Towering on a hilltop near Pittsburgh sat Dixmont Asylum for the Insane, later deemed Dixmont Hospital. Though Dixmont no longer looms in the minds of Northwestern Pennsylvanians today, it was both lauded and feared by residents in the late 1800s.
Tag: history
The Ashtabula Train Disaster, 1876
The night was dark and the snow fell heavily onto the moving train, slick tracks, and quiet woods along the Lake Shore Railroad from Erie, Pennsylvania to Ashtabula, Ohio. December 29th, 1876 was like many other winter nights, until at approximately 8:00pm, when everything changed.
Christmas during World War II
The year was 1942. The United States had been at war for just over one year. Fighting was fierce in the Pacific, Africa, and Europe.On Saturday, December 26, 1942, The Titusville Herald reproduced an Associated Press story about how Americans were keeping the Christmas spirit alive on the homefront. The article read:
“A Horrible Cutting Affair,” 1874
Despite the constant reports of violence we are inundated with every day, we live in a low-violence society compared to the 1800s in the Oil Region! In particular, 1874 was a very violent year.
Let’s Talk about Anna: Spousal Homicide in the Oil Region
It was the year after the Civil War. Veterans were still recovering. Thousands of Pennsylvanian children were in soldiers' orphanages as a result of the carnage, and three more children were about to be thrown to the winds as a result of their father's actions.
Beheaded in the Jailhouse, 1872
"Horrible Homicide!" the August 15th, 1872 edition of the Titusville Morning Herald screamed from page three. "A man had his head chopped off in the Corry Lock-Up. The Slayer an insane man!" Comforting words to read while sipping your morning tea, no?
The Chloroform Victims
Imagine going to the dentist. You know you need a root canal and boy is it going to hurt. But you aren't too worried because you know that a simple injection of Novocaine will do the trick to eliminate the majority of the pain. But, that's today. Now, imagine you need a root canal, but the year is 1860. Feeling slightly more nervous? You should be.
A Murder Most Foul, 1876
Hannah Mead Dougherty died June 15, 1876. She was a mother of three and lived in a modest cottage with her husband until she was viciously murdered by intruder, Nick Baker. Baker came upon the house intent on raping Mrs. Dougherty while her husband was away. But, unable to do so, he murdered her and severely wounded a neighbor who heard her screams and attempted to come to her aid. The full Titusville Morning Herald article concerning the crime is reprinted below in its entirety.
Weird 1800s Deaths in Titusville
A short update of weird or different deaths that we have come across while digitizing our obituary records for Titusville, PA!
NWPA Stories 