John Crouch loot?

[Dr. Syn]

Anyone here ever hear of the John Crouch buried money?

"John Crouch lived about 4 miles NE of Hillsboro and was known by his neighbors as a miser in 1890. He and his family were murdered for the money that the outlaws believed was hidden in the house, but none was found. Speculation at the time placed his accumulated hoard at $350,000 in gold"


Done some digging in the archives and on the web about this, and I must say not really getting anywhere.
I've found info stating he lived in Hillsboro, Somerset County, or Hillsboro, Allegheny County.

Digging thru the records of both counties I've yet to find a death record, or property listing, and even though a couple of sites listed news reports in a couple of the Pittsburgh papers, I've yet to find anything about that. Honestly can't even find a record of a Hillsboro in Allegheny county.

Hillsboro in Somerset county I know, as I own a farm not more then a couple of miles from there.

And even though a lot of these areas were strip mined, this general location has not and is more woodland then anything now.
Heck of a history in this area for relic hunters, Indians, military battles, moonshiners, and even the KKK were/are here, so even if this ends up a bust, I still have a lot of nice areas I can look into.

 

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[jeff of pa]

only thing i have is

4 mi. n.e. of hillsboro

known as a miser 1890

Speculation $350,000 in gold couns.

Family Murdered for it

Some caches found in later years But no where near that amount

 

[starsplitter]

If you've reached a dead end, looking for common threads might help. I have had good success by pursuing the geneology angle. Your local library should have free access to ancestry web sites. The Mormons have a great beta version going at the moment - brings up death certificates, etc.

Don't believe everything you read in county histories. There may be a core of truth, but the facts sometimes get twisted or misinterpreted by the writers. If you have a general date from other sources, maybe there are some old local newspapers on microfilm?

Most likely, your Hillsboro is the one. There are websites with old maps including PA (I've used them) that might settle that matter for you. Also try "myhistoricaltopo" - some of their maps go back to the 19th century. Being topos they are very detailed - I've used GIMP and google to overlay them on tax plats, newer topos, and satellite images.

Just some ideas... good luck.

 

[Dr. Syn]

Thanks Starsplitter, In the process now. Did just find this little tid bit.

The Pittsburgh Dispatch of May XX, 189X, states that after the murders, Justice A. J. McCormick found $326.70.

Will be trying to access some of the papers microfiche for items around that date, and I guess see if I can come up with any leads with the McCormick fellow also. So far have found a Justice of the Peace A.J. McCormick who was in the area at the time.

The Pittsburgh dispatch did exist at that time, but has since been bought and assets split between three other papers. Will have to dig through their records to see who has the info. And from my memory a couple of those papers have since gone by the wayside also.

 

[starsplitter]

Once you pin down the county, it is possible that the historical society is now in possession of 19th century records. I notice you live in Florida. I've had good luck with paying archivists to search for me. Really saves money and time. At the very least, they might have the journals that recorded all legal transactions at the court house. From there, if you're lucky (worked for me on a few occasions), you might be able to obtain original documents. For example, your man's probate records/will. I wouldn't mention treasure hunting though...

PS: Find a Grave might pan out for you

 

[Dr. Syn]

Well some more digging through the newspaper archives and I found it.

IT IS A TRUE STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And it's not where the internet leads said it was.

Found the actual article in the paper, with a lot of leads to check into.

The article gives such a graphic description of the injuries to those involved (the whole family), that's it's not for the faint of heart or something that needs reprinted here.

The person(s) who did this could only be described as the worse maniac, and such violence involved would make any of the best horror movies a far away second.
Lets just say the injuries inflicted were not to stop any resistance but more of taking out EXTREME anger on them all.
I'm actually a little upset after reading it all, like I said it's like reading the script for the most violent horror movie.
S-h-u-d-d-e-r................ What they printed in those days.

But anyhow, less than $200.00 was found, and the main character, from the paper was a wealthy person who did not use banks.
And the money, other then found loose at the house and some on the suspect, was not been located.

Figure back then other then some cursory searching of the grounds, not to much may have been done to locate the money.
From reading the papers of the days, there was a lot more going on of interest in the area for this to be in the news very long.

Off to the land records search for me to locate the homestead and see what's there today. Least it's not in a developed area, it's still a rural one today.

 

[Dr. Syn]

Making headway. Found more newspaper documentation on the incident, the arrest of the murderer, execution of said, and even the burial site and monument of the victims.

Talk about just rewards, the murderer tried to commit suicide multiple times, each time brought back to health to await the gallows.
Yep they were planning to hang him. And they hung him twice. First time they had to drug him to bring him under control. Tied him to a board and let er rip. The rope broke!!!!! So they hauled him back up again and second time did the deed.

Have the homestead pretty much nailed down and it looks promising. Now just gotta take some time for the weather to get better then I'll take a trip over there.

 

[jeff of pa]

Good Luck !

 

[Dr. Syn]

Still making headway, gotta love the newspaper archives. Got to read through the whole trial, (convicted on shoe prints, and nothing else) the appeal, execution, and a really morbid article on the executed person's body still being warm and twitching the next day!!!

Bummed on my property search. Easy enough to pin point it, but to get the documentation to confirm it is the pits.
This County office doesn't let you search the records on line. Let me rephrase that, they don't let you do it for free.

Nother let's make some cash for the coffee kitty for them. You have to buy credits off their site, then you can use them to access the records.

No biggie, except they charge you for each page you look at, no matter how many you have to page through to get to the info, you have to pay for each page you pass by to get where you want. What a rip off!!!

Oh well. I'll see if I can get around their site and find another way to the info.
My luck's running pretty good so far.

I found today I have a $700.00 credit in my PayPal account. No idea who it's from and it's been there for 2 months now.
I asked P/P to figure it out.

 

[Dr. Syn]

Wow this is turning into National Treasure #3. One skimpy lead leads to another to another and another.
But all of them are like following a set of treasure markers on the trail. Instead of rocks and trees it's been archives to locate the spot.

Tough going on part as what is now wasn't then, and what was then isn't now.

Been getting some great help with someone here who's closer to the scene. Hopefully come spring we should be able to put feet and detectors on land.

 

[starsplitter]

Syn... did you get my last email with the map showing the location? Later.

 

[Dr. Syn]

Yep!!!!!!!!!!

Take a look at mine and see what I can add to your info.

Me thinks we have the spot.