Tombstone Tuesday: Miles Vernon Dixson at Charleston's Spring Hill

Miles Vernon Dixson's Tombstone at Spring Hill
Photo by Find-a-Grave User, Rosa Nutt

My husband and I recently rented an apartment in Charleston's East End...which means I'm literally about a five minute drive from the city's beautiful, historic Victorian-era burial ground known as Spring Hill Cemetery. This massive, sprawling cemetery overlooking the state capitol is the final resting place for many of Charleston's most famous and accomplished citizens. It's a wonderful look at the history of the city and a snapshot of the lives of those who made it all possible. 

But there's one tombstone included in the cemetery's self-guided history walk that is rather unassuming. To walk up on the small, rather plain marker amid elaborate obelisks and extravagant displays of funerary art, you might not take a second glance. However, the young man buried there has a fascinating tale to tell. 

Twenty-one year old Miles Vernon Dixson of South Hills was a teller at the Kanawha Valley Bank, but his dream was to become a pilot. So, the young man enrolled in Glen Clark's flying school, which he ran from his seaplane base, located on the Kanawha River. On Saturday March 2, 1935, Dixson took one of the training sea planes out for a practice run in preparation for his upcoming licensing exam. As he was flying over the vicinity of Spring Hill Cemetery, something went wrong.

Spring Hill Mausoleum 
Photo by Theresa Racer

Newspaper articles of the time period aren't 100% clear, but it seems as if a stunt may have went wrong, and one or both of the plane's wings were torn away from the body of the plane at about 1,800 feet up. He tried to deploy his parachute, but was unable to until he was only 200 feet high and it didn't have time to open. The plane crashed, and his body plummeted to the ground, right beside the mausoleum of Spring Hill Cemetery. His death certificate lists his cause of death as a fractured skull and crushed chest. Ironically, he was buried in Spring Hill, just a short walk from where his life actually ended. 

Over the years, Spring Hill Cemetery in Charleston (like it's counterpart, Spring Hill Cemetery in Huntington) has gained a reputation for being haunted. In recent years, the debate as to why cemeteries would even BE haunted locations of note has been a hot topic among the paranormal community. That's a blog post for another day, but it's stories like this one that definitely add an interesting layer to that debate! Unfortunately, this was a really sad case where a young life was extinguished way too soon. 

Bluefield Daily Telegraph
03 March 1935

A Gruesome Grave Robbing in West Virginia

Find-a-Grave
Uploaded by Tammy Parks Markwood

Ghoul: n. An evil spirit or phantom, especially one supposed to rob graves and feed on dead bodies.

When I hear the word 'ghoul', that's the definition I usually associate with it, but throughout history, the term has also come to be a description of those flesh and blood living humans who engage in the heinous act of disturbing buried bodies. It was these types of ghouls that had a small community in Preston County, WV outraged.

Mary Ellen Shaffer Calhoun was a well-known and well-respected elderly widow living in the community of Newburg. When she passed away on January 27, 1916 at the age of 78, she was buried in the Calhoun Family Cemetery near Manheim, beside her husband, John G. Calhoun. There she laid in rest...for about two weeks. 

February 11th, 1916 was a Friday. That morning, two boys, Kramer Brandau and Harold Painter, were on their way to school in Rowlesburg. On route from their homes in Manheim, they passed the Calhoun Family Cemetery and noticed a big pile of fresh dirt and wooden boards strewn about. Being a small community, they knew that there wasn't a recent burial, so they walked over to check it out. To their horror, they found the body of Mrs. Calhoun, partially nude, lying above ground. The wooden case enclosing her casket had been smashed and scattered. The coffin lid and nameplate had been removed. The body, although outside of the coffin and lying on the ground, was left intact. However, the clothes had been partially torn off and ripped to shreds. 

The boys ran all the way to Rowlesburg to report the incident to authorities. It wouldn't be long before Sheriff Laco Wolfe, accompanied by a pack of bloodhounds belonging to Sheriff Ross F. Stout were on the scene. Dim footprints were found in the mud, but unfortunately, the dogs were unable to sniff out the trail of the alleged grave robbers. Mrs. Calhoun's body was placed in the care of the local undertaker, who hastily reburied her with as much dignity as the situation could merit. 

Local rumor believed that Mrs. Calhoun was the victim of grave robbers because she was buried along with expensive jewelry, valuable papers, and even perhaps a large sum of cash. Local newspapers covering the story even first reported that rings were violently cut from her fingers and stolen by the grave robbers. However, all this would prove false. The family claimed that she wasn't buried with her jewelry, and she certainly wasn't buried with CASH. These rumors may have been started when Mrs. Calhoun's oldest son, Albert Dodson (AD) Calhoun, who was named administrator of her estate went over all the assets on February 5th. In doing so, he discovered that his mother had never cashed or deposited a check for $400 that he had written her 18 months prior for debts he owed her. Upon discovering this and checking with the First National Bank of Grafton, he reissued a check in the same amount to be paid to the estate. However, he claims that no one, not even other family members, were aware of this transaction.

So what was the motive for this horrific crime?

Perhaps the motive was robbery. Mrs. Calhoun seemed to be a very well-known figure in the community, and she probably had some wealth to go along with her reputation. Maybe the grave robber(s) thought she WOULD be buried with jewelry and/or other items worth stealing. That would account for the disarray of the clothing/shroud as the robbers hastily tried to find what they were looking for. However, a strange article came out in the February 12, 1916 edition of the Daily Telegram. This paper claimed that Mrs. Calhoun was disinterred in such a disrespectful manner because of SPITE. It was noted that the body was found in a field near the railroad tracks...the same railroad tracks traveled daily by her son, H. Calhoun who was a conductor on the Morgantown and Kingwood Railroad. 

That's an interesting take on the whole situation, but I never found out what in the actual hell Mrs. Calhoun or her family had done to make someone want to hurt them and disrespect them in such a gruesome manner. Digging up a corpse and leaving it out where it can easily be found by two young boys on their way to school is absolutely horrific. For one to do so out of spite is the sign of a pretty twisted mind.

Whatever the reason behind the gruesome event, it doesn't appear that the case was ever solved. On February 19th, the Martinsburg Herald basically stated that the case had gone cold and all leads exhausted. However, on the following day, the Sunday Telegram ran a small article saying that all clues had been exhausted, BUT an unnamed hypnotist/mind reader was being called in as a last resort to uncover clues. After that, it seems that local papers dropped the matter, and I couldn't find any additional mentions in the sources I regularly use. 

This story may seem a little more...gruesome...than what you're used to seeing on Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State. And although it's not paranormal, it is WEIRD---weird and spooky. I love branching out into ALL aspects of West Virginia's strange and fascinating history and thought a tale of grave-robbing might be something YOU'D be interested in as well! Lemme know down in the comments what YOU think of these types of stories, and as always, let me know what kind of content you'd enjoy reading about. 

Sources:

The West Virginia Argus. 17 February 1916

The (Clarksburg, WV) Daily Telegram. 12 February 1916

Martinsburg Herald. 19 February 1916

The Sunday Telegram. 20 February 1916. Accessed through Newspapers.com 

BONUS GHOST STORY:

As a paranormal researcher/investigator, I was REALLY hoping I could find some ghost stories associated with the Calhoun Family Cemetery, or tales of it's reputed haunting. How cool would that be to find documentation that this lil' location has a history of being haunted...and making the connection that this tragic tale could be behind it.

Unfortunately, that wasn't to be. But, I did find a very, VERY brief mention of another cemetery being haunted! Mrs. Calhoun was apparently living in Newburg, WV at the time of her death. Newburg is a good 30 minutes away by today's standards from her burial place between Manheim and Rowlesburg. Newburg is also home to an allegedly haunted cemetery of its own! The Damon Cemetery (sometimes referred to as the Knights of Pythias Cemetery) is haunted by the ghostly apparition of a lady in white. A visitor to the cemetery, checking on her father's grave, also had her own personal experience in the cemetery, which was shared on the Facebook page, West Virginia's Most Haunted Places. 

The Cemetery Shortcut: A Friday Funny

So...this is totally going to be ME in the afterlife.  I understand that 'Theresa' with an 'H' isn't the more popular spelling, but its so perplexing to receive messages intended for 'Teresa' or 'Tresa' when my properly spelled name is printed right there for anyone to see, lol! I had to order a new college diploma because my name was misspelled on it...so I guess if I want to avoid this guy's fate, I need to pre-order and proofread my stone well before I actually need it!

Have a fun, safe and spooky weekend, ya'll!  There are numerous activities going on this weekend including the premier of Ghost Nation and a ghost tour in Ripley, WV by Granny Sue Holstein tonight (ghost tour also offered Saturday).  Tomorrow is the Moonville Tunnel Festival in Ohio, The Nitro Festival of Fright in Nitro, WV, a ghost tour of St. Albans, WV and the WV CASE Paranormal Expo in Morgantown, WV!  There are also plenty of other haunted house attractions and ghost tours going on throughout the tri-state.  Let me know what YOUR weekend plans are! 

Cemetery Scare: A Friday Night Funny

This is one of those things that I laughed harder than necessary at...and I hope you get a good chuckle out of it as well!  The next time you're lurking around a cemetery at night and see a couple of scared kids, give them something to tell they're grandchildren (or therapist) some day!  Happy Friday, everyone!  I'm still working through my January Ultimate Blog Challenge; I hope you'll join me here and at Theresa's Haunted History Facebook every day this month for plenty of ghost stories, haunted places, weird history, and of course...a weekly dose of spooky humor. 

Merry Christmas! A Tombstone Tuesday Perspective

Merry Christmas!  It's a greeting we in the tri-state hear A LOT this time of year.  However, its a holiday sentiment you don't normally come across while strolling through a cemetery.  Well, unless of course you're strolling through one of the many cemeteries that provide a final resting place for quite a number of people with the name Merry or Mary Christmas!  

Wikipedia, of all places, has some pretty interesting information on the use of 'Christmas' as a surname.  It is definitely not a common surname by any means.  However, you can find the greatest concentration of Christmases in Essex and Sussex Counties, England. Some believe its origins stem back to the 1100's when 'Christmas,' spelled various ways, was a byname given to those people who were born on Christmas day. 

Also according to Wikipedia, the earliest known record of someone being named 'Mary Christmas' dates back to 1837 when Mary Canon married a man by the name of Christmas in Alton. It is believed that 50+ women named Mary have gone on to marry men with the surname of Christmas...but the article doesn't mention anything about women who are born with the name Mary Christmas...or the women and/or men whose name take the Yuletide season a step further with the 'Merry' spelling of their first name!  For example:

Photo by Find-a-Grave Contributor Dianne Wood

Sergeant Major Merry Lawrence Christmas was born May 21, 1929 in Arkansas.  He served in World War II and in the Korean Conflict, and I'm sure his military buddies had plenty to say about his unusual, yet festive name! Sergeant Major Christmas passed away in 1999 and his tombstone can be found Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Newnan, Georgia.

Sergeant Major Christmas isn't the only fella whose parents produced a son they named Merry Christmas, though.  Merry Franklin Christmas was born on November 5, 1848 in South Carolina.  He passed away on July 13, 1914 at the age of 65. He is buried in the Bowden Cemetery in Drew County, Arkansas.

Photo by Find-a-Grave Contributor Leslie Acord

Find-a-Grave, a great website devoted to categorizing and documenting cemeteries and burials only has a few entries for people named Merry Christmas...but it actually has quite a few for MARY Christmases...120 entries to be exact!  I don't want to leave anyone out, but there's no way I can feature all those Marys on here...so here's just a couple who were first to pop up!

Mary Van Christmas was born on Christmas Eve, 1910...but she wouldn't receive her unique holiday name until her marriage Grandison Christmas!  Mary passed away in 2000 and is buried in the Coley Springs Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery in North Carolina.

Photo by Find-a-Grave Contributor Margaret Gagliardi

This next and final grave I'll be featuring is a sad one. It is the grave of little Mary Agnes Christmas, born January 22, 1931.  Unfortunately, Mary did not live to see her fifth birthday.  She is buried in Ephesus Church Cemetery in Jackson County, Florida. 

Photo by Find-a-Grave Contributor Mary Greer Thomas

I hope you've enjoyed this Christmas edition of Tombstone Tuesday!  I love the beauty and history of tombstones and am always eager to share the more unusual and fascinating examples of funeral art.  I also love to preserve the history of the people beneath the stones, and let their stories be told one more time. Haunted cemeteries are a lot of fun, but even those that aren't can be still be absolutely awesome! I hope you're continuing to have a wonderful holiday season and are enjoying all the Christmas-themed posts here on the blog and over at Theresa's Haunted History Facebook page.  Stay spooky...and I'll catch ya on the next one!

The Elk Garden Cemetery UFO

West Virginia is a weird place.  The amount of ghosts, monsters, UFOs and other strangeness here in the Mountain State make West Virginia a paranormal enthusiast's dream.  And, one of the weirder incidents in our spooky lore is the Elk Garden Cemetery UFO.

RD Dean Memorial I.O.O.F. Cemetery Gate and Nethken Methodist Church in background. Photo by KC of Find-a-Grave (2014)

UFO flaps are nothing too out of the ordinary, and West Virginia has seen a few times over the years where a large amount of unidentified flying objects have been seen by multiple witnesses over a period of time.  One such UFO flap occurred in the small community of Elk Garden, located in Mineral County, during the 1960's and 1970's.  It seems as if a large, rounded craft was seen shining lights in the vicinity of Nethken Hill, especially around the local Methodist Church and its adjoining cemetery.  The best viewing spot was around the Kalbaugh Farm on the western side of the hill, and it wasn't unusual for carloads of residents and out of town visitors to drive up the hill and try to catch a glimpse of the unexplained lights.  Not everyone was lucky enough to see the lights, but a few residents did over the years, including a local minister.

The incident in question was documented in Bob Teets' 1994 book, West Virginia UFOs: Close Encounters in the Mountain State.  On the evening of October 8th, 1967 Reverend Harley DeLeurere was contacted by a member of his congregation (noted in the book as being the town's mayor) and the man's adult son.  The man and his son told the minister that they were going to watch for UFOs on Nethken Hill and asked Rev. DeLeurere to join them.  He gladly did...and it would be about two hours later that he would question that decision.

At that point, the men noticed something strange near the roof line of the Kalbaugh home.  The mayor's son described it as 'a big turtle with lights on it.' The craft moved towards the Methodist Church cemetery, but it ultimately ended in the nearby R.D. Dean Memorial I.O.O.F. cemetery.  There is hovered over a day-old grave at a height of about six feet and shone a beam of light directly down onto the fresh grave. The men ran towards the cemetery, but by the time they got there, the craft and the light had vanished without a trace.

It was believed even at that time that there was a connection between new burials at both cemeteries and the strange craft.  It seemed to many that any time someone was buried in either the Methodist Church or the I.O.O.F. cemetery, the mystery lights were seen.  But what WAS the connection?  West Virginia isn't the only area where UFOs have been seen hovering over cemeteries.  According to the site, Inexplicata--The Journal of Hispanic Ufology, similar tales can be found in Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, and elsewhere.  One theory that has been proposed is that these UFOs are sending these beams down to freshly buried bodies to retrieve previous alien implants from those bodies.

The community of Elk Garden only had a population of about 300 during the time of the sightings and witnesses do feel there was a correlation between the lights and new funerals.  If these lights were intended to retrieve implants...well, that's a HUGE chunk of residents that must have had these implants!  What was so special about this community and its citizenry that would warrant such close study by beings from another world?

Out of curiosity, I went to the Find-a-Grave page to check out the list of burials for the R.D. Dean I.O.O.F. Cemetery.  The VERY FIRST entry was for an 81 year old woman named Berdie Mae Roderick Abernathy.  Berdie Mae passed away on October 5, 1967...just days before the incident noted by Rev. DeLeurere.  Could she have been the owner of the fresh grave that allegedly drew the attention of a turtle-shaped craft from beyond our understanding?

In a state full of weirdness, this is truly one of the stranger incidents, not just in West Virginia UFO lore, but of UFO lore in general.  Why do YOU think these UFOs were so interested in these two little cemeteries in a small WV community?  Let me know your thoughts down below in the comments or over at Theresa's Haunted History Facebook! 

Coffin Napping Leads to Ghost Scare

Here's a humorous tale for you!  Although the story takes place in Philadelphia, PA, the article appeared in the September 6, 1907 edition of The Daily Telegram, a Clarksburg, WV based newspaper.  And, while this story IS pretty funny, I gotta say that its a bit sad that even 110+ years ago, people were stealing metal from cemeteries to make a quick buck. 

WENT TO SLEEP IN COFFIN
Wanderer's Nap Caused Ghost Scare in Quaker City Cemetery

When Policeman Barnes of the Twentieth and Berks streets station, Philadelphia, heard weird sounds in Glenwood cemetery very early in the morning, he crept stealthily along the fence and entered the graveyard in full expectation of a real adventure.  And he was not disappointed.  The adventure was so real that the doughty officer's hair stood on end, and he fingered his club in nervous fear of its futility in dealing with the supernatural.

First, the sounds, deep and regular, like the breath of troubled dreams, grew louder; then, as he approached a grave well in the center of the cemetery, he saw a faint, eerie light that flickered from a rough pine coffin case beside the grave.  The light trembled and flashed and faded and then brightened, though always vague and ghostly and unearthly.

To Policeman Barnes it seemed quite the most natural thing in the world that he should rap softly three times on the coffin case and that the lid of the box should suddenly fly open and reveal a human form, dimly visible by the light of a small lantern.

When the first shock of discovery was over, it took the policeman only a moment to see that this was no dead one, but a live creature, sound asleep and with a pile of metal coffin plates for a pilow in the overturned rough box.  The officer woke the intruder sharply enough and took him to Magistrate Rau.

The grave walker and would be grave robber gave his name as William Evert and his address as Glenwood cemetery.  He said he had just dropped into the coffin case for a nap.  He did not, however, explain his predilection for cemeteries nor the presence of the metal name plates, and the magistrate sent him to Holmesburg for three months. 

Theresa Travels to Lewisburg, WV

Angel of Death?

When Aaron asked me if I wanted to come with him to Lewisburg  over Labor Day weekend to pick up some computer/vintage gaming stuff he had bought, of course I said YES! I love Lewisburg. Named the Coolest Small Town in America in 2011, Lewisburg is one of West Virginia's most historic (and HAUNTED!) places. We packed Luke up, made the 2 hour drive, and made a day of it.

Close-up

After picking up Aaron's purchase, we started our tour of the town. We began with a trip to the Old Stone Church Cemetery. The entire cemetery is so full of history and stories, and its a beautiful memorial to the citizens of Lewisburg who have long been gone. However, we were there to see one stone in particular---that of the Lewisburg Angel of Death.

As the story goes, shortly after young Maud Matthews passed away, a beautiful stone angel statue was erected over her grave. Two of Maud's young female relations kissed the angel's cheeks in memory of their fallen friend...and then quickly died themselves afterward. Legend states that the statue is cursed and that anyone foolish enough to kiss the cheek of the angel will meet a similar fate as the two girls and will be dead within a year.

I'm a little superstitious, so I decided not to test fate. Others had, though! Upon closer look at the statue, both cheeks are very smooth and worn down. There also appeared to be a little hint of lipstick still visible!

After visiting the Old Stone Church Cemetery, we took the short drive up the hill to visit the Confederate Cemetery. This is another beautiful location, and a very unique one. Confederate dead from the Battle of Lewisburg and Droop Mountain are interred here in a mass earthen grave in the shape of a giant cross. We were sad to see that a historical sign had been defaced, but the site was otherwise pretty well taken care of. I was surprised at how interested my then 7-year-old son was in this location. He even requested that my boyfriend film him giving a small historical talk for his YouTube channel.

Confederate Cemetery

To round out our trip, we also made a quick stop at the haunted General Lewis Inn. We were hoping to grab some lunch there, but we were too late for lunch and too early for the dinner service, so we had to settle for some outside photos. After that, we decided to drive down to the Greenbrier to take a look around....but we got a little distracted by a side trip! We made an unplanned stop in at Organ Cave and took their awesome Civil War tour. I did ask our tour guide if there were any hauntings associated with the cave, especially given its use during the war, but he denied it. The family that owns the cave is extremely religious, so I'm not sure they would have admitted to any paranormal activity even if there had been reports. Still, we had a great time and learned a lot. We eventually did make it to the Greenbrier, but unfortunately we ran into ANOTHER food situation. We were going to eat at the Greenbrier, but the only restaurants that were open at that time had a dress code----and after that extensive cave tour, I had mud and dirt smeared down my side and nothing to change into. Luke and Aaron weren't much cleaner...so we had to settle for a few outside photographs and dinner at Applebee's.

Summer 2009

By this point, we were all pretty tired, but we needed to make one more stop. Since we were in the area, we HAD to pay our respects to West Virginia's most famous ghost girl, Zona Hester Shue, otherwise known as the Greenbrier Ghost.

Summer 2017

Zona is buried in the Soule Baptist Church Cemetery in the nearby town of Sam Black Church. This was the first time I had been to visit Zona since I was pregnant with Luke. He and I 'recreated' the photo I had taken eight years earlier when I stood behind Zona's grave to conceal my very large pregnant belly! It was a really cool experience to share with my son, and I'm glad Aaron got to be there as well. I've never really written much about Zona on here since her story has been covered so extensively elsewhere, but she's always held a special place in my heart. Seeing her final resting place being well cared for and still receiving visitors was a great end to a great day.

*If you'd like to see more photos from our Lewisburg trip, please join me over at Theresa's Haunted History Facebook page and look for the Lewisburg album under Photos. And if you'd like to hear more of Theresa's adventures, subscribe to the blog! Thanks!*

TNT Area Graves

If you're familiar with the Mothman legend of Point Pleasant, WV, then chances are you at least have some knowledge of his connection to the area commonly referred to as the TNT area. The TNT area, which is now mostly a maze of concrete igloos set within the McClintic Wildlife Area, began life in 1942 as the WV Ordnance Works at Pt. Pleasant. Until 1945, this sprawling complex employed thousands of people in the manufacture of TNT.

Construction began in March of 1942, several miles north of the city of Pt. Pleasant. Most of the land used for the plant consisted of land sold to the government by local farmers. By May of that year, that would pose a slight problem...

During the early 1800s, it was common for settlers in the area to bury their dead on their property in small family cemeteries. There were about seven of these small family burial plots that stood in way of various plant construction projects. Local papers ran announcements asking for any relatives of those buried within these small family cemeteries to contact a local office.

This is an on-going research project for me, but I wanted to go ahead and share one of those newspaper announcements that appeared in the Jackson Herald on Friday May 15, 1942. This is a very interesting topic for me because for some reason, it just never occurred to me that cemeteries would have to have been moved/disturbed during construction. It makes perfect sense, though. This type of thing happened ALL the time with new construction, especially for a project as large as the Ordnance Works! It makes me wonder, though. Many of the burials were unmarked. Many of the descendants of those buried had since long moved on and could not be located. Could this disruption of their original burial site upset the souls of Pt. Pleasant's earliest citizens? Could it account for some of the non-related Mothman 'ghost' stories, such as MY EXPERIENCE several years ago? Was Mothman, although he wasn't sighted until over 20 years after the plant closed its doors be somehow connected to those disturbed souls, watching over them? The concept of graveyard guardians, which stems largely from England, is a traditional belief that many of the early settlers may have carried over with them, and weirdly enough, Mothman could have fit the bill. Or was he maybe a thought-form manifestation of the pain, anger, and all the other emotions associated with having one's eternal slumber disrupted? I'm probably REALLY reaching here, but its kind of fun to think about!

*I'd love to hear from anyone who has had a spooky experience out in the TNT area, or anyone who has any knowledge about the re-burial process for the 200 souls who were moved. You can comment down below, or find me over at Theresa's Haunted History's Facebook. Thanks!*

(Jackson Herald, Friday, 15 May 1942)
"An estimated 200 hundred graves, many of them covered with tall grasses, and forgotten, will be moved at government expense to make way for the $55,000,000 TNT plant being constructed north of Point Pleasant. The graves lie in seven old cemeteries scattered over the 8,000 acre tract for the plant which will be known as the West Virginia Ordnance works, situated in the Robinson district. All will be moved to a single new burial ground on Lock Lane road, off West Virginia State Route 62.

The site includes the old BENNETT-KNOB cemetery, which is of historical interest by reason of the interment of Dr. Jesse BENNETT, a pioneer surgeon credited with performing the first cesarean operation in America.

The cemeteries include:

Eva RICE cemetery: A burial ground near the Oldtown-Dixie road. It holds three unmarked graves, and there may be others, as there is no known record of when it was established or when the last interment occurred.

The STEWART cemetery: Established about 1800, it contains approximately 75 graves of which only 17 have headstones. This cemetery is located on Musgrave road.

The SOMERVILLE cemetery: Located on the Oldtown road, on the Effie SOMERVILLE farm. Established in 1874, it holds 15 graves, 11 of them marked. The last interment occurred in 1913.

The VANMETER cemetery: Also situated on the Dixie road. Established in 1850, it is estimated to hold 20 graves, of which only seven have headstones.

The Cherry cemetery: Oldtown-Dixie road on the C. B. Thompson farm. This, apparently a family cemetery, was established in 1873 and contains only two graves, only one of them marked.

The Nanny B. HOGG cemetery: Oldtown-Dixie and Musgrave roads. Established in 1837, it holds approximately 75 graves. Among the headstones, six are very old but in unusually good condition and probably will be moved to the new burial ground.

The HAWKINS cemetery: On Morning Star road, on the E. J. and C. G. Somerville farm. Established about 1878, it contains 12 graves, 8 of which are marked, the last burial occurred in 1901.

Besides these, there are several cemeteries on the TNT plant site, but will not be in the way of buildings and will not be moved. All these will be fenced. The land acquisition section of the War department, which has charge of moving the graves, has requested that descendants or relatives of those buried in the seven cemeteries get in touch with the office."

Monday Meme: Victorian Graves

Ugh!!!!!!!  I am so sick of seeing this posted on different paranormal-themed Facebook pages/groups. I'm even more concerned when I see scores of people who actually BELIEVE that this metal cage is actually intended to trap a reanimated corpse. Our Victorian ancestors were not stupid. What they were afraid of was much more terrifying than zombies and vampires.  These metal cages were not intended to keep the ghouls from getting OUT....they were intended to keep the monsters from getting IN.

The photo above depicts a device known as a mortsafe. It was used in protection against grave robbers. Back in Victorian England, a couple of things were happening....

Before that time, medical students could only dissect and otherwise use cadavers 'donated' by criminals who had been sentenced to death. And, just about any offense could lead to hanging, lol. However, during the mid to late 1800s, social justice reform was leading to less offenses being punishable by death, and thus creating a huge shortage of corpses available to medical students. Medical science was making great strides throughout this time period, so a good supply of fresh corpses was EXTREMELY important. To help meet the demand, 'ressurectionists' would steal the bodies of the newly buried and then sell them to medical schools, generally with no questions asked.

As the practice became more and more of a threat, mortsafes and other devices were invented as a way to safeguard the bodies against theft.

The Strange Tomb of Fernand Arbelot

According to a brief biography written by Kit and Morgan Benson, not much is known about the musician, actor and architect, Fernand Arbelot. However, he has left quite a legacy in the form of a very unique tomb, located in Paris' Pere Lachaise Cemetery.

The tomb depicts a man lying on his back, holding up a disembodied HEAD and gazing into its cold, stone eyes. An epitaph reads, "They were amazed at the beautiful journey which led them to the end of life."

Sources say that the stone is the work of Belgian sculptor, Adolphe Wansart,  and completed in 1946, four years after Arbelot's death.  Arbelot was born in 1880 and a Parisian newspaper ran an obituary for him on November 19, 1942. Again, very little information was given, other than that he was serving as a director in the Westminster Bank.

Legend states that Arbelot's wish behind the tomb design was to gaze upon the beautiful face of his wife for all eternity. Some unsubstantiated claims indicate that he sped that desire along by killing her before taking his own life in a murder-suicide that would give Romeo and Juliet a run for their money. What IS known is that Arbelot passed away during the Nazi occupation of Paris, a very dark period of time in French history---and while not much is known about his life, his name will forever be known, thanks to a VERY unusual piece of funerary art.

Sources:
Find-a-Grave/Kit and Morgen Benson
Amis et Passionnes du Pere-Lachaise

Murdered by Human Wolves

If you were to visit Oklahoma's Konawa Memorial Cemetery, you might come across the grave of Katherine Cross. The unassuming stone reads states that Katherine Cross, daughter of JT and MK Cross, was born on March 13, 1899 and died on October 10, 1917.  It's always sad to see the grave of someone who died so young, but death is a normal part of life, and it doesn't discriminate based on age---especially during that time period!

It isn't until you take a much closer look at the tombstone that you realize there is much more to the story...

Yup. That's right.  It says, "Murdered by human wolves." Who or what were these human wolves and how was Katherine murdered? Rumors sprang up that her body had been found mutilated---torn to shreds. Some say the culprits were Ku Klux Klan members, while others took a more supernatural approach and claimed that these 'human wolves' were actual WEREWOLVES. Further legends sprang up that Katherine's ghost was haunting the cemetery, being seen AND heard in the vicinity of her tombstone, a legend that persists to this day.

But what REALLY happened to Katherine?

According to data from Katherine's death certificate and an October 25th, 1917 edition of the Seminole County News, Katherine's death was every bit as horrific as the legends would lead one to believe---but with a much more human monster than any werewolf or even Klan member.  Katherine died of what was listed as a 'criminal operation' at the hands of Dr. A.H. Yates, and his assistant, a school teacher named Fred O'Neal. While not confirmed, this cause of death heavily implied that Katherine had undergone an illegal abortion and succumbed due to complications.

What is especially tragic is that she wasn't the first.  On August 15, 1917 another young lady named Elise Stone was admitted under Dr. Yates' care.  She stayed at his office for four days before being sent home, where she died soon after. The original cause of death listed for Elise was 'congestive chill,' but suspicion arose and her body was disinterred for an autopsy. Like Katherine, her cause of death was now listed as complications from a criminal operation. Although the newspaper article states that the two men were charged, it doesn't appear that any further legal action was ever taken. And even with the cause of death cleared up, there are still more questions than answers concerning this strange tale of how two young women suffered a nearly identical fate two months apart and what the heck a school teacher was doing assisting abortions.

One researcher has delved into a few different theories suggesting that Mr. O'Neal was actually the father of these unborn children or perhaps even worked as a 'scout,' choosing among his young pupils boys and girls to engage in illicit sex acts with prominent town citizens. Whether or not any of that is true, we will probably never know.

*All Photos from Find-a-Grave*

Sources:
Merlyn's Cave
Wikipedia
Find-a-Grave
USGenWeb

Buyer Beware: The Tragic Death of Ellen Shannon

There's a rather unique tombstone at Girard Cemetery in Erie County, Pennsylvania. It doesn't feature an elaborate shape or carving, nor does its size immediately draw the eye of visitors.  In fact, from afar, it looks pretty unassuming---just a normal tombstone.  It's only when one gets close enough to read the epitaph that one realizes just how special this tombstone really is.

Ellen Shannon was born in Ireland around 1844. As a housewife living in Pennsylvania, she suffered an extremely tragic and quite ironic death at the age of 26. An oil lamp exploded, fatally burning the young woman. While burns sustained from lamp accidents was a pretty common thing during this time period, the family of Ellen Shannon decided to use her tombstone as a way to point out the ironies in this particular case and warn the public that it could happen to them, too! 

A product known as R.E. Danforth's non-explosive burning liquid did just what it was marketed NOT to, and the results were deadly.  In fact, it wasn't the only time Danforth's product claims failed to deliver.  In November of 1872 a twelve year old boy suffered a similar fate trying to light his wood stove. 

In a time before Consumer Reports, the Better Business Bureau, and the internet, one family took it upon themselves to find a unique way to not only warn others of a dangerous product, but to get in a sweet little jab to the company as well. Over 100 years later, this tombstone still exists to tell the tragic and ironic tale of a young Irish girl's death...a death that should never had happened. Buyer Beware. 

In Memory of

 Ellen Shannon

Age 26 Years

Who Was Fatally

Burned Mar. 21 1870

By the Explosion

Of a Lamp Filled

With R.E. Danforth's

Non-Explosive

Burning Liquid

The Clothespin Grave

It's Tuesday...so let's make it a Tombstone Tuesday!  Instead of the usual 'ghost story' or haunted location, let's just take a look at a VERY interesting symbol of one Vermont man's lasting legacy!

W. Jack Crowell was born on August 6, 1924.  He made his career in the clothespin industry; in fact, he owned the National Clothespin Factory of Montpelier, Vermont. The National Clothespin Factory opened in 1906 and continued manufacturing wooden clothespins until 2009, making it the LAST American company to do so. 

Apparently, Jack really loved his job, because when he died on October 20, 1996 his family erected in his honor a giant clothespin tombstone!  It is said that original plans for the tombstone were to include an actual spring so that children visiting the grave could play on the marker, just like a see-saw!  Although there is unfortunately no playing on the tombstone allowed, many people still flock to the Middlesex Center Cemetery each year to view the unusual tombstone. 

Vermont Deadline

Baby Monster

Saar Pioneer Cemetery is located in King County, Washington and is home to a rather unique tombstone that has gripped the Pinterest world in its clutches.  It is the tombstone of Baby Monster.

Baby Monster was born on October 23, 1888 and passed away on February 3, 1889, not long after his/her third month of life. One does not normally expect to see such a tombstone with the words BABY MONSTER spelled out so clearly, especially in such a quaint, older cemetery.  This is something creepy...this is something Halloweeny...this has to be a joke, right?

No, its nothing like that.  It's simply a sad reminder that death does not discriminate and at one point in our nation's history, the infant mortality rate was through the roof.  Frankenstein Jr. does not rest in the cemetery, nor does this stone mark the grave of a deformed or handicapped child.  The word, 'Monster,' is simply a surname.  This "shocking" revelation can be backed up by the fact that Baby Monster was buried with a man named John C. Monster.  The elder Monster was born in 1851 and died in 1890.  More than likely John C. is the baby's father as they share the same stone...in fact, his name is listed directly above the baby's...a clue that is conveniently cropped from most of the photos of the Baby Monster tombstone.

According to Find-a-Grave researchers, John C.'s wife was Anna Marie Nelson Monster.  Anna was born in 1861 and died in 1920.  She is apparently buried in the same cemetery, but in an unmarked grave.  However, she is memorialized on a public tombstone honoring others buried in the cemetery without markers.  Sadly, there are two more members of the Monster Family buried in unmarked graves.  One is a female born in January of 1912 without a death date listed.  The other is a male born 9 months later in October of 1912 who died at the age of 2 days old. 

Photo  by Find-a-Grave contributor, Billie Sorrels

It's an extremely sad circumstance and one is left wondering why Baby Monster wasn't given a proper name on his/her tombstone, even after three months of life.  It's possible that this tombstone was erected or carved well after the two people it memorializes had passed away...and the person simply didn't have a record of the name of the baby.  Or, it could have possibly been because the child had never been baptized, and thus, never had a Christian name given to it. With such a high infant mortality rate at that time, it wasn't unheard of to wait several months before giving a child a proper name.  Either way, if you find yourself roaming around Saar Pioneer Cemetery, stop by the Monster grave, not to gawk, but to pay your respects to a life taken so soon...and if you see anyone on social media freaking out about it, feel free to send 'em the link to this blog post!



Update October 2018:  This photo is making its rounds again, with some added misinformation.

Again, 'Monster' is a family surname; in this case it does not indicate whether or not the child was handicapped or deformed.  As I said before, if you see someone in a Facebook group or other social media platform sharing this graphic, feel free to refer them to this blog post...or at least let them know the truth.

Debunking a Kentucky Cemetery Legend

This morning, I saw a Facebook post for a cemetery legend out of Marion, Kentucky.  The legend was that of the Pilot's Knob Cemetery Witch Girl.  Since I'm always short on interesting places in the Bluegrass State, I decided to research this location a little more and add it to the Haunted Kentucky Page.

What I found was not exactly shocking.  From what I can find, there is not one single supporting piece of evidence to show that there's even a grain of truth buried somewhere in the deep recesses of this urban legend.

As the stories go, Mary Evelyn Ford lived with her mother near Marion, Kentucky around the early 1900s.  For reasons unnamed, the mother and the girl were universally believed to be witches by the townspeople, and thus, in an act of vigilante justice, the townspeople swooped in and burned both mother and daughter alive.  The mother's charred remains were taken away, yet the little girl's body was buried in the Pilot Knob Cemetery.  However, it was believed that without proper precautions, her spirit would seek vengeance on those who took the lives of her mother and herself...so she buried in a lead-lined coffin, and covered in concrete and gravel.  As an added precaution, her grave was surrounded by an iron fence, made of interlocking crosses, designed to keep her spirit from escaping.

That hasn't stopped her from trying, however.  Visitors to the site have noted that they've seen the apparition of the little blonde girl, wandering back and forth in her white iron cage, wearing a singed white nightgown.  She reaches out to those who get close enough, trying to pull them in with her.  She's even been seen making faces at people, peering through the iron bars.  If you do manage to climb over the fence, its said she'll hold you down and pull you into her grave with her.

In reality, Mary Evelyn Ford was the youngest of at least six children born to James Andy Ford and Mary Rebecca Davis Ford.  According to her death certificate, she passed away on May 31, 1915, just a few weeks after her fifth birthday, from peritonitis.  Her mother, who legend claims is missing, is really buried in the same cemetery, dying in 1955 after outliving her husband and at least two of her children.  It seems like the legend was nothing more than a made up story intended to keep people away from the cemetery at night...and to account for why Mary's grave seems to be the only one with a gravel top and iron fence.

But...that still doesn't account for some of the other spooky goings-on in the cemetery, one of which is directly related to the little witch girl.  There is said to be an evil presence in the cemetery, that of a man known only as The Watcher.  The Watcher allegedly was killed at a nearby bridge, but is drawn to the cemetery by the little witch, whom he tries to capture, but cannot, due to the fence of crosses.

Links:
Pilot Knob Cemetery (has pictures of Mary's death certificate and links to tons of info on the legend)
Find-a-Grave Listing for Mary (includes links to parents)
Louisville Ghost Hunters Society (investigation and readers' comments)

The Devil's Baby of Ravenswood

Tombstone of George Elwood Sharp
Photo by Theresa (September 2023)

*Updated September 2023*

It was recently brought to my attention (thanks to an article from WhoForted?) that the Ravenswood Cemetery in Jackson County, WV is home to quite the fascinating combined urban legend and ghost story.  The story is known locally as the Devil's Baby. 

According to the legend, there is a Devil Baby buried in the cemetery and on moonlit nights, visitors have reported hearing the eerie, disembodied cries of an infant as the clock strikes midnight.   These cries are said to be those of George Elwood Sharp, infant son of Louis and Willa Sharp.  George was born on 27 April 1915 and passed away on 21 July 1917, making him a little older than two years of age at the time of death.  A tombstone was erected in his honor on to which was added a ceramic tombstone portrait, a popular choice in funerary art at the time.

It is this tombstone portrait of a slightly younger George that is actually the whole basis of the Devil Baby legend...

The porcelain or ceramic tombstone portrait was patented by two French photographers in 1854 and was a process that was especially popular, and thus perfected, by the Italians throughout the late 1800s and early 1900s.  The portrait is created with a porcelain (or ceramic) tile which is either solid, or applied over a metal base.  It is produced by firing an image over that porcelain tile at a very high temperature for several hours in a kiln.  Ideally, the process is designed to resist fading for at least 100 years.

Close-up of George E. Sharp's 
Porcelain Portrain
Photo by Theresa (September 2023)

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case with George's portrait.  Severe weathering has caused an alarming pattern of fading and discoloration.  To some, when the moonlight hits it just right, the baby's image appears to take on the appearance of having horns.  To others, the teeth appear as vampire-like fangs.  All take note of the eerie white void of the eyes.

The horns and fangs have led to the legend of the Devil Baby moniker, but there is one more interesting aspect of this tombstone portrait:  it glows!  Although more likely due to the material composition of the portrait than a paranormal explanation, the picture does actually appear to give off a soft glow in the dark and thus, sparking a decades old local legend about an innocent child.

If you decide to check out this legend for yourself, please remain respectful. Please be advised that according to West Virginia laws, it is trespassing to enter a public cemetery after dark without permission.  Also keep in mind that this IS a legend.  Although not much is known about George Sharp and his family, we do know that he was someone's child...a child that was taken too early.

Links of Interest:
Tombstone Portraits
The Devil's Baby (Who Forted?)
Find-a-Grave

Skeptical Inquirer Article

*Theresa's Note: Since originally publishing this article in 2014, I've gone back and done some additional research on George's family. Although I've yet to uncover a death certificate or even an obituary for George, I did find his birth register entry on the WVCulture site. As stated, he was born April 27th, 1915 to Louis and Willa/Willie Sharp. Louis was originally from Lawrence County, Ohio and was born in Ironton on 17 March 1895 to parents Charles and Rosabelle. 

Louis married Willie Mae Siders, daughter of James and Hattie Siders on 13 June 1914 in Lawrence County, Ohio. She was born 19 February 1896 in Mason County, WV. 

Little George was born in Jackson County. I found Louis' WWI draft card from June 1917 stating that the 22 year old with brown hair and eyes and of medium height and build was working for the U.S. Government as a fireman at the Ravenswood Lock and Dam 22. (The dam is now gone, but the building is still down at the riverfront, being used as a local history museum.)

The family shows up in the 1920 census, living in Barboursville, WV on the same street as Louis' parents and sister's family. Louis and Willie have one child, 2 year old Louis, Jr. and Louis is working as a railroad engineer. By the 1930 census, the family has expanded...and moved back to the Ironton area. Louis Jr. is now 12 years old, and daughters Marguerite (9), Lillian (5) and Billie Sue (1) have joined the family. Louis continues to work for the railroad. 

Louis and Willie both lived long lives, dying in Florida in 1973 and 1982 respectfully. What makes this story even sadder, however, is the fact that George seems to be all alone with no other family in the Ravenswood Cemetery. Neither of his parents were from the area, and it doesn't appear that anyone in the family died there, either. The Sharps were simply living in the area for Louis' work at the dam, and then moved away not long after his death, leaving only the infamous tombstone behind as a reminder of their lost son. 

Some Paranormal Humor from Spring Hill Cemetery

It's been awhile since I've posted a Friday Night Funny.  Luckily, on Wednesday I came across this little gem of grave humor and couldn't wait to share it!  This amusing anecdote comes from the Huntington Advertiser in an article dated June 6, 1911 and features one the city's most prominent burial grounds.  This particular cemetery has long had a reputation of being haunted by real ghosts and spirits...but maybe not all the stories are what they seem!  (For the ghost stories, check out Spring Hill Cemetery on Theresa's Haunted History!)

LOVERS FRIGHTENED AS CORPSE AWOKE

UNIQUE PRACTICAL JOKE WAS PLAYED

Sexton at Spring Hill Cemetery Tells Novel Tale at Confederate Reunion

Col. A. F. Southworth, recently returned from Little Rock, Ark. and is authority for the following story, which he alleges was told by Rev. W.J. Cocke, a veteran of the war, now sexton at Spring Hill Cemetery.

It concerns a youth and a maiden fair who were wont to roam about the cemetery grounds in the cool shades of twilight.

Now and then the sexton would discover the pair of lovers, in a secluded nook engaged in that phase of love-making called "spooning."  For many days the sexton watched the couple and smiled upon their happiness.

It occurred to him one day, however, that they might be fit subjects for a joke which he accordingly prepared.  He climbed into an empty coffin and closed the lid as they were approaching one evening.  As they drew near he made noises indicative that some supposed corpse was howling about being put in a coffin before he was dead.

The poke worked.  The lovers separated in their fright and fled in desperate haste when they saw the corpse, or ghost, or what-not, climb out of the coffin.  The boy went in one direction and the girl went in the other, climbing a wire fence in her hurry, and leaving thereon a goodly portion of her gown.

"They never came back," said Sexton Cocke, concluding his story.

Theresa's Note:  I did a little extra research to make sure that Sexton Cocke was in fact in charge of the Spring Hill Cemetery, and indeed it appears he was.  He's actually the Reverend William Joseph Cocke, who also later served as the chaplain for Huntington State Hospital, located just across the street from Spring Hill Cemetery.  Rev. Cocke passed away at the ripe ol' age of 94 on December 8, 1938.  He outlived two daughters, Rebecca (died 1901 at the age of 21) and Irma (died 1923 at the age of 44).

The Man Who Ate Paste

From: Find-a-Grave user, NevadaBob

A lot of my readers are familiar with the small town of Goldfield, Nevada for the simple reason that it boasts an allegedly haunted hotel...and that Zak and the Ghost Adventures Crew investigated there with quite interesting results.  However, I found something even CREEPIER than a haunted hotel...

...I found out what happens when you eat too much paste.

I think as elementary school children, we all knew that one kid who ate the paste.  Maybe curiosity got the better of us, and we too imbibed.  And while it was pretty gross, and probably pretty weird, it wasn't dangerous was it?

It was for one man, an unknown homeless man who found himself starving on the streets of Goldfield Nevada in 1908.  Goldfield was a relatively new town, having just been laid out six years previously after pioneers from nearby Tonopah discovered gold deposits in the area.  Over the next decade or so, the town proved extremely prosperous, but not for the gentleman in question.  Finding himself without a place to stay, or enough money in his pocket for a meal, it is said that this unknown stranger fished a rather large tub of discarded library paste out of the trash, and started to chow down on what he assumed was a simple paste of flour and water.

Unfortunately, at the time, library paste contained another ingredient, "alum," which was a chemical compound made out of sulfates and water designed to enhance the adhesive qualities of the paste.  Although generally harmless, and even used a means of inducing vomiting, apparently alum is toxic if large doses are consumed.  Which makes one wonder...just how big a tub was this guy EATING?

In all fairness, it is noted that this individual had a heart condition, which was simply worsened by the consumption of the alum, but I'm still not sold.  Intestinal blockage might have been a little more believable for me, but not alum poisoning.

In any event, the unknown man died on July 14, and was buried in the Goldfield Pioneer Cemetery.  His final resting spot is a large rock painted white with red lettering.  His identity remains a mystery, but his legend will live on in infamy among thousands of Pinterest subscribers!

Goldfield Pioneer Cemetery

There's actually an interesting bit of history about the cemetery where Mr. Paste Eater lies for eternity. The original cemetery was established in 1905, right in town.  It was the final resting spot of around 70 of Goldfield's earliest pioneers.  However, as the town grew, the idea of a downtown cemetery didn't sit well with the people.  The Las Vegas and Tonopah Railroad Company came through town and decided that it was demoralizing for their passengers to step off their trains and the first thing they see be a cemetery.  Similarly, it was considered bad taste for visitors of the Goldfield Hotel, which opened in 1908, to look out the window and directly into the town's burial ground.

Therefore, a group of men known as "official ghouls" worked under the cover of darkness to move the bodies to a more suitable location, outside of town.  82 additional burials would be added to the original 70 pioneers, including a murder suspect who hanged himself and another man who was shot.

Goldfield Pioneer Cemetery Photos

Goldfield Historical Society

Book Review-Chasing Graveyard Ghosts

Title: Chasing Graveyard Ghosts: Investigations of Haunted and 
 Hallowed Ground

Author:  Melba Goodwyn

Published: 2011 by Llewellyn Publications

Amazon Order Info: Chasing Graveyard Ghosts (Also available for Kindle)


I've always been fascinated with the history and the folklore associated with cemeteries.  I can't pass an old, ornate cemetery without stopping to check it out, and have spent many a happy hour wandering amongst the tombs, old and new.  Although I rarely go out seeking ghosts in these hallowed grounds, for a variety of reasons, I still get giddy when I hear a great legend or haunting associated with such....and of course, I love to read anything I can about ghosts!  This book was a perfect fit for me, and it was well-written to boot!

Over the course of 16 chapters, the author goes over plenty of cemetery mysteries, legends and hauntings...including her personal experiences with such.  There's also plenty of information to help you conduct your own cemetery research, and a helpful directory so that you can find the cemeteries that were discussed.

This book is not strictly scientific in its approach and there are some theories that are presented that are rather head-scratchers, but there is plenty of good information in here to assist anyone who has an interest in cemetery investigation.  At the very least, its a really fun read, with stories dealing with such things as phantom clowns, a possible extraterrestrial burial, statues that move on their own, and rather revealing epitaphs!

I've already gleamed inspiration for this blog from the book, choosing to write and share my own experiences on Graveyard Guardians!  Go check it out!

*Follow Theresa on FaceBook to see what else she's reading!*