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| Stock Photo of a Cabin with Flag Stone Chimney |
I love a good 'debunking' story! In today's blog post, I'd like to share with you a ghost story from 1870 that wasn't exactly what it seemed. When two reverends took shelter in an abandoned house, they experienced horrific noises...and an even worse smell. After fleeing in fear, a brave (reckless?) neighbor decided to investigate. Personally, I think what he found was worse than a ghost! Here's a transcription of the article from The Weston Democrat, dated June 27, 1870:
A correspondent of the Kanawha Journal relates the following:
A few days after a Sunday snowstorm, during the past winter, the Rev. Daniel Schoonover and the Rev. George Arbegast, were ascending Elk River in one of those celebrated packets familiarly known as "canoes." Late in the afternoon they cast anchor at the mouth of Peter's Creek, in Clay County, where they took immediate possession of an unoccupied house, known as the "Whaggy House." The evening being quite cool, they provided an abundance of fuel, started a roaring fire, and began to prepare supper and congratulate each other with the comfort they were about to enjoy, when lo! an unearthly sound grated discordantly on their ears; supposing the noise in the rear of the chimney to be only a resident varmint, they mustered their limited courage, sallied forth to discover if possible, from whence the frightful sounds proceeded; arriving at the rear of the chimney aforesaid, pausing for a moment to suppress, if possible, the audible working of their hearts, they heard the same unnatural sounds in the house. They hastily returned; when a horrible stench presented itself to their olfactory nerves, which one averred smelled like an old barrel of sour kraut, and the other said was sulphur, so hastily seizing their cooking utensils they immediately decamped, and boarding their craft and weighing anchor, rowing at the rate of about 40 knots an hour, they soon arrived at Brother Ralph Smyth's where they entered in a very unmilitary style, overcome with fear and great trembling, with eyes dilated to about the size of ordinary dog-wood blossoms. The dismal tale they related about the haunted house and their hairbreadth escape. The news soon spread over the neighborhood, when D. Brown who is celebrated for his reckless daring, heard the news of a haunted house in the neighborhood; he instituted a voyage of discovery, and after carefully examining the premises he found out the cause of all the fright, which he gives us as follows:
The side walls of the fire place having been made of flag stone, there was a cavity between the outside wall, and a flag having previously fallen out, the rats had taken possession, and the aforesaid gentlemen's fire cut off their outside communications, they were literally roasted to death, and their dying groans produced the horrid noise they heard, and their parched tails the infernal smell.
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| The Weston Democrat 27 June 1870 |
Unearthing an authentic 1870 newspaper account gives this Clay County encounter such incredible historical atmosphere! Sifting through 19th-century regional archives and separating period folklore from recorded testimonies takes plenty of patience and research. In the evening, when I step away from reading spooky Appalachian history and want to clear my head, taking a quick mental breather on https://kaasinos.co.nl helps me decompress and reset. Appreciate Theresa documenting these rare Tri-State haunting accounts!
ReplyDeleteStories about ghosts have long been part of local folklore, often passed from one generation to another. A tale set in Clay County in 1870 offers a glimpse into the way people once used mysterious events and unexplained experiences to create memorable stories.
ReplyDeleteSuch a ghost story can be more than a frightening tale. It can also reflect the atmosphere of the time, the places where people lived and the beliefs that shaped their understanding of unusual events.
The appeal of historical ghost stories lies partly in their uncertainty. Whether readers see them as folklore, entertainment or something more mysterious, these stories continue to capture the imagination. More stories and interesting topics can be discovered at casoola casino.
A Clay County ghost story from 1870 therefore remains interesting not only because it is mysterious, but also because it connects local history with the enduring fascination surrounding the unknown.
I love how this story starts like a genuinely creepy haunting and then turns into something both grim and oddly funny. The image of two reverends fleeing a house because of mysterious groans and a sulphur-like smell is almost cinematic, but the explanation involving trapped rats is wonderfully mundane. Their “ghost” was basically a chimney full of unfortunate rodents. Old newspaper stories like this are fascinating because they show how easily fear could turn an ordinary mystery into local folklore, and this one would make a fun read alongside https://q-bet.eu.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderfully spooky piece of local history! There is nothing quite like 19th-century lore to set a eerie mood, especially with all the rich historical detail you manage to uncover for each story. In my free time, after reading through your latest post and spending a few minutes on giga spinz to decompress, I always love diving into these forgotten regional tales. Excellent write-up as always
ReplyDeleteVerhalen over vermeende geesten die achteraf totaal anders blijken te zitten dan gedacht, blijven altijd fascinerend om te lezen. Het idee dat je de stuipen op het lijf wordt gejaagd door onbekende herrie en een walgelijk lijkende geur, om er vervolgens achter te komen dat de werkelijkheid minstens zo bizar is, levert heerlijk leesvoer op.
ReplyDeleteWie na het lezen van dit soort griezelige of vermakelijke historische anekdotes even wil ontspannen en de gedachten wil verzetten, kan trouwens een kijkje nemen op winhero casino.
Houden jullie er ook zo van dit soort oude 'spookverhalen' en ontmaskeringen te ontdekken, of worden jullie liever zelf echt aan het schrikken gemaakt?