Bigfoot: The Historical Record

Last month’s column dealt with Bigfoot sightings and I admitted to being a non-believer. However, I find it fascinating that sightings of giant, hairy, bipedal animals predate the modern era. Over 170 years ago, the Arkansas Wild Man terrified residents of that state. The first published report in 1846 claimed a footprint was discovered in eastern Arkansas that measured 22 inches.

In 1851, the Vermont Watchman and State Journal reported that two men were hunting in Greene County, Arkansas, when they saw something “bearing the unmistakable likeness of humanity” chasing a herd of cattle. “He was of gigantic stature, the body being covered with hair, and the head with long locks that fairly enveloped his neck and shoulders.” The creature stopped and stared at them for a few moments and then ran into a patch of woods “with great speed, leaping from twelve to fourteen feet at a time.” The newspaper went on to explain that sightings of the Wild Man had been reported in St. Francis, Greene, and Poinsett counties since 1834.

Many local residents believed the Wild Man was a human survivor of the great 1811-1812 New Madrid Earthquake who had turned feral while living in the woods. Two prominent Memphis men organized a search party to try to capture him, but nothing else is known of their attempt. According to the Ashland (Ohio) Union, the elusive creature was spotted again near the Sunflower Prairie during the winter of 1856, and some men gave chase with hunting dogs.The Wild Man tried to flee across the frozen Brant Lake, but the ice was too thin and he retreated back to the bank. The first man who arrived reported seeing “an athletic man about six feet four inches high, covered with hair of a brownish cast.”

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Although within easy range, the hunter decided to capture the Wild Man rather than shoot him. It was a bad idea. According to the newspaper, “The wild man . . . bounded upon him, dragged him from the saddle and tore him in a dreadful manner, gouging one of his eyes, and biting a large piece out of his shoulder. He then threw the saddle and bridle from the horse and mounted. He set off for the mountains at full speed, guiding the horse with a piece of sapling.”

Twelve years later, a “Mississippi Wild Man” was encountered in southwestern Mississippi. According to the Cambria Freeman (Ebensburg, Pa.), a similar creature had been seen near Vicksburg the year before. In the former incident, some hunters were following a pack of dogs hot on the trail of an unknown animal when they discovered a footprint in the mud. It “appeared similar to the track of a human foot, and they observed also that the toes of one foot turned backward.”

Many local residents believed the Wild Man was a human survivor of the great 1811-1812 New Madrid Earthquake who had turned feral while living in the woods.

When the dogs finally bayed their prey, the men “beheld a frightful looking creature, of about the average height of man, but of far greater muscular development, standing menacingly in front of the dogs. It had long hair flowing from its head, reaching to it [sic] knees; its entire body, also, seemed to be covered with hair of two to three inches in length, which was of a dark brown color. From its upper jaw projected two very large tusks, several inches long.”

The Wild Man ran towards the Mississippi River when the men advanced, but the dogs once again bayed him at the river bank. When the dogs attacked, “it reached forward and grabbed one of them, . . pressed it against its tusks, pierced it through and killed it instantly.” The hunters fired several shots and the creature jumped into the river and remained submerged for several minutes.

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Suddenly, it surfaced “uttering shrieks which almost petrified the pursuers with terror. No similar sound had ever come to the ears of the men, who were all familiar with the howl of the wolf, the whine of the panther and the hoarse bellowing of the alligator. After sinking and rising several times, it swam to the Louisiana shore and disappeared.” Some time later, other Wild Men were reported near Vicksburg and Meadeville.

What is interesting about the Mississippi Wild Man is that the people believed it to be an unknown creature, not a feral human, and did not ridicule the witnesses. The newspaper even suggested that the area around Meadeville was suitable for such animals. “Throughout Franklin county there are retreats especially adapted to the accommodation of wild beasts, [such] as the high barren hills, ravines, and the dense vine-matted swamp of the Homochitto river.”

Dr. Terry L. Jones is professor emeritus of history at the University of Louisiana at Monroe who has received numerous awards for his books and outdoor articles.