The Glowing Tombstone of Pittsburgh

Tombstone of Giovanna Cecere
Photo by Find-a-Grave user, Roseanne Kocinski-Fowler

Giovanna Cecere was born on June 23, 1929 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to parents Mr. and Mrs. Frank Cecere. She was one of at least seven children. Unfortunately, a heart condition would end her life far too soon. She passed away on October 27, 1948 at the age of 19 and was buried in St. Michael's Cemetery. But, she would not rest in peace for long.

On Friday, July 31, 1953, hundreds of curiosity seekers flocked to the cemetery to catch a glimpse of a spectacular sight. A few days before, Mrs. Germaine Woods of 117 St. Paul Street, noticed something strange. It was an eerie yellow-green glow, coming from a tombstone in St. Michael's. That tombstone would, obviously, turn out to be that of Giovanna Cecere. As word spread about the strange phenomena, a throng of onlookers began arriving, and police were called in to help control the situation. That night, Police Inspector Paul Mozuch showed up to control the crowds, as well as try to figure out just why the tombstone was glowing. According to his observations, the tombstone itself was made of a highly polished red marble. No paint or powders were present that would explain the glow. Further, it didn't seem that the stone was reflecting any nearby lights.

The glow seemed to come from an area around the porcelain portrait of Giovanna which was on the tombstone. Weirdly, the glow wasn't observed to those standing in front of the tombstone, or anywhere IN the cemetery for that matter. The glow was only observed from a spot on St. Paul Street, about half a mile away.

Also called in that night, was George Cecere, the brother of Giovanna, who lived nearby, as well as the parish priest. The priest covered the tombstone, which extinguished the glow, then blessed the grave with holy water, leaving it covered.  George and Mozuch stayed until 3 am that night, keeping watch over the grave.  However, that was merely the beginning of a weekend full of onlookers.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
03 August 1953

Each night, the gates to the cemetery were locked, and the tombstone was covered up. That didn't stop people from showing up, though. Worse yet, it didn't detract treasure hunters from trying to chip away at Giovanna's stone, especially her portrait. Chicken wire was put up around the gravesite and padlocks (which were broken off) locked up the gates. Patrolman Michael O'Toole and Acting Lt. John Perich were on site Sunday to direct traffic and replace the covering that kept being removed. 

The church's official stance was that this whole thing was the result of crazy rumors, and was not supernatural, nor miraculous in nature. Inspector Mozuch personally believed that the tombstone's glow was a result of the stone absorbing the sun's rays all day long. Norgal Hoger, a chemist who had not observed the stone in person, gave the explanation of 'fox-fire' as it was a common phenomenon in cemeteries. Whatever, the cause, the mania would eventually die down. Today, Giovanna once again lies in rest. She is joined by her sister, Mary Jo, who shares the tombstone. What is conspicuously missing, however, is the porcelain portrait that once graced the tomb and was said to be the center of the mysterious glow. Was it removed by the family to put the rumors to rest...or did one of those treasure hunters actually walk away with a prize?

"The glowing tombstone" is a popular trope in paranormal research, and with the glow centering on the tombstone portrait, I can't help but think about West Virginia's 'Devil Baby of Ravenswood,' in which a similar portrait was the root of a spooky legend. Feel free to go check out that blog post as well, and if you visit Giovanna or little George (The Devil Baby of Ravenswood), please remember that these were real people...not just ghost stories. Treat them with the respect they deserve. And as always, happy haunting. 

Giovanna's Obituary
Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph
28 October 1948

The Pittsburgh Press
01 August 1953

The Star Press (Muncie, Indiana)
02 August 1953

The Bleeding Tombstone of Appleton, Wisconsin

Photo by Find-a-Grave Contributor 
Matthew J. Preissner

It's Spooky Season here on Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State, but also in my own home. Well, it's Spooky Season for me year-round...but beginning in mid-September, I'm finally able to get my kid on-board. One of the ways we 'celebrate' is to take advantage of the 10-15 minutes we have each weekday morning waiting in the school drop-off line to watch a quick video about a spooky legend or story. We really like the videos of Jessii Vee, who recently did a story on a cursed tombstone located in Appleton, Wisconsin! 

The tombstone in question sits down a secluded path in the Riverside Cemetery of Appleton, WI. The plot sits by itself overlooking the river, but the tombstone is a large, beautiful piece of art which was undoubtedly quite expensive in its day. If you're lucky enough to stumble across this tombstone, you've stumbled across the final resting place of Kate Blood. 

There are those in town who swear that by the light of a full moon, blood will drip down the face of the tombstone, oozing over the engraving of Kate's name and birth/death dates. Others will say this stone gives off an eerie heat, even  in the coldest weather. Some have even sworn to see an apparition of a woman crouching behind the tombstone, as if hiding from the prying eyes of anyone who dares approach the grave. 

Like many cursed tombstones around the country, the grave of Kate Blood comes with an accompanying back story that tries to validate the activity. In the most popular version of the legend, Kate was a murderous witch. She killed her husband and three children with an axe, before taking her own life. As a result of her misdeeds, she was buried away from the rest of the cemetery. In an alternate version, Kate's husband murdered HER, and presumably, the bleeding tombstone is a reminder to all of the tragedy that took her too soon. 

While actual history doesn't line up with either versions of the legend, it is true that Kate was a young woman who was taken from this world too soon.

Kate Marcia Blood was born on May 4, 1851. Her parents, Colonel Henry L. and Theresa Blood, were some of the earliest settlers in the area, responsible in part for laying out the town. Kate, or Kitty as she was known, was one of the first children born into the new fledgling community. As she grew into womanhood, she would marry George Miller, editor of the local newspaper, the Appleton Post. She was described by all who knew her as beautiful, accomplished, sweet and amiable. She came from a good, Methodist family, and was beloved by all who knew her.

Unfortunately, she would take ill with the dreaded consumption (which we call tuberculosis today). In an effort to try to cure her disease, her family took her on a trip. She became one of thousands in those days to head for Colorado, believing the state's fresh air had a curative effect on consumption. She never made it. While making a stop in Lawrence, Kansas, Kitty Blood Miller passed away. Her date of death is listed as either December 28th or December 29th, 1874. 

Kitty's body was brought home by train and the town mourned her death. She left behind a young daughter of two years of age, as well as her husband, George. She was only 23 years old. 

The town moved on, and George moved on, remarrying and living another 40+ years. But, by the river in Riverside Cemetery stood a stone monument with the name Kate BLOOD boldly emblazoned on it, sparking a legend that would endure for decades. But, Kate isn't the only BLOOD  who has had an unfortunate claim made about them based largely, if not solely, on the idea of their name alone. While Blood is a common English surname, it can be a little...jarring...seeing it on a tombstone.

West Virginia has its own bleeding tombstone legend, located in Huntington's Woodmere Cemetery. Here, near the main entrance, is the grave of Edith Blood, known as Mother Blood, a rumored midwife with a penchant for murdering babies. Again, there is no historical basis to the legend, and a perfectly reasonable explanation for the rust colored stains that actually do mar the surface of the tombstone. You can read all about THAT legend here: (Legends of Woodmere Cemetery: Mother Blood)

Sources and Further Reading:

Collar, Jim. Kate Blood: The Woman Behind the Urban Legend. Post Crescent (October 28, 2015)

Appleton Post
7 January 1875

The Sistersville Stocking Lady

Photo by Find-a-Grave contributor, Kathy Cook

I absolutely LOVE stories of haunted cemeteries and cursed tombstones.  There's just something about these particular legends that I think appeal to the thrill-seeker and adrenaline junkie in all of us!  Recently, I learned of another such legend here in the Mountain State:  The Stocking Lady of Sistersville. Like many of West Virginia's tombstone legends, this particular grave marker should be respected and admired....from far, far away!

Although we'd probably not consider Sistersville a booming city today, at one time the area was filled with wealthy citizens who made their fortunes in the oil and gas boom of the 1800s.  Many of those once-prominent citizens now call Oakwood Cemetery home, including the family of Philo Stocking.

Philo Stocking migrated from New York to the Wheeling area, and finally settled down river in Sistersville around 1841.  Local history has Philo Stocking as being one of the first people to attempt to drill oil in the area, but unfortunately it didn't quite work out.  However, Philo was a smart man.  He was sure that there was oil under his property, so he retained the oil and mineral rights to his property for him and his heirs.  Meanwhile, Stocking and his wife, Nancy, opened up a flour mill in 1852, which is still standing today under the name of Riverside Mills.  His son eventually took over the business and the family experienced financial success in the latter half of the 19th century and early 20th century.

Philo passed away in 1882 and his wife Nancy followed in 1901. Both were buried in the beautiful Oakwood Cemetery. A large granite monument with the elaborate figure of a woman cradling the grave was erected, overlooking the Stocking plots.  At one time, it must have been an impressive piece of funerary art.  Unfortunately, vandals have turned the once opulent statue into a desecrated mess of broken stone.

Close-up from Granny Sue's Blog

The Stocking Lady still stands guard over the graves of the Stocking family, but her arms have been broken off.  If you look closely at her face, you'll find it scratched and gouged, her eyes which were supposed to watch over the family in their eternal slumber now indistinguishable.  Because of the disrespect shown to her, local residents feel that the Stocking Lady is out for revenge!

The Stocking Lady is one of the tales collected and told by Appalachian story-teller, Granny Sue.  In a recent appearance at the WV Book Festival, she told the story of the Stocking Lady, and how at one local event, quite a few audience members came forward with personal knowledge of the statue's wrath!  It seems as if the gentleman responsible for breaking off the arms of the Stocking Lady soon after suffered a horrific accident in which he lost an arm.  The man accused of vandalizing the statue's face went blind.  In fact, it seems that if anyone just simply TOUCHES the statue, they will suffer bad luck, most likely in the form of health problems occurring in the part of their own body corresponding to what part of the statue's body they touched.

The cemetery is also alleged to be haunted by phantom moaning and white, wispy apparitions floating about.  Is this further evidence of the Stocking Lady or members of the Stocking family showing their displeasure for how their grave site was treated...or do the mysteries of Oakwood Cemetery extend even further?  If you find yourself in the Sistersville area, possibly staying at the historic and haunted Wells Inn, make sure you take a moment to stop at the cemetery and pay your respects to the Stocking family and the Stocking Lady.  Just...don't get too close!!

(This story can also be found in Rosemary E. Guiley's book, The Big Book of West Virginia Ghost Stories.  I've seen the cemetery in question be listed as both Greenwood AND Oakwood, but according to Find-a-Grave, the grave is officially listed in Oakwood.  If you have any clarification or corrections, please let me know!)

Happy Haunting, ya'll!