Haints, Boogers, and Ghosts

[LWhite64]

For a number of years I have been collecting period Ghost stories, that is stories that soldiers might have heard before or during the war. I have found several in the newspapers, but would like to find some more. Any takers?

Lee

[Dbackfed]

Re: Haints, Boogers, and Ghosts

Lee,
Since you're at Chickamauga, no doubt you've heard of Old Green Eyes.

I have pulled these two from a book of mine of ghost stories. I have seen the period account of the fire online, but not of the ghost story.

"Hell House of New Orleans." Late 1830s.
Owned by Delphine LaLaurie and her husband Dr. Louis LaLaurie. Without listing the whole details, period accounts start the ghost stories at 1837. The property was listed as being abandoned for the next 40 years. More info: Hell House

"Phantom of the Forests." (Canada) Mid-1750s. The phantom of hunger which stalks the forests of the north in search of lone Indians, halfbreeds, or white men to consume."

I'm sure you could go back to the "Old Country" as well, wherever that may apply, and use accounts from across the waters.

[Vuhginyuh]

Re: Haints, Boogers, and Ghosts

Can this thread be moved away from the sinks to a more serious folder? I'm fond of the topic and I don't want to see it reduced to folks loading it with tired old repetitive cut & paste replies. Primary source requirements would be appreciated.

[brown]

Re: Haints, Boogers, and Ghosts

Jason,
Interesting that you'd mention green eyes and "the old country" in the same post. Green eyes is actually a modern (2nd half of the 20th century) Chickamauga tale that is based on just such an "old country" legend.

[Jefferson Guards]

Re: Haints, Boogers, and Ghosts

There is a story from the early 19th century which persists to this day of the Snarly Yow or Black Dog of the Boonsboro, MD area. It is said to be a strange dog-like creature who would often confront and frighten passing travelers on the National Pike. It was usually described as having large paws, wolfish teeth, and an ugly red mouth.

[Missouri Mule]

Re: Haints, Boogers, and Ghosts

Here's a thread from earlier this year:

http://www.authentic-campaigner.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15717&highlight=bell+witch

I still remember the discussion here on the AC about the movie "An American Haunting". That was a very good discussion -- I wonder if it's still out there somewhere?

Regards,

[Silas]

Re: Haints, Boogers, and Ghosts

Lee, Terry Sorchy has a ghost story from last year's Chickamauga LH. His eyes were wide and black as saucers when he emerged from a treeline at the Brock field the first night of the LH. Not the type of thing you're looking for, but you might want to contact him offline about it.

[Jeff Prechtel]

Re: Haints, Boogers, and Ghosts

How about the Grey man of Pawley's island (S.C.)
that dates to (depending on sources) late Rev War period
to early 1800s, so by the war, he would have been well known,
especially by men from SC. There would have been the "Wizard Clip"
tale that comes from what's now West Virginia, as well as the Bell Witch
tale from Tennessee. Also the irish, German, Dutch and etc would of brought
their superstitions over with them. There's a few ghost stories from the Palatine
area of New York that irving based his Sleepy Hallow tale on, which I'd have to go
home to look up.

If I think of some more, I'll post them.

-Jeff

[Moose]

Re: Haints, Boogers, and Ghosts

Legend of Leigh Masters or Furnace Hills, from Westminster, Maryland.

Masters was a wealthy business owner (he owned smelting furnaces) in the 18th century. Legend has it that after Masters' wife and son died he went evil, and became very cruel to his slaves. He turned his attentions to one of his female slaves, but she was already married, so he killed he husband, and bricked her and her child up in a fireplace. He died not long after that. The legend also says that when he was buried the ground rejected his evil corpse and the coffin rose to the grave multiple times, until his grave site was moved into the town of Westminster at Ascension Episcopal Church, where his head stone constantly cracks, no matter how many times it is replaced. His ghost has been reported riding around his old property being led by a glowing imp.

My girlfriend and all her family are from Westminster, I heard the story from her realitives. I've seen the grave at Ascension Church, it indeed still has the crack.

Cheers,

[Gallinipper]

Here's a good one from eastern NC, which no doubt the soldiers from that area knew well. With apologies (had to cut & paste), but I agree this should be moved to another forum.....

The legend of the Mysterious Hoofprints at Bath is one of the most famous stories in North Carolina folklore. Of all the state's tales of ghosts, spirits, and supernatural phenomena, the story of the "Devil's Hoofprints" is one of the most enduring. And like most legends, it exists in many different versions and variations.

In the early 19th-century, there lived near Bath Town, NC a young man by the name of Jesse Elliott. The free-spirited Elliott was a hard-drinking, profane man who—with several madcap companions—liked to race horses on Sunday.

Elliott would take on any challenger—at any time and any place. The young hoodlum was certain his own horse was the fastest animal in the county.

One quiet Sunday morning in August 1802, a dark stranger on a black horse approached Jesse Elliott down by the dock in Bath. The rider declared that Elliott's stallion could be beaten, and wagered a hundred dollars on the proposition. Elliott's confidence was unshaken: "I'll meet you at the track in an hour," he scoffed, and with that, Jesse hurried home to prepare for the coming race.

At home, Elliott pulled on his riding boots and knocked back two glasses of straight liquor. As he went to leave, Jesse's wife cautioned the hot-headed rider about racing on Sunday. He merely cursed the frightened woman and stormed out of the house. As Elliott mounted his stallion and thundered away, his wife shouted a final warning: "I hope you'll be sent to hell this very day!"

At the track near Bath, Elliott arrived to find the mysterious stranger waiting for him. The dark man was calm and earnest as the two riders agreed upon the terms of the race. Something about the stranger bothered Elliott, but he shook it off, eager to finish the race and take the man's money.

In a flash, the race was on and both horses bounded down the lane. Jesse soon took the lead, and the dark rider slowly dropped back behind him. With growing confidence, Elliott shouted to his horse: "Take me in winner or take me to hell!"

At that moment, as the stallion thundered around a curve in the track, Elliott's horse suddenly twisted its head and shied. The beast reared and dug its hooves into the ground, and this violent movement sent Jesse Elliott sprawling from the saddle. The young hooligan was thrown against a large pine tree and killed instantly.

There are those who still believe that Jesse Elliott went to hell that very moment, and that he was taken there by the stranger on the black horse. The dark rider quickly disappeared, and Jesse's stallion was never seen again. The hoofprints that the horse left in the loamy soil, however, have remained visible in that spot ever since.

As news of the tragedy spread, the local citizens took it as a solemn warning from on high, and Sabbath-breaking in the region diminished significantly. The minister at St. Thomas Church in Bath, who had preached openly against the behavior of young ruffians in the area, declared that the hoofprints were left by "a man on his way to hell." And legend says that the hoofprints endure as a reminder of the tragic fate that awaits all wild young sinners.

Adapted from: Whedbee, Charles Harry. Legends of the Outer Banks and Tar Heel Tidewater ("The Devil's Hoofprints"). Winston-Salem: John F. Blair, 1966.


Rich Croxton

[Justin Runyon]

Re: Haints, Boogers, and Ghosts

Mark Nesbit [sic] I believe. He was apparently a ranger at the park for several years which has led him to be the "Leading Authority" on haints and spooks in Adams County. I dug his first few books when I was a kid.

[Elaine Kessinger]

Re: Haints, Boogers, and Ghosts

There is always "Sleepy Hollow", "The Tell-Tale Heart", and other horror stories that captured an author's imagination. Many were based on local legends and/or a variation on a tradtional tale.

[STFeryus]

Re: Haints, Boogers, and Ghosts

While I don't have a specific story for you, I do have a potential source. When seeing your post, I immediately thought of the chapter in Foxfire 2 titled "Boogers, Witches, and Haints" I don't think this book was mentioned already, but it is a good source of all kinds of old-timey living in Appalachia. I'm sure some of these stories have roots that go back into the mid 19th century.

Just some thoughts...

[Jeff Prechtel]

Re: Haints, Boogers, and Ghosts

Lee- one book you may want to take a look at is "Ghosts of the Cumberland-Deathlore in the Kentucky foothills"
by William Lynwood Montell.

I have this book, and it's an interesting read, that explores the Deathlore, Omens,
funerary customs, and ghost stories of the Pennyroyal district in southern kentucky.
Lots of the death omens addressed in the book date back to the 18th century, and would
have been around during the Cvil war period, as well as most all the funerary customs
detailed in the book. The book doesn't address "folklore" ghost stories exactly, but does
detail spirits and haints of the area. It's been a while since i read the book, but I believe
the information gathered in this book was taken down from penny royal residents over
a 20-30 year period. Good book detailing superstitions and customs of this southern
appalachia district

[Becky Morgan]

Re: Haints, Boogers, and Ghosts

Might this be a good use for a social group for those of us who share this interest?