The Pennsylvania Hermit (ePub)

"Amos...became the state's most renowned recluse through the recitation and publication of his life story." Pennsylvania Caves and Other Rocky Roadside Wonders (2004)

"A remarkable tragedy of Dauphin county, Pennsylvania...for 19 years lived a solitary life in a cave in the forest." -Philadelphia Inquirer, April 8, 1926

"Indian Echo Caverns...was the home of Amos Wilson, the 'Pennsylvania Hermit,' for 19 years...sought sanctuary in the cave." -Philadelphia Inquirer, April 7, 1978

"His self-imposed exile was brought on by remorse over his failure to save his sister...arrived five minutes too late." -Republican and Herald, Nov. 24, 1937

What drove the famous Pennsylvania "hermit" to seek refuge in Indian Echo Caverns for nineteen years? Did he discover the answer to the mystery of a life of happiness or did he live a life of misery?

In 1839, a manuscript written and intended for publication after death was published for William "Amos" Wilson (1762- 1821) the Pennsylvania hermit under the title "The Pennsylvania Hermit: A Narrative of the Extraordinary Life of Amos Wilson."

The publication of his life story would propel Amos into posthumous fame as Pennsylvania Hermit.

In describing wisdom gained during his solitary cave life, Amos writes:

"It is the part of a prudent man not to be elated with prosperity, nor irresolute in misfortune. The good man, like the valiant soldier, will act up to his character, and behave bravely amid his trials; knowing them to be the hand of God, therewith he will be content, and scorning to repine, will make himself happy."

About the author:

William Wilson (ca. 1762 - October 1821) - known as The Pennsylvania Hermit - became a figure in the folklore of southeastern and south-central Pennsylvania in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. William withdrew from society, wandering westward across southeastern Pennsylvania and ultimately living his last 19 years in a cave near Hummelstown. The tragic, lurid tale of William quickly became familiar throughout the Philadelphia area and was told and retold in local papers throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. In hermit lore, The Pennsylvania Hermit is believed to have been published very shortly after William died in 1821; however, the earliest known printing was in 1838, seventeen years later.