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 ...