The Hex Hollow House

Posted: 03.30.2021 | Updated: 07.24.2025

When people hear “witchcraft” and “the Northeast,” they often think of the Salem Witch Trials, which took place way back in 1692. Yet, witches didn’t disappear after the 17th century. In some communities, spells, potions, and charms were regularly used into the 1920s and 1930s. 

One could call upon a witch for all kinds of reasons, from a cow not producing milk to a stubborn cold. The people who wielded this mysterious magic were well-respected and important members of the community. So, when one of these admired witches was killed in cold blood, it sent shockwaves around the entire state. 

Witchcraft has cultural roots throughout Pennsylvania, including in the city of Philadelphia. To this day, Philly has a strong otherworldly presence, with spirits and phantoms haunting all corners of the city. To see the most bewitched locations in the city for yourself, book a ghost tour with Philly Ghosts tonight. 

What is the Hex Hollow House case?

The case of the Hex Hollow House focuses on the brutal death of Nelson Rehmeyer, a local witch, in rural York County, Pennsylvania. While it’s a cut-and-dry case as to who killed Rehmeyer, the details of the murder and subsequent house fire are sure to send tingles up your spine. 

The Men Who Killed Nelson Rehmeyer

Shortly after Rehmeyer’s death, police identified the three people responsible for the killing:

• John Blymire (age 33)
• John Curry (age 14) 
• Wilbert Hess (age 18)

So why did these three kill the defenseless Rehmeyer? It all comes down to a hex. 

The Role of Witchcraft in Rural Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania hex magic was developed in the early days of the German settlers (often called the Pennsylvania Dutch). By the 19th century, this type of folk magic had grown into its own identity, meshing elements of the Old World with the New World. This meant that while many Pennsylvania Dutch were Christian, they still incorporated elements of mysticism into their daily customs and routines. 

This hex magic started to be known as “powwowing.” (Note that this shares no connection with the Indigenous People’s practice of a “powwow.”) Witches became known as powwowers and were hired to protect people from evil spirits, remove curses, and fix ailments. 

While anyone could become a powwower, specific families seemed to pass down the gift of the magic, so they were often the most revered witches. While powwowers generally got along with each other, one was the clear instigator of the violence that would befall Nelson Rehmeyer.

John Blymire: The Murderer

Most gangs have a ringleader, and this one was definitely John Blymire. Blymire had always been plagued by poor health, from constant headaches to illnesses. 

While things seemed to be looking up when he became a father, the happiness was short-lived. Blymire’s first child, a son, died at five weeks old. His next child, a daughter, died within three days of her birth. After the deaths of their children, Blymire’s wife divorced him, and his health only deteriorated further. 

Blymire was convinced something otherworldly must be at play. So, he visited Nellie Noll, a 90-year-old witch. 

Nellie Noll’s Vision

After explaining his hardships to Noll, Blymire waited anxiously to hear her recommendations for fixing his situation. She asked him to come back for additional sessions. After their sixth time meeting, Noll had a breakthrough. 

She claimed that Blymire had been cursed with a hex, which was the cause of all his poor health, heartache, and bad luck. When Blymire asked who had put such a curse on him, Noll named Nelson Rehmeyer, another witch in the area. 

At first, Blymire refused to believe this. He knew Rehmeyer quite well. He’d even gone to Rehmeyer for help with an affliction as a child, and he had worked for Rehmeyer, digging potatoes for him here and there. 

To convince Blymire that Rehmeyer was the one responsible for his misfortunes, she asked him to pull out a dollar bill and stare at it. As Blymire looked at the face on the bill, it slowly morphed into the face of Rehmeyer before his own eyes. 

Blymire dropped the bill in shock, then asked Noll what he should do. She said that the only way to rid himself of the curse was to steal Rehmeyer’s spellbook, obtain a lock of his hair, and bury them both, between six and eight feet in the ground. 

The Night of the Crime

Blymire took Noll at her word and decided he was going to do whatever he needed to for this hex to go away. He befriended two teens, John Curry and Wilbert Hess,

who (for unknown reasons) agreed to help the 33-year-old man attack the witch. 

The three drove to Rehmeyer’s house on the night of November 27, 1928. They approached the two-story home with sticks and 25 feet of rope. Before Rehmeyer knew what was happening, the three men overpowered the 60-year-old and demanded he hand over his spellbook. Rehmeyer refused and fought back. 

In the altercation, Blymire choked Rehmeyer while Curry knocked him over the head with a block of wood. Within moments, Rehmeyer was dead.

The motley crew began searching the house for the spellbook. After turning it upside down, they still couldn’t locate the book. So, they decided to burn the wooden house down, figuring it would also burn up Rehmeyer’s body and any evidence of their crime. 

They poured kerosene over Rehmeyer’s lifeless body, then dropped a flame. Outside, they assumed the blaze would quickly spread, so they got back in their car and drove away from the scene of the crime. 

The Aftermath

While you would think that copious amounts of kerosene would lead to a roaring fire, this didn’t happen. In fact, Rehmeyer’s body didn’t even fully burn. Despite the fuel, the wooden house just smoldered a bit, and then the fire went out. Many believe that Rehmeyer’s house must have been protected by a spell that kept it from fully erupting into flames.

Neighbors didn’t even notice anything until the next morning, when they saw that the animals hadn’t been fed. Only then did they discover Rehmeyer’s body in a hole in the kitchen floor. It didn’t take long for police to connect the crime to the three men. At trial, Blymire quickly turned against his accomplices, claiming that Curry delivered the fatal blow when he hit Rehmeyer over the head. 

All three were found guilty. However, this is where records get a little murky. It seems the men did serve some time, but were later released. 

The Hex Hollow House Today

Today, Rehmeyer’s house is still standing and looks remarkably similar to how it did in 1928. This is due to Rehmeyer’s great-grandson, Ricky Ebaugh, restoring the home to look exactly as it did in 1928.

Today, many believe that Rehmeyer’s ghost haunts his old home. Hopefully, he finds pride in his family’s diligence in keeping his memory alive.

Haunted Philadelphia

From York County to the City of Brotherly Love, Pennsylvania has all kinds of unearthly phantoms and spirits haunting its grounds. If you want to learn about some of the spookiest stories in all of Philadelphia—and see the sites for yourself—book a ghost tour with Philly Ghosts. 

To discover other stories involving witches and powwowers, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. To learn more about more Pennsylvania-specific ghost stories, read our blog. 

Sources: 

• https://unchartedlancaster.com/2022/11/23/the-river-witch-curse-of-hex-hollow/
• https://phillyghosts.com/
• https://www.americanhauntingsink.com/hexhouse
• https://housecrazysarah.life/the-house-at-hex-hollow/