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HISTORIC SCYTHE TREE FARM, NEAR GENEVA, N. Y.
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R-86551
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HISTORY OF THE SCYTHE TREE.
On the farm now owned by C. L. Schaffer, two miles west
of Waterloo and four miles east of Geneva on the traction line,
stands the historic Balm of Gillead tree, a living monument
to Wyman J. Johnson, who in October 1861 coming from the
field hung the scythe he had been using, in this tree then about
eight inches in diameter, saying to his mother: "Let it hang
there until I return. "
He enlisted in Company G. 85th New York Regiment at
Elmira, October 29, 1861; called into service, November 15, 1861,
and after serving in fifteen engagements was wounded at New
Berne, N. C., April 20. 1864, and died at Raleigh hospital, May
22, 1864, having been promoted to Fourth Sergeant.
This living monument, after fifty-seven years, now waves
its mammoth branches to a height of 100 feet and has a spread
of over 100 feet, and the trunk measures more than fifteen feet
in circumference, with only six inches of the scythe now pro-
truding and pointing toward his unmarked Southern grave.
The women of Tyler J. Snyder Relief Corps, No. 78,
Waterloo, N. Y., now keep the Stars and Stripes continually
floating over the scythe.
MARK
SATE
and Island Possessions
Cuba, Canada and
For Foreign.
