KNOX – A gang of thieves will be remembered and celebrated again as part of a week-long tradition in Knox.
The annual Horsethief Days festival will kick off Saturday morning and will celebrate the famous horse thief, Sebastian Boston “Boss” Buck.
Boss led the gang of thieves and counterfeiters in the 1850s. He was born in Centre County and is now considered the most famous horse thief in the history of the United States.
According to information from the Horsethief committee, Boss and his band of thieves would steal horses from the North and take them South to be resold.
His reach extended as far north as Maine and as far south as Kentucky.
Although he has an extended area from which he and his gang would steal horses, Clarion County near the Clarion River was his headquarters.
Several deceiving tricks were done to disguise the stolen horses.
The horses’ manes would be cut, their skin painted or their shoes would be turned so it appeared the horse were walking the opposite direction.
The Horsethief committee also shared the information that Boss would also sand the shoulders of young horses to give the appearance that the horse had worn a harness and worked many years in a field.
The thief had a reputation of having a good conscious. He never stole horses from the poor, or from a family that used the horse as a means of income.
Horse stealing was not the only activity that kept Boss busy, he was also a well known counterfeiter.
Boss continued to steal and sell horses until he was finally arrested in 1872 for counterfeiting. Before his arrest Boss stole horses from local residents in both Clarion and Forest counties.
Knox has been celebrating the history of Boss for 55 years. The community has claimed the title of “horsethief capital of the world.”
“We’ve got a lot of different events and there really is something for everyone,” Knox mayor Frank Agnello said Tuesday.
Sunday will feature the long-standing tradition of the community picnic.
“To the best of my knowledge, this is the only thing that has been held all 55 years,” Horsethief committee president Ron Best said.
One of the biggest events of Horsethief Days, the tractor races, will be held Wednesday, Aug. 17, beginning at 6 p.m. on Main Street.
“People will be lined up five or six deep to watch the races,” said Tiki Kahle, the head of the tractor races committee.
Kahle believes the races will bring more than 2,000 people to Main Street.
The festival will wrap-up Saturday, Aug. 20, with a day packed with events including a Jeep Invasion car show, the fireman’s parade, vendor and craft sales, a car cruise, a children’s parade and fireworks.
Some events will be held daily including food vendors, bounce house, basketball toss and backyard obstacle challenge. There will also be live music nightly.
Many things have changed about Horsethief Days, but Best said one thing will remain the same and that is the low cost to those who come to the festival.
“We keep the costs as minimal as possible … all the events are free and games and ride prices are low,” Best said. “I want all kids to have memories of Horsethief,” he added.
“It gets bigger and bigger every year, and that makes me proud,” Agnello said.