The "Wild Man"

[Dr. Doogie]

Shortly after Anna’s disappearance, Joe Ford and Annasbro visited every house on Purissima Creek Road to see if anyone had seen anything that may be of help in the search. Everyone was as helpful as they could be, until the visited a ramshackle residence at the corner of PC Road and Verde Road. There, they were met by a man wielding a hatchet and was told to leave the property immediately. Evidently, the man moved out shortly afterwards.



Prior to Anna’s disappearance, if something bizarre had happened on the road, most people would have at first suspected this man. This overall suspicion, coupled with the violent reaction to visitors, has bothered Joe all of these years and leads him to wonder if this “Wild Man” may have had some involvement in Anna’s case. As far as we know, he was never questioned by authorities.



The following is a bit confusing (and hopefully Joe and Annasbro can clarify the timeline): Joe and Annasbro returned to the shack after the man moved and gathered some items that had been left behind. There was roll of film negatives (nothing suspicious on them) and some mail and paycheck stubs for a Richard Speder. What is confusing are these items were all dated in January and February of 1980, but Joe had indicated that he gathered them shortly after the man vacated the shack. The timeframe does not match up – if the man moved out within weeks of the disappearance and these items were collected shortly after that, they should be dated 1973. Another couple of possibilities are that the man stayed there until 1980, then moved out, or that he left in 1973, then someone else resided there until 1980 when the materials were discovered.



As a result of the time frame confusion, we do not know if the “Wild Man” and Richard Speder are one in the same. One of the pictures on the roll of negatives shows a young man with long hair and a beard, but Joe Ford does not believe that he is the “Wild Man”. The picture may be of Richard Speder (if Speder is not the Wild Man) or it may be of an acquaintance of Speder. One way to nail this question down is to find someone who knew Speder and see if the man in the picture is him – I am working on that angle now.



I have googled and zabaed the name Richard Speder and found some hits, but nothing that immediately jumps out as suspicious (not an RSO, etc.) If anyone wants to take a shot at researching him, be my guest. If you do find anything, please email me first before posting.

[Dr. Doogie]

The paycheck stubs for Richard Speder indicate that he worked part time for an organization located in Montara (about ten miles north of Half Moon Bay) named “House of Affirmation”.

The HOA was a live-in treatment facility for defrocked Catholic priests who had been accused pedophilia. The HOA originated in Massachusetts and the Montara branch served all of California. The organization shut down in 1987 due to financial improprieties and lawsuits over molestations. The accusations were that the organization either did not do enough to protect children (releasing supposedly “cured” pedophile priests back into society) or actually helped cover-up molestations by its patients. The founder himself was accused of molestation and fled to Mexico to avoid prosecution. I have not found any record of molestaton accusations concerning the Montara facility.

When I first started looking in to Anna’s case, I found an article in the San Jose Mercury News that mentioned Anna’s name in connection with a Catholic priest named Stephen Keisle who was accused of molestation (he has since been convicted) in the Bay Area. The article specifically linked Keisle to the abduction of Amber Swartz-Garcia from Pinole, CA. His homes in Pinole and Truckee, CA were being searched with “cadaver-sniffing” dogs and ground-penetrating radar for possible burial sites of his victims. No bodies were ever found and he was never charged concerning Swartz-Garcia or any other possible murders. The mention of Anna was in the context of a listing of girls that went missing in the area during the time he lived there. Frighteningly, Keisle specifically mentioned that his preference in victims was “little blond girls”.

There are many gaps in connecting all of this disparate data into a plausible theory. In particular:

1) Is Speder the same as or have connections to the “Wild Man”?

2) Is there any evidence that Speder’s connection to the HOA is anything other than as an employee? Did he maintain any relationships with any of the pedophiles residing there?

3) We know that HOA treated pedophile priests in the area and that Keisle was a pedophile priest in the area – did he have any actually connection to HOA as a patient or to other pedophile priest who were patients?

Needless to say, this is not a development that we hoped to find, but honesty in our search dictates that we must follow the dark leads as well as the positive ones. This is the first possible connection of Anna’s case and pedophilia, so I would ask that everybody be judicious in your postings and questions. I believe that this is worthy of examination, but we also must be careful when discussing this delicate issue. If you have any questions concerning the appropriateness of a post, please email me and I can offer my opinion. Forgive me if I am stating the obvious here, but I would rather say too much up front than try to clean up problems afterward.

[smile22]

Shortly after Anna’s disappearance, Joe Ford and Annasbro visited every house on Purissima Creek Road to see if anyone had seen anything that may be of help in the search. Everyone was as helpful as they could be, until the visited a ramshackle residence at the corner of PC Road and Verde Road. There, they were met by a man wielding a hatchet and was told to leave the property immediately. Evidently, the man moved out shortly afterwards.



Prior to Anna’s disappearance, if something bizarre had happened on the road, most people would have at first suspected this man. This overall suspicion, coupled with the violent reaction to visitors, has bothered Joe all of these years and leads him to wonder if this “Wild Man” may have had some involvement in Anna’s case. As far as we know, he was never questioned by authorities.



The following is a bit confusing (and hopefully Joe and Annasbro can clarify the timeline): Joe and Annasbro returned to the shack after the man moved and gathered some items that had been left behind. There was roll of film negatives (nothing suspicious on them) and some mail and paycheck stubs for a Richard Speder. What is confusing are these items were all dated in January and February of 1980, but Joe had indicated that he gathered them shortly after the man vacated the shack. The timeframe does not match up – if the man moved out within weeks of the disappearance and these items were collected shortly after that, they should be dated 1973. Another couple of possibilities are that the man stayed there until 1980, then moved out, or that he left in 1973, then someone else resided there until 1980 when the materials were discovered.



As a result of the time frame confusion, we do not know if the “Wild Man” and Richard Speder are one in the same. One of the pictures on the roll of negatives shows a young man with long hair and a beard, but Joe Ford does not believe that he is the “Wild Man”. The picture may be of Richard Speder (if Speder is not the Wild Man) or it may be of an acquaintance of Speder. One way to nail this question down is to find someone who knew Speder and see if the man in the picture is him – I am working on that angle now.



I have googled and zabaed the name Richard Speder and found some hits, but nothing that immediately jumps out as suspicious (not an RSO, etc.) If anyone wants to take a shot at researching him, be my guest. If you do find anything, please email me first before posting.


so if annasbro and joe ford took his stuff after he vacated what year was that? was it in the 70s and what was on those papers? and why the date of 1980 did it hold a connection to this man was something suposed to happen in the 80's? if we can find out the year the stuff was found it might shed some light on things but if it was found in the 70s then the date of 1980 is very strange

[Dr. Doogie]

so if annasbro and joe ford took his stuff after he vacated what year was that? was it in the 70s and what was on those papers? and why the date of 1980 did it hold a connection to this man was something suposed to happen in the 80's? if we can find out the year the stuff was found it might shed some light on things but if it was found in the 70s then the date of 1980 is very strange
The items were clearly from Jan/Feb 1980, so they were collected sometime after that. They question is: did the Wild Man move out in 1980 (and the idea that he left a few weeks after Anna disappeared is wrong), or did someone else reside in the shack after the Wild Man left (perhaps Speder, if he is not the WM)?

[Dr. Doogie]

I forgot to mention that this above information was presented to LE and they felt it was too weak and speculative for them to investigate, but they did say it seemed worthy of our looking into it. We would need to fill in the gaps enough to warrant their involvement. My prayer is that we do not find those links, but our ultimate goal needs to remain uncovering the truth of Anna's disappearance.

[julianne]

Hmmm...interesting. I have found some information on the House of Affirmation (you may already have all this, Dr Doogie). I will just post a link instead of copying some of the contents.

http://www.worcestervoice.com/House.htm

[Annasmom]

I forgot to mention that this above information was presented to LE and they felt it was too weak and speculative for them to investigate, but they did say it seemed worthy of our looking into it. We would need to fill in the gaps enough to warrant their involvement. My prayer is that we do not find those links, but our ultimate goal needs to remain uncovering the truth of Anna's disappearance. We may be dealing with nightmares here, or even with two different locations. It seems to me that the location of the "shack" pointed out by Annasbro was near our neighbors, the Scholls, and not near the cemetery on Verde Road. I still have not seen a shack near the cemetery, though I suppose there could be one somewhere in the thicket. But my real question is: If this "wild man" and his shack were supposed to have some significance, why was it never even mentioned to me in 30-something years? I first heard of it from Doogie a couple of years ago. If there are any other scenarios from the nightmare realm, I would rather hear about them than to think meaningful evidence is not being brought to my attention.

[Dr. Doogie]

I spoke with Annasbro last night and he confirmed that the shack in question was located at the corner of Purissima Creek and Verde Roads, next to the Purissima cemetery. He clarified that the "Wild Man" did not "chase" the two of them off the property - it was more a situation of him making it clear that they were not welcome (all the while holding a hatchet in his hand).

He was not able to clarify the seven year gap between when Anna disappeared (1973) and when they searched the shack (1980).

[GraceBlue]

Thank you Doogie for clarifying that he didnt chase Annasbro and Joe off his property.You know its weird but I had a nightmare last night about that "Wild Man" I dont really remember the dream but I woke up really disturbed and asked my husband to hold me. The image of a crazy man with a hatchet in his hand chasing someone just freaked me out. :eek:
I really think this should be looked into even if Richard Speder isnt the "wild man" Are you going to contact Richard Speder Doogie? You said there was mail in the shack, did the post office deliver mail there? If so, is there any way to get records of people who had mail delivered there? Is the shack still there?

[mfmangel1]

I don't mean to make light of Richard Speder; however his name reminds me of "Mr. Richard Feder of Fort Lee, New Jersey" from the Roseanne Roseannadanna skits on SNL (my love to Gilda Radner :blowkiss:).

[Dr. Doogie]

I really think this should be looked into even if Richard Speder isnt the "wild man" Are you going to contact Richard Speder Doogie? You said there was mail in the shack, did the post office deliver mail there? If so, is there any way to get records of people who had mail delivered there? Is the shack still there?
If Speder is not the "Wild Man", then that means he probably moved into the shack after the WM left (after Anna's disappearance) and would not be of any interest to us. I am reluctant to contact Speder at this point until I have a better feel for how he fits in to the whole picture (if he fits in at all).

The mail was addressed to a Post Office Box, so there would be no way to trace who resided at the shack by it.

[mysteriew]

Can we find who owned the property in 1973? As landlord, they should be able to give info on who the tennants were.

AnnasMom, I know hearing this now is probably upsetting. But I am guessing that with the chaos that probably occurred after she disappeared, and the grief that all were going through....most likely this was probably mentioned to LE and when they dismissed it, it was probably forgotten. After all, why upset you more with what was thought to be useless information? After all they had not found anything concrete. Looking back now, with her disappearance still unsolved it stands out more than it would have then.

[julianne]

Dr. Doogie--Do you have the actual address of this home? I'm not asking you to put it here, but I'm just wondering. The actual address of the home can give us a history of homeownership & names since it was first built up until the present. That way we can determine if the wild man was or was not Speder.

[mysteriew]

I am wondering also if the cemetary and the house could possibly be connected....like a caretakers cottage or something.

[Dr. Doogie]

Can we find who owned the property in 1973? As landlord, they should be able to give info on who the tennants were.
The property was owned by Bank of America at the time. It is unknown if the WM was a renter or a squatter. The condition of the shack was such that it may not have been a legitimate rental property.

AnnasMom, I know hearing this now is probably upsetting. But I am guessing that with the chaos that probably occurred after she disappeared, and the grief that all were going through....most likely this was probably mentioned to LE and when they dismissed it, it was probably forgotten. After all, why upset you more with what was thought to be useless information? After all they had not found anything concrete. Looking back now, with her disappearance still unsolved it stands out more than it would have then.
This is plausible. I also think that time has added weight to this possibility in Joe Ford's mind - remember (in the same way that the case was first investigated as a drowning), the focus of the possible abduction probably focused rightly on George Waters and Brody. With prime suspects such as those two, it was easy to ignore an oddball who lived down the street. It is the discovery of his possible affiliation with a treatment center for pedophiles (not known at the time of the disappearance) that elevates the WM's profile.

[mysteriew]

I don't know how to use census records. Is there a way to track who lived there through the census?

Do you know who owned the property before Bank of America? Other than development property banks get their property through forclosures- and it sounds as though this might be a the way they acquired this one. When banks take over a property they sometimes allow the previous owners to stay there until a determination to sell is made.

[julianne]

The property was owned by Bank of America at the time. It is unknown if the WM was a renter or a squatter. The condition of the shack was such that it may not have been a legitimate rental property.


This is plausible. I also think that time has added weight to this possibility in Joe Ford's mind - remember (in the same way that the case was first investigated as a drowning), the focus of the possible abduction probably focused rightly on George Waters and Brody. With prime suspects such as those two, it was easy to ignore an oddball who lived down the street. It is the discovery of his possible affiliation with a treatment center for pedophiles (not known at the time of the disappearance) that elevates the WM's profile.
Thanks, Dr. Doogie. It might still be worth checking out. You can look up San Mateo property records online. I can post a link if you like.

[Dr. Doogie]

I don't know how to use census records. Is there a way to track who lived there through the census?Specific Census records are confidential for 75 years (which is why 1930 is the most current info you can access today). Property deeds on file is the best we can do, and that is how Joe Ford found that B of A owned the property then. If the WM was the previous owner and was forclosed on, this would at least give us a name to work with.

[Dr. Doogie]

Thanks, Dr. Doogie. It might still be worth checking out. You can look up San Mateo property records online. I can post a link if you like.
Please!

[Annasmom]

Can we find who owned the property in 1973? As landlord, they should be able to give info on who the tennants were.

AnnasMom, I know hearing this now is probably upsetting. But I am guessing that with the chaos that probably occurred after she disappeared, and the grief that all were going through....most likely this was probably mentioned to LE and when they dismissed it, it was probably forgotten. After all, why upset you more with what was thought to be useless information? After all they had not found anything concrete. Looking back now, with her disappearance still unsolved it stands out more than it would have then. Thank you, Mysteriew: the voice of sanity. It might be worth noting that the farm where we lived was also being administered by Bank of America, since it was in probate. I don't know if there was a connection.

[SherlockJr]

Please!

http://www.sanmateocountytaxcollector.org/SMCWPS/pages/secureSearch.jsp

[Joe Ford]

The items were clearly from Jan/Feb 1980, so they were collected sometime after that. They question is: did the Wild Man move out in 1980 (and the idea that he left a few weeks after Anna disappeared is wrong), or did someone else reside in the shack after the Wild Man left (perhaps Speder, if he is not the WM)?
DRDOOGIE, I strongly support your discretion in this delicate and sensitive inquiry. It must be remembered that the tenant of the property in 1973 is simply a "person of interest".

In hopes of clarifying the time line:

Annasbro and I questioned the neighbors, including the subject of interest, within three weeks of Anna’s disappearance. Except for the disturbing response from that person there was little to note.

In subsequent years, while continuing our search for Anna in other directions, I often drove the Higgins-Purissima Rd. seeking clues or inspiration. It must have been on one of these occasions in 1980 that I noticed the property in question seemed abandoned. It would have been then that I collected the material that ended up in Annasmom’s file. I cannot recall whether Annasbro was with me at that time.

While the person who lived on the property in 1980 may or may not be the same person who lived there in 1973, it seems to me likely that there would be some connection. As noted previously, BofA was the title holder. Because of the relative remoteness and squalid condition of the property it seems unlikely that the bank would have advertised for tenants. More probable would be a direct connection with the previous tenant.

[Dr. Doogie]

Thanks, Joe. Now it makes sense.

You are correct in your caution. We do not know if the Wild Man has any connection to Anna's disappearance or if the Wild Man is Richard Speder. Because of this, Speder's employment by a treatment facility for pedophiles is (as of now) nothing more than an "interesting" bit of information. We have a few "dots", but will need to connect them together to make a plausible theory. Until that point, Mr. Speder needs to be treated respectfully.

[Dr. Doogie]

I just recalled something that becomes more important within the new context of focusing on the Wild Man and his shack: Anna's school bus driver contacted me after the HMB Review article and stated that she recalled seeing "a couple" of white vehicles parked near the interesection of Purissima Creek and Verde Roads on the day that Anna disappeared. This is exactly where the Wild Man's shack was located. And recall that Craig Barrick saw two men travelling westbound on PC Road (away from the farm) in a white van. Craig then saw Anna playing in the front yard when he arrived, so Anna was not in the van when Craig saw it.

The Timeline of Relevant Events

12:20 pm - Anna arrives home by bus

Approximately 12:25-12:40 pm - School bus driver sees "a couple" of white vehicles parked near the Wild Man's shack

Approximately 1:45-2:05 pm - Craig sees two men heading away from farm in white van

2:10 pm - Craig arrives at farm and sees Anna playing in front yard

2:15-2:20 pm - Anna is discovered gone

Could the white van have been one of the vehicles parked near the shack that the bus driver saw? That would mean that the van travelled east (away from the shack and toward the farm) for some reason, then west when they were seen by Craig. Could this have been a "scouting run" and they immediately returned and abducted Anna?

I am just thinking out loud here - it is primarily speculation. However, it is curious that the bus driver identified some white vehicles parked at this suspicious location four months ago (I know that this location wasn't of interest at the time she mentioned it, and I do not believe that a "white vehicle" was mentioned in the Review's article - there are an awful lot of things matching up independently with this hypothesis.)

[Dr. Doogie]

Here is a map to show the relationship between the farm where Anna disappeared and the Wild Man's shack. The school bus was heading southwest (away from the farm) when the driver saw the vehicles near the shack.

[InterestedNHelping]

Just out of curiosity, where is the cemetery in relation to "The wild man's" house?

[mysteriew]

The paycheck stubs for Richard Speder indicate that he worked part time for an organization located in Montara (about ten miles north of Half Moon Bay) named “House of Affirmation”.


We may have missed the most obvious source of information on Speder. That is a Catholic organization right? What is the closest Catholic church to there? Does anyone have any contacts there? And would they be able to find out if Speder was on the church roll or if the priests know anything about him?
Many times the Catholic org. would give preference to hires of their own religion, esp. in sensitive positions- even if it was for lower level employment.
I don't know how forthcoming the priests would be if they knew why the inquiry was being made.

[rideforfun]

Can we find out if Stephen Keisle is still alive? It sounds like he was at one time in prison. Is he still there? If so, I think we need to talk to him. If he has said he liked little blonde girls maybe he'd be willing to say if he ever had contact with Anna. Depending on his health and prison status he might not have much to loose.

[Dr. Doogie]

A clarification: I spoke again to the bus driver last evening. She said that she saw one white car (not a van) parked on Purissima Creek Road. She recalled it because seeing cars parked on the road was rare. The location was not exactly at the Wild Man's shack, but was west of the farm on PC Road about half way between the farm and the intersection with Verde Rd.

Annasmom mentioned last night that she believes that George Waters owned a white car in 1973.

[Dr. Doogie]

Just out of curiosity, where is the cemetery in relation to "The wild man's" house?It was between the shack and Hwy. 1 (Cabrillo Highway). The property that the shack was on is next door to the cemetery.

[mfmangel1]

A clarification: I spoke again to the bus driver last evening. She said that she saw one white car (not a van) parked on Purissima Creek Road. She recalled it because seeing cars parked on the road was rare. The location was not exactly at the Wild Man's shack, but was west of the farm on PC Road about half way between the farm and the intersection with Verde Rd.

Annasmom mentioned last night that she believes that George Waters owned a white car in 1973.
Was it previously discussed what model car GW had at that time? For some reason I am thinking we discussed a VW or Volvo or I am just not thinking clearly? I am too tired to go searching out threads right now. I will check the threads a bit later. Sorry.

Is there any possibility there was any kind of insignia or writing on the car the bus driver saw?

[Annasbro]

It was a mid sixties, white vw squareback

[MagicRose99]

It was a mid sixties, white vw squareback
In other words... a white car like the bus driver saw?!?!

[Dr. Doogie]

It was a mid sixties, white vw squareback
In talking with Annasmom about this, she confirmed that he had a white VW squareback when the family still lived together. She was not sure what model he had in 1973 (Mazda?), but she knows that it was white also. The bus driver cannot recall what make and model she saw (it is an amazing feat of memory that she remembers as much as she does!).

[Dr. Doogie]

It just dawned on me: when Joe Ford tried to provoke GW and Brody into saying something about Anna (while Joe was listening from the room next door in the hotel), he sent GW a letter saying that someone had seen a white car similar to his in the area around the time Anna disappeared. This was made up, just to get a reaction. Funny thing is... it was also true, it just wasn't known at the time.

[Annasmom]

It just dawned on me: when Joe Ford tried to provoke GW and Brody into saying something about Anna (while Joe was listening from the room next door in the hotel), he sent GW a letter saying that someone had seen a white car similar to his in the area around the time Anna disappeared. This was made up, just to get a reaction. Funny thing is... it was also true, it just wasn't known at the time.
Actually, I don't think it was made up. It was just that lots of similar cars were seen around that time, and nobody saw the driver of the car Joe mentioned. I have in an early report which we took to LE that GW was driving a grey 1970 VW with the license plate ARH..had he traded in the white 60s VW squareback? Joe Ford would know, since he followed GW's car. Also, I thought that keys to a Mazda were among GW's things found at the hotel after his death.

[mfmangel1]

It was a mid sixties, white vw squareback
Happy I had not just imagined the VW! :D

[mfmangel1]

Actually, I don't think it was made up. It was just that lots of similar cars were seen around that time, and nobody saw the driver of the car Joe mentioned. I have in an early report which we took to LE that GW was driving a grey 1970 VW with the license plate ARH..had he traded in the white 60s VW squareback? Joe Ford would know, since he followed GW's car. Also, I thought that keys to a Mazda were among GW's things found at the hotel after his death.
So now we need to know if, when and why he perhaps traded/sold the white VW...Exactly what he was driving at the time of Anna's disappearance...Did he trade cars immediately after Anna's disappearance?

A lot of questions!

I assume the car he was driving at the time of his death was taken by his family.

I also wonder if the Wildman or Richard Speder drove a vehicle regularly and parked it at the shack. Speder had to have a vehicle to go back and forth to work unless someone picked him up and returned him to the shack. What type of vehicle would they have driven?

[Annasmom]

So now we need to know if, when and why he perhaps traded/sold the white VW...Exactly what he was driving at the time of Anna's disappearance...Did he trade cars immediately after Anna's disappearance?

A lot of questions!

I assume the car he was driving at the time of his death was taken by his family.

I also wonder if the Wildman or Richard Speder drove a vehicle regularly and parked it at the shack. Speder had to have a vehicle to go back and forth to work unless someone picked him up and returned him to the shack. What type of vehicle would they have driven?I don't have the answer to these questions, and I don't know if it is possible to get the answers...except that GW's brother probably took care of the car and whatever else (including expenses) was around at the time of George's death. He gave away the clothing and gave the files and personal papers to us.

[mfmangel1]

I don't have the answer to these questions, and I don't know if it is possible to get the answers...except that GW's brother probably took care of the car and whatever else (including expenses) was around at the time of George's death. He gave away the clothing and gave the files and personal papers to us.

Annasmom, I also doubt if it's possible to answer these questions.
I guess I was just thinking out loud or typing "out loud". :( Sorry.

[Annasmom]

Annasmom, I also doubt if it's possible to answer these questions.
I guess I was just thinking out loud or typing "out loud". :( Sorry.
Omigosh, don't apologize! I am so grateful that you're putting your thinking to work on this big mystery.

[iNTERESTEDWOMAN]

Just out of curiosity, where is the cemetery in relation to "The wild man's" house?

I was just reading an interesting article on the Purissima Cemetery. It seems that the Shack is actually an old school house. The cemetery and the school house are the last remains of the small town. Read here:
http://www.sfgenealogy.com/sanmateo/smcempu.htm

We have some property that has an old run down cemetery & an old school house in the middle of the acreage. It has been rumored that our school house, used to attract run-a-ways in it many years ago. (Not important to the case, but interesting)

Also, here is a link of some pictures of the cemetery.
http://purissimacemetery.shutterfly.com/action/

[iNTERESTEDWOMAN]

One other thing. It appears that the woman who wrote the above referenced article did most of her research in 2005, though she collaborated with previous research of the cemetery. I wonder if any of the genealogist mentioned remember anything about someone who would have lived there. Her e-mail is listed. Maybe she's heard stories of the "Wild Man" from others who researched the cemetery before her. What do you think? Yes? No?

[Dr. Doogie]

Sounds like a good idea to me!

[Annasbro]

The school house was still standing when we lived in the canyon. I believed it burned down after we moved away. I dont recall it being suspicious and I think the people that were living there or owned it stayed there in the rebuilt shack or humble house. I remember the structure being non-descript. The original School was a nice building with big south facing windows. We were sad when it burned. It was the last real structure from the original town of Purissima I believe. The town had an interesting history as one of the last stops on the Ocean Shore Railroad that never connected to Santa Crruz, causing the town to decline and eventually go away. Maybe someone could dig up the story in the Half Moon Bay Review from when it burned down.

[iNTERESTEDWOMAN]

So the school house and the shack where 2 seperate buildings? :doh:

[Dr. Doogie]

Among the photos that were found by Joe Ford and annasbro in the abandoned shack was a picture that showed what appears to be part of the shack's entrance. I will hunt down those pictures and post them tonight (hopefully).

[Annasbro]

Joe can verify this but to my knowledge - the shack and the school house are two different structures. There was a humble house built on the foundation of the burned down school house. The shack where the "wild man" lived was across the street and west of the cemetery in the grove of eucalyptus trees. The school house structure was directly north of the cemetery. Here are a couple of images of the layout

169

170

[iNTERESTEDWOMAN]

Wow, Joe Ford is Good, he was way ahead of everyone on this one! Here is the response I received from the cemetery lady:



Hi L.,
I know about Anna Waters because I've been in contact with her step-father (Mr. Ford). He emailed me soon after I transcribed the cemetery and we had a nice long email chat about local history and his step-daughter. Nice guy.
I'm only 36 years old, and I've lived here on the coast for about 4 years, I'm defintely a "newcomer"
around these parts. So aside from the knowledge of the case that I got from Mr. Ford and what I was able to find on the internet, I know nothing of an old man or what might have occurred back in the 1970s (I was just a kid then myself, about Anna's age).
The 1930s listing of graves in the cemetery were done by a woman who today is very likely dead (If you figure she was about 30 when she did the transcribing, she would have been born about 1900, even with a date of birth in the 1910s, she's likely dead today). Her transcription is in the San Mateo County archives, which is how I came into posession of it, so I had no contact at all with her or her descendants. The folks who turned me on to the location of her work also visited the cemetery around 2005. No one else helped me with the transcription.
However, there are many, many old timers here in Half Moon Bay who have lived here their whole lives, and belong to families that have been here for generations. These folks have some serious stories to tell if you give them half a chance. I have run into many of them around town while at the other old cemeteries here and have learned some very interesting things about the history of HMB. I don't know if anyone has tried talking to any of them about this mysterious old man, but I wonder if any of them would know anything. Half Moon Bay is like many other small towns, and I imagine it was more so in the 1970s...
there are folks who know things and they're usually not too hard to find. So that's the only word of assistance I can offer you.
I'm a mother of young ones myself, and Anna's story just breaks my heart for her poor mother and step-father and the others who loved her and don't know what happened to her. I very much wish I had some good information to offer you.
D.

[InterestedNHelping]

While looking at Anna's story, I was also researching my own family history and found that many of my relatives were buried in that cemetery by the 'wild man'. I know many of the old bay area families as they married each other and the lines cross throughout our histories. I have asked some very old relatives (98yrs) that might know something, but no luck so far. My particular line of people had moved to the east bay area from the 1860's on. I am currently looking into finding anyone that may still live in the area, and if I find anyone I will be sure to let you all know. I also know decendants of the line of people who owned the farm where annasmom lived, but I cannot seem to find anyone who is directly related or knows anything at all, none of them that I could find live anywhere near there, they have all moved east, and the history is lost to some of them. I will keep trying, I have good connections, but nothing that comes close enough to the area to do any good at this time.
(ps. I am Anna's age, so I do not know many of the 'old-timers" :-)