveal a “fiendish”, “horrible” face and as it passed it turned its head to look at the women. The figure seemed to have a masculine face but dressed in what looked like a trailing women’s dress. When the women turned away for a moment and then looked back the figure had disappeared.

Bennett 1939 p299 citing investigation by Frank Podmore

October 16 1874.
HOOSAC TUNNEL, NORTH ADAMS (MASSACHUSETTS : USA)
Frank Webster, a hunter, heard voices urging him to go into the Hoosac Tunnel. There he saw strange figures that snatched his rifle and away and beat him. He was found wandering with signs of violence three days later.

Rooney 2008 p44

1875 (approx date) Evening.
GREENVILLE (KENTUCKY : USA)
A young girl sat on the porch of her rural property near Greenville saw a large luminous sphere take off slowly from the cemetery and come down the dirt road. When it reached their house, the front gate opened of its own accord and passed by the girl, who became paralysed. The thing then went up the house stairs and disappeared.

Montell 2000 p178

1875.
RUINED CASTLE (NEW SOUTH WALES : AUSTRALIA)
A miner, Mr J H Castle, encountered a 2m tall hairy biped moving through the scrub, about 100m ahead of him. Picking up a large branch, Castle stalked the thing for about 800m before it eluded him.

Gilroy 1995 p197

1875.
MOUNT ROYAL (NEW SOUTH WALES : AUSTRALIA)
A rider mustering cattle turned a ridge and encountered a 1.5m tall hairy humanoid. The thing was heavily built with a large chest, long arms hanging down to its knees, huge hands, a bullet shaped head with a monkey like face and was covered in long black hair. The man’s horse refused to go forward as the thing started at him for about 10 minutes, after which it moved slowly up to the north side of the ridge and the man followed until the ledge became too narrow to proceed. The creature, which was about 40m away then ran off.

Freeman 2011 p 163

January 1875 (Approximate date) 2355hrs.
GRANVILLE COUNTY (NORTH CAROLINA : USA)
Wilson Hicks was returning home from a party with four women. As he opened the rear door of a house to let the women in, a powerful light hit and knocked him to the ground, where he lay, stunned, for some time. He did not recover properly until the next day. One of the women, Victoria Bridges, who was partially blind, was also shocked by the light, the other three saw it also.

Clark 2012 p 58 citing Petersburg Index and Appeal January 9 1875 citing an undated issue of Raleigh Standard

April 7 1875, 2345hrs.
BROWNSVILLE (MISSOURI : USA)
A man staying at the Central Hotel awoke to see light coming in through his window. Looking out he saw a growing number of spheres moving around some 6-9m above the ground over a field to the east of town. Then, out of the west, came a cloudy cylindrical object, compared to both a human figure and a coffin. In moved onto the field where the luminous spheres were manoeuvring, hovering 12-15m above the ground. The spheres circled this thing, and then a sort of lid lifted and the balls entered. The object then moved off to the south and then descended into the graveyard and disappeared.

Aubeck and Shough 2015 p193 citing Sedalia Daily Democrat 14 April 1875 citing Brownsville Banner 10 April 1875) + Auburn (NY) Daily Bulletin 5 May 1875

December 1875, 2045hrs.
ALDERSHOT (HAMPSHIRE : ENGLAND)
A group of officers sat the mess table of the 5th Lancers at the West Cavalry Barracks when one of their number Dr John Atkinson saw something at the window. His reaction alerted others including Mr Russell and Captain Cecil Norton to the figure of a young woman dressed in a “soiled or somewhat worn bridal dress” glide past the window which was about 10m above the ground. The thing moved in an east-west direction.

Alan Murdie in Fortean Times 218 p55 citing letter from Captain Norton in Journal of the Society for Psychical Research May 1897 + investigation by Edmund Gurney

December 24 1875.
BOUGHTON (NORTHAMPTONSHIRE : ENGLAND)
William Parker was walking home past Boughton Church when he encountered a young woman with red hair and blue eyes, wearing a high wasted dress and red cap, sat on the church wall. She invited him to join her, asked questions about his family and then kissed him and got him to promise to meet her again in a month’s time. When she walked away she made no sound. William died in January 1876.

Pipe 1986 p5

January 12 1876 (Approximate date) Night.
SHERIDAN (PENNSYLVANIA : USA)

A man was riding home when his horse shied by a creek, and he saw a bright light. As this light dimmed and receded, the man managed to persuade his horse to go forward. The man then saw the light again, in a field, apparently held by a human figure dressed in white, which appeared to float above the ground. When it came within 100m the horse bolted, almost unseating the rider.

Vallee and Aubeck 2010 p342 citing St Louis (Mo) Democrat 17 January 1876 citing an undated issue of Reading Eagle

1876.
TULLY (QUEENSLAND : AUSTRALIA)
A survey party encountered a biped, 1,5m that roared at them.

Gilroy 1995 p226)

February 14 1876. Night.
PELLEVOISIN (INDRE : FRANCE)
Estelle Fauguette (32 or 33) was lying ill in bed with tuberculosis when she had visions of being she identified as the devil and the Virgin Mary. She was apparently cured of her disease and had a number of other visions.

McClure 1983 p117

April 1876.
WARNER'S RANCH (CALIFORNIA : USA)
While in a party prospecting 15km east of Turners Ranch, Turner Helm saw something sat on a rock some metres away. When it stood up Helm saw that it was a man covered in coarse black hair. When Helm called out the thing fled.

Arment 2006 p97 citing letter in Helena Independent 25 April 1876

June 1876.
DOUGLAS COUNTY (MISSOURI : USA)
A huge thing that made a sound like rattling chains and emitted fire was seen moving around the area.

Theo Paijmans in Fortean Times 276 p33 citing Phelps County New Era 1 July 1876

July 3 1876.
MARPINGEN (SAARLAND then part of PRUSSIA : GERMANY)
Five little girls gathering berries in a meadow in front of woods north west of town saw a figure in white. They saw the figure in the following days, now identified as the Virgin Mary.

Blackbourn1993 p.xxii

August 1876. Day.
WEYMOUTH (DORSET : ENGLAND)
Two women walking along the cliffs saw, over the crest of a hill, a large number of luminous multi-coloured spheres, the apparent size of billiard balls, rising up from the ground to a height of 60cm-1m. The women tried to grasp the spheres but they eluded them. The performance was soundless. After about an hour the women became nervous and moved off.

Devereux 1982 p196 citing H Eaton in Royal Metrological Society Quarterly Journal 13 p305

November 4 1876 (Approximate date)
COOLAMBA STATION (NEW SOUTH WALES : AUSTRALIA)
A youth named Porter was out tending to his father’s sheep when an “inhuman, unearthly-looking” being came down from the rocks. The dogs could not attack the thing and both the lad and the dogs ran off in terror abandoning the sheep.

Healy and Cropper 2006 p209 case 22a citing Joyner 1980 citing Australian Town and Country Journal, 18 November 1876

November 11 1876. Evening.
ROCKY BRIDGE WATERHOLES (NEW SOUTH WALES : AUSTRALIA)
A group of young men and women had gone to the water holes for fishing. One of the women was preparing supper while the others were tending to the lines when she saw what she first thought was a man approaching the fire. She then realised that it was a humanoid with a red face and covered in long hair. The woman’s cries brought the rest of the party to the scene and some of the men pursued the thing and got within 60m of it before it turned back towards the fire, creating a sense of terror in the party. Before the thing reached the fire it turned and headed up the mountain.

Healy and Cropper 2006 p209 case 22b citing the above

December 17 1876 (Approximate date) Evening.
KINGSTON (DEVON : ENGLAND)
The local choir were practicing for the Christmas service in the local church when the door opened and a figure draped in white came up the aisle, mounted the pulpit and then walked back out again the same way. Some people claimed it was the ghost of a former vicar. The choir fled in terror and one was so shaken he needed medical attention.

Edinburgh Evening News 22 December 1876 p4 + Sheffield Daily Telegraph 22 December 1876 p3 both citing an undated issue of Western Morning Telegraph
Codd 2013 p37 cites the Edinburgh Evening News.
Evaluation - Probable hoax

1877 (Approximate date) Night. c.1800hrs.
CLIFTON (GLOUCESTERSHIRE : ENGLAND)
Five year old Elliott O’Donnell was lying in bed when his bedroom door opened a nude humanoid figure, about 1.7m tall, with a large head light eyes, and covered in yellow spots entered. The thing stared at the boy with a strange, enigmatic expression for a few seconds and then left the room as silently as it came.

O’Donnell 1925 p22
O’Donnell 1910 p3
1881 UK census
Evaluation - In O’Donnell 1989 p17 states this took place in Ireland.

August 1 1877 (Approximate date)
EAST HAMPTON (NEW YORK : USA)
A group of men out shooting by a stream called The Big Ditch saw a naked man with very long hair apparently eating frogs and snakes. When spotted the thing ran off with a yell.

Arment 2006 p216 citing New York Times 7 August 1877

October 1877.
SUTTON FOREST (NEW SOUTH WALES : AUSTRALIA)
Patrick Jones and Patrick Doyle saw a 2.1m tall hairy humanoid in the bush between Cable’s Siding and Jordan’s Crossing.

Healy and Cropper 1994 p121 citing Sydney Morning Herald 12 October 1877.

September 18 1877, 1810hrs.
NEW YORK (NEW YORK : USA)
Looking out of his Brooklyn window, William H Smith observed a peculiar solitary 'vapory object', 35 degrees above the horizon to the north. It resembled a luminous golden white human form, the head, body and legs of which were covered in drapery. The head was brighter than the rest and had long flowing hair. The thing was lying head down, facing east. It had wings projecting up and back from the shoulders. The thing moved rapidly towards the east.

Clark 2012 p 53 + Menzel 1953 p 118 citing letter from witness in New York Sun September 21 1877.
Evaluation - Cloud?

October 1877.
SUTTON FOREST (NEW SOUTH WALES : AUSTRALIA)
Patrick Jones and Patrick Doyle encountered a 2m tall creature with a humanoid face and with long shaggy hair. It left footprints resembling those of an elephant.

Healy and Cropper 2006 p29 citing Sydney Morning Herald 12 October 1877

November 14 1877, 2355hrs.
LLANDAFF (GLAMORGAN : WALES)
A smallholder visiting a friend was woken by a screeching sound and a shaking of his window. Opening the window he saw what looked like an old woman with a white face, tusk like teeth and long red hair, dressed in a long black gown. She creature seemed to have wings, but the witness could not make out any lower body to the thing. The thing flew against the window of a neighbouring house and then entered a nearby pub.

Sikes 1881 p217.
Evaluation - One can’t help thinking that this tall story was intended as a joke on the American author.

December 1877 (Approximate date)
GLOBE VALLEY (NORTH CAROLINA : USA)
A group of prospectors saw a large humanoid figure about 40m away and approached closer. When one of the men ran towards the thing, it banged its chest with its fists and then fled “faster than a deer”. They later found a “bed of leaves” in a cave.

Blackburn 2017 p190 citing McKean County Miner 3 January 1878.

December 1 1877, 1900hrs.
METTENBUCH (BAVARIA : now GERMANY)
Children had seen lights around a blackberry bush in this area since mid September and on this date a 10 year old girl saw the light floating down, and later saw what looked like a baby or small child. She and some others concluded that this was the baby Jesus and this and other religious figures were seen over a following period.

Parish 2011/1897 p31

1878.
CALLAO (CALLAO : PERU)
A Seraro, a chemist found a huge, heavily mineralised object in an inner chamber of which was the body of a 1.35m entity and a silver plate on which there was writing like hieroglyphics, which were read as indicating the object and being had come from Mars.

Nigel Watson in Magonia 43 p3 citing Res Bureau Bulletin 17 p2 citing New York Times 14 + 17 August 1878 + Fabio Picasso.
Evaluation - Hoax

Late January 1878. Night.
OSCEOLA TOWNSHIP (IOWA : USA)
A young man walking home from a neighbour’s across some fields saw a light moving along the road some distance away. He first thought it was someone with a lantern, but the light then stopped and then sped towards him. The object, the size of a bushel and intensely luminous, came within a metre or two. It rose up, then descended again. The man hurried home, the light following him. He was joined by two other young men on the way. They all saw the light which would appear, disappear then reappear in a quite separate place. A number of people also saw the light from their homes.

Clark 2012 p 58 +Vallee and Aubeck 2010 p345 both citing Ackerley Enterprise February 8 1878 citing undated issue of Hampton Chronicle.

March 1878.
SAGRE DEL CRISTO RANGE (COLORADO : USA)
A group of prospectors came across a 2m tall humanoid dressed in deer pelts.

Arment 2006 p109 citing Colorado Springs Gazette 30 March 1878

March 1878 Night.
GOULBURN (NEW SOUTH WALES : AUSTRALIA)
On a number of occasions a strange light was seen to come from the river and manoeuvre around an unfinished stone house at Stewart’s Garden. Attempts to approach the light were fruitless.

Chalker 1996 p 27 citing Goulburn Herald various issues March 1878

July 30 1878.
EDWARDSVILLE (KANSAS : USA)
A group of railway men had to take their hand-car off the tracks as they saw what they thought was the light of a locomotive coming down the track. When it came closer they saw it was a light surrounded by smoke. It travelled 1.2km down the line and then left the tack, going past a pile of cordwood and then disappeared to north west through a thick wood.

Mr Timmons in Atchison (KA) Gazette 7 August 1878
Coleman 1985 p77

January 21 1879, 2200hrs.
WOODSEAVES (STAFFORDSHIRE : ENGLAND)
A man returning home with a horse and cart had just about reached the road bridge above the Birmingham and Liverpool Canal when a black entity with large white eyes came from foliage to the side of the road and leapt on the horse, causing it to gallop at high speed. When the driver tried to whip the thing out of the way his whip passed straight threw it.

Bennett 2012 p119 citing Burne 1886 p106 citing Georgina Jackson
Nick Redfern in Fortean Times 251 p36

Winter 1879. Night.
YORK (NORTH RIDING OF YORKSHIRE : ENGLAND)
William Gladin, the Minster Constable, was sitting in the Minster at night when his dog bolted to the North Transept. William followed to deal with a possible intruder, instead he saw a column of blue light, the height of a man, which moved to the Great West Door and then up the central aisle and thence to the east corner, where it remained for ten minutes before fading into the stones. The dog was terrified and would never enter the Minster again.

Lister 2009 p19.
Evaluation - Appears to lack contemporaneous documentation

August 21 1879 1900hrs.
KNOCK (MAYO : IRELAND)
Mary McLoughlin, the house keeper to the village priest, Archdeacon Cavanagh, was going out to visit a friend, when she saw three figures and what looked like an altar, covered in white light, at the gable wall. Thinking it was a tableau she continued her journey and met her friend. About half an hour later the two women returned to the scene and saw the figures still there. The friend, Mary Beirne, went and collected quite a crowd, who saw something there, though accounts differ. Mary M went to touch the figures, but could only touch the wall. Though it was raining grass at the site was dry. The figures included a female dressed in white, identified by the crowd as the Virgin and an older male figure various identified as a bishop or a saint. A farmer, Patrick Walsh, about 800m away, saw just a light on the wall.

McClure 1983 p58
Catroll 1992 p202

September 29 1879. Evening.
ALGONA (IOWA : USA)
Depot Master John Hyman was among several people who on this and other nights up to 1 October saw a large ball of fire appear over the brow of Woodward Hill, float into the air then explode into smaller spheres, which would do likewise until they were reduced to nothing. On the1st it was seen as something the size of a cartwheel rolling down the hill, emitting sparks and bouncing off obstacles. About two thirds of the way down it rose 15m into the air and commenced its success of explosions. When people tried to investigate the thing retreated before them.

Clark 2012 p 58 citing Algona Upper Des Moines 8 October 1879

October 10 1879.
BLACKISTON VILLAGE (MASSACHUSETTS : USA)
Two hunters from Vermont, John Simmons and William Shegan were on Pine Grabble Peak when they heard a noise and then saw a 1.5m tall humanoid covered in bright red hair and a long straggly beard. Its eyes were described as “wild and staring”. They shot at the thing, wounding it, whereupon it turned on them, forcing them to flee.

Michael T Shoemaker in Strange 5 p23 citing New York Times 18 October 1879.
Arment 2006 p179 citing New York Times op cit + Winnipeg Daily Free Press 31 October 1879) October 23 1879 (Approximate date)

Evening.
ANTELOPE VALLEY (CALIFORNIA : USA)
Two hunters, Peter Simons and John Gore, heard a strange noise like some kind of animal and then saw a hairy humanoid come from behind a cliff face and rush down the slope. The men shot at the strange creature, wounding it in the arm, whereupon in turned on them, forcing them to drop their guns and flee.

Redfern 2015a p17 citing Sacramento Daily Union 1 November 1879c citing William Shegan.
Evaluation - Known only from this second hand newspaper report. Press hoax?

November 1879.
OWINGSVILLE (KENTUCKY : USA)
At a spot some 10km east of Owningsville, Mrs Goodpater took her washing outside and saw a man hovering some 6m above the trees. The figure moved its arms and legs and assumed various poses before taking off out of sight. She and her children observed the thing for 25 minutes. A neighbouring farmer James Nealus saw something like a balloon but no-one in it.

Wheeling Register 20 November 1879 + other press sources.
Evaluation - Probable press hoax, no-one with these names can be found in the 1880 census for Kentucky

Posted April 2018

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INTCAT 1752 - 1879