Gypsies

gypsies in table rock

eli the gypsy king's money recovered - 1909

Marshal G. M. Scott of Table Rock captured three gypsies here, a man and two women. They were wanted by St. Joe authorities. They had allegedly stolen $100 from Eli George, "the Gypsy King" while in St. Joe. Marshal Scott found the stolen $100 on them. The man also had a $20 gold piece in the toe of each show. The gypsies were tried and fined, although the article does not say for what, nor how they had any money left to pay their fines. The man was fined $100 and each woman $25, plus "all the trimmings." Marshal Scott was given a reward of $50. No mention is made as to whether Eli George, the Gypsy King, got his money back.

Gypsies camped on the purcell farm.

Jennifer Hunt recounted what her grandma told her. her grandma was Ruth McCoy Muscheites. Ruth's grandparents, the Purcells, were early settlers who lived just north of town.

My Grandma Ruth told me that her Grandpa Purcell used to let Gypsies camp on their farm. She remembered being quite afraid of them, but also that they had good skills that made them welcomed in the community.

Her Grandpa saved some repair jobs for them to do on their annual visits.

Obviously the gypsies captured in Table Rock had skills that were a bit different.

Ruth Purcell McCoy Muscheites (1894-1996) and her sister Estella. This photo shared by Purcell descendant Terry Korell, sister of Jennifer Hunt. Photo 1836.

He let the gypsies camp on his grounds: grandpa Purcell, the man behind the stovepipe - circa 1904:

The Purcell family in about 1904. Jennifer Hunt's mother wrote on this picture: “Uncle Jake Yearing, Margaret Engberry, Aunt Jane Yearing, George Purcell, Grandma Purcell, Sissie Engberry, Grandpa Purcell, Aunt Ida Purcell, Bertha Hays, Grandma McCoy, Aunt Stella, Ruth, Uncle Jack behind basket of apples.

stolen by the gypsies!

a family story from gary frank

Gary's mother was Delores Burow Frank (1928-1971). Her parents were Elmo & Neva Burow, who lived in the area of the rural community called Bunker Hill (between Table Rock and Elk Creek). She was the oldest of three -- Delores, Keith, and Shirley, and cousin to many. She is buried in the Table Rock Cemetery. A family story goes back to when she was little, so in the early 1930s:

The family story is that she was stolen by the gypsies. One day when she was little, the family was away from the house shelling corn and she was home alone. The gypsies came. They took the food from the cellar, the money they could find, and they took her. They headed toward Humboldt. They say it cost Grandpa a pig to get her back.

Delores Burow, age 1, shared by Gary & Terry Frank

Teenager Delores Burow, shared by Gary & Terry Frank

feeding the gypsies

Dick McCourtney, oldest grandson of Charlie McCourtney, told this story during a 2016 visit to Table Rock.

Detail of Photo 552, Charlie McCourtney with a daughter Eva, born in 1900.

There used to be gypsies come down every year, camp out west of town where the road curves to Pawnee City. Grandpa would take a wagon to them with 3 to 4 bales of hay, some corn, feed ror the horses. He fed them so they wouldn’t steal stuff from him. When the gypsies were in town, Grandma wouldn’t let me out of her sight; she was afraid they steal children.