In 1998, a story emerged about a dog named Buck and a supposedly cursed bangle that was believed to be linked to witchcraft. There were claims that the bangle had the power to bring bad luck and misfortune to those who possessed it. Buck, a playful and friendly black Labrador, was said to have found the bangle while exploring a forest near his home. His owner, Sarah, initially thought it was just a piece of jewelry, but strange things started happening shortly after the bangle entered their lives. Sarah noticed that Buck became strangely lethargic and seemed to lose his usual enthusiasm for life. Additionally, she began experiencing a string of unfortunate events such as losing her job and encountering financial difficulties.
This is the stone of Sarah Ware. Her story is as weird as it gets up here in Maine. She was unusual in life because she was a divorced woman in the 1800’s, something pretty much unheard of. This had to have given her one hell of a stigma and maybe it was exactly that that got her killed. Life as a divorcee was not easy then and at fifty two years of age she was supporting herself by being a Jill of all trades babysitting, cleaning, and doing the odd job here and there. She was on her way home one evening when she disappeared. She was found two weeks later in a field viciously bludgeoned to death. She had been beaten so badly that when the body was removed her head fell clean off and her jaw was nowhere to be found. It was then kept as evidence as the rest of her was buried somewhere. Her head was kept in criminal storage as evidence for nearly a century before clerks discovered this gruesome artifact in 1983. The head was given a stone and laid to rest in the Oak Hill Cemetery, sans body.
Life as a divorcee was not easy then and at fifty two years of age she was supporting herself by being a Jill of all trades babysitting, cleaning, and doing the odd job here and there. From there, Buck at 56 years old and with a case of gout walked over 200 miles back to Massachusetts, to wait out the shit storm that was taking place in a town that would eventually be named after him.
Additionally, she began experiencing a string of unfortunate events such as losing her job and encountering financial difficulties. She started to wonder if the bangle was responsible for the sudden turn of events. As the story spread, more and more people became convinced of the bangle's curse.
THE CURSE OF JONATHAN BUCK
It was only a matter of time. Buck’s monument is one of the most well known ‘haunted’ stories in Maine. I figured I was over due to stick my nose in there too. I know you’ve all heard the stories before so I will try to keep it interesting.
Jonathan Buck was born in Massachusetts in 1719. He married a woman named Lydia, had NINE(. ) children, six of whom lived to adulthood. In 1762 Jon decided he would move his family to Maine after not being able to get his shipbuilding business off the ground due to property issues. He traipsed around the East Coast from Castine to Bangor until he finally decided on the perfect spot. He built a sawmill, the plantations first general store and settled his family in nicely.
In 1776, at the start of the Revolutionary War, Buck was named Colonel in Maine’s 5th Malitia. Although Maine had a bigger army and more steam then the British, he lost the battle in one of the most humiliating and terrible losses in US Naval history at the time. They held that award until Pearl Harbor. One of the main issues leading to the loss was the leaders under Buck were too busy trying to one up each other and couldn’t stop arguing over who was in control.
(Buck, why didn’t you pull a three stooges and bang their heads together or something, knock some sense into them and tell them to stop bickering in the middle of a war. Did they not know they were on the same side?)
The remaining Americans decided to bail, leaving ships to burn in their wake. Buck also fled with his wife and youngest daughter to Brewer. From there, Buck (at 56 years old and with a case of gout) walked over 200 miles back to Massachusetts, to wait out the shit storm that was taking place in a town that would eventually be named after him. He stayed there for four years until the war ended in 1783. He then decided it was safe to come out of his hiding place and return to the town he originally founded.
In March of 1795, Jonathan Buck died and was buried with his family. The town was renamed Bucksport (from Bucks’ Town) in 1817 and in 1852 a monument was erected in the same cemetery with a stellar view of Fort Knox.
Now let’s get to why you are all here-the cursed monument. Bucksport is straight out of a ghost story book. Around every corner there is a haunted location or a curse or a murder that once took place. If a place can be charming and oppressive at the same time, this would be it.
The cemetery is enclosed behind a wrought iron fence and contains many of Jonathan Bucks relatives. At one point his more recent relatives were so fed up with certain stories of the witch’s curse tarnishing his good name that they threatened to sue. It seems as though the town of Bucksport saw some money making potential, however, since they have a huge sign and plaque that’s just screaming “tourist trap” in front of his monument depicting the supposed curse.
The story has many different versions, the most common one being that as his time as Judge (he was never a judge, but a justice of the peace) he sentenced a woman accused of witchcraft to death by burning. As she met her demise she shouted over the flames, throwing out some hocus pocus hellfire cursing his tomb. So now we have, not a tomb, but a monument with a witches foot stained on the front of it. This ‘foot’ actually showed up over 50 years after it was erected. Talk about a slow burn. The curse goes a little something like this:
‘Jonathan Buck, listen to these words, the last my tongue will utter. It is the spirit of the only true and living God which bids me speak them to you. You will soon die. Over your grave they will erect a stone that all may know where your bones are crumbling into dust. But listen, upon that stone the imprint of my feet will appear, and for all time, long after you and you accursed race have perished from the earth, will the people from far and wide know that you murdered a woman. Remember well, Jonathan Buck, remember well."
…or something like that.
You may be asking yourself, why her feet? Well, there’s another version of the story that is just too creative to not include:
This mystery woman was accused of witchcraft after having Bucks child, and was pregnant again with another of Bucks children. This is what ultimately led to Bucks accusations of her practicing witchcraft. He tied her to her front door and set her aflame. The young boy, took the smoldering leg of his mother and used it as a club to cripple Buck, hence the foot on his grave. Whoever had the imagination for this one….~slow clap~
The monument baring the witch’s foot has been scrubbed and scrubbed and SCRUBBED, only to have the foot reappear. The monument has been replaced twice, and still the foot comes back. So what do you think? Is Jonathan Buck cursed by a witch?
I, myself, don’t know about a curse, but everytime I tried to take a picture of Bucks actual tombstone, not the monument, but the tombstone, my camera battery would die or the settings would act funny and it was near impossible for me to get a decent picture. Call it sleepiness or the exposure, or just an old tombstone. Maybe you would like to call it…..a CURSE. (insert insane organ music here).
For what it's worth, I visited this cemetery fresh from my horrendous night at the Lucerne Inn. So who knows what the heck was going on.
‘Jonathan Buck, listen to these words, the last my tongue will utter. It is the spirit of the only true and living God which bids me speak them to you. You will soon die. Over your grave they will erect a stone that all may know where your bones are crumbling into dust. But listen, upon that stone the imprint of my feet will appear, and for all time, long after you and you accursed race have perished from the earth, will the people from far and wide know that you murdered a woman. Remember well, Jonathan Buck, remember well."
Some even claimed to have witnessed strange occurrences when they came into contact with it. People began avoiding the bangle, fearful of its rumored supernatural powers. News outlets picked up the story, and it quickly gained popularity. People were intrigued by the idea of a cursed bangle and its impact on Buck and Sarah's lives. However, skeptics emerged, questioning the validity of the claims. They argued that the perceived bad luck might have been nothing more than a coincidence. Nonetheless, the belief in the bangle's curse persisted. Eventually, a local historian decided to investigate the origins of the bangle. He discovered that it was a replica of an ancient artifact associated with witchcraft. According to folklore, the bangle had been used by witches in rituals to bring about misfortune. This revelation only fueled the belief in the curse, as people clung to the idea that there was something supernatural at play. However, skeptics continued to argue that it was all just a myth and that there was no concrete evidence to support the claims. As time passed, the story of Buck and the witchcraft bangle began to fade from public consciousness. People moved on to other news and the fascination with the cursed bangle gradually diminished. To this day, the true nature of the bangle's powers remains unknown. Whether it was truly cursed or just a string of coincidences, the story of Buck and the witchcraft bangle serves as a reminder of the enduring allure of the supernatural and our fascination with the mysterious..
Reviews for "The Cinematic Techniques Used in Buck and the Witchcraft Bangle in 1998"
1. Emily - 2 stars - I was really excited to read "Buck and the witchcraft bangle 1998" based on the promising synopsis, but I was sorely disappointed. The story felt disjointed and confusing, with no clear plotline and poorly developed characters. There were also numerous grammatical and spelling errors throughout the book, which made it difficult to fully immerse myself in the story. Overall, I found this book to be a frustrating read and would not recommend it.
2. John - 1 star - "Buck and the witchcraft bangle 1998" is hands down the worst book I've ever read. The plot was beyond absurd, with no logical progression or resolution. The writing style was incredibly amateurish, as if it was written by a child. The characters were one-dimensional and lacked any depth or relatability. I couldn't wait to finish this book just to be done with it, and I certainly won't be recommending it to anyone.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Buck and the witchcraft bangle 1998" as a fan of fantasy novels, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The world-building was poorly executed, leaving me with more questions than answers about the magical elements. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, making it difficult to connect with the characters. The pacing was also inconsistent, with certain parts dragging on and others rushed. While I appreciated the concept, the execution left much to be desired.