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Centre Daily Times February 8 2005
Love takes tragic turn
"The love story of Rebecca Valentine and Evan Pugh is one for the books -- and not just the history books. Their story takes its place with the classic tales of true love, such as those of Romeo and Juliet or Tristan and Isolde.
One of the defining characteristics of romantic love, according to mythologist Joseph Campbell, is the meeting of the eyes -- what we call love at first sight.
Several sources confirm that on the day they met at Willowbank, the name of the Valentine home at the end of Potter Street, Rebecca and Evan fell instantly in love. Rebecca, petite and animated, found her counterpart in the scholarly and generous Evan.
Evan Pugh, born in Chester County on Feb. 29, 1828, of Welsh Quaker parents, earned a degree in agricultural chemistry before being selected to head the Farmers' High School, now Penn State. Rebecca Valentine, born on Feb. 12, 1832, was the daughter of Abram Valentine, one of the early ironmasters of Bellefonte. They were married at Willowbank on Thursday, Feb. 4, 1864.
Another marker of romantic love, the death of one or both of the lovers, was fulfilled less than three months later. Weakened from injuries suffered in a buggy accident, Evan contracted typhoid fever and died on April 29, 1864. Rebecca never remarried.
There are many Valentine homes in Bellefonte, including the one built by Rebecca on West Curtin Street, but there are no more Valentines. They are remembered for the economic development and refinement they contributed to the town. Evan Pugh is remembered for his role in establishing the university.
A wrought-iron fence surrounds the Valentine plot in Union Cemetery. Rebecca's tombstone is inscribed "Rebecca Valentine, wife of Dr. Evan Pugh, 1832-1921." Buried beside her is Evan Pugh, "First President of the Pennsylvania Agricultural College, Fellow of the London Chemical Society."
Incidentally, Jackie Esposito, university archivist with the Special Collections Library at Penn State, has prepared a slide show based on Rebecca Valentine and Evan Pugh that will be presented by the Centre County Historical Society at a later date.
When a group of scientists was asked, "What do you believe is true even though you cannot prove it?" among the replies in the science section of the New York Times last month was one from David Buss, psychologist and author of "The Evolution of Desire." His answer to the question was "true love."
"While love is common, true love is rare," he said, "And I believe that few people are fortunate enough to experience it."
Of those few, Rebecca and Evan must be counted."
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