Lake Shawnee Swimming Pool Deaths

Lake Shawnee

 Like many locations with the reputation for being haunted, Lake Shawnee is no stranger to death. Mass burials of First Nations people, the Mitchell-Clay Massacre of 1774, multiple drownings on and near the property, and untold traffic fatalities in the vicinity make up a bulk of the deaths, But, there certainly have been others. In trying to find an appropriate way to actually blog about the deaths, both those confirmed and those presumed, I realized I'd have to break it up into multiple entries. 

For this blog, I'll be sharing some of the documentation for three deaths that occurred at the Lake Shawnee swimming pool, between 1930 and 1966. Two children passed away due to eerily similar drowning incidents, and a young gentleman died as a result of a skull fracture while riding on the pool slide. Again, this is by far a comprehensive look at the deaths associated with Lake Shawnee. All blogs dealing with Lake Shawnee here at Theresa's Haunted History will be linked to my original page, Lake Shawnee Amusement Park. 

WAYNE HARMAN:

On Sunday, June 4th, 1961, six-year-old Wayne Harman visited the Lake Shawnee Amusement Park with his family. His mom, Juanita, was in the pool with Wayne and his four other siblings. Although the pool was filled with other swimmers and allegedly had ample lifeguards on duty, at some point young Wayne slipped under the water...and never came back up. No one saw this happen, and it wasn't until later when another swimmer felt the boy's body under the water and alerted the lifeguards. Life-saving measures were taken, but unfortunately, it was too late. Wayne had drowned.

Later that year, Juanita Harman, Wayne's mother, filed a $10,000 lawsuit against Lake Shawnee owner, C.T. Snidow. She alleged that the park was unsafe and negligent in the matter of her son's death. 

The Raleigh Register
06 June 1961

                                     

Beckley Post-Herald
09 December 1961

JOHN TALLEY:

On Sunday, July 3, 1966 12-year-old John Talley was visiting Lake Shawnee with his family, only a day after his twelfth birthday. Assuming he had already left for home, the rest of the family packed up and followed. However, John wasn't there. They returned to Lake Shawnee to find him. Late that evening, his body was finally discovered at the bottom of the pool. He was buried at Roselawn Memorial in Princeton. 

The Charleston Daily Mail
04 July 1966

Death Certificate of John Talley
Source: WV Vital Statistics

KELLEY SOUDER:

On Wednesday, August 6th, 1930 Kelley Souder passed away at a hospital in Princeton, WV. A week earlier, Mr. Souder had been visiting Lake Shawnee Amusement Park and was enjoying the sled ride that slid into the pool. Unfortunately, Mr. Souder was standing on the sled instead of being in a seated position, so when the sled hit a dip in the chute, Mr. Souder lost his footing and fell, striking his head on the side of the chute before reaching the water. When he didn't emerge back out of the pool, his companions came to his aid, rendered aid, and rushed him to the hospital where he underwent an operation to attempt to save his life. He never regained consciousness. 

Bristol Herald-Courier
10 August 1930

Paranormal Activity at Putnam Aging

Putnam Aging
October 2024

In October of 2018, local news station, WCHS-TV ( article and video), ran a story involving potential paranormal activity caught on security camera. Upon arriving to the Putnam Aging offices, located at 2558 Winfield Road between Winfield and St. Albans, staff found the doors to one of their transport vans wide open. Fearing the work of thieves, security camera footage from around the property was closely inspected. 

No evidence of thieves, trespassers, vandals, or anyone else entering the property was found on the footage. Instead, staff was shocked to see that the doors to the van simply opened all by themselves around 1:19am! No explanation was ever found for why the doors were seemingly jiggled, then pushed open from inside the vehicle, a feat that should have been impossible with the door latch secured. 

Side of Building/Parking Lot
October 2024

While unsettling, this alleged paranormal activity came as no surprise, as spooky stuff had already been happening at the office building. Registered Nurse, Danny George, reports seeing a woman in an 1800's era gown in the main foyer. 

But who or what could be causing a haunting at the main offices of the Putnam County Aging program? The older building, located near the junction of Winfield Rd and old Teays Valley Road at Scary, is situated right on the Kanawha River. On the property is a memorial marker and informational signage for the 1861 Battle of Scary Creek.

Battle of Scary Creek Monument
October 2024

The Battle of Scary Creek took place on the afternoon of July 17th, around 3pm, and lasted for about three hours. In that time, the Confederate Army was able to hold off Union troops. However, a total of 19 soldiers did perish in that fight. Interestingly, there is another ghost story attached to this battle. About three weeks after the fight, neighbors living in the area heard the tell-tale sounds of battle. Rushing out, thinking another skirmish had started, they found nothing. For years, the phantom sounds of a battle replaying itself were heard. (Scary Creek Battlefield Blog)

Based on how the apparition was dressed, it would seem that at least one ghost haunting Putnam Aging is from the Civil War era, but it's anyone's guess as to who the woman actually may be. Perhaps she is a member of the Simms Family, or the Vintroux Family, both of whom have been in the area for many years. Perhaps the activity stems from way before the 1800's (archaeological explorations in 19th century have uncovered evidence of Woodlands-era people living in the immediate area). Or, perhaps the hauntings, especially the more trickster-like pranks of opening the van doors comes from way after the Civil War. For whatever reason, this stretch of road has had quite a history of fatal car crashes, especially throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s, with many losing their lives in sight of the Putnam Aging Property. 

Ghost hunters were allowed to come in and check out the potential activity, the results of which can be found at the Mitchell Family Reality Show TV YouTube Channel. 

Map Card of 2558 Winfield Rd.

Property Outlined in Light Blue. Note the Kanawha River to the
right and the Battlefield Grounds to the left. 

Meet Molly at the Elkhorn Inn and Theater

Empire Coal and Coke 'Miner's Clubhouse'
Source

The former town of Landgraff, located in McDowell County, WV, was a mining town under the operation of Empire Coal and Coke Company. In 1922, the coal company built a multi-story brick 'Miner's Clubhouse' to replace two wooden buildings that had burned down. Over the years, this building would go through many different incarnations. According to the Elkhorn Inn website, the building was used in the 1940's as housing for miners' families. In the early 1950's it was privately owned but became the office and residence of a mine supervisor and his family in 1957. Throughout the 1960's and 1970's, it was used as office space for Hawley Coal. In 1988, it became home to a company called Data Services. In the 1990's, it was owned by Billie Cherry and known as the Cherry-Key Inn. At one point, it even served as a dormitory for nurses, and later as a State Police barracks. 

As the town of Landgraff suffered from population decline, fires, and at least two devastating floods in 2001-2002, the old clubhouse was left as the only substantial historic structure in town. And, it almost met a similar fate, as it was slated for demolition. Luckily, two FEMA relief workers, Dan and Elisse Clark, purchased the building, spent a year renovating it, and opened it in May 2003 as the Elkhorn Inn and Theater. 

Today, the Elkhorn Inn is a haven for tourists coming to the southern coalfields for trail-riding, trout fishing, and 'rail-fanning,' as the inn is located along both the Elkhorn Creek and the NS Pocahontas line. There's also a variety of weekend getaway packages, gourmet meals provided by Chef Dan, and wonderful views of the fall foliage throughout Autumn. The Elkhorn Inn, which has 14 guestrooms, is also a stop on the Coal Heritage Trail, and is the only attraction on the trail that offers both dining and lodging options. On the first floor, in an area that was originally a coal camp doctor's office, is the inn's museum and gift shop, where you can learn about the history of the building, the town, and the coal mining history of Southern West Virginia, and then take home a unique souvenir to remember it by. 

Since Dan and Elisse took over the inn, it has been featured on numerous television shows and in several books....including two GHOST books! That's because the old inn is believed to be haunted by a spirit known affectionately as 'Molly.' 

During the initial renovations to the Elkhorn Inn, the Clarks, as well as other workers and friends, would hear strange sounds, including what sounded like shattering crystal and banging wood. Lights would turn on by themselves, and paintings removed themselves from the walls. 

Many who spent time in the inn claimed to feel or even SEE the spirit of a woman that Dan named Molly. Molly is an adult female, who is seen wearing either a long dress and button-up boots, or a blue blouse with her hair done up in a bun. Several psychics have confirmed that there is a female presence that calls the inn home. Luckily, Molly is a benevolent spirit who seems to watch over the inn. She prefers to make her presence known to staff and family, but on rare occasions, she has let paying guests know she's around. Once, she rattled the doorknob in a guestroom two nights in a row!

The Elkhorn Inn Facebook page has several photos they believe may be Molly trying to manifest, and there have been paranormal investigations/events conducted most notably by local ghost hunter, Mark Painter. One such investigation led to strange noises being captured in the former doctor's office/current gift shop. And, while it doesn't give a name, a Facebook post about the hauntings suggests that a ghost hunter also received a spectral massage while staying at the inn!

The next time you're in the southern coalfields of West Virginia and are looking for spooky opulence that's also pet friendly, stop in at the Elkhorn Inn. You might even get an in-room spectral spa treatment! 

Sources and Further Reading:

Elkhorn Inn and Theater Website

Elkhorn Inn and Theater Facebook Page

Mark Painter's Blog (Signs of Ghosts)

The Railroad Connection---this guest post by Elisse gives a beautiful account of how she and Dan fell in love with each other, and fell in love with the Elkhorn Inn. It's a great account of the building's known history, how they acquired it, and the work they put into it. 

Ferris, Gina. Sleeping Where Ghosts Dwell: Southeast. Amazon Link

Davis, Deborah. Some Things Go Bump in the Night: Haunted Hotels, Inns, B&B's, and Restaurants. Amazon Link 

The Half-Haunted House of Marmet

Marmet is a small community, located along the Kanawha River, just past Kanawha City. It's a town that my husband and I often end up driving through when we're just out sight-seeing...and it's a town that is REALLY fun to hear non-locals try to pronounce. Although you might not be able to tell just from looking at it, there's a lot of history in that little town. It is the location where on August 23, 1921, miners flooded in from surrounding mining communities to start their march towards Mingo County, resulting in the largest labor dispute in history. (See: Marmet--The Beginning of the Most Significant Labor Rebellion in American History)

It's also the location (or was, at least) to HALF a haunted house. Yes, that's correct; only half of this house was said to be haunted.

The house in question was a two-story brick home, which at one time served as the Sandberg Coal Company's offices. But, by the 1950's, it had a reputation of being haunted. It was reported in the January 17, 1952 edition of the Charleston Daily Mail that several readers had claimed that the home, located on a hillside near the railroad tracks, had a ghostly past. One such claimant was a 60 year old man who said that the house was known to be haunted ever since he was a little boy, and that no one would stay on the bottom floor.

But, other locals would claim that there wasn't anything to the stories. William Coleman, a former tenant, along with Arlie Compton, who was living in the home at the time of the article, both agreed that there were no ghosts to be found, although William did say there were occasionally some strange noises. 

What's even more interesting is that the owner of the property, lawyer R.D. McCabe, claimed that the first floor fell in years prior, and the basement flooded with water. No one could live on that first floor, but not because it was haunted...but because the first floor technically didn't really even exist! But, it was assumed that if there WAS anyone occupying that space, it would HAVE to be ghost...

The Charleston Daily Mail
17 January 1952

TALA Tales: An Escape Gone Wrong

The summer of 1891 was a summer of death for the Weston State Hospital, formerly known as the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum. When four patients died from either suicide or violent accidents within a short amount of time, authorities finally decided to look into matters. Although the hospital was not found to be at fault, one can't help but to notice that if properly supervised, at least a few of these deaths would never have happened. In addition to William 'Frank' Cook, who scalded himself to death in a bathtub (see William Cook, Cooked Alive), Guenther Schnelle, who hanged himself from a bar in his room (blog upcoming), and an unnamed man who committed suicide, there is Abraham Haines. 

72-year-old Abraham Haines was originally from Wood County but made Ward 9 on the fourth floor of the asylum home, along with other patients deemed demented, but generally harmless. On the evening of July 14th, the ward attendant took a group of patients out for some fresh air. Abraham declined to join them, claiming he was feeling unwell. But, instead of taking to his bed to rest, Abraham used this time alone to attempt an escape.

He used a piece of flooring to break a window, and then tied together his bedclothes into a rope, which he had tied to a pipe. Unfortunately, Abraham had just started his descent when the makeshift rope broke. He fell to his death on the pavement below. Originally, no inquest was held.  According to his entry in the Lewis County death archives, he "jumped or fell from roof of building." 

On that summer day, Abraham Haines did 'escape' asylum life, but he wouldn't be able to escape Weston State Hospital for good. He was buried two days later in the hospital cemetery. 

The News Journal
Lancaster, PA
7 September 1891

West Virginia Argus
29 October 1891

Wild Goose Farm (Shepherdstown)

 

Wild Goose Farm (1918)
Source: WV History on View

Shepherdstown is a historic town. Shepherdstown is a haunted town. Located in West Virginia's haunted and historic Eastern Panhandle, the town is so well-known for its haunted history that it even garnered its own television show, Ghosts of Shepherdstown, on Discovery+. The national attention that resulted from the show led me to discover quite a few new-to-me haunted locations in the area, including the Wild Goose Farm. 

On October 30, 2017, the local newspaper, The Journal, ran an article written by Emily Daniels. The article focused on the spooky experiences of resident Michelle Shultz, who lived in a couple of different haunted houses in the Panhandle, including a large property known as Wild Goose Farm. 

Today, Wild Goose Farm encompasses quite a few acres of land, many smaller buildings and barns, and of course, a beautiful mansion house at the center of it all. This mansion house is also where the ghostly activity seems most concentrated. And, with 200 years of history, give or take, there has been plenty of time for it to acquire a haunted reputation. 

It is believed that the base of the current mansion house was built around 1810 by the Stipp family, prior to selling the property to the Shepherd family. In some form or another, the Shepherd family owned and maintained the home, along with quite a bit of the surrounding property, from 1838 to 1911. During this time, major renovations to the home were undertaken by Rezin Shepherd. Rezin, who was a merchant in New Orleans, obviously incorporated that New Orleans/southern plantation influence into the style of the home. However, in 1911 when Edwin Jarrett purchased the property, HE made additions and changes, incorporating a more Greek Revival influence. 

According to the article in The Journal, Wild Goose Farm was used as a stop on the Underground Railroad, and also as a makeshift hospital during the Civil War. After a brief look into the history of the home, I can't confirm nor deny either claim, but just as a note: many large homes were used as makeshift 'hospitals' during the Civil War, especially in areas where fighting was occurring, or where troops were stationed for any amount of time. However, if it WAS used as a stop on the Underground Railroad, that came after Rezin's death; he was a slave owner and relied on slave labor in the south. I don't necessarily see him being a big abolitionist...

Anyway, the house has enough ghosts without worrying about exactly where they may have come from based on reported history! Michelle Shultz believes that there were at least three main ghosts that made their presence known while she lived there with her husband and son. 

While doing some repair work on the home, the Shultz family hired a stonemason. This stonemason's wife stopped by the work site one day and saw ghosts staring out the windows of the home at her. She claimed these ghosts included Mary, a little girl who haunted the third floor. Mary wasn't a fan of new people staying at the home and would express her displeasure by causing a thick, honey-like yellow goo to ooze out from a light fixture. Workmen were brought in to try to find the source of this goo, but no explanation was ever found, and it only happened when a new person was staying the night.

The second ghost was a slave named Joseph who lived in the basement. It may have been Joseph who was spotted by Shultz's husband one day. He had seen a Black man and two children just walking through the yard. When they noticed he saw them, the man waved. 

The last named ghost is an older woman called the 'memaw ghost.' Memaw may be the last of the apparitions seen, but the paranormal activity doesn't stop there. Michelle also noted a helpful ghost who woke her up every morning at 3:14am with the scent of fresh-brewed coffee! On the second floor, an alarm clock kept going off in the middle of the night, even when unplugged. It seems like the ghosts of Wild Goose really didn't appreciate anyone, guests or family, sleeping in.

In another incident, Michelle and a friend watched as an old hutch used to store antique hats swung its doors open and the hats flew out. Shadows of people walking were often seen under the doors by the family.  Another time, Michelle's husband was out on the porch of the secluded home and kept hearing a woman's voice calling 'hello!' 

Perhaps the scariest incident to occur happened in what was known as the Red Room. When the Shultz's older son, Zachary would film in that room, an abundance of orbs would always show up. But, it wasn't until a friend of his spent the night in that room that the entities present would really make themselves known. This friend became locked in the closet and has no idea how he got in there in the first place!

The Shultz family no longer lives at Wild Goose Farm, but the property thrives as a beautiful and unique wedding venue. I just wonder if the ghosts are still around...

Sources and Further Information:

Wild Goose Farm Website AND Facebook Page

"Living with Spirits: Michelle Shultz Sees, Hears, and Smells Ghosts", by Emily Daniels. The Joural. October 30, 2017.

National Register of Historic Places Application 

Thompson, Kathleen. "Wild Goose Farm." Clio: Your Guide to History. November 24, 2020.

        

Mandy the Haunted Doll

Source: Quesnel and District Museum

The collection of the Quesnel and District Museum and Archives of British Columbia has an interesting piece. What may seem like an ordinary, early 20th century doll with a damaged face is actually one of the museum's most often visited artifacts. That's because it's also one of the museum's most HAUNTED artifacts.

Not much is known about Mandy the Doll's early history, but it is estimated that she was made sometime between 1900 and 1920. In 1991, she was given to the museum by an anonymous female donor who claimed the doll gave her a weird vibe. She had inherited the doll from her grandmother, and for many years, it had been kept in a locked trunk. Legend states that one evening, the woman heard the cries of a baby, coming from the basement where Mandy's trunk was kept. Finally mustering up the courage to check it out, she found a window open, and Mandy missing. But, Mandy would somehow return the next morning, like she had never left at all. According to the museum, the woman donated the antique doll shortly after her daughter was born, both because she was creeped out by it, but also because she wanted to know the fragile doll would be kept safe. I can't help but wonder if she was more concerned with keeping her family safe from Mandy than the other way around!

In any event, Mandy came to live at the Quesnel and District Museum, and immediately began giving the staff problems. When Mandy was acquired by the museum, she had to be photographed and cataloged as an official part of their collection. Following this first day ritual, she was left overnight in the lab. As staff returned the next day, they found the lab in complete disarray. Items were knocked over, strewn about, and the room was just an overall mess. It was almost as if a child had had a temper tantrum. 

Source: Cabinet of Curiosities

Mandy would continue to throw her temper tantrums and prank the staff. Staff would report their paperwork, documents and even LUNCHES would go missing, only to be found later on in the most random of places. Also, Mandy could not be displayed near other dolls. Almost as if she was jealous of them, they'd be found knocked over whenever Mandy was left in a room alone with them.

The year 1999 was a busy year for Mandy. She was featured in the book, Supernatural Stories Around British Columbia. She was also flown to New York to appear on the Montel Williams Show for an episode with psychic, Sylvia Browne. Browne felt the doll had originally been owned by twin girls who had died of polio. It was their mother's grief that had left a psychic imprint on the doll. 

After her television appearance and her story published, Mandy began to draw quite a few visitors to the Quesnel Museum! People from miles around wanted to see the haunted doll for themselves. Unfortunately, Mandy wasn't too keen on them taking any souvenir pictures of her. Visitors found that when they tried to take a picture, their camera batteries would die or their flash would fail to initiate, leaving an underexposed piece of film. In that regard, she's very much like Robert the Doll, who resides in a museum in Key West. Robert also has been known to cause camera malfunctions and a string of bad luck to those who he deems disrespectful. 

Twenty-five years later, and Mandy is still available to view at the Quesnel and District Museum. You can read her story, including her scrapbook of reports from visitors and staff, watch YouTube clips of her, and if you're lucky....maybe she'll let you take her photograph! 

Sylvia Browne with Montel Williams

Sources and Further Reading:

Quesnel and District Museum

Horror Society

Cabinet of Curiosities

Wheeling's Eighth Ward Weirdness

The Daily Register (Wheeling, WV)
30 July 1886

Happy Ghostober! Today's story is a vintage one from Wheeling, WV. In the summer of 1886, the Eighth Ward section of the city was being visited by a ghost in "rather abbreviated garb." Said to show itself in nothing more than a cap and a shirt, and being rather large in shape, it first showed itself to a police officer standing near the corner of Eoff and 33rd Streets. 

Not even gonna lie---the mental image of a ghost floating around with no pants on, chasing down police officers kinda cracks me up. I can't help but wonder if this is your classic sheeted, cartoony ghost wearing a hat...or a humanoid apparition, naked from the waist down. But, I'm sure the officer wasn't laughing as he witnessed this thing float over a fence and then vanish completely. It didn't help that when he told his story, instead of people being frightened, or even intrigued, they laughed at him.

Well, they laughed until the ghost was seen again several nights later by even more people. The women who witnessed this apparition nearly went into hysterics at the sight (again, was it because it was a ghost in general, or because it was a half-naked ghost?). One man saw the ghost walk right into a B&O train that was passing by. When all the railcars had passed, there it stood, still on the tracks, unscathed. 

To my knowledge, there have been no recent sightings of this Eighth Ward Specter. We can only hope that if this unfortunate soul has found a way to move on, somewhere along the way he managed to find his trousers. 

1916 Map of Wheeling's
Eighth Ward

Spirits at St. Mark's (St. Albans)

St. Mark's Episcopal Church
St. Albans, WV
Source: WV History on View

I've mentioned the paranormal activity concerning the St. Mark's Episcopal Church on my blog before (see Civil War History with the St. Albans History and Mystery Tour). However, after hearing local historian Denise Cyrus discuss the haunted history of St. Albans at September's St. Albans Paranormal Discussion Group, I was inspired to give this fascinating location its own post! If you'd like to learn more about Denise and her upcoming St. Albans History and Mystery Tours, please check out the link provided. 

Back in 1825, an early settler to the Coalsmouth area named Morris Hudson built a small church on his property. Located along today's Kanawha Terrace, this church was called Bangor Parish Church. Services were presided over by a preacher from Fort Lee in Charleston and the church lasted until it was destroyed by fire in 1845. Luckily, the bell was saved and became a focal point for the newly rebuilt church.

The newly rebuilt church was moved to the property of Phillip Thompson, on what is today 405 B Street, St. Albans. Completed between 1846 and 1847, the church was officially consecrated by Bishop Meade in 1847. The name was changed to St. Mark's in honor of Thompson's former church in his native Culpeper County, Va. The church grew and thrived in its new location...until the Civil War came to the area. By 1863, Union troops had commandeered the church. Unfortunately, St. Mark's, like so many other churches of this era, suffered severe damage under the soldiers, as they ripped the floors up, tore out a back wall, and used the beautiful brick building as a stable for their horses. 

Upon the close of the war, the congregation began to come back and tried to fix as much damage as possible, holding makeshift services on the grounds. Between 1874 and 1878 the church building was deemed unsafe and closed off until adequate repairs could be made. Vast improvements on the old building wouldn't occur, however, until 1913 when Rev. Herbert Jukes would come to the church. Before joining the ministry, Jukes had been an architect and aided by the $2,400 in Federal Restitution money received in 1915, was able to make vast improvements, which are still seen today.

St. Mark's 2022
History and Mystery Tour

The church would continue to grow and change. In 1955 an educational wing was added, and in 1969 a new, larger sanctuary was added, giving the modern structure a U-shape. Services continue to be held, and the church offers a variety of community outreach programs to the citizens of St. Albans. The church may also still harbor some citizens from the past.

In addition to a basement that gives many people an uneasy feeling, there has been a sighting of two full-bodied apparitions. A friend of Denise was alone in the church, practicing the organ, and had taken a break to go to her car. The parking lot is located behind the church and beyond the parking lot is a playground area. The witness reported walking out and seeing two men in the playground area. These two men were dressed as Civil War era soldiers! She went to grab her phone to take a photo, but by the time she was ready to snap a picture, the two men had vanished. 

It is believed that these were possibly the spirits of the Union soldiers who camped on the property during the war, still on duty after over 150 years. More likely, however, this isn't a sentient, intelligent haunting. Rather, it seems like the witness caught a glimpse of a residual haunting---a moment stuck in time, playing over and over again under the right conditions, much like a movie on repeat.  To be fair, the idea that it wasn't a ghost of all has to be considered. Ironically, when I went on the History and Mystery Tour several years ago, we were stopped at the church, hearing the stories, when we noticed an unhoused gentleman who was napping under a nearby bush. He looked a little rough, but I wouldn't say he looked like a soldier from the 1860s! 

Parking Lot/Playground where soldiers were seen (2022)

Either way, St. Mark's Episcopal Church has a long and interesting history. It has seen people come and go, it has seen the area change dramatically with time, and it has even witnessed the town changing names a few times. It is very plausible that those who are lucky enough can and will catch a peek into the past---a past that shaped the Kanawha Valley into what it is today. 

If you've had a paranormal experience associated with St. Mark's, I'd love to hear from you! Please feel free to comment down below or find me on Facebook at Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State. Stay Spooky! 

Additional Reading/Sources:

St. Mark's Website--History by Betty Evans, Archivist

National Register of Historic Places Nomination Application

St. Albans Historical Society

Society of Architectural Historians

Denise Cyrus, President of St. Albans Historical Society

Lawrence Co. Ohio's Haunted Courthouse

Lawrence Co. Courthouse
Ironton, Ohio

On October 16, 1873, the Ironton Register ran a letter from a local citizen informing the paper about a ghost that was stalking the area around the Turner Kemp farm. The Lawrence Register historical website transcribes the article as seen below:

I have, on several occasions, noticed that you solicit local items. I thought it not amiss to inform you of a visitation the neighborhood has been blessed with since sometime last May.

On the farm of Turner Kemp stands a small, plain, framed house occupied by a colored man and his family. Since about the time mentioned above, there has, at regular intervals, appeared to some of his family a veritable ghost. It sometimes is seen only by his wife, and at other times is seen by the family, and on several occasions, it has been seen by many of the neighbors. I have had frequent glimpses of it myself, and although I have been taught to disbelief in such things, I must confess that the evidence, in this case, is so strong that I am forced to admit it a fact.

The first time I saw it was just in the dusk of the evening, as I was returning from the field. It started near the fence and flitted along till it came to the house and disappeared rather suddenly. Since then, I have often seen it in broad daylight and after dark. Contrary to most, it seems to have no regular hours of visibility but comes and goes just as it happens. I heard from a reliable source that it had been seen in the Court House yard last Saturday evening. The last seen of it was at a small house in East Ironton. So, Mr. Editor, it may, someday, take a notion to walk into your ‘sanctum.’

Anyone having doubts about the above facts can obtain the full name of the writer of this, by calling on the Editor of the Ironton Register.

It seems like this wandering ghost didn't limit itself to just showing itself to the family living on the farm and their neighbors...at least once it was spotted nearby at the Lawrence County courthouse! However, this courthouse wasn't much longer for this world. In April of 1875, the building was heavily damaged by fire. It was patched up, but at the turn of the century, would finally be replaced. In 1906, construction began on the 'modern' courthouse and was completed in 1908. This new courthouse was built on the lawn of the previous courthouse and may have inherited its predecessor's reputation for being haunted. 

On October 29, 2000, The Ironton Tribune ran a special Halloween article featuring haunted locations around the area. The 1873 article was quoted, but some additional information was provided by Constable Marty Smith, who spent many late-evening hours at the Lawrence County Courthouse.

Smith had several of his own experiences in the courthouse, including feeling cold drafts and witnessing the elevator stop and open up when no one else was around to operate it. He was even punched in the shoulder by an invisible force. 

Smith wasn't the only person to witness spooky phenomena. One evening he was summoned by several custodians for help. They had watched as a man walked past them and into the men's restroom. The courthouse was locked up for the night and they weren't sure who this potential intruder could be. They followed him into the bathroom but found it completely empty. The only two ways out would have been through the window, which was bolted tightly shut, and MAYBE a tiny crawl space in the ceiling. 

No one is sure who this ghost may be, but Smith theorizes that it may be the spirit of one of the three men he knows about who died on the courthouse grounds; one who was hanged legally, one who was lynched, and one who was shot during a political rally. 

Andrew Price was sentenced to be hanged on the courthouse lawn for his role in the murder of Louis (Henry) Hillenberg. Price and another man, Andrew/Jerry Spears, took the life of Hillenberg and robbed him of some old clothes, whiskey, and 18 cents. Spears, who was accused of cutting the man's throat, was given a life sentence at the Ohio State Penitentiary in Moundsville. Price, however, had taken a hatchet to the man and was sentenced to hang. After several petitions extended his execution date from March 12, 1869, Price finally swung from the gallows on April 2, 1869. 

Again, the Lawrence Register website has a wonderful collection of articles concerning this incident, including an interesting little blurb about a superstitious fellow. An older gentleman came to town to witness the execution, but his purpose for coming was to request the rope used in the hanging. Apparently, his son was an epileptic, who had been cured in the past by wearing an execution rope around his neck. 

The Lawrence Register website also has information regarding the November 3, 1936 slaying of 30 year old Bert McMahon. Around 300 people were crowded in the courthouse lobby on election night, when McMahon got into a political argument with Charles Roach. Both men had been drinking, and the fight quickly escalated, culminating with Roach pulling out a pistol and firing three shots at McMahon. One newspaper article quoted said that the fatal shot hit McMahon in the heart and he was deceased within ten minutes. 

Unfortunately, I couldn't find any clear information about a lynching, other than it MIGHT be the 1932 lynching of Luke Marion. However, that event occurred in South Point, not Ironton. If I find more information, I'll definitely update, but it seems like either Price or McMahon could be good candidates for the potential ghost of the modern Lawrence County courthouse. As for the spooky fellow roaming about in 1873, I guess that COULD be Andrew Price, but I'm not convinced that is the same ghost that is being reported today. But, let me know what you think! Comment down below, or find me on Facebook at Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State! 

The Ironton Tribune
29 October 2000

The Frametown Monster

Frametown Monster
Drawing by Frank Feschino

Just one day after Kathleen May, Gene Lemon, and five young boys encountered what would become known as the Flatwoods Monster, the Snitowsky Family had a similar experience. On September 13, 1952, George Snitowsky, along with his wife Edith and their 18-month-old son were traveling along Route 4 between Frametown and Sutton (about 17 miles south of Flatwoods). 

The family, who lived in Queens, New York, was returning from visiting family in Cincinnati. It was around 8pm when their car suddenly stopped on that lonely stretch of highway. After a few attempts at restarting it, George got out of the car to check under the hood, but he couldn't detect what the problem was. The air was filled with a foul odor of sulphur, and as the stench worsened, George got back into the car and rolled up the windows. Edith grabbed the baby from the backseat, as he woke up and began crying. 

The smell was worsening, and George was at a loss as to what to do. According to their map, it appeared that Frametown was the closest town to them, and it was a twelve-mile walk. George didn't want to leave his wife and baby alone for that long at night, so they decided to stay put and hope a vehicle would come by. A vehicle would come by...but it wouldn't be a local citizen driving past in their car!

Noticing a bright light coming from a wooded area nearby, George rolled down the window for a better look. The area had a hazy, purplish tint to it, and as George opened the window, that cloudy haze flooded into the car, making the family gag. The stench was sickening. However, George, overcome with curiosity, followed the light source. The ground sloped downward off the road towards the woods, and George could see a large sphere-shaped object behind the trees, only about 200-300 feet away. The glowing object seemed to be floating, and the closer he got to it, the heat and the stench increased dramatically. He also experienced what felt like small, electrical shocks or vibrations.

Still sick to his stomach, and having vomited a few times, George stumbled back to the car. When he was almost there, he stopped to catch his breath, leaning against a tree. He then heard Edith let out a horrific scream. He turned to look and saw that a strange creature was behind him. Off to the right of the road and illuminated by the glowing sphere, stood a humanoid creature, 8-9 feet tall. The creature had what appeared to be a bloated, reptilian upper body and a solid metallic lower half. 

George ran and jumped in the car. He pushed Edith and baby onto the floorboard and threw himself on top of them, but not before grabbing a large knife out of the glove compartment. The creature approached the car and touched the hood with one of its creepy, forked claw-like hands. It then moved back towards the woods. After a few minutes, George noticed the sphere slowly rise, stopping a few times on its ascent. At around 3000 feet, it swung back and forth like a pendulum and then shot out of sight. The smell and the fog started to dissipate, and the family was able to get the car started.

They headed to Sutton and made a stop at a local truck stop/diner before finding a hotel for the night. As they were leaving the next morning, they noticed the car had a V-shape singed into the paint down to the primer where the creature had touched their car. 

The Snitowsky's decided to keep quiet about the incident and made it back to New York without further ado. However, several years later, George decided to tell his story to Paul Lieb, president of the Flying Saucer Research Institute. Paul wrote a story about the incident, which was published in the July 1955 edition of Male magazine. 

So, what was it that the Snitowsky's saw that night? It is theorized that they saw THE Flatwoods Monster. The area where the strange creature was sighted was an area near Strange Creek known as James Knob. It is believed that after making an emergency landing (after potentially being shot down by our government) in Flatwoods, the monster made its way south. The reason why the creature appeared without its trademark spade-shaped head and was reported as being shorter than the previous witnesses claimed, was that it had taken off the top part of its spacesuit/spacecraft vehicle!

In both incidents, the bottom half of the creature was described similarly, and was accompanied by the same noxious gas that made the witnesses vomit. Personally, I think that the Snitowsky's DID witness the same creature (or a different creature of the same species) as the Flatwoods Monster seen the previous night. Over the course of a few days in mid-September, a strange set of phenomena involving suspected meteors, UFOs, and even a few alien entities were reported in and around West Virginia. Fank Feschino, in his ground-breaking book, The Braxton County Monster: The Cover-Up of the Flatwoods Monster Revealed (2004), goes over the entire conspiracy of just what was going on that late summer day of 1952. I highly recommend checking out his book for a more comprehensive account of how the 'Frametown Monster' would become an integral part of the Flatwoods Monster lore.

Hinton Daily News
13 September 1952

Friday the 13th's Freaky Phone Call

HAPPY FRIDAY THE 13TH! 

A normal telephone conversation between two sisters on Friday, December 13th, 1968 turned into a rather bizarre experience!  Mrs. John Cox of South Charleston rang up her sister, Mrs. Clyde Cox, also of South Charleston to wish her a Happy Anniversary. Mrs. Clyde Cox and her husband had been married for 33 years and this Friday the 13th, were celebrating a wedding that had also taken place on a Friday the 13th. With a marriage spanning a little over three decades, one could argue that for the Cox Family, Friday the 13th wasn't the unlucky occasion superstition would lead us to believe.

However, this Friday the 13th would just be a little...weird. At least, the phone call between the two sisters would leave them scratching their heads. Both sisters were talking on their private phone lines, but had a strange series of calls break onto their line. Within 10 minutes, calls came in from two local chemical companies (FMC and Carbide), a doctor's office (Dr. Dunn), and two private calls. All five callers were wishing to speak with a Mrs. Riffe.

So, who was Mrs. Riffe, why were so many people eager to contact her in a span of ten minutes, and how did they ALL end up breaking into Mrs. Cox's private phone line? Obviously, this little anecdote sounds more like supernatural snafu (or simply, a technical error, but that's way less interesting to write about) than it does an example of Friday the 13th being an unlucky day. But, I guess maybe it's all about perspective. Strange phone calls may not have necessarily been unlucky for Mrs. Cox and her sister...but somewhere out there was a Mrs. Riffe who no less than five people desperately needed to reach but couldn't. Sounds like it was an unlucky day for her and those trying to reach her!

I hope this Friday the 13th brings you good luck and good fortune...and maybe a phantom phone call!

The Charleston Daily Mail
13 December 1968

The Fire-Breathing Monster of Flatwoods and Other Weirdness

On September 12, 1952, seven people in Flatwoods, WV would witness a sight that would not only affect their lives forever...but would become an event cemented in the study of ufology for decades.  After a group of boys playing football observed what they thought might have been a meteor or even a plane crash on a nearby farm, five of the boys, including Eddie and Freddie May, were accompanied by their mother, Kathleen May and Gene Lemon, a 17 year old National Guardsman in pursuit of the wreckage.

You know I love to share vintage newspaper articles covering strange happenings, and since I've already discussed the Flatwoods Monster incident a few times before (plus, there are so many other great resources on this case) I thought today would be a good day to just share the UP article that hit newspapers across the country! The clipping I chose at random comes from the Record American (Pennsylvania) of September 15th, but the same article, with differing headlines, would be published in MULTIPLE newspapers on the 15th and 16th. I'll transcribe it below for easier reading:

The Record American (Pennsylvania)
15 September 1952

West Virginia Folks Saw Monster with Green Body, Red Face

Sutton, W.Va. (UP)---Eyewitness accounts of a tall, glowing monster with a blood-red face skulking in the hills divided Braxton County Monday into two camps---believers and skeptics.

Seven persons said they saw the unearthly being, described as "worse than Frankenstein," in the hills above Flatwoods, W.Va. Friday night.

State police and a number of residents hooted at the reports as a product of mass hysteria. Police said the eyewitness' guess as to the monster's height varied from seven to 17 feet.

The excitement began when the two young sons of Kathryn May, a Flatwoods beautician, said they saw a "flying saucer" land on C.B. Fisher's farm near here.

Mrs. May, National Guardsman Gene Lemon and five boys climbed a hill on the Fisher farm to look for the "saucer."

Mrs. May said a "fire-breathing monster, 10 feet tall with a bright green body and a blood-red face," bounced and floated toward them."

"It looked worse than Frankenstein," she said. "It couldn't have been human."

Lemon, 17, said he thought he saw a 'possum or coon until he put his flashlight on "the thing." It was then that he saw the monster with the blushing face and green body "that seemed to glow."

Mrs. May said Lemon stared and then screamed as the monster duckwalked toward them. All of them fled, occasionally looking over their shoulders. 

The monster, Mrs. May said, had an overpowering metallic odor that nauseated them. She said they vomited for several hours. A. Lee Steward, co-publisher of the Braxton County Democrat, received the first report from Mrs. May. The veteran newspaperman organized an armed posse and went to the scene. 

"The odor was still there," Stewart said. "It was sort of warm and sickening. And there were two places about six to eight feet in diameter where the brush was trampled down." 

Stewart did not know what to think. 

"I hate to say I believe it, but I hate to say I don't believe it," Steward said. "Those people were scared---badly scared, and I sure smelled something." 

Authorities said they believed the "flying saucer" which Mrs. Mays' sons saw was a meteorite. The incident occurred during a meteor shower over a three-state area. 

Theresa's Note: On September 13, 1952 newspapers along the East Coast noted that reports of meteorites being seen in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, and Ohio had flooded local law enforcement the night before. Many witnesses assumed they were witnessing planes going down in fiery crashes. A woman in McMechen, WV reported seeing a noiseless object, shooting blue and white flames out of one end. A man in West Liberty stated he saw several objects that looked like Roman candles. And, a Hinton preacher saw what he described as an "old time streetlight". Many witnesses to these "meteorites" claimed that the objects were moving horizontally and at very low altitudes. 

I'm not an expert in astronomical matters, but it seems like these were a little more than your normal meteorites, especially when you take into consideration the incident at Flatwoods, as well as similar incidents at Frametown and Wheeling (more about those in upcoming blogs!). There was even a couple of UFO reports from Raleigh County that occurred on the 13th of September. Was there a massive invasion across the East Coast that September...or was it simply a combination of natural phenomena and mass hysteria? 

Hinton Daily News
13 September 1952

The Flatwoods Monster Lantern

Flatwoods Monster Lantern
from my personal collection

Postcards. T-shirts. Stickers. All of these make great souvenirs for those wanting to remember all the fun events they attend and all the scenic travel destinations they visit. But...for a truly unique experience, one needs a truly unique souvenir!

I love traveling the great state of West Virginia, taking in her majestic beauty and learning about her fascinating history. And, over the years, I've tried to commemorate my trips with some fun souvenirs. Aside from the everyday postcards, stickers, t-shirts, etc., my collection contains reproduction grotesques from the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, a fidget spinner from the former WV State Penitentiary at Moundsville, and more Mothman plushies than any child could ever need. However, one of my favorite pieces I've collected is a treasure just as unique and fascinating as the story from which it originates: The Flatwoods Monster Lantern.

John Gibson with Lantern
Source

The story begins on September 12, 1952 when a group of kids playing ball in Flatwoods, West Virginia saw a strange sight overhead. Thinking a meteor had crashed on the hill near the Fisher farm, the boys headed to investigate, stopping at the home of brothers, Freddie and Eddie May. There, they were joined by their mother, Kathleen May, Eugene Lemon, a young National Guardsman, and the family dog. Grabbing a flashlight, they ascended the hill where they'd see something that would become the source of legend for years to come. 

The red-faced, spade-headed, pleated-skirt-wearing alien (?) that was seen up on that mountain that day is one of the strangest creatures to show up in UFO history and has since become a pop-icon the world over. Thanks to video games, artists, television shows, and social media influencers, the story of the Flatwoods Monster and its one-of-a-kind appearance have become almost mainstream. Braxxie, as the monster has affectionately become known as, shows up in various media across the world and instantly recognized by even those not in the paranormal community. 

UFO Researcher, Barbara Hudson
Charleston, WV 1969
From Gray Barker Archives

A monster as unique as the Flatwoods Monster deserves an equally cool and unique souvenir, and back in the late 1960's, the local chapter of the Jaycee's found a way to accomplish that...as well as keep the story of the monster alive AND make a few bucks! 

John Gibson doesn't remember whose idea it was exactly to create a LANTERN based on the 1952 monster sighting, but he was put in charge of the project and he ran with it! He had a little help from a pal named Bob Bossert, though. Bossert was a paint salesman. He also knew someone who could make ceramic molds. Together they worked on what would be the first run of Flatwoods Monster Lanterns. 

Complete with a paint lid base for a candle, and a paint can handle as the lantern handle (and of course, painted with Bossert's own paint inventory by his own family), a small run of Monster Lanterns was produced, and sold out rather quickly! The following production runs eliminated the paint can candle base, as it confused people, but the lanterns continued to sell better than expected. At $5 a piece, a profit of $500 was quickly made. Lanterns were sold at various events around the county, as well as being sold at a roadside stand during peak traffic times. An 8ft tall plywood sign would announce to travelers on Rt. 5 that they could own a piece of Fortean history for just $5. Apparently, a collection of lanterns was also sent to Charleston, WV to be sold off during a UFO convention held in 1969. 

L to R: Gray Barker, James Mosley and Ralph Jarrett
Charleston, WV 1969
Gray Barker Archives

Unfortunately, sales began to drop off, and John Gibson got busy with a new job, so production on the lanterns was put on hold throughout the 1970's. However, when the Clarksburg library was about to open its Gray Barker Archive in the 1980's, the librarian reached out to John. John brought a lantern to donate to the collection, which sparked a renewed interest in them from the UFO community. Production began again, and to this day, you can pick up your own unique souvenir of the Flatwoods Monster!

Darlene's Ceramics in Marietta, OH is responsible for creating these wonderful pieces of Fortean home decor, and even though the price has increased a bit (they usually sell for $80), you can find them at various locations around Flatwoods, including at the Flatwoods Monster Museum in Sutton, WV. I'm lucky to have one of these in my collection, but I feel kinda bad about how I acquired it...

Original Mold
On Display at Flatwoods Monster Museum

                                              

I'm not entirely sure when and where I first saw or heard about these lanterns, but I had known for a while that I REALLY wanted one. I was in one of my favorite local antique stores and as I had walked in the front door, a guy had one of the lanterns in his hand, asking the owner for a price. After a price was given, the guy frowned and put the lantern back down. I followed him down the aisle and as soon as he put it down and walked off, I snatched it up, ran to the front, paid for it and left! So yeah, I sniped a lantern, but I gave it a good home! It sits on the bookshelf year round, and at Christmas time, it's red and green color scheme make it a perfect center piece for our holiday mantle. A battery operated tea light candle completes the ambiance. 

If you can't make it to town to purchase your own Flatwoods Monster Lantern, you CAN order one on-line when they are in stock from CryptidMart. Also, during the 2020 Covid lockdowns, Andrew Smith, who runs the Flatwoods Monster Museum, finished an excellent 22 minute documentary on the history and production of the lamps. You can watch it for free at YouTube! 

Information for today's blog post comes from The Lantern, a Short Documentary by Andrew Smith (2020), as well as Braxton County's Visit Braxton Website.