Hex Hollow Murder
Join us tonight as we travel to Spring Valley County Park, once known ominously as Hex Hollow. Located near York, Pennsylvania it is a place of natural beauty, intrigue, and, sadly, murder.
In 1928, Nelson Rehmeyer likely didn’t expect his death was imminent. He was a local man and farmer who had recently become estranged from his wife and lived alone. In addition to being a recluse and a bit of an outcast, there were also rumors that he practiced folk magic and, in some cases, practiced white magic. His white magic practice was believed to be focused largely on healing rituals and never meant for harm.
However, several local ruffians did not believe that Nelson was practicing white magic - they believed that they had cursed their family. John Blymyer was the instigator and, at the time, was about 30. He was flanked by teenagers Wilbert Hess (18) and John Curry (14) that fateful Thanksgiving eve night.
John was likely spurred by the fact that 1928 had been one of the worst years of his life - he failed to remain regularly employed, his wife left him, and 2 of his 3 children were dead. Unable to deal with this, or take any responsibility for his actions, he believed the world - or witches - were out to get him. So much so, he actually dared to consult with a witch, Nellie Noll, because he had truly believed he had been cursed. He met with a witch in Lancaster County and it was she who pointed the finger at Nelson Rehmeyer as the reason for all of his misfortune.
In order to break the curse Nellie had told him that he needed a lock of Nelson’s hair, which he would then bury six feet underground. Then, he would have to find and burn Nelson’s copy of The Long Lost Friend, an infamous 1820s book of folk magic written by John George Hohman. If this was done, the curse would be broken.
Unfortunately John Blymyer went a step further. Instead of simply distracting him or tying Nelson up to grab his hair and the book, John and his lackeys beat Nelson to death after he was tied up. Then, they set fire to his body and fled the crime scene they had created.
Nelson’s body was discovered a day later, on Thanksgiving, when his neighbors noticed that his animals and daily chores had gone untended. The three culprits were discovered soon after and pleaded guilty.
Interestingly enough, although Nelson had burned inside the house and certainly left a mark, the house itself was still standing. Some pointed to this so-called miracle as proof that Nelson was not a normal man at all and clearly well versed in practicing magic - although, not practiced enough to save himself.
Their trial would be one of the most infamous in the history of York. In their testimonies they spoke of witchcraft, curses, and the terror that had been inflicted on them by Nelson. They were looking for relief and went a bit mad when confronted with the man they believed to be behind their torment.
Journalists' ears pricked up at the mention of witchcraft and pow wow doctors, and soon this trial went international. All three were eventually convicted of their crimes and given life sentences. However, they would not go on to serve full life sentences and were all eventually released and went on to live quiet lives.
Blymyer, surprisingly, claimed that even though he was sentenced and spent time in prison the moment Nelson died...his luck began to change. He truly believed that killing Nelson had broken the curse on his life.
John Curry, the youngest of the crew, actually went on to become an artist of note. He became the cartographer on President Eisenhower’s staff during World War II, and many of his paintings are still hung prominently in the homes of York locals and beyond.
Nelson Rehmeyer left behind his estranged wife and two children. Although all the men were convicted and tried (though eventually released without serving their full sentences, as mentioned above) this would not bring him back. Nelson’s death stands as a testament to the power of belief in magic and that even rumors of a curse from one not-so-reliable member of the community can cause another’s life to end.
To this day, Nelson’s house stands. It is a popular destination for those curious of the legend and power and has been the destination for many legend trippers, looking to get a little closer to the (alleged) magic.
Thank you to Amy V for this blogstonishing suggestion!
The image is from a newspaper and is licensed under creative commons!