http://livingriver.eu/?m=201910 John’s file continues with a letter to Mary Hyre, the reporter for the Athens (Ohio) Messenger, who kept him informed on the strange doings in Point Pleasant, WV. The letter is a response to one of hers, dated November 1.
I find it disturbing, mostly because he’s accepted so many of his contactees’ stories (particularly Jaye Paro’s). So please remember: this is early in his career, and he reconsidered later. He also had a premonition that a disaster was coming to Point Pleasant; the Silver Bridge would collapse a few weeks later. I assume he marked that passage afterwards.
ADDENDUM: I should have added a key to some of these people. Here it is! Mabel is Mabel McDaniel, mother of Linda Scarberry, one of the original Mothman witnesses. Mrs. Thomas is Virginia Thomas, who had a Mothman sighting the day before John’s letter (11/2/67). Mrs. Bowen is mentioned in one of Mary Hyre’s letters, as a possible contactee; I don’t know her first name. Mrs. Lilly is probably either Jackie Lilly or Doris Lilly, both of whom reported odd experiences. Gray B. is Gray Barker (see the last installment for his odd “Grunt” letter), and Dan D. is Dan Drasin, a filmmaker who made a few trips to Point Pleasant with John. Mary Hyre mentioned Ralph Manchin in her letter; neither she nor John knew who he was.
A lot of names mentioned in the letter are new to me.I also find it interesting how the religious aspect of these “aliens” keep popping up.I wonder how Mary Hyre felt about all of this.
Comment by Joseph — July 15, 2018 @ 8:58 pm
I find it fascinating to see that JAK really trusted Mary Hyre as much as he did. I mean, there’s a sense of that in the book, no doubt, but this really cements it. He was letting her into his inner sanctum as much as if she were a fellow ufologist.
Joseph, I recognized most of the names in the letter from the book, except Henderson and Ralph Manchin. I know Dan D. is documentary filmmaker Dan Drasin, who was only in his 20s at the time and still is alive.
Comment by J.P. — July 16, 2018 @ 12:24 am
And I think John’s trust in Hyre was well-founded. She certainly was a well-respected reporter who left us much too soon. She had a lot more credibility than a certain Long Islander he was communicating with at that time…
Comment by J.P. — July 16, 2018 @ 2:42 am
Thanks for the reply J.P.
Comment by Joseph — July 16, 2018 @ 8:19 am
Joseph — I added some info about the people John mentions. I hope it’s helpful!
Comment by Doug — July 16, 2018 @ 9:38 am
Thank you Doug!
Comment by Joseph — July 16, 2018 @ 9:15 pm
That letter to Mary is a huge piece of the Mothman puzzle. Fascinating.
Comment by jimmer — July 24, 2018 @ 4:19 pm
Manchin is a relatively frequent name in West Virginia. so he might have been a local interested in UFOs. It’s so sad that Mrs. Hyre died so early. She was a professional and a true friend to John. Maybe the whole mothman investigation and the bridge disaster was too stressful.
Comment by patty — July 24, 2018 @ 5:35 pm