English Jack, Hermit of Crawford Notch – English Jack, known as the "Hermit of Crawford Notch”, died on April 24, 1912. Born in the 1820s in London, and believed to have been orphaned at age 12, his real name was John Vials. He spent years working on ships (England) but ended up coming to Crawford Notch, New Hampshire, to help build the Portland & Ogdensburg Railroad. The railroad through the notch was completed in 1875 to Fabyans, but he stayed in the area.
![Crawford House c. 1906 in the New Hampshire White Mountains by the Detroit Publishing Company. Courtesy Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, Detroit Publishing Company Collection,[LC-DIG-det-4a13669].](https://www.scenicnh.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/english_jack_view.jpg?x80547 "Crawford House, New Hampshire")
English Jack built and lived in a shack (ramshackle home seems to be the preferred term) he called the "ship"; it was located along the Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad near the "Gate of the Notch" (below). And there was a path from the railroad to his shack. He was known to the locals and tourists, and rumors of homemade beer and of him eating frogs for entertainment purposes made him a popular attraction.
In 1891, James E. Mitchell wrote about English Jack, The story of Jack: the hermit of the White Mountains. The book is a fascinating read about the life of English Jack. Like many of the early settlers of Crawford Notch, he had an interesting life. And history buffs will enjoy this colorful story of an old sailor.
It has been over one hundred years since English Jack passed on. But the experienced explorer can still find remnants of what is believed to be his shack. And you can visit his headstone at the Straw Road Cemetery in Twin Mountain. You can also read his obituary in the New York Times here.
English Jack is one of the more interesting characters of the White Mountains.
Happy image making..
View more images of the old Portland and Ogdensburg Railroad here.
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Bibliography:
Mitchell, James E. English Jack, The story of Jack: The Hermit of the White Mountains. Boston, MA: Blair Printing, 1891.
Owner of ScenicNH Photography LLC
Erin Paul is a professional photographer, writer, and author who specializes in environmental conservation and historic preservation photography mainly in the New Hampshire White Mountains. His work is published worldwide, and publication credits include: Appalachian Mountain Club, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, Backpacker Magazine, and The Wilderness Society.
ScenicNH Photography LLC
Specializing in environmental conservation and historic preservation photography mainly in the White Mountains region of New Hampshire, Erin Paul’s photography and writing focuses on the history of the White Mountains, and telling the story of abandoned places and forgotten historical sites.