Dead Soldiers Haunt Martinsburg Lumberyard

Example of WV Saw Mill, ca 1900
Source: WV History on View

Today's vintage ghost story comes from the June 30, 1900 edition of the Martinsburg Herald and, much like with the tale from the Littleton Quarry I posted about earlier this month, involves a work crew being haunted by phantom sounds. But, unlike the Littleton Quarry story, the cause of the ghostly disturbances aren't due to the violent, accidental death of a co-worker. Rather, it is believed the land that the men were clearing for the Bessimer/Bessemer Limestone Company was haunted by the spirits of Civil War era soldiers who were buried in a trench on the property. 

Ghosts in Lumber Camp

The lumbermen who have been encamped in the fields to the north of town, which are being cleared of the timber by the Bessimer Limestone Company for the purpose of making crossties for the new railroad switch to the limestone and iron ore fields, have become so alarmed at the uncanny surroundings and the ghostly noises that they have positively refused to remain at the place after dark.

When Mr. W.C. Leonard, the manager of the business for the company, went to the saw mill at ten o clock Saturday morning he found the half dozen lumbermen sitting around talking with frightened expressions upon their faces. Mr. Leonard was at first somewhat angry at seeing that no work had been done that morning, but when he learned the cause of the cessation of work he could not help but give way to his anger to other feelings.

The truth of the matter is the men were really scared. Among the crowd of lumbermen, is the well known sawyer, James Moran, were too scared to work, so frightened that they could do nothing but sit around and chat and wonder at what had taken place the night before.

It was in the J.V. Kearney field, now owned by Mrs. Brister, where the strange occurrences took place. The company has purchased the timber on it for the purpose of making crossties and lumber for the new buildings they are soon to erect. In the field near the place where the saw mill stands are several trenches in which dead soldiers are buried. This is what gave rise to the uncanny feelings in the breasts of the lumbermen in the camp.

Every night since they have been there they claim they have heard ghostly noises of every description, beginning at ten o'clock and ending at midnight. They said they were with difficulty able to stand it until Friday night, when the climax was reached. That night beginning at about ten o'clock they could hear axes chopping, trees falling, the saw mill going at full speed and the engine door opening and shutting at intervals. They looked outside the tent, but could see nothing, no ghosts nor falling trees nor the saw mill in operation. This noise continued, however.

The lumbermen said it was about all they could stand and they huddled about in the tent and prepared for the worst. Thoughts of the dead soldiers buried at their feet added to the uneasiness of the situation. At midnight the noise ceased and the men managed to hold out until morning. 

At daylight they went to investigate, but they could see no signs of fallen trees or where the mill had been in operation at night. Right there the men decided not to do another stroke of work in that field and it was in that mood they were in when Mr. Leonard found them. He finally prevailed upon them to finish out the few trees that were left and they are now working there during the day and spending the night somewhere else. 

Mr. Leonard and Mr. L.W. Robinson approached the men again about the ghosts and they still cling to their statement that the place is haunted and declare they will not go near it after dark. The men are all good, steady men, but they all told the same story in all seriousness.

Since this has come to light, other people living in that vicinity, who have held back for fear that their listeners would laugh at them, are coming forward and telling what strange things they have heard and the whole neighborhood is becoming alarmed.

Theresa's Note: The above article was posted on Page 2 of the June 30th edition. However, there would be some more information regarding this tale on Page 5. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any further updates as to how the ghost hunt went, which apparently had the potential for being pretty wild if real guns were planned: 

A Ghostly Expedition

Mr. Jas. Moran was in town Thursday morning and repeated the tales about the actions of the spooks at the saw mill north of town. He was confronted and questioned closely by a number of prominent men and he repeated the tales of his experiences many times this morning.

C.H. Sprinkle, the noted spiritualist, living about a mile from the spooks infested woods, called at The Evening World office Thursday morning to get the story of the strange occurrences. He said that the people in that neighborhood were becoming alarmed, but that he was at home with spirits.

Mr. Sprinkle said he would like to stop the young men who were going out on the ghost hunting expedition. He said it was a mistake to call them ghosts as they were the spirits of the departed returned earth. He said he held consultations with them every day and that if the young men went to shooting at them with guns they would disturb them and there would be trouble. The young men are determined to solve the mystery, however, and are going on the expedition prepared for the worst.