My 6th Great
Uncle, Hezekiah "Ki" Mosher was born in Beekman, Dutchess Co., New York
on October 18 1756 and died in Augusta, Ontario, Canada in 1821. He was
the son of Jabez Mosher and Elizabeth Preston, brother to my 5th great
grandfather, Jabez Mosher, Jr. Ki married Rachel Hodges on March 16, 1776
in Cambridge, Washington Co., New York. Ki enlisted for a 3 year term
in the Revolution May 1, 1776 and again on May 1, 1777 but deserted the
next day. After difficulties with the NY Commission for Detecting Conspiracies
in 1778, he migrated to Augusta and made his home there.
The folks
in Augusta believed Uncle Ki was in league with the devil, as he seemed
to acquire money with no apparent visible means of employment. Uncle Ki
lived on a homestead near old Merwin Lane road and one of his favorite
places was the rocky ridge about 600 yards south of his homestead. Ki
had the habit of tapping the rock while sitting on it, presumably to while
away the time and enjoy the lovely surroundings. Most folks shied away
from the place, which they firmly believed was haunted and called "Spook
Hill", while others could not resist the temptation of their own curiosity.
It seems
that some local fellow, no doubt intoxicated at the time and thus prone
to visions, saw Ki on the rock one night tapping away, and a horridly
fiendish hand appeared to come up out of the ground directly behind the
rock. This awful hand appeared to give Uncle Ki some money after which,
amidst a sulfuric mist, it silently disappeared; and Ki, after apparently
musing for some time in the dull moonlight, slowly arose from his seat
on the rock and addressing a few words of parting to the scene, went through
the motion of putting something in his pocket, and then made his way slowly
home.

Written
by Lieut. Col. Sterling LeRoy Spicer
Have
you heard the tale of old Spook Hill
Just north of Prescott Town
Where at night the spooks enjoy the chill
And the devil walks up and down.
Yes the devil walks up and down.
Have
you heard how Ki would tap the stones
And money his act would crown,
As it came from fingers like dead men's bones,
As the devil walked up and down?
Yes, the devil walked up and down.
Would
you test the thrill of old Spook Hill
Just north of Prescott Town
Go out some night in the gala moonlight
When the sky is a murky brown
As the devil walks up and down.
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There are hump backed rocks on old Spook Hill
Where serpents crawl around
And the shades of night shroud spirits chill
And one ghost acts the clown
As the devil walks up and down.
Have
you heard how demons loiter there
Not far from Prescott Town
Where Ki would tap and the spooks would rap
As the devil walked up and down?
Yes, the devil walked up and down.
Have
you never visited old Spook Hill
Where every bush is a lair
For a fiendish ghost as a listening post
And the sounds would raise your hair
As the devil keeps lurking there.
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Would
you lose your cheer and sense the fear
Of old Spook Hill's reknown
You must see the sneer and feel the leer
Of the ghost who acts the clown
As the devil tramps up and down.
The
air is chill on old Spook Hill
When clouds like demons frown
Though you hear the trill of the whip-poor-will
Low ghostly moans still sound
As the devil walks up and down.
There
are creepy tales of old Spook Hill
Just north of Prescott Town
They would raise goose skin on a porpoise fin
For the devil walks up and down,
Yes the devil walks up and down.
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Those
are eerie spots on old Spook Hill
Of Pioneer days reknown
Where the cold dank air stands deadly still
And the rocks turn upside down
As the devil lurks around.
If
you visit the shades of old Spook Hill
Just north of Prescott Town
You may meet with Ki and wonder why
As you see this haunted mount
The devil walks up and down
Why the devil walks up and down.
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I'd be happy to
exchange family information.
Please send e-mail to Sam Behling.
See
lineage of Mosher Family
Read the biography
of John Mosher, the earliest known ancestor
of this line
Read the biography of John's
son, Nicholas Mosher
Read the biography of John's
grandson, Hugh Mosher
Read the biography of John's
great grandson, Nicholas Mosher
Read the biography of John's
great, great grandson, Nicholas Mosher
Read the biography of John's
3rd great grandson, Jabez Mosher
Read the biography of John's
4th great grandson, Jabez Mosher
Read the biography of John's
5th great grandson, David Mosher
Read the biography of John's
6th great grandson, Martin Mosher
Read the funny story of
The Mosher Millions
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