| The Bewitched Pig (pp. 199-200) |
| Michael Cole, who lived and died on the farm now owned by John B. Sharp, near the Methodist Church [in Readington], had many descendants, while the other Cole family [the Tunis Cole family] were originally from Holland. Michael was a firm believer in witches. One winter he had killed all his hogs except an enormous sow. Missing the others and scenting the blood this sow became angry, and furious, and would let no one approach her. Michael declared she was bewitched and determined to burn her. Accordingly, he took a bunch of straw, set fire to it, and soon 500 pounds of roast pork lay among the cinders of the pen. This is a fact that has often been related by eye witnesses. Esq. Ezekiel Cole's ["the other Cole family"] wife was Leney Shipman. His son Obadiah married a daughter of John Hoffman; Jacob's wife was Sarah Case; Ezekiel married a daughter of Nicholas Wyckoff; Josiah's wife's name was Lowe; Tunis first married Rebecca, a daughter of Peter Schomp; his second wife was a daughter of William Van Syckle, and the third, Amy, who survives him, was the eldest daughter of Uriah Larue. On the farm now belonging to Josiah Cole a certain merchant resided who had the boldness to deny the existence of ghosts and witches, so long among the cherished superstitions of his ancestors. Some young men, desirous of bringing him to a proper respect for these traditionary visitors, prepared to make him a visit. Some procured pig yokes, which being placed on the neck, and a sheet thrown over it produced as hideous looking ghosts as ever were seen. Others got the skins of cattle, hoofs, horns and all complete, and thus, amid the rattling of chains, they made for the unbeliever. He had sent them a challenge of defiance, and they resolutely shook the chains in his face when he bade them be off, till in fright he closed and bolted the door. The party left and were a second time dared by him, the hero, to come back, which they did and found him missing, he being thoroughly convinced that the evil one and a legion of ghosts were about to carry him off. Lequear's "Traditions" were originally published 1869-70. |