Little known treasure tales of Ohio

idigdirt

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Mar 15, 2006
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Epworth, Ohio
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Indian ghost warrior on horseback guards treasure. In the 1780's a courrier carrying gold for American general Anthony Wayne along the Ohio river was ambushed. His gold ended up in a town (ghost town?) called Shunk, then an Indian village on the banks of a small creek. When the Indians were forced out of northwest Ohio they buried the gold and other treasures. They declared that someday they would return for it. Realizing that someone might come and dig for it they left behind in the form of a ghost, a guard on horseback. Shunk still exists but is no more than a dip in the road on Ohio route 109, 5 miles east of Napoleon in Henry county Ohio....
 

nicademusx

Greenie
Feb 9, 2008
15
2
ohio
This is close to where i grew up and not too far from where I live now. I'll check into this one, if anyone has anymore infor let me know.
 

nicademusx

Greenie
Feb 9, 2008
15
2
ohio
found some information concerning this "legend" will be contacting more people about it to see how true it really is. People looking for the buried treasure have reported being trampled by the ghost horse, which is a white stallion, ironically enough. when i find out more, will be posting.
 

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idigdirt

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In researching ohio's past, i find more often than not that legends are based in fact! In my research into ohio's treasure tales of old, i get particularly interested in animals that find treasure and people who dream of finding treasure and do! I'm always interested in any stories that pertain to treasure lights and ghostly haunting of treasure sights....
 

nicademusx

Greenie
Feb 9, 2008
15
2
ohio
really, really, really wish i had a metal detector. found more info, but it is conflicting as to the exact location. Have visited shunk and all of the possible locations are untouched except with farming equipment. no construction in the last 80 years.

Possible kickapoo indian tribe that left the area. anyone know of any legends or information on how to make nice with an indian ghost or a way to free his spirit. might be easier searching for a treasure without the worry of an indian trampling you with his horse.
 

nicademusx

Greenie
Feb 9, 2008
15
2
ohio
Well, here is the most complete story that i can find. Will find out if it's true when the weather finally breaks.

A white ghost on horseback is said to guard buried treasure on the inside bend of Turkeyfoot Creek, near the village of Shunk in Henry County--formerly part of Ohio's notorious Black Swamp. Indians buried it there following their defeat by Mad Anthony Wayne at Fallen Timbers; it is thought to be about $40,000 in gold sheets, soldiers' pay stolen from the Army paymaster en route to Fort Defiance. The Indians, who migrated to Oklahoma Territory, intended to retrieve the gold when they returned to take back their land from the white man. As we all know, things didn't go as planned for the Indians, and now they say that the gold is buried somewhere on the bank of the creek, waiting for someone to dig in the right place.
Plenty of people have made attempts to find the Turkeyfoot treasure, but none have succeeded, and many are discouraged by the spectral white horseman. One boy named Thurmon Dresbach was using an iron rod to poke through the mud when his parents heard him scream in terror and found him unconscious and in shock. When he was able to speak he talked about "a white ghost on a big horse." Another person who tried to find the gold was a stranger who wandered the Turkeyfoot Creek area with trained coon dogs for several weeks in 1926, always after dark. He was discovered in a state similar to that of Thurmon Dresbaugh: unconscious, lying on State Route 109. When revived the next day he wouldn't say what he'd seen, but he was gone by the following morning.
 

stringfrenzy

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I agree. Probably not a bad idea to take a friend and a video camera along just incase. You never know what you may find there. Would certainly be interesting to snoop around there that's for sure.
 

starsplitter

Sr. Member
Jan 20, 2007
434
31
Okay, I really want to hear how this goes. There is an old story on my father's side of the family about a place near Hubbard, Ohio - an old farm house they lived in. Someone, I think my grandmother, dreamed about a guy burying gold in the apple orchard out back. Well, as far as I know, nobody every went digging in the orchard. I put some stock in the story due to the fact she was half Cherokee and a bit 'touched', as in psychic. Oh well, my father's dead and my aunt has Alzheimers. So much for treasure in the orchard.
 

flyinpig

Jr. Member
Jan 10, 2007
29
5
Have heard often that indians used to mark with symbols, turket foot, turtle, kinda where KGC got it from I guess.

Speaking of, used to be an old rock with a turkey foot above a cave hollow by my parents place....weather is sure to break soon!

Adam
 

nicademusx

Greenie
Feb 9, 2008
15
2
ohio
this specific site may have marking left by the indians, simply because of the number of trees still left standing in the area. But most of the area here in NW ohio has been deforested because of the big lumber boom and for drainage of the farmland in the late 1800's. I'm afraid the majority, if any, markings in this section of ohio are gone.
 

stringfrenzy

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With the lumber trade, storms, and other things it is a very good possibility.
 

stringfrenzy

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Jun 8, 2006
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Welcome to the forum.
 

M

michigan michael

Guest
nicademusx said:
Well, here is the most complete story that i can find. Will find out if it's true when the weather finally breaks.

A white ghost on horseback is said to guard buried treasure on the inside bend of Turkeyfoot Creek, near the village of Shunk in Henry County--formerly part of Ohio's notorious Black Swamp. Indians buried it there following their defeat by Mad Anthony Wayne at Fallen Timbers; it is thought to be about $40,000 in gold sheets, soldiers' pay stolen from the Army paymaster en route to Fort Defiance. The Indians, who migrated to Oklahoma Territory, intended to retrieve the gold when they returned to take back their land from the white man. As we all know, things didn't go as planned for the Indians, and now they say that the gold is buried somewhere on the bank of the creek, waiting for someone to dig in the right place.
Plenty of people have made attempts to find the Turkeyfoot treasure, but none have succeeded, and many are discouraged by the spectral white horseman. One boy named Thurmon Dresbach was using an iron rod to poke through the mud when his parents heard him scream in terror and found him unconscious and in shock. When he was able to speak he talked about "a white ghost on a big horse." Another person who tried to find the gold was a stranger who wandered the Turkeyfoot Creek area with trained coon dogs for several weeks in 1926, always after dark. He was discovered in a state similar to that of Thurmon Dresbaugh: unconscious, lying on State Route 109. When revived the next day he wouldn't say what he'd seen, but he was gone by the following morning.
I would be game for this adventure! I woke up many mornings back in the day from unconscious states! MINE WERE FROM A DIFFERENT GHOST THOUGH! I believe the ghosts name was Jim, JIM BEAM! He was powerful! :tongue3: lol sorry could not resist! ;D
 

kyrettig

Newbie
Oct 28, 2010
1
0
i know its been awhile for anyone to post on this but i know who owns the land where the gold is to be. I deer hunt back there every year and so does my father and i have never seen a horse man and i have walked the creek alot ..... my stepmom played back there in the creek as a kid and never hada problem either . one of these days im going to go searching for it . but the land owner is against it and says if its back there it is staying there . so good luck with your hunts and if you ever go back there id watchout for the land owner before id be worried about the horseman
 

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