History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania . the transfers immediately preceding Boyds purchasein IS26. Waher Brady, sheriff of Northumberland county, 1815-18, sub-secjuently became embarrassed tinancially, and the ttpper part of the Clarktract, of which he was then the owner, was attached upon an execution in-volving eighty-three doUars fifty cents, entered in favor of Michael was several times offered at sheriffs sale and at length foitnd a purchaser,August 19, 1824, in Jesse Major, a gentleman of uncertain occupation,variously accredited as a burglar, cotinterfeiter, and horse
History of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania . the transfers immediately preceding Boyds purchasein IS26. Waher Brady, sheriff of Northumberland county, 1815-18, sub-secjuently became embarrassed tinancially, and the ttpper part of the Clarktract, of which he was then the owner, was attached upon an execution in-volving eighty-three doUars fifty cents, entered in favor of Michael was several times offered at sheriffs sale and at length foitnd a purchaser,August 19, 1824, in Jesse Major, a gentleman of uncertain occupation,variously accredited as a burglar, cotinterfeiter, and horse thief. Traditionasserts that he had been but recently released from jail, and happened tobe passing by at the time of the sale; no one seemed disposed to bid onthe property, and, having made an offer of twelve dollars, he was forth-with declared to be the purchaser. To the surprise of every one presenthe produced the money in gold; but to a person unaccustomed to the acqui-sition of property by honorable means its possession was more of an in-. SHAMOKIN. 597 cubus than a pleasure, and after making several visits to his purchase he nextendeavored to sell it. About this time Mr. Major evinced a strong desireto own a horse—an aspiration not foreign to his nature, but which, proba-bly for the first time in his life, he was prepared to gratify accorthng tothe ordinaiy methods of purchase. As Dr. J. J. John aptly exi)resses it, heoffered his kingdom for a horse. Having foimd several specimens ofcoal in the creek, between Clay and Webster streets, he induced a black-smith at Paxinos to give them a trial; they were accordingly placed on thecharcoal fire, but had no sooner become hot than fragments exploded ineveiy direction, and the new fuel was pronounced a failure. Undismayedby this, he continued to exhibit his mineral samples in the course of hisperegrinations over the country, and, while his efforts as a real estate agentwere doubtless persevering, and did more to attract public
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