{"id":9918,"date":"2015-03-12T15:56:06","date_gmt":"2015-03-12T15:56:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=9918"},"modified":"2015-03-12T15:56:06","modified_gmt":"2015-03-12T15:56:06","slug":"ghost-stories-seances-history-and-true-life-paranormal-events","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/ghost-stories-seances-history-and-true-life-paranormal-events.html","title":{"rendered":"Ghost Stories & S\u00e9ances: History and True Life Paranormal Events"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction<\/em><\/strong>: Mary Harrell-Sesniak is a genealogist, author and editor with a strong technology background. In this blog article, Mary searches old newspapers for stories about ghosts, s\u00e9ances and psychics \u2013 and tells two related stories from her own family\u2019s history.<\/em><\/p>\n

Starting in the Victorian Era, s\u00e9ances, psychics and spiritualists seemed to be everywhere, as more and more people believed they could talk to \u2013 or receive messages from \u2013 the spirit world, and thereby communicate with their departed spouse or child.<\/p>\n

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Photo: s\u00e9ance conducted by John Beattie, Bristol, England, 1872, from the Eug\u00e8ne Rochas Papers held at the American Philosophical Society Library. Source: Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The interest in s\u00e9ances and ghosts carried over into the early 20th century. This 1916 newspaper article reports there will be an \u201cindependent message s\u00e9ance\u201d at the First Independent Spiritual Church, and another \u201cmessage s\u00e9ance\u201d at the home of Mrs. Jennie Cook \u2013 \u201cheld under the auspices of the Ladies\u2019 Auxiliary.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Miami Herald (Miami, Florida), 23 July 1916, section 2, page 12<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Reactions to s\u00e9ances have been mixed throughout history. Some who turned to spiritual psychic mediums were true believers; others went out of curiosity or on a lark. And then there were the doubters who went to great lengths to debunk what they considered outrageous fraud.<\/p>\n

Perhaps your ancestors were among those who attended s\u00e9ances; I know mine were \u2013 but whatever their reasons, marvelous reports of s\u00e9ances and ghosts filter through historical newspapers!<\/p>\n

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Genuine Manifestation Award<\/strong><\/p>\n

In 1937, a $10,000 reward was put up by \u201cmedium exposer\u201d Joseph Dunninger for anyone who could provide a \u201cgenuine manifestation\u201d \u2013 a contact with the spirit world. Spirit Medium Stanley K. Werner struggled and strained to produce a message from the ghost of deceased magician Howard Thurston, but failed. His wife had no better success.<\/p>\n

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Heraldo de Brownsville (Brownsville, Texas), 22 July 1937, page 8<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mrs. Huntoon\u2019s Ruse<\/strong><\/p>\n

This historical newspaper article from 1898 reports that Mrs. Huntoon, a well-known spiritualist, put on quite a show. For 50\u00a2, her customers got to see spirits move, tin cans rattling and hands jingling bells from behind a curtain. Sometimes messages from the other side were received. One man heard from his dear departed wife, who wrote on a piece of paper: \u201cMy darling husband.\u201d Mrs. Huntoon\u2019s s\u00e9ances were elaborate ruses which many fell victim to.<\/p>\n

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Argus and Patriot (Montpelier, Vermont), 19 January 1898, page 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The journalist apparently agreed. He examined the written messages and reported that \u201cthe writing was a horrible hieroglyphic and all strangely alike.\u201d The end of the old news article reports:<\/p>\n

One of the men attending the s\u00e9ance said that Mrs. Huntoon was not so good now as she used to be.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Got It Wrong<\/strong><\/p>\n

The story from this next newspaper article has a humorous twist. At this s\u00e9ance in 1909, one of the participants asked the medium about his \u201cvery good friend who did all our work,\u201d and who had departed several years earlier. He left out the part about this \u201cfriend\u201d being in reality an old horse. The spiritualist \u201cmade a few mysterious motions and rapped on the table,\u201d then reported good news: \u201cYour friend is still in the west of Ireland and is married to a rich woman!\u201d<\/p>\n

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Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), 26 December 1909, page 3<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

My Family\u2019s Ghost Stories<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now before we end, I have to tell you about two true life ghost stories in my family\u2019s history.<\/p>\n

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The first has to do with a condemned government building in Indianapolis, Indiana. The locals believed it was haunted, so they tore it down.<\/p>\n

As far as I know, my ancestor, David Macy of Indianapolis, didn\u2019t believe in ghosts. He did, however, recognize a bargain when he saw it. The story is that he purchased the demolished building\u2019s materials and used them to build his own home. Apparently, the ghosts didn\u2019t follow the haunted lumber to his new house. You can see from this photo that Mary Ann (Patterson) Macy and her granddaughter were not a bit afraid to enjoy their front porch!<\/p>\n

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Photo: Mary Ann (Patterson) Macy and her granddaughter. Credit: from the personal collection of Mary Harrell-Sesniak.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The second family ghost story has to do with my Scott ancestors who lived in Saratoga, New York.<\/p>\n

Their son was often sent by his mother Sophronia to deliver items to a neighbor named Sally Wheeler. Sally had a reputation for being a stern, old woman who lived with a servant. Once she told Sophronia that if anything ever happened to her, she should look in the clock to find money hidden there.<\/p>\n

Well, eventually Sally Wheeler did pass away \u2013 but when the clock was examined, the money was gone. Afterward, Sophronia visited the estate\u2019s lawyer and asked him about the money in the clock. The family story is that he became white as a ghost and shortly thereafter committed suicide.<\/p>\n

Many years later, my grandmother wrote a letter about this. She reported that the story had virtually been forgotten until she and her parents went to a s\u00e9ance. At the end, the medium turned to my great grandfather and told him that she could see him as a frightened little boy outside the door of an old woman\u2019s house. He knocked, the door opened, and the old woman took the items he was delivering to her. Believe it or not, but that is what my grandmother reported!<\/p>\n

Now, as every good genealogist knows, you need to check the provenance of the ghost story.<\/p>\n

Were these people real?<\/p>\n

Yes, A. H. and Sophronia Scott are recorded living in dwelling house #188 on the 1860 U.S. Federal Census for Greenfield, Saratoga, New York. Eight family members were in the household. He was a farmer, as were two of his sons, including the one from the story.<\/p>\n

Sarah \u201cSally\u201d Wheeler was also real. She was age 52 and living in household #185 with her sister Syrissa Wheeler, age 57. With them were three men engaged in farming, or farm laborers. The sisters each owned $3,000 in real estate and $500 in personal property. Interestingly, Sarah<\/a> and Syrissa<\/a> Wheeler are buried in the Scott cemetery, although my Scotts are buried in Bailey Cemetery. (The links will direct you to the Wheeler memorials at Findagrave.)<\/p>\n

Was the money ever found?<\/p>\n

No, but the clock is real. It was given to my ancestor and is still owned by a family member. We all call this heirloom the Sally Wheeler clock.<\/p>\n

Was there an estate lawyer who committed suicide?<\/p>\n

There probably was a lawyer in Greenfield, but I have no idea who he was. If a kind reader can locate a corresponding death notice from 1894 or 1895 from the Greenfield area, please let me know.<\/p>\n

If you have any s\u00e9ance or ghost stories to share, please send them along!<\/p>\n

Related Ghost Story Articles:<\/strong><\/p>\n