1790: Carlisle, Schoharie County, New York UFO Sighting

THINK ABOUTIT UFO SIGHTING REPORT

Date: June 30, 1790

Sighting Time: around 9

Day/Night: night

Location:  Carlisle, Schoharie County, New York

Urban or Rural: -Rural

Hynek Classification: NL (Nocturnal Light) Point or extended luminous source observed at night.

Duration:

No. of Object(s): 1

Height & Speed: 65 feet above the ground

Size of Object(s): 300 yards long

Distance to Object(s): 250 yards from him

Shape of Object(s): serpentine 

Color of Object(s): light

Number of Witnesses: 1

Source:

Summary/Description: During a clear summer night in 1790, a settler in Schoharie County, New York saw a bright shining light in the northern sky. He was playing his fiddle while sitting on the porch. At around 9 in the evening, he noticed a bright shining light in the north sky with a great roar. He described that it grew intensely until it became brighter than the noonday sun. The resident explained that the brightness of the light would allow him to pick up pins anywhere around him.

The German colonist stated he observed what looked like a meteor passing west at around 250 yards from him and approximately 65 feet above the ground. He said that the light maintained low altitude on the other side of the hollow. The object moved above the countryside and rose above tall trees with the speed of galloping horse. When the object reached the Owelus Sowless hill (as what Indians called it), it elevated and flew over the hill. The settler stated that this was the time he lost sight of the mysterious object.

He described it as around 300 yards long with snake-like shape, except that the supposed head looked like the root of a tree plucked up by force. He further said that the shape had no neck, and its thickness was like a young bull and tapered off similar to a serpent. He said that it closely resembled a welding hot iron and sparked similar to it.

He noted the intense heat warmed his house, and it left a stench resembled a burning star or sulfur, which lingered for another day.

The witness was part of the first German settlement in the area. He swore out his statement on August 23, 1823 in the town of Carlisle. The story can be found in The Historical and Philosophical Society of the State of New York records.

Excerpt from ” BRIEF SKETCH OF THE FIRST SETTLEMENT OF THE COUNTY OF SCHOHARIE (NY) BY THE GERMANS”

Being an Answer to a Circular Letter, Addressed to the Author, by “The Historical and Philosophical Society of the State of New York”

By JOHN M. BROWN SCHOHARIE PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR BY L. CUTHBERT 1823

The meteor About the year 1790, on a clear summer evening, I was sitting on the stoop playing the fiddle. About 9 o’clock in the evening a shine of light appeared and increased until it overshone even the light of the meridian sun in some clear day, and enlightened my stoop in such a manner, that I might have picked up a pin in every corner. Then I heard a great roaring coming direct from the North, I started up and looked out from the stoop, and behold! I saw a fiery meteor, or as the Germans call it a “mine droke,” a dragon coming on and passing by at the distance of about 250 yards West of me, a distance of about 60 or 70 feet above the cleared ground.

It kept along down through the hollow, on the other side of the hollow it met with the rising of the hill covered with woods and tall trees, there it took a sudden rise and went just over the tall trees so as not to touch them, and on over a kind of flat or level ground, until it met with the foot of the noted hill, by the Indians called “Owelus Sowless,” then it ascended higher, ascending as the ground rose, and went over the hill where I could not watch it farther. I had had a view of it about a mile and a quarter. It moved about as fast as a common horse in a horse race.

The meteor as I shall now call it, was about 300 yards long in a serpentine shape, excepting the head which resembled the root of a tree plucked up by force. It had no appearance of a neck, the body was thick as a bullock, tapering off like a serpent at the end of the tail. The appearance was similar to welding hot iron and sparkling like it. The immense heat warmed through my whole house, and left a stench like burning tar and sulphur, which was smelled all the next day. Traditions, superstitions and fabulous stories are often told of meteors, apparitions and ghosts, wherein I place but small confidence for want of confirmation, but for the above, mine own eyes, and sound mind and body bear witness of the truth I have here related. As witness my hand.Carlisle, August 23, 1823. ((name deleted))