HISTORY: Grave of Captain Jack Armstrong, Huntingdon County, PA

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HUNTINGDON'S LATEST FIND.

The Mapleton Mystery May be the Grave of Captain Jack Armstrong.

SPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE.

HUNTINGDON, Pa., February 27. - It is believed that the finding of evidence 
of a grave and human remains in Rocky ridge, near Mapleton, as published in 
the TRIBUNE, is the key to a discovery of vast significance pertaining to one 
of the most important historical facts associated with the settlement of this 
county, and which is now partially enveloped in the veil of tradition.
  The location of the discovery is near the summit of one of the foot hills 
west of the famous Jack's mountains, about four miles west of the spot 
whereon stood the cabin of Captain Jack Armstrong, the Indian scout, from 
whom the mountain derived its name, and who was murdered by a treacherous 
Indian named Musemeelin, together with two companions named Woodward Arnold 
and James Smith, and whose body was safely hidden by his slayer.
  A reference now to accepted local historical facts renders it almost 
conclusive that the isolated grave so singularly discovered on the lonely 
mountain top is none other than the last resting place of the famous Jack 
Armstrong, the "wild hunter of the Juniata."  Messrs. Skipper, Grove and 
Logan, of Mapleton, through whose personal investigation the discovery of the 
grave was made, are men of unimpeachable honor and integrity, and their 
statement of the strange light, so long seen above the locality of the 
finding of the ashy remains, are worthy of the broadest acceptance.  That the 
grave was an exceedingly old one there can be no doubt, since when the bones 
of its speechless tenant were touched they crumbled into dust.  The murder of 
Jack Armstrong was one of the earliest events that occurred within what is 
now Huntingdon county, and it was faithfully recorded by John Harris, a 
contemporary of Armstrong's who was largely instrumental in bringing the 
murdered to a condign punishment.  In Mussemeelin's confession to the crime 
it was learned that he, with two companions, followed Armstrong, Smith and 
Arnold and, as the historical records show, murdered the latter on the Indian 
trail leading westward, four miles west of Jack's mountain and above the 
narrow gorge through which the Juniata breaks, now known as "Jack's Narrows."  
Here were the mutilated bodies of Smith and Arnold found, but no clue to Jack 
Armstrong's burial place could be discovered, though the locality where he 
met his death has long been indisputably established.  This is on the Rocky 
ridge where the phosphorescent light led to the recent discovery of the 
nameless grave with its enclosed human remains.  Near by stands a white oak 
tree that has apparently stood the storms of over a century, and whereon are 
distinguished the almost obliterated traces of the three notches, similar to 
the notched white oak tree spoken of by Harris in his journal in describing 
the locality of the murder.  The topographical indices and minuteness of 
description pointed out and employed by the early writers on the subject 
render the recent discoveries that have been made almost conclusive proof  
that the grave just unearthed on the lonely mountain side is none other than 
the famous Captain Jack Armstrong, the intrepid hunter of the Juniata Valley.
  The presence of the strange nocturnal light which has hovered for many 
years above the scene of the discovery and which has disappeared since Mr. 
Logan and his companions removed the covering from the grave, is amply 
accounted for in the knowledge of the principles of certain natural laws, and 
is entirely devoid of the flimsiest veil of mystery.  Many of our local 
historians place a strong credence in the theory that the remains found are 
those of Armstrong, and it is not improbably that a scientific research will 
be instituted to definitely determine whether the theory is founded on fact.

Altoona Tribune, March 7, 1889