The Story ( Read the Poem )

Fact or fiction? Well, in this case, we may just have to settle for pure, unadulterated legend. The story of Thomas Veale, while numerous in its variations, is based on certain historical truths (names, places … earthquakes!) that seem to be held by most historians and documents. The result has been a relatively consistent retelling of the story’s basics over the years. But after the basics, who’s to say what’s an embellishment and what’s not? What was concocted at the local tavern 150 years ago, and what is an actual factual detail? Not I.

Then again, if we knew absolutely everything about Veale’s story, it wouldn’t be what it is today—one of the most provocative legends in Massachusetts history.

In “Thomas Veale (The Legend of Dungeon Rock),” I’ve taken the most fascinating and reliable parts of this spiraling tale and condensed them into 67 lines of poetry. Some parts receive much attention, others merely a glossing. Take, for example, Hiram and Edwin Marble—the father and son who devoted decades, and ultimately their lives, to digging for Veale’s treasure in the 1800s. Despite a prominent role in the legend, they’re recognized only in a veiled reference (“’Spite the picks and powders of many a grifter, who, frustrated o’er the years they enlisted, swear the sea rover never existed…”) toward the poem’s end. In order to keep the poem taut, I chose to focus on Veale’s fantastic tale only.

The poem chronicles Veale’s adventures beginning with his earliest days as a criminal—lifting pewter from a sea captain’s Salem home. It then follows Veale, the pirate, to the high seas, down the Saugus River, and into Lynn Woods, where he and three of his crew took refuge from the British. The only one of the group to avoid capture, Veale retreated deeper into the woods with his treasure, holing up inside a “mountain of ore,” now known as Dungeon Rock. There he stayed, guarding his loot and, of all things, plying his trade as a shoemaker. The end came for Veale when a massive earthquake shook the region, trapping him and his fortune inside … for good.

Ah, but it doesn’t quite end there. Over the years, locals who visit the cave at night have reported hearing a persistent tapping coming from inside. The ghost of Thomas Veale still cobbling shoes? Perhaps. Or could it be the ghost of the Marbles still slaving away with their picks?

There may only be one way to find out for sure …

– John Cacciatore

For more information about Dungeon Rock and the real-life Thomas Veale, visit the following websites:

The Massachusetts Area Ghost Investigators Coalition
Friends of Lynn Woods
New York Times article